"Who?" Edward asked. "Dracula? We don't even know where that is... unless you do you..." he faded off uncertainly.
Edward glanced at Van Helsing, who nodded. "Let's go," Edward said, putting an arm around Hannah to help her walk. "Do you know where we are supposed to be going now?" he asked her as they went.
"Where exactly are we headed now? We don't even know where Dracula went to," Edward replied, reluctantly stepping to stand next to Hannah.
Edward pulled Hannah behind him, holding her still. He growled low, glaring at Van Helsing. "Let her be and we can do what we came here for," he said dangerously, his eyes flashing red.
"I'll live," Edward said kindly. "Most of this... nasty stuff isn't even me."
"It's fine... I'll--" he stopped himself, inhaling sharply as his cuts on his cheek stretched and broke, new drops of blood falling and covering the tried tracks. "It just hurts a little..."
Edward started, slightly surprised. He pulled Hannah closer to him, and then inhaled sharply, pulling away from her. "Sorry," he muttered. "It's just... that bride caught my face and my chest..."
"That's... that's something I can live with..." Edward began slowly. "I mean, I won't be around you at the full moon each month... but that's the way both of our lives have to be."
"I didn't," Edward replied. "But it doesn't matter. He needs your help and he can't kill you until we've finished Dracula... even, then I'll stop him, okay?"
"What about him?" Edward asked. "I won't let him hurt you, either."
"I want to take care of you, you know," Edward began against the top of her head. "That's the only reason I was so angry..."
"Well, that's a good thing," Edward replied. "They're both evil, so... look, I..." he paused turning his head away for a moment. "You're not like them!" he tried again. "That won't happen to you, I promise!" He suddenly wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close to his chest despite the pain that racked him as she pressed against his wounds. He tried to not let the pain show.
"I'll do it for you," Edward said. "The awful look in your eyes when he... if it will make you happy, I will kill him... and then you'd be free, wouldn't you?"
Edward ran after her, catching her arm and turning her to look at him. She didn't struggle. He pushed all her hair off her neck and traced his fingers on the scars along her throat. "What will happen if I kill him for you?" he whispered, meeting her gaze.
"God damn you, Hannah!" Edward snapped, growling slightly. "I told you not to apologize! Can you please at least listen if you're not going to tell me anything?"
"Don't," Edward began, his breath still fast, "don't even say that. The last things that should be coming out of your mouth are apologies and thank you's."
]Van Helsing, Beatrice, and Jinx had rounded the corner. When Edward turned to look at them, Dracula spun and vanished in a cloud of smoke. "Damn you!" Edward half-spoke, half-growled at Van Helsing, and then his ears pricked as he heard Hannah's cried. He ran on all fours past the three and toward the soud of her voice. He saw her a moment later with three Dwergi surrounding her. Edward howled and pounched on the nearest one, nearly ripping it clean in half with his claws and teeth. The next two rushed at him with their teeth bared, but he merely caught one in his mouth, crushing in into a smash of leather and black blood. He tossed it aside, because, even in full transformation, the feeling of flesh in his mouth still sickened him and made him gag. The last Dwergi was easy; he caught it under his front paws and crushed its skull, giving it only a moment to cry out before it was silenced forever. He stepped back, shaking the drips of blood off his teeth and his furry face. He calmed himself, just starting to be able to stop himself from losing all control now. The pains from all his injuries started to overwhelm him as he returned to normal and got to his feet, but looking at Hannah was enough to make him glare again. He stood, catching his breath.
"You know, no one knows how to kill you, yet I don't see how you can live without a head..." Edward suddenly fell on all fours and howled, letting the werewolf instinct flow freely through his veins, not containing it at all. Pain like a sharp lightning bolt shot througout his entire body, but he strangely enjoyed it. He lifted his gaze to meet Dracula's. "Edward!" He turned at the sound of his name.
Edward started, seeing Dracula step out of the shadows. The creature seemed to want to keep his distance, however. Edward wiped a stray tear off his cheek, and a light pink line appeared on his palm. "What are you doing here?" Edward growled, standing and clenching his fists. "You know I want to rip your throat out in a more painful way than that ****ty bride of yours. Dracula shook his head. "I only came to tell you some thinkgs I'm sure you'd wish to know..." "Just tell me out to kill you and I'll be satisfied," Edward snapped, his eyes starting to fade red. "I'd love something to take my anger out on right now." "She does love you, you know," Dracula began casually, ignoring Edward's malice and slight transformation. "But Van Helsing and John are just the start of the list of people that will stop you two from being together. After all , you should already hate Van Helsing. He killed your whole family." Edward stared. "No... he didn't..." he began unsteadily. Dracula laughed lightly. "Yes. That family of werewolves he had just gotten rid of? He was on his way back to Rome to tell them all he'd finished them all like animals... and then he met you."
Edward heard Van Helsing calling and trying to catch up to him as he wandered down hallways and turns of stone. Stupid of me, he kept thinking. I actually should have listened to that damned vampire hunter Van Helsing! He was right about her... He found himself losing all his anger, his werewolf blood fading into sadness. Edward sank against the nearest wall. The hallway he had wandered to was not well lit, shadows jumping along the walls. He heard a sudden wave of wind and looked up. "It seems there are too many people in this castle that want that girl, don't you agree?"
