Shade had been introduced to the creature that accompanied Carl and Van Helsing, almost acting like a temporary fufillment to the space that had been punched into their small group by the kidnapping of the princess. The news of current events left the young werewolf feeling rather dissapointed, she had made quite a promise to the cause that she fought for and now she felt as if she had failed the reason why they had come to this desolate land in the first place. But nothing could quite compare to the pain that clawed at her heart when she saw the bloodied bite of a werewolf on Van Hesings shoulder. Hot rage flashed in her eyes, a primal feeling gripping her body in an iron grip as she made to walk away, stopping only when Van helsing wrapped his large hand around her upper arm, keeping her from going anywhere that he was not able to see her.
"Shade, the werewolf responsible is dead." He told her, a shadow of guilt swirling in the abyss of his iris.
"Now you will become that in which you have hunted so passionately." The creature of their group spoke up with a slightly angry edge to his voice.
Carl had taken a moment to whisper to Shade, revealing the creature as the experiment of the late Doctor Frankenstein who was suppose to have been killed along with this creature because of his crimes in grave robbery.
Sighing softly, Shade slipped her hand into Van Helsings pocket, small fingers wrpping around the cool metal of the dart pipe. She pulled it from his pocket, loading a dart into the barrel of it, her eyes looking into that of Frankensteins creature with unsettling sadness and regret.
"I'm sorry, this is the only way to defeat Dracula and get back the asset in which we were charged to protect."
"May others be as passionate in their hunting of you both." Was his reply were the dart was shot into the side of his neck, causing him to lose consciousness and fall to the ground.
The weight of Van Helsings hand settled on Shades shoulder, squeezing it gently in an attempt to comfort her for her actions. He understood what she was doing, after he had told her about the conversation with the vampire bride Allera, he knew that Shade would want to go to the ball to save Anna.
"Lets do this."
Shade turned, leaving Carl and Van Helsing to carry Frankenstiens monster as they made their way to the location of the ball, picking up their masquerade costumes along the way. In their travels, they managed to find an old graveyard that they were able to use to hide Frankensteins monster in an old crypt.
"Well, they won't find him in here." Shade chuckled slightly as she walked out of the bushes towards the two disguised men that were dragging a large wooden beam that they planned to lean against the door to the crypt to ensure it was unable to be opened by the being inside.
"I am sure this is some sort of sin." Carl piped up, his voice shaking slightly as he spoke.
"God will forgive us." Van Helsing countered as he continued to lift the beam.
"We need to save Anna." Shade added as she watched the two struggle with mild amusement.
"You don't think the hat's a bit much?" Carl questioned, turning to Shade for her opinion, completely forgetting about the task that he was suppose to be helping with, which he was reminded of when Van Helsing called for his aid.
"How many commandments can we break in one day?" Carl continued, causing his female companion to giggle, he shook his head at her before turning his attention to Van Helsing. "Anyway, according to the book, you won't turn into a werewolf until te rising of your first full moon."
"That is two nights from now." Shade mumbled out, not really wanting to hear this side of the conversation but that didn't stop Carl from saying more, all three of them walking away from the now barricaded crypt.
"You'll still be able to fight Dracula's hold over you until the last stroke of Midnight."
Sensing the discomfort from Shade as she leaned into him, Van Helsing looked over at Carl, attempting to finish the conversation.
"Then I have noting to worry about." He replied, wrapping his arm around Shade's waist.
"My God, you should be terrified." Carl exclaimed.
Shade growled at Carl, her eyes flashing dangerously, feeling a pang of hurt as his words caused a wave of offence to wash over her. Carl gave her a apologetic look, mumbling a soft sorry under his breathe.
"We still have forty eight hours to find a solution." The Friar quickly added, trying to cover for himself before changing the subject. "You sure he can't get out of there?"
"Not without some help from the dead." Van Helsing answered, moving his arm so that his hand could hold Shades as they walked, moving further and further away from the graveyard and even closer to the castle upon the hill.
It didn't take them long to make it to the castle, yet it did take quite a bit of time to sneak pass the masses of vampires that swarmed the place. The overpowering smell of their swarming made Shade feel sick, the scent burning her nose to the point that almost made in impossible to continue forward. She had to lean against the wall for a moment, her vision refusing to focus as the world seemed to swim around her until she was anchored by the feeling of Van Helsing wrapping his arms around her.
"Shade.....are you sure you can do this?" He whispered to her, his breath tickling the side of her cheek.
"I have to." She replied, slowly peeling herself away from him, steadying herself on her own two feet.
Van Helsing nodded, letting her go on ahead as he and Carl made their way towards the balcony that over looked the ballroom, leaving Shade to complete her own task in trying to find anything that could give them an idea of where Dracula's lair is.
She stuck to the shadows as she wandered, passing many open doorways, surrounded by the eerie cold that flowed around her like the river that swallowed her not so long ago. Shivering, the young werewolf came to a picture, it was of a woman and her faithful hound as it rested by her side with her hand upon its head. Shade looked at it with great interest, spying a series of elegantly curved letters at the bottom, a message written in Latin for those that could read it.
"A companion with loyalty like no other, it will seek its master through the storms of hell until they are once again complete, for it must trust its heart to seek that which it cannot see." Shade whispered to herself, reading the words of the artist.
Before she could do anything else, the sudden voice of Anna was screaming at her to run. Looking around in confusion, the eyes of the young werewolf landed on the figures of Van Helsing and Anna running at her, followed by the swarm of vampires that had gathered her. She wasted no time as she ran her two companions, leaving no time for debate or thoughts, taking Anna's hand and leading the two of them down a series of hallways. As they bursted through a set of large double doors, Carl suddenly appeared in front of them, holding a device in his hand.
"Now I know what it's for." Carl exclaimed happily, holding up the device with a gleeful expression that soon turned into one of confusion.
"Through that window!" The others shouted, grabbing Carl and dragging him towards the large stained glass window as they threw themselves at it. It shattered around them, millions of coloured shard glistening around them as they fell towards the dark water below. The device that Carl dropped when he was grabbed, exploded behind them, triggered by the presence of the vampires that pursued them. The bright light burned away at the flesh of the vampires, leaving only ashes and bones behind as an aftermath of the accidental actions of the Friar. The darkness was illuminated for a moment, allowing each of the escapist to push themselves to the surface, all gasping for air. Another splash of water drew their attention of the boat that now floated upon the water, guided by Dracula's servants towards a bigger ship outside of the area og water they accompanied.
"Say goodbye to your friends." Igor spoke loud enough for them to hear, waving as they took away Frankensteins monster.
"No!" Shade shouted, starting to swim after them.
The others followed after her, trying to get to the small boat but the gate on the wall lowered before them, stopping them fro going any further. Shade hadn't even been aware that Dracula had found Frankensteins monster, another failure in her cause.
"I will find you! I'll get you back and set you free! I swear to God!" Van Helsing shouted as he gripped the bars of the gate, trying to break it with his bear hands as he tugged at the metal.
Shade gripped the gate so that she wouldn't have to use her legs to keep herself above water, placing one hand on Van Helsings shoulder in an attempt to calm him down.
"Van Helsing...." Shade began.
"I must save him." He cut her off, still trying to bend the bars of the gate.
"No, you can't." Carl told him with a shaky voice, wiping the water from his face.
"Why not?"
"I cabled Rome earlier to apprise them of our situation...." Carl began to answer.
"What did they say?" Van Helsing cut him off, his voice filled with anger still.
"Even if you kill Dracula..." Carl continued. "Rome orders you to kill Frankenstein as well."
"But he isn't evil!" Shade exclaimed, feeling slightly angry herself, even she could not imagine herself killing Frankenstein.
"But they say he isn't human either." Carl told her, noticing the pained look that crossed through the young womans eyes.
"Do they know him? Have they spoken to him? Who are they to judge?" Van Helsing pulled away fro Shade's hand as he advanced on Carl, shaking with anger now.
"They want you to destroy him so that he can never be used to harm humanity."
"What of me? Did you tell them what I'm to become? Did they tell you how to kill me?" Van Helsing growled and grabbed Carl by his throat, pinning him to the gate. "The correct angle of the stake as it enters my heart? The exact amount of silver in each bullet?"
"Stop!" Anna suddenly shouted, swimming forward to try and push Van Helsing away from Carl.
"No! I left you out!" Carl tried to speak around his quaking voice, scared of Van Helsings anger.
Van Helsing suddenly let go of Carl, roaring as he threw himself backwards against the gate, body arching. Shade gasped and rushed to him, taking his face in her hands as she tried to calm him down, sensing the wolf inside him.
"Van Hesing, its okay..." She shushed him, feeling the others staring at them, she could see the gold in his eyes, so far from the eyes she was use to. "Focus on my voice, let everything else fall away."
Slowly, Van Helsing began to calm down, realization slowly starting to creep onto his face as he looked at the faces of his other companions. He reached a hand up to rest upon one of Shade's, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath to calm himself.
"I'm sorry." He apologised. "Its starting."
Van Helsing pullled away from Shade, beginning to swim to the stairs that led back into the now empty castle, the others following after him. Out of instinct, Shade tried to shake herself dry of the water that clung to her, earning a small chuckled from Carl. The two men left to walk ahead, leaving the two women to follow after them.
"Shade..." Anna spoke up cautiously, falling into step with the werewolf.
Shade answered with a small hum, showing that she was listening to the princess.
"I wanted to thank you for coming to save me I....." Anna continued, suddenly being cut off by the other woman as they paused for a small second.
"I didn't do it for you." Shade told her before jogging ahead to catch up with the men, falling into step with Van Helsing and taking his hand.