Chapter Two:
The next morning found Mina passing by Angela's closed door. She paused a moment, and considered knocking. Before she did, however, Angela called through the door, "You may enter, Mina." Slightly puzzled, Mina slowly entered the candlelit room. She looked around. The room's previous occupant kept the room in greys. But under Angela's keep, everything was white. Angela sat at the vanity, brushing her long, brilliantly red hair. "You need not be so surprised at my choice of colour, dear. I can't seem to help it." She began to pin her hair up. "Besides, white represents purity. It reminds me of who I am and my obligation to the League."
Mina nodded. "I see," she said. "I don't wish to be rude, Angela, but I'm afraid I'm not sure if I can trust you." Angela paused in mid-pin. "You seem so sure of yourself and of our coming successes and yet, you have told us nothing about your past."
Angela sighed and stuck the pin in her hair. "Mina, let me put this plainly for you," she said. "The Holy Order sent me to you all because you are going to attempt to defeat Count Dracula. All my life, I have been following Vampiric activities and read every document detailing Vampires and their deeds. If the League goes after Dracula without me, they will die. Including you. It is said the only thing that can actually destroy him is the Left Hand of God."
"The Archangel Gabriel," Mina said. Angela nodded. "Are you telling me that, through the Holy Order, you can call on Archangel Gabriel?"
"I have better access to him than you do," she said shortly. She had finished with her hair and picked up a white silk ribbon on which a charm was strung. In the mirror, Mina saw the charm was a silver cross. Angela tied the ribbon around her neck. She looked at Mina in the mirror. "Yes, I'm a pious girl, Mina. If I wasn't, I would be in quite a lot of trouble." She stood and turned to Mina. "There's another question floating around in your pretty and intelligent head of yours. Out with it."
Mina sighed. "I'm afraid I don't quite fully understand how the Holy Order works," she said. "Are the Guardian Angels—"
"Monks and nuns?" Angela finished for her. She smiled. "No, we're not. We're simply a section of the Holy Order that has been specially trained to protect. Some of us, however, guard our chastity more closely than the others. I am one of them."
"Have you ever been kissed, Angela?" Mina asked, her curiosity piqued.
"No," she answered. The Vampiress suddenly felt very unclean. "But no matter. I have devoted my life to the Holy Order. If ever I fall in love, I will petition Rome for permission."
"Permission for what?"
"For the chance to live a normal life."
"Angela, how old are you?"
"Twenty-four."
"Have you always been with the Holy Order?"
"Since I was born."