C&C insures the survival of my site. Please don't say goodbye. ~_~,

<Part 1>
 

  "Reinhardt!"

    The man turned toward the person who'd called to him and was leapt upon by his fellow vampire hunter Carrie Fernandez. "Carrie. I haven't seen you since your mother's funeral. I guess you're being here means you heard then."

    Carrie nodded solomnly, all exuberance gone from her stance. "I could feel his evil growing. Dracula is going to awaken. You're going after him then."

    He nodded, "I am a Belmont by blood. That makes it my curse to hunt the dark lord."

    "I knew you would say that. On my way here I met a traveler. A knight named Henry. He told me he knew someone who had defeated Dracula once before. He should be waiting for us at the Forest of Silence."

    "A man who fought Dracula before? I hadn't known he'd risen this decade."

    "Aparently eight years ago three evil's joined to awaken him but he was killed before he could leave his castle even."

    "By this man."

    "Acording to Henry at least."

    "Well then, we should get going shouldn't we." Reinhardt Schneider stepped into the small row boat that would take them to the ghost ship in the harbor. First of all that had to be delt with before anyone was hurt. "Where did this Henry say he was going?"

    "Dracula's people kidnapped six children. He told me that while we fight, he'll find the kids and lead them to safety. The man we're meeting did the same for him once."

    "And so we will be three."

    "A force Dracula will not be able to overcome."

    "You are very trusting to just take up a stranger on his offer for help."

    "He felt right."

    The man couldn't argue with that. Carrie's feelings about people had never been wrong.

    "Let's get started then."
___________________

    The entrance to the Forest of Silence was narrow and rocky. Carrie scurried over the rocks expertly and Reinhardt followed, less enthusiastic about meeting the warrior. If he had beaten Dracula correctly the first time none of this would have happened! The red head was lost in his angered thoughts when Carrie slammed to a halt and he collided with her back.

    "Carrie?"

    She swallowed hard and looked ahead. "It. . . it's him."

    Reinhardt followed her stare to a cluster of rocks at the end of the bridge. Upon it sat a tall, lithe man with silver white hair falling to his shoulders and golden eyes. He watched the two of them carefully as they approached and stood when they came within blasting range. Oh yes, this man was a warrior.

    "Schneider and Fernandez?"

    "Yes." Carrie smiled, "You must be the warrior Henry told me about."

    "Cornell." He nodded and bowed slightly.

    Carrie was smiling and nodding and blushing like she'd never been on the recieving end of gallantry before. Reinhardt wasn't so easily moved. His eyes swept the man before him carefully. He was barefoot with a thick manical clamped around his ankle. Tight black leggings covered his legs and a sleaveless blue shirt hugged his chest and hips accenting each muscle. A thin, white fur was worn on his upper back and didn't quite close over his front, more a cape than a vest in apperance at least. The outfit was finished with the shirt and sleaves from bicept to forearm hugged his thin but muscular arms and a lopsided belt sitting upon his hips. He wore no visible weaponry. //Odd.//

    "I heard that you are after Dracula."

    "Maybe we are." Reinhardt hedged, unwilling to trust this strange creature so easily. "We heard that you had defeted him once before."
 

    "Maybe I did." He grinned.

    "Can you fight?"

    Cornell's face told him that this was a dumb question.

    Carrie ended the silent war by elbowing Schneider in the ribs. "We are very glad to have you along."

    Cornell shrugged, "I was going to the castle anyway. Last time we fought Dracula took something that belonged to me. I want it back."

    "So you're only helping us for your own gain."

    Cornell closed his eyes and growled deep in his throat. "Gain? Do you know how it feels to have a part of you ripped away and plunged into darkness? There is nothing to gain in this, only to save."

    "Reinhardt." Carrie glarred at him, "Cornell is going to help us, be greatfull!"

    "I'd be more greatful if he'd tell us the whole story. He's keeping something from us and I don't like those eyes. Golden eyes have some meaning, I just can't remember what."

    "Well until you do please be civil."

    "No promises."

    The silver haired man crossed his legs and rested his chin in his open palm, looking like a misceivous sprite who'd decided on his next prank, "So have you decided to ignore my apperance and let me travel with you or must I go alone? I will get there first if I do, I've been all through this castle before."

    Carrie blushed, "Thas 'is' no ignoring your looks, but I have no problem with it."

    Cornell laughed and turned to Reinhardt, "Is that your opinion too?"

    "Don't count on it."

    "Wouldn't dream of it. Are we ready to go?"

    "I don't want you playing games with Carrie. She's not even a woman yet."

    The man laughed again, this time a seductive lilting laugh as he turned those animal eyes to Reinhardt's face. "My lover 'Ortega' was killed. I haven't had another since."

    "What has a dead lover to do with. . .?"

    Carrie rolled her eyes, "Ortega. Reinhardt. Think of that name. Does it sound like a woman's name to you?"

    The knight blinked and turned wide eyes on a threat that had just been given a whole new meaning.

    "That's right. I had a male lover. If anyone in this party should worry about my attractions it would be you." He grinned, "Don't be afraid though." He shrugged, "I don't think you're my type."

    Carrie giggled and took both men by the hand, "Come on! We have a vampire to destroy!"
__________________________

    At the end of the first day, Reinhardt grudgingly admitted that yes, the pale man could fight. In fact he took out more of the threats to them than Carrie and Reinhardt combined. It was as if he knew where they would come up before they appeared. He also knew shortcuts and hidden places that gave them both food and shelter. Finally Reinhart had to admit that the golden eye'd man 'was' an asset to them. Damned if he'd tell that to the bastard though.

    "Stop!"

    Reinhardt paused in his running and looked at the other man in annoyance, "What now?"

    "Through this door is the skeleton of a giant." He recalled, "We should each know what the other will be doing so that we don't get in anyone's way."

    Carrie nodded, "Right. Is it like the one guarding the forest entrance?"

    "Stronger. Much stronger."

    Reinhart frowned, his whip hadn't done much to that beast.

    "Carrie, you should fight the skeletons that the monster coaxes from the ground, your blast will make it an easy job."

    "Sounds good."

    Reinhart frowned when Cornell turned to him, "What?"

    "You're whip wont do much damage to this one."

    "So what do you suggest?"

    "You won't like this, but I am not saying it to belittle you."

    "Out with it."

    "You can pick up the supplies the skeletons drop as Carrie kills them. That way hopefully we'll be restocked by the end of this."

    The larger man looked at Cornell carefully. No teasing was apparent, he was really trying to do what was best for them all. "Fine."

    A quick smile rose to the sculpted lips, "Thank you. Ready?"

    "As I'll ever be." Carrie smiled and charged a spell.

    "NOW!"

    They charged through the door and Carrie and Reinhart stayed back as Cornell plunged over the cliff wall on the other side.

    "CORNELL!!!"

    A rumbling shook the plaza and a very irrate skeleton climbed from the pit, with Cornell locked around it's spine. He was protecting himself with the beast's own ribs as he blasted it from the inside out. The thing was swinging wildly to dislodge him.

    "Go!"

    As the two hunter's raced forward the beast knocked Cornell free and jumped into the air. The pale man scampered away from it just before it landed and grunted as the shock wave ripped through him. The creature fell to all fours and spit out walls of blue flame, it's prey was to quick for that though and rolled under it's chest blasting it a good few more times before it ran from him, right toward Carrie!

    "Fernandez!" He screamed a warning and threw himself  at the doran. The thick bone club brushed his back but not enough to do much. He grit his teeth and stood again. Reinhardt was attacking the think with his short sword, his whip uncharge and nearly useless. The thing screamed one last time and then fell apart, literally, turning to dust on the stone floor.

    "Carrie!" The German turned to his friend and checked her for wounds.

    "I'm fine. Cornell took most of it. Cornell!" She shot to her feet and looked around the plaza, "Where is he?!"

    "Here." A familiar voice called from the newly fallen drawbridge. "The castle is open. Let's go."

   "But you're hurt!"

    "I'm fine."

    Reinhardt stepped forward and grabbed the pale man's arm, "Let me see your back."

    "I said I was. . ."

    "Fine, yes I know, now let me see your back."

    Cornell closed his eyes and turned around and Carrie cried out in shock. His whole back was raw and bleeding. The white fur red with it.

    Reinhardt ripped the fur away and cursed. "It'll get infected left like that. . . Carrie do we have any purifying?"

    She shook her head, "I can get some though. Is it safe here now?"

    Cornell nodded, "Yes but we should press on. . ."

    "We aren't going anywhere until we get that purifyed."

    Carrie was gone before he could argue and he sat back with a sigh. "We don't have time for this."

    Reinhairdt was inclined to agree with the strange man until he saw the sweat rolling over his face. "You're really hurting aren't you." He touched the shakeing man's face, "Why do you do this? If you killed him once before then you know what's to come. Why go through that?"

    "I told you."

    "But there's more than reclaiming whatever he took. You were fighting that thing like you didn't care if you lived or died."

    "Maybe I don't."

    "Is it because of that Ortega guy? Did Dracula kill him?"

    "No." The pale man trembled and crystaline tears streamed over his cheeks, "I did."

~tbc~