I'm continuing with this at long last, for it has a good plot and I missed writing it! I hope I still have reviewers and can get this story going once more!

Chapter 15

The corridors of the mansion were silent, for night had fallen and the few household occupants had gone to bed. All except Van Helsing, who had awoken from his slumber earlier than preferred and he had taken to exploring the aged manor. With his senses on naturally high alert, the occasional sighs of Countess Jocelyn Dracula caused him to start, for she had taken to drifting out of walls right when he least expected it.

Van Helsing was sure he was imagining it, but he appeared to be receiving an accusing glare every time she came into view - which in itself was becoming oddly frequent He turned the corner into a gloomy aspect of the manor, where cobwebs hung off the ceilings in thick sheets, clinging to the surrounding décor. Dust had settled densely over the surrounding walls which had turned dull from the years of being untouched.

He stalked by a dark window. The skies were on his side tonight, for the heavens were heavily clouded and the moon was nowhere in sight. He was sure that it wouldn't be much longer until something terrible happened, for it was a curse, and curses tended to have disastrous effects on the victim. Part of him feared it may happen on the night they wait at the gypsy camp, which a day away.

Brushing aside cobwebs, Van Helsing strode down another corridor; his foot falls silent on the clogged carpets. He recognised the corridor from his earlier tour with Marian, and once more he could see a painting obscured by the dirt that lured him closer. None of the other paintings gave him much interest.. But this one..

He gradually crept towards it, extending a hand to brush the cobwebs away from the face it concealed. The tender brown eyes of the face stared out of the painting, the pale face of the figure within being revealed as the cobwebs fell away. A young woman sat in the portrait, a small, almost hidden smile crafting her lips. Clearly of high wealth, she was adorned in a long periwinkle blue dress that billowed out from her hips. Locks of deep russet were curled and lavishly piled atop her head. Van Helsing stared up at the figure, his eyes searching her painted face. The yearn for recognition was tremendous, but he could find no name to match the familiar woman that sat upon the canvas in oil.

He pulled back from the portrait with a small frown, turning to continue down the corridor. It unnerved him to feel familiar about something in Count Dracula's old residence, the thought that they had past connections, as Dracula had hinted, sickened him. But as Jocelyn had said.. he was a good man at first, then something went horribly wrong.. it must have.

Further down the corridor, he stopped in front on a tapestry that was as heavily covered in cobwebs as the rest of the corridor. However, he had noticed Marian's name on the lower half. Knocking away cobwebs her full name was revealed, 'Marian Elsador' his hand trailed up the golden line that had been stitched into the dark red fabric, her parents, Gwendolyn Williams and Carlos Elsador split off to their own parentage. The Williams continued few another two generations until it led to Lucas Williams who had joined in matrimony with Emmeline Dracula. Van Helsing stared at the name, eyes trailing from Emmeline to her mother and father. Vladislaus Dracula and Jocelyn Hartford.

Emmeline..

His fingers lifted to lightly press against the sewn name. "Emily?" he whispered to nothing in particular.

"Van Helsing?" came a voice, and he whipped round to stare at Marian as she came around the corner carrying a nightlight. The soft flame of the candle flickered in her motions, the light casting shadows in the contours of her face. Noticing Van Helsing's originally expectant face, she frowned a little, "Is everything alright?" She was obviously clad in her nightwear, but a thick dressing gown swathed her narrow frame.

Van Helsing stood silently, his hand dropping from the tapestry and falling by his side. "I'm fine," he said softly.

"What are you looking for?" she persisted, coming closer. She raised the candlelight to view the now visible tapestry. Her eyes shifted back upon Van Helsing expectantly as she stopped in front of him.

Van Helsing slowly raised his head as he watched her face. "I'm looking for answers," he murmured softly, a frown creasing his brow.

Marian stared up into face for a moment longer before glancing back at the tapestry. "How does this help you," she asked, her fingers lifting to knock away some of the crumpled cobwebs that Van Helsing hadn't completely removed.

"That name," he said, "Emmeline Dracula. It's familiar."

"But.. that was hundreds of years ago.."

"I know," Van Helsing shook his head to himself. "But I have no memory beyond the days the people I work for found me."

Marian looked intrigued, "Well, what do you remember?"

There was a small smile on Van Helsing's face as he remembered replying the same to Carl, "I remember fighting the Romans at Masada."

Marian's eyebrows lowered into a confused frown. "Who are you, Van Helsing?"

"I don't know," he answered truthfully. "Nor do I know why I am here. I age.. I grow.. But I remember things I shouldn't. But God.. God wanted me here for a reason." His head bowed slowly, "Dracula said I was the Left Hand of God."

"You're here doing Holy work?" asked Marian, looking in awe all of a sudden.

"So it seems," confirmed Van Helsing. "Until when, I do not know. Glimpses I get, I can only imagine that when I die.. I come back and begin once more," he slowly glanced to her. "But they are normal lives, these glimpses, I'm a soldier.. or a blacksmith.. or a farmer. But this, this life now, God sent me to work against evil, he's finally made me find the work he wanted me to do. But how I connect to Dracula so much? I don't know."

Marian slowly glanced at the tapestry. "Emmeline is the one who ran away," she said softly. "I can help you find out more. Her room remains on the top floor – perhaps you will find something?"

Van Helsing nodded his head slowly in answer, without speaking a word. With a small smile, Marian turned, leading him towards the distant staircase and began to ascend. Following the candlelight, Van Helsing proceeded behind her.


A closed door sat at the end of a long, dark corridor. The candle Marian carried bobbed along as she walked on ahead. She lightly turned the dusty doorknob and entered the small room. Van Helsing followed her in, peering around the room he was brought to. It was every inch a wealthy woman's bedroom, with the furnishings exquisite, decorations lavish.

Marian moved towards the chest of drawers, placing her candle on the surface as she began to rummage inside. "This might help you," she said as she turned to him, now holding a small green book. "A diary. I've never looked in it myself, but it might hold answers for you."

Just then, Countess Jocelyn floated in through the far wall, watching the scene with a vague interest. Marian paid her no attention, clearly used to her unexplained arrivals. But as Van Helsing raised his eyes upon her, the pearly white figure was watching him with cautious eyes.

Frowning, he took the small book carefully in his hands, flipping it open to a random page and peering down at the tiny, delicate inscription that sat on the old delicate pages. His eyes scanned the paragraphs of text, his eyes happening upon his name several times. With a quiet gasp, he turned to the next page, meeting the final page of text. Here he froze. Staring at it.

"What is it?"

Van Helsing cleared his throat softly before he read aloud, "'I plan to leave tonight with Gabriel. My father will surely try to find me, but maybe this is the only way I can make him understand that I need no riches nor a powerful man by my side. We intend to marry. This is the last I shall ever write, for my future does not lie in my endless rambles, but with the man I love, Gabriel Van Helsing.'" He slowly raised his eyes to see Marian watching him with a small expression of surprise. Jocelyn was still observing him out of the corner of her eye. "You know!" Van Helsing cried at the ghost, "you were her mother, you must know!"

"What I know is impossible, for a mere mortal could not survive as long as I have."

"What if I am not a mortal?"

Jocelyn raised her head slowly, allowing her eyes to settle steadily on Van Helsing. "What is your name?"

"Gabriel Van Helsing," he said, eyes locked upon her. "The same name in this diary, the same name your daughter wanted to marry."

"Gabriel.." repeated Jocelyn softly, eyes trailing the man's face. "Yes.. your eyes. I see it now. But then you were murdered.. and I can only assume my daughter married another."

"Who killed me?" asked Van Helsing, only then realizing his hand was trembling about the book he held.

Jocelyn turned slowly, her head bowed. "My husband. He never agreed to his daughter marrying a blacksmith." And with that, she disappeared through the wall.

"Answers," said Marian softly as she watched Van Helsing's face. "What you wanted.."

"No," replied Van Helsing quietly, "Answers come and bring more questions. Dracula killed me, and then I was raised once more. Why? What purpose?"

Marian shook her head slowly, "Isn't it obvious?" she whispered. "To kill the man Vladislaus had become. The creature. It must be. You were raised until you finally met the man who had killed you – to kill him in return for the monstrosity he had become. The son of the Devil. You are the left hand of God, Gabriel. God knew what Vladislaus would become and he wanted you there, to meet him, to know him so eventually, you could destroy him."

"He was murdered in 1462.." Van Helsing frowned down at the diary. Then noticing the ring he wore. Dracula's ring. "I murdered him.. then he made the deal with the Devil to be immortal. With him dead.. I have no more purpose.."

"Then perhaps, this is your last life Gabriel. I suggest you live it well before your final blow."


I hope that made sense!

Basically,.Van Helsing's purpose for thousands of years was to meet Dracula and kill him before he turned into the Son of the Devil. Of course, lives are lived and things happen. Dracula murdered Van Helsing, who in turn was raised to murder him in return. But after, Dracula succeeded in his deal with the Devil. When Van Helsing died once more, he came back with no memories as he did everytime he died. Then one day, eventually, he found the Vatican who led him in the right direction.

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