Chapter Three

Anna's Return

One night in August, Misha was out riding and Van Helsing sat in his study, reading when the widows and the doors opened of there own accord and began to bang, a slim figure slid in and faced him, he dived away toward his gun and saying: "Who are you and what do you want"

The woman answered in an accented voice.

"Gabriel, don't you remember me, have I been dead that long" said the woman

"Anna" he gasped. "But you died, how can you be here?"

"God has sent me to warn you" said Anna. "Don't trust Misha Korona, she is Dracula's daughter, and she has been sent by Dracula to kill you"

"Dracula's dead" said Van Helsing. "I killed him"

"Yes but the Devil granted him and his Brides a new life" said Anna. "They are back Gabriel"

"Of course, how stupid" said Van Helsing. "Where would he go but back to hell. But Misha, I can't believe that, I love Misha"

"She has hoodwinked you, Gabriel, she has tricked you into thinking that you love her" said Anna. "She has bewitched you and made you believe that you love her."

"No, no she can't have" he whispered. "Not Misha"

"She has" said Anna in a comforting voice. "Gabriel, she never loved you, her feelings for you are the opposite, she hates you"

Anna took him into a comforting embrace and just held him there as he struggled to come to terms with what she had told him. He loved Misha, she completed him, her face kept flashing in front of his eyes. It felt like he was drowning in misery and pain, being pulled further and further away from light and warmth.

Misha walked into the house having come back from her moonlit ride and called her fiancée, when no answer came she walked toward his study, thinking that he probably had the door closed and couldn't here her, when she got there a sight met her eyes that she had never thought to see, her fiancée was sitting with a woman who had her arms around him, and was kissing her.

"Gabriel" she said angrily. "What is the meaning of this"

They jumped apart at her entry and the woman spoke.

"I'm kissing my lover girl, what do you think the meaning of this is"

"Gabriel" whispered Misha. "Tell me this isn't true, please tell me that you haven't been two timing me with my sister"

"Sister" said Anna. "You must be mad"

"Maybe you should tell me something first Miss Korona or should I say Miss Dracula" said Van Helsing coldly. "Lets start with why you pretended to be in love with me. And then what you are really here for"

"Why do you need to ask me" said Misha angrily. "Hasn't Anna Valerious told you all ready, I bet she left out the part that says I'm her half sister and that she's a Vampire too. Anna, why don't you tell him all about our mothers infidelity and love of Count Vladislous Dracula. Why don't you tell him all about it Anna, I'm sure he'd love to know"

"Shut up you Vampire scum" said Anna. "Or I'll put a stake through your heart, you are no sister of mine"

"Did someone say stakes" said a cool voice from the window. "Oh Misha, you outdid yourself, Anna Valerious and Van Helsing, Master will be pleased"

They all looked toward the window, Dracula's three brides stood there, smiling evilly.

"Oh, how sweet" sneered Aleera. "Has Van Helsing's heart been broken by Misha, naughty girl Misha"

"Well, he will not have to mourn long" said Verona. "He will be dead soon"

"Oh dear" cooed Marishka. "And so will little Anna"

"Come Misha" said Verona. "Lets take them to the Count"

"No" said Misha quietly. "You'll have to kill me first Verona, its not a stage love anymore, I really love him with all my heart"

"But Misha" said Aleera disbelievingly. "You are a Vampire, you are like your father, you can't love, you have no heart"

"I am only half Vampire and I can feel love, Aleera" said Misha spat. "You will not take Van Helsing while I live. You can have Anna though"

"But Misha" said Marishka, pleading. "How is this possible? It was so carefully planned"

"Because it is" said Misha. "And as for planning, you forgot that I can love"

"But Misha, the Count, he will kill you" said Aleera weakly.

"I don't have to go back, do I?" Said Misha.

"No" said Verona. "But he will come looking for you"

"I don't care" said Misha.

"But Misha, Misha please" begged Marishka. "Don't throw away you life, the count will kill you"

"No" said Misha. "I love him girls, I can't leave him, even if he doesn't love me back"

The brides looked at each other and nodded.

"Then we are staying too" said Verona resolutely and firmly.

Misha burst into tears and tears and the brides clustered around her comforting and protecting her.

Van Helsing stared at them, this had too be some sought of trick, they couldn't possibly mean it, but Misha sure as hell looked like she meant it, there were tears in her eyes and sliding down her beautiful face. The brides were hugging and comforting her and looking daggers at Anna who just stared at them.

"There, there, my darling don't cry" said Verona. "It will be alright"

"Yes" said Aleera. "It will, we will make sure of that"

"Of course we will" said Marishka.

"So" said Verona. "Where are our rooms Misha"

"I'll show you" said Misha in a choked voice

"Shouldn't someone stay with them" said Aleera.

"I will" said Verona. "Take Anna and lock her in the basement or something"

This the brides did, they dragged Anna out with them and left Verona alone with Van Helsing.

She looked at him sadly and said: "Misha really does love you Van Helsing, it's not a lie"

"How do you know" he spat. "You put her here to do this job"

"Because I can feel how sorry she is and how much pain she is in" said Verona quietly.

"What do you know about sorrow and pain" said Van Helsing angrily. "Nothing, you are an evil creature from HELL!"

"On the contrary, I know a lot about it" said Verona. "I am sorry right now that you feel only hatred, no matter how many wonderful experiences you have shared with her. No matter how much you love her"

"I don't love her, she enchanted me with her dark magic" said Van Helsing defiantly.

"No, she didn't" said Verona. "I can feel that your heart is broken, it wouldn't be broken if you had been under her enchantment. Think about it and I'll be back latter to check on you"

With that she swirled out of the room and was gone.