9 Chapter 9 : The Guilt

"Is everything packed in your bag, Lucia?" Floriana asked with worried expression, "come on sis. I've already checked her stuff also add some emergency supplies" Robert said remembering putting somehing suspiscious inside the bag. "yeah, you mean these?" Lucia shows an iron dagger she took out from her bag, Robert's face went shade blue "umm.. it's for safe keeping" he pointed.

"I can handle myself just fine, even without a dagger" Lucia bragged with a serious atitude. "oh well, better get going" she turn around but suddenly got hugged by her Uncle and Mother "we'll miss you" they both said. Lucia look down her expression saddens knowing she'll be far away from her family she turn around to hug them back while Liam is sitting on the carravan the horse breathing he just felt awkward watching them having their last family time for now. Lucia slowly step back from the hug as she did a lip smile and calm eyes "I'll see you all soon" she said as she jump on the front taking the reigns as the horses started walking. Lucia look back seeing her pack waving her goodbye her mother in tears of joy while waving and her Uncle smiling.

As the carravan travels Lucia is still sitting at the front still holding the reigns as they travel while Liam kept his silence.

Meanwhile arriving at Rome, the black airship landed on top of the Vatican City Cathedral. Walking down the airship was the four executives, Helena and Albert Van Helsing, behind them was Gabriel wearing a muzzle completely immobilize strapped up with silver around his limbs and torso, but his face is expressionless.

"welcome back, Albert" the priest welcome raising his right hand, "good to be back, Father Gregory" he nodded. Father Gregory glance to see Gabriel's glaring eyes at priest that'll give someone a chill down to their spine "is that him?" Gregory asked being creeped out by the glaring vampire that was being strapped "Helena I told you I hate Priest, hiss-!" Gabriel hissed while glaring, Helena sigh "can you kids take him at the dungeons?" she asked, "sure!" Isabelle push her brother Blaise's face away "get your hands off me you brat!" Blaise nagged he gritted his teeth as he turn to Oliver "Oliver, Pops! We got to talk about someone" he pause staring at his Father who is staring back at him.

Later on inside a private room inside the Cathedral.

"Aren't we going back to rescue William?" Blaise questioned with his eyes very serious, "yeah Father, we should be rescuing William by now! Isn't he the Leader on us siblings?!" Oliver questioned, Albert just sigh "William can handle himself" he answer "besides. He wouldn't become where he is now if he's not that capable" he added lifting a brow.

"but still he's our brother!" Oliver spoke up, Albert let out a sigh "if you're all worried about him, it's up to you to rescue him" he answer "however since Emily's left arm is cut off, she won't be able to go back in the field" he worried "so if you two ran into trouble you better not ending up dead."

"yes Father!" The two synch.

Night time arriving at Clemont Ferrand.

Lucia hop down the carravan "lets check inside an Inn tonight, Liam" she said as she walk towards the Inn door as Liam follows. Opening door whats inside were full men drinking beer, women serving the people and smells like sweat and ale. Lucia just walk inside not caring about the surrounding and just went to the counter as the man behind the counter glance at the black hair girl "how can I help you Miss?" he asked, Lucia look her coin pouch "I'll be staying for the night, a room for two" she demanded, "alright" the man went to key closet "you're a long way from home, aren't you missy?" he asked. Lucia glance at Liam who is being a wall flower "yeah, I am. We're heading to Marseille" she answer. "We?" the man became curious as he glance behind the girl seeing another unfamiliar person not from town "I see, is he your lover?" he asked, Lucia didn't show weakness "no, he's my prisoner" she honestly answer. "haha, I see I see" the man laugh he slide a door key "I've got to warn you missy, don't go outside at night" he warned, Lucia became curious looking at the man's eyes "there have been many cases that foriegn travellers and towns folk have gone missing and found dead during the night."

Later on. Inside the Inn, Lucia slump down on the bed then let out a deep sigh of relief. "get some sleep we'll leave early tomorrow to replenish some supplies" Lucia said while her face muffle on the pillow, Liam just stared at Lucia's position slump on the bed her on the pillow "Lucia, can I ask something?" he asked. "sure go on with it" Lucia muffle, "how come you feel sleepy?" Liam asked very curious, Lucia raise her face up "oh, since I'm half-vamp and wolf, I get tired. Unlike vamps they're cold blood who don't sleep, except for my Dad who takes sleeping pills to sleep also he has times he's actually tired" she explains as she sat up "Vampires are like undead, Werewolves are creatures of night who still acquire stamina. Even tho I have part Vampire I'm much likely alive."

"what do you eat?" Liam asked another question, "I eat Meat with some blood on it, I can either drink blood just like my Father however I never actually feed on anyone" Lucia honestly said looking at her left palm "it's quite dangerous since I'm half-vampire and wolf who knows what kind of hunger will I face?" she pause for a while then shake her head "anyways, gets some sleep" she pull the blanket then sleep straight.

As the night goes on Liam is asleep it is 2:32 am at night, Liam open his eyes as he toss a side as he notice Lucia wasn't knowhere resting on spare bed or inside the room, he then notice the blowing curtains he stood up seeing the open windows he look outside seeing up at the roof seeing Lucia sitting watching the night sky.

"couldn't sleep?" Liam approached as he sit few inches away from Lucia. He scan Lucia she's showing her wolf ears and tail Liam glance at Lucia's cute wolf ears in his mind saying "so cute, it's all fluff" he thought in his mind trying not to get the idea of touching the ears. Lucia's ears twitch as she sigh "I'm not used travelling without my folks" she answer looking down her arms wrap around her knees "Liam, how many did you killed in my village?" she questioned.

Liam felt shock for a moment he open his mouth "truth is... I didn't killed anyone that night" he answer as he look seeing Lucia facing him "even after the signal was commence I couldn't bring myself to move or swing my scythe, I was frozen... Also that time I fell off the Airship, those look on your eyes that I couldn't bring myself to hurt you" he finish as he remember Lucia's crying alpha wolf form.

Lucia stared at Liam who seemed filled with guilt, "that time, I was thinking... why didn't you kill me? With your strength you could have..." he asked. Lucia look down "I just pity you..." she averted eye contact, suddenly her ear twitch standing up. Liam stared at the fluffly wolf ears "SO CUTE!" he said in his mind, "somethings a bit off here" Lucia's eyes scan the area as her nose twitch "I smell blood..." she mumbled her eyes sharpen then started sprinting on the roof of the houses, "Lucia wait!" Liam called but he was too late that Lucia has gotten farther away.

In Lucia's vision everything is in her wolf instincts following the glowing scent of blood as it gets brighter and stronger as she gotten closer she jump down on an alley the scent of blood stops as Lucia's eyes turn to see dead body of a girl slashed out and her cloths had been ripped up, she ran her fingers on the walls that are slashed then took touch the blood then lick it from her finger closing her eyes as she saw flashes of memories of the dead girl's memory before being murdered.

A grey hair girl walking alone in the middle of the night carrying a basket of herbs then someone was following her, it was a man he pulled out a knife grabbing the girl by the shoulder. Crying and defenseless she died getting her heart rip out leading to blood lost and the killer got away. Lucia open her eyes as she was gripping her palm grit her teeth in disgust, the sound of footsteps follow she turn to see Liam catching his breath he took one breath as he look up seeing Lucia standing in a pool of blood.

Lucia turn away walking towards to Liam "she's dead, we're leaving" she said, Liam turn to her "wait, we can't just leave her body like this!" he pointed and was about to grab Lucia's left wrist, Lucia turn to Liam glared out pulling her left arm as she pin him on the street immobilizing him her hands on Liam's shoulders and sitting on his stomach "listen! If we got ourselves involve and report this now we'll be in suspicions" she explain Liam facing Lucia's glowing red eyes "unless you forgot, you are my prisoner. I get to decide what it's going to be!" she pointed. Liam thought about it and couldn't help but feel the pain on being sat by the stomach by a girl he sigh "alright..." he mumble, Lucia raise her arms as she stood up away from Liam as he stood up coughing for air.

Lucia kept walking "come along, we still have a few hours to get some sleep" she finish as she turn to a corner. After that Liam return he saw Lucia already in bed sleeping face on the wall, he sigh as he head on the other bed pull the blanket over him closing his eyes, as soon as his eyes close he blink up and was surrounded by mist he look around and saw nothing.

*DRIP*

Liam look down on what he's stepping, his eyes widen in fear... he was stepping on a pool of blood. As soon as he saw it a silhoutte of a shadow emerge from the mist, he crawl back as the figre showed up. A reflection of Liam who has gone insane carrying a body wearing noble clothing as he drop the body. As the body roll its face towards Liam who is in fear, his face had gone pale the body was Lucia bleeding from her mouth and her eyes are lifeless...

"Face it, William..." the reflection called, Liam look up "you'll end up murdering her too" he sneered as the face of reflection glared up like an evil spirit. Liam's eyes widen just by seeing this scene as he screamed "No! This can't be happening! I wouldn't..!!"

The reflection sneered "soon, William..."

"AAARGH...!!"

"...am... Lia... am..."

"Liam!"

Liam open his eyes up he was crying and sweating, he saw Lucia right beside of the bed "are you alright?" she asked getting close "you were screaming" she worried checking Liam's forehead. Liam grab Lucia's wrist "please Lucia, stay away from me, I'm fine..." he said Lucia raise a brow "what are you saying? You don't seem fine to me, you were screaming!" she answer. Liam push the girl away "just please! I might hurt you..." he mumble "please if I lose control of myself please end me..." his tears cascaded as he remember flashes of blood and murder as he grab his head his eyes widen in fear.

Lucia sigh raise both of her hands then grab Liam by the cheeks making him face her "listen to me you idiot!" she called both of her eyes furrowed "you may be my prisoner, but I won't let you die!" she said, Liam's eyes felt in life just by staring at Lucia's eyes "I'm a freak, Lucia... my power is something dangerous"

"So?!" Lucia reacted "you're no freak! Sure you may killed many people but it's something you didn't want to!" she pointed still grabbing Liam's cheeks "sure I hated you for coming and destroyed my village, but I didn't blame you for my Grandpa's death" her eyes flared up in determination "Liam, don't be an idiot! Your power is strong but don't let it be the source of your fear!"

What was it that Liam felt right now? Was it fear? No, it was hope. He feared to someday lose his mind and become a killing machine, but not until meeting someone filled with determination. He look down "I'm sorry Lucia, it's just that..." he pause, Lucia squish Liam's cheeks "listen, is it because of what happend last night isn't it?" she sigh deeply "if that triggered you on having a nightmare, don't think about it. Because it wasn't your fault that she died" she look away deeply sigh "here's the deal, we stay here for a while and find out who the killer is?" she said as Liam stared for a moment "wait, aren't we going to Marseille to travel much faster to Rome?!" he pointed, "I know, but..." Lucia breath out.

"Rome can wait, and I'm sure my Dad can handle himself with all the Priest" She mentioned.

The same time Gabriel sneezed "Achoo!" he felt a chill "felt like someone mentioned me."

Back to Lucia "besides, I can take care of myself, remember back in Paris?" she reminded, Liam rememeber how Lucia beat three thugs with a fabric roll "yes, crystal..." he said. Lucia sat down on the bed taking out the sword "while we take our time we might as well take the time to travel, and we might not know what obstacles would be ahead, best we stay prepared."

Preparation for the next scenario....