VAN HELSING 3: SOUL HUNTERS

(Author's note: I still don't own Van Helsing sadly. Still, here's the second chapter! P.S A new character will be introduced in this chapter.)

Chapter 2: New inventions and enemies.

Carl looked up from his work to see Victoria rushing down the stairs. Gabriel followed her and was carrying a large bundle. The others soon rushed down after the siblings. Carl smiled to see them. "There you two are. How was Madrid?" he asked, completely clueless of what the object that Gabriel was carrying was very disturbing to see. He let out a yelp when the monster hunter showed Millie to him, her black eyes seemed to be glaring at him. "What happened to her?" he asked, turning away from her.

"She was shot, but the mark it left was too big for any gun I know to make." Victoria said. "What else is odd that she exhibits signs of life, but it's like she shut down." Carl tested the truth of the statement. He checked Millie's pulse, and sure enough, it was still going at a steady pace.

"Do you think you know anything about it, Carl?" Gabriel asked. Carl shook his head.

"If she was shot by a regular bullet I might be able to know something, but this is beyond me." he said.

"Couldn't the Cardinal know something?" Anna asked from behind Victoria.

"He very well might, but I'm not sure. I don't speak with the man often." Carl said.

"No one does. Not even when I get assignments from him do we speak much to each other." Gabriel said. "We'll have to talk to him." he said, holding back a sigh. Cardinal Jinette wasn't the easiest man to talk to, not by a long shot. Still, if they wanted to help Millie, it had to be done. Gabriel let out a sigh and began the walk towards the Cardinal's office.

When they reached the door, Victoria raised her hand to knock, but the door swung open by a quite strong gust of wind. The Cardinal looked up from his desk. "Gabriel, what are you doing here?" he asked, a small ounce of irritation in his voice.

"Forgive us for disturbing you, but we have a problem." Gabriel said. Cardinal Jinette then stood up.

"What is it?" He was then showed Millie. His reaction was worse than Carl's. His face went as white as a sheet. His eyes looked like they would bulge out of their sockets. He then sank back into his seat.

Gabriel knew something was wrong in an instant. If the Cardinal was frightened, then he knew that it was bad. Cardinal Jinette was given the credit of being one of the best monster hunters of his time. Nothing could truly scare him, nothing except the sight of Millie in a strange state between life and death. "Her soul's been taken." was all the Cardinal could say, but it was enough.

Gabriel gave him a questioning look. Carl gulped. Victoria's head cocked to the side in bewilderment. Tom's eyes went wide. Antonio's jaw dropped in pure astonishment.

Anna shared Gabriel's confused look, and it was her who broke the silence. "Is that even possible?" she asked.

"Yes, and your friend was another victim of a number of many who have lost their souls."

"So what shot Millie?" Victoria asked. "Did that have to do with anything?"

"As you can tell, it was no regular bullet that shot her." The Cardinal began to explain. "It was a small amount of dark energy that traps a soul and returns it to whoever summoned it."

Tom then spoke, "Can anyone bring the soul back?" he asked.

"I'm sorry. Once the soul is out, it is impossible to place it back in the body."

"No...." Tom whispered. He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to hold back tears. He pounded the desk in anger. Victoria reached out and put a comforting hand upon his shoulder. He angrily brushed it off. "Whoever did this to her will pay for this!" he said. The Cardinal's face soon lit up.

"Wait...I think I may have a way to save her."

"How?" Tom asked, turning to him.

"You must destroy the evil that created this menace. The Clan of Soul Hunters." Cardinal Jinette said. "They capture souls to use as ways to reanimate monsters. Yet be thankful they didn't capture her body. They would've turned it into a being of darkness." he said. "The clan makes their home in England. I wish you luck."

"Thank you for telling us this." Victoria said. She then turned to Millie. "We can't take her with us. She'll get killed."

"Leave her with us. We'll make sure she stays safe." Cardinal Jinette.

After leaving Millie in the hands of the Vatican, they went back downstairs to see Carl, who claimed to have some new inventions to help them with the assignment. He first turned to Victoria.

"Well Furie, I have something for you." he said. As he quickly ran off to fetch the invention, Victoria rolled her eyes and smiled. Her old name wasn't used often, but leave it to Carl to still call her that. He came back with a glove that looked like it belonged to a suit of armor.

"If I can recall correctly, there was one thing you told me that you missed about being an archdemon."

Gabriel turned to Victoria. "You miss being an archdemon?" he said, astonished.

Victoria laughed. "No, I miss a part of it. I enjoyed being able to shoot flames out of my hands." she said.

Carl smiled proudly. "Well, I have made device that can actually produce flames. All you have to do is press the button in the middle of the palm." he then handed the glove to Furie.

She slipped the heavy thing on her arm. It instantly made her look of balance, much to the enjoyment of the others, who began to laugh softly. Victoria gave them a look. She then raised her arm level. Using her thumb, she pressed the button. She jumped back when a large spurt of flame came out. Tom turned to Carl.

"Great work! You've successfully found a way to kill us all!" he said.

Carl ignored him and turned to Gabriel. "I also have something for you." he said. He went to his table and grabbed a large object covered in a cloth. He threw it to Gabriel, who successfully caught it. He removed the covering to reveal a large gun that required two hands to hold. He gave Carl an inquisitive look.

Carl smiled as he explained, "This is an idea I had based off of your shotgun and crossbow. It's specifically made to kill vampires and werewolves, but I'm sure you'll encounter some on this adventure. Just pull the trigger and watch as silver stakes with holy water fly out." he said.

Gabriel smiled. "Carl, you're truly a genius." he said. He then turned to the others. "We should get some rest, we live tomorrow, bright and early. You too, Carl."

Carl's eyes bulged. "Oh, no! How many times must I tell you I am NOT a field man? You'll have to forgive me, but the claws-t-the fangs-a-and-"

Victoria rolled her eyes and coughed into her fist. "Coward." she said.

"What was that?" Carl asked. Victoria gave him an innocent look and shook her head. She did it again when he turned around.

"Chicken!"

Carl whirled on her. "ALRIGHT! I'LL GO!" he yelled. Victoria bore a smug grin.

"Well, I'm off to bed. Goodnight." Victoria said, and left to her room.

When she opened the door to her room, her eyes widened. Inside of the room was the Cardinal and a young girl around Victoria's age. Blonde hair fell to her mid-back and brown eyes gleamed. She wore a pink dress and carried a large bag. She turned to Victoria and blinked. "Excuse me," she whispered to the Cardinal, "but who is that?"

Cardinal Jinette then turned to see Victoria in the doorway. "Oh, pardon me," he said to her, "but this is Isabelle Baronette. She is my niece and has come for the same reason you are leaving."

"What do you mean?" Victoria asked.

"She has lost her mother the same way you lost you're friend. She is to accompany you on your adventure. She will also stay with you for the night." with that he left the two girls alone.

Isabelle looked on Victoria in disgust. She didn't look the least presentable. Her hair was wild and undone. Instead of wearing the proper clothing for a young girl, she was wearing a dark cloak and boots, which hid who knows how many weapons.

Victoria followed Isabelle's suit. Why would anyone want to wear that large thing? No one would be able to move in it! And wearing those shoes would potentially kill someone's feet.

Isabelle was the first to break the silence. "Why do you wear that?" she had a fine

"It's easier to move in."

"Why?"

"I need to move to kill monsters in."

"You kill monsters?"

"Yeah. Why do you think I look this way? And I am beyond tired."

"There's only one bed in here. Who gets it?" Victoria placed her hands on her hips. With that face in a pout position and Isabelle's relation to the Cardinal, it was obvious who would get the bed.

"My chair's more comfortable." was her reply.

Later that night, Victoria knocked on Gabriel's door. He opened it, rubbing his eyes. "What is it?"

"Can I bunk out with you? My room has become a living nightmare." Gabriel was surprised by Victoria's request, but let her in anyway.

"Who is that?" Anna called from the bed. Ever since she and the others joined the Order, Gabriel had offered to share his room.

"It's Victoria." Gabriel said reassuringly.

"I just want to sleep in your chair. There's been a bit of confusion in my room."

"You mean that Isabelle girl?" Anna asked, now a bit more awake.

"Yes."

"What's wrong with her?"

"She thinks she I'm crazy and my problem with her."

"What is it?" Gabriel asked.

"She's a blonde."

Both of them turned each other. "You never liked blondes." Gabriel said.

"And she's purely my opposite! She's all pretty and girlie and utterly cowardly! She'd faint when she'd see a werewolf!"

"Well, you'll just have to put up with it." Gabriel said with a shrug. He felt horrible for Victoria. She never fit in with anybody yet she didn't care. Now she was forced to work with her polar opposite. He knew that others would take Isabelle's side, but he knew better. This was going to be a long night.

Victoria stayed awake well into the morning. She thought of the girl next door, denying to even think of her name. She was pretty sure that they would be loathing each other for a long time.

She also thought of her dark secret. When would she tell the others? How would she be able to tell them? What would they think of her?

As possible outcomes filled her mind, she drifted off into a not-so-pleasant sleep.

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