Van Helsing

Hannah turned into Lestat's embrace. "He... doesn't care?" She asked, choking back sobs.

"Not in the least." John said simply. "He led you on."

Hannah clung to Lestat. "Why...?"

"Probably to do what all his kind want to: kill vampires." John enjoyed the turn of events. "He thought he might be able to get closer to Jinx, myself, and probably Lestat too, bye gaining your trust. Once he'd killed us, he'd take care of you too."

 

Lestat gave John a soft look, his arms around Hannah, running his fingers through her hair. "I'm sorry, love," he soothed. "But I cannot argue with John, however wrong he usually is in these instances. You must feel awful... La petite fille pauvre," he added softly, his French slipping out in a whisper.

 

Hannah buried her face in Lestat's shirt. She couldn't say anything else, only think about how much it hurt.

John folded his arms and sighed. "Oh Edward," He called. "You'll be happy to know that Hannah will probably be staying with us. Consider your burden ours now."

 

Edward stopped in his tracks, John's words rebounding in his head. He tried his best to calm down, to think of something that didn't make him want to explode... he breathed slowly, shutting his eyes, remembering the carriage ride here, holding Hannah while she slept, the first time he saw her and held her, her tears against his chest... Edward sat up, transformed back to his original shape.

Liar, he snapped back at John now, leaning his hands against the nearest tree, his human eyes adjusting to the dark, almost enjoying the pain in his head.

 

"Shh," Lestat whispered to Hannah, looking up at John. Do you want to taunt him to the point of ripping you apart? he asked dangerously. It's not the best idea.

 

"That's all I wanted to say to him." John told Lestat and looked at Hannah.

 

Lestat nodded briefly, his smile spreading. He pulled Hannah's hair lightly, his fingers still entwined in it, making her look into his eyes. "You should stay here, my dear," he whispered. "Edward is already gone."

 

Edward sighed, two sides of his mind battling each other; half of him wanted to go back to Van Helsing and tell him that the minutes Beatrice and Jinx were back they must leave... where the other half wanted to turn and bolt through the trees, grab Hannah, and run her away from all the people they both knew...

"Oh, hell," he swore, and turned to go deeper into the forest.

 

"I will...." She murmured, barely understanding what she was agreeing to.

"Then it's agreed." John smiled maliciously. "It is for the best."

 

"I disagree," Edward snapped, stepping out of the trees behind John.

 

Lestat smiled, glad he had not told John of Edward's closeness. He rubbed Hannah's back carelessly when he felt her shudder against him.

 

Hannah felt new tears come when she heard Edward's voice.

John turned to face Edward, his eyes dangerously red. "No one said your vote was included." He hissed.

 

"I don't give a damn what you think," Edward snapped, just as strong. "Let her go, please."

 

"She's very content where she is now, Edward," Lestat smiled, holding Hannah a little tighter as her tears fell on his shining vest.

 

"Can't you see you're hurting her?" John sidestepped, blocking Hannah from Edward's view. "You should go."

I know you don't care Edward...You don't have to pretend....Hannah felt strangely safe with Lestat, but at the same time, she couldn't fully understand what she was feeling or why.

 

"You heard her," Lestat muttered. "Let her be."

 

"I won't," Edward retorted, trying to catch Hannah's eye. "You know I didn't mean what I thought," he insisted. "I was just as angry as you! Come back with us... Beatrice needs you, Van Helsing needs you, and I need you. Please."

 

John moved over to Hannah and Lestat.

Hannah looked over her shoulder at Edward. "I don't know what to do...."

"Remember what I told you." John cautioned.

Hannah tried to ignore John. "Edward... I want to believe you.... I have never felt this way before.... And I don't want to feel it again. I want to be happy like I was earlier today... but how do I know that feeling won't break like this again...? Edward-"

"Enough." John snapped, putting a hand on Hannah's shoulder.

 

"It's nothing, Hannah," Edward insisted. "Everyone argues, everyone gets angry! But you can't be happy with them. You--"

 

Enough! Lestat snapped harshly in Edward's head, tearing a new gash across the scars in the werewolf's healed mind. Get on the ground. Edward did just that, falling to his kees, holding his head between in hands, swallowing a cry of pain.