Looming over Tirgoviste, Adrian's manor was nestled snuggly in the crags of the Balkan mountains. It was one of the oldest housings in the area, obvious from how much rest of the city seemed to build forth from it, but it didn't look to have aged much. Clearly, the family had been here for a long time.

Adrian led Van Helsing and Carl through the main doors, nodding to a corner in indication that they could leave their bags there. "I apologize for the lack of my house staff," he said, voice now devoid of that bassful command it had been in the city square. "But I gave them leave for a holiday some time ago, and not all of them have yet returned." He paused for a moment. "I don't blame them at all."

"We have quite a few issues at hand," Van Helsing stated while setting his bag down roughly, which resulting in the crossbow giving yet another resound clang. Carl, of course, was more careful in setting aside his bags. When the man glared at him, Van Helsing ignored it. Instead, he kept his attention on Adrian. "One of which is the location and well-being of Anastasia Corvinus. The second is where I can find Dracula."

There was a fanciful look on Adrian's eyes at that, almost as if he had expected the inquiry. "You needn't worry about Lady Anna," he said. Now, Adrian gestured to the stairs, walking up them to the second floor of his manor. "I have already taken care of her safety and made sure that Dracula cannot take her."

"Take her?"

As they reached the top of the stairs, Adrian paused, looked back, and nodded to his guests. "Dracula seems intent on taking Anna alive. Of yet, I'm unsure as to why." He continued walking now headed for a rounded set of double doors. "However, so long as she is safe from his grip, I am content to ponder that at a later time. Right now, we should introduce you to the lady."

He pulled open the doors to reveal a massive house library. Upon the walls were racks of books, volumes upon volumes of information that made Carl's eyes light up with envy. It was not missed by Van Helsing; Carl looked like he had been granted an entry into Heaven. "Try not to die of shock on me," he muttered to the man. Van Helsing followed Adrian into the library, and it was then he noticed a huge oil painting that covered an entire wall of the room. It was a richly detailed and fantastical map of Walachia, the work of both a master mapmaker and a grand artist.

"As to Dracula himself," Adrian continued as he led the men down the main walkway of the library, "he once resided in this very house, before he became one of the undead. Now, no one knows where he dwells." He sighed, looking to the map for a moment. "Richter and Nicholas would spend hours staring at that painting, trying to find the location of Dracula's lair."

Turning a corner, Adrian stopped, looking around. He had an odd expression on his face, and then smiled. "Lady Anna," he called. "Come on down, I have someone who would like to meet you."

For a moment, there was no answer. Then, from a nearby shelf-ladder, a young girl attired in a simple red dress climbed down, a book in her hand. She hopped from the last rung to the floor, then held the book over her front with both hands under it. Auburn hair that was held by a light blue ribbon, and eyes that looked like the sea, she had a quiet look to her, yet still a noble bearing to her features. Van Helsing recognized her as the girl from the picture in his briefing; Lady Anastasia Maria Corvinus.

"Anna," Adrian said, now gesturing to Van Helsing and Carl for her. "These gentlemen are Van Helsing and Carlson Seward. They'll be staying with us for some time."

She bowed, ever so polite in her motions and displaying her royal breeding. "A pleasure to make your acquaintance, sirs," Anna said, her voice soft and tender. She looked even younger in the flesh than in the photograph, yet she conveyed an amazing air of maturity beyond her years. Truly a remarkable child, and the member of a long line of royal blood. "I apologize for my less-than presentable appearance, I was not expecting such company."

Van Helsing smiled, his eyes reflecting his amusement. Yes, she was very well mannered for such a young age. He had judged her before to be almost to her twenties, but now, having met her, she was obviously much younger, no more than fifteen, sixteen at oldest. "No apologizes are required of you," he stated, removing his hat and giving her a bow. "Indeed, it is I who must apologize to you for my less-than proper appearance for presenting myself to a lovely young lady of a royal house." Van Helsing chuckled when he saw her giggle. "I'm afraid I've not yet had the chance to clean myself up after the event down in the city square."

Her eyes glassed over with fear. Van Helsing inwardly cursed himself for having caused such a reaction. She'd obviously been unaware of the attack in the city, and to have brought that fear to her was a foolish move. Already, he was screwing up.

"The brides," she whispered. "Lord Tepes, how many-"

He held up his hand to calm her. The effect Adrian had on people still amazed Van Helsing, though, from what he had seen in the battle, Adrian's ability to produce such a presence was far from the greatest of his talents. "More injuries than actual losses for the city," he stated. Those words seemed to levy Anna's anxiety. "Van Helsing is the reason we were so fortunate. In fact..." He paused a moment, now glancing to the man in black. "If not for him, Marishka would still be one preying on the mortal lives."

There was a sparkle in Anna's eyes, a sparkle of hope. She turned to Van Helsing with something that both lifted his spirits and made him worried. He'd not seen it often in regards to himself, but he knew that look; hero worship. "You killed a bride?" she asked, her voice filled with excitement. "Did you actually kill a bride of Dracula?"

For a moment, Van Helsing considered denying the full credit, being he knew that somehow Adrian had a hand in that victory. But one look to the man, and Van Helsing got he idea he should play along. "Yes," he said. With a sigh and a smile, he nodded to confirm her question. "Yes I did. But it was only luck that I got the chance I had. The sun came out at a rather auspicious time, so it seems that God was looking out for us then." Van Helsing glanced to Adrian for a moment. Just how much truth in those words, he did wonder. "I don't expect to have such a similar break in fortune the next time."

"Try not to break down too many illusions," came the words from Adrian. He smiled again, and Van Helsing could see that Anna's presence was one that definitely lifted the mood, especially of Lord Tepes. He seemed more cheerful now that he was in her company, almost like an older brother of sorts. Perhaps his initial supposition of Adrian having some blood relation to the Corvinus clan was correct.

Taking another bow, Van Helsing then had a serious expression upon his face. He hated to do this now, but better sooner than later. "Lord Tepes..."

"Please," he replied, waving his right hand as if to ward away his title. "You were friends of Richter's, and thus are friends of mine. Titles have no use between us."

That smile could not be resisted. "Alright," Van Helsing quipped to correct himself. "Adrian then. We do have matters to attend to, and they involve Dracula. I'm not sure that such a discussion is one which should involve our young lady."

He did it again, said the wrong thing. He knew because there was instantly a look of indignation on Anna's face. Adrian was quick to hold her shoulder before she could move to respond, but Van Helsing got the idea; he had offended her. Best try and apologize for it, he thought. She's royalty, after all, and you're not. "Forgive me," he said, looking quite sheepish now. "I meant not to say that it is not your concern, it's just that, your age causes some automatic reactions when dealing with these matters."

For a moment, pride was on Anna's face. Defiant pride. The true sign of not only royalty, but a teenager. He would have to keep that in mind next time. However, the expression softened, and Anna nodded to accept his apology. Hopefully, he'd not accidentally say something like that again.

"We can discuss this in the armory," Adrian said at last. He held out his hand to show the way, then took the lead in walking back down through the library doors and to a chamber that lay on the bottom floor. As Adrian pushed the doors open, Van Helsing looked around at four centuries of weapons that lined not just the walls, but tables as well. Most of the weapons here he recognized, some from his own experience, a few from books he'd read, and there were a rare number he'd not seen before. With a gaze to Carl, he could see the man was about to start drooling.

Now he was impressed.

Stepping up to one of few empty tables in the room, Adrian gestured for everyone to sit before he took his own seat. "As said before," he began. "I thank you for coming to Tirgoviste to help us. I was unsure if my message reached the Templar."

It clicked now. "You're the Templar's contact here in Walachia," Carl exclaimed, giving voice to what had formed in Van Helsing's own mind.

A nod. Adrian smiled faintly. "Guilty as charged," he said in humor. "Yes, I have been one of the Templar's contacts here in the Hungarian provinces, but I've been absent as of the last few years, and only returned about a year ago, after Richter had been murdered by Dracula." He paused a moment, looking to Van Helsing and Carl, then to Anna. "I was only able to recently send my correspondence to the Vatican due to my own responsibilities to the people here. As a member of both the Tepes and Corvinus bloodlines, my duty to Walachia is double."

So he was a Corvinus. Perhaps that was the resemblance he'd noticed, but there was something else, something that was still not quite within reach of Van Helsing's mind. It had to do with this Tepes family. It could wait though. "So you were expecting us."

Adrian didn't answer right away, at least not in the fashion Van Helsing expected. "I was expecting Abraham Van Helsing," he finally said in reply. "We are rather much acquainted, and that was the reason I suspected you two at first. The people of Tigoviste were expecting the professor, not his prodigal son."

"Professor Van Helsing was unable to make the journey," Carl said, saving Van Helsing the trouble. "He was injured two years ago in an incident that involved Count Orlock."

There was a troubled look on Adrian's face. Van Helsing surmised that he knew the name Orlock well enough. When the noble only nodded, he got the confirmation he needed.

"Lord Tepes," Anna intoned. She glanced outside to indicate the setting sun. "Dinner should be ready. Cordillia said she was preparing a wild roast for tonight, along with a bottle of that wine you're so fond of."

His eyes flashed but a moment. There seemed to be an odd gleam of hunger in those eyes at that moment, but it quickly passed. "How forgetful of me," Adrian remarked in apology. He rose from his seat and nodded to his guests. "Please, would you join us for supper? I'm sure that your effects have already been taken to the guest rooms, I'll show you to them later."

"Roast is it?" Van Helsing observed as he and Carl stood and followed their hosts down into the hall again. "Been a long while since I had a good dinner like that."

"Indeed," Carl added. "This wine sounds like something I'd like to sample as well."

Anna's eyes flashed to Adrian, worried, but the man calmly shook his head. "I'm afraid it is very much an, acquired taste," he said. There was a smile. "Take my word, you would not enjoy it."

Dinner, Van Helsing decided, was the best he'd ever had. The roast was large and juicy, and it tasted better than anything he'd before sampled. Maybe once he was able to give up his line of work, he'd come stay in the region for a while. The wine was also of a very good year, though it surprised both he and Carl that the bottles served them were both of a seventeenth century vintage. Obviously, the Corvinus family had very fine tastes.

Now missing his gloves, hat, and overcoat, Van Helsing looked almost nothing like the man who was the best agent to the Templar. He had tied his hair back for the meal, and while it did serve the practical purpose of keeping his hair out of his face, it also allowed him to have a more sociable appearance.

It was on his third glass of the wine that Van Helsing decided he had developed a fondness for this vintage. Strangely though, for such a strong taste, the white liquid seemed to have no effect on his senses at all, which was less than could be said for Carl, now on his fifth glass, and already a bit tipsy. Van Helsing made a note to not let the man have any more of the obviously potent vintage, now making him drink water to clear out his system.

Finally, Adrian restarted the matter at hand. "As said before, we are unsure just where Dracula now resides," he began, having just swallowed a piece of roast that he washed down with the rather thick red fluid that was, as Anna had said, the vineyard he had a fondness for. He paused for a moment, glancing to the young princess, then continued. "If it were only my own head, I'd be heading out right now to track down his brides."

"A fool's errand," Van Helsing said instantly. He noticed the stare that Anna gave him, and decided to explain his reasoning. "If you were to go after them now, you would be outnumbered and outpositioned." He gestured to the night sky. "Plus, unlike them, you can't see in the dark. Morning would be better, and not alone."

The nobleman chuckled before giving his agreeing nod. "An excellent observation, Mister Van Helsing. However..." He paused, then took a sip of his drink, not a drop being spilled down his mouth. Setting the glass back on the table, Adrian continued. "However, as I'm sure you and Mister Seward observed during the battle, I'm not exactly like most men."

"I noticed the fireball you flung at the one bride," Carl interjected, now recalling his own observances. "The one with the blonde hair, Marishka I believe you called her. You also seem to know them."

A laugh escaped from Adrian's lips. He sighed, took another sip of his wine, then glanced to Seward. "Your eyes did not fool you," he stated plainly. He could sense the surprise on Van Helsing's face, but need not see it. "I am an accomplished mage of sorts, one who taps into the forces of nature to fight the evils that plague our land." He noted the growing fear in Van Helsing's eyes. "And yes, the Templar knows this. Since, however, my use of magicks is clearly not the black arts, they do not interfere with my methods."

He took a sip of his wine, his eyes now worried, but relieved all the same. "It's still a risky business," Van Helsing remarked. He set his glass on the table, then looked at it for a few moments. Something was very odd, he was feeling no effect at all from the wine's alcoholic properties. It wasn't the wine itself, Carl was proof of that. It was something to do with him.

"That it is," Adrian agreed. He noticed that the few servants of the house had come to clear the table, and he nodded his thanks to them before finishing his own glass and handing it off. He tapped on the arm of his chair for a moment, reflecting in some thought. Finally, He turned to Anna. "It's getting late," he said softly. "You should turn in for the night, so that my protections on you are reinforced."

For a moment, Anna almost objected. But then, knowing that Adrian was right, she rose and bowed her leave. "Good-night," she said. "I'll see you all in the morning."

As the princess departed, Van Helsing frowned. His instincts were warning him of something, but he wasn't quite sure what it was. He glanced to Adrian. "Despite appearances, she's quite a spirited girl."

The lord nodded, now looking out the window. It was a full moon out tonight, and it made him worried. "Yes," he said. "She gets it from her mother." He smiled faintly, and Van Helsing could see the pained memories that Adrian was reliving in his mind. "Anna, sadly, never knew her, but her mother was a beautiful and strong willed woman." There was sorrow now on his face. "The family told her that her mother died from birthing complications, I thank God she doesn't know what really happened to Lucrecia."

There was that feeling that he knew where this was going, and Van Helsing had a sinking premonition that it had something to do with Dracula. "Don't tell me that-"

He nodded, and Van Helsing knew he didn't need finish the sentence. Adrian's statement was all that he and Carl needed. "She was once one of Dracula's brides." He stopped, trying to avoid tears. No doubt, it was a difficult memory. "Dracula changed her not long after Anna was born, the family decided it best for Anna not to know what happened." Pausing, Adrian took a moment to recompose himself. "I was the one who had to free her."

Hearing the sharp breath, Van Helsing jumped out of his seat and turned toward the door of the dining room in time to see Anna bolt from her hiding place. Adrian as well realized that she had been eavesdropping, cursing himself now for not noticing it before. "Oh no."

Tears poured down her cheeks as she ran toward her room. How could they have lied to her, her own family? Why did they tell her that her mother had died in labor instead of the truth? Did they think it would destroy her to know that her mother had been one of Dracula's most tortured victims, that Adrian had been the one with the courage to free her?

Her mind was made up. Princess or no, she owed Dracula far too much for the horrors he had brought upon her bloodline to let others handle the task. Granted, she didn't have much in the way of combat training, but she didn't care, she wanted vengeance.

Racing to her room, Anna pulled out a set of riding clothes and quickly changed. They were black and gray, perfect for hiding in the night. Once in her new attire, Anna stormed out of her room, now headed for the armory. No doubt, the men would try and stop her once they figured out her intent, but she would not let them.

Throwing open the armory doors, Anna halted, hearing a noise coming from in the weapons room. She picked up a glowing lantern and walked slowly around the corner to find that the source of the sound was a window that had been left open. She sighed, walking over at a brisk pace to shut the window. It was then she noticed the full moon outside, and as she turned, she could see the wet paw prints on the ground.

One of them was in there with her.

She quickly looked around and grabbed a pistol from one of the tables. She had little real experience with firearms, but enough that she might be able to get a shot off and escape. Anna's breath was erratic now; she was scared. Maybe this hadn't been such a good idea after all, setting to go out on her own against Dracula.

She backed away slowly toward a wall. That way, she wouldn't be attacked from behind by the werewolf. The last thing she needed was for that to happen. But then, she stiffened when she heard something drip to the floor behind her. She slowly turned, then, looking up, screamed and fired up the moment she saw the werewolf gripping to the wall above her. The creature roared, but did not give chase when she ran.

And the clouds passed over to cover the full moon.

Turning a corner, Anna raced for the door, but then slammed into something. She almost screamed again, with nothing left but the inevitable, and then, she noticed it. It wasn't something she had run into, it was someone.

Velkan.

Joy sprang unbidden into her heart. The weeks of grief and of missing him all flooded back only to melt away. Her cousin was alive, he had survived the fall.

"Oh God," she gasped, now gripping him tightly. "Oh, thank God. Velkan, you're alive!" Anna began to cry with joy, not bothering to notice that Velkan's clothes were torn and shredded. "When you fell over that cliff-"

He suddenly sprang to life. "Anna, stop!" he hissed forcefully. "You have to listen to me, I only have a moment!"

"Velkan, we have to get out of here, there's a were-"

Again, he gestured for her to be silent. "That doesn't matter right now! I know Dracula's secret!" There was a mixture of emotion on his face, but none of it was happiness; it was panic. "He has..."

He choked. Even as he tried to get the words out, he stumbled backwards, and the only sound that came from his throat was a ragged guttural growl. Anna couldn't understand what was wrong, until, when she looked through the window, the horrible truth dawned on her; the moon was shining through the clouds.

He was flung into spasms, looking to have lost all control of his body. Throwing himself against the wall, Velkan struck against it, his hands digging deep into the stone. Anna couldn't say anything, only shaking her head in refusal to believe it. The werewolf wasn't stalking her in the room, it had only changed back to its human form for a moment with the moonlight blocked by the clouds.

"No," she whispered, tears streaming down her face. "Please, God...no!"

His spasms continued, Velkan Valerious thrashing about, throwing off the remains of his shirt, his skin rippling and bulging. And then, for a moment, he managed enough control to look at her, let her know that what was left of him loved her, was fighting to protect her, and he said one word; "Run!"

And then, he could fight it no longer. His skin split open, tearing as if there was something inside him that was too big for his flesh. His human skin tore away, revealing the werewolf inside, and the creature now scaled the wall while its transformation completed itself. Then, looking to Anna, it roared.

The doors were kicked open. "Anna!" cried a voice. The werewolf looked over, then pushed off from the wall to crash through a nearby window, shattering the glass while Van Helsing ran over, threw open the balcony door, and aimed one of his silver revolvers.

She couldn't move, even as he ran back over to her and shook her. "Anna," he said. "Are you alright?"

When the girl didn't respond, Van Helsing swore under his breath. There were no signs at all of injury to her, and he guessed that he'd been just in time. He looked over to see Carl walk in, sniffing about.

"Why in God's name does it smell like wet dog in here?"

Leave it to Carl to make that kind of light of the situation. "Werewolf," Van Helsing replied, now running to give chance. He noticed the light of understanding in Carl's eyes, and took the bullet pack the man pulled from his coat and held out. "Well done. Get Adrian, and make sure he knows we've got a werewolf running around!"

By then, Anna had recovered, and was now giving chase after him. "No!" she cried in horror. "Wait!"

But he already headed out of the house as fast as he could, not wanting to give her the chance to follow. No doubt, she wanted some part of this hunt, but he could not afford to have her as a liability right now. Unlike Carl, Anna would be not only a distraction, but someone that definitely had to be protected. No, it was best for her to stay behind.

He made for the city on foot. As he arrived, he could hear the noise of merry making from the pub. Peculiar place, Tirgoviste. Just a few hours ago, vampires had attacked the town, and now the city dwellers were living it up. It made Van Helsing wonder just how much this city had gone through.

The box of bullets was soon broken open, and he took his chance now to replace the normal shells in his guns with silver bullets. He snapped the chamber shut, then glanced up as he heard something in the distance. A smile danced on his lips then, his eyes peering into the fog. There was a feeling he had now, one that was much older than his training. "Who's hunting whom?" he asked of the night. No doubt, just as he was tracking the werewolf, it was tracking him.

Van Helsing held a single revolver at the ready, stepping through the fog and slowly moving deeper into the city. He could hear the creature moving about, and he knew that he did not want to lead himself into one of the narrow alleyways. It was the worst place to face a werewolf. Instead, he kept moving through the town until he found what he was looking for; the open area of Tirgoviste's graveyard.

An odd feeling flared in the back of his mind. Van Helsing wasn't sure quite what it was, but, as he walked past a building on his way into the cemetery, he cocked his revolver, just in case. But still, he wasn't sure what it was that his instincts were telling of. He stopped, then turned his eyes to see a coffin laying against the wall.

"Nice night."

He came about and brought his weapon to bear, now seeing the local undertaker, Danesti, laying back in the coffin. Wait, something was different. The man seemed more full of life, a bit more color in his skin. Did the time of day have that much effect on him? Or maybe it was something else.

"It's a bit tight for me," the man remarked. He stepped out of the box, raising his hands up like a square while moving to turn Van Helsing and measure him against the size of the coffin. Something noticeable was that he was carefully keeping his distance, not once touching the man. "But for you," he continued, his eyes gleaming. "A perfect fit...what a coincidence."

He turned and picked up a shovel, now heading into the graveyard while Van Helsing cautiously followed. "I see the wolf man hasn't killed you yet."

"Don't worry," Van Helsing retorted, though it was almost devoid of any humor. "He's getting to it." He paused, now deciding to bring to light what was bothering him about Mister Danesti. "You don't seem too worried about him."

The undertaker laughed, breaking the earth and beginning to dig a new plot. "I'm no threat to him," he said calmly while going about his work. "I'm just the one who cleans up after him, if you get my meaning."

Indeed, he did. No doubt Dracula's presence had been giving Danesti a lot of business. However, Van Helsing had to wonder about how long their odd, unspoken partnership had gone on. "Little late to be digging graves, isn't it?" he asked.

"It's never too late to dig graves," Danesti replied, just as a sound could be heard from the alleys that made Van Helsing turn around to see what it was.

Something had indeed always bothered him about Danesti. He had looked terrified when he first attempted to measure Van Helsing, like he was afraid to touch him. More so, he had vanished during the attack earlier when the sun came out, and now, he looked like he had gained some life into his face. In fact, it all indicated...

He spun back around just as Danesti said, "You never know when you'll need a fresh one." His left hand came up in time to grab the shovel which descended for his head, and his revolver was now aimed right at the undertaker's face. Those elongated teeth confirmed it; Danesti was a vampire.

"Oh!" he cried, releasing the shovel handle and stepping away while raising his hands as a sign of peace. It wasn't the gun that frightened him, he'd had no reaction from that the first time; it was Van Helsing. "So sorry. It's just...my nature."

Van Helsing narrowed his eyes. He could hear the breathing behind him, but he had enough time at the moment to finish this issue. "Well it's my nature to get rid of things of your nature."

He pulled away just in time, for at that moment, the werewolf launched itself from the fog and came slamming into Danesti. Van Helsing could hear a sickening crunch as they met, and the tearing of flesh that sounded like a bite. A moment later, the wolf man had leapt away, and Danesti was disintegrating. Yet, Van Helsing had done nothing. Had the werewolf done this?

Vampires and lupus cannot bear the curse of the other.

The voice in his mind told him of the answer, and though he knew it had never been in any notes or briefing before on the two creatures, the proof was right in front of him. Clearly, his memory was starting to surface.

His aim was on the beast, ready to start pumping the silver bullets into the werewolf. But at the last second, just as he pulled the trigger, someone grabbed his arm and disrupted his aim. The bullet flew wild and hit a gate post, while the werewolf leapt away and over the city walls. He turned to see who had stopped him, and the culprit surprised him.

It was Anna.

Anger was his first reaction. Grabbing the girl by the throat, he lifted her up and pushed her against a wall. "Why!" he yelled in anger, trying to understand the reason behind her saving that thing. "Why did you stop me!"

She gasped for breath. He realized that even with one hand, he was going to choke her. Van Helsing growled and let the girl go, but his rage had not faded away. "Why the hell did you stop me from killing that thing!"

"Please," she said, trying to explain. "I...if people knew..."

"He's not Velkan anymore!"

Both man and princess turned at the voice. There, standing in the fog, with a cloak added to his normal attire, was Adrian Tepes. His eyes glowed with the knowledge of secrets, revealing that he knew more about things than he had let on. And right now, Van Helsing had to wonder just how much Adrian did indeed know.

Anna was the first to react. "You...you knew!"

He nodded. "Ever since he fell from the plateau," Adrian confessed. He could see the anger in Anna's eyes, and he made no illusions to himself about it; that anger was righteous. He had withheld information from her, just as her family had before. But it had been for a reason. The girl was right; if people knew, the results of it could be disastrous.

"And still you let him try to kill my cousin!"

The nobleman walked over held Anna by the shoulder. "You more than anyone know that he'll kill people now, he's a werewolf."

"But he can't help it!"

That voice of command came back. Adrian was most adept at how to use that tone, but right now, it didn't seem to be working. "I know," he stated calmly. "And I blame him not. But he will do it anyway, and the only thing we can do to save him is to end his torment." He held Anna tightly as she began to cry, feeling her pain and knowing that she had done nothing to deserve such suffering. "I'm sorry. You're such a young soul, who does not deserve this burden..."

Van Helsing sighed. He knew he couldn't understand Anna's pain, the torment she'd endured, but he did know that he could help. That voice was calling to him, saying that there was a chance to save her cousin, but there wasn't much time. That, for him, was enough. He holstered his revolver and walked over. Now, it was not anger he displayed, but sympathy. "To have memories of those you loved and lost," he said calmly, holding her shoulder. "Perhaps that is harder than to have no memories at all."

He paused, looked to Adrian, and nodded. There was still time to find a way to save Velkan Valerious. Granted, it was foolish and dangerous. It would distract him from his mission, perhaps even help Dracula. Most certainly, it would make Jinette furious...so perhaps there was a brighter side to this after all. And no doubt, Professor Van Helsing would agree with his choice. "We'll look for your cousin."