JeanieBeanie33: Will try to make it last just for you :D flattered that you hold my story in such high regard I've worked really hard on it and it makes it all worthwhile to get a review like that :hugs:
Fortune Zyne: Thanx for telling me that it made me so happy! And yeh friendships are the most important thing in the world you shouldn't just let them go without a backwards glance. Say blessed be to Leaha for me!!
lil-blonde-pirate: lol puppy dog eyes only work once it's the rule ;p
Christine Marquez: glad you like the sword, I was reading the van helsing book and Dracula thinks to himself at one point "I collect all my depts in blood" and it got me thinking add a lot of free time and voila we have a plot :D
Disclaimer: I own nothing!
Chapter 69
Aleera cocked her head to one side staring down at the blond bride still unconscious on the couch in the ballroom.
She trailed a deadly talon over the slumbering girl's jugular, tracing the dark blue veins in the skin with vague interest, wondering if her own throat held such delicate patterns…it had been so many years since she had seen her own reflection.
Eyeing the sleeping girl with open dislike, dragged her talons over the smooth skin of her throat she toyed with the idea of opening one of the many blue tinted veins running just under the alabaster skin.
It would be so easy… just a small cut and the last of the fledgling's life giving blood would flow out in a pretty crimson river. What did the master care if his latest harlot seemingly died of injuries too severe from the suns rays to heal?
Then he would be all hers for eternity, he would realize he needed no other brides…and all it would take would be a slip of her talon…
The bride shivered with excitement and terror at her thoughts, absently combing her fingers through the mane of blond curls that surrounded Sarah's lifeless features.
She would not dare incur her master's wrath so foolhardily, not even in thought…he always knew about such thoughts. Giggling nervously to herself, the redheaded vampiress scooped Sarah's corpse like body into her arms, cradling her like a newborn baby Aleera walked around the dark room rocking the fledgling to an imaginary lullaby.
Humming softly she stopped before the heavily curtained window, a sadistic smile lighting up her face as she felt the setting sun's heat from beyond the heavy fabric. Laying her slumbering burden on the cold stone, she stood to the side and tugged on the edge of the fabric until a single ray of deadly light entered the room unhindered.
Aleera laughed aloud, gleefully clapping her hands as it fell scant inches from the slumbering bride's bare leg. She tugged gently at the curtain watching the fading light creep slowly closer to the girl; a great shout of mirth escaped her when she noticed the skin closest become an angry red like bad sunburn.
Just one more tug and the little trollop would be no more, she saw herself fawning over the ashes when her master awoke, sobbing in his embrace about how Sarah had awoken and ended her own life.
Overcome with her own cleverness, she failed to see one pale blue eye gazing in her direction, nor hear the barely audible shift of clothing from the lifeless body of her victim.
Her hands grasped the curtain tighter and with one last parting glance at the pretty little girl that had been her rival, she gave an almighty tug bathing the small area of the room in the deadly sunset.
The bride spun around, eager to lay her eyes on the burning corpse, only to be confronted with cold stone of the ballroom floor.
Her mind had barely registered the absence of the corpse when cold fingers pinned her arms to her sides and she was roughly turned to face the disarmingly innocent smile, from the fully recovered blond vampiress in the shadows at her back.
Sarah smiled sweetly as she recognised her fellow bride.
"Jealousy doesn't become you Aleera." She said calmly.
With a single ruthless push she sent the squealing vampire through the dim but very effective shaft of light entering the room.
Aleera let out a bloodcurdling scream of pain and anger, trying desperately to put out the flames coming off her very skin. Sarah's cold laughter echoed mockingly around her as her skin healed over and her hair re-grew.
They faced each other mindful of the light separating them and each watching as it slowly faded plunging the room into the life saving twilight. As one they transformed and flew across, talons and fangs flashed in the darkness eager for each others blood…the sudden inhuman roar that shook the castle made them freeze. Mutual looks of dislike passed between them, but for now their squabble would end…the master had awakened.
The journey towards the castle was a nervous one, the horses shied at the slightest noise in the woodland.
Carl's mount reared in shock when a ferret shot across its path, throwing its head back and kicking at the air. With a startled cry the friar slid from the saddle, landing hand in a snow drift and rolling away from the beast's hoof-falls.
Van Helsing wheeled his own mount around up to the mare's side, leaning over to catch the loose bridle. With a harsh yank he forced the beast's hooves to the hard earth.
"You alright Carl?" he asked in concern.
The Friar dusted himself off and gratefully took the reins back. "I'm damp and cold but fine." He said indignantly remounting.
Van Helsing frowned "Be more careful, the horses will bolt if they can…they've got more sense than the rest of us."
The rest of the journey continued in eerie silence the small party watched gloomily as the sun slipped below the horizon, and the castle appeared in front of them.
"It's a nice place." Bob muttered when they finally stood on the path to the looming castle.
"Yeh, perfect for your neighbourhood mad scientist and serial killer." Marston added.
They turned to see Carl coming towards them, carrying what looked like the boot from an ancient suit of armour.
"Er what are you gonna do with that?" Bob asked when the friar placed it in front of him.
Carl grinned "You think we'll let you into that castle on crutches?" he asked in amazement.
Bob scowled "You want me to where that? It'll weigh a ton!"
"No it's perfectly movable, watch this." The friar felt down the metal until his fingers found the catch, pulling it back two wheels appeared in the sole of the boot.
Marston burst out laughing "He's invented the roller blade!"
Bob grumbled as he forced his bandaged leg into the boot, padding inside kept the leg snug and secure, preventing blows from damaging the fragile bones further.
Still looking doubtful, Bob stood and took a few steps dragging the boot along after him. To his surprise it moved easily.
"Come on roller boy." Marston smirked, walking with him to where the others were making there way to the castle.
The group made there way quickly forward, Van Helsing stretched his arm across their path grunting as Jory ploughed into it before he could stop himself.
"What are you stopping for?" asked Chris hefting his heavy shotgun impatiently.
"There is no way in hell you're sending us back now!" yelled Tony angrily. Van Helsing regarded him under the brim of his hat with amusement.
"I just wanted to point out, that there are those who go through the front door," he gestured to where a dozen corpses were strewn in the foliage.
Amie clutched Bob tightly in an effort not to scream at the sight; Tony swallowed the bile rising in his throat.
"And the rest?" Enquired Anna.
"They go through the back door." The hunter answered. "And live just a little longer." He turned and began to lead them around the base of the castle.
"Don't you just love his pep talks." muttered Bob, leading Amie by the arm.
Carl caught up with Van Helsing and Anna looking nervously around at the many corpses lining the path.
"I don't see whether it matters which door we go through." He whispered. "We're not coming out of there alive."
Van Helsing smiled and hefted his crossbow. "Nonsense, you're only saying that because no-one ever has." He said cheerfully.
Carl gave him an exasperated look and caught Anna's gaze. "And he calls me eccentric." He muttered making the Princess smile in amusement.
Marston trailed after them miserably.
"What's up?" asked Jory in concern.
Marston raised an eyebrow. "Other than the fact that we're walking into a creepy Transylvanian castle?" he asked sarcastically.
Jory grinned and nodded "Yep, besides that."
"I'm about to die a virgin." Marston wailed kicking a stone violently out of his way.
Jory froze his eyes wide "Oh fuck…me too"
Chris walked past them grinning "Not if Aleera's up for round two." He pointed out.
Marston broke into a broad grin "I can think of worse ways to die."
Van Helsing circled around the base of the castle careful to keep within the shadows, not much in the way of camouflage if Dracula or Aleera happened to glance from one of the many windows, but enough to hide them from the other beings lurking within the castle walls.
The small wooden door in the side of the wall was almost entirely covered with snow and dead branches so that they almost missed it in the fading twilight. Van Helsing pulled it open cautiously and knelt to examine the dark opening.
"I'll go in and check that the coast is clear, wait for my signal." He ordered crouching to enter. Anna held him back, clutching his arm with a scowl.
"We'll all go. This is not a place we want to get split up." She stated meaningfully.
"Yeah, there's no "I" in "Team" Van Helsing." muttered Jory smugly.
The hunter raised an amused eyebrow. "Maybe not but there is a "me"" he said smartly before disappearing into the depths of the castle.
Anna rolled her eyes and drew her sword as she followed.
Jory gaped after them. "I never thought of that" he admitted quietly.
Silently and with weapons in hand the group crept through the depths of the castle; the shadows seemed to gather around them like living creatures. The darkness pulsed with hidden life.
They found themselves in the castle dungeons, rank with the stench of its forgotten inhabitants who still rotted within some of the stone cells.
Amie shivered as they passed an open doorway, catching a glimpse of rusted manacles that had been recently in use. She heard Sarah laugh in her distant memory:
"…hid out in the dungeons and ended up sharing a cell with wolfy Velkan for the day."
It struck her how lightly she had accepted that. How arrogant she had been to think that she could understand, could comprehend what her friend had endured. Now she was faced with the foul reality.
Her pace quickened and she no longer shied at the noises in the shadows.
It came as a shock when the group stepped up and into the main corridor of the castle, here sections of the roof were missing and the pale quarter moon cast an eerie glow upon the cold stone. The place smelt of death and corruption, old corpses, both animal and some suspiciously human littered the ground.
By unspoken agreement, Anna and Van Helsing fanned out scanning the floor for the tell tale signs of recent movement.
Tony shifted his sword impatiently from hand to hand itching to use it, while the others nervously checked their own arsenal.
"Where's the welcoming comity?" asked Carl quietly. He quailed under the resulting glares from the teens. "What did I say?"
Bob grunted "Only the worst thing you could have! In every movie like this as soon as someone says that they get attacked!"
Carl nervously clutched the silver stake closer to his chest. "N-not always?" he stammered.
Suddenly a group of small masked creatures entered the room carrying coils of wire and tools.
They froze in disbelief when they spotted Van Helsing and his group, before emitting loud pitched shrieks. "Anna Valerius!" they cried dropping their equipment and charging at the group.
"Always!" Chris yelled bringing his sword up in defence.
He aimed a blow for the nearest creature, catching its mask and tearing it away from its grotesque little head. Beneath, its skin was tough and leathery, the eyes were unblinking and fish like while its mouth gaped at him revealing vicious rows of fangs.
He leapt back in disgust "What the fuck are these things?"
"Dwergi!" Anna answered appearing next to him and neatly decapitating his attacker.
Amie and Bob stood back to back each defending the other. Amie let out a cry of exhilaration as her blade came crashing down upon the crown of one of the creatures, slicing it neatly down the middle to fall in half at her feet.
Jory turned and regarded her in amazement and so did not notice the single dwerger rush from the shadows and towards the back stair.
"Jory, Duck!" Van Helsing called desperately.
The boy turned at the sound of his voice and fell to the ground as a deadly spinning togo blade flew over his head and embedded itself in the creatures skull.
Bewildered, he watched the corpse freeze and then fall, twitching on the ground. Breathlessly he clambered to his feet, a cold sweat breaking out on his forehead, as he turned and saw his friends standing around him amid the scattered remains of their attackers.
Marston walked past him and rolled one of the more intact bodies over revealing the lidless and staring eyes.
"And they said the Ewoks were cute....I always knew...just like those pesky dolphins" he said calmly.
Amie stared at them in disgust "there are more of these things?" she asked quietly.
Anna nodded "They are Germanic trolls; Dracula sometimes uses them in his experiments. Don't underestimate them, my cousin Duncan did once."
"What happened to him?" Tony asked curiously.
Anna sighed "well we did manage to find enough of him to bury if that's what you mean."
Amie scowled at Tony "You just had to ask."
Van Helsing kicked a body out of his way and led them purposefully towards a set of doors at the end of the corridor, huge panes of dark wood framed with human bones.
"Jory you're an artist what do you think the sculptor was trying to tell us when he made this?" Chris asked sarcastically.
"See you in hell?" the boy suggested.
Sudden noise made them all jump; the great doors shuddered and began to open.
Van Helsing and Anna leapt into the shadows on either side signaling for the teens to do the same. The torches on the dark walls burst into life as a small twisted man staggered in to view.
"Egor." Anna hissed venomously.
"The Egor?" Chris asked loudly "No way!"
At the sound of his voice the man in question glanced up sharply, his eyes widening in astonishment and fear.
Amie shuddered as she caught sight of his horribly distorted neck, the bones long broken sticking out to the side covered with thick scaly skin.
Van Helsing leapt from his hiding place as the small man dropped his burden and began to run back the way he'd come.
The hunter acted swiftly snapping his wrist to bring another togo blade into his hand, he spun it once and released it with perfect accuracy to bury itself in the unfortunate minion's arm, pinning him by cloth and flesh to the cold wood of the ornate doors.
Carl grimaced as he let out a howl of fear and pain. "Was that really necessary?" he asked as Van Helsing wrenched Egor from the door and pinned him to the ground.
Van Helsing ignored him applying pressure to the man's injury.
"Does anyone else feel slightly uncomfortable about this?" Amie asked as she watched this torture.
Anna glared at her "This man has done far worse to others Amie, you should show him no sympathy."
"I only do unto others…before they do unto me!" gasped Igor a trace of amusement in his tone despite the pain he was in. Anna strode up to him pushing Van Helsing aside and pulling the pathetic creature up from the floor.
"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't have you hanged again!" she hissed.
Igor started to frown apparently thinking about this very hard.
A horrific screech saved him from answering as it echoed along the corridor.
A wide grin appeared on Igor's distorted face. "My master has awakened!" he announced gleefully.
Tony stepped towards them impatiently "Look we don't have time for this we have to get the sword and kill Dracula before he kills us!"
Van Helsing nodded and thrust a piece of faded parchment into the man's face. "I will spare your life if you tell me where to find this sword." He said impatiently.
"There are many swords in this castle." He answered smugly, crying out when Anna applied more pressure to his wound. "Of course there is one that looks just like that in the west tower."
One calloused hand pointed shakily out of the nearest window to where a dark tower stood silhouetted against the rising moon.
"Thank you." Van Helsing said tightly signaling to Anna who reluctantly relaxed her grip.
"Now then your going to lead us too it."
Igor sniggered, "No I'm not."
Van Helsing held his hand behind his back and Marston mutely passed him his silver dagger. Igor winced as he found the cold metal at his throat and quickly changed his mind. "Yes, I am"
Anna stared from him to Van Helsing. "Are you insane? He can't be trusted."
"He can if he wants to save his own skin."
"Why would he want to do that?" asked Bob glaring at Igor with disgust.
Igor gave him a look that said he would have loved nothing better than to have had his beloved cattle prod at that moment.
Without another word Van Helsing pushed the cowering man in front of him and they reluctantly followed him into the depths of the castle.
Note: like I said the dreaded writers block is upon me so im only putting this one up tonight. Hope its ok im never very good with fight scenes.