And Then There Was Light Chapter 2, a penny dreadful fanfic

A/N: As you can see, I've decided to make this story multiple chapters. I hoped you enjoyed the first chapter! So, I'm going to be making alternate points of view between Ethan and Vanessa. Last chapter was through Vanessa's POV and this chapter will be from Ethan's. If this gets too confusing just let me know, and I'll see how I can fix it, but I think it should be fineJ. Alright, enough of my blabbering and onto the story! Enjoy and R&R! Rated T for language.

It's silent as we walk away from the white room. Too silent. The scent of blood is strong in the air, setting my teeth on edge. I set a fast pace, wanting to find the others and put as much distance between Vanessa and this dreadful place as I possibly can. She's looking nervously around, her clammy hand gripping tightly to mine.

I need to get her out of here.

As we reach the balcony, I turn to Vanessa and reach for my gun, handing it to her.

"Wait here. I don't know what I'll find out there."

She nods quietly and pulls her hand from mine, wrapping her arms around herself. I can tell she's fighting it. Fighting the firm hold Dracula has over her and as I make my way down the stairs I pray to God I did the right thing here tonight.

The room is hazy with smoke, and there are bodies everywhere, I begin searching for the familiar faces of my friends, but all I see are bloodshot eyes and pale skin. Relief sinks over me; they are still alive. But where are they?

I look around and spot a figure coming out of the shadows. I draw my gun, ready to shoot.

"Ethan?" I let out the breath I was holding and lower my weapon.

"Doctor, you've no idea how good it is to see you." He looks tired, and aside from a few cuts and bruises, seemingly unharmed. "The others?" I ask.

He nods. "Alive." And then adds "We have him down in the basement. Catriona has him contained for now, but it won't hold for long."

He looks around as if just realizing I'm alone and goes as white as the corpses around us. "Is she-?"

"She's alive." I reach out and give him a reassuring touch on the shoulder "Come with me."

She's sitting on the ground, her feet tucked under her dress. I hear Victor shudder a breath, and I crouch down next to her, gently lifting her tear-stained face with my hands.

"Vanessa?"

When she opens her eyes, I want to recoil. Almost entirely gone is the piercing blue I've come to love, and in its place, bloody red, spreading across her irises like wildfire. He's winning the battle inside her. The bastard.

"Ethan her eyes." The Doctor sounds frightened, and Vanessa stiffens, her beautiful face twisting in alarm.

"He's getting stronger—"She winces and lets out a moan. The sound breaks my heart. "Whatever hold you had on him is wearing off. The only way to stop him is to kill him."

"We've tried."

I turn to Victor, who's leaning against the wall, arms crossed in thought. "What do you mean you tried?"

"I mean, he won't die. Sir Malcolm put a bullet through his heart and nothing happened." He begins pacing the room. It makes me nervous. "I slit his throat, and he laughed while the bloody wound healed itself."

A dull ache wiggles its way to the back of my eyelids. Growling in frustration, I close my eyes.

"Well then how the hell are we supposed to kill him?"

No one has an answer for that, and we lapse into a tense silence.

"It has to be you." I turn my attention back to Vanessa, who's now looking only at me. "If killing me will stop this madness, then killing him with have the same effect."

She's right. But if killing her brings his death, then what would his death do to her? Will all of this have been for nothing?

As if reading my mind, she brings a shaky hand to my chest, resting it just over my heart. "This is a chance we have to take if he's ever to be stopped."

Victor clears his throat "She's right, we have to try."

Never taking my eyes from hers, I slowly rise and hold out my hand. "Together?"

"Together."

We follow Victor down a long damp stairway leading to the basement. No one speaks, too distracted by their thoughts, the only sounds are the echo of our shoes against the hard stone. As we get closer I notice Vanessa standing a little straighter, her chin raised in defiance. Good girl. If she can't resist him, then all hope is lost. And I don't think I can live in a world without the hope walking beside me, who's so willing to die for the ones she loves.

I'm pulled from my thoughts when Victor knocks twice on a heavy metal door which then swings open, revealing Sir Malcolm. Vanessa hurries to him, burying her face in his neck. Her voice thick with unshed tears. "We must hurry, I'm not sure how much longer I can keep this darkness at bay."

Sir Malcolm's worried eyes meet mine as she releases him and walks boldly into the room holding the man who's responsible for all her pain and suffering. There's nothing to be said that he doesn't already know, so I brush past him, not wasting anytime following her in.

He's sitting in a chair in the middle of the room, head down, thick chains covering his wrists and ankles. Above him is a symbol, one I've never seen before, which looks to have been drawn in blood. I know from personal experience that those chains will snap at the flick of his wrist. I look up at the strange symbol again. So this must be what's keeping him in place.

All eyes are on Vanessa as she makes her way around the room to stand directly in front of him. I hold my breath has he raises his head, his eyes meeting hers. To anyone else she looks unaffected, but I can hear the change in her breathing and see the slight shake of her delicate hands. I come around the room to stand by her side, my eyes never leaving his, which are still locked on Vanessa.

"My beloved has returned to me; just like I knew she would." He's smiling at her in a way that makes my skin crawl, his red eyes deepening in color. Next to me Vanessa flinches. He's trying to control her. I take a step forward, so I'm standing slightly in front of her. Shielding her from his burning stare.

"She's come to watch you die, you son of a bitch." I feel the wolf shake with fury "She never was and never will be yours."

"Oh, but wasn't she?" he asks me darkly. "She was mine the moment you walked out of that house. You practically handed her over to me."

"Tell him, Vanessa, tell him how you surrendered yourself to me, tell him of how we made love." He's looking directly at me, trying to get under my skin. Behind me, I feel Vanessa step forward. Her eyes are closed, and a single tear makes its way down her cheek, but when she speaks her voice is sharp and clear.

"I've done terrible things and hurt many in the process, and I have to learn to live with that" she's looking directly at Dracula now "But I will die before you have control over me again." Looking over to me she nods "Let it end." And walks to the back of the room to stand with the others.

I don't waste any time pulling out the gun that, only hours before had been pointed at Vanessa, and aim it at the creature sitting before me.

"So the Wolf of God has come to slay the dragon." He smiles "Have you forgotten that Vanessa is part of me now? And if you kill me, what will become of her?"

I smile back "She's stronger than you think." And then I pull the trigger, praying I didn't just make the biggest mistake of my life.

Afterward no one makes a sound. No one looks to the lifeless monster slumped in the chair. All eyes are on Vanessa. Waiting.

I make it to her just before her head hits the cold stone floor…

A/N: Cliffhanger! I know, I hate them too, but it seemed like a good place to end this chapter. I'll try and get the next chapter up asap!