Author's Note: Hi, everyone. Well, after a long time writing and thinking, this chapter will contain a bit more information about Nathalia's past... and her father. Sorry for such a crucial cliffhanger, but it was in my head for such a long time, I just had to share this story of what if Dracula had a daughter? And have such a good reason for treating more than what she was?

Chapter 14: Van Helsing's Vow

"Don't we make a lovely couple?" Dracula asked her, dipping her and facing the large mirror in the ballroom. Anna couldn't help but gasp to see no reflection but hers. She looked up at him. "Oh my God." Out of everyone in the room; and there were so many, her reflection was the only one there.

He pulled her back up. "I'm looking for a new bride, Anna." he began, their dance continuing. "Someone strong... and beautiful."

"No." she responded. "Immortality is not the answer." she said, thinking about Nathalia. "I've seen how it isn't a good decision. To never forget about your sins, your fears, your nightmares..."

His face changed from calm to angry. "I did her a favor. I gave her new life. You don't know what it is like to love someone who did not return that feverish love." he said. His face seemed to soften, and for a moment Anna could've swore there was a tint of sadness. "Nathalia reminded me so much of her mother. I couldn't bear to lose her again."

ooo

Nathalia...

She felt skin beneath her fangs and stopped herself. Had she pierced flesh? Or was she already done feeding? She stepped away, feeling disorientated and confused. Where was she? And who was with her? she looked at the person in front of her, but her vision was blurred as the hazy cloud dissipated from her view. She was falling.

--

Van Helsing let a long sigh of relief. Death had brushed closely to him tonight and how tense he was. Nathalia was only inches apart from his throat, ready to suck him dry to quench her thirst. Fortunately, Nathalia had stopped before her canines could penetrate his skin. Rubbing his neck to make sure he had no puncture wounds, he stared at Nathalia who looked confused and tired. She fell.

He quickly grabbed her before she hit the floor. She looked up and recognized who was there. "V-Van Helsing?" she whispered. She looked around, her eyes losing its glaze tint. "W-Where-" Before she could finish her sentence, he gently and quickly put her down, cutting her off as she felt the dizzy feeling once more.

"I don't have much time to explain." he said. "Stay here and don't go anywhere near Dracula until I come and get you."

She couldn't talk or think, her mind a total blur. What had happened to her? The harder she tried to remember the more dizzy she felt. But it was already too late to say anything.He was already gone.

ooo

There was a loud shriek and all he could really concentrate was the human torch who scrambled from the flames that consumed him. Anna was in his sight as she shook her head, still under Dracula's veil. Dracula had grabbed a flame eater who looked confused as to what had happened. He was thrown in the air, just enough distraction for Van Helsing to grab Anna from her waist and land on the other side in another balcony.

They were against a wall, the hunter trying to gain balance. He quickly glanced at Anna who still looked confused. She shook her head a bit, but it seemed it did not work. "Anna." he called her name, shaking her when she didn't respond. "Anna!"

She was free from the spell. Realizing where she and who she was with, she felt sick to her stomach. She removed the jewelry she wore, throwing them away like they were dangerous. He grabbed her arm, but before they could escape, they realized how awfully quiet the ballroom was. And only one voice rose from the crowd.

"Gabriel. Oh, Gabriel." called Dracula. His voice was the only one heard from the crowd and for a moment, Anna and Van Helsing believe that it was probably their minds playing trick on them. Dracula playing tricks on them. But when Van Helsing looked over the balcony, everyone was silent and looking at Dracula who appeared from the crowd dressed in all black. He looked up at them and smiled. "Oh Gabriel."

What bothered the hunter more was the crowd. why were they so... calm?

"Welcome to my summer palace." Dracula said.

"Aah! Let.. me GO!" someone screamed. The crowd parted once more, two acrobats dragging a semi-conscious Nathalia. She was helpless, weak. All her efforts were useless.

"Master! Master!" a child called out. Dracula looked up at the child, his smile never fading. "Look, master! Look!"

The sound of opening doors in the hall rung in the ballroom. Igor came in with dozen more people hoisting a platform where a chained Frankenstein was tied. "We have him, Master! We have him!" Igor shouted. Frankenstein yelled out in anguish.

"You wretched undead!" he bellowed. "I shall have my revenge! Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear NO Evil!" he continued to rant. "You are nothing but damned souls and will burn in the flames of HELL!" They took him farther back, away where his angry shouts became unheard.

Dracula simply smiled and looked at Nathalia who seemed to gain some conscious of her own self to release herself from on e of the men's grip. She swiftly retrieved a knife from her belt and out of anger, lunges for Dracula. He grabbed her by her neck. From above, Anna's cry echoed, "No! Let her go!"

He whispered something to Nathalia's ear. "Why don't you cherish the fact that I gave you life?" he asked, annoyed. She gasped for air and managed to spit in his face. "You.. took away... my life." she gasped. He let her go, but she had suddenly fainted. It was all Dracula's doing. He diverted his attention back to the hunter who held the princess from jumping to help her friend. "Now, that everything is as it should be," Dracula began, the crowd moving in closer, "ladies and gentlemen, I give to you... VAN HELSING!"

They were no longer people, but the undead. They all removed their masks to reveal ghostly, pale faces. Every single one.�They screeched an unholy sound as their mouths stretched to an�impossible length. The whole ballroom was filled with the infamous undead, recognizing the hunter who had killed so many of their brethren.

There was no time to save Nathalia, but what made him feel worse was that he did not leave by force, but because he had to to save his own neck and Anna's as well. They in a dangerous ground and there was no time at all. "Come on!" he said, running to the exit, hoping Anna would follow suit. She didn't.

Acquiring a weapon form one of the statue, she swung the weapon expertly, hatred towards those who were a threat to those she cared about the most. He went back to quickly get her, pulling her. "Come on." he said more persistently.

All the vampires either ran or jumped to get them. Both Anna and Van Helsing ran through the oak doors and shut sealed the m shut. Carl appeared holding a glowing sphere, making sure he held it cautiously. He noticed the two and seemed almost thrilled. "Now I know what it's for. Now I know what it's for!" he said.

His excited expression fell when he noticed their only exit closed and the two running towards him, worried. "Wh-Where are we going?" he asked, confused and afraid.

"Through that window!" Both cried out in unison. They grabbed Carl by both his arms, causing him to drop the glowing sphere. The trio jumped out the window, glass shattering just as the big oak doors broke and the vampires jumped and snarled, not realizing the sphere was ready to explode.

They felt the rays' warm light as the whole palace was filled with the sun's light, eliminating the threat. As they fell, charred skeleton remains flew out the broken window as well as they fell into what seemed to be a moat. The water was terribly cold, plus the rain that fell down mercilessly made it even chillier.

Van Helsing looked up, his eyes squinting as the bright light faded into nothing. "Carl!" he called out. He looked at his friend who shivered at the coldness of the water and weather. "You're a genius!" the hunter said, smiling.

"A.. g-genius with ac-access to u-unstable ch-chemicals." Carl responded, shivering as his teeth clattered.

Suddenly, they heard noise. A boat was being moved down a ramp. Igor and a few of his Dwergi were aboard. Frankenstein was chained to the mast and even though he knew that he had the strength to release himself from his bonds, he knew that it would be of no use. He was weak and had lost hope.

His veins coursing with werewolf venom, Van helsing took the advantage and speed to try and help Frankenstein. He swam fiercely and fast to catch up. Igor chuckled at the sight, knowing very well that the hunter would not make it. He patted Frankenstein's head and smiled. "Say good-bye to your friends." he whispered to him. He waved at the trio.

Just as they were into the sea, the iron gates fell down quickly. The hunter stopped his swimming when he came to his end and banged his fist against the gate, the pain not even there when hie fist hit. "I'll find you! I'll get you back and set you free!" he yelled out. "I swear to God!"

Carl and Anna were beside him. "Oh, Nathalia." Anna whispered beside him. Though the rain was hard, he could see tears coming from the princess. They heard a female's cackle along with a loud and triumphant screech. They looked up to see three figures, on smaller than the other and the third in the bigger one's clutches.

"I must save them." the hunter said, more to himself that the others. Not taking the hint, or maybe ignoring it, Carl responded flatly, "No, you can't." There was a bit of fear in his voice when he said it, afraid at their reactions. Van Helsing stared at him, bewildered. "Why?"

"I cabled Rome earlier to apprise them of our situation."

"What did they say?"

Carl gulped at the sight of two pairs of eyes on him. "You.. you told them about Nathalia. Didn't you, Carl?" Anna asked. Carl nodded and Anna sighed in disappointment. "Dear God.." she murmured. "Even if you somehow kill Dracula, Rome orders you to destroy Frankenstein as well." he said. "Nathalia would already be dead if you do kill Dracula."

"And if she doesn't? Did they order to kill her too!" Anna yelled, imagining a stake through her friend's-no, her only family-heart at sunset, her body turning into ash as the suns ray's hit her skin, boiling it. Van Helsing held her back. "They're not evil." he tried to say calmly.

"Yes, but they're not human either."

Losing his patience, he responded, "Do they know them? Have they talked to them? Who are they to judge"

Carl flinched. "Th-they want you to destroy them so they can never be used to harm humanity."

All control and sanity was flooded away as a boiling rage within him brew. "And what of me?" the hunter asked. "Did you tell them what I'm to become?" he asked, seizing Carl by his throat, his eyes shining fiercely, the beast struggling to be set free. "Did they tell you how to kill me? The correct angle of the stake as it enters my heart," he roared, "As it pierces Nathalia's!"

"No!" Anna lunged at the hunter, trying to pry his grip from Carl's neck. All her effort's were futile.

"The exact measure of silver in each bullet? Huh!" he lashed out.

Carl could hardly, but he managed to gasp out one single sentence, "No.. I.. left you out." Van Helsing abruptly let him go and threw himself against the gate, his body aching to expand, but not able to. A loud and agonizing roar escaped his throat, able to make those in hearing sight to tremble in fear. His roar expressed the pain it was for him to maintain the caged beast.

Anna and Carl looked at the hunter until his anger subsided. He looked at them and looked at Carl almost apologetically. "I'm.. sorry." he said. Carl nodded, understanding his anger. He looked at Anna who looked afraid and worried at the same time. "It's starting." he simply told her. What animal have I become, he though bitterly...

A/N: Well, I just hope this chapter didn't seem to suck badly. This had been a long chapter to get it right, but I guess I got it right. Well, that's for the reader to decide. A few words that described how badly Dracula's love life pretty much went sour and resulted in him to think that his only daughter is that one woman he loved in his human life. Nathalia knows more and trust, you will soon know too.

Luna