Chapter Eight: First Mission
"Well, you more or less look prepared," commented Van Helsing from his seat on the back of a black mare.
Praepondero looked back down at her attire and sniffed disapprovingly. "Well, once we get to a settlement or even a house, I'm discarding some of this stuff. You'll have to help me on what is the most disposable."
Overhead was a most breath-taking full moon. Thin, wispy clouds seemed to lap back and forth like ocean waves over the yellow orb. The trail that their horses trod upon was ruff and sparse, and the forest trees were hiding the moon.
"Carl has gone overboard?" Helsing shook his head. "Normally, he doesn't go overboard on my preparations. He must really be paranoid for your safety."
She gave her ebon stallion a slight tap with the both of her spurs and the horse trotted a little farther ahead of Helsing's horse. "These vampires that we are to face, why are they not as dead as their fabled creator?"
Helsing was quite for a moment before replying. "Their bodies were not his creations. That is probably why they were not destroyed."
She nodded. "That makes sense. It would only be logical that the Devil desires some of his havoc to remain." Her hands pulled back on the reins abruptly for the horse to halt. The path ahead was widening quickly, for the forest was becoming thinner. "The tracks are spreading more. I would guess that they have made temporary camp not too far ahead. They will not be there long."
Helsing dismounted his horse and surveyed the marks below, impressed with her assessment. "The forest opens out to meadow grounds ahead, not far from some farm houses, probably."
"Wonderful," she muttered sarcastically, speaking in reference to the safety of local mortal inhabitants. "Perhaps we should split up? I can check out the farm houses. You can keep an eye on the caravan, and I'll report back to you."
"With your inexperience? I think not," Helsing's voice was stern, holding no sway to the power of her persuasion. "It is best that you stay close to me until I have seen that you are capable of handling even one of these creatures by yourself."
"Very well, as you wish." She grimaced in response to his tone. She didn't want him to think of her as incompetent though.
Their horses trotted quietly along the dark path for about another kilometer before tying up their horses and preparing for the quiet walk on foot. Behind a thick pile of brush, she discarded the greaves and cuisse underneath. She placed them into one of her saddlebags, along with her coat and hat. Helsing eyed her disapprovingly as she doused her throwing knives and everything else she could with holy water.
"No rifle or crossbow?" He questioned her motives as she also placed them near her horse.
Praepondero smiled brilliantly. "I may not have the experience fighting with any of the creatures that you have, but I think it would more tactical if one of us covered the other..." She grunted and leapt upwards, one of her small hands grabbing a tree branch. "from above." Her arms hoisted the rest of her body almost noiselessly to the branch above.
Helsing slung his rifle over his shoulder, his voice displeased. "I do not want you cornered in a tree either."
She rhythmically let her feet move from one branch to the other, branches Helsing's weight would have broken. "I will follow your lead to the camp or houses." She remembered a time when gallivanting through trees had been a favorite pass time for her and her sisters. Nimbly, her body lunged forward toward the other tree, and she caught the nearest branch. "And whoever said I had to stay in one tree?" she quietly called down.
Teresa, voluptuous in her silk and linen wrappings, was not pleased with the progress that their caravan was making toward the great city of Paris, which was to be their final destination. Myrna, the fortune teller, had forewarned her earlier of the bad weather. Teresa had regarded the feeling as something natural that came to older bones. But weather was not to be a hinder to her kind. Her small clan had long since vacated the streets of Budapest after the destruction of their maker. Since then, they have been a roaming band of vampire gypsies, feeding off the blood of travelers and living off the gold made from entertaining. It was not the most lucrative existence for a vampire, but the freedom of movement was a luxury that only their kind could afford. Her troupe was famished from a week with no feeding, and their bodies needed the nourishment of blood. The caravan was stopping for a few hours for a small hunt through the local farmsteads ahead. As one of the eldest in the troupe, her hunger could wait for Paris. She settled down in a spot near the camp fire, which warmed her preternatural white skin. Her chocolate brown eyes settled upon the field across from her. The few that had went to feed were to return shortly or face her temper.
Gabriel slowly and most cautiously crept to forest edge nearest to the vampire caravan. His nose could make out the scent of burnt wood coming from upwind. The bolts and throwing knives of his were doused in holy water, ready for use. He wasn't certain how much trouble the both of them were in for, so he had shouldered Praepondero's crossbow as well, just in case she needed it.
He wasn't quite sure if he thought her entirely incapable of handling this band of vampires or not. She seemed rather skilled in tracking and... espionage. He added the last quality as he remembered that she lurked somewhere above him. His only hope was that they both made it through this night, or her training would have been for nothing.
He dropped to the soft leaf-covered earth ever so gently, making as less noise as he possibly could. Perhaps only a hundred meters in front of him on the other side of the bushes, were the vampires. There were five of them gathered about the fire, chatting quietly amongst themselves. Two of them were sleek, brown-haired females, and the other three tall, well-built males. The lot of them was dressed in showy silk and cotton trappings. A human man and woman snored gently from their place on the steps of a wagon, not far from the fire. They were perhaps their mortal drivers for the daylight. Three more vampire males emerged from the other side forest, near the trail. Their faces and skin were more flushed then their companions. He and Praepondero had not been quick enough to save the farmers. His lips mouthed a silent prayer for the innocent souls.
Overhead, farther to the right of Helsing and the caravan, Praepondero remained utterly silent and motionless from her perch. Her dark eyes took in the scene in front of her, not missing much detail. Two of the males were armed with small daggers tucked in their boots and belts. The female with the brown eyes kept a switch-blade tucked in one of her cuffs. The others were probably content with the bulk of their supernatural strength. She waited for Helsing to make the first move.
It did not come. She felt the wind shift on her skin, carrying her and Helsing's scent to the predatory noses of the vampires. Heavenly, she thought, just heavenly. Some of the vampires were already making their way to her spot. Their bodies were supernatural shadows that seemed to glide over the earth. She quickly leapt over to the next few trees and hid herself deeper into a thick pine canopy.
Helsing quickly took note of his comrade's situation and sent several bolts into the general direction of the wagons; one pierced a female in the back. Her shrill screams hurt his ears as she dissolved into ashes. The brown- eyed female was much quicker than the others. Her switch-blade had long since been in her hand. It was held expertly and threateningly at the throat of one of the humans...
"Well, you more or less look prepared," commented Van Helsing from his seat on the back of a black mare.
Praepondero looked back down at her attire and sniffed disapprovingly. "Well, once we get to a settlement or even a house, I'm discarding some of this stuff. You'll have to help me on what is the most disposable."
Overhead was a most breath-taking full moon. Thin, wispy clouds seemed to lap back and forth like ocean waves over the yellow orb. The trail that their horses trod upon was ruff and sparse, and the forest trees were hiding the moon.
"Carl has gone overboard?" Helsing shook his head. "Normally, he doesn't go overboard on my preparations. He must really be paranoid for your safety."
She gave her ebon stallion a slight tap with the both of her spurs and the horse trotted a little farther ahead of Helsing's horse. "These vampires that we are to face, why are they not as dead as their fabled creator?"
Helsing was quite for a moment before replying. "Their bodies were not his creations. That is probably why they were not destroyed."
She nodded. "That makes sense. It would only be logical that the Devil desires some of his havoc to remain." Her hands pulled back on the reins abruptly for the horse to halt. The path ahead was widening quickly, for the forest was becoming thinner. "The tracks are spreading more. I would guess that they have made temporary camp not too far ahead. They will not be there long."
Helsing dismounted his horse and surveyed the marks below, impressed with her assessment. "The forest opens out to meadow grounds ahead, not far from some farm houses, probably."
"Wonderful," she muttered sarcastically, speaking in reference to the safety of local mortal inhabitants. "Perhaps we should split up? I can check out the farm houses. You can keep an eye on the caravan, and I'll report back to you."
"With your inexperience? I think not," Helsing's voice was stern, holding no sway to the power of her persuasion. "It is best that you stay close to me until I have seen that you are capable of handling even one of these creatures by yourself."
"Very well, as you wish." She grimaced in response to his tone. She didn't want him to think of her as incompetent though.
Their horses trotted quietly along the dark path for about another kilometer before tying up their horses and preparing for the quiet walk on foot. Behind a thick pile of brush, she discarded the greaves and cuisse underneath. She placed them into one of her saddlebags, along with her coat and hat. Helsing eyed her disapprovingly as she doused her throwing knives and everything else she could with holy water.
"No rifle or crossbow?" He questioned her motives as she also placed them near her horse.
Praepondero smiled brilliantly. "I may not have the experience fighting with any of the creatures that you have, but I think it would more tactical if one of us covered the other..." She grunted and leapt upwards, one of her small hands grabbing a tree branch. "from above." Her arms hoisted the rest of her body almost noiselessly to the branch above.
Helsing slung his rifle over his shoulder, his voice displeased. "I do not want you cornered in a tree either."
She rhythmically let her feet move from one branch to the other, branches Helsing's weight would have broken. "I will follow your lead to the camp or houses." She remembered a time when gallivanting through trees had been a favorite pass time for her and her sisters. Nimbly, her body lunged forward toward the other tree, and she caught the nearest branch. "And whoever said I had to stay in one tree?" she quietly called down.
Teresa, voluptuous in her silk and linen wrappings, was not pleased with the progress that their caravan was making toward the great city of Paris, which was to be their final destination. Myrna, the fortune teller, had forewarned her earlier of the bad weather. Teresa had regarded the feeling as something natural that came to older bones. But weather was not to be a hinder to her kind. Her small clan had long since vacated the streets of Budapest after the destruction of their maker. Since then, they have been a roaming band of vampire gypsies, feeding off the blood of travelers and living off the gold made from entertaining. It was not the most lucrative existence for a vampire, but the freedom of movement was a luxury that only their kind could afford. Her troupe was famished from a week with no feeding, and their bodies needed the nourishment of blood. The caravan was stopping for a few hours for a small hunt through the local farmsteads ahead. As one of the eldest in the troupe, her hunger could wait for Paris. She settled down in a spot near the camp fire, which warmed her preternatural white skin. Her chocolate brown eyes settled upon the field across from her. The few that had went to feed were to return shortly or face her temper.
Gabriel slowly and most cautiously crept to forest edge nearest to the vampire caravan. His nose could make out the scent of burnt wood coming from upwind. The bolts and throwing knives of his were doused in holy water, ready for use. He wasn't certain how much trouble the both of them were in for, so he had shouldered Praepondero's crossbow as well, just in case she needed it.
He wasn't quite sure if he thought her entirely incapable of handling this band of vampires or not. She seemed rather skilled in tracking and... espionage. He added the last quality as he remembered that she lurked somewhere above him. His only hope was that they both made it through this night, or her training would have been for nothing.
He dropped to the soft leaf-covered earth ever so gently, making as less noise as he possibly could. Perhaps only a hundred meters in front of him on the other side of the bushes, were the vampires. There were five of them gathered about the fire, chatting quietly amongst themselves. Two of them were sleek, brown-haired females, and the other three tall, well-built males. The lot of them was dressed in showy silk and cotton trappings. A human man and woman snored gently from their place on the steps of a wagon, not far from the fire. They were perhaps their mortal drivers for the daylight. Three more vampire males emerged from the other side forest, near the trail. Their faces and skin were more flushed then their companions. He and Praepondero had not been quick enough to save the farmers. His lips mouthed a silent prayer for the innocent souls.
Overhead, farther to the right of Helsing and the caravan, Praepondero remained utterly silent and motionless from her perch. Her dark eyes took in the scene in front of her, not missing much detail. Two of the males were armed with small daggers tucked in their boots and belts. The female with the brown eyes kept a switch-blade tucked in one of her cuffs. The others were probably content with the bulk of their supernatural strength. She waited for Helsing to make the first move.
It did not come. She felt the wind shift on her skin, carrying her and Helsing's scent to the predatory noses of the vampires. Heavenly, she thought, just heavenly. Some of the vampires were already making their way to her spot. Their bodies were supernatural shadows that seemed to glide over the earth. She quickly leapt over to the next few trees and hid herself deeper into a thick pine canopy.
Helsing quickly took note of his comrade's situation and sent several bolts into the general direction of the wagons; one pierced a female in the back. Her shrill screams hurt his ears as she dissolved into ashes. The brown- eyed female was much quicker than the others. Her switch-blade had long since been in her hand. It was held expertly and threateningly at the throat of one of the humans...