Anastasis Pov

Down to the lobby, I caught no sight of the vampire hunters. Hopefully, they have not left for Mary yet and simply went to check their rooms. I began checking out and discovered this to be true as they entered the lobby from another hall. I keeped my back to them, hoping they would walk past me without identifying who I am. "Father Uffizi is waiting for us at a small church near the Van Helsing woman's home," the Russian man spoke as they exited the building. Glancing over my shoulder, I noticed he had his arm around a woman. Another hunter, perhaps?

'Heads up. They are headed outside. One is already halfway to Mary's house, and the others plan to catch up,' I figured I should warn Dracula in case he was waiting right out the doors. I really hope he would not be that foolish.

'Tsk, naturally I'm not that foolish, Stasis. I'm round back of the building. Do hurry before I decide to catch a meal before we leave.'

Was there someone in the back of the building, or was he just planning on luring someone there before I arrived? I waited a minute more to make sure the hunters had left and exited the building and rounded the large hotel. "You could have walked to the door and met me...shit!" Apparently, Drac's snack was none other than simple Simon Sheppard.

"Mary told me you were out and about... never thought you we actually here to find me. Or perhaps you have grown as obsessed with me as Van Helsing had. My charm does works on more than just slutish women you now..." Dracula yelled as Simon launched a silver bullet into his chest.

"Your next, bitch!" He aimed for me as I tries to interfere. But Dracula pulled out the the bullet shaking his hand of the silver burn and speed to Simon's side. Before Simon could reach he was disarmed and tossed against the wall. Pinned by the vampire.

I walked up to the two men. Speaking to Dracula first, "So this is the meal you were talking about? Could have just said Simon's here. Did you even warn Mary?" Dracula simply growled and nodded his head, never removing his angry gaze from Simon. "If you don't calm down Simon, it will be Mary who is next."

He looked to me with the ugliest look that I assume was extreme disgust, "You really think you two can manipulate me? Anna, you betrayed us directly, and he is Judas...," I interupted, "Don't call me that. "...for Christ's sake."

"Literally!" I whispered under my breath. Only then did Dracula snap his head yo me. I looked him dead in the eyes suddenly tired of all male presence, "Literally...for Christ's sake."

He flexed his jaw and Simon made a noise indicating Dracula's grip was getting tight enough to seriously hurt. His head slowly turned back to Simon, "That was not Mary's secret to tell...Now, she is in danger. Some vampire hunters are after me..."

"GOOD!" Simon yelled in triumph till it turned to a yell of pain and Dracula pulled and slammed the man back into the wall. God, he might kill him by accident out of inhuman strength and angry. Maybe he was torturing Simon on purpose.

"If they find out Mary has my blood and is not entirely human..." the next words were spoken slowly to make sure Simon understood, "...they will kill her too! I already warned her and she let her house to met us. You can come with us or I can kill you now."

Simon weighed his options. He even turned to me to see of I'd stop Dracula, despite being the apparent traitor I am, discovering I would not. "How do I know you are not lying to me?"

I turned to Dracula and waited for him to make the reply, "Because I would have no reason to let you live. I can kill you know without offering the option to live. I would, had I no need of you."

Simon sighed with frustration and understanding, "Fuck me!"

"I'd rather not!" I exclaimed and Dracula immediately released Simon to bring a hand to his head as he laughed himself horse at my statement. I gestured to the men to follow, "We need to hurry. They are already on their way to Mary's house. I don't want to risk them see Mary on her way to our meeting spot or searching surrounding areas for her learning she's not home."

"They're already ahead of us?" Simon asked, suddenly in a hurry to follow me as took his place beside me. I nodded in reply explaining that was why we instructed her to leave. Suddenly he suspiciously side eyed Dracula, "You can still communicate with her? I thought you released her from your bond together."

Dracula looked to me as if to ask if we tell him the whole truth or only half. I decided in favor of half, "She was released from being a vampire not their bond. She will always have Dracula's DNA as will her children and possibly her children's children before his blood leaves them." Simon tilted his head but ask no more questions.

"He would not have died Simon...So why does it matter if I saved all of us thinking he was only to get free again."

Dracula stopped dead as if he truely thought he could. Maybe he was being careful to see where I was going with this, "Careful not to giveaway all my secrets, Anastasis..."

Simon turned fully to me walking backwards, "What."

I stopped too, "Hanging him would not have killed him as he needs no air. Which is obvious by the fact he does not breath. Sunlight doesn't do it either, Van Helsing confirmed as much. Simon, you knew this as did Mary. You still would have stupidly thought he was dead for good this time. Leaving him there would have been more dangerous than just letting him live and keeping an eye on him. Which is what I'm doing."

"Right...First of all, we would not have left him there just in case. Second, I don't trust you. Either of you about any of this," he pointed to himself then between Drac and I for emphasis.

I pushed him aside as I walked one, "Nor am I asking you to. Just trust you are still alive for a reason! Trust Mary when you see her that she trusts us." Final I hear a sigh of defeat as he walks behind us as Dracula chuckles at Simon's anger. "You just had to draw attention to yourself Vampire and now I'm stuck with both of you!"

Dracula groaned as if he finally realized almost getting caught was not funny, "You worry too much my, Dear. Especially about someone you claim to only care about out of "righteous" duty. Besides, rather it be simple Simon than the other hunters, right?" Simon did not like earning his own nickname and the two men began bickering. This is going to be a long couple of days if neither kill eachother first!