At Carl’s words, those terrible words, Van Helsing felt his heart come to a dead stop in his chest. At his side, all the color drained from Gabrielle’s normally-ashen face, and her jaw dropped slightly, which she covered with her hand in a ladylike fashion. In her arms, Nickelia whimpered, as if she understood what was going on and it upset her, too.
The most heartbreaking and heartbroken reaction, however, came from Alexsei. He closed his eyes, his head dropping a little, his lips trembling and pressed together. A hand went to his face, over his eyes; his hand was trembling, too. He tried so hard not to burst into loud sobs, but his shoulders shook, and a few tears trickled down his face.
“D-D-Die?” Gabrielle whispered, the first to recover.
Carl’s head dropped even more, this time in sorrow, not in fear. “Y-Yes…unless A-Alana is d-dead b-before t-t-three weeks is u-up…C-Catherine will d-die…”
A long moment of silence passed. Finally, Van Helsing managed to recover from his shock, or at least enough to murmur one word: “How?”
Carl sighed. “Well, I, erm…I l-looked into f-fallen a-angels a b-bit…as it t-turns out…fallen angels h-have only t-two weaknesses: V-Vampire venom and s-spiritual darkness. Y-You see, if a f-fallen angel like C-Catherine is b-bitten by a v-vampire, and r-receives t-their venom…the v-venom acts a-as a poison, and s-shut d-down her nervous and m-muscular s-systems…b-basically, she w-would b-be s-slowly paralyzed, and w-would die w-within twenty-four h-hours…”
Van Helsing’s brow furrowed. “A-And…the s-spiritual darkness?”
Carl gave another heavy sigh. “T-The spiritual d-darkness…it’s different…The c-concept of s-spiritual d-darkness is t-tricky to e-explain, but s-spiritual d-darkness is s-something l-like w-what Alana is d-doing to h-her…o-overpowering h-her with d-dark m-magic. A f-fallen a-angel cannot h-handle d-dark magic, nor c-can it h-handle s-spiritual impurity. C-Catherine’s b-body is s-slowly s-shutting down…f-from the p-possessions…”
Gabrielle tried to calm Nickelia’s cries, all the while holding back tears of her own. “Is that w-why she…w-why she w-was c-coughing blood..?”
Carl nodded. “Now…after a few c-centuries, many f-fallen angels b-build up a stronger resistance to the s-spiritual darkness…hence why Catherine has lasted as long as s-she has…and why s-she can s-survive for t-three more w-weeks…but after t-that…”
Carl trailed off, but there was no need for him to continue. Everyone could practically hear Carl’s unspoken words: After three weeks, it would be hopeless. After three weeks, Catherine would die.
Jinette moved around the table, to Van Helsing’s side. “You must kill her, my good son,” he said, in a tone that was surprisingly soft and gentle for the often-irate cardinal. “And you must do it in three weeks. It’s the only way to save your beloved sister from a terrible fate.”
Van Helsing nodded resolutely. “I’ll do it.”
Alexsei, whose heart-rending sobs seemed to have subsided temporarily, nodded as well. “And I’ll accompany him.”
“As shall I,” Carl chimed in, putting on a brave face.
“And I,” Gabrielle said, straightening up.
“Ah, good,” Jinette said with the tiniest of nods. “Carl, you know what they’re up against. Help them get prepared for their assignment. I’ll send word to a stable-hand to prepare some horses.”
Jinette departed in one direction, while Carl went in another, towards the main armory, with Alexsei on his tail. Gabrielle moved to follow, but in a split second, the hunter’s arm reached out, and his hand fell upon her shoulder. She stopped, then turned to face her husband.
“What is it, Gabriel?”
“Gabrielle…” He took a deep breath and sighed heavily. “Gabrielle…please go back home. Please…please don’t come…”
“What?! But…why? Or, rather, why not?”
Another heavy sigh. “I’m worried for you, Gabrielle. For your safety. And Nickelia’s too…” He reached out to gently stroke his daughter’s tuft of dark hair. “I’m…I’m not sure of Alana’s relation to me, but I…I’m getting the feeling that she bears some strong ill against me, but she’s not afraid to take it out on you…”
“But Gabriel, it’s only a feeling. It’s not yet set in stone…”
“I’d rather not take any chances,” Van Helsing gently argued. “Gabrielle…you’re so important to me. You and Nickelia both. If anything happened to you, to either of you, especially because of one of my assignments I would never be able to forgive myself…”
“Gabriel…” Gabrielle’s soft but cold hands came to rest on his face. “I can assure you…nothing’s going to happen to me. But…I don’t want to worry you. If it makes you feel better…I’ll go back to Vaseria. But the first hint of trouble, I’m coming back and I’ll find you, wherever you are…”
A small smile played across Van Helsing’s face, and he pulled Gabrielle into an embrace, being mindful that she was still cradling a now-sleeping Nickelia in her arms.
“I love you so much…” he whispered into her wonderfully silky raven hair. He held her in his arms longer; a soft song began to escape his lips:
I close both locks below the window
I close both blinds and turn away
Sometimes solutions aren’t so simple
Sometimes good-bye’s the only way
And the sun will set for you
The sun will set for you
And the shadow of the day
Will embrace the world in gray
And the sun will set for you
In cards and flowers on your window
Your friends all plead for you to stay
Sometimes beginnings aren’t so simple
Sometimes good-bye’s the only way
And the sun will set for you
The sun will set for you
And the shadow of the day
Will embrace the world in gray
And the sun will set for you
And the shadow of the day of the day
Will embrace the world in gray
And the sun will set for you
And the shadow of the day
Will embrace the world in gray
And the sun will set for you
Van Helsing felt Gabrielle’s arms tighten slightly around his waist. “Be careful, Gabriel,” she told him. “You’ll be home in one piece, and that’s an order.”
He nodded, lifting her chin to look into her soul-piercing eyes. “An order I’ll be glad to follow.”
***
Leaves and sticks on the ground seemed to tremble as the team of horses galloped through the mountain pass just outside of Budapest. The carriage wheels rattled like crazy as the carriage-bearing the traditional Valerious family coat of arms, comprised of two rapiers crossed behind a crucifix-was pulled along behind the team of horses. Every small imperfection in the narrow dirt trail, every small twig or stone, caused the carriage to rattle around even more. Gabrielle was amazed that Nickelia-who was sleeping soundly within the carriage-had yet to let out even one small cry.
She sighed as she yanked on the reins, slowing the horses to a safer speed as they rounded a curve in the path that dropped off into a very steep gorge on one side. Those of the noble, proud-and often very stubborn-Valerious bloodline always stood tall, proud, and armed for battle in the face of adversity. No one in the Valerious family ever ran from an opponent. Never.
And what was Gabrielle doing? Running back to the safety of Vaseria while Van Helsing and all the other men went to battle.
But I’m not running away by choice, her mind argued. I’m running away because I don’t want to worry Gabriel. God…I want to be fighting beside Gabriel…But I don’t want to worry him. He’s always so worried, about me, about everyone besides himself. I’d love to see him happy and not so worried for at least once…
Suddenly, something slammed into the side of the side of the carriage, jarring it roughly. Gabrielle’s hand shot out, her lengthening nails digging into the upholstery of the driver’s seat to keep herself from being pitched off the carriage and into the dense woods that now surrounded the carriage.
“What in hell..?” she murmured to herself as she sat back up. She waited for Nickelia to start shrieking-surely, that last impact to the side of the carriage woke her up-but all her keen hearing picked up was the sound of a baby’s deep, even breathing of sleep.
But before she could breathe a sigh of relief, sharp talons dug into her back, and something lifted her from the seat of the carriage. Her assailant tossed her into the deep forests, as easily as if she was a rag doll; she heard loud whinnies as someone-or something-attacked the horses, forcing the carriage to stop.
Gabrielle hit the ground hard enough to send her head spinning and knock the breath from her. But she wasn’t down for long-strong hands grabbed her by her shoulders and the tops of her arms, lifting her from the ground and dragging her back towards the pass trail.
“Damn you! Let me go!” she snarled, struggling as she was dragged. “Hey! Are you brutes deaf or flat-out brainless? I said-!”
A strong hand clapped over her mouth, muffling her outraged cries. A man chuckled. “Ah, still the same little spitfire she’s always been. I do love the spirited ones. But by the Dark Lord, she’s so loud I can barely hear myself think!”
Gabrielle struggled to free herself, but the man’s grip on her face was tight. Finally, she parted her lips and attacked the man’s palm with her razor-sharp fangs. The metallic, coppery tang of blood exploded on her tongue…but this blood was cold and thick as it slithered down her throat, not warm and so easy to swallow, as human blood was.
It was vampiric blood in her mouth. Her captors were vampiric.
The man whipped his hand away with an angry hiss, inspecting his bitten palm. A second later, his hand made contact with the side of her face, sending her head spinning for the second time in less than ten minutes. Something cold and wet smeared across her cheek; she realized the man had struck her with the same hand she had bitten.
They finally cleared the trees, and were back on the trail. Gabrielle’s captors forced her to her knees; there was the sounds of wings cutting through the air, and a dark shadow passed overhead, before touching down before them.
It was a vampiress who landed before them, one in her demonic form, with sickly gray skin, massive talons for nails, wild, raven-black hair, and somewhat grotesque features. But as she landed, she metamorphosed; her large, gargoyle-like wings dropped limply, draping themselves over her form in the form of a long, form-fitting purple dress. Her skin paled, from sickly gray to white and pristine as snow, and her ice-blue eyes turned to a brown that seemed just as icy as the blue.
Gabrielle’s captors bowed respectfully, while Gabrielle herself gasped. She knew exactly who she was facing…
“My God…so, you’re Alana Tremarie…” she said.
Alana’s head turned, her brown eyes locking on the captured queen. “Ah…Princess Gabrielle Valerious? So, we met again! Running back home with your tail set firmly between your legs, I see.” She scoffed in disdain. “Whining coward of a vampire. Won’t even help your husband to save the life of your sister-in-law and your best friend…”
“You bitch!” Gabrielle growled, making a lunge for Alana. She simply snapped her fingers, however, and the two guards at her side dug their nails deep into Gabrielle’s arms, restraining her. Alana approached her and struck her soundly across the face, opening four large gashes across her cheek.
“You should learn to watch your tongue, Princess,” she warned. “I’m rather intolerant of whiny fledglings who decide to act cheeky with me. And let me assure you…compared to some vampires, I’m rather tolerant-”
A soft cry met the sensitive ears of all the vampires. It was coming from the carriage; Alana left Gabrielle’s side, strolling towards the carriage, opening the door…and taking out Nickelia. She gently cradled the baby in her arms, and a soft look came to her cold brown eyes.
“There, there, little one,” she cooed. “No need for tears…”
“Nickelia!” Gabrielle cried in shocked outrage. She started struggling even harder against her captors, not caring when the nails digging into her arms tore her flesh in an effort to keep her restrained. “No! Don’t you dare touch her, Alana! Alana, I swear to God you do anything to hurt Nickelia and I’ll tear your flesh from your bones, you loathsome wretch!”
Alana gave a sigh of disdain and annoyance. “Take Miss Valerious-oh, wait, I meant Mrs. Van Helsing-back to the manor. Place her in a secure cell. And Matthias…watch over her. Show her what happens to sassy fledglings who can’t hold their tongues…”
The blonde vampire on Gabrielle’s left chuckled. “With pleasure, my mistress…”
Alana turned away, still cradling Nickelia, who was still whimpering, distressed by Gabrielle’s shouts. She gently rocked the baby back and forth, calming her. “There, there, little Nickelia,” she cooed sweetly. “There’s no need for tears. I’m here…I’m going to take wonderful care of you…”
