Disclaimer: Van Helsing isn't mine. Enough said.
A/N: Hey guys, I'm so sorry about not updating sooner! I've been busy, and I've kinda hit a gigantic writer's block. Like so many writers before me, I know what I want to have happen, I have it all planned out, I just don't know where to start and how to actually write it, you know? Take pity on me; I'm trying! Anyway, this is the last chapter I have written so far, so it might be a while before I post again, but I really hope not! More on this at the end, but first, some PR's!
M: Yes, I think bittersweet is a good word to describe the last chappie. I won't give anything away, but don't give up hope on Andrea and VH being together! ;) Thanks for your review, and enjoy this one!
Manson: Wow, where the heck do you live! From what you've told me, it's freezing cold and you can never sleep… shudder Sounds like a terrible place, lol. I'm glad you liked the chapter though. Hope you didn't freeze to death before I posted this:D
Fortune Zyne: Jeez, hold your horses and keep your shirt on! God, are you obsessed. Jk, it's in this chappie, but it's not as descriptive as the other scene. It kind of alludes to it, I guess you could say. You'll see when you read it, but I'm warning you, this is all you're gonna get, so be happy about it, lol.
Countess Alana: Hey girl! I love your reviews; they're always so funny:) Update your sequel already! How can you leave us hanging like that for so long! Thanks for your review, and enjoy this one! Ttyl!
Lady Kathrin: Thanks, I suppose it was kind of clever. I know, Drac is almost too awesome to die, but…well, we'll see, won't we? Thanks for reviewing!
Exemery: YAY, a new reviewer! NO! Are you kidding me! Of COURSE it's not the end! Sheesh, are you crazy! Lol, jk. I'm glad you like it, and you can tell it's not the end cuz I'm posting a new chappie, see? Thanks for your review!
BW-girl: YAY, another new reviewer! Yes, it's quite shocking, isn't it? I wanted a twist thrown in there. (grins evilly) Oh, don't worry; a happy ending is imminent, just a bit far away, lol. Glad you like it, and I hope you enjoy this chappie too!
Silver Flover: Thank you so much for reading my stories and I'm so happy you like them! Now that you pointed it out, I noticed that you're right; I seem to only give enough detail about the setting to picture something roughly. I guess I focus more on the actions and dialogues. Your constructive criticism and complements were so great, and I really appreciate them. I'm overjoyed that you don't think any of my characters are OOC…that's a big fear of mine. OMG, glasses on Drac would be so priceless! I can so easily imagine that, haha. It's true, he would look good. ;) I hope you can keep reading and reviewing this, and update your story soon as well! Thanks again!
HottDarkPrincess: Why can't I go through a chapter without someone yelling at me! I'm sorry that you're mad…maybe this new chappie will make it all better? (sigh) Probly not, but you won't stop reading will you? Just bear with me; things will get better! And yes, lots of anger management classes for you! Lol, sheesh. :D
And that's all for the moment. So, onward, read, and enjoy! (In that order!)
Chapter 22
I awoke a few hours later, still nestled next to Dracula. I raised my head and looked at him, thinking perhaps he was asleep as well. But his eyes were open, and he was watching me, a small, amused smile playing on his lips. "Vladislaus," I asked lowly, "don't you ever sleep?" I laid my head back down on his chest, but tilted so I could still see his face.
"Yes, I do, sometimes. But it's much more calming just watching you. Besides, you practically slept enough for the both of us." he added with a wry grin. I slapped his arm playfully.
"I was tired! And upset, and..." I trailed off and a frown passed over my face as I remembered what had transpired before my meeting with Dracula. My eyes clouded with sadness, but Dracula interrupted my thoughts.
"What troubles you, pet? Care to talk about it?" Dracula asked, sounding mildly interested. I shook my head and tried to think of something else. "No matter. I'll find out eventually anyway." I knew that was true, and I was surprised he did not know already. Maybe he did, but if so he wasn't telling me.
"You shouldn't tell people things like that." I said, after a moment of silence.
"Tell people what?" he asked, slightly confused as to what I was referring to. "That I'll find out eventually?"
"Well, that too, but what I meant was that you shouldn't tell people you watch them, even though I know you have a nasty habit of doing just that. It's a little creepy, to always feel like you're being watched. It can only lead to paranoia and mass panic. I'm better off not knowing."
Dracula laughed and kissed my forehead. "Ah, Andrea, I love the things you say. Paranoia and mass panic; sounds intriguing...how can I resist? You must admit, my dear, that chaos is deliciously fun." He slid his hand down my side and caressed my thigh, then rolled over quickly so he was on top of me. "Almost as fun as this." He leaned down and we kissed, passion flaring up inside us.
I laughed and smiled up at him. "Ah, Vladislaus, I love the things you do." He growled deep in his chest and bent down over me again, fire in his eyes and a devilish grin on his face.
Van Helsing, Carl, and the others were still standing in the entrance hall, talking quietly in a circle. Lydia and Fiona weren't adding much, just listening and trying to keep up. Carl, Sylvia, and Van Helsing were doing most of the talking and planning, but they weren't really getting very far.
"Alright, let's start with the facts." Sylvia said, all-business-like as usual in times of trouble.
"Dracula's ring holds all of his power and immortality." Carl piped up, quick to answer Sylvia. "If we destroy it, he can easily be destroyed, just like anybody else."
"But it won't be easy to destroy the ring first; I imagine the Devil has a hand in protecting it, and it would seem too simple to think that we could destroy it just by crushing it, or something equally physical." Sylvia continued, frowning. She didn't like problems she couldn't solve.
"And Andrea is no help." Van Helsing added, no emotion showing behind his grim mask.
"Now, I wouldn't say that." Carl countered. "Andrea's done the best she can and she's been more than helpful. Without her we would still be at square one. True, she can't help us much now...but that doesn't mean that she doesn't want to. We must have faith that everything will turn out right in the end." Van Helsing didn't respond to this, so Carl and Sylvia kept talking.
"If we figure out a way to get rid of his ring, the rest shouldn't be too much of a problem."
"Yes, but I have no idea how to go about doing that. I don't even know how to get it off his hand, much less destroy it." Carl said, beginning to sound frustrated. "We're going in circles!"
"Well, we could throw it into the fires of Mount Doom..." Lydia suggested quietly, and everyone stared at her strangely.
"How come I never know what she's talking about?" Carl whispered to Sylvia.
"What?" Lydia asked indignantly. "It worked for Tolkien! I just thought–"
"That won't work this time, dear." Sylvia said, patting Lydia's back and talking to her as if she were a child. "Wrong story." Lydia sighed.
"I know. But it would've been nice, right?"
"Yeah, if we had a Mount Doom nearby!" Fiona interrupted. "Don't be so stupid, Lydia."
"I'm not stupid!"
"Well that was a pretty stupid suggestion!"
"Can you do better? I haven't heard any ideas from you lately!"
"That's because I don't waste my energy on stupid ideas!"
"Alright, that's enough!" Sylvia shouted, stepping in between the two. "Stop behaving so childishly! If Dracula was not already alerted to our presence, your shouting has certainly done the trick! We all need to calm down and think about this logically. Carl, have you ever read about anything that would help us here?"
Carl thought for a moment. "I don't think so, but I don't remember everything I read." Van Helsing snorted at this. "Besides," Carl continued, ignoring Van Helsing except for a small glare. "I might find something useful if I were near the libraries, now that I have a better idea of what to look for, but we're anywhere but close by." Sylvia nodded, depressed, she had expected this answer.
"Maybe we should go back to the Vatican libraries and research." Sylvia suggested, running out of ideas.
"What, and leave Andrea here, in the clutches of that monster?" Carl responded incredulously. "Besides, it's much too far away. It would take days to get there."
"Oh, right. I forgot that there aren't any planes around here. Carl, I'm out of options here. What do we do? Do you think this place has a library of some sort?"
"Forget the library idea." Van Helsing cut in, looking up with new fire and determination in his eyes. "I've got a plan. Carl, do you still have any holy relics on you?"
"Well, yes, I think so." Carl fumbled with the pockets of his robes. "I have a couple crucifixes, and a vial of Holy Water I bring with me everywhere."
"Perfect." Van Helsing responded, grinning rather evilly for the Left Hand of God. "Now," he continued, as the others crowded closer around to hear, "here's what we'll do..."
I lay there next to Dracula, panting as my entire being thrummed and pulsed with passion. I relived over and over again in my mind what I had just experienced, how I'd cried out in ecstacy when he'd entered me again and again, how he'd ravished my body, leaving no place untouched, how his blood had tasted when he'd slashed his wrist and forced it down my throat. My head was buzzing with pleasure, and my heart would've been pounding, had I still had one. I closed my eyes and moved closer to Dracula, sighing as he wrapped his arms securely around me.
"Now, Andrea," Dracula whispered in my ear, "you are truly mine." I smiled, my eyes still closed, but suddenly in my mind I'd realized what I'd done. Oh, God, what was I thinking! How could I have done this to Gabriel; I'd promised him mere moments ago that I would never willingly do something like this, but there was no denying it, I had definitely been willing. I didn't have an excuse by any means this time, and I became thoroughly disgusted with myself. This self-loathing pierced me to the core, and I began to cry again, but no tears fell. Dry sobs escaped my lips no matter how hard I tried to contain them, and I rolled away from Dracula, no longer able to stand his touch.
Dracula frowned at my back, and I felt his presence in my mind. Vladislaus, please! Just leave me alone, I thought. No, came his stern reply, and he proceeded to sift through my recent memories. I tensed, knowing he would eventually find out about Van Helsing and the others, but I was powerless to stop him. He discovered it all in a matter of moments, but instead of being angry, he chuckled to himself.
So that's where you went, he said in my mind. I had wondered...Oh well, it is no matter. They are all as inconsequential as the dust that lines these halls; they can do nothing to harm us. I am curious though, what they plan to do here. And you, my dear, have been a very bad girl. You should not have told them about my ring, tsk tsk. I may have to punish you.
"No!" I shouted out loud, whipping around to face him, my eyes wide with fear. "I'm sorry! Please forgive me, Vladislaus. I won't..." I trailed off when I saw there was no anger in his eyes, merely amusement. I breathed a sigh of relief and swallowed the words I had been prepared to spew out to defend myself. Dracula smirked, a teasing glint in his eye, and pulled me close to him again, holding me like a possession. I relaxed in his arms, but made a mental note to never forget who I was dealing with. Dracula's wrath was a dangerous thing indeed when invoked.
Sorry the chapter isn't longer, but too bad. Anyway, like I said before, I don't know where to start chappie 23 and I want you guys' input. Should I start it out with Drac and Andrea, or VH and company? Give me ideas and advice, please and thank you, and I'll be forever indebted to you. So, quick! Review and tell me what you think! Byes for now!
Gem
P.S. Anyone ever seen the movie The Labyrinth with David Bowie? I just watched it with my friend and now I am slightly obsessed, lol. I'm so hopeless. ;)