VAN HELSING - A Short Story

Part Five, Chapter Twenty-Three: The Almighty Vampire

JOHANN 

To imagine Ambra sitting beside me by the warm hearth, picking grapes from between my fingers as I fed them to her had been the material of dreams only a couple of years ago.

Now, I could call myself a fulfilled man to see the love of my life curled up on my lap, each of us enjoying the other's presence. Said dream come true.

The bubble was burst when somebody's thundering stomps broke the moment and Ambra and I exchanged an annoyed glance.

"Milord? Milady?"

Varney's voice bellowed through the hallways. The stomps came to a halt when he found us on the couch in her bedroom.

"Sorry to disturb you..."

He began, his voice now more quiet, almost a whisper.

"...but you should come down."

I darted my head around to face him. Concern had struck his expression and made him appear older than he looked.

"What is it?"

Ambra asked, propping herself upwards face our errand boy herself. She looked so amazing when she worried. Mature and grounded. A truly beautiful woman, no matter her expression.

"It would be best if you come see so for yourself..."

Varney finished and turned to the door, leaving us no option but to follow him down into the new morning room. Something that had used to be a study as Ambra had told me.

The doors to it were open and so we could already see what – or rather who – awaited us there: A panting and out-of-breath Alucard with bruises and cuts covering his face.

"Alucard, what happened?!"

I immediately burst out once I was in hearing range. I have never seen him messed up like that ever in my life. He has never been one to engage in combat. At least that was how I had gotten to know him. Planning an assault, coming up with strategies and counterattacks yes. But to ever draw blade himself?

"Dracula..."

What?

"...he has turned against us. He is responsible for the mist. And he got Kain. I had to flee or else he would have gotten me too. But we have to stop him and that would have been otherwise impossible and we have to get to my brother before he-"

"Stop, please."

I begged, trying to wrap my head around all of this and make him calm down before he has an episode. I looked at Ambra but regretted that. Her bulging eyes and parted lips made me worry even more.

"Ambra...?"

I tried to get her attention but she was staring at Alucard before she began pacing the room.

"I have been a FOOL...!"

She screamed and hit her forehead while simultaneously stomping her feet.

"...He is acting on his promise to take revenge..."

Her look was just as unsettling as Alucard's condition.

"...He was with Collinwood the night that we lost Dorian Gray. He told me about his ideas and plans but in the rush of it all..."

Her eyes were glistening slightly. Knowing her, those were undoubtedly angry tears. She was not one to easily cry out of sadness.

"...I must have forgotten about it. We need to stop him! You cannot imagine the horrors that he wants to unleash!"