Van Helsing grunted nudging the blackened skeleton with his foot holding the cross bow for safe measure the next morning. He had watched the vampire burn to crisp with Snyder. The screaming and crying and rasping of insults slurred away. Van Helsing had fired three arrows to put the thing out of it's misery. The tree should have provided shade. It would have if it didn't catch fire.

"Burnt the whole tree", whispered Snyder staring up at the blackened and broken bark.

Van Helsing seemed silent and then he scoffed turning, "Got what he deserved", said Van Helsing.

Snyder turned watching Van Helsing toss down the cross bow and splash his face from the water trough and wipe himself. Van Helsing looked around.

"Where'd the....what's her name?", asked Van Helsing.

"Reverend", corrected Snyder.

"Yeah, her, where'd she go?", asked Van Helsing.

"I don't know, she doesn't tell me these things. But she can't stay out in the sun", said Snyder.

Van Helsing looked back at the crisped remains. "Ah...right", he finished. Van Helsing still didn't get why a vampire would actually bother to help humans. And what flustered him the most was that after six years of retirement and peace....why he was actually considering on going back to work for the Hunters Guild in Paris.

He sighed he really hated that he was saying this, "Alright, fine....I'll go with you back to Paris", said Van Helsing.

"On one condition", he warned cutting Snyder off.

"We go pick up Friar. If the vampires are after me there is a high likelihood that they are after him as well and are likely not far behind", said Van Helsing.

"Alright, done", said Snyder.

"Good, then we are going to Italy", said Van Helsing.

Snyder balked, "I-I- Italy?! Do you know how many months it will take to get there?", asked Snyder.

"It takes about three weeks by horseback", said Van Helsing.

"Regardless! That's three weeks of jeopardizing you!", said Snyder.

"Bringing me to Paris where every vampire wants me dead is also very jeopardizing", said Van Helsing.

"Why not just send Reverend? She can travel much faster than we can and will likely be able to reach your companion sooner than we would", said Snyder.

"I prefer to do things myself. There is little liability to keep track of", said Van Helsing.

"But what about the girl? What about Penelope?", asked Snyder.

"She's coming with us till we can find a proper family to care for her", said Van Helsing.

"But...", Snyder's voice trailed off.

"But what?", asked Van Helsing.

"She...she doesn't speak to anyone. Or very little at least....and she...she is fond of Reverend", said Snyder.

"Just because sheds fond of a bloody vampire doesn't change my mind. Now enough the choice is made", snapped Van Helsing. He didn't want to press and social the matter further.

Snyder clenched his teeth. Despite him being a half long Snyder wasn't going to argue. Not with a werewolf.

********

Penelope looked back towards the tree as they left silently on horseback. She stared at it for a while. She flinched then. She swore she saw one of the blackened fingers twitch.