Price to.. Do we have a deal?

All day long, the Count watched as Katie slept soundly in her bed. Her long golden hair spread across her pillow like a sweet angels mane. Her lips moved ever so lightly as she inhaled soft breaths. How delicate she was. She was strong... yet so delicate. Like a sweet dove, it’s wings broken and it’s feathers clipped. He jumped down from the beam he had watched her from and came beside her. He watched her lay there, a moan escaped from her lips once and a while. So she was dreaming. The Count’s grin fell slightly as he could guess whom she was dreaming out. His hands clenched into fists, but he released them. He knew all in good time Katie would forget the name of Gabriel Van Helsing and his spell would cover her head to toe. He reached out and ran his long fingers delicate in her hair. Like honey, it was. Sweet honey drizzling down to her shoulders.  He moved forward and leaned down, staring at her parted lips.

One kiss wouldn’t hurt, would it?

Had she ever been kissed? No, never, no one had kissed this poor child. That’s what brought her here in the first place. He stared at her soft pink lips and grazed his lips over them gently, teasing her in his sleep. She moaned slightly, but did nothing else.  The Count kissed the very edge of her mouth and ran one finger down her cheek. Her kiss would come in time.

He looked up and saw the  sun starting to sink into the sky behind dark clouds. He smiled and slipped into bed beside her. He wrapped his arm around her stomach and the other hand stroked her beautiful hair. He closed his eyes and fell into a gentle sleep. Katie would soon be his. That he knew for certain.

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Van Helsing rode as quickly as he could through the dark forest, never once letting his horse slow down. His stead seemed to sense the urgency and charged with all his might, not letting a singe thing stop him.

Van Helsing could only think of Katie and her lasting gaze as the Count stole her from him. The look of fear and horror in her eyes as the monsters' leather wings tore up the sky.

“I will set you free.” Gabriel whispered, “You have my word.”

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High in the sky, the brides of Dracula soared in happiness at the thought of a daughter. All three of them laughing and cackling in joy as they thought of times to come. Teaching her to fly and feed, racing her as one of their own... The very thought brought tears of joy to their eyes.

“There he is!” Marishka suddenly squealed with glee, “There he is, and his little companion.”

She pointed down to the earth below at two horses galloping across the ground. One ride was dressed in leather and wore an old hat. The other was a friar, dressed in dark brown robes. Aleera cackled at the sight.

“It would be a shame for us not the say hello.” She said to the others.

“Then come, sisters,” Verona said, “Let us go and great him!”

In screeches of delight, they flew down to the hunter and his friend.

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Van Helsing heard the cackles and looked up at the sky.

“The Brides.” He whispered. “Carl, pull back!” He called the friar and has his horse slow down until they were side by side. The Brides laughed and cackled as the two stood together, unsure of their next move.

But Van Helsing was very certain of his next move. He felt a searing anger rise to his chest. Those monsters had caused him more than enough pain.... now, by taking away Katie, they had gone too far.

Carl saw the look in his friend’s eyes. He had seen it only once before... and the result had not been good.

“N... Now Van Helsing.” Carl gulped, “Remember, don’t do anything irrational.”

“I’m not.” Van Helsing said, his eyes blazing with fire as he pulled out his shot gun, “I’m going to kill them. YAH!” He gave his horse a good kick and rode towards the flying brides. Carl just gapped.

“YOU CALL THAT RATIONAL!?!?” He asked, giving his horse a kick to follow Van Helsing, “I need to talk to the man.” He whispered to himself.

Van Helsing road towards the brides, a merciless look on his face. He pulled his Stallion to halt as the brides halted before him too, wondering exactly what he was doing. They giggled to themselves and looked at Van Helsing’s face.

“Tell me where she is...” He said, “And I shall let you live to see another night.”

“Over my undead body.” Aleera said and shot forward... only to find herself impaled on a sliver stake. Van Helsing tore the stake from her side and shot her full on the chest with a shot gun. Marishka and Verona screamed as they flew towards Van Helsing... but he worked quicker than lighting, taking Marishka’s head off with a sword and striking her heart. He then turned, impaling Verona on the same stake as Aleera! She fell to the ground in a scream of pain and fear.

It was over quicker than it had begun. Van Helsing let out a roar of anguish and raised the sliver stake above his head to impale Verona one last time....

“VAN HELSING! STOP!” Van Helsing winced as a small hand caught his own. He looked over to see Carl grabbing his hand.

“Enough of this!” Carl said, pulling the hunter back. “They’re dead, let’s go!”

“Let me go, Carl! They’re the reason that Katie’s gone!” Van Helsing tried to pull away, but Carl held furm.

“No, you popinjay!” He spat, “Can’t you see what’s happening!??!”

“I AM-” Van Helsing cut himself and turned back to the bodies of the three brides. One dead, one beheaded, one gasping for breath. These past moments had been nothing but senseless rage and anger as he had torn them limb from limb. He dropped the sliver stake. In his rage, he had destroyed his one chance to see Katie again.

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Dracula felt it. Each one of them meeting their fate as Van Helsing’s anger brought them to their doom. He heard their screams and the pain... before the connection was severed. He felt the anger boil in his heart as he starred out the icy window.... but the anger left as soon as it had came.

He had known his brides could not match Van Helsing’s... love for his new prisoner, though he had hoped that had not been so. He would have so liked to have seen his brides mothering a new member of the family. But his heart raced at the thought of having a new bride all to himself. Especially one as beautiful as Katie.

“You served your master well, my lovelies. And your passion shall not go unnoticed.” He gave a smile.  He vowed Katie would grow into a stunning bride of Dracula.... just like her mothers before her.
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“She’s gone...” He whispered, realizing now that the brides were dead, finding a way to castle Dracula was lost. He looked at the bodies of the three brides, each one used and betrayed by Dracula. And now... Katie would become the same. “I have...”

“You love her, don’t you...” a soft voice whispered.

Both Carl and Van Helsing turned in shock to see Verona laying on the ground, blood pooling from a wound in her chest. They leapt from their horses and ran to her, careful not to get to close if she attacked again.

“What did you say?” Van Helsing asked, kneeling down beside the fallen bride.

Verona took a deep breath, Van Helsing could see her eyes fading from a bright green to a soothing brown... the color they had probably been before she became a vampire. She smiled at the monster hunter.

“You freed me from Dracula’s spell.” She whispered, “Now I can die in peace.” She reached for her left hand and removed a small opal ring, handing it to Gabriel.

“Touch this to the cold waters of the earth and a path will be revealed.” She whispered, before her eyes closed and her body turned to ashes as her sisters had before.

Van Helsing closed his eyes and made the sign of the cross before standing up. Carl looked back at him,

“Van Helsing, where are you going?” He asked. Van Helsing mounted his steed and then turned to Carl. He looked Carl straight in the eye as he spoke.

“Carl... I won’t lose her again.”
~*~*

I awoke after a long nights sleep. My eyes felt heavy, as thought they had been loaded down with sand. I shook off the downy sleep of night and tried to rise from my bed. That was when I saw my surroundings. The beautiful victorian walls and the bed made of silk. The memories came back to me like water flowing to the ocean.

“Sleep well, my darling?” I spun around to see the Count laying there beside me, his eyes as powerful as a lion stalking it’s pray. HIs hands clutched me to his chest. I shuttered.

“What did you do to me last night?” The Count smirked.

“Nothing you wouldn’t approve of. You are, after all, not my bride yet.” He smiled and pulled me closer, “But you will be soon.” I could feel his face burying itself in my hair.

“You sick pervert!” I snapped back at him, “What makes you think I will be your bride?”

“You must.” Dracula touched my face before I slapped his hand away, “Or do I need to remind you yet again of our little bargain? It would not be the first time I would have to... remind you.”

My mind flashed back to two nights ago. The howling wolf...

I leapt from his grasp and staggered away. I stared at him.

“You sent that wolf after us!” I gasped.

“Correct. Things were getting to out of hand... so I felt it was best for me to step in and reclaim what was rightfully mine.” He rose from the bed and began to walk slowly towards me.

“YOU MONSTER!” I cried, tears of anger streaming down my cheeks, “You set me up! You were always gonna make it so you won in the end! You were never gonna let Van Helsing kiss me! You tricked me into this!”

“And yet, you have no one to blame but yourself.” Dracula’s voice was almost mocking.

I fell silent, almost unable to comprehend what he was saying.

“You had your chance to get out of this little bargain. You could have walked away any time... but you stayed... all for the slim chance that Van Helsing would look at you. I was never going to let him kiss you... but you were never going to give up the chance.”

I looked back at the Count, unsure of what I was going to say. I could hear the Count’s soft laughter in my ear. He had appeared behind me. I gasped and tried jumped away, but his hand caught my arm.

“You love sick child. So drawn to ideas of true love and hope. Always believing love would conquer all. Look where it has brought you now. Into my arms... and far from your beloved Van Helsing. Your love was never strong.”

“THAT’S NOT TRUE!” I snapped back. The Count grew silent as my eyes linked with his.

“I may believe in the end love will conquer all... and I may have dreams of true hope and love... but I believe them, even now! It is you who is blind, Count! To not see how even though you won me, you lost! My love for Van Helsing goes deeper than the heart, it goes to the soul. His warmth, his kindness, his love will keep me alive! Those three days of love will keep my true heart alive! And even if it means I shall be trapped with you for all eternity, it was worth the hope. It was worth the love I feel for him. I love him more than you will ever know and you can NEVER take that away from me. And even if you change me into one of your horrid brides... I will still love him, forever and a day.”

I spoke that with every ounce of love I could find in my heart. My eyes were burning into the Count’s, as if warning him to oppose what I had just said.

The Count’s eyes were burning with rage as he held me in his gaze. Swiftly his fingers were apron my cheek, their sharp tips begging to pierce my flesh.

"Believe what you will, my dear. But mark my words, you will be mine. Your heart shall sing the wondrous opera of the night, your soul shall scream with the wonderful passion of the dark. Dream of Gabriel while you can, my child... for you shall be my bride- forever and a day."

I tore away from his grasp, “Not if Gabriel come for me first.”

The Count smiled, “Then you are already mine.”
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The horses did not stop, even as the snow began to fall like a thick sheet upon the earth. Van Helsing urged his horse to go faster, though he knew that his steed could not keep this up for long.

“Please, my friend,” Van Helsing whispered, “Do not give up... please, do not give up.”

“Van Helsing!” Carl called and pointed ahead.

Van Helsing’s heart leapt for joy. Only a few ways a head was a frozen lake.

“The cold waters of the earth.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I looked out the window, the sun was setting and night was dawning fast. I felt fear seeping into my heart.

“Van Helsing.” I whispered, “Where are you?”

“So...” The Count smirked, “Your sweet Van Helsing has not come to help you.”

“He will! I know he will!” I thought, “He wouldn’t...” I didn’t have the heart to finish. What if the count was right. What if he didn’t care. What if...

I felt the tears come to my eyes, but I shoved them away angrily. "No! He will come for me!"

"You're wasting your breath." The Count moved closer, "You're time as a human is up."

I felt the Count's arm snake around my waist and pull me closer, his fingers digging into my side. His other arm held my neck still. I tried to struggle, but a strange feeling of peace came over me. I knew it was his spell.

"Quiet, my love." He whispered, his fangs descending from his mouth, "Soon, there will be no pain."

I tried to mover as he came close, but I could not. The Count drew closer as more tears slipped down my face.

"Van Helsing." I whispered, knowing that if I died, my last thought would be of him.

"Forget about him child," The Count said as he moved my hair away from my neck, "He has already forgotten about you."

"Never!"

The voice rang through the air like a bell. Dracula's spell broke at once as I slipped from his grasp. Both he and I turned to see...

"Van Helsing..." I whispered.

Dracula could barely speak though his anger. His whole body was shaking. “How did...”

Van Helsing reached into his pocket and pulled out Verona’s ring and threw it at the Count’s feet. It had been dampened by the frozen waters of the earth, transporting him for the Count's castle.

“Let her go!” Gabriel spat, drawing his weapon, “Now!”

The Count bent down and picked up the ring. His lips formed a smile,

“Clever my beloved.” He thought.

“Let Katie go, Dracula!” Van Helsing spat.

I tried to scramble to my feet and run towards Van Helsing, but the Count's hand grabbed my arm and I found myself unable to move.

The Count let out a laugh, “I think not, Gabriel.” He smirked, “She’s mine now. We made a little deal.”

“What deal?” Gabriel asked, his eyes flashing with a slight hint of fear.

“Did she not tell you?” The Count asked in mock surprise, “She came to me, asking for a way to be with you.”

“What?” Van Helsing whispered in disbelief as he stared at me.

“Well, my brides helped her.” He snickered, fingering a lock of my hair, “I told her, for the price of her beautiful voice, that she would have three days with you. If you gave her the kiss of true love before the sun set on the third day, you would be together forever. Sadly, you did not kiss her.” His lips formed a horrible smile, “and as such, she is now mine. For if you did not kiss her, she would return to my palace... and be my bride.”

Van Helsing couldn’t speak. He stared at me in shock,

“Katie... is this true?” He whispered.

I closed my eyes and nodded, “Yes.”

His voice became even softer, “Why?”

“Because...” I whispered, “I love you. I love you so much.”

Gabriel didn’t say anything. His eyes stared into mine as though looking for a way to my soul. The Count smiled,

“So now, the truth comes out.” He chuckled to himself, “And your beloved one is mine. Of course...” The Count paused; his eyes lingered on Van Helsing, “I was always a man with an eye for a bargain.”

He waved his hand and I was lifted into the air, unable to move. A shimmering blue light remained around my ankles and wrists. As hard as I struggled, I could not break free.

“The love of the great Van Helsing is a precious commodity.” He brushed the hair off my throat; Van Helsing cocked the hammer on his pistol. But, he knew if he made a move the Count would bite me. His eyes became softer.

“But...” The Count whispered, no longer looking at me, but at Van Helsing, “I might be willing to make an exchange for someone even better. . . .”

I.. I didn’t understand. The Count had made it quite clear what he wanted. What was he doing? Whatever he was, it was not good.

“What are you saying?” Van Helsing asked him, his eyes narrowing.

The Count smiled. “Surrender and become my personal slave for eternity... and your love will be safe.”

“NO!” I screamed, “VAN HELSING DON’T! PLEASE DON’T! I’M NOT WORTH THIS! GET OUT-”

The Count placed his hand over my mouth and brushed his fangs against my neck.

Almost at once, a contract appeared before Van Helsing. It looked exactly like the one the Count had given me. The same eagle quill appeared before him.

“Now,” The Count hissed, “Do we have a deal?”

I remember when I saw that horrid contract. I poured over it for what seemed like hours, wondering if it was the right thing. It had taken me forever to sign that contract. Not Van Helsing. Not Gabriel.

Without a word, he grabbed the quill and signed his name.

I felt my heart breaking.

“It’s done then!” The Count snapped his fingers and chains shot up from the ground. They wrapped around Van Helsing’s wrist and ankles and neck, pulling him to the ground. He tried to fight against them, but they would not budge.

I could not hold back my scream of terror.

“NO! VAN HELSING!!!!!!” The smoke-like bindings around me broke and I ran to him, throwing my arms around him as the salty tears poured down my cheeks.

“Why?” I wept, “Why did you do this? You’ve killed yourself.... for me... why?”

Van Helsing looked up at me, his eyes filled not with pain or anger.... but with something else... His eyes locked with mine and I could hear something inside. As thought my soul were singing... He opened his mouth to say something, but then stopped, as though knowing it was not the time. His eyes then turned to Dracula.

“I kept my part of the bargain!” He snapped, “Now you keep yours! Let her go!”

Dracula’s eyebrow raised, “Let her go? Whomever said anything about letting her go?”

Van Helsing’s eyes filled with furry, “You said she would be safe!”

“Oh, she is safe, Gabriel.” He walked forward towards us and snapped his fingers. I felt myself rise into the air again and found myself in his arms, unable to move. “Safe Forever....” One arm around my waist, the other my chest. “ Safe in the protection of a great man...” His hand rested softly on my neck.

“She is forever safe with me.”

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