Disclaimer: Characters belong to the author and maker of the 2004 Van Helsing movie. Though I wish I owned them, hehe.
In the humble abode of Castle Dracula the lord of vampires stood silently near the large red velvet draped windows. He stood like he always had, his legs spread apart but still where he could stand steadily, and his arms were behind him as hands stayed clasped together. Night was staring back at him through closed eyes, he wasn't sleeping, he was awake but concentrating on his thoughts. It was when the doors to his study were slowly opened, he didn't move but rather waited for the person to come into view, or say something. For a moment he wasn't sure who it was, but realized a moment later it was Verona, his first and foremost dark haired bride.
"My lord," Verona started. "I hope I'm not interrupting."
At first he didn't reply, but then he straightened himself and turned to her. "No, you're not interrupting. I was just thinking."
"She didn't, I mean Anna didn't, even remember you did she?" She felt how stressed out he was, and that odd sadness she rarely felt from him.
"Anna didn't remember me, but it doesn't matter. She doesn't matter." He said as he sighed and looked down to the ground before raising his head again to look at her. "The only thing that matters is that we are all together again."
She smiled at that, he did care that they were together, but to do without Aleera would be better. That time she remembered Marishka dieing they both screamed and cried, but in her own unbeating heart she only knew her master was the one weeping on the inside for her. "Good, so am I. If you don't mind, what was it you were thinking of my lord?"
Her smile caught him slightly off guard, yes he had wept for her when she died and knew Aleera dared not do the same because she wanted to have all the attention then, she's the youngest and just happened to be jealous. "What was on my mind?" If any one of his other brides asked that he would have exploded, "I was just thinking of what could have happened if neither of us were killed and Gabriel hadn't arrived."
Verona stood there for a moment, and she was hesitant on what to say if only to not anger him so easily, in a way he normally is. It was just, tonight he seemed calm and laid-back for some reason. "We could have achieved more, but what is the use, we didn't know the devil would grant his son his place atop the vampiric throne."
"Yes, but I can't help but feel there is something I'm missing and or feeling." A confused look on his face arrived just as he finished his sentence, she approached him but he growled like a dog ready to attack. "There is nothing you need to do, Verona."
His voice was getting slightly choleric and it was bothering her, "Vladislaus. I need not to hear you lash out at me for something you think is amiss, what possibly could there be that we missed my dear?" Her own voice matching his, and she was the only bride of his to speak his true name other than lord or master like the others.
He growled, the one bride he had that could truly take him was his Marishka, his spoiled second bride. But Verona knew how he acted, how he treated people, what he did to get to her and bring her to him. "I do not know what we could have missed Verona," he said as he sighed.
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Van Helsing was sleeping in the chair next to Anna's bed, his hat was over his face as he slept without a sound. Anna was sitting there staring, rather staring at him with a smile, somehow she felt connected to him and it was an odd feeling. Her hazel eyes watched him as he slept, even though she couldn't see his face she could just see that he looked like a big scruffy teddy bear. When she realized that she was thinking like that she shook her head, and she sighed out loud and whispered, "Van Helsing… why do I feel connected to you?" She wanted an answer to that question but didn't count on getting one.
He woke up and lifted his hat to rest on his chest with his hand holding it there, "Maybe because there's something we have." She was startled and returned her gaze to him, their eyes locked for what it seemed like forever but it was only a few minutes.
"We have something?" She asked rather curiously.
"I think we do, but you don't remember. After what happened that is," he said with a sorrow filled voice. Gabriel still couldn't understand why he did that, but he couldn't have even controlled the wolf if he wished to have kept this from happening. "I'm sorry about what I did to you, it was the wolf but I take responsibility for it."
Anna looked at him with a guilty and sad look, she understood what he meant and for some odd reason just didn't want to forgive him. "Its okay Van Helsing," she said with a smile. "At least I'm still here, and maybe we could continue what we must have had."
He returned her smile, she forgave him and it was relieving to hear it from her of all people. "Good." He said as he then listened to her speak of possibly continuing their past relationship, but if she only remembered it would be all the better. "If you only remembered, Anna. How much I loved you, and wished I had not attacked you." His face was soft and the features that laid upon his face were heavily burdened with sorrow and love for her.
"Van Helsing…" She didn't know what to say, the only feeling she was getting was an odd tight gut twisting one. Her words were lost, and the last thing she felt was his hand on her cheek, the warm and rough feel. She leaned her head into his hand, her eyes closed and the feeling on her lips was a familier one, his lips against hers.
They had been kissing for a few minutes now, until she finally pulled away, the soft warm smile returned to her lips. It was coming back to her, memories so tattered and torn that it was like a puzzle she had to put together herself with help along the way. "I think," she started. "I loved you too…" His smile returned when she said that, all he wanted was to have time with her and build her memories back, then maybe, just maybe they could fix their broken relationship.
"I know you did, there was no doubt." He said quickly and softly. "I am just glad to see you are awake and speaking to me, at first you seemed to be far too tired to reply." He told her, but she looked away with a guilt trodden look, "Did you not want to speak to me?"
"I," she hesitantly started. "I didn't know what you were going to do or say, I kept having dreams of you attacking me over and over again." She sighed heavily.
"Anna," he said. "Its okay, that beast that attacked you is gone… and I wont harm you if it was the last thing I'd ever do."
"It wasn't always the wolf, it was the way you are now, perfectly human yet angry with something I did and you attacked me."
Van Helsing stared blankly at her, "But I would never attack you Anna… it isn't in me to do that to you. There is no reason to either, it couldn't have been me in those nightmares." He stood and moved to sit on the side of the bed, she scooted over a little and waited for what else he might say to her. "I promise you. I will never hurt you."
She looked up at him with glazed eyes, tears just forming. Anna was feeling so connected to him, that she was doubting her own dreams and dropping all defenses to just know he wouldn't attack her. His leather covered arms wrapped around her, she sat there motionless until she too returned it.
((TBC: I hope you liked that little Van Helsing/Anna romance I gave you guys, i always make it troubling though.))
