Disclaimer: I only own the plot and any character that you do not recognize.

Summary: Van Helsing and Carl are sent to Moscow, Russia to protect a young woman who has caught the gaze of a newly resurrected Dracula. Gabriel is still upset that he could never explore his feelings for Anna and when he meets this new woman he finds himself intrigued, but she isn't that easy.

'This is the assignment.' Said Carl as the slide of a woman came onto the wall. Her hair a dark mass of curls and her skin a pale porcelain, but what really captured Van Helsing was the sight of her deep green eyes. They seemed sad, but fierce and he felt something erupt in his chest, much the same way Anna's photo had captured him.

'My assignment is a woman?' he asked Carl.

'Yes, you see Dracula has his eyes trained upon her and she needs protection. Her name is Melania Paslovich and she lives in Moscow, Russia with her younger brother Ivan. Both her parents are dead and she has been running their household since she was fifteen years old.' Explained Carl patiently.

'When do we leave?' asked Gabriel quietly.

'We?' replied Carl with a gulp as he followed Van Helsing towards the main floor of the Vatican.

'Yes, you're coming too.'

Carl remained silent as he crossed himself as he followed Gabriel up the stairs.

'Are you sure this is the right place?' asked Carl as he and Van Helsing stopped in front of a large, and impressive stone mansion.

'Yeah, that's the right place.' Replied Van Helsing as he adjusted his hat before urging his horse forward.

'C'mon, Carl.' He called over his shoulder as he rode up to the front door. He slid off his horse and knocked loudly three times. Carl stumbled next to him just as the large, ornate wooden door swung open to reveal a petite, blonde woman, her blue eyes tired as she viewed the two men in front of her.

'Can I help you?' she asked them, her voice heavily laden with her accent.

'Yes, my name is Gabriel Van Helsing and I was sent here by the Vatican.' He told her and her face lightened in recognition.

'Of course, please enter, your horses will be taken care of.' She told them gently as she ushered them inside as two men came and led the horses away towards the stables. The woman led them through the foyer and into the living room, both rooms richly decorated and warm.

'Sir Ivan, these men are from the Vatican.' She supplied gently as she bowed out of the room, leaving Van Helsing and Carl alone with a man who couldn't have been a day over eighteen. His dark green eyes tired and worn, his face held a few days stubble and his dark hair was shorn close to his head. He stood regally and bowed to the two men.

'My sister and I are greatly indebted to you, Mr?'

'Van Helsing, Gabriel Van Helsing, and this is Carl, he's here to assist me.'

'Of course, I do apologize but it seems that my sister was called away earlier this evening, but she should be home at any moment, if you can manage it I would like for you to sit with me a while and wait for her.' He supplied gently, his voice commanding but soft.

'I believe we could manage it.' Replied Gabriel as he and Carl sat across from Ivan. Ivan opened his mouth to speak but before he could manage it a loud slam was heard and the click of heels across the marble floor of the foyer, along with a feminine voice letting loose a string of curses in Russian.

'Melania?' called Ivan, his voice apprehensive as his sister came into view, her dark hair pulled into an intricate bun atop her head, and an emerald green ball gown adorning her slimmer frame. Her eyes were on fire and her mouth was set into a grim line.

'Melania?' tried Ivan once more and her answer shook with fury.

'I have never been so insulted in all of my life.' She told him and Ivan winced, seeming to know exactly what she was talking about.

'Now, Melania I just wanted to be sure you'd be taken care of when I was gone.' He tried to explain, but this answer seemed to infuriate his sister even more.

'I ought to… I should really…I am so angry I could just…' she couldn't seem to put her fury into words and instead walked over to the bookshelf behind Ivan and stepped up on the ladder before it. She dug behind a few of the larger volumes and pulled a dark green bottle out in triumph. She snapped the lid off and took a large gulp of the dark amber liquid. Taking a deep breath she started again.

'I am not property Ivan, and who do you think took care of this place when Mama and Papa died?' she asked him, a softer edge to her quiet voice and Ivan knew that this meant she was about to explode.

'I know that you did Melania but I just wanted to provide for you…' he tried once more but she cut him off with one look.

'You disgust me.' She snapped.

'Melania, I didn't exactly promise you, I just told the Count…' but Ivan trailed off at the sight of his sister's face.

'The Count, who said anything about the Count, Ivan, I was talking about James, why would you mention the Count?' she asked him, her voice shaking with fury and fear.

'I…' and he paused once again, as his sister caught him.

'You promised me to the Count?' she asked him and Ivan winced.

'Now, Melania, I didn't exactly promise you.' He replied as she started to remove her shoes.

'Start running Ivan.' She told him quietly as she placed her shoes next to the couch.

'Why?' he asked her as she removed her emerald earrings.

'Because I'm going to kill you!' she shouted as she started after him and Ivan had enough sense to run.

'Melania, I didn't mean any harm!' he called over his shoulder as his sister chased him about the room. Finally she pulled a dagger from somewhere inside her dress and tossed it towards Ivan with expert precision. The dagger sliced through his sleeve and pinned him to the wall.

'Now that you're just standing there, pay attention. I will not be sold off like cattle at an auction. If I do decide to marry it will be my choice not yours and I am disgusted at the very idea of you thinking you own me, now are you going to introduce me?' she told him as she turned towards Gabriel and Carl, who both looked shocked at her behavior.

'This is Gabriel Van Helsing and Carl, they're from the Vatican.'

'The Vatican?' asked Melania as she shook Carl's hand.

'Yes, ma'am.' He told her as she held her hand to Gabriel, who took it firmly but gently and brushed a kiss across her knuckles.

'Now why on Earth would the Vatican send the infamous Van Helsing?' she asked, her accent thickening her words.

'To protect you.' Muttered Ivan almost silently, but Melania heard him and let loose a string of curse words that would make any sailor's mouth drop.

'Men and their obsession with trying to protect me when I can do it myself.' She growled as she left the room without so much as a goodbye.

'Well, she certainly is interesting, isn't she?' whispered Carl to Gabriel, whose dark eyes flashed.

'Yes, very interesting.' He replied as Ivan began to show them to their rooms, all the while apologizing for his sister.

A muffled thump and a whispered expletive awoke Gabriel and he sat up in the dark. He heard another thump from downstairs and the sound of someone trying to close the door quietly. Gabriel slid out of bed, and neglecting to put on his shirt or shoes, padded quietly down the stairs. The sight that greeted him was not one he had expected.

Melania was standing in the foyer, a bag of weapons at her feet and her long, dark hair cascading down her shoulders. She had changed out of her ball gown and was now in a dark pair of skintight pants, a loose, blood red shirt wrapped around her and a belt tied around her waist just under the bust line.

Gabriel stood there in shock; she was the most ravishing creature that he had ever seen. So distracted by her beauty, he continued down the stairs and hit the thirteenth one, which, being true to the number, creaked loudly.

Melania spun around in surprise but it was Gabriel who gasped. She was sporting a wicked black eye and her lip was split. She was holding her arm close to her body, gingerly and when she spun to meet his gaze, he saw her eyes slide out of focus.

'Are you alright?' he asked her as he finished his way down the stairs.

'I'm fine.' She growled low as she spun back around and bent to pick up her bag of weapons. When she made it about half way down to the bag, she stopped and gasped.

'Melania?' asked Gabriel as he took a step towards her. She slowly straightened up, her good arm raised to her head.

'I'm fine, I swear.' She whispered before her knees buckled and she started to tumble to the floor. The only thing that saved her from further injury was Gabriel's quick reaction as he scooped her up into his arms. Her good arm wound around his neck and her long fingers tangled with the hairs at the nape of his neck, causing something deep in his chest to awake and growl in lust.

'I'm fine, I can take care of myself.' She half-moaned, half-whispered as she rested her head against his bare chest. Gabriel merely chuckled as he carried her into the living room and set her gingerly on the couch.

'Where's the first aid?' he asked her and she pointed him into the kitchen. He rooted around in the cabinets for a few moments before finding what he needed and he walked back to the living room to find Melania curled up on the couch, her eyes shut lightly.

'Melania?' he whispered and her green eyes slid into focus as she turned her head to look at him.

'What?' she asked.

'You have to sit up.' He told her and to his surprise she obliged and he sat next to her. 'What happened?'

' I just went out for a quick sweep of the area, plus I had to work off some steam. So I gathered everything up and, ouch!' she gasped as he started to clean the rather deep gash on her arm.

'Sorry.' He murmured as he gestured for her to go on.

'I gathered everything and headed out. I kept thinking that something was behind me but everytime I looked there was nothing there. Then I was blind-sided by something I had never seen before. It swiped me away like I was nothing and I slammed into a tree. Then it just started to destroy me, I have never been taken so easily in a fight. I managed to get my silver dagger from inside my boot and stabbed it in the shoulder, it took off screaming and I managed to get home, but I have no idea what the hell that thing was, and I'm not too comfortable with the idea of something I don't know how to kill running around my city.' She shuddered.

Gabriel nodded in understanding as he finished bandaging her arm and then started to wipe the blood off her full lips. When their eyes locked, Gabriel found himself having trouble breathing. Melania stared at his dark, stormy eyes and found herself connecting with him in a way she had never known before. He leaned in and so did she when the moment was shattered as Ivan came into the room.

'Melania!' he shouted as he noticed his sister's injuries. Melania sighed and looked down at her lap before responding to her brother.

'I'm fine Ivan, don't worry.' She tried to be reassuring.

'Don't worry, shvibek you look horrible.' He murmured as he kneeled at her feet and took her injured arm into his hands.

'Thanks Ivan, that makes it better.' She replied sarcastically as Gabriel gently loosened Ivan's grip on his sister and slid her arm into a makeshift sling. Melania smiled at him before standing.

'Careful.' Started Ivan, but Melania waved her good hand.

'I'm fine, just need some rest.' She told him as she started to walk away, but for the second time that night her knees betrayed her calm and strong front and she started to tumble to the ground once again. And once again, Gabriel's strong arms swung her up to cradle against his chest.

'We can't keep doing this, people will talk.' He teased and to his surprise she chuckled.

'Well, hopefully we won't have to keep doing this where people can see us.' She murmured in reply as she snuggled against him.

'Her rooms the third one on the left.' Whispered Ivan as he started to put away the first-aid. Gabriel nodded and started up the stairs.

'Are you sure you're all right?' he asked her quietly and when she didn't respond he paused on the stairs.

'Melania?' he asked as he looked down at the exotic beauty in his arms. She was fast asleep; the dark curls that framed her face making her look much paler and her black eye much darker. Gabriel sighed and shook his head, the last time he had fallen for a girl she had died. He had better keep his heart guarded this time.

He slowly nudged open her door and took in the sight of her room. The walls were a deep but almost cheery blue, the rest in pale grays and white. He gently set her on the silk bedspread and removed her boots before slipping her beneath the covers. She whimpered a little when her injured arm was moved, but to Gabriel's immense relief she didn't wake. He brushed her dark hair away from her face before tucking the covers close to her chin. Her good arm shot out and captured his wrist. Gabriel paused in his movements; he didn't want to startle her.

In her half asleep state she pulled his arm close and brushed an innocent kiss to just below his thumb on the inside of his wrist before letting go. Gabriel stayed rooted to the floor; that one innocent kiss had sent the strongest wave of lust through his body and his stomach had erupted into persistent and rather large butterflies. He slowly backed away from the side of her bed, before walking as quickly and silently as possible out her door, shutting it behind him.

He leaned back against the cool wood and took a couple of deep breaths before smiling to himself; he had a feeling that he was going to like this assignment.

'I heard that Lady Mel had a rather eventful night, is she okay?' asked Lilia, the blonde woman from the day before.

'She'll be just fine, she's still resting.' Replied Ivan with a warm smile and Lilia smiled back before bowing out of the room. Ivan watched her leave with an unreadable look in his eyes before turning back to Gabriel and Carl.

'What exactly does Dracula want with my sister?' he asked them and Carl shook his head.

'Well, we don't exactly know. After all you are countries apart, how he even heard of Melania is a mystery to us.'

'She's a good fighter,' interrupted Van Helsing, 'he probably heard of all the things that she's killed. But what he would want with her I don't know.'

'If you would tell me your family history, I might be able to find a connection.' Offered Carl and Ivan nodded.

'Of course, I will take you to the tower.' Ivan and Carl left and Gabriel stayed standing in the living room, watching the bloodstain on the carpet where Melania's arm had bled.

'Blood does not come out of carpet with a scrub-brush, I doubt that your staring would do the trick.' Came a teasing voice from behind him and Gabriel chuckled.

'Finally awake I see, your brother was starting to worry.'

'Ivan worries too much, I'm fine, thanks to you.' She replied and he smiled down at her.

'Well, I couldn't just let you bleed to death now could I?' he teased good-naturedly and Melania sighed.

'It was close.'

'Yes.'

'Thank you for saving me.' She finished much to Gabriel's shock, she had seemed too proud to say thank you, at least not directly.

'You're welcome.'

'Why are you here Mr. Van Helsing?' she asked him as she sat down. He sat next to her.

'To protect you from Dracula,' she started to interrupt but he shook his head, 'I know you can take care of yourself and that you don't want protection. Mine or anyone else's, but what you have to understand is that I have faced Dracula before and there is very little that can kill him, only a werewolf.'

'I know, you do not become a monster hunter without reading up on the most infamous one of all, your reputation precedes you, but Dracula can be resurrected so I doubt that even a werewolf could save us now.'

He just sat in silence and watched her, the deep bruise on her cheek and eye making a flame of anger ignite in his chest. Her arm was still wrapped in the makeshift sling, but she had changed her outfit once more. A dark pair of pants with tall black boots, a green and blue striped sash sitting on her waist and a sapphire blue shirt wrapped loosely around her thin frame. She hadn't bothered with makeup or doing anything to the beautiful curls that hung down her back other than holding them back with a bandana that matched the sash at her waist.

'Why are you staring at me?' she asked him and he looked up into her green eyes.

'Just wondering something.'

'What?'

'Why someone as delicately built as you would get into the monster hunting business.'

'My father was a monster hunter and so was my mother. It's a family business.'

'Why doesn't Ivan help?' he asked her sharply and she looked offended.

'He does, when I ask him to; he has to keep up appearances for the village. If I am lost it will not matter, he is the son, it is crucial that he survives.'

'What about you?' asked Gabriel in slight anger.

'What about me? I am not important, I fight I die, it is the way of the world.'

'It is not, you are just as important as Ivan.'

'Do not lie, Mr. Van Helsing. If you were to have kids you would want a son and you know it. Don't deny what is inside of you. I know how it works and I don't mind. This is my life, and I accept it. You should too.' She replied softly and for the first time in his life Gabriel was speechless.

'Melania, you're awake.' Ivan's voice broke the uncomfortable silence as he entered the room.

'Yes, Ivan, I am sorry for scaring you.'

Ivan rushed forward and embraced his sister, 'It is all right shvibek, I am just glad that you are alright.'

'Where is Carl?' asked Melania as she stepped out of Ivan's arms.

'He is in the tower looking for a reason that Dracula would want to harm you.' Answered Ivan gently as he ushered his sister to sit once more next to Gabriel. The two monster hunters exchanged embarrassed looks.

'I will get Lilia to make you some breakfast.' Said Ivan as he once again left the pair alone.

'I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said those things, I have no right to assume what your values are.' Apologized Melania.

'It's all right, I'm sorry for assuming anything about your life.' Replied Gabriel not looking up from his hands.

'So what do we do now?' she asked him and he looked over at her.

'About Dracula I mean.' She clarified and Van Helsing shrugged.

'I don't know, until we know what he wants with you we should just leave him alone, no need to anger him until it's necessary.'