Chapter 8: Choose Life or Death

Van Helsing raided the witch's coven home when he realized they left everything behind. It seemed like they had all the materials necessary to make the potion. Perhaps it was in case one of their own got bitten in the process of capturing the vampires.

He wondered how they knew of it. The hunter thought only the Holy Order knew the secret, and he learned of from Carl.

Once he left and headed back to the cabin it was nearly sundown. The ingredients were mixed in a pot and boiled over a fire. There was one thing missing…the last ingredient on his mental list: hair from the vampire that bit her. Dryden.

Gabriel Van Helsing unleashed a curse that could be heard a mile away. Dryden could have been anywhere by then.

He took a seat and wondered what Carl would have done. His old friend always had a way of calming him down during times of distress…he probably would have told him to have faith. Gabe knew that faith wasn't going to help Brooke. So he did what he could…wait and hope that Dryden didn't listen to him. Perhaps the lovesick vampire couldn't leave his new child behind. It was possible the vampire wouldn't trust the monster hunter.

His eyes felt heavy as he walked to the shed and stood out front. Just then an idea came to him. Thinking back to Dracula, he remembered that vampires have a mental connection to their makers. In this case, if he harmed Brooke…Dryden would know of it immediately. Van Helsing was now counting on the fact that he would come back as quick as possible to help her.

A sound was coming from inside the shed as Brooke woke up. He opened the door realizing she'd still be groggy from the dart.

"Hey, how do you feel?"

Brooke emerged from the dark shed and looked around, "I feel alive…heavy…and hungry. Really hungry. Did you figure out the cure?"

He shook his head no, "which means…I have to take care of this a different way."

Gabriel wrapped large silver chains around her neck…the ones that used to belong to the witches.

She hissed in pain, "What the hell are you doing!"

"Fixing the problem. If I let you go the Order will only send another hunter after you, so I'm going to kill you myself."

Van Helsing was hurting inside seeing her in so much pain, but he knew that if Brooke felt threatened…Dryden would come back. If he told Brooke the plan it wouldn't be natural or as powerful. So he kept a serious face…a murderous look in his eye to convince her.

She used her new power to push him off of her. Brooke fell to the floor and yelled as the silver chains weighed her down…if only she could touch them and remove them, but the pain was too much.

Brooke was scared. She didn't want to die…again. If anything she hoped her friend was joking, but he looked very serious. Baring her fangs she looked at him…blood would have made her strong enough to take him down. Now those vampire instincts were kicking in as Gabe now turned into an enemy.

He got up and stood over her as it seemed she wasn't able to get up. Van Helsing took out the sword he had used earlier…he held it up over her head.

Dryden seemed to fly through the air as he tackled Gabe to the ground.

"You promised!" he growled and ripped the sword from his hands and threw it on the other side of the room.

"Dryden! Stop." Gabe stopped moving and put his hands up in surrender. He rubbed the back of his neck once Dryden let him go.

The vampire let go of him and grabbed a towel. He twisted the chains off her neck and held her in his arms, "shhh, it's okay. Have you fed yet?"

Brooke had tears in her eyes as he pulled the chains off her. "I don't remember…maybe?" She looked up at him confused as she was recovering the trauma.

"Charming," Van Helsing pulled some brown hairs from Dryden's head. "That's all I needed."

He looked over his shoulder and watched the hunter leave the cabin to tend to a boiling pot on a fire.

She could feel her neck healing as she cuddled into Dryden's arms. The young vampire felt safe…like she was in bed and no one would harm her again. It was almost childlike, but Brooke couldn't help but feel this way.

"Why did he hurt me? Van Helsing would never do something like that to me. I think something is wrong with him. He said he couldn't cure me, so then he was going to kill me!"
He kissed the top of her head, "jealousy? Maybe he's afraid of losing you? I don't know how the hunter thinks, but I can tell by the sound of his heartbeat that he still has feelings for you."

Van Helsing returned with a cup full of a thick black fluid.

Dryden held Brooke protectively as he came closer…even he was sort of confused. One minute Gabriel was ready to slice her head off, and the next he was bringing her something to drink.

"Drink it," he said holding it to her. "I needed his hair and I knew the only way to get him here fast enough was to threaten you. Luckily it worked."

The vampire maker relaxed realizing he had been fooled. It was a good strategy though, that he admired. What bothered him was the fear and pain he caused Brooke in the process.

Brooke took the cup and knew exactly what it was…it was the cure. Now that he had it she was uncertain about taking it. The cure meant she would simply go back to life as a hunter and would never be able to see Dryden again. If she didn't take the cure…she would eventually kill and feed, then spend the rest of her life being hunted the Holy Order.

She could feel them watching her every move. Brooke was very hesitant about what to do. She was happy with Dryden…and now she was completely afraid of Van Helsing- even though he was only trying to help her.

Her hands held the cup to her lips…as much as she wanted this- killing innocent people was not something she desired. Brooke drank the yucky substance down and nearly threw it all up right then and there.

Despite this rejected he held her tight as she started to convulse. It didn't surprise him to see she had taken the cure. Even though he wanted her all to himself- Dryden knew being a vampire wasn't something she ever wanted.

Van Helsing breathed a sigh of relief and left the room to clean up. He knew this was going to change things between them, but it was probably for the best. Part of him was also happy that Dryden understood this…because the last thing he wanted was to take on a vampire after the events of last night.

Once the horses were packed, he went back inside to see Brooke sleeping on the floor and the vampire brushing her hair out of her face.

"We're taking off…." Van Helsing picked her up and put her on a horse. "I don't normally do this…but…thanks for saving her life."

Van Helsing wasn't stupid. Even though Dryden was the one who bit her- he knew the vampire was under the enchantments of the witches.

The old vampire cracked a smile, "You're welcome Van Helsing, but I did it for her and no one else. She deserves a better life. Vampirism would have never suited her anyway."

"You got that right," he added and put on his hat once he got on his horse. "Never met a vampire like you, but I think you'll understand when I say let's never cross paths again."

"I understand," his smile faded and he approached Brooke's horse. Dryden gave one last kiss on the sleeping woman's cheek before running off. Secretly he knew they'd see each other again.

"Yah!" Gabriel shouted at the horse and the two took off out the woods.

They had been riding for a few hours before the horse stopped at the docks. The moon was still bright, but within a few hours it would be dawn. Brooke didn't remember getting on a horse, but she did remember throwing up and Dryden holding her. Brooke looked around as if hoping he was with them…of course he couldn't be. For now she kept her eyes away from Gabriel's…refusing to look at him. Brooke might never admit it, but she already missed Dryden. A small part of her wanted that freedom.