Chapter 17-

"I'm back." James said, looking in to see Libby and Anna.

Libby's head snapped first up, and then around to face him, her face was tear stained and tired looking, as was Anna's. She slowly stood up and with a blink of an eye she had crossed the kitchen and wrapped her arms around his neck and was squeezing the life from him.

"Oh my god Jimmy! I was so worried! What were you thinking!"

James pulled at his friend's arms, trying to dislodge himself from her tight hug.

"Ack! Ack! Lib, let go of…neck!" He managed to squeak out, while gasping for air.

"Oh, right!" Libby released him and looked past his shoulder and let out a loud shriek. "Homygod VALKEN!" She rushed up to the raggedly clothed prince and just, well, stopped. "Your…alive…." She poked him in the stomach just to be sure, earning her a confused glare.

Anna had finally looked up and past James, her tear-streaked face was drawn, shadowed and looked several years older….yes, she had truly been hit hard. She paled, even more, if it was possible, as she gazed upon her brother, previously thought to be dead, for the first time in over a year or so. She slowly blinked, and then rubbed her eyes, no, it was no false image, no cruel trick of her tired mind.

"Valken…is it truly you? Please, oh god, please let this not be a foul trick of my broken and scattered heart….please…Valken….tell me that you….are really here." Her voice quivered, she was, yet again, on the verge of breaking down into tears.

Slowly Valken walked forward, stumbling a few times, carefully he reached out his hand and touched his sister's face…just to be sure he, himself, was not imaging this moment. He smiled, a smile so filled with exhaustion, yet it was pumped with all the world's happiness. In one swift motion he embraced Anna and tears poured down his face.

"Anna, Anna, oh Anna, I'm here, I'm here, tell me of your sorrows and your pains, let me help you fight them…just like the times of old….Anna….Anna I missed you….so much…." Valken's voice quavered slightly as more and more tears poured down his face, he hugged his sister with all the love in his heart.

And there they stayed, brother and sister, reunited once again. Libby and James watched on for a few seconds, before James pulled her into the hallway, taking a deep breath as he did so; knowing what he had to do, it would take everything in him, just to tell Libby, let alone even THINK about telling Anna. He pulled her down the hallway, walking slowly, coming to a stop, he turned back to face her.

"Libby….I….I know what happened to Gabriel and Kate…" He said, just above a whisper, his voice, was sorrow choked yet again. Libby could tell that something major had happened, she looked at him as if to say go on. "They…are in heaven now." Suddenly Libby just collapsed, sending James into a mad panic to catch her before she hit the hard floor. He cradled her gently in his arms and carried her into the nearest room, which was a small study. Gently he laid her down on top of a small couch, staring off into space he was suddenly a wear that…Van Helsing and Kate's bodies, were still in that cave. Slapping his head he hurried out of the room.

Valken looked at his sister's hands, they were bandaged and blood slightly soaked through the wraps.

"Anna….what happened?" His voice was quiet and caring, worried above all things. Anna looked at her brother with a faint smile.

"What happened to me is not important. It is you who need the medical attention. You are…alive, but injured." Anna led her brother to the table and hurried away to get medical supplies.

James walked his steed carefully through the night, this time with Marcum and one of the servants from the Manor, no one spoke, no one dear to even fidget on their mounts. James face had before worn and drawn yet again, and Marcum, well, his face was set in a stony look of hate and also determination. James dismounted and stopped, a slight glowing light was coming from within the cave, his hand flew to his gun and the light moved out, the servant crossed himself and Marcum leapt off of his horse and walked bravely up to the cave when he received the shock of his life. Kate's ghost came out followed closely by Van Helsing's, why weren't they in heaven!

"K-K-Kate!" Marcum fell backwards into the snow and looked dumbly up at her ghosting form.

She looked down and a grim smile came over her white face. Marcum scooted back a bit and rubbed his eyes, James stood there stupefied and well, the servant had hit the snow.

"Why, pray tell, Jimmy, did you leave our bodies in that damn cave!" Clearly she was a very angry spirit.

"I-I….Why aren't you in heaven!" James blurted out and slowly stepped forward, around Marcum, who was still floored, but slowly recovering.

"I can't enter because of that beast that's left in me and well, Van Helsing isn't entering without me." Kate grumbled jerking a thumb in his direction, Van Helsing's holy light was still fighting and blending together with Kate's dark black light.

"Wait, what beast! That rage thingger Carl was talkin about!" Marcum stood up and looked at her, carefully. "I thought it was gone!"

Van Helsing stepped forward, making Marcum and James squint at the light.

"Most of it is, there is still some residual beast left, still holding on to a part of her soul…but its controllable." His voice seemed to come and go with the wind, almost making it hard to hear.

Corbett's P.O.V-

I stood over Adriana's coffin and looked down at her drawn face. It was almost the color of paper…her wounds has only healed slightly but my blood, was not strong enough…I could see it in her fading eyes…not even the blood of father could save her now…she was gone…lost to the black void of nothingness that was death…true death. A slight movement caught my eyes, she was…moving? I saw her eyes flicker and die slowly…always hanging onto the last bits of the unnatural life that had been so short. I knew she was dead…I could no longer sense her there, like I always could, our bond had been broken, she was gone and I was alone.

Suddenly a rage, beyond that which I have ever felt before filled me.

"DAMN THAT WEREWOLF! DAMN HIM TO HELL!" I yelled, letting out all my fury on the castle walls. "But…not before I get to him…Valken, I swear I'll rip you from this world…I will do it…I swear it to the devil."

Taking on my demon form I took flight from this place of old memories, I took flight towards the enemy, Valken.