Sing the Devil, Prick the Flesh

Okay, so I know its been a really long time since I wrote the chapter, and I am so sorry for that! I just needed some real dosage of inspiration, and some flames discouraged me to continue. I hope I'm not making Rose a Mary-Sue cause I'd hate that. She's just a normal character to me, and she's not invincible and stuff. Also, I want everybody to be patient. I know and understand that you guys wanna read the next chapter, but if you keep on telling me to hurry up, I'll only just stop writing altogether. So please, don't make me rush. It always damages my imagination.

Anyway, I just needed to get that out of my system! Thank you so much for your wonderful reviews and ideas! I'll think of something and put many of them all together! Thanks so much! I hope you like this chapter, and once again, I'm sorry for the extreme lateness. Reviews are always appreciated:D

I'm also gonna look through my old chapters, and clean them all up from the spelling mistakes and stuff! (;

Playlist: IMMEDIATE MUSIC!! They totally kick ass! XD And Europa by Globus! (:

WARNING: Violence, Angst and Bad Language! If this is not your type of story, you should go elsewhere.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything from the movie, Van Helsing!

Chapter Seven – Devil's Advocate

In a dark prison deep below the ruined city, a man lay on the floor, shivering from the biting cold. He was beaten badly and on his bare back were scars from his previous encounter with his 'Master'. The old wounds that had started to heal had opened up again because of it. The numbness that had enveloped the man like a dark cloak made him curl small for warmth. Vaporized air escaped his lips, his eyes squeezed shut as if he was watching an awful nightmare.

This man was once known as the legendary monster hunter, Gabriel Van Helsing. Clad in black with a trail of mystery following his every movement, he had done everything to prevent evil from spreading. As a soldier in a battle between Good and Evil, he was a hunter vanquishing the demons to where they truly belonged. But now... here he was, lying as a prisoner and a monster. A pitiful man who did not have any control over his other half no more. Or so he was thought to believe..

Van Helsing's eyes snapped open, and with a painful groan, he clutched at his growling stomach. He could feel it, clawing at his skin, hungry to be let out. His eyes glowed in feral ferocity, the hazel color fading within him. He moaned as he sobbed in anguish, the thirst for blood growing... the never-ending animalistic hunger that was beginning to turn to madness. Finally he had to get up and hit the walls with frustration, roaring at them through his grief. He managed to crack them, leaving his mark of violence on them.

"I-I was going to hurt Anna and Rose... All that I cared for and held dear... Gone..." Van Helsing whispered, his eyes overflowing with tears that fell and splashed silently on the cold, unfeeling floor.

"All because of me..."

Van Helsing cried, feeling his despair digging into him like claws. But then he realized how foolish it was for him to be crying about something that was already in the past. Carl and Frankenstein... they would not have wanted their friend to lose hope and give up. They would have wanted him to pull himself together and fight this threat. And Anna... the courageous Princess would have not wanted him to be sad. She would have grown angry at his weakness and hated him for letting Dracula reign. Last but not least, Rose.. That girl and all her people needed his help, his power to defeat evil. If there was no one else out in the world to finish this, who will?

Van Helsing stopped crying, and he wiped away the last of it with the back of his dirty hand. He could still feel the beast in him, but this time he pushed it away with all his might. The inhuman rage subsided, and his eyes turned back to its normal color. His hands curled into tightened fists.

"I'm not going to let you defeat me, Dracula." Van Helsing growled, his eyes flaring with fresh determination. He might not have enough power to tame the wolf, but if he stood strong and didn't let the beast's fury control him, he will be human again. For the first time in weeks, the hunter was back.

Through-out every corridor and walls of the Dark Citadel, rumors of the werewolf who had withheld Dracula's hold had been whispered to every man, woman and children willing to rebel against their so-called 'Master'. Each of them were gripped by these whispers being passed from ear to ear, and their hopes were rekindled. God had not abandoned them after all.

However the darkness had continued to spread, ever so closer towards America, the Land of the Free. The residents of the land who were residents refuse to be defeated, of course. The Son of the Devil knew too well the tactics of how to win a battle. He had, after all, been a High-ranking knight when he was still a mortal in his past lifetime. Dracula knew how humans acted and thought, and how foolishly weak these creatures were... However perhaps even the Count may be underestimating the power these 'mere' humans held.

In amidst the battles of their own kin, the mortal rebels who had managed to escape Dracula's reign over Europe were deep underground and in hiding, waiting for the opportune moment to take advantage of a certain situation and turn the tables on the Vampire King. Their attempts had failed a few times, some of their comrades dying in the process, but they continued to thrive and live. Eventually they, too, will not be hidden anymore. They will be free again, and when that happens, they were going to make sure that their time above the ground would be remembered, their enemies defeated by their gleaming pistols and raised swords.

After the conversation Rose and Anna had together inside the stuffy cell, all the prisoners were moved back to their servants' rooms. Some were left for questioning, others for much worse fates... Those of whom were left behind looked devastated and screamed for help as Dracula's followers dragged them out. All the other prisoners who were free to move back to the servants rooms were giving secretive sighs of relief that they were not the ones being pulled out. Others shook their heads sadly at the thought that they were unable to help.

"Move it!" The followers snarled, holding knives and pistols, just in case their prisoners did anything foolish. No one did. Quickly, the prisoners were clamped iron shackles stuck together by neck and wrists before they were moved out, pushed, pulled or dragged together from hall to room. Anna and Rose exchanged glances at each other. Both of them were frightened.

The prisoners were ushered through another hall and then outside the grounds of Dracula's stone fortress. The world was, thankfully, glowing with sunlight, and the clouds, for once, had vanished. The followers cursed the light, shouting at the sun that even its mighty power will be overruled by Dracula's. The prisoners, though, were grateful for the sunshine. They could still feel their Gods with them, giving them hope.

The bodies strewn over the floor, however, made their hope falter. So many of them were laid carelessly out in the open, as if they were not living creatures at all. The expressions on the victims eyes were unbearable to look at. The captives turned their heads away from the lying heap of men, women and children's bodies.

"Get on with it!" a woman follower of Dracula's yelled, her pistols aimed at the prisoner in front of the line, who had halted in their steps. It was a female, and she was staring at a body so close to her feet. Her eyes were wide with tears, her breath becoming harsh. Rose and all the other prisoners looked up to see what was happening, and she felt the blood drain from her. That woman was Evena, and she had lost her whole family to Dracula. Anna knew her as well, and she hoped that the woman will move, for her own sake.

"Move it, slave, or I'll have your brains blown apart! This is the will of our Master, Count Dracula!" The woman follower hissed, her eyes burning with hatred. Evena turned her head at the follower, who had clicked the safety trigger, and whispered, "Do you not see what you've done?"

"Silence!" the follower snarled and slapped the prisoner hard, who gasped and touched her reddening cheek. "You dare talk to me, peasant!"

"You have betrayed the Lord!" Evena cried out, trying to touch the cross hidden beneath her neck, but her shackles prevented it. The follower noticed immediately, and she roared, frightening all the other prisoners and alerting the other followers. A few men and women of Dracula's believers came and they all raised their weapons at poor Evena, who sobbed angrily.

A sturdy looking male follower took out a ring of keys, and looked coldly at Evena. They were expressionless, as if the soul had been sucked out of its eyes. "Release her."

"No... no! Please! I will put this away! Please, do not kill me!" Evena spoke frantically, realizing her mistake. Her eyes had grown pale as she squirmed. The followers, however did not listen. Only the female follower who had been shouting orders at Evena snickered. "Your God has forsaken you! You are worth nothing to him!" the female follower sneered with an evil laugh, and she grabbed at the thin, golden chain on Evena's neck, ripping it off her.

"No!" Evena screamed as the woman in front of her smiled maliciously. The followers had finished unlocking Evena's shackles, and let them fall onto the floor. Free for a moment, Evena panicked, her breath become ragged, eyes meeting those of her fellow people and then followers. Dracula's men all jeered her to run, shoving her and shouting, "Run, bitch!" Evena, with no choice but to obey, began to run, crying horribly as she crossed the land littered with the body of innocents.

"Evena, don't!" Rose whispered, dreading what would happen next. Before she had any time to turn her gaze away, suddenly there was a gunshot, banging loudly in the chilling silence. The followers laughed as the body of Evena fell onto the heap of bodies, becoming one of them. The female follower who held Evena's gold chain threw it onto the ground and stamped on it, a satisfied look on her face.

The prisoners all looked ashen, the terror of death clutching at their hearts. There were tears in their eyes as they stared at the body of Evena, a human being who had once been breathing like them. Her wide eyes of horror would have haunted any living soul their whole lifetime. Rose sobbed into the shoulder of the man in front of her, who did not say anything or tell her to back off. They all felt the grief, and what would happen if they tried anything stupid. They would end up just like Evena if they were not careful.

"If you don't want to be the next one, MOVE!" the followers ordered as they cackled, and the prisoners moved. But just as they did, Anna, who had been watching and listening to all of this in utter silence, grabbed the fallen chain on the ground before anyone of the followers could see, quickly balling her fist and shoving it in her uniform pocket. Her distant eyes looked at the body of Evena with a mournful expression. As if by habit, she let out a, "In pace requiescat..." in a small whisper. Her eyes widened almost immediately. She was never educated, and yet she knew how to speak latin and understand it! Anna felt her heart thump fast in her chest.

The sun above their heads continued to heat them, drying their fresh tears onto their cheeks. But the prisoners could not feel the warmth. Rose shivered uncontrollably, her lips trembling, still remembering the shocking bang of the bullet from the followers' gun. She needed to speak with Anna and find a way to talk with Van Helsing now...

Count Dracula had been in his headquarters, sitting on his grand chair and leaning on it, his slim fingers touching together as he continued to think, when there was a knock on the door. Dracula glanced at the door, which had been commissioned just by him, done by his craftsmen. It was carved in the sign of a dragon, his family's emblem. And also of Anna Valerious... Dracula thought, amused.

"Come in!"

The door opened without a sound, and the heads pushing the doorknob appeared, along with the rest of the figure. Dracula's eyes met those of dark gray. The vampire was dressed in silver armor, as if he were a mighty knight marching to battle. He was a tall man, muscular, with long golden hair and eyes that could have killed. His face was rough and yet he looked elegant at the same time. The vampire could have looked no older than 30 years of age, but in fact he was much more older than any ordinary human. Of course, as a immortal, he did not age, but there was something missing that made him look old with holder of ruthless knowledge.

"Master, we have news," the figure's voice slipped from his lips as if they were smooth silk. The Son of the Devil inclined his head, and spoke with a hint of pleasure, "Ah Flavius, how nice to see you. Come. What news have you brought me?"

The vampire, Flavius, obliged coming closer towards Dracula. He held a large scroll in his hand that the Count knew were the division coordinates of their battlefield. He clicked his fingers, and the contents on his desk vanished, the oak wood gleaming bare.

Flavius walked up towards the desk and spread the piece of parchment over, flowing through the wood and flattened as if it were the sea and its calming waves. Dracula could see the markings of a map, and the small pictures of knights on horses. Flavius then turned to look at his Master, and pointed at the areas of importance. As he did, he began to speak.

"We have thousands, no millions, of vampires under your command, Master. With each passing night, they join us willingly, hungry for bloodshed!" Flavius circled an area with his finger. "The Wolves of the North have come to fight for our cause. Their leader has agreed to come under one condition; that they are free and their wills to be intact." Dracula nodded and waved his hand, "It is agreed then." Flavius gave a nod and then continued, "A few of creatures that we have encountered around our journey had been unwilling to follow in our task, and we have brought them back here to listen to what we have to say to them. Most of them are young ones. They will have to be tortured, beaten, and turned into slaves. It would have been much easier if they just gave in to what we had to offer." Flavius said the last line simply, sighing as if he was watching a comedy before his eyes. The vampire's finger left the map, and the scroll curled around the edges. Flavius looked at his dark-haired Master and finally spoke the words he had wanted to say. "The creatures of the Underworld united. You have all of them in your servitude."

Dracula grinned widely. Yes... it was going well. he thought triumphantly. Soon he will have everything under his grip, and every human being and creature who stood up against him will be crushed with the thunderous snarl of the beasts of darkness. And yet, the still fresh memory of Gabriel and his resistance to his influence bothered him. He will have to break the man and free the wolf soon, or the light will find its way through. If he was going to win, he will not have anything stand in his way.

"Good, good, Flavius. You have done well. Now all we have to do is to sink our fangs into the blood of our next prey..." Dracula spoke, congratulating the golden-haired vampire, who smiled at this compliment.

"Will I be able to lead the army, Master? Have I accomplished what you requested?"

The Count chuckled and replied, "Yes, Flavius, you have. You are worthy of leading the vampyre to their feast. Celebrate this occasion with women of any you desire. The blood of innocents will be yours to drink. Later on, I will visit your Stygian knights. You and your men are guests of this household. Now rest, I know you are tired from your voyage."

"Thank you, Master, and for your blessing. The men will likely be delighted to meet you." Flavius spoke and he bowed, his armor clicking. Dracula gave a nod, and the golden-haired vampire got up and left his room. At the sound of shutting doors, the devil's son looked at the map spread over the desk and he smiled. His eyes flashed, turning into the color deep red in anticipation. The world will be his soon...

"TORA!" Dracula bellowed, his voice echoing. Almost immediately, there was a dark smoke and a aged vampiress stood calmly, watching him with a feline look. Her vibrant eyes of purple sparkled, and she smiled. "Yes, milord?"

"I have a disobedient wolf in cell 106. I want you to punish him, and never let him heal. If you do this well, my Tora, you shall be rewarded."

Tora inclined her head in acceptance. But before she vanished, she asked, "Is this the wolf who tried to defeat you, milord?" She knew that it was a dangerous question to ask, if she wanted to live. However curiosity had gotten the best of her.

Dracula's eyes expression turned icy cold, replaced by a frown. He should have had this woman punished! Then again, he'd love a perfectly experienced torturer. It would be a shame to scar this blossoming flower over such a petty matter.

"He failed, my darling. And he will never succeed."

A/N: That last scene with Dracula and his minions were hard! x.X -falls onto floor- But I hope I did good? Please review, that would really spark my inspiration and keep me going! (: This sure was a dark chapter. It couldn't be helped though. It's a dark story. o.O Then again, its not all about the darkness! (; Anna will be able to find out more of who she was soon!