Van Helsing (Cont.)

Hannah sat up instantly and looked around until she met Jinx's eyes. She shook off her nightmare and asked, "Jinx, can we talk? Alone...?"

Alone? Beatrice thought, surprised. But she never wants to talk to Jinx. She told me she didn't like the idea of spilling her guts to Jinx. Why would she want to talk to her ALONE now??

 

Jinx looked at her in surprise since Hannah hadn't even moved when she'd carried her all the way there. "Eh... okay. We can talk in the other room if you want." Why does she want to talk to me alone?

 

Hannah got up swiftly and took Jinx by the hand and out the door. "I was awake before you came to the carriage." She confessed in a low voice. "But I honestly didn't want to move. I want to ask you something... You've had a lot more experience than me... Did you ever... kill someone close to you?" She spoke lowly and quickly, too quickly for a human to catch any of her words.

Beatrice folded her arms. Hannah's acting a lot different.

 

"Let you be?" Van Helsing cried, slamming the door and turning to glare at Edward. "Why don't you solve this whole problem right now before Jinx and Carl get extrememly angry at me for yelling at you when you deserve it: tell us what the hell you've been doing behind our backs. Then there wouldn't be a problem."

 

Edward frowned, folding his arms across his chest. "I still have the same interest as you," he muttered stubbornly. "Why do you need to know every thought in my head?"

 

"Same interests, huh?" Van Helsing sighed. "I doubt it; you see, I dont want to get into Hannah's pants and mess around-"

 

Edward stepped forward swiftly and swung his fist at Van Helsing, catching the man just under his jaw. He kept his arm extended, his voice half a growl when he replied, "Enough. I don't really need to hear that right now, trust me."

 

Van Helsing tilted his head to the side, shifting his jaw till it cracked back into place. He grimaced, stepping back from Edward and pulling his gun out of its holster at his side. "Touch me again and you won't have to worry about a word I say anymore."

 

Edward stepped foward, swinging his arms out wide, exposing his bare chest. "That's not the smartest idea," he whispered. "I can have Lestat here in a minute."

 

Oh, you wish, Lestat chuckled in Edward's mind. Stop it, already. Once your girlfriend comes in here with her buddy and sees you two like this she'll not be happy. We need her on your side. Stop it!

 

Hannah grit her teeth and shook her head. "Never mind. It was stupid of me to ask. Just forget it. Besides, the boys are making so much noise I wouldn't be surprised if the whole town has heard them." She turned around and went back into the room. "What the hell are you two doing!?" She shouted at Van Helsing and Edward. Her head throbbed painfully and she gripped the doorway frame for support. "This is exactly what I meant when I said I didn't want to miss anything, Edward!"

 

"It's okay," Edward said calmly, lowering his arms but keeping his eyes on Van Helsing. "I was just about... about to tell our friend what I learned in Rome... clear some things up."

 

Van Helsing swore under his breath and put his gun away, giving Carl a look that said "Gentle works, right?" and sat on the nearest bed. "Well, talk... friend," he said aloud.

 

Good, Lestat murmured in Edward's head, his voice quiet instead of painful. But that's all you say, understand?

 

The wood of the doorway frame cracked underneath Hannah's hand. "It didn't look like that." She muttered. "Fine then. I'm interested as well."

 

"I told you already," Edward muttered at Hannah. "You want to know what I did that morning alone before we left? I found out the only way to kill Dracula."

 

"How the hell could you manage that?" Van Helsing snapped, amazed.

 

"I have my ways," Edward muttered, not really wanting to remember right now. "But the point is I know and I'm willing to tell you."

 

"Are you planning to use the information as leverage for my attention or something?" Van Helsing sighed.

 

"No," Edward replied, almost sweetly, turning his head and winking at Hannah. "Werewolf venom."