The next morning, I cleaned myself with the cold water in the pitcher, brushed my hair, and put on a powder blue dress. I then headed down the Inn's stairs to the tavern where I sat down with Van for breakfast. Derek was nowhere in sight.

'First one up?' I asked and he nodded.

'How was your meeting last night?'

'Interesting,' I replied as the tavern's wife placed a bowl of porridge in front of me. I put my spoon in it and said, 'how was your night?'

'Good,' he replied, 'but I heard werewolves last night and there has been talk of a dead girl, from the sound of it, she's not the first. You weren't possibly out looking for those wolves, were you?'

'How'd you know?' I was seriously impressed.

'No respectable woman who wears men's clothing and assists Van Helsing, would come to London and not hunt the wolves here.'

'Good guess,' I smiled.

'So, where is the infamous hunter?' I looked down at my porridge as a pang of hurt hit my chest. I replied in a small voice, 'I don't know.'

'He's missing?' he asked in a loud voice and then lowered his voice. 'He's missing?'

'We think that the werewolves took him. And I'm going to go out every evening and most days to search for him.'

'You can't go out alone,' he said, as though the thought was scandalous.

'And why not?' I asked.

'You need protection. You cannot defend yourself.' I felt anger flare up in me (it's the feminist inside of me that shines out occasionally).

'Because I'm a girl?' my voice was raised a little.

'Uh…yea?' he offered.

'Just because I am a girl,' I said in a low voice before standing and saying louder, 'I AM NOT WEAK!' I then stomped out the door and out into the streets.

I was angry, very angry, and why wouldn't I be? I was just called weak because I am of the female gender.

To calm down, I headed for the river and stood on the banks while I watched the flow of it. I became quickly mesmerized how it flowed over the rocks in the shallow parts of the river. I took in a deep breath and almost gagged (which brought me back to reality from my calm, fantasy state of mind) at all the smog in the air.

'Relaxing, isn't it?' asked a small, British woman's voice from behind me. I turned to see a woman in her twenties, pale, flaxen hair and green eyes.

'Somewhat,' I replied.

'Are you new around here?' she asked, stepping towards me. I nodded. And she continued, 'then you might want to check out Chesterfield's maze. It's a great way to relax and is public property.'

'Oh, where is it?' I asked. I really wanted to see this maze. I have never, ever been to a full-size maze, just a corn maze when I was about 13.

'I will show you,' she said as waved for me to follow her as she turned. I walked with her as she said, 'by the way, I'm Anastasia Bureau.'

'Erica Townsend. Pleased to meet you.'

'Where are you from, Miss Townsend?' she asked.

'Here and there,' I replied casually, 'I'm a lone traveler.' She stopped and I took a couple of steps before I noticed. I stopped and looked at her.

'You are a hunter?' she asked, surprised. My heart dropped a little. Was that going to be a problem?

'Is there a problem?'

'No, that is amazing, especially….'

'Since I'm a girl,' I finished.

'No, at times like these.' She began to walk again and I asked, 'what has all been going on?'

'Surely you know.'

'No. I haven't really been told much,' I admitted.

'Well, for the past six months, our part of the city has been plagued with horrific murders. Mostly women with their throats torn out.'

'Werewolves,' I muttered. She nodded.

'Aye, but at first the blame went to Vampires.'

'Has anyone gone missing?'

'Only one.'

'A man?' I asked and she nodded. Van Helsing

'A friend of yours?' she asked.

'Yes.'

'Here we are,' she said, stopping. I looked up to see a large archway that served as an opening between two tall hedges.

'Oh, that was quick,' I remarked, surprised.

'It was only a couple blocks away,' she admitted. 'But I must be on my way. Do you mind if I leave you alone here?'

'I don't mind, thank you.' I smiled and she returned the smile.

'If ever you need me, just ask around,' she said as she turned to leave. I watched as she walked away and waited until she turned the corner before I looked at the opening to the maze. I gazed at the dark opening and took a step forward. The first wall I met, I turned right and followed the path until the next turn, which I took to the left this time. It wasn't too much longer before I found a bench and I plopped down on it.

My mind began to clear from the all the stressful events that I had had the past few days.

Prom, Derek, Van Helsing, that girl's murder, and now Van is in the picture. Derek, Van Helsing, and Van, three amazing guys, all of which I am currently crushing on. But, who would be the best for me?

I frowned. I didn't want to decide, and why should I now? At this exact moment? Plus, I have other more pressing matters, more important items, like finding Van Helsing.

But where to find him?

I closed my eyes and leaned back against the hedge.

I had no leads, whatsoever; except that it's the werewolves who did it, but where do they hide? And, would Van Helsing be there? Even if I did find a way there, how could I fight a coven full of Werewolves? What about including Derek and Van?

I smiled.

They would look hot fighting.

I let out a low, frustrated growl and buried my face into my hands. Why was I thinking about that again?

I heard something rustling the hedge behind me, so I jumped up and looked around to see nothing. The hedge moved again and a pigeon flew out.

'It's only a damn bird,' I cursed, happy that that was all it was. Suddenly, without warning, something heavy came in contact with my head and I fell unconscious.

'Hello, my dear,' said a velvety Romanian accent. I turned around and around in the total darkness until I saw a brilliantly white figure. The light that this figure radiated was, more or less, blinding. But when I saw that it held out its hand, I grabbed it. As soon as our hands touched, the light faded and I was back at my house, in my room. And I was holding hands with Dracula.

I screamed and took a step back and fell onto my bed.

'Erica, you have no need to worry,' he said, taking a careful step towards me. I began to crawl backwards until I hit the wall that my bed was against.

'No need to worry? You tried to kill me!'

'Erica, I am now only a spirit, or an apparition. I cannot harm you.' I raised an eyebrow.

'I still don't trust you.'

'I understand,' he replied. We glared at each other for a moment before I got the guts to ask, 'why are you here, anyway?'

'To assist you. It's my current penance.' I rolled my eyes.

'How can you help me?'

'Ask me anything.' The first question popped quickly into my head.

'Where is Van Helsing?'

'You shall know as soon as you awake.'

'I thought that you were going to help me.'

'I am.'

'Fine, where are the werewolves?'

'You shall know as soon as you awake,' he repeated. I pursed my lips together to prevent myself from yelling at him, but he was trying my patience. Instead, I glared at him.

'Okay, but you could you at least explain why Van looks so familiar to me?'

He smirked, 'you have never personally met him, in person, until now.'

That was the last straw.

'Why can't you just talk in plain English?' I demanded.

'Because,' he said smiling wider, 'I can.' He bowed mockingly, 'farewell, Erica darling, until we next meet.'

Everything began to fade and the darkness settled back in.

'Erica?' asked a frantic, yet familiar voice. 'Are you alright?'

The voice was soft, gentle, and deep, but it quickly turned to rage as it demanded, 'what did you do to her?'

'She merely received a hit on the head,' replied a mildly familiar female voice, 'nothing more.'

'You could have killed her,' growled the man's voice.

I opened my eyes slowly and saw that I was staring directly into a lit lantern. I winced, closing my eyes tightly. I turned my head and reopened my eyes.

Once the spots disappeared, I saw a dark figure grasping bars at the large cell door.

Wait, cell door?

The figure was too shadowed for me to see his features, but I could see who it was talking to. Anastasia Bureau.

Evil little witch!!!

I attempted to sit up, but the floor began to tilt so I fell back again, passing my hand over my eyes, willing it to stop.

'What fun would there be in that?' she asked, laughing. I moved my hand and saw that she had left. The figure rested his forehead on the bars.

'Van Helsing?' I called out; knowing whom the shadowed figure was now. He turned quickly and hurried to me. The light burning above us barely illuminated his now bearded face. His eyes shone with worry and happiness.

'Erica,' he breathed as he kneeled next to me, 'how are you feeling?'

'My head feels as though its going to explode, but otherwise, I'm great. How about you?'

'The usual.' I slowly sat up and, ignoring the spinning room, I propped myself up against the wall. I then patted the bed for him to sit. He sat next to me.

'What happened?' I asked.

'With me, or you?'

'You. I already know what happened to me,' I added a small smile at the end, encouraging him to go on.

'I had just returned from Romania and I had went to the Cardinal's office to tell him the results from my mission. As soon as I got in there, Frankenstein's monster got brought up. The Cardinal and I argued whether or not I was entitled to kill it on the terms I had been given for killing. At the end, I stormed out of his office and took the first mission possible, which was here in London. I came here, where a pack of werewolves were terrorizing the citizens. I spent the past five months searching for where they were settled, until ten days ago. I was given a lead into Chesterfield's Maze, where I was attacked by several wolves and was rendered unconscious. When I awoke, I was laying in this bed.'

'Sounds a lot like my story,' I replied. 'Were you bitten?'

'No, and you weren't either,' he added, reading my mind.

'How do you know?'

'I checked.' He did what?!?!

'You didn't…' I began, horrified. He saw me naked?

'No. You had no blood on your clothing,' he replied, laughing. We were quiet for a moment before he asked, 'how have you been since our last meeting?'

I then began to tell him about everything that had happened since that night up until then. He was quiet until the end.

'Do you like this Derek?' he asked.

'Van Helsing!'

'Answer the question.' Our eyes met and I had to look away as I blushed.

'I don't know. Maybe.' I sighed, 'everything has been so different since that night.' I laid my head on his shoulder and closed my eyes, 'I had missed you so much, Van Helsing.'

A door slammed somewhere down the hall and it reverberated through the walls. I jumped up as footsteps echoed though the room. They stopped when three figures appeared. One was the petite Anastasia and the other two were huge, burley men.

'Bring them both, 'she said, shortly. The door was unlocked and the men came in. Van Helsing stood up in front of me, protectively. I stood up as well, ignoring the blood rushing from my head. I placed my hand on his arm.

'Let's go peacefully,' I suggested.

I looked up at the men and then began to walk for the door. As I passed through the doorway, I couldn't even bring myself to look at Anastasia, I was just so angry with her. She said nothing as well, and led the way to the end of the hallway. We went through the door, up a flight of stairs, through another door into a huge entrance hall. She then led us into a pair of large doors. A large ballroom, filled with men and women.

The hair on my neck stood.

We were led to the front of the room where a man stood. He had black hair, green eyes, and had a familiar look about him. Where could I have seen him before?

'Welcome to my home, Van Helsing and Mistress Townsend,' he welcomed us in an accented voice. 'Allow me to introduce myself. I am Ulrich Von Trappe.'

'What in the hell do you want us for?' growled Van Helsing next to me.

'I am Vladislaus Dragulia's heir,' he began.

'That must be depressing,' muttered Van Helsing, I almost smiled.

'Two years ago,' he continued, 'my master had created a being to bring his offspring to life. As rumor has it, Van Helsing, you now where this creature is.'

'I'll never allow your hell spawn to live,' he vowed.

'Who ever said that I had any to bring to life?' he asked.

'He'll never bring it to you,' I clarified. Von Trappe looked at me, smiling widely.

'That is why we waited for you, my dear.' Suddenly, hands grasped my torso and I was swept up to Von Trappe about forty feet away. 'You will be staying here, love, until we receive Frankenstein's monster.'

'Release her!' growled Van Helsing behind me. 'Your quarrel is with me.'

I attempted to throw the hands off of my waist and run for it, but I couldn't.

'You have twenty days, Van Helsing, to return with the creature,' he said as his cold hand stroked my cheek. I shuddered, 'or she gets changed.'

I turned my head from him, trying not to shudder again.

'Twenty days, Van Helsing,' he called out. I attempted to turn to see what Van Helsing was doing, but I couldn't.

'Van Helsing!' I cried out.

'I'll return, I'll save you both!' he said to me and I heard the door slam. I felt everyone's eyes looking at me, and I felt so exposed. I noticed that my breathing was quick and shallow, so I attempted to slow it down and take deep ones.

Von Trappe smiled at me, 'You know what to do, Septimus.'

My waist was released and before I could do anything, my arm was roughly grabbed and I was dragged to the opposite end of the room. I was pulled through a door, up some stairs, and through another door, down a hall, and into a bedroom chamber. Septimus threw me in the room and slammed the door behind me, locking it. I had fell upon the floor and as soon as I had regained my senses, I rushed to the door.

I pounded on the door calling out for someone to help me and to get me out of there. But, after a few minutes, I slid to the floor and began to cry.

I had to get out, but it seemed hopeless. I dried my eyes and looked up to look around my windowless chamber.

'Wow, this sucks,' I muttered and sighed, 'looks like I'm staying here for a while.'

I stood and walked towards the bed against the opposite wall.

'Do you like this room?' asked a voice at the door. I turned around to see Von Trappe.

'Release me,' I replied simply.

'No.'

'I am of no use to you.'

'But I have need of you.'

'I won't let you trade me.' Wow, déjà vu.

'Whoever said I was planning to trade you?' The way his voice sounded as he said this sent shivers up my spine.

'Then what are you going to do with me?'

'I am going to change you,' he replied, 'but I am not sure if I want to make you into a werewolf or a vampire.'

'So, you employ werewolves?' He just screwed up, I can kill him with his werewolves.

'There are only two werewolves, the rest are vampires in wolf form.' He smiled and tapped his temple with his finger, 'I know what you are thinking. I do not tempt fate as Dracula once did. They are all contained by bars and chains, only feasting when we do, when we go out in our wolf forms.'

'Pity,' I muttered. He walked towards me and I took a step back, matching his step for step. I was stopped when I fell onto the bed. He disappeared and reappeared next to me, sitting on the bed. He gently turned my head to face him and he stroked my cheek again.

'But what does Van Helsing hate more? Werewolves or Vampires?' he asked me softly. 'But I still have weeks to decide. So, until then,' he smiled at me and I watched as his fangs grew, 'some tastes wouldn't do harm.'

I opened my eyes wide as I watched him near me with those ferocious looking fangs. I wanted to run, but I couldn't. So, I did the next best thing. I slapped him. My hand hit his cheek, which ended up being the equivalent of marble. It made the sound of a hand slapping marble and my entire hand began to throb with pain. I winced as Von Trappe came closer to me. I leaned backwards, but he caught my head and neck, cradling them as he bit into me.

I cried out as the familiar pain returned. He drank for a while until I was to the point of passing out. When he withdrew his fangs, he picked me up and laid me gently onto the bed. He placed my hands on my stomach and softly kissed my forehead. I closed my eyes, and attempted to grimace, although I was almost too weak to do so.

'Good night, Princess,' he whispered as I fell asleep.

The gym was full of familiar faces, my classmates and peers. And we were all dancing in unison. I felt my full ball-gown billow as I was twirled. When I made a complete circle, I was pulled back into the arms of my partner, Dracula. He was dressed the same way he was during the ball, and from what I could see, I was dressed like Anna.

'You knew that the werewolves weren't behind all this,' I accused.

'You had asked where they were,' he smiled, 'not if there were any.'

He twirled me again and then wrapped his arms tightly around my waist, pressing his body to mine.

'Have more questions?' he whispered.

'Was Von Trappe your creation?'

'Not mine directly, but he worshiped me.' He sounded like he was boasting at the end of this, so I frowned.

'Must be your imagination,' I added sarcastically, 'or he is just plainly stupid.'

'Oh, that hurt,' he added in an equally sarcastic tone, 'struck the heart, in fact.'

I rolled my eyes.

'What does he want with Frankenstein's monster?'

'He's going to create an army of them,' he said, still in a sarcastic tone, 'I don't know.'

'I thought that you knew everything,' I snapped.

'I'm not omniscient, love. Only God is, and he's not saying a thing.' I frowned.

'Von Trappe worships you,' I replied simply, 'what would you use the monster for?'

'To bring my offspring to life.'

'He has none. What else?' He silently turned me out and after several seconds, he pulled me closer again.

'To use the elixir in the monster's heart to bring something or someone to life.'

'Is that even possible?'

'The elixir that Dr. Frankenstein used to bring his monster to life would bring any corpse to life, I suppose.'

'Or even restart a dead heart?' I added.

'Probably,' he twirled me one last time and kissed my hand in a gentlemanly fashion before saying in Von Trappe's voice, 'Goodnight, Princess.'