Michael Belmont and the Heir of Van Helsing (The Adventures of Michael Belmont) (49 page)

Michael strung an arrow.
 
“Okay, ready?
 
Be careful.”

Abigail followed Magda to the right stair while Michael sprinted to the left.

Fixing his eyes upon Mihnea, Michael watched as he struggled to regain control of Link, who was still thrashing around on the floor with his hands on his head.

He crept up the stair as carefully as he could manage, trying to watch his step and make sure he kept pace with the girls, who were both as light-footed as elves.

Let’s see him block the attacks of all three of us
, Michael thought.
 
And while we have him distracted Uncle Link can join the fight
.
 
If he hadn’t been holding his bow and arrows, he would have liked to cross his fingers.

He was nearly to the top now, and he could see Elizabeth lying on the floor behind Mihnea.
 
She was propped up on her arms and wore a dazed expression, as if completely lost, even about who and where she was.

Michael took aim at Mihnea’s chest.
 
His eyes met those of Magda, and she nodded.
 
He was about to nod back when he saw her eyes grow wide, and her mouth open to call out a warning that would come too late.

Pain exploded through his right calf muscle.
 
He looked down to see a small wolf latched firmly onto his leg, and heard himself screech out in agony before falling backward down the stairs.
 
His head banged against several steps before he tumbled to a stop upside down and on his back, looking up at the old, ornate chandelier.
 
It’s beautiful
, he thought.
 
I wonder how much something like that would go for these days
.
 
He couldn’t remember his parents buying the thing, and besides that, it was awfully big for their living room.
 
No, he wasn’t at his own house- hadn’t that burned down?
 
He suddenly felt excited.
 
I must be at McGinty Castle
.
 
He couldn’t ever remember seeing the chandelier there either, but Mr. MacDonald was always bringing home new treasures.
 
As pretty as the thing was though, with all its twinkling little flames, Michael liked the night sky much better, especially the moon.
 
He loved the moon.

He suddenly felt hot.
 
He felt painfully hot, and tried to pull himself up to a sitting position.
 
He was too weak however, and the effort only made him fall down the remaining steps until he thudded onto the floor.
 
A loud pounding sound was drawing closer.
 
Someone was coming toward him, possibly getting ready to attack.
 
With effort, he lifted his head and glanced over to look.
 
Two females were running toward him, and he recognized both.
 
The little one with yellow hair was a member of his pack, his sister.
 
That was good.
 
At least he wasn’t being attacked.
 
The taller one with black fur wasn’t a member of his pack just yet, but he was going to change that.

Magda tackled Raymond and held him to the floor while Abigail dropped and took Michael’s head onto her lap.

“He’s burning up,” Abigail told her through trembling lips, “and look at the sweat pouring off of him.”

“He’s turning,” Magda told her.
 
“Leave him and help me tie this one up.
 
DON’T JUST SIT THERE, DO IT!”

Abigail took a length of rope from Magda’s pack and helped her hogtie Raymond.
 
They also tied his mouth shut in case he broke free.

“Now it’s his turn,” she said, nodding at Michael.

Abigail picked up her brother’s hand.
 
“Do we really have to do that?”

Magda was already on top of him.
 
“You know it’s the only way, now help me.”

Together they bound him and leaned him against the wall.

By the time they were finished, Link had stopped struggling, and was again lying motionless on the floor.

“Well, I have to say that I’m very disappointed in all of you,” Mihnea spat out.
 
“You people really are beginning to bore me.
 
I’d hoped for a slaughter worthy of a wedding gift, but instead we have talking and tying up and pleading and fainting.”

He caught Elizabeth by the arm and pulled her to her feet.
 
She screamed in terror and smacked at him, and then a broad smile stretched across her face and she kissed him lovingly on the cheek.

She’s starting to lose it
, Magda thought.
 
Her mind can’t take the strain.
 
It’s breaking.

“We need to move in for another attack,” she whispered to Abigail.
 
“This time we stay together.
 
Are you ready?”

Abigail nodded determinedly.

“That’s right, girls,” Mihnea jeered.
 
“Come on up, it’s time to end this once and for all.
 
I have a beautiful bride to attend to, after all.”
 
He stood in the middle of the balcony with his arms crossed, waiting for them.

Before Magda could move, the door behind Mihnea burst open and a dark form shot toward him.
 
He was struck hard in the back and thrown against the wrought iron rails, while Elizabeth fell to the floor once again.

Magda caught a glimpse of a strange, white face she did not recognize.
 
It had to be Alucard, she thought.
 
Michael and Abigail had told her all about him.
 
She watched as the two brothers began to fight so furiously that she could scarcely make out which man was which.
 
As they struggled, she balled her hands into fists and smiled.
 
Perhaps they were saved, after all.

The fighting went on for several long moments.
 
And then, from the confusion of the battle, the lance of St. George came hurdling down toward her.
 
Whether Alucard had lost it or cast it to her on purpose she didn’t know, but she leapt into the air and eagerly caught it up.
 
She turned her eyes for a quick examination of the weapon before gazing back to the balcony.

The strikes that each of the brothers delivered were so fast that Magda’s eyes could barely keep up with it all, and after a moment she heard the clanging of swords and saw the streaks of steel left by the blades passing through the air.
 
It made her angry that Mihnea was using the sword of her forefathers.
 
He was unworthy to use such a noble weapon in battle.

“COME ON, ALUCARD,” Abigail cheered.
 
“DON’T LET HIM GET THE BEST OF YOU.
 
YOU’RE STRONGER THAN HE IS!”

The cheering made Magda smile.
 
Perhaps it was this encouragement that drove Alucard forward, or maybe the sword- a weapon of righteousness, somehow betrayed the evil man using it, but whatever the reason, the two girls watched in glee as their friend beat his adversary down, and took the sword away from him.

Alucard stood there panting, holding both swords at the throat of his brother.
 
“Your reign of evil has ended, Mihnea, even before it has started.
 
I’m sorry, but I can’t allow you to leave this castle.
 
Not after the things you’ve done.
 
Have you anything to say for yourself?”

“Oh, I have plenty to say for myself,” he answered with a look of disdain.
 
He stood to his feet and scanned the eyes of everyone in the room, stopping to fix his gaze on Magda.
 
“I know the two of us don’t exactly see eye to eye, but now that you have that lance of yours, you might consider using it on my father here.
 
After all, he’s betrayed us both.”

“Your
father
?
 
What are you talking about, monster?
 
TELL ME!
 
TELL ME NOW!”

“You truly are a stupid girl, aren’t you?
 
It’s no wonder that you Van Helsings die so easily,” he laughed mockingly.

“Don’t listen to his lies,” Alucard warned her, moving the swords closer to his neck.

“Tell me,
stupid girl
, have you never stopped to think that the name Alucard spelled backwards is DRACULA?”

Magda suddenly felt sick.
 
Was it really possible?
 
Had this strange man, whom her friends had taken in and trusted, now betrayed them all?
 
She wanted to trust Michael; she did trust him.
 
But that didn’t mean he couldn’t be fooled himself.
 
Look at him now, tied up on the ground with werewolf blood pumping through his veins, and Abigail had been changed into a vampire as well, at least she would be as soon as she made her first kill.
 
Magda looked at her suspiciously.
 
She didn’t know what to think.
 
She didn’t know what to do.

“Help me, God,” she prayed softly as a tear ran down her cheek.

“I’m afraid
He
wasn’t invited to the party,” Mihnea said angrily.
 
“But if you want further proof of my father’s betrayal, then ask him for the sword.
 
He won’t give it to you.
 
I know why you’re here, Magda Van Helsing.
 
You want to destroy that gateway, don’t you?
 
You’re even willing to sacrifice yourself to do it!
 
Then ask your friend, your
ally
here for the sword, and see if he gives it to you.”

“Don’t listen to him Magda,” Michael said weakly, shaking his head.
 
“He’s evil.
 
Alucard is our friend.
 
Mihnea’s only trying to trick you.”

Alucard held the swords threateningly at Mihnea’s throat.
 
His red eyes glared menacingly.
 
“Shut up,” he said.
 
“I think you’ve said enough.”

Magda glared up at Alucard.
 
“He’s right,” she told him.
 
“I did come to destroy that gateway, give me the sword so I can do it.”

Alucard just stood there silently, glaring angrily into Mihnea’s eyes.
 
“I’m afraid I can’t do that,” he told her.
 
“I’m
not
going to give you this sword.”

“You
are
Dracula,
aren’t you
?” Magda yelled at Alucard.
 
She glanced down at Abigail, who appeared to be just as confused as she was.
 
“I don’t know how you managed to fool everyone, but I’ll take on both of you if I have to.”

Magda knew that she stood no chance against either of them, much less both, but she’d still fight them, and try her hardest to protect her friends, even if it meant her death.

“No, Magda, listen to me—” Alucard said, turning to look at her.
 
As soon as he took his eyes off of Mihnea, he changed his form into a bat and took off across the room.
 
Without another word, Alucard changed and flew after him, catching him in the air.
 
The creatures bit and clawed at one another as they dropped and landed by the front door of the throne room.

They changed back into men and Mihnea was soon overpowered once again, lying on the floor and at the mercy of the man with two swords at his neck.

Magda gasped when Caleb Boone came running in through the door.

“I’m sorry,” he huffed to Alucard.
 
“I got here as quickly as I could.”

“Belmont and his friend?” Alucard asked.

“They’re on their way.”

“Alright, we need to hurry.
 
Can you cover him while I take care of the girl?”

Caleb nodded, and drew his own sword, holding it to Mihnea’s neck.
 

“What did I tell you, girl,” Mihnea called to Magda.
 
“He’s coming for you.
 
Better get that lance ready!”

“QUIET, YOU!” Caleb commanded him.

Alucard shot at Magda, but she was ready for him.
 
She kicked, narrowly missing his face, and made several jabs with the lance, trying to anticipate where he was going next.
 
She’d never seen anyone move so quickly.
 
Is this how her life would end?
 
Fighting with this monster who was responsible for causing her family so much pain and misery, unable even to land one blow.

And then she hit him.
 
With a terrible crack, she drove the lance right into his ribcage.
 
He staggered back, and she waited for the ethereal blue bonds to appear, just like the ones Michael had seen in his vision, but they did not come.
 
She gaped in surprise as Alucard quickly recovered and shot around behind her.

He grabbed her arms, and pinned her to the ground.

“I truly am sorry for this,” he said, “but it’s the only way.”

Terror seized her, and her body betrayed itself, as she was too exhausted to struggle any longer.
 
She had no strength left to fight.
 
She whimpered as Alucard’s teeth sank into her arm, not far from where Michael had cut her.
 
She wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction of a scream; she could still deny him that, at least.

After a moment, to her astonishment, he let go, carefully letting her drop to the floor.
 
She watched as he ran toward the throne, and noticed her own blood streaming from the blade of the sword.
 
She looked at her arm to see a short, deep cut where she’d thought he had bitten her.