Ok sorry this took so long to get up. Well let's see our reviews for today.
Napoleon: I'm hungry.
There's tourtiere in the fridge, help yourself.
Napoleon: Yay. (goes skipping off)
Ahem, the reviews (er…review).

Kaiya – I dunno, maybe FFnet has decided that they don't approve of you approving of my rebel-ness… wow that made little sense… Anyway, you get to see what Dracula has been up to for the past day or two.
Carl may get what's coming to him…and Michael may too. As for Cardinal Bianchi…well he's to minor to really be punishable. Thank you for reviewing, please enjoy.

Zayin
A squeal tore through the air as a mouse scurried across the floor. Too slow, a pale hand descended and snatched it up.

"Got you." a soft voice murmured. The rodent's eyes went wide as it struggled in its captor's tight grip. It's writhing stopped suddenly as a long thin stick was plunged through its body, impaling it from the stomach up through the mouth. "Fifteen." Dracula smirked in a private, smug way; he stood up, and dusted himself off. Stretching, he walked up to the door and tapped on it lightly.

"Oy, get back!" a gruff voice barked from the other side. Dracula smiled, truly amused with his captors.

"I felt like informing you that you no longer have no need to worry about rodents, flies, snakes, or any other pests, as I have taken the liberty of killing them." He imagined the guards on the other side paling at the thought of the dead animals littering the floor. Most of the mammals were impaled or had the contents of their bodies strewn about aimlessly. As for the reptiles most were simply beheaded or de limbed and left to die of blood loss. With the blood of several of the animals he had written 'lest we not forget' on the wall. He chuckled and strode over to the other side of the cell. He had played prisoner long enough, it was time to leave. There was a small window was placed a good twenty feet above his head. A smile climbed its way onto Dracula's lips. Excellent. He began to walk up the wall. Once he reached his destination he rolled back his sleeves and began poking and prodding at the bars, trying to discern a weak spot. Upon finding it he let out a laugh and kicked the bars watching with a gleeful smile as they clattered to the ground out side his prison. He then manipulated his body through the window and proceeded to walk along the side of the building, mentally calling for Van.

Gabriel…Gabriel…Damnit WAKE UP!

Van woke with a startled jolt and glared at no one in particular. He sighed and rubbed his temples. He had been working for over six hours straight. He stared at the book that he had been using as a pillow. It was a bible and was open to one of Paul's letters to the Romans.

"Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them." He scowled and closed the book. He had enough of this for one day. He closed his eyes and leaned back in the chair. His body and mind ached and he wished he were elsewhere. His eyes shot open as he felt a cool blade slide across his throat.

"Tsk, tsk, Gabriel, you let your defense down." Van smiled as he turned to face Dracula.

"You took long enough." The Vampire shrugged and leaned over to pick up a few of the papers that littered the petit desk.

"Ah, the epistles…" He looked up with an amused grin, "They actually granted you the time to do this?" Van nodded.

"Yes, I think Cardinal Bianchi is genuinely curious as to what I will come up with." Dracula nodded slowly.

"Revoko?" He asked after a bit. Van shook his head.

"No I haven't recanted, and I won't recant." Dracula nodded, satisfied with the answers. It's just like the Catholic Church to underestimate its enemies. I mean look at what I've had to put up with during my mortal life; I was lacking men, food, weapons, clothes…everything. And they expected me to defeat the Turks…idiots. Dracula thought as he lay down on Van's cot.

"So are you going to present this to the Cardinal or shall we leave now?"

"Which would be wiser?"

"For you to leave now." A voice said from the doorway. Van turned around to see the Cardinal leaning against the doorframe with a nervous looking Carl behind him. Dracula stood, cold eyes surveying them.

"No worries, I am not here to hurt you, I am here to simply tell you that there will be a banquet tonight and everyone is invited, so the halls will be empty." He gave a wink and turned to leave. "I have heard rumors of loose bricks in this room." With that he was gone. Carl glanced between Van and Dracula, gave a quick bow and left. Van turned a raised eyebrow to Dracula.

"What was that about?" The Prince shrugged and turned to face the wall.

"We don't need keys." He said after a bit. Van looked over with a startled face.

"Keys?"

"Yes, that's what he was hinting to. But I can get us out of here without them." He paused, "though it was nice of him to inform us about the banquet, that will make my life a lot easier."

"Oh! I have something to tell you." Van said as he remembered Michael. "Michael, the man you um, killed… he's still alive." Dracula cursed.

"What is with me and immortal people… I should have impaled him as well, I would love to see that smarmy bastard get the stake out of his ass." Van sighed and shook his head.

"You're insane." He muttered.

"Most likely." Dracula said in agreement and gave Van a toothy grin. "But that's why you love me." Van rolled his eyes and began collecting his belongings.

"Shall we go?" He asked. Dracula nodded and opened the door.

"After you." He said with a mock bow, Van returned with a bow as well then walked through the door. Before Dracula left he took an impaled mouse out of his pocket and tossed it on top of the desk he then closed the door and followed Van.

It didn't take long for the two to get out of the Vatican; Van has a suspicion that the Cardinal had something to do with the lack of guards. Van scowled as he tried to remember if he knew the Cardinal or not, though he reasoned that Bianchi had little to do with the order that he worked for, but still, he swore he had never seen him before. Van shrugged it off as they walked along the moonlit road.

"We should borrow some horses." Dracula said as he and Van turned down another street. Van nodded as he remembered a good horse tamer that lived on the outskirts of Rome. He turned and began walking toward the said tamer.

"Where are we going Gabriel?" Dracula hissed as he trotted behind Van.

"We're going to pay a visit to a man I know, he can lend us some horses…and food." Dracula nodded and remained silent as he and Van wove their way through the streets.

Van squinted as he looked up ahead; he could just make out a house, corral, and a barn. Slipping the guard dogs some food he dragged Dracula across the yard into the barn.

"Where did you get the food?" Hissed Dracula as he inspected one of the horses. Van said nothing as he made his way up to the hayloft.

"Oy, Rico wake up." Dracula raised an eyebrow as he heard a yelp and saw hay flutter over the sides.

"Wha' ya do dat for 'elsing?" The man asked as he made his way down the latter after Van.

"We need two horses and food." Van said without introductions. Rico nodded and turned a scrutinizing eye on Dracula.

" 'Oos dis?" He asked while jabbing a finger in Dracula's direction.

"That's Vlad." Rico gave Dracula another glance then moved over to the stalls.

"I want dees 'orses back 'elsing, last time I gots in trouble 'cus of ya." He led said as he led out one horse the another. Van said nothing as he looked the horses over. They were in good shape as far as Van could tell.

"I don't think you'll be getting them back Rico." The horseman's eyes narrowed as he took the reigns away from the two men.

"Den ya'll aren't taken dem. I 'ave a hide to worry 'bout." Van's eyes softened as he stepped forward.

"Well I am really sorry Rico, I wish I could make it up to you." With that he hit his friend on the head with the hilt of his sword. Dracula walked over and inspected the bump.

" 'E'll be cursin ya for a few weeks." He said in a mock accent, which earned him a quick smack.

"No teasing him Dracula, regardless of his consciousness." Dracula adopted a repentful look and hung his head in mock shame.

"I am so sorry Gabriel, what ever can I do to make it up?" Van turned around to hide a smile and pretended to readjust his necklace.

"Anyway, shall we go?" He asked as soon as he regained some composure. Dracula nodded and hopped up onto his horse, Van quickly did the same.

Once he was up he felt something hit his head, he whipped his hand out and caught the offending object, it ended up being his hat.

"I don't need it right now so you can wear it." Dracula said as he maneuvered his horse around Van's and left the barn. Van just sighed and shook his head. After donning his hat (and feeling rather naked without his cloak) he followed Dracula out into the night.

TBC
Ok background on the title.

Zayin is taken from Psalm 119. Each section of the psalm starts with a different letter of the Hebrew alphabet and have a corresponding word to go with it.The verse I liked from the section of Zayin goes verse 50 "My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life."

And, yes…that be it. Please review!