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CHAPTER 3

Van Helsing and Anna had been sitting in his quarters for some time, discussing all that had happened before God had brought her back to life.

Anna nodded, a thoughtful look on her face. "Yes, I think I remember that," she said, "We had decided to attempt to trick Dracula's brides by going out in two coaches." She paused, closed her eyes, and tried to remember the details. "Yours was empty while I had the Frankenstein and Carl, is that correct?"

"Yes, that's correct," Gabriel replied. He was glad that Anna was regaining her memory, well at least some of it. He wasn't exactly sure why God had sent her back without it, but God was God. He had His reasons for everything.

Anna suddenly frowned.

"What is it, Anna?" Van Helsing asked, concerned.

"We were attacked by a werewolf," she said before pausing a moment to close her eyes again and visualize exactly what had happened. A second later, her eyes sprung open and she looked over at Van Helsing, her beautiful features suddenly overcome by a distraught expression. "My brother," she whispered despondently. "He was the werewolf."

Just as Gabriel opened his mouth to say something, the door swung open and Carl darted in carrying a rather large book. "Van Helsing! Anna!"

"What?" they both responded at the same time.

Carl shut the door behind him and then moved over to them. "I've found something!" he said anxiously as he opened the book and plopped it down on the bed between Gabriel and Anna. He pointed to a section of the text below a large picture of a seemingly holy being getting attacked by some sort of demon. "It says here," Carl began, "'Holy art thou whom art placed within this mortal realm by the divine Hand of the King of Kings...'"

Van Helsing gave Carl a weary look. "Where is this going, Carl?" he questioned.

"Patience. I wasn't finished reading," the friar said as he turned his attention back to the book. "'Created new or merely recreated, thou which art sanctified by He Who is above all art now a beacon for that which is malevolent.'"

"What does that mean?" Anna asked, casting an uneasy look at Gabriel.

Carl glanced over at her. "At first, I was not sure."

"But?" Gabriel prodded.

Carl hesitated a few moments before pulling a smaller book from out of his tunic. "But, I dug deeper within the Holy Order's archives and I found this." He opened up the small book and placed it on top of the large one. He then pointed to a portion of text within it. "It says 'Nefarious beings far and wide will hunt for those in which sanctity resides.'"

An alarmed expression passed over Van Helsing's face. He looked at Anna and then back at Carl. "Are you saying that because Anna was recreated by God, evil creatures are going to start hunting her?"

Carl bit his bottom lip nervously and then nodded. "Yes, I think so."

"You THINK so?!" Gabriel exclaimed. "This is Anna's life we're speaking of! It is not something we can afford to risk so flippantly!"

"I'm sorry, Van Helsing!" Carl squeaked, cowering slightly. "The text in these older manuscripts are much harder to decipher. I can't know for sure until..."

"Until what?! Until a warlock or a werewolf or a vampire come out of nowhere and attack her?!" His temper was beginning to get slightly out of control, but with good reason. He had just gotten Anna back. He didn't want to lose her again.

"Gabriel, calm down," Anna said quietly as she reached over and placed her hand on his forearm.

He looked at her, a frown on his face.

She gave him a weak smile. "I have been fighting evil my whole life. This will be no different," she said, trying, albeit unsuccessfully, to alleviate some of the tension in the room. Both men knew she was right though. As one of the Valerious', she had been hunted her whole life by creatures of darkness. She had grown up learning how to survive by simply knowing how to kill all sorts of evil creatures from vampires to werewolves and back again. She wasn't about to say she wasn't afraid, because she was, but at the same time, she wasn't about to go into hiding either. She would fight until she had no more strength to do so. That is how she was.

Seeing this as his chance to exit the room unscathed, Carl picked up his books and pointed to the door. "I'm going to go back to the archives. Perhaps I can find something more that can help us." With that, he hurried out the door and then closed it behind him.

Gabriel and Anna sat there for some time just staring at each other. They were both deep in thought. How bad was this going to be? What would they be up against? Would they be able to survive?

Finally, Van Helsing scooted forward and took one of Anna's hands into his. "You must understand that I have already lost you once," he said softly. "I don't think I could bear losing you again."

She squeezed his hand gently and then leaned over, kissing him on the cheek. "As long as we are together, fighting side by side, you will not lose me. I promise you that."

TO BE CONTINUED...

(A/N: Hey everyone! Thanks so much for your reviews! I stayed up all night worrying about my appointment to have my wisdom teeth removed today. I simply couldn't sleep so instead, I wrote y'all a little chapter to keep you held over until I'm able to think coherently again! You guys rock! Please REVIEW!! WOO!)