The second of three stories, Van Helsing now must act

Gabriel swallowed and watched Dracula as he moved towards him. He knew that Dracula wanted him to believe that he held the secrets to his missing past. Who knows, perhaps he did. But did he really want to know? Dracula drew closer and he began to back away. Somehow he couldn't bear to let Dracula close. It was as if he had to look really close, he'd realize that he was really looking at a mirror. That the dark creature who stood before him was really himself in another form. His back hit the wall and he shuddered. Nowhere left to run. His past – his doom – had caught up to him.

Dracula touched his face and he turned, desperate to escape the contact. It burned and he shuddered with revulsion and desire. This creature was so like him… he couldn't be corrupted by the desires that burned with him. He was already befouled. With Dracula he would not have to fear to destroy something beautiful and precious. Carl would be safe. Safe from his dark needs, safe from his destructive love.

As he thought of the Friar, he closed his eyes. He could see Carl so clearly, sitting at his worktable, completely caught up in his work. Memory after memory came to haunt him. The way Carl's eyes lit up when he smiled, or the way he would pout and grumble when he didn't get his own way. He remembered eyes filled with compassion as they listened to him speak of the horrors he dreamed of. Of hands gentle and kind holding him and comforting him as he sobbed out his pain and grief. Carl had gifted him with his light and he would not repay him by destroying it.

Dracula held out his hand to him and swallowing down his pain and grief, he stepped forward and took it. Numb to everything but his shattering heart, he didn't resist when Dracula drew him close and kissed him.