Chapter 15

By the sea

It was about ten o'clock in the evening when Angelica awoke after a small break, as her daughter didn't let her to sleep at all. Witch felt a strange smell, looked like if someone burnt something. Woman took a long silver knife, which was used for mysterious sacrifices and given her by a grandmother before the old witch died, besides it was good for killing demons.

Angelic entered the nursery, trying to keep the area illuminated with moonlight, as demons became weaker on any light. Everything looked normal, but the smell of the cinder was even worse here. Still the window was closed, and the circles, mother drew on the floor, weren't touched. "Oh, I became a paranoiac!" – she thought, lowering her knife. But the heart prompted to check the cradle. Angelica took away the pink valance and … screamed so painfully that the glass in the window split on tiny pieces. The cradle was empty, and only a piece of paper was lying there. With a trembling hand she took the letter and read:

'Don't look for the child. Forget about her. The Ancient power should be destroyed. L.S., L. K., L. V., L.M.'

She fell on the floor: broken, helpless, weak and fragile. Angelic didn't know how much time she cried. Only iron will and great love to her daughter made her to raise. Witch took the telephone and called for all her friends who could help: Selina, Kiara, Fellan, Vina and of course her dear husband. They all arrived sooner than she expected; vampiress even took a big heavy shotgun, and Kiara took … Van Helsing.

"Wait a minute …" – Sel started in unison with Fellan, but Irvin stopped them with a gesture, holding Angelica gently. Grief reminded him that he has a family to care about.

"If you came to help, forget about your own discords, alright? So, what do we know about this letter?"

"I recognize the initials," – whispered Vina, who had just brought a cup with a foul-smelling potion from the kitchen and gave it to Angelic, who drank it without delay. She felt much better after it.

"Really? Maybe you'll share with us?"

Selin was drilling Gabriel with eyes, standing near Fellan, who was ready to tear him on pieces. 'Great. This couple hates me. It supposed to be an interesting night …' – thought hunter, answering them with cold and hard glance.

"Well, it was written by witch. You see, we always write only two letters as a signature. First means status – 'Lady' is the highest. The second letter is a name – means Lady Sylvia, Lady Katharine, Lady Violette and … Lady Maya!"

"I knew, they won't leave me! They felt that Diana becomes stronger and stronger an each day!" – cried Angelica.

"Maya! Oh, how good that I took my shotgun!" – roared Selina, her eye-color was changing fast.

"Quiet! Vina, can you define the demon by smell?"

"Smell? I know some …"

"The smell of cinder!"

"Damos! The dead demon who was burnt by lord Devolio, when was alive! He's personal Maya's servant. Very clever one."

"But why Maya needs my child!"

"That Maya … Is she a vampire older man?" – asked Van Helsing.

"Yes. She's Valdemar's opponent," – nodded Sel.

"Maybe she wants to get this boy's …"

"It's a GIRL! You're fool!" – replied Selin. Arguers crossed guns.

"Leave him for me, Sel; he should pay for an insult of me!" – smirked Fellan. But Kiara stood between them:

"Stop it! We should save Diana! But not fight!"

"Why do you protect him?" – vampiress was quite surprised with her friend's actions. Kiara's cheeks got red.

"Never mind …"

"Why so? – now Sel's attention was riveted to her.

… Silence as answer …

"Aha, I'll speak with you later, Kiara Moon. Now, back to witches. Angelic, do you have any idea where they can keep the child?"

"I can use the blood call to find her. But it will take some time …"

Vina grabbed the mother by hand and said:

"I'll help you. Our common signal will be stronger."

Witches set on the floor, and others settled in the kitchen. Irvin was gloomy and didn't speak at all; Fellan and Selina set on the opposite of Gabriel and Ki, penetrating them with glance.

"So, Kiara, explain me one thing … Why do you protect him?"

"I don't want to listen this story, Sel …" – Fellan protested.

"Really, it's not the right time." – Van Helsing replied.

But vampiress walked close to her and stared into her brown orbs. The mess of thoughts became clearer, and Selina could easily understand the whole picture. She raised hand to slap her, but lowered it with irritation.

"Hey! We found Dia! She's on one of our sanctums in the sea!" – shouted Vina, appearing in the doorstep.

"What island!"

"Square 7/7. I think they chose this island because it's the furthest. We need more than one day to get there."

"Damn it! They one step closer! By the way! Who has a boat or something to get to the island?"

"Why can't you fly there?" – Gabriel asked.

"Mr. Hunter, witches' sanctums are protected from the air as well as from the sea. I just won't see it."

"But we can take my yacht." – Fellan offered his service, and everyone agreed.

"Good … So I'll go, then Fellan, Irvin and Angelic, Vina and Moon." – counted Selin.

"You forgot about me." – add Van Helsing, charging his arbalest.

"I don't believe you, hunter."

"And I don't believe you, but I want to help."

"Alright, Mr. Van Helsing." – nodded Irvin, so Sel had to agree.

The sky was clear, and stars were shining brightly. It was nearly a full moon, so werewolves' power rose. Fellan's yacht was one of the fastest and was chance that Diana is still alive.

Angelica fell asleep in the stateroom, women, besides vampiress, stayed with her, while Irvin was with Fellan at the steering wheel.

Cause to Van Helsing, he decided to breath the cool air, but mostly to speak with Selina. She was staring at the moon track in the water and looked amazingly beautiful; still she was quite tired and depressed because of her illness; and that pain in stomach never left.

'What's wrong with me?' – She thought. Sel was afraid that others can get to know about her sickness; woman didn't want to be a burden.

But the wind … it was so pleasant, she closed eyes, enjoying it in her hair.

"Forgive me, Selin." – Hunter broke the silence, walking closer.

"No, forgive me, I shouldn't shout on you. For Diana …"

"We're both guilty. But I didn't mean to hurt Kiara …"

"Maybe you'll make her happy. Who knows?"

She covered her lips with hand and looked at her fingers: they were covered with dark blood.

"I don't know if I really feel something to her. Perhaps it was …"

"An eclipse?"

"Yeah … I don't know."

"Well … maybe we'll conclude an armistice?" – Selin offered him her hand, and he shook it tightly.

Then she coughed twice and bent over the handrail.

"Sea sickness?" – he asked and looked at his hand, which she shook.

"Blood? Selin!"

Vampiress could fall on the floor of deck, but Gabriel caught her and raised her shirt enough to see a big wound in her abdomen, looked like a bullet wounding.

"Sel! Come on! Don't die! Do you hear me! Don't leave me!"

But she didn't hear. She fell into darkness …

'Selina …' – called someone …

She opened eyes slowly and set. It was a round hall with torchlight on the walls and a narrow mirror at the opposite side. Sel found out that her hair was as long as on that old photo where she was a human, and she was wearing a white dress almost the same as on the betrothal party. 'Am I dead?' – Selin asked, and heard a laugh, loud and tuneful like a silver bell.

'Don't hurry to die, Sel! But you're already dead!' – answered the sweet voice.

'So where am I? And who are you?'

The mirror started shining, and a beautiful girl in all black came out. The girl was about eighteen or elder, it was hard to say exactly, her long black hair streamed down her back, and big blue eyes seemed so curious and in the same time kind and pitiful. Her features reminded Angelica, and Selina understood that it's …

'You know me. I'm Diana, in future … Ancient power, better to say.' – the girl stooped to vampiress and touched her with a tip of her nose.

'I've remembered this scent … of your perfume …'

'But where am I?'

Diana slowly walked to the mirror:

'You're in the center of Hell …'

'So I died?'

'Not yet …he still calls you …he needs you …'

Selin walked to her.

'But who? Vladislaus?'

'Whom do you want him to be?'

'What do you mean?'

'Look into the mirror …'

Selina touched the glass, and the mirror started slowly drawing a figure of a man, but when the face was ready to appear, the mirror broke on tiny splinters.

'I didn't do anything wrong!'

Diana caressed her cheek gently:

'Your heart did. You don't want to know who the man from the mirror was.'

'I think it's Vlad, but I'm not sure … it kills me …'

'I wish I could help you, but you should help me …Save me from them as they don't know what they doing …'

'I will …'

Selin awoke suddenly and found herself in a stateroom on a bed. Her hair was normal and she wore leather as usual, only her shirt was unbuttoned and her abdomen was bandaged tightly. Vampiress felt pain, but it wasn't as hurtful as before.

"Awoke finally," – smiled Gabriel and threw her a bottle full of blood. Sel drank it in one gulp and wiped the wastes with hand.

"I made a small operation. Look," – he showed her a small wooden cylinder with one sharp corner.

"I know hunters' organizations which use these bullets, in silver covering with wood inside, for tortures."

"Yeah, I know. Our blood corrodes the silver, but not the wood and the cylinder moves to the heart …" – nodded Selina and stand up.

"Maybe you'd better to lie? Vina said …"

"I'll be fine! By the way. Thank you, Van Helsing."

"Not at all. Just call me Gabriel."

"Gabriel …"

At this moment Kiara coughed to get their attention and said:

"We arrived."
"Just in time!"