400 years later

Gabriel frowned as he bent over the body of a young girl. He turned her over and his frowned darkened. The girl had the same black hair as his sister, Gabriella. He crossed himself and then stood.

He quietly opened the attic door of the cathedral and looked around. He found himself wishing his sister had this assignment instead of him. She would have already had Dr. Jekyll back in the Vatican City, alive. As Gabriel looked around, he began to get the distinct feeling that he was not going to go back to Rome with this man alive.

Suddenly, a great hulking…man dropped down in front of him. "Boo!"

Gabriel just looked at him curiously. "I missed you in London."

Mr. Hyde raised his arm to display the round bullet hole. "No you bloody did not! You got me good!" He swung up on the rafters and eyed Gabriel. "So, you're the great Van Helsing."

"No, that would be my sister."

"Ah, you have a sister! Perhaps I'll pay her visit."

The thought made Gabriel smile dryly. "You probably wouldn't come back alive. She's got a bit of a temper. She's Gabriella Van Helsing. I'm Gabriel."

"So, you're the great Gabriel Van Helsing."

"And you're a deranged psychopath," Gabriel said calmly.

"We all have our little problems."

Gabriel sighed. He was ready for this to be over. "Dr. Jekyll, you're wanted by the Knights of the Holy Order…"

"It's Mr. Hyde now!"

"…For the murder of twelve men…"

My Hyde laughed as he swung from rafter to rafter. "Twelve men, six women, three children, four adults, and a rather nasty massacre of poultry!" He grinned at Gabriel. "You're a big one. You'll be hard to digest."

"I'd hate to be such a nuisance." Gabriel looked up. "Now, my superiors would like for me to take you alive, so that they might extricate your better half."

"I'll bet they bloody would."

"Personally, I'd rather just kill you and call it day." Gabriel rested his hands on his hips. "But let's make that your decision, shall we?"

The Vatican City, Rome

Cardinal Jinette was not smiling as he knocked on the door.

"Come in!"

He opened the door and entered the room. "Your brother is in trouble now."

Gabriella smiled but didn't move from her stretched out position on the bed. "What's he done now?"

"He shattered the Rose Window!"

"In Paris?"

"Yes."

"I thought you sent him out to bring back Mr. Hyde."

"We did!"

"Then what was he doing in Paris? I thought he was in London?"

"Apparently Mr. Hyde moved."

"So…Mr. Hyde's dead?"

Cardinal Jinette crossed himself. "May his soul rest in peace."

Gabriella raised a finely arched eyebrow. "I doubt that. Has Gabriel returned?"

The Cardinal sighed. "He has entered the Vatican City."

Gabriel crossed himself as he walked past the large depiction of the crucifixion that covered almost the whole front hall of St. Peter's Cathedral.

"Gabriel!"

He laughed as he caught his sister in his arms. "Well, I'm glad to see you too."

"I should have gone with you."

Gabriel looked at her as they walked down the dark hallway toward the confessionals. "You should have." He opened the door of the booth and let her go in ahead of him. He crossed himself. "Bless me Father for I have…"

"Sinned! Yes I know!" exploded Cardinal Jinette as he raised the small window between them and glared at Gabriel. "Something you do more and more often."

Gabriel winced.

"You shattered the Rose Window."

Gabriel sighed. "Not to spilt hairs, but it was Mr. Hyde who did the shattering."

"Whatever! I wish you a week in hell for it."

"It would be a nice reprieve," retorted Gabriel.

"Don't get me wrong, Gabriel," said Cardinal Jinette. "You results are unquestionable. As are your sister's. But you have wanted posters, Gabriel! Wanted posters! All over Europe! The Order is not pleased!"

"As of now, you're worth 2,000 francs," said Gabriella.

"Then why doesn't the Order do something about it!"

"Because we don't exist! When we found you and your sister half dead on the steps of this very Cathedral, it was clear that both of you were meant to God's work."

"Why can't He do it Himself?" muttered Gabriel.

Jinette scoffed and hit a lever. "Do not blasphemy. Both of you have already lost your memories by God's will. So I suggest both you continue doing your penance."

The wall slid back and revealed a staircase leading down.

Gabriella and Gabriel followed him down the stairs.

"Congratulations, Gabriel. You're the most wanted man in Europe now."

Gabriel frowned at his sister's back. "How come she's got no wanted posters?"

"Because I do my work carefully and toss the bodies in the bay or bring them back here. Alive. Like I'm supposed to."

They entered the large basement of the Cathedral. There where friars, monks, priests, Cardinals and a collection of the world's most brilliant men there.

The three of them stood at the bottom of the steps for a moment.

"We are the world's last defense against the horrors and evil that plague it," Cardinal Jinette said softly. "Without the Order, the world would be in sad state."

"It appears to be in a sad state anyway," muttered Gabriella.

"The next assignment will take the both of you."

"So, where are we going this time?" asked Gabriel.

"I have no idea," said Gabriella

The Cardinal stopped in front of a projector and signaled for it to begin rolling. A map appeared on the screen. "You're heading far East. To the other side of Romania."

"Translyvania?" Gabriella cocked her head. "That sounds…vaguely familiar."

"Translyvania is full of more nightmarish creatures than you could imagine. It is ruled over by a Count Dracula. A Vampire. The most powerful of the Vampires as a matter a fact."

"Dracula?" Both Gabriel and Gabriella stared at the screen.

"Formally known as Count Dragulia. He has a brother, known as Vladimir. Also a Vampire. Both are equally dangerous." Another man appeared on the screen. His crystal blue eyes twinkled at them.

"Why do I feel as though I've seen him before?" Her heart sped up and a queer feeling crept over her.

The screen changed. "The Valerious Line has battled the two brothers for years now and Valerious the Elder declared that none of his family would ever enter the gates of Heaven until Dracula and his brother were dead. Generations of the family has tried and failed. Now there are only two members of the Valerious line left. Princess Anna and Prince Velkan."

A young man appeared on the screen and his picture was followed by a beautiful woman.

Gabriel stared now.

Jinette turned. "Prince Velkan has disappeared and only his sister is now left."

"So we have to kill two Vampire brothers?" asked Gabriella.

"Or else seven generations of a noble family will never see the gates of St. Peter."

Gabriel came over to his sister. "Come on. We're taking Carl with us."

"He'll be thrilled."

They made their way through the enormous basement and stopped at a table.

"Carl?"

A young friar's head popped up and he peered at them through strange handmade goggles. "Gabriel! Gabriella!"

"Care to pack for us?" asked Gabriella.

Carl took off his glasses. "You both are fools for even accepting that mission."

"You already know about it?" asked Gabriella.

"The whole place knows about it and we all had bets going on if you'd accept it or not." Carl grabbed a sack. He tossed it at Gabriel. "Hold that." And proceed to fill the bag with crucifixes, Holy water and silver stakes. He turned and winked at Gabriella. "Now, for the fun part."

"Fun. Oh good," Gabriella said dryly.

Carl picked up something that looked like it was something between a gun and a cross bow. He tossed it to Gabriel. "That's yours."

Gabriel frowned as he turned it this way and that. "What is it?"

"It catapults these silver arrows at a very high rate of speed." Carl dumped four strange looking silver canisters into the bag. "And for you." He tossed Gabriella two silver hand guns. "They're just like Gabriel's." Carl dumped eight smaller canisters into the bag. "Only smaller." He turned and smiled. "Have a good time."

Gabriella stowed away her guns. "Oh, we will. Because you're coming with us."

"Hell be damned I am."

Gabriella raised an eyebrow at him. "You cursed."

"Not very well, mind you," added Gabriel. "But still…you can't do that. You're a monk."

"I'm a friar! And I can curse all I want. Dammit!" he said with relish.

"Come on, Carl. We're going to Translyvania." Gabriella turned and began making her way out of the basement.

Gabriel grinned at his friend and tossed him the bag.

Carl stared at the bag in his arms, stunned. Then he hurried after the Van Helsings. "Wait! Gabriel! Gabriella! I don't want to go to Translyvania!"

Gabriel and Gabriella where still laughing at him.

"I'm afraid of vampires," tried Carl.

"Vampires gargoyles, warlocks, they're all the same," said Gabriel. "Best when cooked well."