Another Van Helsing story for HeccinWolf!
Poll closes tonight! https://www.patreon.com/posts/44112587
__________
“You’re too late, my friend!” Count Vladislaus Dracula screamed triumphantly. His nemesis, Van Helsing, who he knew as Gabriel, turned around, surprised to see the vampire. “My children live!” he cried.
Van Helsing’s eyes narrowed. “Then the only way to kill them, is to kill you.”
“Correct.” Dracula smiled.
“So be it,” Gabriel proclaimed, grinning madly. He ripped off his jacket and turned toward the clock. It struck midnight, and before Dracula’s eyes, the man in front of him began to transform. “One!”
He fell onto his knees and took off his jacket, becoming shirtless now. Dracula’s eyes widened—he was starting to put the pieces together: the stroke of midnight, and the fact that fur was now starting to grow on the man’s skin. . .! “No, this cannot be!” the vampire cried. But it was: Van Helsing was a werewolf.
The werewolf form erupted from the human skin, ripping through it and outright replacing it. Claws erupted from hands, a muzzle broke through the face. Soon enough, the Gabriel that Vladislaus knew was gone, replaced by a beast.
Dracula found himself laughing in delight, even as the werewolf stomped toward him. “We are both part of the same grand game, Gabriel,” Dracula said, trying to convince the man inside the monster. “But we need not find ourselves on opposite sides of the board.”
In response, the werewolf roared in his face.
The vampire grew determined, and he shifted into his own monster form—that of a giant bat with a humanoid, monstrous face, arms, and legs—and charged at Van Helsing
The werewolf spread his arms wide and caught the charging beast, then got the advantage, pushing the vampire back into one of his machines. Angered, Dracula pulled out of Van Helsing’s grip and swiped at the werewolf’s face, getting a few hits in, ripping right into his opponent with no mercy. He tried to push Gabriel to the ground, but the werewolf managed to get the upper hand once again, and reared up, grabbing the bat monster. Then he charged forward, grabbing onto Dracula in the process, and tried to charge again—but the vampire took to the skies.
He flew in the air while holding onto the werewolf, intending to bring his opponent to the second floor and then drop him down. Instead, Van Helsing grabbed onto Dracula’s wings, and wrestled with him in the air, causing deviations in the startled vampire’s flight patterns. The Count struggled with his opponent, trying to throw him off, but instead, they both ended up crashing into the ground.
Dracula turned the werewolf so that his opponent would hit the equipment below, and—success! The beast slammed into the vampire’s devices, and that managed to stun him enough for Vladislaus to get the upper hand. He threw his opponent to the ground and sliced his claws into the werewolf’s back. Van Helsing cried out in pain, and blood oozed from his wounds, making the Count grin as the beast suffered—he was getting closer and closer to victory. He picked up Gabriel, wrapping his hands around the werewolf’s waist, and threw him forward, heaving as he tossed his opponent like a sack.
Van Helsing landed with a /thud/ a few feet away, but Dracula wasn’t done. He wasn’t going to run away—no, he was going to obliterate the werewolf. He wasn’t interested in being partners or brothers in arms with Van Helsing anymore. He wanted to take the beast as his own. . .
He flew in the air and charged forward, claws out, screaming like a banshee. His poor opponent didn’t even have time to react before the Count landed on top of him, slamming the werewolf to the ground and grabbing his shoulders with his claws open, digging them into his flesh. Van Helsing let out a guttural roar of pain, squirming and struggling, swiping at the bat monster and trying to get free. But Vladislaus refused to release his enemy, as he was intent on defeating him. Just a little further, and he’d break the monster. . .!
Instead, Van Helsing managed to squirm out of his grip, and he pushed Dracula off of him, standing from the ground. The Count let out an angry screech, glaring at his opponent . . . but then, a smile lit up on his face. The werewolf’s eyes weren’t as determined anymore—there was anxiety and fear in them, signs of defeat. Soon, he would be annihilated. It was only a matter of time.
The two circled each other for a long moment, sizing each other up, letting out roars and grunts as they watched the other. Then, without warning, Van Helsing’s form shifted, and he turned back into a human! Vladislaus glanced outside the window, and noticed the moon was behind a cloud. Good. He had an idea of how he could break the man further. . .
He shrunk down, abandoning his monster form and changing back into his humanoid one. Giving Gabriel a smile, he said, “Did I mention that it was you who murdered me?”
Van Helsing froze, staring at the Count in clear shock. He continued, pacing around the room (and, by extension, around his enemy), “It must be such a burden. Such a curse . . . to be the Left Hand of God.”
Dracula looked at Van Helsing, watching the man’s reaction. Surprise entered the human’s face, then confusion, and then, finally, realization, as Gabriel finally saw who he truly was. He looked at the Count, who gave him another grin. “All I want is life, Gabriel,” he said, walking toward the man, preparing to shift back to his monster form. “The continuation of my kind.”
Van Helsing backed up, clearly afraid. Vladislaus shook his head. “Don't be afraid, Gabriel. Don't be afraid.” He smiled comfortingly, letting the lies flow. “I shall give you back your life, your memory.”
Gabriel shook his head, and glanced at the window. “Some things are better left forgotten.”
Dracula looked over at the window too see what Van Helsing had noticed—and realized the moon was getting back into view! He turned just as the human shifted into his werewolf form and bared his fangs, ready to strike,
But the Count was ready too. He dodged to the right of the werewolf, which caused his opponent to slam into another of Vladislaus’s contraptions, rendering him temporarily dazed. Taking the opportunity, Dracula struck, grabbing the werewolf and flying high into the air. He struggled to hold the large beast for a moment, but soon, he was able to recover, and lift Van Helsing up.
The werewolf struggled in his grip, but the Count refused to let go. He continued to go higher and higher in the air, not stopping for a long time.
Then, finally, he did stop. And he let go of the werewolf.
Van Helsing immediately plummeted toward the ground. His paws flailed in the air, trying to grab onto something. Dracula flew down with Gabriel, getting punches in every once in a while, but dodging the grabs from the werewolf. And then, finally, impact occurred.
It was immense. The werewolf slammed into the ground, and was dazed, unable to move. He tried to stand, but Vladislaus pushed him back into the floor, and punched him repeatedly, hitting him right in the face. The werewolf howled in pain, and those howls turned to whimpers. Dracula smiled. After such a beatdown, Van Helsing could barely stand, much less fight. It was over.
Smiling, the vampire walked up to his nemesis, towering over the werewolf in glorious victory. “I am your master now, beast,” Count Vladislaus Dracula growled, pointing a clawed finger at the werewolf. “Well?”
The beast said nothing, and the vampire stomped forward, swiping at his opponent’s face. His hand hit its mark, leaving bloody trails as his nails dug into the werewolf’s skin. Van Helsing cried out in pain, and the bat monster grinned. “Well?” he asked, raising his hand again. “Do you understand now? Submit to me!”
The werewolf whimpered, and knelt down in front of the vampire. The fight drained from his eyes, and he nodded to Dracula. “Good,” Vladislaus said, smirking. “You should change back any minute now, then. . .”
Sure enough, as the moon disappeared from the sky, the werewolf’s form shifted, and transformed back into a human. Van Helsing didn’t move for a long moment, and he looked up at Dracula with defeated eyes.
The Count smiled down at him, and shifted back to his humanoid form. “From now on, you will be my pet,” he declared to the man. “Nothing more, nothing less. You will obey me, and me alone, and I will lead you to great things. Understand?”
The man said nothing. Dracula frowned, and lifted up his hand. “Well?”
“I understand,” the human said, defeated.
“Understand, /who/?”
“I understand . . . master?”
“Correct.” Vladislaus smirked down at his new pet. “Excellent.
“This is going to be an excellent arrangement. . .”