Disclaimer: Yeah, like I'd be here if everything VH was at my disposal. I wish. :)

A/N: Hey guys! Sorry for the long wait…I've been busy again. Anyway, I'm a little pressed for time so I'll just do some quick PR's and then it's on to chappie 11.

Fortune Zyne: Yes, I know, I'm sorry. But I had to leave you there, lol. Just wait till you read this chappie…you're gonna REALLY hate me then. And that's all I'm saying.

Lady Kathrin: Guess what? Yay, more Drac in this chappie! Lol Sorry about the almost cliffie-ness, but you'll just have to get over it. :) Enjoy this chappie! But you might hate me even more afterwards…lol.

FastFuriousChick: YOU KNOW, I ALMOST MISSED THOSE CAPITALS, LOL. I'm glad you liked it so much:) Oh, and btw, here's more! Lol

Countess Alana: lol, your review was great! I'd have to agree with you there. ;) I'm so happy you updated! Hope you liked my obnoxiously long review, lol.

Christine Marquez: Yeah, that's pretty much exactly how I imagined it too, lol. You know that's totally what Carl would do. Haha, I love writing Carl's lines/actions. Anywho, enjoy this chappie, k? Oh, and sorry I couldn't update sooner. :)

Okay, so that's it for now! Happy reading!

Chapter 11

I didn't enjoy this flight nearly as much as the first one, (That seemed so long ago!) and I spent most of it twisting, turning, and shouting for Dracula to let go of me and put me down this instant. I knew full well in the back of my mind that he could've just dropped me and I would've been dead if he'd really wanted to, but I had a pretty good idea that that wasn't really Dracula's style. He preferred the cat-and-mouse/play-with-your-food ploy. Knowing that, I wasn't too worried that he would just drop me, so I continued to put up a fuss, mostly out of instinct and for lack of anything more constructive to do.

"Vladislaus! Put me DOWN! Where are you taking me? Van Helsing won't like this much at all, you know." That received a demonic chuckle from the giant bat above me. Then I heard Dracula's cold and silky voice inside my head.

"Tut tut. So loud, so many questions, and you can't stay still for an instant! I would've thought you were more mature than this, Andrea, but what can I expect? Anna was always a screamer as well."

"She has noth– almost nothing to do with me!" I shouted, correcting myself. But the rest of Dracula's comments still echoed in my head and they shut me up, as I'm sure was his plan. I am mature, I thought childishly, sulking to myself. I hated playing right into his hands so much! He was so manipulative, and there seemed to be nothing I could do to stop it.

"You're finally learning." Dracula's voice, back in my head, said, "I have total control, and you can do nothing about it." That was it, the last straw.

"For now!" I shouted, unable to contain myself. "Just wait, you'll see! And get OUT of my head!" It infuriated me how easily he could make me angry and frustrated, and I stayed quiet and still the rest of the flight.

Dracula finally put me down on a rooftop and transformed back into his more attractive form. I immediately stood up and looked out around me; I didn't recognize any of the buildings or landmarks. I could see nothing familiar from the top of that tall building (I guessed we were about 8 stories up), and a small pit of fear and unease began to grow in my stomach. I turned back to Dracula.

"Where are we?"

Dracula smiled. "Come now. You didn't think I'd go anywhere you knew, did you? You shouldn't underestimate me so much, Andrea." He stepped closer to me, a dangerous look in his eyes. His gloved hand traced my face, resting on my cheek. "So perfect." he whispered softly. I closed my eyes, repressing a shudder, but leaning in to his touch. He slowly began to move his hand down towards my open neck, but abruptly he pulled his hand back; my eyes flew open and I almost lost my balance. I hadn't realized how much I was leaning against him, or how easily he had held me up with only his hand. "Now," Dracula began, "I believe you have something of mine."

Meanwhile, Carl stood breathless next to Lydia and Sylvia in the lab. All three stood shocked in Van Helsing's wake, unwilling to break the silence. Finally, Carl cleared his throat.

"Um, don't you think we should...ah...do whatever Van Helsing said?"

"Huh?" Lydia responded, still slightly stunned. "Things just happened way too fast for me. Run through all that again. And what did Van Helsing say?"

Sylvia sighed and took a deep breath. "Andrea's been kidnaped by Dracula. Van Helsing went to find her. We are going to stay here to do some testing and some snooping. We'll meet up with Van Helsing and Andrea as soon as we can."

"Oh. Your sentences are definitely easier to understand. I'm a little slow right now." Lydia smiled apologetically. Sylvia understandingly smiled back, and began to move toward one of her lab tables.

"Carl!" she called, and he hurried over. "Do you have the–Oh, you read my mind." she said, taking the Holy Water from him. He grinned sheepishly, turning red, and Lydia came over to join them.

"Wait a minute." Lydia said after a moment, "Did Van Helsing just say 'Son of a Bitch'! Can he do that, being the Left Hand of God and all?"

"Wow. You are slow." Carl responded, looking up at her disbelievingly.

Van Helsing ran outside and turned in the direction Carl had indicated. He could just make out a giant dark shape flying in and out of the clouds. Then, he caught the slight noise of my screams from the ever-increasing distance. Frowning in anger and disgust at Dracula, he began running, following the dark mass in the sky. "Just keep shouting, Andrea." he said to himself. "God, what I wouldn't give for a horse." Then he looked over and spotted a car parked off to the side of the road.
"I..I don't know what you mean." I stuttered, now on full-alert and backing away from Dracula slightly.

"Yes you do. Don't play coy with me." His smile widened, showing sharp, growing fangs.

"No, really! I have no clue at all as to what you're referring to." I could feel his ring resting against my chest, where it usually resided, under my shirt. I hoped he didn't have x-ray vision and that my face didn't betray anything. Not that that would have stopped him. Stay calm, I thought to myself. He doesn't know I have his ring, how could he? He probably just guessed. Well, I'll just have to convince him that I don't. Maybe he's not even talking about that. "You want to tell me what you're talking about, or are we just going to stand here?"

"Fine." Dracula replied. "If you want to play your little game, I'll play along for now. You amuse me, Andrea."

"Oh, I'm flattered."

Dracula ignored my comment and continued talking. "After my recent and not so permanent demise," (I rolled my eyes at this.) "Van Helsing gave you something that rightfully belongs to me. He stole it oh-so-many years ago and has had it ever since, but he's made a mistake in giving it to you, and now I want it back. I know you have it; I can see it in your eyes, hear it in your blood. It would be so easy just to give it to me. Why fight?" His voice changed slightly and his eyes began to take on their hypnotic stare. I shook my head and tried to avoid his gaze.

"But what makes you think I have it?" I asked, attempting to keep a handle on the conversation.

"I have my reliable sources. The Devil, if you must know. Just give it to me and everything will be fine."

I asked what it was, still doggedly refusing to give in. Dracula's eyes clouded in anger at my persistence in playing the fool, and my resistence to his mind control. "My ring." he whispered, his voice seething with anger.

"Oh, you mean the silver one with your insignia in front of the black background? Yeah, don't have it, haven't seen it since the movie, sorry. Why would it be a mistake for Van Helsing to give it to me anyway?" Before Dracula could respond, our conversation was interrupted by a squealing of tires and a resounding crash from down below us in the street. Dracula's concentration was broken, and I went to the edge of the rooftop and looked down to see what had happened.

There was a car that had crashed into a street lamp right in front of the building I stood on. And as I watched, a slightly shaken and bruised Van Helsing stepped out of the totaled car.

"Gabriel!" I cried, and he looked up.

"Hang on Andrea!" he called to me. "I'll–" But he was silenced by Dracula's next actions. Dracula rushed at me from behind, grabbed my arm, and held it, dangling me off the side of the building.

"One move, Gabriel, and I'll drop her like a stone." He didn't shout, but I knew Van Helsing had heard every word. I looked down at Van Helsing from that dizzying height, my stomach doing flip-flops. I tried not to move much, and hoped that Van Helsing had a plan. "You know I will." Dracula continued, holding on to my wrist with his cold, vice-like grip. "She will fall so easily, and nothing but the sidewalk will be able to break her fall."

"What do you want?" Van Helsing called up, taking care not to move any closer to the building.

"You know what I want, Van Helsing, and so does Andrea. Or maybe perhaps, you don't remember...? It is no matter. As it happens, I have no more time to waste here." He shook me, till I was sure my arm would be wrenched from its socket, and I felt his ring slip out from under my shirt. Dracula smiled triumphantly, and with satisfaction he yanked the chain from my neck. Grinning at me mockingly, Dracula said, "Thank you, Andrea. You should know better than to hide things from me. I know what you keep concealed in your heart. And now alas, I am sorry to say that I have no more time for your game nor the desire to continue it. You lose." And with those last words he let go of my wrist.

I was falling, falling, falling, for an eternity it seemed. The last thing I remember is Dracula's unspoken words echoing in my mind. "Such a shame. You were perfect..."

Oh, now didn't I say you'd hate me? Aren't I horrible! I know. But, it had to be done. Bet you didn't expect it though, huh? Or maybe you did…whatever. Just don't throw things at me, or stay mad at me for too long cuz then I'd feel bad, lol. And I'll try to update sooner next time, but no promises. Hope you liked this chappie! At least, up till the end, which by the way, was definitely a cliffie, lol. Sorry. Chappie 10 was just prep for this one. :) Oh, did anyone get PotO on DVD? It came out yesterday, and I want to SO BAD! Must…own…lol. Talk to you all later!

Gem