Author's Note:

I'm really tired of putting off writing this story because I can't come up with a solid and well thought out plot. So I'm just writing and coming up with a plot as I go. This might not be the smartest idea but then again I'm not the smartest person. As always thank you for reading and reviewing.

Chapter #5

"Thank you very much," the Cardinal told the array of teachers surrounding the desk, "for coming." There was Jill Nikmis who taught monster awareness, Patrick Eivets who taught making weapons, the using weapons teacher Andrea Hiracep, and Anna Snave the horse-back riding teacher. "As you all know three students have run away, Magdamina Monstrance, Claudia and Rosita Napsora. What you don't know," he told the teachers heavily, "is that Magdamina Monstrance is actually Vilhelmina Magdala Valerious." Several of the teachers gasped in surprise, the decade old mission in which Van Helsing had saved the world from Dracula was a famous story and they all knew the details.

"I thought," Anne Snave said, "that there were no more members of the Valerious family."

"Her mother was married to Velkan Valerious and the girl is," he paused for a second as if making up his mind then continued, "she has werewolf blood in her."

"Amazing," Ms. Nikmis gasped, "she's not a true wolf but because of the venom she inherits-"

"Yes Ms. Nikmis," the Cardinal interrupted, "we know. The problem is that we feel that because of her connections she will be in danger. I need three of you to start after her and bring her back safely. And I need the fourth person to go and inform her mother, Lydian Valerious that she has run away."

"I'll go tell her mother," Mr. Eivets said standing up.

"Good," the Cardinal exclaimed, "you will give her this letter from me. And you three," he turned to the other teachers, "will start out after the three girls immediately."

Three days later Mr. Patrick Eivets reached the Budapest Knights Of The Holy Order training school. He asked to see Mrs. Lydian Valerious about her daughter. He told them he was her teacher and was quickly rushed to an office and told to wait for Mina's mother.

The door flung open and a woman stalked in. She had dark red hair, piercing green eyes, and small wrinkles, some from stress or sadness, and some from amusement or joy around her eyes and mouth. Despite the wrinkles she was obviously in excellent shape.

"What has my daughter done?" Her voice was like that of most teachers, no nonsense, sharp, and to the point. Patrick felt like he was back in school himself and being scolded for some mischief.

"She's sort of run away," he answered not meeting her eyes. Just then the door burst open and three men came in.

"What do you mean she ran away?" Lydian didn't look up at the men but Patrick did. The first man wore a long black trench coat and wore a hat even though they were indoors. He had dark hair that fell below his ears, coming just short of his shoulders. He was followed closely by a man wearing a brown robe. He had light red hair and wide blue-grey eyes. Behind him was a third man. He was huge, his head just about brushed the ceiling. His face was not that of a normal human being, it had what appeared to be cracks and stitches in it. As Patrick watched in horror sparks flew off him.

Patrick tried to both back away and stand up at the same time. This resulted in him falling backwards over the chair in a sort sitting down of back flip.

"Been there," the man in the brown robe said to the others with a grin, "done that." Lydian exchanged a look with the towering Frank that said, "this one's a wimp" and the giant monster chuckled.

"Who ran away?" Van Helsing asked Lydian. His question immediately snapped her back into the situation.

"Apparently Mina has run away," she growled looking over at Patrick, "her teacher Mr. Eivets was just about to tell us why."

Mina and Rosita were being led through a hall to their room by the innkeeper. They had been stopping in every town to try to find information but so far they had found none.

"I'm looking for the gypsies," Mina began but was quickly interrupted.

"There are no gypsies in this town"

"Do you know," Rosita asked, "where we could find some?"

"Not in this town," he answered sharply opening a door and ushering them in, "that's all I know." They walked into the room but before they could continue asking he had slammed the door I their faces.

"This is familiar," Rosita sighed, "painfully familiar. So I guess we go to the local pubs and other places where people hang out tonight to ask more questions?"

"I guess," Mina answered in a discouraged voice, "but no one will tell us anything. This is the third town that refuses to talk about the gypsies. Something strange is happening here."

Claudia watched her twin sister and Magdamina Monstrance leave the inn from her own room at the inn. She was frustrated because she still didn't have any idea why her two roommates had run away from Rome. From what she could tell they were looking for gypsies and a family called Valerious. It just didn't make any sense.

"But it does," a voice interrupted her thoughts, "but only if you know everything."

"Who's there?" Claudia asked sharply looking around the room wildly. "How do you know what I'm thinking?"

"Just take a look in your mirror," the voice said, "I'm going to tell you everything." Claudia went cautiously over to her mirror and peered in. She let out a yell of surprise as she saw a man. He had long shiny black hair pulled back into an elegant pony tail. His face was long and pale. His eyes stood out against the nearly white skin. There was a small smirk on his mouth. "You and I are going to be good friends," he told her the smirk widening.

Mina and Rosita walked down the street, looking for a place where the townspeople were hanging out. The sky was overcast and the billowing clouds were moving across the sky faster even then Mina and Rosita were walking down the street.

"Excuse me," a voice called out behind them, "girls. Wait." Exchanging a glance Mina and Rosita turned around.

They were being followed by a man wrapped in two heavy traveling cloaks that concealed his shape and the details of his face. "You are the girls looking for the gypsies, yes?"

"Yes," Mina gasped excitedly, "yes, we are."

"There is a mountain," he pointed out to a mountain that jutted just above the trees. "I have heard rumors that sometimes gypsies are seen upon the very top."