Van Helsing

Jake got to his feet, eyeing his gun. "You want to make this difficult?"

 

Hannah stepped on the gun at her feet. "I know all hunters enjoy a game." She spat out the blood in her mouth. "I don't though." She flipped the gun into her hands and fired at Jake, hoping she wasn't too bad of a shot.

 

Jake yelled as the bullet grazed the side of his stomach. "You're better without the gun." He glared at Hannah and then moved forward.

 

"I'll fire again!" Hannah warned. "Stay away!"

 

Jake stopped right in front of the gun. "Do it then."

 

Hannah started shaking. She battled with herself for only a breif moment and then shot the ground at Jake's feet. "I don't want to kill you! Please, just go!"

 

Jake grinned. "I knew you couldn't." He hit the gun away from Hannah and grabbed her hands. "A soft blood sucker? I don't think I'll ever meet another like you."

 

"It's a shame if you don't." Hannah mumbled, losing her focus further. Dammit! Get rid of him NOW! She managed to get one of her hands free and punched Jake's jaw with all her strength.

 

Jake let go of Hannah, sliding backwards. "You make an interesting player." He rubbed his jaw. "I want to see how long this game can go on. The longer ones are more fun." He grinned and then went deeper into the forest.

 

Hannah exhaled and then stumbled over to Beatrice and knelt by her. "Beatrice," She gently shook Beatrice. "Beatrice... wake up."

Beatrice groaned and opened her eyes. "Hannah.... Are you okay?" She asked, trying to sit up.

Hannah helped Beatrice to sit against the tree. "I don't think so.... That was a werewolf...." She was gasping for breath now.

"Oh my God, Hannah," Beatrice supported Hannah as she swayed again. "What happened?"

"I bit him," Hannah laughed weakly at her own stupidity. "Twice."

"Aren't you not supposed to do that?!" Beatrice moved closer to Hannah to help her stand up.

"I do a lot of things I'm not supposed to." Hannah gratefully accepted Beatrice's help.

 

Jinx jumped away from Will when the shot rang out. For a second the shock cleared her mind. "Stay away from-."

Will already had her back in his arms and was laying on emotions heavily. "What was that sweet heart?" he murmered.

"I... what... was... what was that shot?" Jinx stumbled over her words, relaxing against her will into his arms again.

"I don't know, probably nothing..." He replied, soothingly.

"Beatice and Hannah..." Jinx tried to put her thoughts together but she felt so calm and happy to be in his arms. This is where I'm happy...

"Oh, your two... friends..." Will shook his head at the word. "I'm sure they're fine. But why you care about them I'll never know." he pulled her tighter in his embrace. Here it begins, this should be easy now.

 

"We should get back.... I don't know... how loud that... gunshot was...." Hannah's knees gave out.

Beatrice held Hannah up. To her surprise, it was as if Hannah weighed only a few pounds. "Hannah?"

"Sorry," Hannah muttered, trying to support herself again.

"It's okay," Beatrice assure her. "I'm going to make sure you're all right, Hannah."

"I will be." Hannah said. "I don't think Van Helsing will be though."

"He'll just grab a gun and run out here." Beatrice smiled.

 

"Will, they're my friends..." Jinx tried to argue, she felt a little annoyed that he had said that, but it was a faint annoyance and didn't last long.

"Yes, I know dear... you think that..." Will sounded almost sad for her. "Dear, I really want to ask you something." he started.

"What is it?" Jinx actully felt bad that he sounded sad.

"Will you leave them and come live with me? I'll take you home, we'll go back to how we were." Will let go of her waist and turned her so he was holding her shoulders and looking into her eyes.

"Leave them?" Jinx sounded dazed and confused but trust wrapped up her heart and she smiled softly, "I..." the smile faded as thoughts tried to break through her feelings. "They're my friends, the first ones I've had in a long time... I can't leave them..." she thought outloud.

"Friends..." Will spat the word out in disgust, surprising her, "Are you sure that's what they are?"

 

Jake placed a hand on his side as he took the long way back to the town. It was healing quickly. With the third player, this game will be the most intriguing I've ever been part of.

 

Van Helsing sat up in the carriage, rubbing his head.

I thought I was pretending to sleep, not passing out on myself, he thought, jumping out of the carriage.

He walked over to the tavern and saw Carl getting them rooms. "How many rooms have you reserved with your tiny bit of money? Paying for the lady now, too?"

 

Edward led the horses and the carriages to the stables and set them up with fresh hay and water. The carriages would be cleaned by some men the next day from the stables.

Lestat, he began reluctantly. Where are they?

 

You're not going to like this, Lestat began. He was lying in his own tavern room he had rented, just above the barroom. There's a stupid hunter out there, almost as dumb as your legendary Van Helsing. It almost got them... Hannah and Beatrice. Don't explode, he cautioned strongly, breaking Edward's mind again with his harsh, shattering tone of voice. Wait for them to come to you... oh, he added with a grin. The hunter is a werewolf.

 

Carl shrugged, "I got two rooms, that's all that's availble. And I actully have a bit more money than you think, although the ladies might want to pay for themselves. i don't know. We'll ask when they get back." He glanced out the window.

"Y, yes..." Jinx answered, a little afraid of how angry Will'd sounded.

"Oh really." Will sighed and pulled her close to him again. "Jinx... I'm worried about you. I know you won't like it, but I've been keeping an eye on you lately... and I keep thinking..." he trailed off.

"What is it Will?" Jinx asked, surprising herself by putting her arms around him as well. that's not right is it?... but it feels right...

"I'm sorry Jinx, but I keep being afraid that hunter will kill you." Will admitted.

"Why would he kill me? He knows I don't hurt humans anymore..." Jinx asked, dissaporval in her words. Though that too disapeared in a new wave of emotion, fear.

"Darling, it's his job. You don't actully think he'd care about you do you? You're a vampire, sweet heart."Will brushed a strand of hair from her eyes and looked into them, concern written all over his face.

 

"Put me down." Hannah told Beatrice. "Go get something for yourself."

"But," Beatrice protested. "You need something too."

"Not when my stomach will reject it." Hannah pointed out. "I don't feel well enough to eat, Beatrice. Just go get something."

Beatrice reluctantly put Hannah back down. "What if he comes back?"

"He won't." Hannah assured her, leaning against a tree. "Trust me."

Beatrice nodded slowly. "I'll be as fast as I can."

"Don't do that. You'll run into a tree." Hannah attempted a smile.

 

What? Edward snapped, Lestat's pain not bothering him in the least. I let her go for one second... you... were you there?

Not waiting for Lestat's answer, he stomped off toward the tavern, finding Van Helsing and Carl inside.

"Let's go upstairs," he hissed, ignoring several stares from local people at his half-nakedness. "Now."