AN: I'm sorry that it always takes so long to update this fic, but I'm currently writing two other fics also and they have captured my interest more than this one. However, I will not back down.
Though the first impression of Castle Valerious would be cold, it turned out to be well heated and warm. Huge fireplaces and torches at the wall gave heath that the stone castle otherwise didn't seem to have. In a huge room Dr. Mortte and his daughter Isabella were sitting near the fireplace, Van Helsing was leaning against the wall behind them and Carl had focused his attention to huge map on the wall when Anna Valerious walked in the room.
"So, is that exactly how you are going to protect me and my father?" demanded still somewhat shaken Isabella.
Anna Valerious held her hands to defend herself while speaking steadily and calmly. "I am truly sorry for what happened. Let me assure you that nothing like that will happen again. My men will guard you and your father 24/7. I was simply unprepared for vampires; they've never attacked before in daylight".
"Why do you think they attacked?" Van Helsing asked boldly.
"Dracula must have heard of the cure for lycanthropy. He would see something like that as a threat for he has used werewolves to do his biding for hundreds of years already" Anna said, slightly annoyed by the rudeness of this warrior.
"They were going to kill you, papa" Isabella gasped. "I knew we should never have come here".
"Isabella, calm down" Mortte said, as he gently shook his daughters shoulder. "We are safe here, inside the castle. You saw how many guards were at the walls" he spoke assuring Isabella.
"Why so many guards, anyway?" Carl suddenly asked, not taking his eyes off the map. "Vampires can't come in if somebody doesn't invite them first, right?"
"Unless they have been here before they became vampires" Anna said. "Dracula was born in this castle four centuries ago and lived his human life here".
"So, he can just come whenever he wants?" Isabella shouted.
"No, no he can't. My men have trained to kill vampires all their lives. This castle is also guarded by crosses garlic flowers. No, he has not ventured here in centuries and I doubt he will anytime soon".
"So, where does he rest nowadays?" Van Helsing asked.
This simple question angered Anna. She took long steps until she was face to face with Van Helsing. "If I would know that do you think I hadn't attacked already?" she hissed, challenging him.
Van Helsing merely raised his eyebrow and Anna turned away, letting out an irritated sigh.
"The point is," she started while trying to calm down, "that you are safe in the castle and I will arrange a safe way out of the land when you want. Now I would like to know about this possible cure you have, Dr. Mortte".
Heinrich Mortte cleared his throat before speaking. "Yes, well the cure, as you call it, is still really on theoretical state and I can't promise you that it would work at all or if there might be some side effects. Put it simply, I believe that lycanthropy or whatever you call this state when man turns into a werewolf, is simply decease in the system. I wondered why the first transformation always happened during the full moon. Well, I believe that it has something to do with the fluids and especially the blood. Just like the moon causes high tide I'm sure it also, for reason or another, causes the transformation for the first time. I'm sure, that I could find a cure, if I'd had samples of blood from already infected werewolf to examine. Unfortunately even the Holy Order doesn't have werewolves in custody".
"Better dead than out killing people" Van Helsing said.
Anna silenced him with a death glare before turning back to Mortte. "Would you like to meet my brother now?" she asked.
13 minutes later Anna led Mortte, who had collected his small doctor's bag and Van Helsing to the dungeons of the castle. Isabella had been showed to her room and Carl had disappeared somewhere in the Valerious library. The two men followed Romanian princess through the stony corridors to the door that was made of iron, with silver crosses in it. Two men were standing at the door. Anna gave them a signal and they opened the door.
"Has he transformed after his first time?" Van Helsing asked.
"No, after the first transformation werewolves can control their forms and change at will any time of day and night. We keep him here because Dracula could order him to transform. He has power over werewolves" Anna explained as one of the guards opened the door.
Insides of the dungeon were noting like Van Helsing expected. A warm carpet down the floor, a wall covered with books, writing table with paper and inks with it and a bed with big blankets. Prince Velkan Valerious was half sitting/half laying at the bed. He was dressed cleanly and had combed his dark hair. He was strong looking, well-build young man and had a piercing gaze. His skin was somewhat pale though.
"Velkan, this is Dr. Mortte, the man I told would come" Anna said.
"Good day…" Mortte started but noticed the dark sky behind the barred window "…evening, your highness. I am Heinrich Mortte and with your permission I would like to take a sample of your blood". Mortte's voice was steady and relaxing. He had obviously had patients before.
"And you are" Velkan asked, eyeing Van Helsing who had stayed behind Anna and Mortte.
"Gabriel Van Helsing, your highness" he answered briefly.
Velkan's eyes became thin slits. "I've heard of the monster hunter Van Helsing before. Did the Order send you to kill me if I wasn't able to be cured" he asked.
"I'm not here to kill you," Van Helsing said steadily "and I won't if you stay as you are".
Anna's head whipped around and her eyes were storming. "Why don't we leave the Doctor and my brother alone for a while?" she said, grab Van Helsing from the arm and dragged him out of the room.
In the hall she forcefully pushed him at the wall. "I don't know who you think you are, Van Helsing, but you have absolutely no right to come here and talk like that of my brother. If the Order thought you was the best man to escort Mortte here then so very well. But don't you dare to make such remarks again of my brother. He has suffered enough already".
Van Helsing looked her intently. For the last 17 years he had met many women during his missions but never one such as Anna Valerious. A woman who possessed the intelligence and graze of a lady, yet who also fight against monsters and didn't hesitate to bite someone's head off for those she loved. Van Helsing couldn't remember anyone else that intrigued him so. Yet, he had to confess, she also get to his nerves way too easily.
"I…" what ever Van Helsing was about to say was drowned by a sudden cry of anguish coming from the dungeon.
Both Van Helsing and Anna ran back to Velkan's cell to be greeted by a sight of trembling and pale Dr. Mortte at the floor, his injection being thrown away and Velkan screaming, holding his hands at his ears. Anna tried to take hold of her brother but she was pushed away with incredible force.
Velkan opened his eyes to reveal that they had lost their brown colour and became yellow. "I hear his voice, Anna! I can't disobey him!" he shouted his voice becoming deeper as the terrible transformation began.
Van Helsing helped shocked Mortte out of the room as Anna closed the door quickly. "He won't get out," she said, "he can't get pass the silver in the door and windows".
Running footsteps were heard and soon a guard appeared around the corner, breathlessly trying to speak. "Your highness…at least three werewolves…in the village…attacking peoples…" he managed to say.
Anna quickly ran, giving orders to take Mortte to his room with his daughter, with Van Helsing closely behind her.
AN: I promise that there will be more of Isabella in coming chapters. Next one will be interesting to say the least, giving again a clue to Van Helsing's and Dracula's past.
Hope you liked it.