Van Helsing

"Thanks for joining me," Van Helsing said, looking at Jinx as she ran up beside him. "You'll have to show me to the stables. I don't know exactly where they are."

 

"Can't you smell it?" Jinx asked, wrinkling her nose, and then smiling. "This way, it's just around the corner."

 

Hannah rose and went to sit next to Edward. "I promised I'd tell you about last night," She began, staring at the floor. "Edward... I lost it.... I went after a girl."

 

"That's true," Van Helsing said, wrinkling his own nose. "And..." he continued as they reached the stables and went inside. "I do... not see our lovely companion. I bet she went into town to find some food. We should wait for her to get back... and for Carl to get here."

He went over and sat on a pile of hay, leaning back and sighing.

 

"A girl?" he repeated, putting an arm around her. "I don't believe you... I mean, that doesn't sound like something you'd do. What happened?"

 

"Ugh, I hope they hurry up. I don't like being so close to so many animals." Jinx leaned against the wall of the inn instead of the stables.

Carl came runnin around the corner and stumbled to a stop infront of the two. "I, I'm here!" he gasped, trying to get his breathe.

"Jeeze, did you run all the way here? Why'd you do that?" Jinx laughed.

 

Beatrice lay against Sorin in a stall, still sleeping. Sorin perked his ears up at the entrance of the three companions. He burred quietly.

 

"She just... smelled so good. I- I couldn't..." Hannah bit her lip and shook her head, not wanting to continue.

 

"Hey," Edward soothed, pulling her close to him, shocked she was so upset. "It's okay, right? You saw her but you didn't do anything. That's all that happened... isn't it?"

 

"So..." Van Helsing began. "Forgive me if I already asked this question, but how do you become a vampire? I know Hannah's story, that's for sure, but you... I don't remember."

 

"You don't remember because I never told you." Jinx replied.

Carl leaned on the stable's wall, watching them a little nervously now that the topic was actully out.

"Let's see, how did it happen..." she thought silently for a few moments, her face showing how she tried to remember herself.

 

Hannah shook her head again. "I tried... I went for her...." she shut her eyes. "But Elijah came...."

 

"I'm just curious," Van Helsing said, leaning forward now. "Oh, and Carl," he added, looking at the friar. "You needn't worry. She won't bite."

 

"The man from the butcher shop?" Edward asked slowly. "He seemed odd, but not... wait..." Edward shifted so he could take hold of her wrists. He turned her palms to look at the fading burn marks.

"What aren't you telling me?"

 

Hannah kept her eyes on the floor. "Elijah doesn't like vampires...." She closed her hand into lose fists to hide the marks. "The girl was his sister."

 

Jinx nodded, "Yeah, I'm not a newborn." she grinned at him, showing her teeth alittle.

Carl shivered. "So, your two friends are..." he gulped, "Vampires... O, okay... I'll trust you, Van Helsing"

"Yeah, so where were we? Oh yeah." Jinx took a breathe and put her thoughts in order. "Well, if I remember correctly, a vampire named William changed me. He found me on the street. Maybe I was walking home or something, I don't know. But anyway, he lead me somewhere where I couldn't be heard. I remember being afraid, terrified of him, how beautiful he was..." her eyes sort of went off into her memory, as if she was telling what she was seeing, not what she remembered. "He bit me in the neck, told me how good my blood smelled. I knew what he was then, and I was confinced I was going to die. Then I don't know what happened next, but I know it hurt more than anything I've ever felt before. When I woke up from the pain..." she stopped, shaking her head to wake up from the memory. "Well, that's how I was changed." she ended, abruptly.

 

"Doesn't like vampires," Edward repeated. "Did... did he do that to you? Your hands?"

 

Hannah could only nod. She was going to keep the finer details between herself and Jinx.

 

"Hmm," Van Helsing replied. "I don't suppose you knew this William before. I mean," he added, "we don't want another John coming in here. Edward will aleady rip that man apart if he ever comes back."

 

"Why didn't you tell me?" Edward asked, anger rising in him. "I could have done something! Last night... if I'd gone with you..." he faded off, shaking his head. "If I see that man again, the worst that could happen is what you could do to his sister, trust me."