Chapter 5

The Birthday Party

"So what did you see exactly?" Van Helsing rubbed his eyes after a long day of the investigation about werewolves' attacks. Farmers disagreed with each other and were quite unfriendly to the stranger. All because of the Hallow's Eve, when superstitious people preferred to lock in their houses before the sunset.

"Volkodlak!" repeated the old woman, pressing her silver cross to the heart.

'Volkodlak' meant 'werewolf' in Romanian. The hunter nodded, asking to continue.

"That monster killed my cows! And there was a young woman …"

"Woman?"

"Yes! But she had come before."

"You said she was with this werewolf."

"Oh, yes! There were two women! First was a brunette and the second, who left just before you, was blonde. It's a magic! Go away, stranger, leave us!" with these words the old woman hurried to her house.

"Nice people here. I hate this place …" Gabriel thought, feeling how his mind's drawing him Anne's portrait. What if he could never meet her? Just his 'normal' routine and … insensible being with nothing inside his heart, but loneliness. Now Maria appeared in his life. When he returned back into their number in the Inn, there were no signs of her. The hunter had only an invitation on her Birthday party. How strange … She was born on Hallow's Eve, the cursed day in Transylvania.

'I guess I'll have problems with that lady.'

As a colleague to colleague Van Helsing decided to give Vladimirine a new pistol with silver bullets. He wasn't sure about his feelings and couldn't trust his partner absolutely. That address she had marked in the invitation was in a big house on the main street, also well known in Bucharest as the House of Dates. Makes to think?

It was a new moon, with no star in the sky and all the town was surrounded by darkness. Gabriel was walking down the street, thinking how unfriendly that night was. If he had better imagination, his mind could turn every shadow into a demon, but the hunter used not to believe his eyes and ears when it's night.

As closer he approached to the House of Dates, the more thoughts appeared in his head. There was no light inside, no signs of life! Something was wrong …

Van Helsing pushed the wooden door and it opened with a loud 'creak'. His eyes ran across the long corridor to the other door, which seemed unclosed. His every step sounded like a scream of floorboards. Then there was a whisper, or just a wind? 'What's the hell is going on here?' he asked himself. The hunter walked inside a large hall, even in the dark seemed luxurious. The mirror parquet, long empty table at the wall, small red sofas all around the hall … well, quite clear that it was used just for big celebrations. Then the light stripe fell on Gabriel, making him to flinch and turn back in the minute to see …

The parade? The Sabbath? What?

The hall was lightened up in one moment and a colorful procession in masks and masquerade costumes poured inside with laugh, carrying a golden throne. Van Helsing froze on his place when recognized Maria, half-lying on the throne. She had a velvet black mask, covering her eyes, and was wearing a leather sleeveless dress with a deep cut, so short that her slim legs were completely opened. The dark gold of her hair was waving down her shoulders and sparkling in the candlelight.

"Maria?" her partner asked, unbelieving his eyes.

The young woman gave a sign to the guests to put her down and then came to greet the shocked Vatican agent. "Gabriel, I'm so glad you came! I'm giving you Van Helsing, ladies and gentlemen!" she addressed to the others. He has already seen this gesture and heard such words … Déjà vu?

Meanwhile the music started and couples spin in a dance. As a gentleman Gabriel offered Vladimirine his hand and they joined the dancing. He wasn't a master of it, but Mary didn't let him to feel shame about it. She took off her mask quickly and then pressed her lips to his so passionately that he had no time to persist. Her kisses became deeper and hotter. Dracula's daughter then pushed him to the table, which filled up with different dishes and kinds of drinks. Van Helsing hadn't any time to react when she jumped on the top of him.

"What are you doing?" he asked, while she was unbuttoning his shirt.

"Oh, come on! It's my Birthday after all … And don't say you don't want me."

It was true. He wanted her so badly right now. She caressed his chest, bending to him closer, her breasts seemed to fall out f her dress. In the same time the hall was covered with a strange red blanket, but when it disappeared, the strait-laced guests showed their inner appearance. The Birthday party turned into a holiday of Sin and Vice. Numerous couples, sometimes trinities or more were having sex right on the floor, table ... everywhere. Vladimirine, still sitting on the top of Gabriel, faced back, an evil grin appeared on her face. "Beautiful isn't it? You can have everything, you desire, Gabriel! Love, maybe some wine, ah?" she took a carafe behind the hunter's head and poured the red liquid into his mouth. Van Helsing usually tried not to drink much, as he was easy getting drunk, but that woman was merciless. He was like in fever, but a little stop helped to awoke the mind.

"No! Wait!" he pushed her away softly and breathed in the hot air to concentrate, still it was hard as the world was spinning around.

What to Vladimirine … well, she was killed with his coldness.

"Gabriel … You want me, I know it. Why do you refuse? Love me!" she stepped closer, making him to move backwards.

"That's just a dirty orgy. Your guests are animals! Mary…" he wanted to touch her chest, but his hand fall. "That's not love … I know the true love, but you … Can't believe it's really you. Forgive me, but I won't take part in this madness …"

The king, who had lost his crown, could understand Dracula's daughter at this moment. She broken, humiliated at the face of her guests, rejected by a stupid mortal. Those seconds she watched him leaving grew into a hell fire of hate. She wanted to roar, to tear him on pieces, but deep in his heart, she knew, he was right.

"Giselle, Jeannette!" Maria called for two demonesses-sisters. "I give him to you. Please him."

Demonesses nodded and hurried to follow the hunter, who felt so unwell after all that wine that was soft enough to obey his inner wishes. Meantime Vladimirine surrounded herself with two handsome twins, who were so kind and conducted her to her room in the Inn. Van Helsing seemed asleep to that time. Giselle and Jeannette left without getting anything from him, but undressed him. The woman didn't really care if Gabriel listens. She fell on the bed with the boys to have some fun.

The hunter wasn't sleeping, but biting the pillow, hearing her sweet moans, imagining how some dirty hands caress her beautiful body. Oh, how he wanted to be with her … but very soon she sent the twins away and Van Helsing could swear that heard magnificent and cold Vladimirine … crying.