Hello! Thanks for your reviews! I love you two! Here's the new chapter! Have fun:)

Chapter 18

The Great Gift

"Angelica, how's she?" Seline entered the room, where her friend was sitting at the Diana's bed. Van Helsing decided to stay outside.

"She's sleeping so peacefully … What's with your child?"

"All's fine, I guess. Still I haven't told Dracula about her. But I came not for it. Do you know anything about the Great Gift?"

The witch sighed. "By the note in granny's spell book I just know that this thing is small and is kept in the Seer's temple."

"Thanks," with this word Selin flew into the window without any explanations. Then landed near Gabriel gracefully.

"So …"

"It's in the temple of the Seer, too far. I'm afraid I can't get there."

"I hope I can … Listen, Sel, I need to tell you one thing."

"About the Gift?"

"No. About us …" he took her by hand gently. "I love you."

She raised a brow, staring at him; sarcasm was on the tongue, but he said this so seriously, marking every word.

"How should I react then?"

"Say that you love me, too."

"Gabriel … I'm …"

"Sorry for disturbing you two," sounded a cold voice high above. The couple threw heir heads up and saw Dracula on the roof. His piercing eyes seemed to see through their hearts, his black shirt was half unbuttoned, baring his pale chest. He looked so handsome and mysterious, yet so firm and cold. He then landed opposite them, meeting eyes with his old friend. Burning wave of hate rose inside.

"Too timid to find your own woman, want to steal mine?" the vampire smirked bitterly, not looking at Seline, who felt irritated.

"I'm neither a thing nor a trophy!" she hissed on Vladislaus, but he didn't hear her.

"I love her." answered Gabriel simply, understanding devil's words now. What had he done? It wasn't his friend, it was evil's creation of his hands.

"I love her, too. Still she is my bride and belongs to me!"

"You can't tell her what to do!"

"Why are you so sure that she loves you?"

"I'm not persisting! She has a choice!"

"I'm her choice!"

Listening to their conversation bothered Sel much.

"SHUT UP!" she shouted, drawing men's attention. "Guys, I'm here by the way! Ah, to hell you two," the woman turned back to them and flew away. Vlad wanted to follow, but the hunter stopped him.

"No, she has to think."

"Oh, yes! Almost forgotten!" Dracula stroke Van Helsing's on a jaw and threw miles away. "That's for killing me!" then flew to find Seline.

Gabriel touched his chin with a trembling hand. 'Perhaps I've deserved this …' he thought, getting up. He decided to give them chance to speak, praying to be chosen by her, and then concentrated on the Great Gift. To get to the temple in Greece by plane was a bad idea, so he had to find the other way …

"Sel, listen!"

"Get of!"

The count caught her by hand and pressed closer to him. "Sel, the price was too high, I couldn't …"

"Oh, please, I'm tired of your lie!"

"I'm not lying! The soles of all vampires … it was the price …"

Seline stopped kicking him, her mouth opened.

"I beg your pardon?"

"You understood right. That's why I've betrayed you."

"Couldn't you say earlier?"

"I was in … trouble. Don't mind."

Strange scent reached her nostrils, it was sweet, but too heavy.

"Who is she?" Sel grabbed him by the collar and stared at him with a suspicion.

"What do you mean?"

"I don't use such perfume, you know it! I guess she comforted you."

"Oh, come on! This is just Marinette!" he replied tiredly, but she released him and stamped her foot; the heel cracked.

"Damn! If you think that can easily mate with any woman, you're wrong!"

"Don't be a fool, Sel!"

"Don't call me so! I'm not a fool! But you … selfish bastard, who carries only about himself!"

"No, I wronged, you are a fool with too high ambitions."

"Oh, yes, I am a fool if trusted you all the time! I hate you!"

"Shut up, you're acting like a child!"

'Damn, the child!' she put hand on her stomach, breathing heavily; it seemed the girl was upset with her parents' argument.

"What's wrong?" he took her by shoulders gently, but Seline stepped back. "Stop lying that you carry about me!" she smirked firmly and turned into her hell-beast form, Vlad followed, then grabbed her by wings and they continued arguing in the air.

Well, meantime Van Helsing met with Malletty to speak about the Great Gift. His Italian friend looked sick with a bandage on his hand.

"What happened?" Gabriel asked, entering the tent. Emilio smiled like his wound was nothing and greeted the hunter warmly.

"I see you brought some news."

"Yes. Do you know anything about the Great Gift?"

"Hmm, the Gift? I heard it's an ancient relic, witches had stolen it from the Greek Church, but it's a legend. Why did you ask?"

"I need to Greece."

"It's hard, but why? Why are you going to leave us in wartime?"

"It's really important! The Great Gift can save the Ancient power, it means the whole world!"

"The Ancient power is the greatest evil!"

"She didn't do anything bad! I'm sure that the Gift will help. Come on, Emilio! We're losing … How much would be killed? Diana …"

"Diana? Aren't you in love with her?"

Gabriel rubbed his temple. "We're speaking about the Gift. So are you with me?"

"Alright. I trust you, my friend. We've communicated with angels, I think they'll carry you to Greece. But if there would be nothing, come back immediately. We need all our soldiers, especially you."

"Thank you! I'll do my best!"

"The God is with you …"

Very soon Van Helsing was carried to Greece on the wings of angels. He bowed to them as they said: "You're on the right way. Don't lose it, the God's warrior."

He then looked around. The same scenery: burnt land, hot lava everywhere, but where's the temple?

Gabriel took his arbalest and walked to the place where the temple had been before. 'Something is wrong …' he thought, then shot into the sky and a demon fell down.

The whole pack flew down to him, but the hunter shot them. He stepped over the corpse of the demon and saw two witches in white, hurrying to him.

"Hunter!" spoke one with accent. "The temple had been destroyed, but we saved the Seer."

"She sent us to give you this," added the other, showing him the package.

"It's not too late! Return everything back!"

"I'll try. Is it the Great Gift?"

"Yes, take it and fly back! Soon there'll be more demons!"

"I can't leave you here!"

"Our lives are nothing in eyes of eternity. Call for your angels and fly to the Ancient power." witches threw heads up to the sky, waiting for another attack, then faced to Van Helsing. "Go! We'll stop the demons!"

He thanked the witches and cried for angels. They appeared immediately and took him into the sky. He didn't know what happened next, but saw the dark cloud like from the big blow.

"You got the gift?" asked one of the angels.

"Yes, it's with me."

"Good …"

Gabriel entered Diana's room with a package in his hand. Angelica smiled to him weakly. She has changed: there were black circles under her eyes, she slimmed down and looked exhausted.

"I brought the Great Gift! It would awake Diana!" smiled the hunter, opening the package. The witch let him to come closer to sleeping Diana. How beautiful the young woman was, so peaceful and gentle. He looked at the brown box with a drawn cross on it. Angelic touched the box, but took away the hand with a scream immediately. A burn left on her fingers.

"What a power!" she exclaimed, rubbing her hand. Van Helsing knew that the Gift is inside, but there were no traces or so to open it.

"Another riddle …"

"Don't worry; we have time to open it. Let's try … to break it first."