Van Helsing

"Better," Lestat gasped, catching his breath as he held Edward by the throat three feet off the ground. He could hear the thick, heavy tree creak as Edward smashed against it.

"Don't worry about her," he whispered in Edward's face, showing his fangs. "John won't kill her. I'm just getting you out of the way."

 

"Who the hell are you?" Edward gasped. "And how are you... holding me still?"

He could see the groud below him, but the man's- no, the vampire's - face in front of him frightened him the most; the outdated attire, the rich, curled hair, and the pitch black eyes whose irises were molten gold.

 

Jinx shook off his hand. "Fine, take whatever precautions you want, but let's go before they become prey." she wanted to sprint off right then, but she could see the logic in Van Helsing's words, for once. "Whoever is going to stay, stay. I'll make sure no one knows who we are by sight. good enough?" she asked, making sure she ddin't sound sarcastic.

 

"Lestat de Lioncourt," the vampire breathed, tightening his one-armed grip on Edward just to see him gag. "And I can hold you because I'm more powerful than the d.amned werewolf venom mixed in your blood."

He shook Edward violently, making the man's head snap back and forth alond the tree's bark. "And I don't like being asked questions," he added softly.

 

If Hannah could take action properly, she would have fought back, or called for help.

John smirked. "Remember this feeling?"

Hannah managed to turn her head away, only to have John force it back. "What more do you want from me?" She asked through the fog that was clouding her head.

"Six more months with you by side." John murmured, his voice low and smooth. "After that, you'll want to be there. After that, you won't have a choice. So make it easy on yourself and just give up now."

Hannah couldn't respond; she knew it was true but she wasn't about to 'just give up'. She tried to move, to do anything, but the force of John's hands and eyes on her didn't allow her to do more than breathe.

John sighed. "You're still as frail as a human." He looked at Hannah's shoulder. "After two shot wounds you came to me?" He raised an eyebrow. "Not the brightest thing to do." He lightly bit Hannah's neck, enforcing most of his self control. He pulled back, watching her blood flow from the small holes. "I wonder how your little group took that." He said, referring to the sight of Hannah's blood.

The small snap of pain cleared the fog in Hannah's head only a bit. She could feel and smell her blood now. "Edward...."

John covered her mouth again. "He isn't something you should be thinking about. If I was you, I'd be worrying if the vampire holding me was about to drain me."

Hannah didn't comprehend what John said; the fog was working its way back over her to the point where her vision blurred.

John ran a finger through the tiny streams of blood on Hannah's neck. He smelled it for a brief moment and then licked it off his finger. "Still just as sweet."

 

"I don't give a d.amn what you like or not, Lestat," Edward growled, but was utterly terrified that he couldn't move.

I'm using all my strength! How in Christ's name can he hold me with one hand?

"I don't know you and don't have a quarrel with you," he began now. "Let me down and I won't harm you."

 

Lestat laughed. "Edward, I know you love John's girl, but you can't seriously think about being with her permanently, can you? Let her be with what she's meant to--"

 

A surge of unexpected rage rushed throuhg Edward's veins and he lashed out at Lestat, barely missing the man's face. The vampire dropped him to the ground.

"Don't call her that, you son of a b.itch," Edward snarled, on all fours now, his head tilted up to look at Lestat. "I will kill you."

 

"Oh, there have been times in my life when I would have welcomed it," Lestat yawned, turning his back on Edward and staring at the moon through the trees. "But John only means to separate you and Hannah so he can have her. And don't try that..." he said suddenly, turning around now. "Try to contact her with your thoughts and John will hear him... then she'll die."

 

Edward swallowed and stood, using all his physical strength to control himself.

"What interest are Hannah and I do you?" he hissed.

 

Hannah's eyes closed.

"I'm not getting anything out of you this way." John mumbled, dropping Hannah. "You're already my vampire and you still can't resist me."

Hannah pulled herself to a sitting position, the fog slowly clearing from her head. "And you blame me for that?"

John looked down at Hannah, his black eyes scorching. "I shouldn't? You're weak Hannah. And you've resorted to animals! You are what you are; act like it. You smelled the girl, tried to take her, but you were interrupted. Go again, I won't stop you and I'll make sure you're not. You wanted her, you still do. Take her!"

"No!" Hannah yelled while she had the strength to. "I am not a monster!"

"That's right, you're not." John was kneeling next to Hannah in one swift movement. "Monster's aren't as breathtakingly beautiful as you are. You are a hunter. Human's think they're at the top of their 'food chain', but they're not. We are higher than them. You're not a monster, you're a predator." He stroked Hannah's cheek. "Do what your instincts tell you."

The fog was starting to return. Hannah tried to push it away, but to no avail. "Stop...."

John cupped Hannah's cheek in his hand. "Why? I can hear your heart; you're enjoying this."

"Please...." Hannah begged. She wanted to disagree; her heart was racing from fear not excitement.

John opened his mind a bit further, making sure Edward could see everything that was going on.

 

"I'd like to help you," Lestat began. "I know what you want the most and I also know it's something you can't achieve without me."

 

"Oh really?" Edward snapped, walking up to Lestat so they were face to face. He was only an inch or two taller than the vampire, yet his eyes still frightened him more than anything else. "What would that be?"

 

"Her," Lestat said plainly, raising his eyebrows as if it were obvious. "And you can't have her while John lives... and you can't kill him because she will die with him."

 

"And how in Christ's name can you manage killing John and keeping her alive?" Edward snarled, his eyes glaring a deep shade of green. "I don't believe you."

 

"Christ has nothing to do with it, believe me. I know more than any other living vampire, Edward," Lestat whispered. "All the old secrets... everything anyone would wish to know about... well, the rules, as it were."

 

Edward laughed, not understanding. "You take me out here as if you're going to kill me slowly, and now you're telling me you want to share a secret about how to kill John?"

 

Lestat grinned again, and Edward shrunk back away from the man's teeth. "I'll tell you something, Edward," he began. "I've been in situations like yours, Hannah's, and John's. I did the wrong thing and had to make some... bloody changes to right them. I'll save you that trouble; I've been alive to long to watch you three ruin everything. Now, you will leave me in a minute. Just run back the way we came, but do not change. If you do, John will kill her. Go back that way, and get Hannah back from John. Without my powers restraining you, you can take him; I could feel the strength in your veins. Then go on your way wherever you two are headed. John and I will see you both again soon."

 

"You haven't told me a thing!" Edward snapped, and reached out to grab the front of Lestat's shirt. The vampire easily sidestepped his grab and shoved Edward with one hand, sending him flying back against the tree he had been pinned against minutes ago, making it shake and creak once more.

 

"Do what I say," Lestat snapped, sighing as if he were bored with him now. "I will talk the details with you later."

He turned again and walked off next to the nearest tree, became part of its shadow, and vanished.

I won't go too far, Lestat chuckled to himself, drifting along. Let's go see what the dog does...