The Unholy Night

Chapter XX

"And when I count to three, you best be on your knees. Don't you try coming for me, 'cause I'm the bitch who keeps her receipts, hey!"

- Dirt by Emma Blackery

It was early the next morning when Van Helsing declared that Renfield was dead. "And it has been decided that Madam Mina should be in full confidence," Van Helsing said, as an afterthought, as if he hadn't just announced someone's death. 

Mina inclined her head slightly. "That seems logical." She remained incredibly cool and collected in face of everything that had happened. "Nothing should be concealed from any of us. Nothing could cause me more pain than I am suffering. I am unafraid. We must destroy him."

Van Helsing, who was clearly opposed to Mina having any knowledge on any subject whatsoever, countered this with, "My dear Madam Mina, are you not afraid for others, given recent events?"

"Not in the slightest."

"Why?"

"If I detect any instability in myself, I'll die," she said calmly, as if she was saying she might want toast for breakfast. I was shook by the way she was able to say this as if it was something so ordinary.

"You wouldn't kill yourself?" Van Helsing asked, scandalized. 

"I most certainly would, unless someone would be so kind as to do it for me," she said, throwing me and Bess a meaningful glance. 

I would not kill Mina. I would protect her. We all would. The five of us girls would protect each other, eliminate Dracula together, and none of us would die, despite the fact that, at this point in the game, it seemed about as likely as a happily ever after. 

But from the horrified look Bess returned to Mina, it seemed she would agree.

"You must not die," said Van Helsing. "Not by your hand or any other's. Until he is dead, you mustn't die. You must live, fight tooth and nail until this great evil is destroyed."

That is the only time I have ever agreed with anything Van Helsing has ever said. 

Mina nodded. "If God will let me live, then I will do so."

Despite promising to keep Mina in confidence, it was clear they wouldn't say anything as long as we remained there, so we swiftly exited the room. 

"About what you said -" Bess began, but she was immediately cut off by Mina. 

"You don't think I mean to commit suicide, do you?" she asked. "I intend to live, but I want that bastard dead, and if it's just my life between you and him, I fully expect you to kill me. I'll happily be collateral damage."

This was acknowledged only by silence and blinking, and a few minutes later, Mina had taken a spot at the door's keyhole to keep watch, and Bess and I were watching through the crack. 

Eavesdropping is always more fun when you do it with friends.

"It is perhaps well that we decided not to do anything with the earthboxes that lay at Carfax," Van Helsing was saying. "Had we done so, the Count might have guessed our purpose, and would have taken measures to stop us, but he does not yet know of our intentions. When we have examined the house in Piccadilly that Jonathan has discovered, we may yet track the last of them. But today is ours. The sun that rose on our sorrows this morning guards us now. Until it sets tonight, the monster must retain whatever form he possesses now."

Cut to me banging my head against the floor. All so, so wrong. I could very easily have turned into a bat that very minute, but it would probably involve a lot of vomiting, and therefore I wouldn't have wanted to do it. I still had my abilities while the sun was up.