Chapter 14

A sudden blast of light brought Van Helsing to an abrupt awakening. He quickly opened his eyes to peer blearily around the room. Bright sunlight glowed in through the window and a silhouette stood there fastening the curtains back.

"Emmeline?" he murmured drowsily as he rubbed his face sleepily.

The dark figure at the window quickly looked round. "What?" came a voice. Van Helsing blinked a little and focused his eyes on the silhouette.

"What?" he repeated.

"You just called me Emmeline." It was Marian and she looked rather bewildered. She walked away from the window and closer to his bed. As she left the sun-washed window he could see her features more clearly.

Van Helsing chuckled quietly, "Impossible, I don't know anyone called Emmeline."

"I – Oh!" Her voice went a little higher and he saw her glancing around worriedly, "I'm so sorry," she slowly stepped backwards, murmuring apologies. She backed out of the door. Closing it in front of her, leaving Van Helsing feeling very confused.

"What?" he stood up out of the bed, feeling the covers slip off him. He quickly looked down and gave a loud curse as he covered his half- naked self up again with the covers, "Sorry!" he called loudly, hoping she might hear. Cringing, he shuffled towards his clothes at the foot of the bed. He wasn't used to sleeping in other people's houses and he usually slept shirtless. She was from an educated background; bare muscular chests weren't very acceptable. He quickly pulled his jumper over his head and roughly shoved on his boots. The coat was thrown over his shoulder and he hurried out to see her descending the stairs quite a way on.

"Hey! Marian! I'm sorry about that. I didn't really expect.. "

Marian paused on her way down the stairs, looking at him sheepishly, "No. I shouldn't have entered without knocking. Excuse my bad manners against a guest."

Van Helsing nodded slowly as he watched her, not sure what else to say. He noticed her eyes stray to his chest for a moment and he cleared his throat as he pulled the buttons shut, "I- I just shoved it on quickly.."

"Yes.." Marian quickly turned, walking on down the stairs, "There's some breakfast in the kitchen. Eat up and then we can head on into the woods."

"Will we need weapons?"

"Yes.. but not against the gypsies."


Van Helsing swung his crossbow over his shoulder as he strode across the overgrown gardens of the mansion with Marian and Carl by his side. Marian guided them out of the grounds and across the wet muddy road towards the woods that began further ahead.

"Keep a sharp eye," she murmured quietly. Van Helsing noticed her tightened her hand in her pocket, presumably around her wand. She moved on ahead, walking swiftly through the puddles that splashed under her treading heels. She led them to the entrance of the woods, the cool autumn winding sending a few blustery gales by even though the sky was beautifully bright and clear. Her cloak hem swirled slowly as she slipped on into the darkness.

Carl looked across to Van Helsing with a fearful expression, and only moved when Van Helsing stepped on after Marian, leaving Carl to take up the rear of the trio. They crept forward cautiously through the darkness, for the large thick trees shielded the cool sunshine from the earth. A faint rustling sounded from some bushes and instantly a crossbow, a wand and a pistol was held upon the source. A fox suddenly darted out of the leaves and ran across their path, disappearing into the thick undergrowth opposite their path. Marian lowered her wand tentatively, glancing around the Van Helsing.

"So, what's in this place, monsters or something?"

"Well, as I said before, the killings are monthly. But.. there has been an increase in werewolves in the area, yet if there are so many killings monthly you'd expect the place to be over run with the creatures."

Carl hunched his bag onto his shoulder heavily and peered up from beneath his hood at Marian, "So you don't think it is werewolves then?"

"No.. it's something far more dangerous."

"Marian, do you think the gypsies will be able to help us? With both the cure and the murders?"

"I'd like to think so," answered Marian vaguely as she lifted herself over a fallen tree log, "They must have some evidence about the killings. And they have the recipe for the werewolf cure after being terrorised for so long by the werewolves in this forest." She walked a short way on before she paused and looked round, "Be ready to duck," she told them mysteriously.

"Duck?" repeated Carl before he cried out and flung himself onto his front as an arrow sailed across his head.

Van Helsing immediately raised his crossbow at the trees the arrow had been fired out of. Marian walked slowly to the tree the arrow had hit. "It's made of beech."

"So?"

"It's the gypsies."

"Gypsies use arrows?" asked Van Helsing incredulously as he studied the undergrowth.

Marian turned from the tree slowly, helping Carl to his feet, "They use anything they can get their hands on now."

Van Helsing's hand slowly tightened on the crossbow, "Keep alert, there's more than one."

"Of course there's more than one," murmured Marian as the trio backed towards each other slowly to form a tight circle, "We're surrounded."

And slowly, faces began to appear to the thick bushes around them. The undergrowth rustled quietly as figures stepped out, each holding various weapons, all of which trained upon the trio.

"Rona," said Marian quietly as she watched one of the gypsies come closer. They were not gypsies like Van Helsing had imagined. They were all dressed in dull clothing, suited to the woodland with leather armour being worn on a few. Instead of usual bangles and other jewelled delights, their wrists were bound by bracers and other tough looking accessories. Rona, seeming to be the leader, for she was in full armour with a beaded handkerchief wrapped around her dark brown locks.

"Who are the people with you?" asked Rona, sending a narrowed eyes gaze across Van Helsing and Carl. She turned her bow upon the pair, shifting between them slowly. Van Helsing glared at her, keeping his crossbow raised upon the woman.

Marian glanced to those with her before looking back to Rona, "They're friends. They're here to help."

"You tried to help us before," snarled Rona, "And it got us no where."

"It's different this time," insisted Marian, "This is the man who has killed countless of beasts; werewolves, vampires, Mr. Hyde and even Dracula."

Rona raised her eyebrows slowly, "He killed Count Dracula, the one who was terrorising Transylvania?"

"Yes." It was Van Helsing who answered this time, slowly lowering the crossbow, "So, is it you who holds the answer to the werewolf cure?"

Rona studied him slowly, "Yes," she replied, "But what is it to you, stranger?"

Marian took over, giving Van Helsing a look that told him to shut up, "Van Helsing is willing to help defeat whatever is currently terrorising your group and the entire forest. If you in return provide him with a curse for the werewolf curse."

Rona lowered her weapon slowly, glancing slowly between the three before her, "I'll only begin making the cure when you show signs of clear progress. Until then.." she cast a dark look at Van Helsing, ".. he gets nothing."

"Do you have any information that may help?" asked Marian gently, "Anything?"

"Actually, we've noticed a trend in the murders so far. They are always young victims, and those with immense courage. Typically our strongest fighters. We can never see who comes. Even if we sit up all night and wait, our only signal is the most horrifying scream you can imagine. Then, the only evidence is their dead body, and they lay unscathed. Dead, but not wounded. But it's their eyes.. They look beyond dead. There's nothing in them, and their bodies are cold immediately."

"That's quite odd," commented Carl quietly.

"Quite," sneered Rona. "Marian, aside from the information you have already got from us, there is nothing else we know. We will always try to defend ourselves, even from a hidden enemy. The last date of this month is only a few days from now. Another of us will go, for sure."

"We'll come to your camp," said Van Helsing, "I want to watch. For clues."

"Well if you really think you can pick up anything I haven't," muttered Rosa with a displeased expression.

"I'll give it a shot," growled Van Helsing quietly, "You know, having all that experience and whatnot."

Marian prodded Van Helsing with her wand, causing him to stand back as he began moving towards Rona. "The 31st is this Friday. We shall be here at nightfall." Marian glanced to Rona, nodding her head once.

"Keep alert." Rona turned slowly, her group disappearing back into the surrounding trees. Slowly, the trio turned, beginning to head back the way they came.

"So what do we do now?" asked Van Helsing as he strode by Marian.

"Nothing. Just wait."

"Wait?" repeated Van Helsing, looking incredulous. He rarely stood around doing nothing.

"Wait."


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