Chapter 24 : A Battle Won, A Life Lost

VH: "In the name of God open this door."

With those words, the map magically turned into some sort of mirror. I thought Dracula had somehow destroyed it. Van Helsing walked through the mirror, and I stared at it like it was impossible to commit such an act. We went through next. It felt cold, slimy and icky. Dracula's castle was totally black! A few skeletons were impaled and hanging from dead trees. It was ghastly, but it suited Dracula. Van Helsing grabbed us, and took us over two huge doors. Inside were fires burning on torches, and I found it a little warm. As we entered there layed Laura on a stone, tied up and gagged. I smirked at her, as she opened her hazel eyes. Van Helsing went over to her, and slapped her.

VH: "You double crossing bitch! I should have known better."

Laura: "You can't blame a girl for trying."

Vince: "Is this where…"

VH: "Yes it is. Where's Dracula?"

Dracula: "Right behind you."

Vince froze in his presence. I finally got away, my arm still red. My friend Lyssa was there, and I ran over to her. It was nice to actually have a friend who was still loyal to you. Both of us stared at the men, waiting for the battle to begin, which it did. Dracula's eyes were an intense electric blue, and he was pissed. I could tell he was hell bent, and ready to kill his opponent.

VH: " You're not going to get away this time Dracula."

Dracula: "Oh, on the contrary."

Vince: "H-he's gonna kill you like l-last time."

Dracula: "What makes you think that?"

Then in a sudden state of shock, the dreaded midnight toll struck. Both Van Helsing and Dracula transformed into their beasts, and flew at each other with rage. Vince grabbed me by my arm, and dragged me. He pulled a knife on me, but I was unafraid. I would kill him just like his sister.

Vince: "Any last words?"

Arielle: "yea, I hope you see your sister in hell."

Vince: "Wait, what?"

Arielle: "Took you long enough."

He tried to strike me the knife, but I ducked, and grabbed his arm. He was stronger, but I didn't care. It was he who would die. We struggled violently, finally Lyssa struck him in the head with a blunt object. He slumped to the floor, and I took the knife and drove it into his heart. Now Van Helsing was left. I told Lyssa to get rid of Laura and I didn't care how, I just wanted her to do it. I stayed and supported my love. Something went wrong. Van Helsing grabbed my love, bruised and dazed, and threw him against the wall. Dracula returned fire, but Van Helsing grabbed him by the throat. I gasped, and I felt a tear roll down my cold face.

VH: "And this is when you die. Don't you know that good always triumphs over evil?"

Dracula: "To hell with that shit!"

VH: "You're never going to win! This time you're going to stay in the rotting flames of hell."

I had to do something, I couldn't watch him die like that. I grabbed a silver steak, and hoped that it would work. I ran toward them, my arm upright and ready to kill, again. I was close, but Van Helsing caught me, and threw me into the wall, my head bleeding heavily. Everything went dark, and there was a light….

Dracula's POV

My darling was hurt. Now I was angry. I wouldn't let him win, not ever, not this time. I attacked him, before he could even blink. I grabbed the silver steak, and drove it into his heart.

Dracula: "No my dear Gabriel, it is you who shall die tonight and end up in hell."

With that he died, shriveling up back into his human form, and gasping his last breath. I went over to Arielle, who lied motionless on the floor. Her heart beat was faint, and slowly decreasing. I prayed to the devil that she would live, to live another day…to see me. She opened her soft blue eyes and said…"I love you." I cried into the night, holding her dead limp body in my arms. Why did she have to go? Couldn't it have been someone else? I screamed into the heavens, begging for her to return. Lyssa came into the room, blood on her hands, meaning Laura was gone for good. It was a night to never be forgotten.

I layed her body on a bed, this is where she will stay forever. I cried for days on end. My love was gone. I have nothing to live for now. On the day that I would finally lock the door and leave her at peace, a warming hand was on my shoulder. I turned around but no one was there. I sobbed and walked away. Lyssa was in America now, and had covered up anything that had happened. I might have won the battle, but in a way I lost. I lost what I was fighting for in a way. My love, my hope diminished once she left this world. I slumped into the chair near the fireplace, and just stared for hours. Then I saw a light. It was blue, very bright and strangly warm. It was warm just like Arielle. Wait a second…nah! It couldn't be, or could it?