A/N Thank you all for your wonderful reviews! There sure is no motivation like praise. Well the story is back on track with a lead up to the beeeeg battle at the end. I hope you enjoy it! It might get a bit gory in one place, but hopefully that will just help the feeling of the story :)

Anna – I'm soooo glad you enjoyed it:)

Chapter 18: Recovery

For the next two days, Anna drifted in and out of wakefulness. Just when her fever came down, it would flare up again, worse than before. Gabriel spent all his time at her bedside, watching her while she slept and feeding her Carl's chicken and vegetable soup when she was awake. Carl continued to provide his minted water, but resorted to making the soup to aid Anna's recovery: he didn't want to risk another tonic.

Gradually, Anna's body began to overcome the fever, but it left her weak, like a human rag doll. Carl insisted she remain in bed. Gabriel kept her entertained by telling her stories of his adventures and reading to her from her favourite books. Dracula was constantly on his wary mind. In the time that Anna was recovering, so was Dracula. Gabriel considered attacking him, but held back; he knew Anna would want to go with him, and he feared another attack from Jacob while he was gone. So Gabriel took advantage of the uninterrupted time he had with Anna. The two began planning their wedding and decided that, as soon as Anna was well, they would send word to Rome, together.

One evening, Anna had dozed off early after a very animated telling of Gabriel's encounter with a hell beast in Bosnia. Gabriel checked her temperature, then blew out the candles and headed for the kitchen. He was halfway through a plate of soup when he heard a loud knock on the front door, followed by scuffling. Carl. He would answer the door. Gabriel checked that his pistol was safe at his side – just in case- and went on with his soup.

"Van Helsing?" It was Carl. "Someone to see you! She's looking for the princess."

Gabriel's ears pricked up and he quickly put down his spoon and got up.

The woman standing in the entrance hall was old – over 60 at least. She looked confident and unsure of herself. She looked confused when Gabriel came into the room.

"Begging your pardon, sir, but I asked for princess Anna." She said uncomfortably.

Gabriel smiled warmly at the woman, "I'm afraid she's sleeping. Could I help you?"

The woman frowned, looking concerned, "Sleeping? At this hour? Is she well?"

"No, she has been sick. She needs time to recover and rest," Gabriel explained.

The woman's frown deepened, "Sick? How so?"

Gabriel frowned, a little taken aback at the woman's intrusiveness. "She has had a fever."

The woman shook her head, "Always fever," she mumbled, "it was always fever."

She paused, looking up at Gabriel's expression, and smiled. "I apologise, Mr Van Helsing. You must think I am very rude. My name is Theresa. I used to work here- mostly in the kitchen, but I looked after prince Velkan and princess Anna sometimes. After King Boris disappeared, Velkan and Anna asked all the servants to leave."

"I see," Gabriel nodded, wondering at Anna's actions, but indicating to her to go on.

"When she was little, Anna used to suffer from terrible fevers. None of us thought she would be the last of her family to survive." Theresa paused for a moment, and then continued, "We treasure her as our leader, and friend, and we hoped to never lose her. When the prince was killed, we felt certain she would perish. But now she has you Mr Van Helsing – and your love. We have hope for her again." She smiled at Gabriel, who nodded sincerely.

"I'm no angel, Theresa-"

"Yet you have brought hope and fortitude back to Vaseria. For that, you are as good to us as your namesake."

Gabriel was deeply thankful for the older woman's words. It helped him affirm for himself that, despite his sometimes-'bad' deeds, he was making a difference for the good.

He smiled, "What can I do to help you Theresa?"

xxx

Anna felt like she was floating. It was he wedding day. She was dressed in a white gown, standing in the ballroom of Valerious manor. Most of the town was there. The curtains over the huge windows had been drawn back to allow sunlight to dance in the room. Gabriel was beside her, holding her hand as they waited for the priest, who had his back to them.

Anna laughed inwardly. Trust Carl to take his time at a moment like this.

She turned her eyes upwards to Gabriel. He squeezed her hand gently and smiled. She squeezed back. Catching his gaze, she used it to send across all the love she felt for him. Her eyes moved down to his lips, hinting to him what she desired. He only winked, and turned his eyes forward once more.

Anna kept her eyes on him, loving the way the sun made his brown hair shine. If happiness could be shown in a moment, it was that one.

xxx

Theresa took a breath and began explaining. "I came to tell the princess that two more people have been taken by the vampires. The villagers are concerned: they have never taken this many in such a short space of time before."

Gabriel paused to think. What it possible that, despite his mortality, Dracula could have used blood to make himself heal faster. Gabriel hoped not.

xxx

Suddenly something didn't feel right to Anna. The sunlight was fading. She turned her head frantically to see monstrous black clouds taking over the sky.

She squeezed Gabriel's hand, but he didn't squeeze back. She looked up at him; his expression was cold and unfeeling as he looked forward. Suddenly he dropped her hand.

"Gabriel?" she asked tentatively. He ignored her.

Anna turned her attention to Carl who kept his back turned, the hood of his robe low over his face. She reached out for his shoulder.

"Carl?"

Suddenly, the friar spun round and embedded a long dagger in the centre of Gabriel's chest. The Silver tip poked out of Van Helsing's back and he crumbled, making a small choking sound as he gasped for breath.

"No!" Anna screamed, dropping to the ground beside him. "Gabriel! Carl how could you?"

"Carl?" a smooth voice said from above.

Anna froze. Her heart began to race. Slowly she looked up.

Dracula pushed his hood back, smiling unkindly down at her. "Hello princess."

Bitter hatred flared across Anna's face. "You! I should have known!" She turned to see her peoples' reaction. They grinned back at her, fangs dripping. Anna's heart sank. How could this be happening to her?

Dracula quickly disposed of the robe and stood behind where Anna sat on the floor He began to click his tongue. "Such a pretty dress. It's ruined by all that blood."

Anna looked down. Blood had run from Gabriel's wound to the floor and was beginning to seep into the skirt of her dress. Anna wanted to get up and kill Dracula, but he put a firm hand on her shoulder and used his power to keep her down. He began to walk in a slow circle around her.

"Such a sad thing, your family. So righteous but doomed to live in pain, to forever be surrounded by tragedy. You are no exception. Just like your ancestor. Oh yes, Anya looked for heartache, craved it- just as you do now."

Anna glared at him, "Who? What are you talking about?"

"Your ancestor." Dracula lifted an eyebrow. "You don't know? You, who are identical to her in almost everyway! You, who also chose someone not worthy of you over a life of luxury with me!"

"You are evil, Count! You give no one a choice!" Anna hissed.

"Aah, but I gave her a choice. Anya…" a nostalgic look softened Dracula's pale face and he paused for a moment. He closed his eyes and shook his head, then turned back to Anna.

"She chose him over me – I tried to force her to see the correct picture, to bring reason to her obviously clouded mind. I made her see it my way!" Dracula slammed his fist down on the altar. "He took her from me. So I took her from this world!"

Anna gasped. "You killed her. You monster!"

Dracula ignored her, "But I won't lose her this time! Van Helsing won't take you from me! I shall have my revenge for what he did to me- I'll do the same to him: kill him as he killed me!"

He moved over Gabriel and began to twist the knife in his chest. Van Helsing gave a yelp of pain.

"No!" Anna cried out, lunging to stop Dracula.

Dracula only laughed, backhanding her so she fell away into the growing pool of blood on the floor. Anna sat up, putting a hand to her smarting cheek. It was covered in blood. Gabriel's blood. Her mind began to spin as the huge group of vampires began to laugh along with Dracula. Dizziness attacked her, she felt as if the entire room was swirling around her. Here she was, covered in her love's blood, and at the mercy of her most hated enemy and a few hundred vampires. Anna's strong heart collapsed and she curled up into a ball and began to sob.

xxx

Gabriel considered it. Dracula was mortal, but he still had all his vampiric abilities. He should heal at the rate of a normal mortal. But perhaps his vampire side enabled him to heal faster, especially if he was given blood. It would make the Count stronger faster. Cold shock hit Gabriel. It was not only possible: it was likely!

Gabriel opened his mouth to reply, but was interrupted by a loud crash and an anguished cry.

Carl came hurrying down the stairs. The front of his robe was wet. "Van Helsing! It's Anna! Hurry!"

Gabriel took one look at Theresa. Fear was painted across the old woman's face.

"Stay here!" he commanded and took off up the stairs.

The bedroom door burst open and Gabriel's eyes searched Anna's room frantically. Her bed was empty. She lay in a small sobbing heap on the floor beside her bed, one hand firmly clasped to her cheek, the other on her heart.

Gabriel took one look at her and knew what had been the cause.

"Not again. Damn you Dracula!"

A/N You know, I think I'm catching the cliffy bug – it really is quite addictive! And it always gives me somewhere to start with the next chapter. Please excuse the shortness of this chap – it should actually be longer, but I'm getting tired so I'm writing quite badly – fear not! I shall update soon!