Chapter XIV
Thank you for the reviews!
orliroxmysox55-thanks! i am so glad that you like my story! i'm glad you like my penname too!
dab-thanks! don't worry, there won't be too much mush between aluka and gabriel!
They motivate me and make me happy!
Here's your cheesecake! (and yes it is strawberry!)
Carl sat at the bar, thinking hard. He still didn't have a plan, and they needed one. Van Helsing was right; talking about vampires or Dracula to a town who had been hurt by them wasn't an easy thing to do. All of the sudden, he jumped to his feet.
"I've got it!" he said, a little too loudly. The inhabitants of the bar looked up at him. Aluka sniggered at Carl's hasty outburst. Van Helsing almost choked on his drink.
"He's had a little too much to drink," whispered one of the men in the bar to his neighbor.
"So, what be your plan Carl?" asked Aluka, more quietly, so that only Van Helsing and Carl could hear.
"Well, I'll tell you-"said Carl, as the three formed a small huddle and Carl explained his plan to them.
"That is never going to work," said Van Helsing.
"You don't know that, we haven't tried it yet!" said Carl, obviously with a bit of confidence in his plan.
"Well," said Aluka skeptically," We shall just have to see how this turns out."
"Great," said Gabriel; because he clearly didn't believe that Carl's plan had any chance of working.
Carl then cleared his throat, getting ready for the big act they were about to put on. Aluka looked at Gabriel, who raised an eyebrow that told her he didn't think it was going to work. Carl exchanged a significant look with the other two people involved in the performance showing them that he was going to start it. Carl walked over to a man, drinking a deep red wine.
"Why sir," said Carl loudly so that he got the bar's attention. The man just stared at him, like 'What the hell do you want with me?' Carl obviously caught this and moved on.
"Sir, your wine is so red. Why, it looks almost like blood." There was a slight murmur from the onlookers.
"What is this nutter playing at?"
"Who is he? It isn't blood. Fool."
"Carl, you are so right!" said Aluka, adding to the show, "What do you think about that Van Helsing?" asked Aluka, not seeing that Van Helsing had been shaking his hands as not to say his name.
"Van Helsing?" said a man sitting at the bar. Van Helsing pulled his hat a little lower.
"Are you Van Helsing?" asked the bartender, glaring at the hat rather than Gabriel himself.
"Why do you ask?"
"You aren't welcome in this bar. You aren't welcome in our village. When you killed Dracula's bride, they came and attacked us," said the bartender. At the sound of Dracula, there was a sharp intake of breath and silence fell.
"It is because of you that many people died and even more were injured by those beasts."
"It is also because of me that Dracula was killed!" said Gabriel his temper rising.
"And now, even though I've killed him twice before, he's back!"
"No he's not," said the ignorant bartender simply.
"Would you like to bet on that?" asked Van Helsing testily.
"I think that you have overstayed your welcome," said the bartender, glaring at Van Helsing, who got up and walked towards the door. Aluka and Carl followed. Once outside, Van Helsing rounded on Carl, who cowered slightly.
"Well that worked Carl," he said.
"Sorry," said Carl meekly.
"It's okay Carl," said Aluka. "They must still have a thing against you," added Aluka looking at Van Helsing.
"Well, I was helping them. But no. 'It's all your fault that they died'." He walked over to the horses and sighed. He was once again thinking about Anna.
That's why they call me a murderer, he thought sadly.
"It wasn't your fault they died. You were just doing your job," said Carl.
"Yeah. I guess you are right."
"Of course I am!" said Carl, getting onto his horse.
"Well, that was a very interesting idea you had back there Carl," said Aluka, also getting onto her horse.
"It sure was," said Van Helsing, taking off on his horse, headed for the Valerious Manor.
"That clears one thing up," said Aluka, once they were back in the library.
"What clears what up?" asked Carl, not looking up from the book he was reading.
"They probably haven't seen any deaths since Dracula's return. Or else they would be all fidgety. The only deaths they spoke of were from when he was alive before. Well, not alive, but-"
"I know what you mean," said Van Helsing.
"Dracula is probably trying to stay low for a while. I don't know if he knows that we know that he's back." After Van Helsing said this, Carl looked slightly confused, and then put everything into place.
"That's what I was wondering," said Aluka, a thoughtful expression on her face.
"I'm guessing we don't really want him to know that we know, so we should lay low too," said Aluka.
"That sort of rhymed," said Carl in amusement.
"Ok then, we are moving right along," said Aluka, looking at Carl as if concerned for his mental stability.
"Yes we are. So, we still have about seven hours before it gets dark and all manner of evil creatures come out so, Carl, what do you propose we do?" asked Van Helsing all in one breath.
"Well, if Dracula's brides are back as well-," said Carl, and Aluka and Van Helsing looked at each other.
"They are Carl," interrupted Van Helsing. Carl didn't even doubt him as he continued along.
"Since Dracula's brides are back too, and they are looking around Frankenstein's castle for something, we might as well make it impossible for them to enter."
"It can't be made impossible for Dracula," said Van Helsing.
"So we will make it impossible for Dracula's brides to enter," said Aluka.
"Okay. Sounds good," said Carl.
Yeah, alright, that is all for this chappie! I hope you like!
Please review! Cinnamon chocolate cake (or other dessert of choice) for reviewers!
the evil platypus of doom