A/N Hello all! HAPPY NEW YEAR! Hope you all had a wonderful rest – wishing all magic for 2006!
For your amazing patience and wonderful reviews, I present you with my longest chapter yet. I truly hope that you enjoy this one!
Chapter 20: Revealed in Death
Icy wind whipped Anna's hair up into her eyes. She brushed it away and looked up at Castle Dracula. A shiver jolted down her back and she felt Gabriel tense beside her. Anna kept her eyes on the foreboding structure before her and took a deep breath, ignoring the chattering of Carl's teeth as he shivered nearby.
Gabriel glanced down at Anna as she stood beside him. She held her head high, gazing up at the castle. Her eyes showed nothing of the apprehension she was feeling.
"Well," Gabriel said, " here we go."
Anna was the first to step forward, followed by Van Helsing. Carl, however, hung back, scanning the sky suspiciously. After a few steps, Gabriel and Anna turned to find he had yet to move.
"Carl?" questioned Gabriel, taking a step towards the friar.
Anna frowned, "What's wrong?"
Carl pointed at the sky. A huge white shape was racing towards them through the falling snow. "Quick! The crossbow!" cried Carl.
It was too late. An inhuman screech echoed as Jacob descended on the party, headed straight for Anna. Gabriel raised his crossbow, but Jacob knocked him to the ground and grabbed Anna from the back. Wrapping an arm over her chest, under her arms and one around her waist, he began to climb, flying higher and higher above the ground.
"Anna!" Van Helsing yelled, grabbing the crossbow and firing several shots from his position on the ground.
"No!" Carl cried, pushing the crossbow down, "You might hit her!"
Gabriel had no choice but to watch his fiancé get taken higher and higher into the sky.
"Damn it!" he yelled in frustration.
Carl ignored him and kept his eyes on Jacob. "He's heading for that tower," he said, pointing up at the dark structure.
Gabriel looked up. "Dracula's throne room." He got to his feet. "Come on Carl! We have to hurry!"
xxx
Anna struggled to regain the breath that had been knocked out of her when Jacob struck. She looked down and saw Gabriel reaching for his crossbow. A few seconds later, bolts soared up towards them, barely missing Anna's legs. Jacob didn't notice, but began laughing malevolently as they gained height. Anna began squirming, pulling at his arms in hope of releasing herself. But Jacob's grip was unrelenting and he held her firmly against his body.
Anna suddenly remembered the switchblade hidden in her boot and reached down to retrieve it. Jacob noticed this and released her waist. Anna screamed as her lower torso slipped downwards so she hung perpendicular to her captor. Jacob only laughed.
Glaring ahead, Anna pulled her legs up and snatched the blade free of her boot.
Jacob suddenly tightened his arms around Anna's chest, "Don't think about it princess," he sneered, "See how high we are. If you were to fall now," he paused to click his tongue mockingly, "you would meet a very sticky end."
Anna's eyes drifted down and she cringed. They were now high above the bridges linking the towers of the Castle but Anna doubted Jacob would drop her onto the safety of a bridge. She had no choice but to submit to being carried to what she hoped wouldn't be her death.
xxx
"Well? Which way this time?" Carl asked. He and Gabriel were standing in the entrance hall of Castle Dracula.
Gabriel frowned, "I-I'm not sure." He said, desperately eyeing the passages before them.
Suddenly, a familiar gurgling sound came from behind them. They spun around to see five Dwergi running towards them.
The friar looked back to his friend, panic across his face, "What now!"
Van Helsing pointed at the staircase directly in front of them and shrugged,
"Up!"
He took off at a sprint and Carl followed suit, anxious to be away from Dracula's creepy minions.
xxx
Jacob carried Anna through a large window into Dracula's throne room. As soon as there was ground below them, Anna put up as much resistance as she could. Jacob ignored her struggles and continued dragging her towards Dracula, who sat ceremoniously upon his throne.
"Welcome back, Anna," he announced. "So good to know you returned."
Anna's first instinct was to respond with a scathing remark but Jacob flung her to the floor in front of Dracula and she yelped in pain instead. The impact had sent pain jolting through her torso and the switchblade she had been clutching was thrown from her grasp.
"Jacob!" Dracula exclaimed a little too quickly. The Dark Prince quickly checked his tone and continued, "No need to be so harsh."
For a moment, Jacob hesitated but finally bowed and said, "Of course, my Lord."
He took a step back from Anna, who pulled herself to her feet, frantically scanning the floor for her blade.
Dracula did not notice and walked up behind her. Anna did her best to ignore him and kept her head high, slowly moving her hand to her pistol.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Dracula said smoothly, "You know it cannot harm me." He put his arm around her waist and rested his other hand rested on top of hers. "But it could hurt you, Anna."
Anna cursed inwardly; he had a point. She had not come here to be the one who died and, at this stage, she was definitely not in control of who died or not. Anna cursed herself for not loading her pistol with Carl's holy water bullets. She would just have to stall for time in the hope that Gabriel would find them.
Dracula stood right up against her back now, making Anna feel uneasy. She tried to pull away, but his arm held her firmly. Dracula slowly released her hand and took her pistol from her belt. He tossed it behind him and returned his hand to her belt, pulling her sword free. Anna left her hand hanging limp as her eyes followed the blade in front of her. To her relief, Dracula tossed it away too and it landed a few metres in front of her. Unconsciously, Anna breathed a sigh of relief.
Her respite was short, however. Dracula pulled her closer to him, hurting her ribs, and his free hand reached up to nudge the hair from her neck. Anna shuddered and lifted her shoulder, trying to shield her neck. Dracula chuckled softly and Anna's heart began to race. Dracula ran his hand from her neck, down her arm to rest once more on her hand. His fingers snaked through hers and he squeezed her hand. A cold shiver ran through Anna at his touch and her breathing quickened. She closed her eyes, trying to compose herself. Suddenly, she felt cold lips on her neck. Dracula began to rake his fangs along her skin and Anna pulled further away. Nonetheless, her mind had begun to cloud and soon, all she felt was Dracula's icy lips and his firm chest against her back.
xxx
Carl struggled to keep up with Gabriel as they raced through the castle. Down the longer corridors, he could see which way his friend headed, but the short, winding ones left him guessing. So far, he was managing to follow Gabriel's path. Looking ahead, Carl saw a split. He felt certain that he would be able to follow Gabriel when suddenly something struck him in the back.
Carl continued running, but glanced hastily over his shoulder and saw three of the Dwergi behind him. The split in the corridor was close now and Carl quickly increased his speed as a giant blob of green slime sailed past his head. Disgusted with the deduction that that was what hit his back, he veered off into the right corridor. He did not see Van Helsing ahead of him, but guessed he was too far ahead. The Dwergi were still behind him and his legs were beginning to ache. It was clear he would not catch up to his friend. As Carl rounded the next corner, he ducked into the first room he could find and shut the door, leaning against it to listen. A few seconds later, he heard footsteps pass the door, then silence.
"Whew!" Carl breathed out a sigh of relief and bent over to catch his breath. Looking down, he noticed a crumpled piece of paper under his foot. He bent to pick it up and took a second to read it.
His eyes grew wide. "Good God!" he yelled, "Could it be true?"
Carl looked up at the room around him. The walls were covered in dark oak bookshelves, home to hundreds of books. At the centre of the room was a large table, littered with papers. At the very centre, lay a large volume. Carl quickly pocketed the paper and approached the table. The book was old, its dark blue binding worn out and faded. Carl flipped it over to see the title and gasped. In grand gold lettering were the words: El Historia de Valerious.
Carl immediately thought of Anna – and Gabriel! What was he doing here? He had to find them!
xxx
Dracula struggled to keep control of himself. She was in his arms, helpless, and the temptation to bite her was overwhelming. He could feel her warmth and the sweet blood flowing through her veins. Her heart was racing frenziedly, intoxicating his mind. He opened his mouth, ready to strike.
"My Lord?" It was Jacob.
Suddenly, Dracula's mind cleared. "No!" he cried, pushing Anna away from him, "Not yet! Not without him here!"
Anna's mind was freed and she blinked a couple times, quickly regaining her senses. Her eyes fell on the sword in front of her and she quickly moved to grab it.
Pre-empting her, Dracula, too, dived forward, and caught her wrist. He pulled her back and wrapped his arm around her waist to hold her against him once more.
Anna cried out in pain and frustration and pulled against his arm. His grip was unrelenting and Dracula grabbed her other arm and slid his hand down to hers.
"Tsk Tsk, Anna," Dracula mocked, "That was low."
"Nothing could be lower that you, count!" Anna snarled back.
"Hmm," Dracula lifted her arm and turned it to look at her hand.
Suddenly, there was a bang and the door flew open. Gabriel held the crossbow aimed at Dracula, too shocked to notice Jacob, who dived forward and grabbed Anna's sword. He quickly spun around and put it to Van Helsing's throat.
"Gabriel!" Anna cried.
"Welcome Gabriel," Dracula said, "We meet once more." He nodded in approval to the vampire, "Thank you Jacob."
Jacob pushed the blade closer to Gabriel's throat and he raised his hands in submission, lowing his crossbow to the ground. Jacob kicked it away.
"Release her, Dracula!" Gabriel demanded, "This is between us."
Dracula grinned, "That is precisely why dear Anna is here, old friend."
"What?"
Dracula ignored his question and returned his gaze to Anna's hand. His eyes fell on the ring.
"Aah, princess. I see now why you were dreaming of a wedding." He said smoothly, "I suspected, but thought Gabriel was smarter than to repeat such a mistake."
"Mistake?" Gabriel's eyes met Anna's. "How so?" he said.
"It was you all those years ago, and very nearly you again, Gabriel. But I have won this time. I have her now!. You will be the one who dies!" Dracula said.
Confusion covered Gabriel's face. What was Dracula saying? He longed to lunge forward and beat the answer out of him, but the blade at his throat prevented him. He returned his gaze to his fiancé. Her eyes showed anger, but also despondency. What exactly had Dracula done to her before he arrived?
Suddenly, realisation dawned in Anna's eyes. "Anya…" she said slowly.
"Indeed," said Dracula, "you remember well, princess."
"Who?" said Gabriel, growing ever more confused.
"You do not remember even that, Gabriel?" Dracula spat, clearly disgusted. He spun Anna around in his arms so she was facing him and pulled her against his chest. He looked down at her, "You do not remember those shining eyes, that rich voice, or that silky hair and soft skin. Have you forgotten those crimson lips that you so often got lost in?"
Something in Gabriel's memory began to scream. He knew he should know what Dracula was saying but couldn't remember. He began to feel uneasy. Dracula's eyes were fixed on Anna, with an expression of obsessive infatuation that bordered on the insane. Anna, for the first time since Gabriel had met her, looked absolutely terrified.
Suddenly, the door burst open once more and Carl came rushing in.
It was just the distraction Gabriel needed. He ducked back from the sword and sunk to the floor, spinning his leg and tripping Jacob. He spun around to grab Anna's sword and turned, ready to strike, only to be knocked back by Jacob. The sword clattered to the ground near the wall. Gabriel fell to the floor, Jacob on top of him. Gabriel quickly raised his legs, pushing them against the vampire, but Jacob had grown strong and he pushed down towards Gabriel, eyes fixed on his throat.
"Gabriel! No!" Van Helsing heard Anna's voice and glanced over in her direction. Dracula still held her firmly, and was forcing her backwards away from him, towards the wall.
Gabriel's eyes fell to the floor beside his head. Salvation. Quickly, he reached out and grabbed hold of the switchblade, thrusting it upwards into Jacob's chest. The vampire stumbled backwards and Gabriel rose to his feet. He turned to the friar.
"Carl! What kept you?"
"Wrong turn," he friend said sheepishly.
Van Helsing smiled, "Good to have you back." He turned his attention to Jacob, who had pulled the blade out and was getting to his feet as the wound healed. "Can you handle it?"
Carl looked nervous for a second but put on a cocky expression, "Can I handle it? What kind of question is that!"
"Good!" Van Helsing rushed off in Anna's direction, leaving Carl with Jacob. Carl looked at the vampire and gulped.
x
Anna was now completely pinned to the wall by Dracula. She glanced over his shoulder and saw Gabriel in much the same situation with. She returned her eyes to Dracula.
His gaze was dark. "Now, my dear, we can be together as we should have 400 years ago."
Dracula lowered his mouth to hers. Cold lips met warm and for a second, Anna's eyes slid closed. When Dracula's tongue began to push against her lips, demanding entry, her eyes shot open. Over his shoulder, she saw Gabriel heading for them, looking positively livid.
Anna quickly brought her knee upwards, effectively striking Dracula between his legs. He yelped and stumbled away from her, falling to the floor beside his throne. Dracula looked scathingly up at Anna, who smirked; she enjoyed taking advantage of his status as a mortal man.
Suddenly, arms surrounded Anna and she relaxed into Gabriel's embrace.
"Are you okay?" he whispered frantically.
"Yes, are you?"
"Yes," his eyes met hers, sending strength and love.
Gabriel turned to face Dracula, pushing Anna behind him. He stepped towards the Dark Prince and drew his own sword.
"This ends now, Dracula!" he moved forward, to where his enemy lay and put his sword to Dracula's throat.
"I don't think so, Gabriel," Dracula said, suddenly pulling his own sword from behind his throne. Putting it up against Van Helsing's, he rose to his feet.
"I will have her, old friend. She is the image of the ancestor you stole from me all those years ago!" Dracula lunged forward with his sword and Gabriel blocked his blows with his own.
"Who, damn it?" he yelled, retaliating with his own strikes.
"Anya Valerious. My cousin!" Dracula barked back as their sword fight continued.. "You knew I loved her and still you wooed her. Even got her to agree to marry you!"
Gabriel was shocked and in his moment of weakness, Dracula was able to slash his arm.
Gabriel looked at his arm, then back to Dracula. Swiftly, he lunged back at Dracula, returning his attack and cutting Dracula across the chest. .
Gabriel smirked, "Tell me more, cousin."
x
Anna stood, dumbstruck, watching her fiancé and her enemy duel. Gabriel had been engaged to Anya? To her ancestor? That was over 400 years ago! Anna's mind continued to scream at her. Suddenly, pistol shots rang out. Anna remembered Carl and spun around to seek him only to be knocked backwards by Jacob, now fully transformed into a pale beast. Copying Gabriel, she put up her feet, and managed to flip him over her head.
Anna quickly sprung to her feet and looked for Carl. He lay a few metres away, bleeding from three slashes across his shoulder.
Anna quickly turned back to Jacob. A necklace of bullet holes ringed his throat.
"I've been waiting for this for years," he snarled. Jacob lunged forward and backhanded Anna, who sunk to the ground.
"Suffer, Valerious!" he snarled, going up to her and slashing her across her shoulders. Anna screamed, but Jacob was undeterred. Pushing Anna over with his foot, he bent and picked her up by the neck. "Suffer for your father!" he growled and threw her backwards.
Anna flew through the air and hit the wall hard. Her head spun as she fell to the ground, too weak and in too much pain to move.
Jacob began to laugh as he stalked in front of her, "What's wrong Princess? Can't atone for your family's sins? Too weak?"
Anna winced and opened her eyes. Jacob was crazy but if someone didn't intervene, he would kill her. She glanced over at Gabriel, as Jacob continued to make sweeping statements about the supposed weakness of her family, only to find him engaged in a furious sword fight with Dracula. Both men were covered in cuts but fighting fiercely. Her eyes sunk to the floor in front of her and fell upon a godsend. Her sword!
"That is what you are," Jacob yelled with his back to her, "Cowards! Hypocrites!" He spun around, expecting to find Anna on the ground. Instead, she stood, brandishing her sword.
"It's over, vampire," Anna spat.
For a moment, Jacob was taken aback, but arrogance quickly returned to his face.
"What now, Princess? Going to kill me? You know my master will only kill you." He flashed his eyes at her. "Go ahead, Anna, we can be together in Hell for eternity."
" My father should have killed you along with your filthy family," Anna snarled.
Rage that Anna had not seen since her night at Castle Dracula rose in Jacob's eyes and he leapt at her. Swinging her sword, Anna was able to wound Jacob in the arm before he knocked her sword away and pushed her back against the wall, hissing savagely in her face.
Anna glared back, despite knowing she was defeated.
Jacob finally composed himself and took a step back from her. Anna frowned at him suspiciously. Jacob returned to his human form and bowed to Anna.
"Farewell Anna," he smiled elatedly.
Anna glanced behind him then tipped her head to the side, acknowledging his bow.
"Indeed, Jacob."
Suddenly, crossbow bolts began fly at them. The bulk hit Jacob in the back, but some missed and lodged themselves into the walls around Anna, sending holy water dripping down. Anna ducked, but stayed focused on Jacob as his body dissolved and became dust. His eyes screamed hatred at her until they, too, were nothing but ash on the ground.
Anna closed her eyes and sighed. Finally, she thought, he's finally gone.
All of a sudden, a sharp pain struck Anna in the arm and she gasped. Glancing down, she found a bolt lodged in her upper arm. "Carl!"
The friar stood a few metres away, wielding Gabriel's crossbow, his eyes shut in a tight wince.
"You closed your eyes?" Anna yelled.
Carl opened one eye and then the next. "Is it gone?" His eyes drifted down from Anna's face.
"Anna!" he yelled, noticing the blood beginning to slip down her arm. "Satan's beard – I'm sorry." He rushed to her and quickly helped her remove the bolt.
Anna grimaced at the pain, silently vowing to hit Carl later. For now, all she could do was hug him, "Thank you Carl! You did it!"
Carl was slightly taken aback by Anna's reaction, but grateful nonetheless. When she released him, he began to beam arrogantly. "Indeed I did! Well, I did invent those bolts after all."
Anna's smile faded as her eyes went past him, to Gabriel. Carl turned to find Van Helsing still fighting Dracula, but he was clearly weakened and now bleeding profusely from a shoulder wound.
Instinctively, he raised the crossbow.
"Carl!" Anna yelled. "You might hit Gabriel."
Carl looked indignant but Anna pointed to her arm and raised her eye brows. Carl sighed, knowing she had a point, and lowered the weapon. Instead, he fetched Anna's sword and helped her to her feet.
x
"You bastard! You killed her!" Gabriel shouted at Dracula as the fight continued.
"You weren't worthy of her!" Dracula raged back, "If I couldn't have her, nobody could!"
"You wretched monster!"
"And you, Gabriel? What of your actions?" Dracula questioned.
"What of them?" retaliated Gabriel. He didn't know for certain what 'actions' Dracula meant, but he had a pretty good idea.
"Not two days after her death you figured out it was I. You killed me Gabriel! You made me what I am today!"
Again, Dracula had shocked Gabriel speechless. Was it possible? Then again, would Dracula lie so passionately?
Gabriel didn't know what to say. He was dumbstruck.
In his weakness, Dracula lunged forward and knocked Gabriel's sword from his hand. He put the sword the Gabriel's heart.
Gabriel looked at Dracula and said through gritted teeth, "I may have killed you, but it was of your own will that you became a vampire!"
"That may be so," Dracula said, shifting into his full vampire form and raising his sword, "but it is I who shall triumph. With your death, I shall be free to take Anna as my bride! The Valerious will be an extinct myth, as will the legend of Van Helsing, Left Hand of God! My empire will be resurrected, with Anna as my Queen. You will be but a shadow of a fragmented memory!"
"Nay, Count!" came a voice from behind Dracula, "You will be the memory!"
Dracula's eyes suddenly grew large. Gabriel followed Dracula's gaze as he looked down at the bloody sword tip poking out of his chest.
Anna leaned into the sword, pushing it in fully. She released it and went around Dracula to Gabriel.
"Are you alright?" she asked him, softly.
"Yes." Gabriel embraced her and tears began to stream from his eyes.
A dull thud sounded and the two parted to see Dracula on his knees, looking up at them forlornly.
"Born a mortal. Dying a mortal." Anna said softly. Dracula was shocked, gazing up at them with glassy eyes. For a second, Anna pitied him, but soon memories of all the harm he had inflicted returned to her and she smirked down at him then turned to Gabriel and kissed him passionately, releasing her pain and her triumph at once.
The fire died in Dracula's eyes and he slumped backwards. His body began to pulse with thick black slime that bubbled in on itself until only Anna's sword remained.
Anna looked from the sword to Gabriel then leapt back into Gabriel's arms. Tears flooded down her face. Words were not powerful enough to express the emotions raging through her. Relief. Love. Appreciation. Pain. Hope. Joy.
A gentle hand touched her shoulder and she turned to see Carl, his robe stained with blood and what hair he had standing on end from the battle. Joyous, relieved laughter rose up in Anna and she began to giggle, soon joined by Gabriel and Carl.
Ecstatic relief raced through Gabriel, who reached out and pulled his friend and his fiancée into a hug. It was finally over. Dracula was gone. The future was here. They had done it. Together.
A/N Good grief! That took AGES! I've been at this for four hours! So I really hope you liked it! I apologise for any spelling and grammar errors – having a very un-grammar day and my typing's been a bit dodge lately.
I would really appreciate it if you reviewed, esp. since the story is coming to an end – one, maybe two chapters more.
Luyva all!