Hi guys! 3 REVIEWS!! Thnks you so much VampireElfWitch and Stacy Vorosco(i hope i spelt that right). Also this is my longest chapter so far by a long shot. Enjoy! Oh, and also the source of all evil is mentioned in this. Only for a little while, but he has a big part in the story. In my head I am on about the one in charmed, but not Cole Turner. Even though he is totally fit he was obviously with Phoebe and i don't want people ranting at me for using him wen he is married, so i'll just use the old source. It kinda makes sense too as in the time period this story is set in (late 1800's) Cole wasn't even alive. But anyway i'll stop now, hope u like it :) plz r+r!

"Aleera!" Marishka screamed. This can't be happening, not now, not by him.She stepped away from her deceased sister, and flew, the pain never ending. Her insides writhed inside her, making her fall from the sky in pain. She lay on the floor, unable to get up. The pain coarsing through her like poison, tearing her apart. Just then she saw she was in a shadow where she hadn't been before. Van Helsing. In her mind she desperately tried to find the master, but the pain was too much, she couldn't concentrate. She could see him drawing his stake, but she was in so much pain she couldn't think of what to do.

Suddenly, without warning, Van Helsing made a run for it. The pain was finally subsiding, so if she could do nothing else, she could at least breathe a much needed gasp of air. But as she lay on the cold, stone floor, confusion rushed into her brain. Why on earth did he just leave? But she needn't have pondered over it, for as she spun around, she saw the answer with her own two eyes. It's eyes stared right back into hers, full of hunger. It's mouth dripping saliva and slowly edging towards her. In the heat of the moment, they'd forgotten all about the werewolf...

--X--

Larca had just finished her second meal, and with no further use for the lifeless carcass, tossed it aside. She had felt bad about it at first, but as she remembered the taste like it was just moments ago she'd fed for the first time, she couldn't help heself. As useless as they were, humans tasted soo good! Knowing that she had had her fill for now, she slowly drifted from house to house, scaring the little children as they looked out of their bedroom windows. But she soon got tired of this and decided to go in search for Petra, as she had seen her sister wander off earlier in the night. But she moved no further towards where her sister had gone, for just then her insides exploded. She screamed. Her heart felt like it was being torn from her body. She fell from the cool, morning air. When she hit the ground it took her a moment to realise because she hadn't felt the impact. She flailed in pain around the muddy floor, not believing she could take another moment of the torture, but it carried on. By now she was aware that she wasn't the only one feeling like hell. She could hear her siblings and Auntie Verona in the background, but it was only an echo in her mind.

Finally she felt the pain slowly, but surely, ebbing away. For a few moments she just lay there, taking in what she had just felt. The pain would've been enough to kill any weak vampire, so it was lucky that they had fed and regained their strength. She could hear a faint voice in her head, but she decided to ignore it. But when she was shook and lifted from her lying position she realised it wasn't in her head, it was her aunt.

"Larca are you ok?! Answer me!" Reaslising she had to answer she choked out a reply.

"I-I'm fine, j-just a b-bit sh-sh-shaken i guess." Verona sighed in relief and hugged her. Larca felt instantly better, whether it was because her aunt had powers to heal her or whether it was just a friendly touch on her skin she didn't know, but neither did she care. Verona helped her up and brushed off most of the mud that had seeped into Larca's dress. It didn't help much, and she knew she would have to bathe as soon as she got back. For a few minutes Verona wandered around getting everyone together to go home. Larca had tried to hold the question back , but she couldn't help herself.

"Auntie Verona, what was that?" Verona looked at her with a face with of blissful ignorance to what she was on about, but Larca could see right through her.

"And you know what i'm on about, the pain! It felt as if my insides were coming out! It almost killed me."

"Not now, Larca, can't you see i'm trying to get everyone back together?" She knew it was only to get away from answering the question, she would simply have to ask her mother when she returned to the castle.

About half an hour later everyone was back to normal. Adeline and Adriana had been extremely shaken, but they were soon back to their boistrous, bossy ways. Everyone but Petra. Verona was getting ncreasingly worried. In less than anhour the sun would peep out fom the hills and would incinerate them all if they didn't get home quickly. Larca had given all she knew to her aunt but she still hadn't the slightest where she could be. Finally she gave in,the despair in her face evident, and flew the remaining children back to the safety of the castle. Only to be put in more danger. When they landed they could clearly see Marishka being beaten and scarred by a massive werewolf...

--X--

Marishka's prayers had been answered. Someone had come back! But she had no energy to be happy. The werewolf's claws had torn through her skin as easily as her clothes. Blood poured from her veins onto the floor turning it crimson. She could hear Verona's gasp of horror and the children's screams, but it seemed her time was up. She felt it pick her up and hurl her across the room. But it barely hurt any more, she couldn't feel it as he punctured her skin with his sharp claws and the last of the blood came oozing out. She hadn't even the power to make any sound or gasp of pain any more. She could feel it's hot breath only inches away from her vulnerable neck. She could feel the pain ending. This was it, no more eternal life,no more feeding for eternity. She tried hard just to let herself go without the pain of who she was leaving behind, she had tried so hard for her children to live for over three hundred years, and now she had her beautiful daughter it was her turn to die.

So she waited, but the pain never came. Somehow she mustered all the strength she had left in her blood deprived body, and opened her eyes. What she saw startled her, for there was no longer the werewolve's vicious teeth waiting for the right moment to penetrate her neck, or hungry eyes waiting to kill to finally satisfy the hunger. But instaed, were a pair of bright blue eyes, staring right back into hers. She saw his mouth move and could faintly hear his voice in the distant egdes of her mind. It was her master.

--X--

Dracula paced up and down his study. He had been able to save his bride Marishka. But only just. It would take her weeks to fully recover, but at least she was alive. Which is more than could be said for his youngest bride Aleera. She was already dead by the time he had reached the dining room, her corpse lying in a corner, a stake hole in the middle of her withering bones. Her daughters had taken it terribly and were still on the roof crying. Of course, he didn't blame them. But he couldn't help but be secretly grateful that she had gone. She had become so much of a nuisance lately it was unbelieveable! But he hadn't just lost Aleera that night, Petra still hadn't returned. Verona sat at the window all day just willing her to return, but still nothing. He was now down to only two brides left, and one of them barely clinging to life by a thread. He couldn't lose Verona as well. He tried all day to cheer her up, or at least take her mind of the daughter they feared dead. Eventually he gave up, but secretly prayed that Petra by some miracle retuned, for Verona's sake.

--X--

Petra's flight was a tiring one and it seemed to be taking forever. As she hauled the uncounscious body up into the air again after a quick rest she soon felt exhausted again. Why were humans so heavy?! She gasped to inhale the fresh morning air. But she knew that soon enough she would have to stop, as the sun was only minutes away from peeking over the high sow-capped mountains behind.

A few minutes later she decided she could go no further and landed in a dense part of the forest. She placed the last Valerious down slowly on the dewy grass. Her black hair grew covered in it. She was still out cold. How long could they sleep for? Petra frowned at her as she sat on the grass, shaded by the large trees that would give her shelter for the night. Anna stirred, Petra jumped and almost hit her back into a branch. Humans were so fascinating to her. How they bled, and then the scarred and took so long to heal, sometimes they never did. How they moved in their sleep, almost as if they could see something in their mind. And how they could love. Of course, vampires could care, but never had she heard her father say he loved them to anyone. Anna suddenly moved again, catching wet grass in her hair as she did. Petra seemed to be finally getting used to it. What she was surprised about, was what she said next...

--X--

Verona had sat all day waiting for Petra at the window, but she knew it was hopeless. Sitting there wasn't going to make her come back. She stood with some difficulty separating herself from the windowsill - as if she was glued to the spot. She walked over to her recovering sister. She was barely recognisable. All the scars and wounds were scattered all over her body. The cuts were all healing up, but it would still take a while. She had been unconscious all day and so Larca had been seated next to her all day, stroking her hand, occasionally pushing back that one strand of hair that refused to behave. She smiled at her sister's peaceful state. At least someone was ok today.

Just then Valdimir ran into the room startling both the girls. He was out of breth and looked towards his mother.

"Surprise... downstairs ... for you. Just arrived ... at the castle." He puffed. Verona jumped up and literally threw herself down the stairs. There waiting at the bottom, was Larca. And she wasn't alone, on the floor next to her was none other than Anna Valerious.

"Oh, oh my goodness Petra!" She ran over to her daughter she'd believed to be lost forever in eternity and hugged her so tightly that if it was a nessessity for her to breather she would've suffocated. But nevertheless she hugged back. Verona couldn't help but crinkle her nose slightly. She smelt of the Valerious family. For a minute they just stayed in their embrace, but pulled apart when a pair of elegant boots wandered down the stairs.

"Oh, Petra, well done!" Dracula, wandered over to his daughter and stroked her cheek. She blushed in the attention and decided to change the center of attention from her to the body lying next to her.

"I tried to get her without creating too much noise, but she put up a struggle." Indicating towards a bruise on Anna's cheek.

"It doesn't matter Petra," he whispered, "That will heal within a few days if she is cared for properly and does not organise a futile escape strategy." Verona beamed with pride, it wasn't difficult to see that this would easily make her the favourite of the children. It was also obvious that Aleera's daughters weren't as pleased. Adelina at least stayed quiet in the background even if her face was sourly glaring at her half-sister. But Adriana was even whimpering, Larca tried to stop her by stepping on her foot ever so lightly but nothing worked. Eventually Dracula turned and broke the trance that had kept him staring at Petra.

"Adriana." She quickly ran over and stepped in front of him, she smiled at him expecting to get the same sort of praise, but instead...

"I should like you and your sister Adelina to look after our new guest. She will live in the room next to my study. Make sure she is completely comfortable" Adriana's face dropped, but she followed orders and took the Valerious up to the room, her sister slowly following her lead. Next Petra sopke.

"Are they both ok? They seem a little upset. Where are auntie Marishka and Aleera? I'm sure that Aleera would calm them down and make them feel better." When her father looked at her she immediately thought she had overstepped the mark, and began apologising over and over.

"But of course it is your choice what you do with them, master. I do apologise, i'm so sorry. It was not my place, I -" She was cut short by her fathers hand. He smiled at her.

"Do not be so afraid, you have done nothing wrong. On the contrary, you have made our lived that much easier tonight it's astounding. Of all of the family to come back with her I would've expected your mother the most, but you stole her away with ease. I'm very proud, and so should you be, Verona" The look on her face said it all, if she had any more pride for her daughter inside she felt she might burst. But Petra didn't look as pleased. It was obvious that he had avoided the second part of her question. But she knew better than to question him over it. She bowed and asked permission to bathe and change. The day away had taken it's toll on her new dress, it was splatterd in mud and the fight with Anna had left it torn in some areas. He nodded and she briskly walked over to her room. Larca didn't like the idea of staying with just the two adults, and so went back to sit by her mother. The master turned to Verona, still smiling. She walked over, but conern plagued her face and thoughts.

"Should I tell her? Adriana won't keep it quiet for long." He sighed and nodded.

"But break it to her lightly, it looks like she has been through enough today." She nodded and drifted away to her daughter's room. Something told her this was going to be a long night.

--X--

Petra sat in silence. She couldn't take it in. Auntie Aleera couldn't be dead! Of course she wasn't the strongest, smartest or oldest, but of all three of them... It kept replaying in her head, but it didn't sound any more convincing no matter how many times she heard it.

"How?! And what about auntie Marishka? Please tell me she isn't dead too." But, come to think of it, she hadn't seen her when she arrived home either. She began to panic, she got up and paced, shivering. But her mother came over and sat her back down, trying to soother her.

"No dear, Marishka isn't dead. Aleera was killed by Van Helsing, do you remeber me talking to you and Valdimir about him?" Petra nodded, eager to hear the full story.

"Well, he killed her. With a stake through her heart, there was no way she could be saved. The pain was too much for Marishka and she couldn't fly away. She was very nearly killed by him aswell. But he saw the werewolf and ran. leaving Marishka to die." At this point Petra was close to vomiting, but she continued to listen to the story.

"When I got back with the rest of the children I found her almost dead, not a drop of blood left in her system, I only just managed to save her, with your father's help of course. I was able to distract the werewolf long enough for the master to get Marishka out of harm's way, then he came back to put the hairball in his place." The last remark almost made Petra laugh - almost.

"Should you like me to leave you alone for a while darling?" Her mother asked sweetly.

"If that is ok, mother." Verona stood up from beside her daughter and turned when she reached the door.

"Oh, and your father asks that when you are feeling up to it to visit him in his study. He has news he wishes to shre with you before everyone else." Petra mumbled an ok to her mother, but Verona didn't leave. Instead, she walked back in and kneeled before her daughter, placing her hands on her lap.

"I know it's a lot to swallow Petra, especially since you have just retuned with the last Valerious in tow. But you must realise that this is what Van Helsing want you to do, to fall and let your guard down. To kill you, to kill me, to kill your father. You must be strong, carry on and then." Verona paused, making sure Petra was still listening, "We will bring him down together, as a family" Petra somehow found the strength to look up to her mother with a calm face.

"I understand mother. And I shan't leave father waiting for longer than an hour. I shall bathe. change, and then meet him." Her mother seemed pleased enough with the answer and she left her on her own. Petra sighed and walked over to the door to her bathroom. She ran herself a bath and quickly stripped herself of her muddy clothes before getting in. The warm soapy water caressed her aching muscles and she soon felt drowsy. She became so relaxed she lost track of the time and only ten minutes before she had promised to meet her father did she realise that she had to get out. She quickly threw on a pair of flare jeans and a plain, white sleeveless shirt with some flat shoes and ran down to her father's study. It helped that it was only down one floor so she made it in time.

She knocked on the door and entered when told. She walked in and closed the door behind her. Her hair was loosley tied back in a ponytail as it was still wet and it irritated her if it was just falling on her face.

"Ah Petra, I trust you are feeling a little better. When I had asked for you to visit me at the earliest convenience I had thought it wouldn't have thought it would be any earleir than a few more hours at least. You needn't have rushed for me." He continued looking at her wet hair and strange ensemble of clothes.

"I thought it best not to keep you waiting, for you may have more important things to do." She replied, trying to think of answers before he could dish out the questions. Dracula smirked, and pulled out her hair from the bobble.

"Always thinking of other's needs before your own. So much like your mother..." He began to comb his fingers through her hair, and as if by magic, within seconds it was dry and silky.

"Thanks." She mumbled, holding a strand of her ahir and rubbing it between her fingers.

"No problem." He smiled, then continued. " Now, at the moment I find myself, as you know, one bride short." Petra's face fell. She was just starting to forget. "I'm sorry that you had to find out the way you did, but the Valerious house has a protection spell over it which separated you from us telepathically. Meaning that you didn't feel Aleera die the way everyone else did." She had begun to wonder why she had been immune to the death of her aunt.

"But back to what I was saying," She snapped back into realitly and continued to listen to her father. "As much as I was upset about the death of my youngest bride I feel I must keep up appearances and take another wife." Petra almost fell over. WHAT?! Aleera had just died for God's sake! Her father never liked her refering to God but she felt she had good reason to. The look on her face must've given her away as her father spoke again.

"I understand that it seems very evil and cruel that I should do so so soon after Aleera's death. But otherwise the source may get the wrong idea. And that is one thing you never give te source of all evil." Petra rolled her eyes. She had heard much of this source of all evil from her father. He said he was the most powerful person on Earth and has vast armies that make any man that even thinks of facing him a complete imbocile. She had never met him, but her fathe had said that soon he would invite him over, but he said that he needed Van Helsing out of the way first. Petra didn't see the point, if he was oh so powerful, why did Van Helsing need to be disposed of before he arrived. Surely he could take care of himself? But of course Petra was nowhere near stupid enough to express her opinions out loud to any member of her family. Larca might be a good person to talk to. But she told her mother everything and so that was no use. Aleera's daughters Adelina and Adriana were completly out of the question. They would love the idea of getting her, daddy's little girl, into trouble. Which left her mother and her twin brother Valdimir. Her mother may believe her and agree with her to some extent but never lie to her master if asked a question. Which left Vladimir. He was trust worthy enough. They weren't close like Adelina and Adriana, but certainly could trust each other not to rat out the other's secrets. She would have to inform him immediately. But right now, she had to keep up appearances with her father and tried to keep the conversation going.

"So, erm. Do you have any idea who you might consider as a bride?" She thought this a good question to begin with, but she realised she already knew the answer.

"A good idea yes." He smirked and turned to look out of his window. It looked out into their vast land, it seemed more like vast wilderness to her. He seemed to do this alot when he wanted to think on his own, so she took the hint.

"I should leave now, master. And ... and change into something more suitable." She mentally slapped herself across the face. What kind of excuse was that? It's obvious he's going to see straight through that idiot! But he surprised her with his answer.

"Of course, of course. It would also please me if you and everyone else dress nicely for dinner, we may be expecting a visitor in a few hours. I should know in a short while, but I would prefer it if everyone was ready just in case." She smiled and nodded.

"Of course, I shall inform inform everyone immediately."

"Good girl, now run along." She did as she was asked and told everyone of their unexpected guest. But she couldn't help but worry about this new bride business. Of all the beautiful wome on the Earth to choose from, WHY THE HELL ANNA VALERIOUS!?

--x--

Van Helsing finally arrived back at the village. He had decided that just in case the werewolf had given chase he should wait in the forest for the day, to be sure that it wasn't going to follow him home to Anna. Plus on top of that his left arm was broken, the damned red haired vampire had thrown him over the dining room and he had fallen on it. He had quckly created a makeshift cast for now, but when got back he decided he would get Carl to look at it to see if one fracture was all it was. But wen he arrived at the castle past the village he found that the door was wide open, and it had been opened by force. He gasped. Anna! He ran inside and hurled himself up the stairs. He had almost no strength left and was on the verge of collapse, but he forced himself to keep going. But before he could get to Anna's room her found Carl on the floor - sucked dry. Van Helsing almost collapsed at the sight. But he couldn't stop until he got to Anna's room. Finally he got to her room, her empty room...

OMG my fingers are gonna fall off! I know to some people might see this as quite a short chapter but my fingers aren't used to typing so much in such a short time. And thanks again VEW and Stacy for reviewing ur the best!