Chapter Four
- The Man with Dead Grey Eyes

"13 November, Haarlem I cannot express my anxiety at having returned at my birthplace. For years I have been deprived of the pleasure to walk these rustic streets, even when, as now, winter starts to frost the land, covering it with its white, snowy mantle. Things have not changed very much. New factories have opened, thank God; the dreadful economy was one of the reasons why I moved to Amsterdam. Also, the population increased quite a bit. There are far more children playing outside, scarves hiding their very noses! Noel watched them with nostalgia as we made our way to the City Hall. Surely he recalls his own childhood in the Capital, trapped in studies and with little time for boyish games. My heart aches for him; he is very lonely, and perhaps I did not do well in pushing him so hard towards schoolwork and therefore restricting his social life.

'Our boy is almost a man, Bram,' Florence commented to me with a sigh, her dark eyes glinting with motherly pride. She reached to neat his blazer; Noel scoffed and swept her hand away, meaning to do it himself. Oh, the child has indeed grown, inheriting his mother's eyes and hair, aside for her fragile build. His features bear a semblance to those of a cherub: feminine traits that would eventually disappear with the decades. He will be fetching to the ladies, just as his father used to be! He is only ten and seven and already he mourns for the childhood he wasted in a metropolis rather than enjoying the countryside. My poor Noel.

I have also noted there are new taverns. I vow to go alone there, after Florence and Noel settle down in my family's house, and drink Jopen Koyt to my heart's content.

"Father," Noel spoke, interrupting my cravings for the dark beer, "is that the Teylers Museum you told me about?" He gestured to a building across the street. Now, I used to spend most of my time as a youth losing myself in the natural history museum, staring in awe at fossils and trying to guess what they were. Yes, it was the same building, with the two floors filled with marvels and our flag waving proudly in the front.

'Indeed it is.'

'Perhaps we should take a tour, father. I am anxious to see the Archaeopteryx lithographica specimen that is part of their exposition,' Noel proposed in the excited tone of a true fossil lover. I expected him to be more interested in the human mind or medicine, but it would seem my son has chosen be become a palaeontologist.

'If your mother doesn't mind, Noel,' I said, looking at Florence. She is a lover of culture and human arts and not one to admire nature all that keenly.

She smiled good-naturedly and nodded. 'You two do that. You may lose yourself in your endless conversations regarding bones or flesh, for all I care. I am not interested to hear a word about it. You two can come for me later, I shall wait for you in the Frans Hals Museum.'

'Madam, we shall do as you want,' I replied, taking her hand and kissing it gently, enjoying the soft wool of her glove against my frozen lips. 'Come with me, son.' We both settled and left Florence, speaking endlessly of bones and flesh inside the Museum, as my wife had predicted would be our liking…"

-

Integral read aloud, leaning on the shattered desk. As if possessing a will of their own, her hands passed a page from the same day entry and continued…

-

"The blizzard increased with every minute and both Noel and I were trapped inside the museum. My concerns for Florence's circumstances were soothed by my son's gentle pat.

'I am sure mother was also advised to walk undercovered with this weather.'

I merely nodded, praying for her safety. I felt remorseful to let her go alone; we should have stayed together, and then nothing bad would have happened. It was in that moment when, to everyone's surprise, someone knocked at the door. The caretaker hesitated to open the gates, but at the second knock, he was forced to do so. How could he deny shelter to a traveller lost in the snow?

'Who could it be, father?' Noel asked me as he ushered me closer to the door to apprehend the newcomer's identity. The gentleman, and I assess him as such due to the high and no doubt costly quality of his clothes, seemed to be in his late twenties. His were aristocratic features: thin lips, black hair, a jaw line both strong and sharp, an unhealthily pale skin (which I then theorized must have been from the unbearable cold outside) and his eyes… his eyes were so hollow that the mere memory horrifies me even as I write these words. Dead grey eyes.

My horror was not shared. My son seemed fascinated by the willowed lord.

The caretaker moved to close the door, but the man stopped him, blocking his path with his black cane. 'It's not necessary, I am leaving soon,' he murmured with a hypnotic quality I often applied to my patients. The poor man was compelled to obey and made no further attempt to shut the gates. He turned to us, smiling pleasantly and bowing his head. 'You must be Abraham and Noel van Helsing. A pleasure good sirs. I am the Earl of Marsden.'

'English?' I wondered aloud. He certainly had the accent of some of my British students.

'No, but I have lived a long time in England,' the Earl explained.

'How do you know us?' Noel ventured, genuinely curious, and though his tone may have seemed rude, the Earl did not reproach it. I must admit that I wanted to know that as well. While I am famous in my field, I am not easily recognized on mere sight.

'You have your mother's eyes, dear boy,' the Earl replied, grasping Noel's chin. He shivered when the spidery fingers closed there but said nothing. 'I recently met her in the Frans Hals Museum. Charming lady, she mentioned the two of you during a conversation on the Regents and Regentesses of the Oudemannenhuis masterpiece. She grew concerned for your sakes when the blizzard started.' He released Noel and made a grand gesture towards the door. 'She's waiting for you in my carriage. Shall we?' He left without knowing our answer.

Noel looked at me; he was bewildered by the strange individual, yet he waited for me to do the first move. I nodded and followed the Earl of Marsden. When I stepped outside, I wisely shielded my face from the blowing wind, which was so strong that it nearly lifted me to the air. I looked in front of me, certain that my eyes should were betraying me, for the Earl was walking as if were a sunny day… without any difficulties.

'A little further on, Professor van Helsing. Take my hand,' the Earl's voice called me, willing my legs to make the effort to continue until I reached the coach. I accepted his ungloved hand and slid inside the carriage. The feel of him was impossibly cold and not even the icy weather had frosted my bones as finely as the contact with this fellow's skin. I wanted to turn and see if Noel could manage, but the Earl stopped me.

'I will go for him,' he assured, beckoning me to sit down beside Florence, who took my hand and squeezed it.

'Listen to him, Bram. The Earl has been very kind to me.'

The Earl returned soon, aiding Noel in his climbing and warmed himself inside his vehicle before he closed the door. 'Your wife has given the driver your address, Professor,' he indicated. His smile revealed pearl white teeth, with an abnormal length, which convinced me that the man likely suffered of some disease. Sometimes the noble and royal lines fell prey to haemophilia and similar afflictions due to their inbreeding. 'The weather has been most ungentle in Haarlem from the past two days,' he pointed out, sitting beside Noel, on the opposite seat.

'Do tell. A sign of a hard winter,' Florence muttered, shooting a concerned look towards Noel. His teeth had been clacking since he had entered.

'I suspect the same,' the Earl agreed, taking his cloak and offering it to Noel. 'Wear this, dear lad. I am far more accustomed to the cold.' Noel grasped the cloth with a trembling hand and nodded.

'Thank you, Earl, I appreciate it.'

'Do you study palaeontology as your mother claimed?' He interrogated.

'He does,' I intercepted, for my son was at the edge of passing out.'And he is an excellent student, very advanced in his treaties on the natural arts.'

'Most fascinating. I am also interested in that area: nature and fossils,' he laughed. I am certain he did not mean for his laughter to appear as sinister as it did; the temperature of the room dropped until he stopped, at the same time with the carriage. 'Here we are. It's a pity that we must part ways: your family is very charming, Professor van Helsing.'

'I am a fortunate man.'

Florence stood, heading to help Noel, but he appeared to have recovered as soon as he had tried on the borrowed cloak.

'And a lovely view you must have to the Spaarne,' the Earl pointed out, looking through the window. The river could not be discerned because of the blizzard. 'In better weather conditions, that is.'

'I beg that you should forgive my interruption,' Florence pointed out in a firm tone. 'But it's better we descend now before the storm worsens.'

'Earl, here is your-' Noel said, starting to take out the cloak, but the nobleman patted his shoulder, shaking his head.

'Keep it, Noel,' he suggested, leading him towards the door. 'It gives me an excuse to visit you later when I retrieve it. If you don't mind, Professor.' He looked at me, tipping his hat. I tried to hold his gaze but I found myself looking away. His eyes were horrible.

'I have nothing against it. Noel needs a friend to spend his time with during our family visit,' I replied, offering my arm to Florence, who wrapped her own around it very tightly. 'Good day, Earl and thank you for your help.'

'Farewell, Professor, Madam, Noel. It was my pleasure,' the Earl smirked and opened the door.

I descended first alongside Florence. Noel took a while to come behind us, he had delayed inside the coach, but he eventually did and followed us to the doorstep. Anna opened the door; she was surprised to see us arrive, given the weather. Oh how she had aged! Only her smile remained the same. The teenager that looked after me when I was a young lad now had grey hairs and wrinkled skin around her eyes. She invited us in and rushed upstairs to find us warm blankets."

-

Integral closed her eyes, stopping her reading at once. She felt it again, the strange urge to pass over certain pages. Her attempts to fight the influence were useless and her mind was also distracted with thoughts of her fiend's identity. The Earl of Marsden… It sounds oddly familiar… She brushed that off and renewed her task, scanning the yellowed pages filled with messy ink and her ancestor's dreadful handwriting.

-

"15 November. Haarlem Today the blizzard was thankfully over. I was welcomed by the soft sunlight and my wife's beautiful smile when I awoke. She has caught a mild cold. I suggested it was wisest of her to stay at home a couple of days. A most unfortunate event, for I could not take Noel to De Adriaan as I had promised.

'Stay in bed,' I whispered to Florence's ear after she sneezed. 'I will bring you breakfast.' She kissed a corner of my lips and sunk herself among the pillows. I got out and changed into old garbs, so old that the sewing once used to fix several parts could be easily spotted. I did not have the intention to part with the house nor to greet guests until the bell rang. I was upstairs and upon nearing the staircase, I saw Anna inviting a tall, pale man in, a man I recognized immediately: the Earl of Marsden.

Cursing, I returned to my quarters to try on one of my better suits. Florence lifted her head to study my doings. 'We have a guest, dear. Your Earl is here. I will greet him, don't worry.'

'Oh… all right. Give the Earl my deepest apologies.'

I smiled softly at her and exited, hurrying down stairs, following the voices towards the sitting room. The Earl was there, sitting in front of Noel. Both were engaged in some lively discussion while drinking what smelled like coffee. My son was smiling brightly at the pale nobleman. I paid no heed to his words, rather focused in the study of my guest. His face was still stained white, and I realized it was not a consequence of the blizzard's unnatural cold. He looked unhealthy. I cleared my throat when I entered the room.

'Professor van Helsing,' the Earl said, standing and bowing before returning to his place.

'Father,' my son greeted, inclining his head.

'Good morning,' I replied, taking my place, between Noel and the Earl. 'Florence requested that I should apologize on her behalf. She's mildly ill and cannot greet you, Earl.'

'Father, the Earl proposed that we visit the windmill with him,' Noel told me, his eyes gleaming on joy. 'Can I?'

'Certainly, son,' I told him with the gentlest tone. How can a father deny such a simple happiness to a child? His doubts about his freedom perturb me. Maybe I was too strict during his education and schoolwork. 'But I hope you won't intrude in the Earl's time.'

'It's a pleasure to show the marvels of this town, professor.' His lips pursed up in a frightening smile. I brushed away this unnatural fear. I am starting to abhor the nobleman. He has been so polite and kind towards my family, I do wonder on the irrational origin of such sentiments. 'My stay here has been quite lonely.'

'Where is your family?'

'My blood relatives died long ago,' he answered in a dark tone. I mistakenly assumed it was malice. Now, writing these pages I realize he must have been overwhelmed and trying to hide his emotions. 'I was married once, but she died. A disease of her blood. My wife's brother was my best friend and companion, and yet he turned mad due to his sister's circumstances, suffering a heart attack after her demise. The doctors in England aren't as skilled as yourself, Professor van Helsing.'

'That's terrible. I apologize for bringing up bad memories,' I said immediately. The news gloomed my day, the finest gentry have to suffer the most horrible experiences. It makes you wonder about fairness in life. I am ashamed to keep thinking ill of the Earl, as I am a fortunate man, in good health and with a loving family. I wish he shared my luck.

Noel grew silent and even stopped sipping his coffee, staring intensely to the unfortunate Earl.

'That was years ago, Professor and I am trying to start again,' the man confessed in high spirits. 'Having a travel companion who can point out the marvels of the natural world is my priority.' Noel smiled softly. 'Shall we depart now?'

I nodded and stood with them. 'Try to return before dinner. Florence might want to see you, Earl.'

'I shall.'

'Good bye, father,' Noel bid farewell as I walked them towards the door, watching them leave and descend the staircase until they reached the ground. My son turned and inclined his head before following the pale nobleman. I stared at them until my eyes could not see them anymore and entered, recalling that my beloved was waiting for breakfast to be brought to her bed."

-

Integral made another pregnant pause, wanting to keep reading. Her hands passed the pages, choosing which passages she could scan into in her place. In the following hour she read about the growing closeness of Noel and the Earl of Marsden. The number of their meetings had increased, which was something that had baffled Abraham, as his son had not been social before that. Noel even neglected the Church mass service in order to favour his friend.

She read about how her ancestor followed him in the City Hall celebration, how he spied on their strolls, the two being often alone or at times accompanied by a green eyed, blonde haired lady. Noel had not been the only issue that worried Abraham: he expressed his misery at the sudden coldness Florence developed towards him. With the exceptions of two days, there were no entries, just empty pages. Her index digit trailed the former selected page and ushered herself to renew the reading. It was harder for the handwriting wavered, her fingers pressing on the surface of the dried paper, where tears had dripped long ago.

-

"15 December. Amsterdam - My son is dead… My Noel, my boy and my one pride has passed away. These same hands have put an end to his existence!

And Florence, oh my beloved wife, she is mad! Her body and mind have been tainted and put beyond medical reach. She babbles and laughs alone, she eats bugs and frightens everyone in her path.

I cannot bear to write full descriptions of what has happened… perhaps in the future when my heart allows me to continue to narrate such personal losses in an analytical way and my memory recalls the details of the events that nearly destroyed me completely.

I only have this to say: Monsters exist! They prey on the living, taking their blood, fooling them with their charm, swallowing their souls and sanity! I could go an on with the descriptions I have found about these fascinating - yet terrible - creatures but it's neither the time, nor the place.

That wretched Earl of Marsden, or whatever the real name of the fiend, has taken my loved ones from under my very nose!

'Noel and I part to Greece,' the demon told me when he greeted me, his eyes flashing his malice, his teeth elongating. 'I suggested to your son to bid farewell to his mother in a way that she should recall him forever.'

I heard the screams and the moans, I listened the rocking of the bed - my son ravaging his own mother against her will upstairs. It was like a dagger that pierced my heart and made it bleed. It's still bleeding and the wound shall never heal completely.

I tried to aid Florence, to break the devilish spell that was placed upon my son but the thing was blocking my way. 'Tut, tut, tut,' he murmured as if it were one grand jest, blocking my path to their salvation. 'You needn't worry about the tart that is you wife. Your son is better than her in bed. I am certain he will teach her something new. I explored both them completely.'

My hands closed in fists and I committed the mistake to give in fury and lounged over the beast. He was stronger than me and swigged me across the room before releasing me to hit a wall. My body collapsed, bruised and shaken, my mind fought for consciousness and lost to the jolt of the back of my head. Everything was darkness and when I awoke, they were gone.

I went for Florence, and I will spare myself a description of her pitiful state. Tears fogged my vision, tears that have not yet stopped to shed even now as I write the terrible events, as my hand shakes and I don't have the strength to stop it. I tranquillised her for her sake and my peace, then I put her in the care of Anna whilst I hunted the beast – vampires, that is how he referred about his species.

I was aware where they would travel before going to Greece – Amsterdam. I tracked them down until I surprised my son alone. I had read about vampires in the borrowed books of the University library. Before, I had thought the metaphysical art was rubbish. Now I have opened my eyes to new ways to expand my knowledge. A pity such knowledge was born of this tragedy.

I found my son locked in the hotel room the Earl had rented. I waited for the beast to leave before entering his chambers. There were two caskets, one silent and another shaking. Noel was trapped inside his coffin, banging at the lid without success. Brandishing my sword, I opened the lid, then took a pair of steps back and shielded myself with my crucifix.

Noel emerged, his eyes no longer of Florence's candid brown, but now bright green like the monster that sired him. But most importantly, they were pleading and he was crying. 'Father! Go away! He will find out! He will force me to harm you too!' He warned in such desperate tone. 'Oh mother. What I have done? Forgive me… I have fallen and I am impure, yet I hold no remorse for my choice!'

'He did this to you. He will pay after you find you peace…' I said, approaching once more. My footsteps weighted tons. The personal Cross that I carry over my shoulders threatened to crush me.

'It wasn't him!' He managed to say but did not move when my silver edge struck his throat, severing his head. Instead, Noel had remained, expecting. His troubled expression shifted into a peaceful once.

'Bastard! You killed him!'

I heard a woman screamed behind me – her anguish cry stunned me, piercing my ears. She must have come out the other coffin, the one I deemed the Earl's and thus empty at the time. I was not able to turn around in time. The vampire leaped on me, pinning me to the floor and disarming me, grasping my wrists and forcing me to release my weapons.

'You dared to slay my servant!' she hissed, her bright green eyes gleamed in wrath. I realized that was Noel's creator and not the Earl. 'Now you will become one instead of him,' she stated, laughing and dipping her head towards my neck. I struggled but her grip was iron.

'A true Helsing doesn't surrender,' I spat, closing my eyes, refusing to tolerate more of her presence. Then as sudden as it came her grip was gone, so was her body, reduced to ashes over me. Her scream had muffled with the skin of my neck.

'Stand, Professor van Helsing,' I heard a disgusting familiar voice calling for me.

Fearing the identity, I opened my eyes and looked up. The Earl was holding my sword on his left hand, grinning devilishly at my position. 'Why?'

'Because if you die now, your family will die out and I will find myself lacking toys to play with.'

'I will destroy your kind, hunt them down as they predate on human beings,' I vowed with a steady voice, meaning every word on it. I would not let anyone experienced what I was forced to deal with.

'You can destroy my kind, Professor,' the Earl stated, bending down to pick me – to drag me roughly on my feet. 'But you cannot touch a single hair on my mane. I just saved your life, you have a debt of honour towards me.'

That arrogant creature, the mere recalling made my teeth grit. How had he the cheek to place such a demand? But he was right, I was vowed by my honour and I would respect my word. 'You…' I trailed off in a loss of words, arms shaking in frustration.

'On the other hand,' the Earl whispered on my ear. 'I reserve the right to hunt your descendants, to end the line and to replace my beloved Noel,' he added petulantly, before laughing and jumping behind. 'Forget me not, Helsing. I will return for your family one day.'

I would never forget his sinister laughter or his chilling promise. The future will not be prosperous. I now dream of gloomy scenarios and the deaths of my loved ones. My family cannot not go unprotected, would have to think of something. It can wait, I have many things to learn about the occult and no family to guard."

-

Integral shut down the journal as she felt the influence vanishing out or mind. She wagered it was because she did what he wanted. That brought an uncomfortable knot in her stomach. She was powerless under his thrall.

'Indeed you are,' she heard his laughter in her head.

"Where are you now, Earl?" Integral rose, leaving the book over the desk. Her fangs clenched, aching to bite his head off. "I know who you are!" He did not say a word more, his laughter lingering, and she rubbed her forearms as if she were cold.

The oath to her grandfather haunted her – his speech sounded like the end.

The laughter would have brought her to the edge, allowing her insecurities to win if she had not grown accustomed to Alucard's.

Integral reached for Abraham's journal, opening to the highlighted passages and attempted to read them again. To her shock, she was barely able to figure out the meaning of the words. It was written in Dutch.

Him. He has been whispering the tale in my mind the entire time, she mused, growing more and more annoyed by his actions.

Irritated, Integral left the basement, heading to the outside world that she had abandoned previously. While she ascended the stairs, she vowed to herself that would not allow him a full victory. She would not fall prey to him, her Master, the man with dead grey eyes.

Authors Notes: I thank to my reviewers for the feedback and to Lyanna Kane for editing this chapter. Next one will have some Iscariot. Reviews/CC/flames are welcomed.