#helsing!jesse

It was home.

Jesse stayed within the castle walls despite your request that you feared for his safety. He argued with you plenty. Gabriel watched you ever closely with the cowboy in case you would grow hungry again.

It was not for the fact that he was worried about you killing. He was adamant about that much to your dislike. He did understand that it was not to your taste and would cause more harm than do good.

You were happy to have everyone close to you but it was time to say goodbye. Jesse wanted to stick around to make sure you were fine after everything that happened. Mentally and physically, you were an entirely new person. It was tiring. You slept a lot. They had both worried you were not going to make it.

New vampires are like babies. It’s from your understand that the first few weeks can be grueling. Your body does a complete makeover. You are sick one minute and fine the next. You’re hungry for real food and blood. The desire for your old human life fades with the centuries but it does not hurt in early years to dive into old ways.

Jesse continues to look at you from the entrance doorway as his hand holds the doorknob. “You gotta convince me you’ll be okay.”

“I will, I will. I promise.” You reach forward and pat his arm. You have not been awake for very long. You’re a little sluggish.

The castle is quiet. It’s almost dawn. Everyone is asleep. The cowboy stands straight. “Write to me. I’ll be here in a moment if you need to leave.”

“I’m taken care of here, Jesse.” You smile at his concern. “It’s going to be okay. Again, I’m more worried about your journey.”

He gave you a grin. “I’ll be fine. Always am. I’ll make things right for you.”

“Be careful.” You press your hands against your shirt. You could feel where the bullet went through your body. “Don’t kill anyone unless you know for sure. I…I’m not sure if I want revenge. It was such a whoosh of emotions when I woke up. The conversation with my family really made my mind spin.”

Jesse nodded. “I’m going to make everything right. Count on that.”

“What will you do as you continue this journey?”

“I’m going to try to do my best. I want to right the wrongs I’ve done which includes what I did to you. I’ll go back to your home town and try to talk to that maid of yours. But after that, I’m helping people along the way. Everyone.” He emphasizes the last part. “Supernatural or not.”

You smiled at the growth you’ve seen in the man before you. “I wish you all the luck.”

“What about you?” He gestures to the extravagant surroundings.

You glanced around, knowing this was something completely out of your realm. “I don’t want to stay in this castle. I want to move once I’m in control of myself and do something similar to what you are doing. Help people. I will do research here, read everything I can find on my path to control. Then I’ll venture out and do my best.”

“What about Gabriel?”

“I’ll do what my parents wanted. Show him humanity again. While you fight for what is right out there, I’ll do the same here. They don’t have to kill to survive.”

“You’re awfully confident in all of this.” Jesse grabbed his bags from the floor. You opened the door for him.

“I’m confident in both of us.” You hugged him quickly before seeing him off. It was a bittersweet moment to see him get into the carriage and disappear as the sun was just peaking up. You closed up the entranceway and double-checked all the locks before going back to your room.

A few moments later, you slipped into the cool bed along Gabriel. “You smell like a cowboy.” He said from his stock still sleeping position.

You snuggled into the lavish covers and laid your head on the pillow. “I had to hug him.”

“You understand you will outlive him.” Gabriel looked at you, eyes glowing in the dark.

“Maybe.” You stared back. “But that’s okay. Memories will be sweet to look back on.”

“What a woman you are.” He rolled over to move closer to you. “I do love you dearly.”

“I love you too.” You leaned over and kissed his nose. “Which is probably good since we will spend the rest of your lives together.”

“Forever.” He confirmed.

You couldn’t help but giggle to yourself. “I’m the future Mrs. Dracula.”

“And mother to future children that we will bring into our lives.” He yawned and pulled you close. “But now is time for rest. So sleep and dream.”

They are all searching for something. They are frantic. It’s something important.  

“She’s still not home.” A distant voice seems a little familiar. There’s urgency in the tone. “They’ve been searching. She did not go to the designated location to be picked up.”  

“It’s late,” Another voice tries to be calming. The feeling of being jostled in a carriage is multiplied. It’s like the world is vibrating. “You have to sleep.”  

“No.” The weight of the word carries a thousand tons of bricks into the room. There is not a word.  

The wolves are sinking into the ground as if they are moles. The sun is chasing them. It’s bright.  

“Wake up.”  

You are startled from your sleep in a horribly awkward position on the floor. Your lungs feel horrible. It must be from the dust. You glanced up to see the cowboy without the hat. “I had the weirdest dream.”  

“Well, you had to have because you slept through the loudest ruckus ever.” He helped you to your feet before peeking out the window of the cabin. “Sounded like the whole dam forest was awake. The crickets, the wolves, the hills. Everything was alive.”  

You brushed the debris off your body. “The wolves?”

He nodded, glancing back to you before leaning against the wall. He lit a thick cigar, the ember glowing orange. “Howling, screaming their midnight song. It was horrible. I have wondered about you with how you slept like that. Damn near like the dead. But you ain’t no bloodsucker. Not yet.”  

“Not yet?” You moved closed to him, avoiding any of the leftover furniture in the rundown cabin. “You so sure I’ll become a vampire.”  

McCree snickered. “You don’t see the way he looks at you and visa Versa. The two of you…peas in a pod. You’ll become one. When it comes down to it, I don’t think you’ll be able to take your last breath with confidence that there is nothing on this earth left for you.”  

You crossed your arms in front of you. “So confident in your answer.” You mumbled, glancing to where the sun was sprinkling in.  

You could feel his eyes on you. “In another life, I think we could have been something. But I’m too caught up in my own head to stop and fall for a pretty girl. You met the old graveyard boy at just the right time.”  

You laughed and covered your mouth quickly. “You speak so boldly, Jesse.” You caught his gaze as your cheeks moved with a spreading smile.  

“I think I’m right there!” He shook his cigar like a pointed finger. “I care for ya and you do me. We gonna be old friends, you and me. I know it.” He patted the front of his shirt. “Another life, it could have been. That’s why I’m fine with what you’re wanting to do. It’s okay when it’s time to say goodbye to your mortality. I don’t wanna be the bad guy no more.”  

“You don’t have to be.” You moved forward and gripped the arm that didn’t have the cigar. “You’ll be new hope, something different! A monster hunter but for only the bad ones.”  

“Because there are two sides to everything.” He grinned at you and patted the grip you had on him. “Let’s get you home now. Your fella gonna have me killed if I don’t get your home tonight.”  

“I would fight if he tried. You’re nothing but a good soul, Jesse McCree.”  

The cowboy gave you a look before putting his hand on. “I’m a good soul with the fastest trigger this world’s ever seen.”  

“You’re going to have to be if the supernatural gets any faster.” The sun beamed in the sky as two of you left the barely-there building.  

“We are going to have walk all of this.” He motioned to the land. “My horse is probably long gone where we were.”  

“That’s fine. Nothing a little walking ever hurt.” The hours ticked by. The sun had been high in the sky but by the time you got where you should have been in the first place, it was creeping dangerously low. “I don’t know about this.” You cracked a twig beneath your boot as an empty field filled your view for as far as you could see. “This is where they said.”  

“I followed the instructions you told me about the letter.” Jesse waved his hand at the empty land. “This is where it should be.”  

“They didn’t tell me it was a field. Honestly, they didn’t say anything. The vampires at the castle…I’m not sure they like me.”  

“You have to understand,” Jesse started as he walked further into the opening, “that is a walking meal. It would be a bit strenuous to be around you if my main meal base was you.”  

You made a surprised sound. “I never thought about it like that.”  

“That’s why ya need me in your life. I’m an eye-opener.” He grinned at you before stopping to fully turn back to face you.

You stopped to look at him. “What’s wrong?”  

“I just got a chill down my spine.” He wiggled in the spot he was in before really looking back at the way the two of you came.  

“You think it’s Ashe? Could she have followed us?” You stared ahead as a moving object seemed to be creeping this way. “I think that’s a carriage off in the distance.”  

Jesse turned but only for a half a second before he turned back to the woods. “I don’t think it could be Ashe. She’d have to be dam near psychic to have guessed where we were going since she couldn’t move in the sun.”  

“What about backup?” You asked as the carriage came closer into view. “Oh, I know who that is.” You high stepped in the direction of where the horses were coming from when the carriage slowed a stop. A fully covered Gabriel stepped from the depths of the blacked-out carriage as the sun was sitting on the horizon. “You better be careful!” You walked closer. “The sun is still out.”  

“Backup?” Jesse mumbled to himself, “It would have to be Van. She’s the only one she really trusts...”

“The heat of the sun cannot compare to the rage that stirs inside my belly.” He spoke softly before reaching for you.  

You could hear Jesse behind you as your hand reached for Gabriel. Just as he pulled you close, the softest of pangs filled the air. It was a sound you were unfamiliar with but from the men around you, they jumped to action.  

The world was slipping. “Gabriel?” You called out. You stepped back away from his grip to see blood blossoming from his shirt. His face was filled with a thousand horrors. “You’re bleeding.”  

His fangs were exposed. “No…I’m not.”

You standing amongst the trees. It was dense land with much history to it. Where you stand now it a graveyard of fallen vampires. Each headstone is dedicated to someone who had been lost. Heavy monuments were digging into the ground. Colossal mausoleums were scattered few and far between. You’d hate to know what happened there.

It seems like an appropriate place to be if any. The light from evening sun was twinkling through the leaves.

“Here I was thinkin’ we could grab somethin’ good to eat and sit pretty somewhere. This ain’t it.” His voice is like sweet like candy.

“I didn’t think you were the type that wants to sit pretty.”

“Ya never know. It could grow on me for sure.” His footsteps bring him closer.

You turn to see the cowboy hat pulled down past his eyes. “Is it hard to look at a woman you claimed of murder?”

His head jerked up. “Now…don't be sour. That wasn’t my idea. Helsing did that work.”

“But there was no objection from you.”

“And that makes me just as guilty.” Jesse digs the tip of his boot into the ground. “I am truly sorry about all that happened. It ain’t me. I…didn’t think it was right. That’s why I went lookin’ for ya. But I had others on my heels. They wanted you and your fellow something fierce. I didn’t come here for blood.”

“But that’s what is happened. Blood. I know you’ve lost some numbers.”

“It’s been one hell of a war just stepping on the land. Didn’t think it would be. Helsing ain’t talking to me right now. I raised some hairs since I’ve been here. I stayed too long is what everyone said.”

You crossed your arms over your chest. “You could help change that, if you’d like. You could make up for the wrongs that have taken place.”

A dry laugh came from his throat. “What could I do, sweetheart? This has gone too far.”

“I only told Gabriel about this and he thinks I’m gone around the bin. But I think it’s worth trying.”

“You’ve got too many brains in your head to stay safe, don’t ya?” He moved forward and tilted his hat up to look at you. Jesse McCree was still a good man, you just had a feeling about that.

“I think too much to be complacent. What about it?” You gestured to the tombstones. “Would you like to end this?”

“What’s your big idea?” He pulled a case from his pocket and pulled a cigar out.

“I think that you could help turn all these things around. I think you could start a conversation with other hunters. Vampires and creatures of all sorts that I may not even know about…they can’t all be bad, right? Nothing is good or bad. Like humans, there is a complexity to it. What if you guys only hunt bad guys?”

“Bad guys?” He lit the end. “Like we’re some supernatural police.”

“Exactly!” You exclaimed. “Not all of the creature are bad, just go after the ones that kill, murder, rob. You know?”

“I can understand this, I mean hell, I ain’t no golden boy. But there’s a problem with this little place.”

You frowned a little bit. “What’s the problem?”

“Helsing.” He moved his cigar to form a ring of smoke. “Helsing is obsessed at this point with Dracula. It’s a cycle. They are cat and mouse. Back and forth. Moon and sun. They ain’t giving up their ways. They both want blood. What do I do about that?”

“I feel like that’s more of their problem. That’s an them issue.” You shrugged. “But the overall issue seems like it could be solved with some open-minded individuals.”

“Maybe.” McCree dug his boot into the dirt. “So, I start the conversation-“ A bullet shot the cigar out of McCree’s hand. He burst forward and the two of you fell to the ground once more. “We got to stop meeting like this.” He jokes before grabbing a hold of you and blasting off towards the back of a mausoleum as bullets follow your trail.

“A friend of yours?” You asked, heart shaking the bones in your chest.

“Imma thinking we could use the term friend as loosely as ever before.” He was inspecting his fingers. “I know who it is to.”

“Oh, good. Well, at least we know the angel of death today.”

“She ain’t no angel.” He argued. “Right now, she’s a pain in my ass.”

“Old girlfriend?” You inquired.

He grinned at you. “She ain’t my type.” McCree entwined his fingers with yours before flying off like a bat out of hell through the tombstones.

Shots came quick. Stone was flying through the air. “There’s nowhere to go!”

He pulled you to him in a swift turn as his gun seemed to have almost appeared in his hand. A bullet rang out. The sound of metal meeting metal rang out before the two of you slid down a hill through the woods. “There’s always somewhere to go. You gotta learn to know about your surrounding area before you make a meeting like this. Especially with the company you keep.”

“What about you?” You darted off through the trees as metal met metal once again. “Not exactly loving your company.”

“It’s a flip of a coin who we fair together on the day.” McCree jumped over a fallen tree and chased after you. “Keep going that direction. You’ll meet the water at some point. I’m going to buy us time.”

“You better make it back to me, Jesse. I didn’t come all this way for you to die.”

You’d never know this was here. To be honest, you did not explode the book store all that much except for the store itself. You had always known the building was bigger than what you worked in but you never asked. It was not any of your business.  

Maybe it was now…

You paid the thought no mind as you traveled deeper into the gloomy stairwell. There was soft light at the end but it only cast shadows that made your stomach tighten in fear.  

You finally came to the end of the tunnel to stare at an open room with four cells against the left wall. You kept to the right where the stairs were an easy escape while you took the scene in. In front of the cells was a chair with metal chains draped over the arms. There was something staining the ground but you honestly wished to move no further away from the wall.  

A growl ripped through the air and you flung yourself towards the stairs and out of the light.  It hissed like a snake would. You could feel your heart ramming into your ribs. It was almost as if they would crack from the fright.  

You peeked around the corner to see the creature clinging to the iron bars with its hands reaching forward as if to grasp the light.

“You!” It yelled. “I know you are there! Come!” It shook the prison it was in. The sounds were ringing in your ears.  

“I do not wish to come closer! You frighten me! This whole place does. There is nothing good here.”

“That is why you must come!” Its voice was raspy and crackly like it had never had a drop of water.  

You clung to the wall and pushed forward to see it better as your vision adjusted. Its skin was clinging to its bone. Its teeth were sharp and jagged. It looked more beast than man. You gasped as you realized it had no eyes. It looked as if someone had plucked them from its skull.  

You gasped and it seemed to hone in on you. “What happened to you?”  

“Me?” It seemed to touch its face as if it had forgotten. “Those men did this.”  

“What men?”  

“You know the men. I can hear them when they speak to you. You know those men. The one smells of cigars. The other is old. He has been around a while. He knows this world.”  

“Why did they do this to you?” You stepped forward with courage.  

It was silent for a moment before it pressed its face against the bars. You could see its hairless features. It looks like death. “Because they hate my kind. We are beneath their feet. They even have one as a pet.”  

“What are you?”  

It grinned. The teeth look as sharp as knives. “I am a vampire. But not for long.”  

“Because I am dying, child. I need your help?”  

“What could I do for you?”  

“I need you to kill me. It would be simple. Actually, you may not even need to do it yourself.”  

“I could never!” You cried out. “I have never hurt someone. How could I even?”  

“There is a wooden stake over there.” It pointed with one long finger to the torture chair. “I just need that. It will release me from this life.”  

“I could get help! I could find help for you!” You scooted closer to the center.  

“There is no time. Anyone of help is too far or asleep. It is the daytime. I must die. I refuse to be touched by those souls anymore.”  

You looked towards the chair and moved forward, fear bubbling inside your body. “What will you do with this?”  

“Use it for one of the few ways I can die.”  

Your fingers shook. You had finally moved towards the chair. It looked like it was just stained in blood. You felt dizzy. It was not the time to faint though.  

You gripped the wooden stake that was beneath the chains. They fell to the floor with a heavy response. It felt so final.  

You moved towards the creature with the heavy wooden stake in your hand. There was a lump in your throat as you reached your hand out to give it to the vampire. It reached forward and took your hand, giving you a gentle squeeze before taking the stake. “I would suggest you leave before I do this…thank you for your kindness.”  

“Can I do anything for you?”  

The creature seemed to shake. “There is a woman. She lives near the shore…tell her I am sorry that I never came home. Her name is Elizabeth Hallow.”  

You felt your heart break a little bit. “I will. I promise.”  

The creature nodded. “The master loves you. I can see why.”  

“Who?” You furrowed your brows.  

The moment was taken as you heard news from above. The two of you moved to look towards the stairs. There was more sound. On instinct, you rushed back up the stairs. You ascended back into the office of Mr. Helsing and ran into the book store to see Jesse standing in the doorway.  

“Hey there. What are you doing?”  

“What are you doing?” You shouted. You gesture towards the office. “You two are monsters. You two are the real monsters!”  

He raised his hands up and looked concerned. “What happened? What do you mean?”  

“The creature in the cellar!”  

The cowboy booked it past you and towards the office. You chased after him. The two of you descended back into the office and down beneath. You could hear Jesse cursing before you even could see the cells.  

You turned the corner and looked at the cages to see a pile of dust. Jesse was banging his hands against the cage. It was like the world went silent. You were left to your own thoughts as you stumbled up the stairs.  

But father and mother are gone. Heaven took them and now you were alone in that house. It was yours to keep as the will had said. You were told to keep it in the family. You never went into father’s study after he had passed.

So why do you smell American whiskey and cigars?

You slowly opened your eyes and looked up. It was as if everything was on a low volume and it was slowly being turned up. The mumbled noises of voices turned into a full-fledged conversation. The ceiling came into focus before you saw the man. You seemed to have your head in his lap as a gentle hand kept a wash rag on your forehead while the other was sitting on your stomach. It was as if he knew you very well.

But he did not.

You were in the lap of Jesse McCree. This was a man you had seen in the store. You had come to suspect that he was good friends with Mr. Helsing.

You cleared your throat and looked up at the man with his sun-warmed face and soft, brown facial hair. “Is this how you always keep your ladies, Mr. McCree?”

You heard Mr. Helsing from somewhere get up with the sound of a scooting chair. Jesse looked down to meet your gaze with those amber eyes of his. “Not all of them. How do ya feel, Miss?”

“Weak but okay. What happened?”

“You fainted.” Mr. Helsing said, coming to kneel in the floor to be eye level with you. “You became quite overwhelmed. We did not mean to cause you such inconvenience.”

You nodded and looked at the older man. “It felt like something was in my head that did not want to come out. I really don’t know if it was the conversation or not. I’ve probably caught some sort of new illness. Maybe it’s a mania.”

“Dear, I don’t think it is that.” Helsing took your hand gently into his old, calloused fingers. “I have a question to ask you.” You nodded him to go ahead. “Have strange things been happening to you?”

“Like what?” You asked as Mr. McCree gently sat you up. Mr. Helsing rose from his position and went to look for something on the various shelves in his office.

Jesse spoke softly next to you. “Any odd dreams, creatures visiting you, things happening to you that you don’t remember?”

“Marks upon your flesh?” Mr. Helsing came back over with a very old book that you had never seen before.

You scratched gently at your neck where the high neck of your dress rested. “I have…had dreams. I’ve had an occurrence on the phone while being here. I used to wake up with…” You grew flushed and looked away from both men. “I had marks upon my body. “I have not been with a man but they were marks that would have been there if I had. “

You shook your hands and pressed them against your warming cheeks. “But it is nothing! I have not slept well since my parents passing. The doctor said it is a sign of grieving and nothing more.”

“I fear that is it more, my dear. What I am about to say is the truth. I am not a lying man.” Mr. Helsing gestured toward Mr. McCree. “Both the American and I have seen these things to be true.” He opened the old book in front of you. There was a picture of what looked to be a crudely drawn demon with large teeth. “There are things in the world that are not human.”

“They wish us harm, Miss.” The American took your hand as your body started to shake from such gruesome depictions. Mr. Helsing turned the page to a man that was beautiful in every way. It was like looking at an angel.

“This is what Lucifer must have looked like when he fell from heaven.” You murmured, reaching for the photo. There was something about his face that sent something through your body. You grew hot.

Mr. Helsing’s whole posture changed. “Have you seen this man, my dear?”

“I do not know but he feels so familiar to me. Who is he?”

“This man goes by many names. He was originally named Vlad Drăculea in Romania. We do not know what he looks like or goes by in this life.” Mr. Helsing turned the page to show a body that looked almost zapped of life.

“In this life?” You asked.

Mr. McCree answered as Mr. Helsing closed the horrible book. “They live forever. They are immortal beings.”

“What are they?”

The two men exchanged glances before Mr. Helsing replies. “These creatures are vampires.”

A hysterical laugh bubbled from your throat. “Then Santa is real as well. This is absurd! I am grieving. This is nothing to do with some fairytale.” You stood up and wobbled, still frail from earlier.

“It explains the murders!” Mr. McCree exclaimed, getting up as well to make sure you could stand. “You saw those with your own eyes. “

“Don’t remind me! I am sure that has added to my mind. My doctor will want to admit me to a hospital if I say there are vampires in the streets!”

Mr. Helsing frowned. “I know that is hard to believe these things.”

You made a frustrated noise and threw your hands in the air. “This is not my problem!” You went for the door to the office and slipped out, hurrying past the books and the beautiful flowers to the outside streets. You left your things at work since it was the middle of the day and just barged forward. You just wanted to get away from it all. You were so preoccupied with your thoughts that you ran straight into a person.

“Oh dear, I’m so sorry!” You exclaimed, pulling back from the man and looking him in the face.

It was the gentleman you had ran into the night before. Gabriel Reyes looked down into your face and took your hands into his gloved ones. “Do not apologize if it means we get to meet once again. You seem quite flushed. Are you feeling okay?”

“Me?” You shrugged your shoulders and looked back behind you at all the stores and busy people. “I felt unwell earlier and I heard some grave news. I am scattered.”

“Do you need to be escorted anywhere?”

“No. I just need a break.” You laughed softly and looked at him. “I’ve interrupted your plans again. What were you doing?”

“I am learning the city. I have business plans for here so I’m trying to figure out where I want to buy a building, looking for a home and maybe, find a wife here.”

“A wife? You aren’t married? That comes as quite a shock.” You let him lead you for the side so the two of you weren’t blocking the street.

“I know. I get that from many people.” Mr. Reyes said, looking into your eyes. “But I’m a man of calculation and perfection. I wait for the most ethereal of brides.”

You were breathless as you stared into his eyes. It was always as if you were under a spell when you saw him. A memory pulled itself from your brain as you remember seeing a man just like him a few days ago. He was across the street from your house. But he had…

“Red eyes.” You murmured, the fuzziness from before completely clearing your brain.

“Hmm?” Mr. Reyes softy sounded, his gloved hand stroking your cheek.

“You were at my house a few days ago, weren’t you? Before I ran into you.” You stated.

Emotions flew across his face into an instant before settling on determination. “I was actually. I did not know you lived there. There is a house for sale on your street. It ended up being too small for me.”

“Oh.” You clicked your tongue in your mouth. “I’m having such a day. I should not have run off on Mr. Helsing.”

It was as if the season changed immediately. The coldest blast of winter air blew in. People started shuffling off inside stores. Goosebumps scattered all over your body. Mr. Reyes removed his coat and wrapped it over your shoulders. “What’s the name of your boss?”