Before the sun rose Adrianna pulled herself from the blankets leaving her softly snoring son to his dreams for a while longer. It gave her a moment alone to finally edge towards the burned down house. It was hard to look at the blackened skeleton that had once held such wonderful memories for her. But she knew she had to at least face this; how else would she face what she would likely find herself in front of before long?
Even the ground around the house had been scorched, piles of ash long since dashed away marked the stone with its memory. Taking a tentative step to the wreckage, Adrianna raised a trembling hand to the lopsided doorframe. Surprisingly it held under the light pressure, certainly feeling stronger than it looked. A testament to her family's name perhaps. Charcoal crunched beneath her boot as she dared to step further beyond that doorframe. For a moment the darkness melted away revealing a living room decorated with warm throws, lush plants that she had tended to daily sitting on window sills, shelves, corners of the room. Several paintings had hung on the wall of their family from a time when smiles had been easier. Books had been stacked across the table, ones she had read and many she had not, even a few medical texts she had once tried to read but their meanings had evaded her.
Spotting a glimmer amongst the blackened wood Adrianna stooped to brush aside debris and burned wood that had once belonged to the roof. To her surprise a golden locket appeared from within the rubble, a familiar piece she had been sure would have been lost. Whether to the fire or scavengers afterwards. And yet here it was. It almost looked unmarked though the intricate detailing across its front had been lost no doubt to the heat of the fire, but dusting it against her leg revealed the golden glimmer that still shone true. For a moment she dared not press the clasp. Did she want to see if the inside had remained unscathed? Before she realised the click of the clasp startled her. Adrianna's heart squeezed painfully. Inside the locket lay a beautiful flower forever frozen in crystal, its brilliant red petals still as vibrant as she remembered and its yellow centre dazzling like the sun. The delicate Romanian peony had been her favourite flower.
Something creaked above her. Adrianna quickly looked up just in time to see a large chunk of floorboard give way. A hand grabbed her arm swiftly pulling her aside as it crashed into the rubble where she had been seconds before.
"I think perhaps it's not entirely safe in here," Van Helsing advised quietly though this time he was quicker to release her.
She hated that she wished he didn't.
"Sorry, I couldn't help myself," she admitted quietly, allowing herself to be led out of the house, tucking the pendant into her pocket for now.
Clearly the sound of the crumbling house had woken the last of the group, Carl all but leaping out of skin as he looked around wildly, still half tangled in his blanket roll. Adrian had wisely grabbed his pistol, crouched above the blanket ready for a fight that had not yet arrived. Once he saw his mother and Van Helsing he quickly calmed, setting aside the pistol with a long relieved sigh.
"Good lad," Van Helsing praised, "not so much you Carl. You'd be dead already."
"Really!" Carl's voice almost broke as he glared at the Hunter, "that's what you're meant to be here for, Van Helsing!"
"Really? I thought that was what the Cardinal sent you for?" he reminded with a grin that made the friar all the more flustered.
"It's fine," Adrianna interrupted, lightly slapping Van Helsing's shoulder earning a chuckle from the man, "Adrian would have protected you."
Said boy held up a thumb in agreement.
"Somehow that doesn't make me feel better," Carl sighed dejectedly.
Back in the saddle, the group rode through the mountains once more, heading back to the more traversed path but it didn't take long before they had ridden through a dense forest to find the town of Transylvania. Buried between trees and with the mountains at its back, it was certainly nestled away from the rest of the world. Deciding to leave the horses a little ways away from the town, they headed for the main gate on foot. Van Helsing's large bag strung across his shoulder carried the huge automatic crossbow she had seen back under the Vatican, its golden detailed handle poking out. It would be a miracle if anyone didn't try to rob them after seeing that alone.
Though as soon as they stepped into the town a chill settled on the group. It was enough to make Adrianna step closer to her son, her hand almost twitching for the sword at her side mostly hidden by her coat.
"Is it always like this?" Carl muttered, his hood pulled up though it did little hide his furtive glances around as people suddenly began to gather around them.
Each person looked as haggard as the last, dressed in hard-worked clothes with many boasting patches or un-mended holes. They each shared the same haunted look to their weary faces. And many of them appeared to be carrying improvised weapons from farming tools to axes.
"Pretty much," Van Helsing answered coolly, idly pulling the brim of his hat down a little further.
She noticed he stepped a little closer to herself though she wasn't sure how she liked the odds of the near on hundred people that surrounded their group of four.
Reaching a large well raised in the centre of the town, it having long dried up judging by the lack of water and dried green algae around its basin, Van Helsing dropped his heavy bag to the ground before turning to address the villagers. Immediately they shied back from his look and intimidating physique but it wasn't enough to send them scurrying away. That alone told her just how much these people had likely been through not to find him threatening enough to leave. Adrianna found her hand resting on the hilt of her sword just as a voice sounded behind them.
"You! Turn around and show me your faces!"
The commanding voice thick with the Romanian accent wasn't familiar but Adrianna had an inkling that she knew who it was, recalling the information the Cardinal had given them. Turning to face the newcomer who stood atop the fountain behind them, she was greeted by the perfect picture of Anna Valerious that they had seen beneath the Vatican. She certainly looked better than most of the villagers around them, her lithe body toned from battle and a harsh life. Long dark hair fell in waves around her almost porcelain perfect face while dark eyes glowered down at them warily. She may have been dressed in richer clothing but the look in her eyes spoke of hardship much like the villagers. As did the weapons at her hips.
"Why?" Van Helsing asked, purposely not raising his face so that his hat hid him from view.
Sometimes it didn't pay to be a wanted man.
"Because we don't trust strangers," she replied with hands on hips, a sword hanging at her side dangerously close to one of her hands.
"Strangers don't last long here," a man crooned behind them, his long wispish white hair trailing down the grizzled face from beneath a grave keeper's hat.
He took out a large wooden ruler as he spoke, seeming to measure up Carl who shifted nervously on the spot. As he dared to near Adrian, Adrianna sent a challenging glare at the grave keeper and making sure to show the hilt of her sword as she did. He soon backed away.
"We're here to help," the hunter finally looked up at Anna still calm despite the tense situation they had found themselves in.
"I don't need your help," Anna replied defiantly.
It could have been pride but there was something there that Adrianna recognised; strength born from loss. She was a woman who had learned to fend for herself because that was all there was.
Van Helsing's eyes flickered past Anna just as Adrianna caught sight of movement in the sky sending a chill down her spine, "Oh really?"
In a matter of seconds he had drawn his crossbow gun and aimed it at where Anna stood. Her eyes widened as she ducked only to reveal the huge bat like women flying towards them with a loud shrieking sound, talons and shark-like teeth bared. Their hair flew wildly in the wind, their pale grey bodies almost having blended into the overcast sky. Vampires. Chaos broke out in the town as the shout went up, people fleeing for potential safety in their homes. Carl hit the deck as Van Helsing began firing his new toy at the three flying vampires sending tens of silver bolts flying through the air. Adrianna hurriedly drew her sword, its silver blade flashing in the dim light. Only now did she notice the sun had been hidden by thick clouds.
"Stay close!" she demanded of her son, "we watch each other's backs, understand?"
"Right!" Adrian agreed, drawing the pistol he had been gifted and loading the revolving chamber with a click.
A shriek alerted her just as the air shifted. Spinning she caught sight of a dark haired, grey skinned woman flying through the air towards her. Adrian' revolver unleashed several rounds that struck the vampire leaving dark holes in its chest. Despite her screams she continued towards them unhindered. Adrianna spun her blade, stepping into the path of the vampire. Ducking beneath the outstretched claws she flicked her wrist, spinning the sword to slice upwards. The vampire screamed, the sound jarring Adrianna's senses and almost deafening her as it tumbled across the ground, a long slice cutting through its leathery wing. The vampire skidded to a halt, leaping to her feet in one fluid motion before fixing her with icy eyes as her wing healed slowly. The creature's mouth seemed to extend revealing a long, lolling tongue and overly long canines.
"Bitch," it hissed at her, "you'll pay for that!"
As she took flight, those great wings flapping powerfully, a sudden hail of silver bolts sent her barrelling away. Van Helsing spared them a brief glance just as Anna re-joined his side and silence descended. No attack came. No hellish screaming. Nothing.
Where had they gone? Clearly Adrianna wasn't the only one thinking that as several villagers dared to leave their houses again hoping that the coast was clear. The sun peeked out from beyond the clouds offering a reprieve. A noise from the nearby well made them all spin towards it. Slowly, Van Helsing and Anna neared the well's edge before peering over it, aiming his crossbow gun into its dark depths as the world suddenly grew dim once more.
"Van Helsing!" Carl whimpered as he caught sight of the phenomenon.
Not a moment later a blur of grey flesh shot up from within the well sending the two flying back but not before it grasped Anna by the shoulder, hauling her away. Van Helsing hurried to run after them, leaping until he had caught Anna's legs, his added weight bringing them down until the vampire let go with a hiss. The sound of Adrian' gun behind Adrianna alerted her to the danger before her son's shout even registered. Claws grabbed her arm and suddenly her feet had left the ground. Adrianna let out a cry of surprise, wide eyes taking in the ground that was getting further away before instinct kicked in. Swinging her sword upwards she managed to slice at the vampire's leg, only able to lacerate the appendage but it was enough to draw a shriek from the creature. The claws around her arm let go likely on instinct leaving her momentarily hanging in the air. And then gravity regained its hold on her and she fell.
Adrianna hit a rooftop hard, knocking the wind out of her as she rolled across its slope and over the edge. Panic settled in her mind as she desperately tried to grasp something, anything, to stop her fall, her sword falling over the edge where it landed blade first to the mud below. Fingers finally bit into the wood of an open window, the jolt of her sudden stop jarring her shoulders with a cry of pain.
"Mother!" the distant shout from her son broke through her pain.
That was until clawed hands suddenly grabbed hers from within the building, a sneering pale face leaning over hers.
"We're not through yet!" the vampire hissed before effortlessly pulling Adrianna inside, tossing her against the back wall of the bare bedroom where a single half-broken bed covered in moth-eaten linens rest.
Adrianna saw black for a moment as her vision swam until she forced herself to gasp for breath, ignoring the ringing in her head. Stumbling to her feet, laughter echoed through the room, bouncing through her skull.
"Pitiful human," the vampire teased as she sauntered over.
Adrianna made to reach for her sword only to remember dropping it outside. Damn, she'd left her spare by Van Helsing's bag. A clawed hand grasped her throat, pinning her against the wall though not too tightly, it was certainly enough to keep her there. The dark haired vampire leaned in closer with a winning smirk.
"Though I do prefer men, hot-blooded women are a fine vintage indeed," she leaned in closer before pausing, sniffing loudly.
Slowly the vampire pulled back, narrowed eyes looking Adrianna over.
"You smell familiar human."
"Get off her!"
The yell surprised them both before the vampire found herself being thrown across the room. Adrianna sagged against the wall, holding her tender throat as she tried to keep her knees from buckling. Grey eyes blinked in surprise. She had half expected Van Helsing to be stood before her but it was someone shorter. Adrian now stood between her and the shaken vampire. For a moment she was sure his eyes were glowing brighter than usual, the young man had hold of her silver sword and held it defensively before him.
"If you touch my mother I will kill you," he hissed with venom she hadn't heard before.
The vampire shook herself once more, standing tall until grey skin faded to peach, wings becoming folds of material in a breezy, light dress that barely covered her skin.
"How sweet to see such familial love," the woman glowered between them but rather than rush in she surprisingly kept her distance, "such a strong boy. I wonder how you will taste."
"Try it," Adrian growled, his grip tightening on the sword hilt.
Suddenly the woman stumbled, eyes widening in horror before she began shrieking, holding her face as her skin changed once more becoming grey and dead. With a cry she tore through the ceiling sending splinters flying. For a moment they remained there unsure but the sounds of the screaming vampires grew distant quickly. Adrian' shoulders dropped finally before he quickly turned to his mother, worry etched on his pale face as he hurried to her side.
"I'm alright," she offered him a small smile, resting her hand against his shoulder to help her stand, "thank you Adrian. You were very brave."
"I told you mother, I'm here to protect you this time and I meant it," he reminded her, taking her arm around his shoulder to help her steady herself, eager to be out of the rickety building.
"I know son, I know."
She would have to tell him the truth soon.
Tentatively leaving the deserted house, Adrianna leaned against Adrian for a moment as she took a steadying breath finally feeling like her brain wasn't sloshing around her head. Van Helsing stood by the church steps, turning furiously with searching eyes that finally stilled as he caught sight of her. Relief washed over his tired and aching features as he dropped himself onto the steps with a wince. Wearily shuffling over to join him and Carl, the friar looking shaken but still on edge, she too dropped down beside the Hunter.
"Alright?" he asked quietly.
"I'll be fine. You?"
"I'll be fine."
She couldn't help but let out a tired chuckle at that, leaning against his strong shoulder; it felt like he often carried the world on those shoulders. Her humour quickly died at the sight of the villagers pressing in once more around them, discord echoing between them as they announced that he had killed a Bride.
"Now they will kill for revenge," hissed the grave keeper from before, leaning against a pitchfork.
"Nothing makes this lot happy, does it?" Adrian remarked with a glare towards the nearing villagers.
"Just who do you think you are?" demanded the grave keeper as the crowds around him began to part.
"That is the infamous Van Helsing," announced Anna as she strode through the throng of people somewhat bruised and nursing a bloodied lip, "your reputation precedes you."
She stopped in front of the weary group, unreadable eyes fixed on the Hunter. Slowly Van Helsing rose to his feet with a quiet grunt of pain.
"I told you, I'm here to help. And by the looks of it, you need it."
She eyed him up and down though Adrianna couldn't help but notice the appreciation she held in her gaze, a look that seemed more than just gratefulness for his aid. It shouldn't have sparked a sting in her chest, yet it did. Scowling to herself, Adrianna too pulled herself to her feet as Anna suggested that Van Helsing had earned himself a drink, inviting them to the Valerious castle. So what if a beautiful, strong woman who clearly knew how to handle herself, looked at him like that?