A/N: Hello everyone! -flaily dance- I've wanted to write a story like this for a while...So I figured, why not? Nothing to lose after all, and if you all hate it then at least I'll know! Just so you know, its set in modern times; but that concept only occurs while the characters are in Italy. Once they're in Romania, its like stepping into a time vortex, so just work with me on that little fact. Okay?

Summary: Three years after the infamous invents in Romania, Van Helsing and Carl are being sent back to- one again- deal with the king of the vampires. With no Valerious family at their side, and the Count seemingly stronger than ever, there seems to be no way to defeat him. The only new person in the battle to save humanity is one Adelaide Lingesh; a monster hunter who recently finished training. Although seemingly ordinary, could she be the key to bringing down the Count, once and for all?

A/N: Yeah..I suck at those things...Still, give it a chance? I swear it is not too bad! So just, read and review, that's all I can ever ask!

Disclaimer: I own none of the Van Helsing characters. I do however, own Adelaide and her family. So leave them alone -flaily dance-

Sceptics and True Believers

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Chapter One- Dive Into Work

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I dusted the snow off my dark leather coat and knocked on my mother's front door. After a moment she answered, frowning when she saw me.

"Adelaide...Still no boyfriend?" Was the first thing she said.

Six months without seeing each other, and that was all she could say.

"No mum, no boyfriend." I sighed and stepped into the large cottage, kicking my boots off and shrugging my way out of my coat.

"And why not?" She demanded.

"Because I'm a bit too busy trying to stay alive. Sorry to be a burden." I snapped, turning so she could see the fresh scars.

My arms looked like they'd been through a shredder, and that wasn't far off the truth. Bites marred the once perfect flesh that covered my neck and collarbone and my hands were as rough as sandpaper.

My mother ignored the scars, "What about that man you work with?"

"Van Helsing?" I burst into hysterical laughter.

Van Helsing was my work partner and my best friend; we had been working together for the past six years. However, there was no way in hell we would ever date. It just wouldn't happen, end of.

"What's wrong with him?" The she-witch demanded, raising her finely plucked eyebrows.

"He's my best friend, not a boyfriend." I mumbled in reply, stepping into the crowded kitchen and cringing at the sight of my family.

"So sis, still single I see?" My arrogant brother grinned, wrapping an arm around his wife.

Suddenly I remembered why I hated family reunions.

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Van Helsing glanced around the dark church then sighed and began dialling his work partner's number on his cell phone.

After three rings she answered, sounding out of breath and irritable, "I'm nearly there, calm down!"

He grinned, she knew him well. "Alright, but hurry."

As if on cue, the doors of the church were shoved open, bathing it in moonlight for a moment. Adelaide stood in the doorway, fumbling in her bag for her inhaler.

Van Helsing rolled his eyes, "A monster hunter with asthma, that's a new one."

"Mild asthma, actually." Adelaide whispered, near enough shooting the air into her mouth.

A moment later, she was back to normal, and moody as hell.

"How's the family?" Van Helsing asked; raising his eyebrows at the fact she was still dressed for a family party.

A red sweater clung to her torso, stretched over in her breasts so tightly they looked like they were about to explode- not that Van Helsing took any notice of her breasts. Well, he did, but he was a man, and they were practically staring him in the face!

"Face, up here." Adelaide muttered, catching him staring at her.

"Sorry," He laughed, "They're hard to ignore."

She scoffed and flicked a piece of dust off her pin-stripe trousers. The only normal part of her outfit was her leather coat and her knee high boots.

"Anyway, family?" Van Helsing persisted.

"All happily married and appalled at the fact I'm still doing nothing with my life." Adelaide sighed.

"But you are doing something with your life." Van Helsing frowned.

"Ah, but I'm not in a relationship, so therefore my life is a wasteland and I should hang my head in shame."

The male laughed before turning his attention back to the matter at hand, "There's a vampire in here somewhere, should we split up to find it, or stick together?"

"Split up." Adelaide nodded and headed off into the darkness, gun clenched tightly in her dainty hand.

Rolling his eyes again, Van Helsing headed off into the darkness.

The church steps creaked beneath Adelaide's feet as she walked, the fragile wood threatening to give way. Without a sound, the female leapt off the stairwell and into the darkness below, landing in a cat-like position and staring round.

There was a dense silence that was beginning to become un-nerving. Without trying to sound cliché, it was too quite.

And then, suddenly, there was a blur of movement, and the vampire was on top of her.

"VAN HELSING!" Adelaide roared, shooting up at the creature, "FOUND IT!"

The female vampire laughed harshly, "Oh he's going to like you!"

"Who is?" Adelaide frowned and stopped shooting, trying to reach the crucifix on her belt.

"The Master, of course. He loves feisty women." The vampire saw her moving for the cross and crushed her hand.

Adelaide hissed in pain, fighting back the urge to scream. Her hand withered without her moving it, the nerves making it twitch in a severed way.

"I'm never going to meet Dracula." The hunter whispered, eyes stinging with un-shed tears. She knew who his woman's master was, the king of the vampires. There was something odd about that though, Dracula had been killed over three years ago!

"I think you will." The vampire giggled. "And he's going to burry himself so deep inside you; you'll feel him in your throat."

Adelaide blinked then glared and shot up into the vampire's skull, causing her to fall back screaming.

The hunter sat up, grabbing the crucifix with her broken hand and diving onto the withering vampire, staking her in the chest. The pain in her hand was horrific, and she could barely hold the cross, but it did the job well enough.

Screaming, the vampire burst into flames, burning the hand that held the crucifix in place- which of course was Adelaide's broken hand.

Job done, Adelaide sank back in a sweating, panting, pile. Her hand was burnt and broken, but other than that she was fine. Well, aside from the fact the vampire's words had scared the shit out of her. She was going to meet Dracula? Impossible, he was dead! Wasn't he?

Suddenly, there was a thud of heavy footsteps and Van Helsing was kneeling above her, face creased into a frown. "Adelaide, are you alright?"

"Did you not hear me yelling?" Adelaide whispered, hugging her hand.

"Yes, but the creature had knocked down part of the ceiling and I couldn't get out. As soon as I was free I came running but..." He glanced at the ashes, "Obviously you've handled it."

The female sighed, "I want to go home."

Van Helsing nodded and helped her stand up, "I've got my car, I'll drive you home."

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A/N: So that was the first chapter! Did you like? Or am I just completly useless at these things? I know the time period thing can be a little hard to adjust too, but I swear it will stop being an issue once the characters reach Romania! Why? Well, everything is still Medivial there, it hasn't developed along with the modern times.

I'm just confusing things even more..Urgh.

Please review, even if you hated it and found it confusing! Well, I'd prefer not to get any flames, but constructive criticism is always good. Am I right?

-Eriksbestfriend

xoxo