Chapter 10

Thank you for reading and Enjoy.

The next evening Victor and Elizabeth drove to the Van Helsing residence. The car ride was silent, nothing dared to break the tension between the two. Finally, they drove into the large lot next to the massive Victorian house. A large amount of cars surrounded theirs as they stepped onto the garage pavement. Elizabeth went to the trunk and pulled out the large amount of brae bread rolls.

"I can take that." Her husband reached for the pans.

She held one back. "You can take the other pan, I can carry this one."

He nodded and grabbed the other pan before closing the trunk. The evening air flowed around them as they made their way past greenery and before a large stain glass door. Elizabeth pushed the button before waiting a few short moments. Her father opened the door and greeted them with a smile.

"Lizzy! Victor! Thank you for coming."

"Thanks, Dad." Victor noticed a genuine smile on her lips. "I brought the bread, like you asked."

"Wonderful, you can take them into the kitchen. The others should be coming any time now." He indicated for them to follow.

"Is Edward coming?" Elizabeth asked, sounding a little too excited.

Her father nodded. "He'll be here, but a little late. He had a meeting with the Hunter Council."

Victor couldn't believe it. The spoke like they had forgotten he was even a Vampire. He continued to follow them until they entered the kitchen. They placed the pans on the counter before turning to talk to the current Van Helsing leader.

"Victor," he said cautiously. "I know it was a risk to come tonight. I thank you for showing my family, in particular, that you are trying to end this war."

He nodded. "Thank you for putting it late enough in the evening that I wouldn't have to worry about the sun."

"What's family for?"

Victor had troubles at this moment. This man, who had been trying to eradicate any and all Vampires, was treating him like family. It honestly made him happy to see that he trusted him.

One down… Victor thought about his goal to keep the Van Helsing's trust. Now, how many to go?

"Lizzy, what happened to your hand?" Elizabeth's father asked.

Elizabeth froze, and Victor knew why. She doesn't want to tell him it was because she got in a crash by the doing of other Hunters.

"On the way home from work, she got into an accident. It's only a fracture. The cast will come off in a few weeks." Victor quickly answered.

Victor's father-in-law nodded in understanding. A butler entered the kitchen shortly after.

"Master Kenric, the others have arrived."

"Thank you Garret. I'll be there in a moment." He quickly turned back to his daughter. "Please enjoy the evening."

He walked out the door and left Victor alone with Elizabeth. She stood up straight and nodded her head to the side, calling Victor to follow her. They entered a long hall way, adorned with paintings and photos of family through the generations.

"Tell me about Edward." Victor clasped his hands behind his back.

Elizabeth glanced to her side. "Why do you want to know about him?"

"Well, he was going to be your husband before you married me. I just wanted to know what kind of man captured my wife's heart."

"Don't sound jealous, Victor, it doesn't become you."

"Who said I was jealous?"

"Your face is a wide open book."

Victor stopped in his tracks a short moment, trying to get back to his poker face. Elizabeth had stopped and looked back at him with a smirk. She continued to walk, causing him to chase after her.

"Edward is the youngest of the Hunter Council. His title rivals your own. He works closely with my father, and I've known him since childhood." Her face was now emotionless. "I guess you could say it was inevitable for us to fall in love. We planned our life together and looked forward to long years as a family. He was going to make it official a few weeks after the proposal of our union.

"He changed that day that I agreed to marry you. Became colder, and refused to talk to me, until a few days before the wedding. He confronted me, asking questions like, 'Why did you betray me and your family like this?' and, 'Wasn't our love enough?' He thought that this was my own selfish choice to get in the Vampire society. He thought I was a traitor like the other Hunters that are trying to kill me." She took a deep breath. "Is it stupid of me to say that I still love him?"

Victor didn't respond. He heard a little laugh from her, making him look at her.

"Maybe he's the reason the Hunters view me as a traitor. He might have spread a nasty rumor about me within the society and… and…" She stopped in her tracks and stared at the ground.

The hall seemed to close in on her, making her feel alone. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to close out any feelings she currently had. A warmth touched her cheek, opening her eyes, she viewed a soft gaze from her husband. His thumb rubbed her cheek gently, showing any support he could give her.

"If that were true, than he doesn't deserve your feelings."

A loud thump caused them to look down the hallway. A young man with bright blond hair stared at them with distraught. His hand wide open, on the ground next to him, a large bag that use to be held in the open appendage.

"Edward…" Elizabeth said in a quiet voice.

Edward quickly pulled up his large crossbow from his side and aimed it at Victor. "Get away from her."

"Edward!" Elizabeth pushed away Victor's hand.

Edward's eyes didn't stray from Victor. "Shut up, Elizabeth." Shock caused her silence. "Listen Vampire, I don't like others touching my stuff. And I can see from that bandage on Elizabeth's neck, that you bit her. Didn't you?"

Victor remained calm but carefully stepped in front of Elizabeth, protecting her from her former fiancée.

"You're just lucky that Kenric asked me to not kill you tonight." Edward pulled up his Crossbow, the arrow aimed for the ceiling. "But I promise you, that if you do anything I don't like, I will kill you and free Elizabeth from your grasp."

Edward picked up the bag next to him and continued walking down the hall, purposefully hitting his shoulder with Victor's. The Vampire kept his eyes on Edward until he turned a corner. His grey eyes went back to Elizabeth, softening once they met her form.

"Elizabeth?"

"Never in my life, has Edward talked to me like that."

"Elizabeth."

"You caused him to be like this. If you weren't here, I wouldn't feel like I should hate him. Why is it that you just ruin everything I hold dear?"

She turned and ran out the area, leaving Victor alone. The paintings made him feel as if every eye was staring into his soul, burning every part. He had to try harder for her. He had to make sure that he wouldn't tic off any others. And he had to be careful around Edward, he was a landmine just waiting to get stepped on.