Chapter 1
"What's the target this time Carl?" Van Helsing, also known as Gabriel, the left hand of God, loaded his new favourite weapon. His stake firing crossbow.
"A man in his mid 30s, most of the time has blue eyes, and mousy brown hair. Oh, and is about 5 foot 9. Likes to read."
"And the rest of the time?"
"Is in his mid moon cycle, has black eyes, thick mousy brown fur, and stands at around 6 to 7 feet."
"Werewolf." Gabriel pulled the trigger, and shot the heart of a cardboard manikin at the end of the shooting hall. He had come back to the order after investigating the epidemic of suicides, to find spirits possessing people. He had to get Carl to help him banish them, and complained then about his recent missions. Being the left hand of god, didn't mean the cleaning up hand. He was supposed to fight evil in the name of God.
Not hold a cross and try to talk sense into a zombie like shell, while Carl recited a verse from the bible and drenched them in holy water.
And him.
"Yes rather. Nasty bloke I'm afraid. Likes to go for women."
"At last." He pulled the trigger again, and the silver stake hit dead on the groin. "Someone I can relate to." He murmured, and then chuckled. "I was only joking Carl. I am just glad that at last I get to go on a decent mission."
"Yes, business has been slow since you vanquished Dracula…" he trailed off, and smacked himself over the head. "Sorry. Shouldn't have mentioned it."
"Don't worry." He turned his back, his crossbow lowered and his black hat covering his eyes. "That was two years ago."
"But two years can be both a long time, and none at all when it comes to a loved one…or a friend. Or both." Carl sighed when he got neither a reply nor confirmation, and pulled a book out of his bag. Van Helsing was still mourning Anna's loss…"Well, I have your train ticket here, and your credentials. Oo, first class ticket this time."
"About time. Last time I had to stow away in the cargo hold."
"Yes, you stank of fish for a week after that." He chuckled, and ended it nervously when he saw Van Helsing with one eyebrow raised, and an I-am-not-laughing look on his face. "Well, I suppose we better pack our things and…oh no…"
"What?"
"…our destination." He held up the tickets, and let Gabriel take one. In printed capital letters, was the name of the one place he never wanted to go again.
"Romania…Transylvania…"
"Oh, that's not good." He then looked over the letter with the tickets. "Oh, I have a chance to introduce you to Izzy."
"Who?" he half asked, still taken back by their destination.
"Izzy. My new apprentice. Yes, yes I am training someone now thanks to our latest adventures. Very clever is young Izzy, very adventurous. Trained as an on the filed medic." He chuckled as he looked to Van Helsing, who was strapping his hazardous knives and sword to his belt. "It might be useful to have a medic with us, with you pointing those darn things around everywhere we go. I swear you have issues with going anywhere, without an implement of death on your person."
"I like to be prepared."
"That's one way of putting it I suppose." He started to pack his many inventions into his trusty satchel, and Van Helsing hid his silver crossbow within his long black leather coat.
"So this Izzy. Is he as much of a book worm as you? From the order too, right?"
"Izzy is educated and from the order, yes." He rolled his eyes.
"And will he be travelling with us?"
"No, Izzy is already there. Posted to await us by the order. Very good at organising accommodation. Something to do with Izzy's eyes."
"Are you alright?" Helsing raised a brow at him. He was talking about his friend rather strangely…
"Me, oh nothing. Well, off to Romania we go." He quickly exited, and made sure to avoid any questioning looks from his dark clad friend.
He would have to wait until they met…
