Chapter 7: Temptation

As much as Van Helsing didn't want anyone to know about the Necronomicon, the villagers needed to know. They had to know how Anna was somehow alive again and why they were looking for Reinfield, who, unknown to them, was laying dead in Castle Dracula. There wasn't much of a point in hiding the book any longer; not if Reinfield had made it to Orlok.

A search party was set out to find the treacherous man. Why he sided with Orlok, no one knew, probably by being promised power. Whatever the reason was, Reinfield had made an alliance with the hideous vampire, and was on his way right now to deliver the stolen page to Orlok.

Carl had assured Van Helsing that the stolen page couldn't possibly be what Orlok was searching for. Not unless he was planning on bringing back a mortal. With this in mind, the biggest reason they continued searching for Reinfield was to retrieve the passage so they could bring Anna'a family back to life. But soon night fell and there was no sign of Reinfield. The villagers were forced to retire; no one wanted to be out after dark as long as there were vampires around. Carl had tried to find another spell that would bring mortals back as just plan mortals, but the two closest things he found was reincarnation and putting the said soul into a different body. It was useless.

Van Helsing stood in Anna's room watching the princess as she stared out the window. "I'm sorry we couldn't find Reinfield." he said sympathetically.

Anna turned to look at him with tears in her eyes. "Don't be, it's not your fault. It's his. His and Orlok's." She turned to look out the window again. "It's like losing them all over again."

Van Helsing walked over to her and rested his hand on her shoulder. "Anna, you know I'll do anything for you. If that means going to Castle Dracula, or Orlok, or whatever castle it is, I'll go there right now and get back that passage."

Anna quickly turned to him. "No!" she cried urgently. "You're all I have left. I can't bare to lose you too."

They looked into each other's eyes, both radiating with love. They embraced each other, kissing passionately. Slowly they began moving to the bed, both glad the door was closed and locked.

Van Helsing made a vow to never let anything happen to her again. He got her killed once, but he would never allow her to be harmed again.

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Carl was up bright and early the next morning. He opened the Necronomicon and began looking through it again. What could Orlok be planning? What spell could he be looking for. Quite a few, most actually, of the spells were dark evil things that made Carl shiver. He wondered if the Devil himself had wrote his book; sort of like a bible from Hell. He could see why Orlok wanted this book, any evil being would, but what was he planning on using it for.

It was late in the afternoon before Van Helsing and Anna came downstairs. Carl gave them a knowing look and couldn't help but say, "Sleep well you two? I believe you spent the night in Anna's room, Van Helsing."

Van Helsing and Anna blushed furiously. Van Helsing gave Carl a look that promised that he would pay for this later. Carl decided to change the subject, thinking he had gone too far. "I've been reading through this... this... thing. I found several things that Orlok might want to use, but I can't say for sure." He turned a few pages back. "I also found a few passages that may help us. One can take away an undead's immortality."

That sounded helpful. "Good, then I won't need to become a werewolf to kill Orlok." Van Helsing observed.

Carl smiled nervously. "Then why don't you work two work on putting the door back together, and I'll try and find more helpful spells."

Van Helsing nodded. "That's a good idea." he said. "Carl, don't let anyone else go near that book. We don't know who else is working for Orlok."

Carl put on a confidant look. "Don't you worry, I'll guard this with my life."

Van Helsing and Anna left to go and try to repair the damaged painting as Carl turned back to the Necronomicon. The spell he was reading made him feel sick.

Outside, unknown to the three friends an evil lurked. A man wearing a coat and bandages over his face stood in the shadows. A young woman stood by him as they waited for the streets to clear.

The Invisible Man began unwrapping his bandages and removing his coat. "The only downside to being invisible is having to freeze to death." he said, removing the last of his clothes. He turned to his attention to the woman beside him. "You remember the plan, right?"

The woman smiled. "Of course. Looking forward to it."

She walked erotically to the Valerious Manor, the Invisible Man followed behind her, leaving no sign that he was even there, save for the footprints in the snow and his discarded clothing.

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Carl was busy looking through another very disturbing spell when a knock came at the door.

"Could Van Helsing and Anna be done already?" he thought. "Come in." he said.

Carl's breath got caught in his throat as a beautiful woman walked in. He had shoulder length black hair and pale skin, almost making her look like a vampire. But she was walking around in the sunlight, she couldn't be a vampire. What caught Carl's attention the most was here eyes. They were an eerie yellowish bright green color. They were almost hypnotic. Carl couldn't help but gap at the woman.

Coming to his senses, Carl closed his mouth and asked, "May I help you?"

The woman walked over to Carl. Even the way she moved made Carl's pulse speed up. "I just want to talk to you." She sat down on the desk Carl was sitting at. She pushed the Necronomicon away from him, but Carl didn't even notice. "So you're the one who helped kill Dracula and is now risking his life to defeat Orlok." she purred.

Carl was having trouble forming words. "We-we-we-well I he-helped, a l-little. Van Helsing did mo-mo-most of the work."

The woman moved closer to Carl. "But Van Helsing is taken." she whispered in his ear. "You're still available though. And you're still just a friar."

Her eyes turned bright yellow and her pupils began slits like a cat's. Yes, Carl was still just a friar. And right now, he was glad.

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Van Helsing and Anna were in the room that contained the torn remains of the painting of Transylvania. They were doing their best to try and piece the painting back together. Van Helsing was telling Anna about some of his past adventure.

"And that's how I escaped Kraken." he said. "Not many can get away from an octopus that's a mile and a half."

"Sounds frightening." said Anna. She had heard of Van Helsing's reputation as a monster hunter, but some of the things he's told her he's fast sent shivers down her back. Like that Mr. Hyde and the Headless Horseman.

"I've faced worse." said Van Helsing. "So, what would you like to hear next? How I defeated the Abominable Snow Monster, or the Sasquatch? Or how about the time I faced Morgan Le Fay?"

Before Anna could answer, someone interrupted them. It was one of the villagers. "Excuse me, Mr. Van Helsing, but I found these outside and thought I should report it to you."

He held up the coat and bandages the Invisible Man had been wearing. Anna didn't know what they were, but Van Helsing had an idea.

"The Invisible Man!" he exclaimed.

"The Invisible Man?" Anna repeated. Van Helsing had informed her of Orlok's unseen minion earlier. "What would he be doing here?"

"The book!" said Van Helsing. "Carl!"

The two took off to Carl's room, leaving the very confused villager behind.

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Carl couldn't figure out how he had got so lucky. This beautiful woman had practically thrown herself at him. There was something not quite about her, but Carl couldn't quite put his finger on it.

As the mysterious woman continued to take all of Carl's attention, the Necronomicon slowly began moving as invisible hands took the book without notice.

Carl was completely oblivious to this. All his attention was on the woman sitting on his lap. "You're amazing." he muttered.

The woman smiled, revealing pointy teeth. "So are you. Good enough to eat."

The woman began changing. Her ears became pointy, her face became cat like, her fingernails turned into claws, as they dug into Carl's shoulder.

"Good lord!" Carl cried, as the woman hissed.

At that moment, Van Helsing and Anna burst into the room. They saw the once beautiful woman holding Carl down. Van Helsing ran forward and pulled her off Carl. The friar scrambled away, as Van Helsing threw the woman across the room.

"Carl, what's going on?" asked Van Helsing.

"I don't know!" cried Carl, his voice squeaking a little bit.

The woman jumped to her feet. She hissed at the other three and continued her transformation. She clothes fell away as her body shifted and thick black fur grew from all over her body. The woman was no longer a woman, but a large black panther.

The overgrown cat roared and pounced at Van Helsing. The monster hunter whipped out his guns and fired at the attacking creature. It fell dead to the ground less than a foot away. Slowly it changed back to human form.

"What is that thing?" Anna asked, looking at the dead woman.

"A cat woman." said Van Helsing.

"A what?"

"One of the cat people. They're similar to werewolves. If they attempt to mate with anyone besides another cat person, they turn into a black panther until they make a kill."

Anna looked confused. "But if it changed, that means it was attempting to mate with someone who wasn't… Carl, were you…"

Carl turned red with embarrassment. Two could play at this game. "Don't give me that look. I seem to remember you two spending the night together."

"Alright Carl." Van Helsing growled as he and Anna both blushed. He looked around the room. "Carl where is the Necronomicon?"

Carl's eyes quickly scanned the room. The look on his face told Van Helsing everything he need to know. The book was gone.