Tudor Rose [BoyxBoy]

Chapter 25 - Humanity

Abraham Van Helsing had taken the lead of the party of six, and Michael found that he preferred to be to the back of the vampire hunter. Even with the combined forces of Fitzgerald, Ethan, and Mina, they were having trouble navigating the maze in the dark and though Michael could have easily led them to the body of Mrs. Murray using his senses, he had to maintain the illusion of humanity.

"Do you hear that?" said Van Helsing, and Michael found it unsettling to know that the hunter's sense of hearing had to be almost up to par with his, as the noise he was referring to was faint enough that he almost did not notice it. It was the sound of flesh being torn and chewed into. A terrible and savage snarling accompanied it. Van Helsing moved quickly in the direction of the sound and the others followed until he stopped abruptly, holding out his arm to prevent them from going any further. Michael could see it though, through the darkness there was a wolf eating the corpse of a woman. The wolfs ears perked up and it looked directly at Michael with flaming crimson eyes. It was his grandfather. Michael wanted to take Henri and run, as if his grandfather sensed the blood of the Valois in him, he would kill them all to make Henri his.

"What is it, Doctor?" asked Fitzgerald Murray.

"A vampire," said Van Helsing. "And this one is strong."

Michael had difficulty deciphering the thoughts of Van Helsing, as they were a complex stream of memories, instincts, and scientific knowledge in German and broken English that Michael did not fully understand. At this moment, Van Helsing was recalling the most powerful vampire he had ever slain by stabbing it through the heart with a wooden stake and subsequently decapitating the creature with a silver sword. This meant that Van Helsing had successfully battled a pureblood and survived, though Michael did not know the relative strength of that pureblood to his grandfather's unimaginable power.

He watched his grandfather transform back into his true body and smile through bloody teeth at him before vanishing. Helsing seemed to sense his disappearance and move towards the body allowing the light of his candles to illuminate the corpse.

"Mother!" cried Ethan, falling onto her dead body and turning it over to find her face bloody and her mouth and eyes open as if she had died screaming in horror.

Mina and Fitzgerald remained stoic, but Michael could feel them each holding back their emotions, trying to be strong for the other. Michael could not understand why his grandfather would go as far as to kill this woman's friend and mother, but he knew the answer had to be back in Transylvania with Jonathan Harker.

"The vampire has gone, flown away," said Van Helsing. "It is clear he is targeting your family and that of Lord Quincy, Herr Murray. Do you have any idea why this could be?"

"No," said Fitzgerald in a shaking voice.

"Leave them alone for now," said Michael and Van Helsing turned his dark blue gaze on him quickly.

"Go and check the house," he said. "I will stay here with them, but the vampire might have moved in on the others."

Michael wanted to take Henri by the wrist and leave the Murray's manor immediately, but he knew that would put Van Helsing on their trail. They went back into the house to find Lord Quincy and Arthur watching as some of the maids attempted to stitch up Myrtle's back.

You can heal her, like you did for me, came Henri's voice in Michael's head.

No, I can't give myself away to these people. At least... not yet.

He could feel Henri's disgust at his unwillingness to heal the girl, but it was out of the question.

"What's happened to Mrs. Murray?" asked Arthur when he noticed them there.

"She's dead. She was murdered by a vampire," Michael told them.

"Why is this happening?" muttered Lord Quincy.

"We'll find this vampire and kill it," said Arthur, enraged. "Why are we sitting around here waiting for it to kill another one of us, we should be out looking for it now."

"No," said Michael. "A vampire is strongest at night. If you want to have any chance at all, you'll go to battle in daylight. Though, I should warn you, you have no chance against this vampire."

"Why not? What are you not telling us?"

Michael realized it was long past time for them to leave. The answers he needed were in Transylvania, not here. "I'm very sorry about all this, but we have to go. You are in very capable hands with Van Helsing."

"Wait!" called Arthur, but Lord Quincy held onto him.

"Let them go, Arthur!" he said, and gave Michael a knowing look. Michael read his mind to understand that Lord Quincy knew that the power they were up against was purely satanic and that they were no match, and he trusted that Michael would not give up until he had stopped it. Michael nodded to him and took Henri by the arm out of the house.

"No one is leaving here tonight," said Van Helsing as Michael opened the door of the house.