Dracula II

We leave the auction venue behind. Soon, we arrive at the nearby forest where we had met Van Helsing for the first time.

"Hey, Lupin! What makes you think they came this way? It's like you just ran off in a random direction!" Nemo says.

"They've got to be here! It seems that girl was working alone." Lupin says. "No matter how strong you are, it's impossible to outrun a large organisation liked the Moriarty Family. She'll try to hide somewhere for sure, and this forest is the most accessible hiding place around. I've come here before, too."

"I see. You're thinking about it from the perspective of a criminal. Very impressive, and worthy of a lady thief." Doreen says.

"Yep. Huh? I hear footsteps. They're close! We're almost on top of them!" Lupin speeds up, and we do our best to keep up with her.

We break through the bushes into a clearing.

The girl from before is standing there, dumbfounded. "What's this? Did you... follow me here? I'm surprised that there are humans capable of keeping up with me. Still, I'm not giving back the stone, and I won't let you capture me, either." We look at each other.

"If it belonged to your father, then we have no business trying to take it away from you." Lupin says. "And it doesn't sit right with us to hand you over to the Moriarty Family."

"Then why have you followed me? You don't want the stone back, and you don't want to catch me." Dracula says. "I don't see what the point was."

"We'd like you to turn yourself in. Not to the Moriarty Family, of course." Victoria says. "We know someone--"

"It's not your place to decide. Humans are all the same to me. Stand in my way, and I won't hold back." Dracula says. Just as Van Helsing said, it's impossible to tell what she'll do. That expression of hatred. She might harm someone else later on. But from how she thought earlier, we don't stand a chance against her.

"Lupin, I have an idea." I take a step forward

If we won't so something, she's going to get away.

Surely, only bad things can come of that. Now is the time for action!

"Hah!" I say.

"You carry yourself well, for a human. But--!" Dracula jumps back, easily avoiding my attack. Then, as she lands, she bounds forwards, leg extended in a vicious flying kick. Her body rushes at me like a bullet. "Dahhhh!"

However, I thrusts out my arm, blocking the girl's attack at me.

"What...?!" The girl steps back in shock.

"Caleb?!" Nemo asks.

"I'm fine! That was nothing!"

Nemo says. "Listen, girl! No matter the reason, no woman should try to kick a gentleman!"

"You weren't dismembered by my attack? Could you be--!" Dracula says.

Suddenly, we hear footsteps from behind.

I turn around to see Van Helsing. "You caught up!"

Van Helsing says nothing, glaring silently at the girl before us.

"You..." Dracula says.

"It's been a while, 'Carmilla Karnstein'." Van Helsing says.

"I left that name behind. I've taken on the name of my father." Carmilla says.

"I see. So you want me to call you 'Dracula' instead, Carmilla?" Van Helsing asks. Do these two know each other?

I'm about to ask, when, in an instant, Carmilla slides in close to Van Helsing and swings a first.

Van Helsing blocks the punch with her gun, but the **** of the impact causes her to jump back to avoid falling over.

"How dare you! You dare show yourself in front of me. Have you no shame?!" Carmilla asks.

"Keep going this way, and you will fall to darkness. Just like your father." Van Helsing says.

"You have no right to talk, Van Helsing!" Carmilla says. The attack is intense. The girl throws a storm of punches, too fast for the human eye, but Van Helsing calmly blocks them. "I'll kill you! I swear it!"

"Unfortunately, I can't die quite yet." Van Helsing swings her gun, but Carmilla jumps back to avoid the strike. The two glare at each other, and there's no room for anyone to intervene.

"I found them! Over here!" We hear the other bounty hunters closing in. They've finally caught up.

Carmilla looks away for a moment. "Van Helsing... I'll wait for you at the place where you murdered my father. If you do not come, I will hunt you down and kill you, and every last person who is important to you. The same goes for the rest of you. Everyone." Her eyes are full of murderous intent. When she glares at me, I can't help myself from taking a few steps backwards. "Our paths have crossed for too long. We shall bring an end to this." With that, she disappears into the night before anyone can do anything to stop her.

All that remains is the angry shouting of the men searching for her.

And our own confusion.