Van Helsing (Cont.)

"Anna shoot!" Jinx hissed, seeing the woman stop. "Do it before he kills someone!" she watched Hannah punch Dracula and shot a look at Van Helsing to see if he could move enough to help kill the vampire.

 

Van Helsing saw Anna and shouted after JInx: "Shoot him! Shoot him now, Anna!" He fired the last dozen arrows of his round at Velkan, hoping to hit him as much as possible. "That's not your brother!"

Dracula smiled at Hannah. "Just as I thought; your emotions show plain as day. I assumed that if you would sleep around with a werewwolf you would learn to protect your weak, open mind."​

 

Edward's whines of pain turn into groans as his adrenhaline slowed and his shape changed. He found himself trying to clutch his hands into fists but couldn't, both of his arms crooked and broken in several spots.

"Hannah," he managed to say, his voice laced in agony. "Don't listen... let it go..."

 

Velkan whimpered, his eyes locked with Anna's.

 

"No," Anna breathed. "He's fighting back. If we could just find the cure-"

"You don't know anything," Hannah growled, her solid black eyes boring into Dracula's. "I'm not weak!"

 

"Anna, stop stalling! If you can't kill him now, he'll kill you." Jinx saw the pain in Anna's face but they didn't have time. If she doesn't do something soon, one of us will have to kill him...

 

Van Helsing raised his eyes and pulled out his gun, filled with silver bullets and pointed it at Velkan. "I'm going to kill him, Anna, if you don't!"

Dracula laughed ligtly at Hannah. "Let's not argue, shall we? It's a waste of time, isn't it? I'd rather you just let me fnish your boyfriend and let me get acquainted with the rest of your party."​

 

"Stay away from him," Hannah ordered in a low growl.

Anna's shaking hand pulled the trigger; the bullet hit the floor in front of Velkan.

 

Van Helsing shook his head and gave Anna a look before unloading all six of his silver bullets into Velkan's chest.

"Oh, it's not him I'm interested in anymore," Dracula spoke, as if it were obvious. "I'm more interested in your little blonde friend over there... she's smells so... interesting..." His gaze landed on Beatrice.​

 

Hannah stepped to block Dracula's view of Beatrice. "She's the last one that you'll ever get your claws on."

Beatrice stood frozen. After all her tough talk, she couldn't find the will to make her legs move. I'm scared.... I put too little thought into this and now I just want to run away.... I can't do this.

"Velkan!" Anna cried out, kneeling beside the werewolf as he collapsed onto the floor.

 

Van Helsing ignored Anna and kept his eyes on Dracula, putting his gun away. "What could you possibly want with Beatrice?" he asked.

"Don't understand much, do you, Gabriel?" Dracula taunted, still eyeing Beatrice. "Hannah, you know you're no match for me, and neither are your friends. Your little mutt is already broken on the floor and I barely touched him."​

 

Bet you're wishing you'd taken my offer about now, little Bee? Lestat muttered to Beatrice, happily drifting around the castle with no real destination in mind. I told you, but you wouldn't listen...

 

Hannah stayed her position, her anger at a boiling point. "Match or no, I'm not letting you lay a finger on her."

Pressure pushing down on her, Beatrice came to one conclusion: I want to go home.

 

Jinx watched Dracula. "You won't touch her." she growled at Dracula, "None of us will let you." she stated.

 

Van Helsing smiled at Jinx's fury, knowing that Dracula could see the agreement in his eyes. "You'd best leave Beatrice out of this."

"Beatrice?" Dracula repeated, shifting his gaze to the blonde girl once more. "What a sweet name... a little Bee. You seem helpless, little one, with that look in your eyes. You want to go home, don't you? I can help; just one favor and I will send you wherever you'd like, without consequence. What do you say?"​

 

Edward's breathing was ragged and suffering, his cracked ribs hardly moving under his fur coat that was matted with blood and sweat. Finally, he couldn't hold on anymore; he let go of his focus and melted unsteadily back into his human form, shaking and coughing on the floor half against the stone wall.

He swallowed and opened his eyes, groaning when he saw the damage done to his arms: all four main bones were openly fractured in several areas, the bright white of the marrow on his pale skin that was coated red shockingly clear. He tried his best to swallow again, letting all the wanted tension in his arms fall away, as each of his muscles tried to clamp around the extruciatingly enflamed wounds.

"Bee," he managed, turning his head on the floor slightly to see the girl just in the corner of his vision. "Don't... Bee..."

 

Beatrice's full attention turned to Dracula's offer. She was about to blut out her answer when Edward spoke. Her mouth closed and she was forced to contemplate whether or not to accept the offer. It was tempting. She wanted to go home, back to her normal life, rather than stay in the mess she was in now. But Edward had spoken against it, and she took his opinion seriously more than the other's. Her pain stricken eyes turned to the floor as she thought.

 

"Bee listen, just ignore him."Jinx didn't take her eyes off Dracula, wary of his movements. "He's only lying to you so he can use you as another bride."

 

Van Helsing nodded to Jinx's words, resisting the urge to waste any more ammo on Dracula.

Dracula smiled at Beatrice, the gesture almost warming depsite his cold eyes and demeanor. "I understand," he began now. "It's tempting, isn't it? But you don't want to upset your friends or go against their wishes. Let me tell you something, little Bee..." He took a step forward, his eyes locked on Beatrice's. "If they really do care about you, they'll let you do what you want most... and that's going home, yes?"​

 

Beatrice hesitated for a moment and then nodded numbly.

"Beatrice," Hannah growled. "You're making a mistake."

Velkan raised his head to meet Anna's eyes, a low moan escaped his muzzle.

Anna reached out tentatively to the werewolf that was her brother. She flinched when his large paw raised slightly and moved towards her, but she did not back away. Gingerly, she placed her hand on the paw. The fur stripped away, leaving a human hand in hers.

"Anna," Velkan gripped his sister's hand. "Forgive me."

Tears pricking her eyes, Anna shook her head. "You're going to be okay, Velkan. We're going to get you out of here." She waited, but there was no response from her brother.