Well, guys, we've finally reached the end. I got quite emotional writing this, but don't panic, I have a sequel coming soon. There is no epilouge because I liked the ending like this. Prepare for character deaths in this chapter.
Thank you to everyone who has reviewed, and enjoy this final chapter. Look out for the new story, VH3: Loyalties coming after a short break, I think.
Disclaimer: I own nothing except what I made up. Fair enough.
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It was all her fault.
Lucia was numb. Numb, and cold. So cold. She was vaguely aware of Gabriel calling out her name, and a tear rolling down her cheek. She was lying on her side on the ground, still. Her mind was spinning. Everything that had happened was her fault. All her fault.
"Lucia." She heard Gabriel's voice, soft and concerned, just above her ear. He lifted her into his arms, and she held onto him, wishing for all the world she could lose herself in the warm embrace. "Lucia, I'm so sorry. I can't believe I killed you..." His voice died away.
She smiled sadly, and trailed her hand down his cheek, feeling the stubble there. "It's alright. It isn't your fault." She pressed her lips against his in a brief, reassuring kiss.
"How touching," sneered Vladislaus. He was standing still, facing them, about ten paces from them. He was smiling. "Now do you believe me, darling?"
She ignored his attempts to wind her up, and licked her lips. She pulled gently but firmly away from Gabriel, and headed over to Vladislaus, staring into his eyes, stopping right before him. He lunged on her suddenly; she panicked, but quickly calmed down as she realised he was only kissing her, their lips and tongues working together at a fast pace. He was holding her up against him, and she could not pull out of the kiss.
Finally, he pulled back slightly. His face was shining with pure, raw love as he gazed at Lucia. "You cannot resist me, Lucia," he whispered.
She stepped back, closing her eyes and allowing a tear to escape the right one. The wind ruffled her hair and she was shaking. This was it. She was going to end it all. She was going to... but could she? Lucia's mind drifted over images of Carl, Deanna, and herself lying dead in bed, a sword sticking through her. She opened her eyes. "You're right, Vladislaus. I cannot resist you. And that is why I have to kill you."
His expression changed to one of shock. His laugh was slightly nervous. "Don't be stupid, Lucia. You could not kill me. I am about to make you my bride, my love."
"Could you kill me, Vladislaus?" she asked softly, and saw him falter. No, despite the many threats he had given, despite the many people he had killed, Dracula could not kill Lucia, for he loved her too much. He always had done. Guilt, deep, painful guilt, prickled at Lucia as she nodded, and slowly drew the double-ended stake. She was crying silently now. "Then... I suppose I am stronger than you, Vladislaus."
She pressed the button on the stake, and slashed her left palm quickly, cutting deeper than she had intended to. The pain meant little to her, in comparison to her heartache, and she did not cry out. This was it. She was trying so hard to be calm and cool, as with all the previous killings of monsters she had performed, but she could not be.
Her own blood was dripping off the end of the stake she had sliced herself with, vividly red even in the darkness out here. Dracula was staring at it as well, his expression quite unreadable.
Lucia raised her wet eyes to his face, and he looked at her. A tear ran down his cheek. She felt her resolve dying inside of her, and took a shuddering gasp, forcing herself to go on and ignore her heart.
A desperate scream escaped her lips as she stuck the spear through his heart in a smooth, flawless motion.
"I'm so sorry..." she whispered, covering her mouth with her hands. She felt empty, dark, heavy. The pain in his face was making her feel worse.
He did not appear to be able to find any words. He shook his head desperately, and blinked as his eyes slowly returned to the colour of the waves at the beach. These new eyes expressed so much more clearly how he felt, and the mingled mixture of love and heartbreak was almost too much for Lucia to watch.
He opened his mouth, but instead of words, black blood came out, running down his chin. He reached out and took Lucia's hand in his own, as if trying to show her he loved her. She could only cry as she felt his grip become weaker, his eyes fade.
"I'll see you soon," she promised, talking in a soft whisper. He nodded at her words, looking somewhat comforted.
Then, he fell.
He landed on his back, his arms spread, his head cocked to one side. He was still wearing that expression of comfort she had given him, his eyes soft and beautiful. But he did not look alive. There was a stillness, a peace she had never seen in him, in his face.
She fell to her knees beside him, and slowly wrapped her hands around the stake, heaving it out to stare at the mixture of her own blood and his on the end, the mixture that had promised so many problems yet now only looked beautiful as it sparkled strangely.
Fingers shaking, Lucia put the stake on the ground beside her, then carefully wiped the blood from his mouth and chin with her hands. She pressed a soft kiss to his cold, pale lips.
They say that when the one you love dies, part of you dies too. Lucia knew it was true as she pressed her face into Dracula's chest, sobbing into the black material. Something had died inside of her, and she knew it was something more than their connection through the bite he had given her. She loved Vladislaus; truly, painfully loved him more than anything else. Even Gabriel. She knew that now.
The rain had stopped, and no longer did the air feel cold. In fact, as Lucia slowly raised her head, she saw that the darkness had become bright, golden light. A warm breeze tousled her hair. The weather predicts the future... Through her sadness, Lucia's mouth formed a small, sad smile. She had done it. She had saved the world.
"You did it!" Maximo's voice filled the air, and she turned her head to see that Maximo, Gregory and Gabriel were grouped together, watching her. Maximo was holding Deanna's body in his arms. Lucia felt a pang as her eyes fell on the dead woman.
"Yes," Lucia said, her voice quiet and hoarse, "yes, I did." She wiped her eyes, but more tears threatened to overpower her, and her lip trembled, all because of the dead vampire beside her.
Gabriel looked concerned. He hurried over to her, and wrapped his arms around Lucia's waist, lifting her gently to her feet. She looked at him closely. He had lost his hat, his hair was a tangled mess, and he had a bust lip. But he was happy. She felt awful, because she was going to have to break his heart.
His fingers, rougher than she remember, carefully brushed away the tears on her face. She said nothing as he lifted her hand to his face to examine the wound there. It was still bleeding.
"You're a mess," he said, with a small smile. "Even you, who doesn't appear to care about her appearance, would be shocked if you could see yourself now."
She could imagine. Her hair was everywhere, knotted and damp with the rain and sweat. Her clothes were ripped in places. Her cheek felt like it might be bruised, and she could faintly taste blood. Gabriel was wiping the blood from her hand.
"Leave it," she whispered. "There's no point in cleaning it..." Neither Gabriel or Gregory picked up on anything from that sentence, but Maximo did, judging from the sharp intake of breath he took.
"Lucia... you don't have to... you know..." he said, placing Deanna gently on the floor and hurrying over to Lucia, looking devastated. Gabriel and Greg looked puzzled.
She couldn't look at any of them. "I know they can probably fix me at the Vatican," she replied awkwardly. "But I don't know how long it will be before I change completely and stop being able to control the monsters in me. So I have to die."
"No!" Gabriel exclaimed, and he stepped back, horrified. "No, Lucia, you can't. You don't need to die... if you die... you'll go to Hell..."
She spoke in a small voice. "Because of the monsters in me, I know." She was staring at Maximo's shoe, wishing she could shrivel up and die right now rather than hurt them like this.
Maximo pulled her into a tight embrace, and she held onto him, feeling truly loved. Maximo was completely like family to her. She would miss him. "This is what you want, Lucia?" he asked her.
"Yes," she answered. "It is. It has been an honour working with you, Maximo, and you, Gregory. You are great men." She looked up then, and smiled at them both. "You will go on to do great things. Goodbye."
Maximo and Gregory took this as a cue to leave. Gregory lifted Deanna's body and held it gingerly, looking sadly down on it. Maximo flashed Lucia a final smile, and headed off down the stairs, Gregory following close behind. Lucia would never see them again. Her smile faded.
"You want to go to Hell because of him." Gabriel spoke suddenly, his voice clipped and hurt. She looked at him to find that there were tears in his eyes, and that he was chewing his lip. She knew who he was talking about. Dracula. What was she supposed to say? Yes, it was true that she wanted to go to Hell because of Vladislaus. In the end, she decided on the truth.
"I have spent many lives with you, because you are my soulmate, Gabriel. But I am choosing to spend my death with Vladislaus. Can you understand that?" she asked him softly.
Gabriel did not answer. He looked devastated, suddenly smaller than usual, pale and disgusted. He shook his head, spat at the ground, ran a hand through his hair. He could not put how he felt into words. But the tears rolling down his cheeks answered for Lucia, who hung her head. She had hurt so many people. She felt herself becoming choked up some more, and looked away.
She forced a laugh. "I suppose I am doing the world a favour. Vlad will not return to earth once I join him, because he will finally have what he has been kept in a living death for. Me."
Gabriel snapped. "Does that make you feel special, knowing that he slaughtered and killed innocent people just for you?" There was acid in his voice, and it chilled her.
"You know it doesn't," she replied sharply. "It makes me feel responsible."
For a long time, there was silence. They stood facing each other, anger visible in both faces. But gradually it melted away into something else; the love they shared.
"Please accept my decision, Gabriel," she begged in a quiet voice.
It was breaking his heart, she could see that, but he nodded reluctantly, and held her closely in a romantic hug, resting his face in her hair. "Aren't you scared?" he asked.
"I am not afraid," she whispered. A final tear escaped her eye. "I love you, Gabriel Van Helsing." Then they kissed, a long, deep, final kiss. Lucia tasted the taste she would not taste again, Gabriel. When it had finished, she pulled carefully away, and picked her double-ended stake up off the floor.
Funny how time seemed to stand still as she examined it. The end... she had been thinking about this for a long time, and yet it didn't seem like such a big deal. She didn't even have to think as she slipped the end of the weapon into her chest.
Gabriel Van Helsing caught her body as it curved towards the floor and held her in his arms, hot tears raining down on her cold form. There was a smile on her face. Her brown hair was falling back. And her amazing sapphire eyes were closed, never to look out upon the world again.
Gabriel was dying inside again, but he hoped she was happy, wherever she wound up.
FIN.
