Evening everyone, hope your okay and all having a good week. I know most are back to school at the moment, or just working, unless you are like me and have finished school for good! :) Quite happy with that. Anyway, here is part too of the teams Romanian mission, I hope you all enjoy, please review. I'm kind of mixed about how I view this chapter towards the end, which I think it the first chapter I've ever been unsure about :/ or not happy with a scene. But anyway I hope so much that you enjoy it!

Please review, thankyou!

As the doors to the old castle opened heavily, the FBI agents, along with Hellboy, Liz, Abe and Belle walked in to find a large hallway that had clearly once been grand and baronial. Thought it was as they got inside that two of the Agent's when to close the doors, shutting them in. Though Hellboy directly stopped them.

'Its normal procedure...' they began

'You ain't closin' us in and it ain't "normal procedure" while I'm in charge, got it? Anything gets out of here than the others will face it if they're doing their job properly and guarding the perimeter,' Hellboy said plainly. So with his word seeming to be final, the Agent's finally walked down the large open corridor. Though first they ensured Hellboy, Liz, Abe, and Belle all wore locators, Belle's being different from the other three in the sense that hers was a bracelet with a carefully concealed violet light, hidden in an amethyst coloured stone.

'Why did they make a locator like that?' Liz asked curiously,

'Agent Manning would prefer for her to keep her locator on her person at all times, considering she is not being watched consistently, and a bracelet we believed would be in easy reach and would not arose suspicion when disguised as jewellery,' one of the Agent's explained, him being the only one to show any distinctive confidence amongst the Agents with them.

Though it was only as they attached the locators and began to move down the large hall that they took in its old appearance...The hall itself was lined with a dark red carpet, torches being hung on high brackets on either sides of grand tapestry's and paintings. Though the corridor was only dimly lit; with the rain outside dampening the amount of light that fell across the otherwise shadowed hall...

Walking through cautiously together, the group remained quiet, listening for any sound that could be seen as a give away to what they were searching for. Yet as they continued on, they quickly came to an old staircase that permitted entrance to the upper floor, the path they were in splitting both left and right into the opposite wings of the castle. So taking a direction, the team then made to split off.

'Anybody sees anything, call through on the locators,' Hellboy remarked, Belle looking on edge as she glanced down the corridor she and Abe would be taking. 'Don't look so scared Belle, ya got Abe to protect ya,' he added with a grin as the other Agents went up the stairs to save Liz the struggle if they had to get out quickly.

'Stay safe,' she returned quietly as they parted, Abe starting to talk about the history of the castle they walked in, in an attempt to comfort his companion, this seeming to work well after a little while. Though she remained ever close to him, her slight nerves still apparent...

As they checked each room, most looked as though they hadn't been used in many years, dust sheets covering the antique furniture, with the flooring, ceiling and crevices being laden with dust and cobwebs. 'This place must have been so full of life and colour in its time,' Belle remarked as they carefully checked each room.

'Ah yes, well there are certain parts of the castle that are open to tourists, and as such have been kept in much better condition than some of these rooms which are considered to be off limits, and therefore go untouched.'

'Anything yet Brother Blue?' Hellboy asked as he and Liz worked their way through the old kitchens of the castle, finding mice as they passed through which in turn startled Liz.

'No, nothing...Most of the castle seems completely undisturbed,' Abe remarked.

'Heh, yeah same this end...trust us to get landed with an entity that keeps quite and doesn't know how to clean...'

'I'm sure it will surface...though I can only hope we can hold it off being in such small numbers...' Abe suggested.

'Yeah well that's Manning's fault for not organising stuff any better than normal. But don't worry, Tinkerbelle knows how to take care of herself,' he grinned, 'you two will be fine,' Belle smiling as she heard his comment, though nothing could prepare them for what they were about to find.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~

Soon enough as Abe and Belle continued their search, neither could sense anything unusual around them, until they came to a room in which the artefact's held inside were pristine and kept within glass cases. However as they found upon walking in, one of the cases was smashed and an item gone...the glass scattering across the floor as Abe encouraged Belle be careful as she moved across it. The room itself was larger than some of the others, rectangular and with a domed ceiling, the colour scheme of the room being ivory and white with many large portraits adorning the walls, one taking Abe's attention as he went to glance over it.

'I recognise this man...' he muttered quietly, Belle glancing over as she looked at the painting he was referring to. The man depicted in it was young in appearance, though his dark eyes seemed to appear a little intimidating if anything, his hair being longer than average, though drawn back in a neat style with the length being a couple of inches off his shoulders. His attire in the portrait was a rich green in colour though there was no name upon the painting.

'Who is that?' she questioned,

'I cannot say, though I most certainly recognise this portrait from one of my boots. The question is whether he is a possible link. I remember him being a member of royalty, though his name evades me,' Abe remarked, neither of them hearing anything as they spoke, or seeing the eyes of one of the portraits clipping silently back into place.

'What do you suppose they were after?' Belle remarked, crouching down to observe the glass shards.

'I am not too sure, though perhaps the glass can tell us something,' Abe offered, coming to Belle's level though upon looking up both met each other's gaze, with their faces being mere inches apart.

'I'll continue to look round,' Belle said in a somewhat flustered manner, rising to her feet and turning to look round the room when something caught her attention. A small piece of the floor in the corner of the room was a lighter colour than the rest...meaning something had been moved...something that would be put in place to gain their attention. Though as Belle turned to look back at the case that had been placed carefully, she now saw behind it a crack running under the stone flooring and beneath the case.

'Abe...' she began, the merman glancing up to her when the ground beneath them started to shift a little, Abe going to call out to Belle as a figure appeared behind her, his hair wild and his eyes vicious as he grabbed Belle, clasping cold hands over her mouth as the floor began to give way, Belle being released and pushed into the whole that swallowed the case and dragged Abe in with it amongst the heavy slabs of rock. Though as Abe landed hard on his back, his apparatus smashing with the force of the fall, Belle also landed roughly, though her fall was broken by Abe as she fell upon him, her hair flying forward as her arms hit and pushed along the unforgiving ground, the creature leaving them down in a sealed chamber, alone and trapped...

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~

Meanwhile, Hellboy and Liz had been unsuccessful in finding the entity they searched for, though they did uncover traces of bone which the other FBI team also reported finding.

'Great, the one holiday we get and it turns out to be as pointless as the BPRD,' Hellboy sighed heavily.

'Well something's been here,' Liz commented, flashing a small torchlight over the remnants. 'You don't think this entity just moved on to somewhere else? I mean there's not much evidence that this creatures around and we've been walking for hours.'

'Nah, we don't get that lucky...Abe and Belle might have found something though...they ain't checked in for a while.' Though as he reached for his locator, another voice spoke frantically over it...

'Hellboy! We've found something, you're going to want to look at this and- what, no!' the Agent gasped, the reception going unclear as Hellboy tried to get anymore information out of the Agent's. Though there was no response.

'We gotta get up there,' he said decisively, Liz close behind him as they left the door and walked into the corridor where the sound of wings beating was heard, the couple turning to the direction they had come in to see a swarm of bats flying right at them.

'Oh crap...' Hellboy cursed reaching for his Samaritan and pulling Liz closer to him as she also reached for her gun...

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~

'Abe...?' Belle had murmured, looking down at him and realising the awkwardness of the position they were in. Feeling the heat rising in her features, with Abe's skin tone also darkening at having this young woman upon him, Belle managed to move to his side, her wrists slightly grazed, though she was otherwise okay, yet she remained concerned for the merman beside her. 'Are you alright?' she asked in concern, seeing, the broken glass on the stone floor around him.

'I think so,' he responded, trying to sit up, and seeing the now closed over hole above them which had been covered by whoever had grabbed Belle.

'Did you see who it was?' Belle asked, Abe glancing up to what appeared to be there only exit before back into Belle's eyes.

'If it's who I believe it to be, then it was the man you saw in that painting...'

'But wouldn't he be...'

'Deceased...yes...that is why we need to find out who he is...' he returned in concern.

Though as they looked around, they recognised what they were in...a dungeon...a prison, the only wall not built up in stone being close off by iron bars that stretched along with a locked door in the centre, the lock rusted and old. Though it was outside the dungeon that worried them more...it was a torture chamber. The only weapons, shackles and containment areas being old but still dangerous...yet as Abe moved a little more a sharp pain began in his neck, Belle catching the slight hitch in his breathing.

Though as he went to reach to feel what was causing the pain, knowing it must have been the force of the apparatus breaking, Belle stopped him, placing her hands on his forearms, stilling him.

'Wait...' she breathed, tentatively reaching up herself and with a gentle touch running her light fingertips over the skin around his neck before looking around to the back of his neck in the weak light. 'Do you have your torch?' she muttered, Abe reaching for it off his utility belt and handing it to her as she shined the light over the cuts that were around the side of his neck and lightly over his tender gills, blue blood starting to emerge around the wounds. 'Oh god...' she breathed. 'We need to get this cleaned up...now...'

'Belle please I'm sure I can...' he started, though Belle continued to stop him.

'Just get Red or someone. We need to get the glass out before it gets any deeper and more painful...' Yet with the distance between them and the rest of their team, they were unable to get through to Hellboy or Liz.

So as Abe provided her with some things from a first aid kit he held in his belt, Belle took something to clean up the blood where the glass had cut into it. Though she worked delicately, careful not to hurt Abe...

'Please tell me if it feels too painful,' she remarked in concern.

'It's bearable...though I have to say it feels strange. After all I am usually the one who tends to injury...' he replied, not turning his head but continuing carefully, 'are you alright though?'

'Scared,' she admitted, knowing she couldn't lie to him, 'but I feel safe at least being with you...' she returned becoming a little hesitant as she finished, coming to sit beside Abe as she fiddled with her handbag.

'I'm not as strong as Red, you know,' he said with a weak smile, Belle looking up to him as she shook her head.

'You don't have to be,' she returned softly. 'It's the small things that help sometimes...' she continued more weakly, 'thankyou, by the way, for sending Red to help me...with Liam that is. It was a relief,' she admitted, 'I wanted to thank you earlier, but I didn't get the chance,' she remarked, Abe seeing her hands trembling slightly and resting one of his upon hers.

'It's alright...' he soothed, trying to calm the distressed clairvoyant that knelt beside him, Belle trying to keep her breathing steady as she looked into his eyes, searching for reassurance and comfort...something Abe ensured she had. Feeling her emotions, her fear, and wanting nothing more than to comfort her...

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~

As the hours passed by, news quickly spread of Belle and Abe's disappearance, it becoming apparent when Abe finally got through to Liz, explaining what had happened and trying to direct them back to where they were hidden away. Though they knew it would take some time to be found, and with this passing time the dungeon got colder and Abe's breathing a bit more uncomfortable with the lack of water passing through his gills. Though as Belle stood up after a while, she was still shivering, looking for any way out...Though with the fight that had gone on upstairs they had yet to be found, Abe and Belle learning of the bats that had attacked the team, Abe believing they were vamperic bats, though there was worse to come.

'Have you found anything?' Belle asked, looking to Abe who glanced up from the book he was reading through.

'yes...that man's...well King's name was King Lycaeon and as the legend reads, he was met by a group of men, claiming to be God's, though not believing it, he committed a dreadful act to test them, resulting in the God's anger. Thus, as punishment for this violent act, he was cursed to remain as a werewolf for the rest of his life, earning the conditions name of Lycanthropy to describe a man's transformation to a werewolf, in memory of the King's name.'

'A werewolf?' Belle remarked somewhat fearfully, 'then...that thing...it knows were here...' she breathed sinking to her knees again, Abe looking at her as her hands refused to stay still in her lap.

So coming over to sit beside her, Abe gently slipped off his gloves and offered them to her, Belle initially protesting though Abe refused to accept it.

'Please...' he remarked, 'you can't get so cold,'

'Neither can you,' she countered.

'I'm fine,' he encouraged, 'I promise.' Though as Belle went to finally accept the gloves, she put her hand on his, feeling only warmth against her hands while Abe felt how cold Belle's were, the young lady beside him finally taking the gloves and putting them over her own slender hands, the fit being near perfect.

'You really do care don't you?' Belle smiled, Abe looking a little surprised by her comment, though he surprised her with his response.

'Of course. I would never want any harm to come to you...' he remarked, Belle looking into his eyes with a curious gaze.

'Thankyou...' she breathed softly, 'I don't think I could have felt so calm if it weren't for you... she admitted, Abe's gills inflating slightly as he watched her.

'Well I, I mean it's been nice to have your company, well of course this isn't the most pleasant place to be, but-'

'It's okay,' Belle smiled, seeing how he was struggling to explain how he felt. 'I feel the same...'

Though as she glanced away, Abe noted how Belle seemed to consider something as she looking back to him when a voice spoke over her.

'Brother Blue? Tinkerbelle? Can ya hear us?'

'Down here Red, underneath the statue,' Abe called back, Belle and Abe keeping back as they saw a pool of light appear following a crash of the statue above as it got knocked out of the way.

'How the hell did ya manage to get down there?' Hellboy asked looking in.

'Well it wasn't by choice if that's what you mean,' Belle answered, Hellboy grinning as he questioned how they'd pull them up.

'Well if ya can't beat 'em, join 'em,' Hellboy shrugged, being about to evidently make his own way in when a voice overrode him.

'Zat vill not be necessary Agent Hellboy,'

'Johann?' Abe remarked in surprise,

'Ja,' he responded simply, a shapeless mass floating through the ceiling as Belle moved behind Abe, gripping his shoulder slightly.

'I told Agent Manning zat sending all of you in like he did vas a ridiculous idea,' spoke a somewhat echoed voice, Belle gripping Abe's arm and shoulder a little more tightly as she looked on at the ectoplasmic form that slowly approached. 'It iz alright Miss. Lucivia, I am nothink to be feared,' the voice continued calmly.

'Belle, this is Johann Krauss, our former boss and at one time Agent Manning's superior,' Abe explained calmly, 'normally he wears a containment suit, but he is as you see him.'

'A ghost...?' she muttered uncertainly,

'Not quite my dear, I am still alive is ze sense zat I am still here, though I simply lack a physical body. Though I do not believe you have much time. Zat verevolf does not look pleasant,' Johann remarked, the lock upon the door clicking as it freed them.

'Spoil sport,' Hellboy commented from above, Belle and Abe moving quickly out of the dungeon that imprisoned them and towards the main door they could use to escape.

Though as they made their way up a spiral stairway that was hidden behind the iron door, Abe encouraged that Belle stayed behind him,

'Please keep close,' he remarked, Belle nodding slightly, the sight of his neck worrying her with the evident would there...

'Do not vorry Miss Lucivia, ve vill protect you,' Johann added calmly,

'You can call me Belle,' she returned, still a little unsure of the floating mass in front of them. Though as they came to the top of the stone stairway, they were met with a hollow wall, filled in with a portrait...Yet as they almost fell out of the portrait and landing in the long corridor, Hellboy, Liz and the other Agents emerged from the side room. So seeing them on the floor, Hellboy found he had no chance to make any witty remark as they heard a low, husky growl; the team looking up to see a deformed wolf walking on all fours towards them, his brown eyes gaining an eerie gold sheen as his teeth bore fiercely...

Though as they Agent's prepared to shoot it, Abe and Belle quickly got to their feet, Abe bringing Belle behind him when the wolf stopped and growled,

'The girl. Give me the girl,' he growled, sinking low to the ground.

'Heh. Not a chance,' Hellboy retaliated, coming between them. 'So tell me, how does an ugly thing like you get brought back to life so easy?'

'The girl. The girl is the key,' it continued, not taking its eyes off Belle, who watched it with fearful eyes.

'Ze key to vat exactly?'

'They said my curse would be lifted, in exchange for the girl,'

'King Lycaeon,' Abe remarked, gaining it's attention as it bowed it's head slightly.

'No one has called me that in such a long time,' he returned, 'I was disgraced when I was turned into this hideous creature.'

'But you've been dead for years. Who has promised you this exchange?' Abe continued, trying to understand the motives behind it.

'A dark god. He is the one who will lift my curse,' he replied lowering his gaze, 'but I must have...the girl!' he half howled, setting to pounce when Hellboy threw himself at the beast, tacking it to the ground as they fought.

'Red! Don't just stand there, help him!' Liz yelled at the Agent's beside her, who at her words ran in to try and restrain it.

'What on earth do you kill this thing with?' One of the Agents called in exasperation, a bullet through the wolfs back failing to kill it.

'Erm, well let me see,' Abe said hurriedly, 'the only known form that seems to strike hard is silver bullets. Or something else that is genuine silver...though I don't know what we can use,' Abe returned, Hellboy flinging the wolf down the stretch of the corridor.

'Well this thing ain't gonna be patient while we think of something,' Hellboy responded heatedly, loading the Samaritan and firing constantly as the wolf made to run back at them.

'Wait! Hellboy what did you tell me your bullets were made of?'

'I dunno, just what any other bullet why-'

'The one's you make yourself! They're silver tipped, is it real?' she said back, grasping against Abe who kept hold of her, Liz watching this, as Hellboy understood her at last, snapping in the handmade bullet, when the wolf lunged at him, knocking his gun from his hand as the wolf went to bite at his throat, though Hellboy thrust his stone fist into his mouth.

'Sorry I ain't the type for love-bites,' he grumbled, punching the wolf back, when Liz threw him the Samaritan, Hellboy turning and pulling the trigger as it went to go for Abe in an attempt to get Belle, Johann also having gone in front of the pair to ensure their safety, when the wolf howled in pain, the form breaking into dust that fell to the floor as they all stood breathing heavily.

Yet the silence was not a lasting one as Manning spoke over the locator. 'Hellboy! I swear to god if you've just been messing around in there, you will regret it. I have had my men walking around for hours whilst you have probably been doing nothing to handle the situa-'

'Manning,' Hellboy interrupted taking his locator off his belt. 'You wanna do it. Then fine. You come and clear up the mess. But after fighting a damn werewolf I have only one thing to say to you. You can take us home and then back off for a week otherwise I will send you back to the bureau in the mail. Oh and you can come in here and deal with this cause we're out. I hope you brought a dustpan a brush,' he concluded sarcastically, removing his ear piece and turning off his locator as he took out a tin from his coat, meeting the tired, frightened and exasperated looks of his team.

'Cigar anyone?'

Yeah I like my one-liners, and for a particular reviewer who I know mentions it a lot, no cliffhanger this time around ;) haha!

I hope you all enjoyed, so much more to come, as Belle and Abe's bond is getting stronger, the origins of Belle's danger will become more apparent, and the enemy they are soon facing will soon come to light. Plus a whole lot of romance, comedy, action and other gripping car chases will probably ensue ;)

Anyway, thankyou for reading, please review and goodnight!

~x-xMasqueradeAngelx-x