A/N: Oh my gosh! I am so sorry that this took so long... this is getting to be a bad habit of mine in all on my stories. anyway here is the second chapter of my first Crossover fic. I hope you guys enjoy it.
Disclaimer: I own nothing except my original characters. All Van Helsing characters belong to Stephen Sommers. The characters of LXG belong to whoever wrote that.
Enjoy the chapter!
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Danika rode for two weeks stopping only when she had to, mainly to rest her mare, until she came to the port town of Senjin, Croatia. There she stayed with some friends of the family who had already heard the new and very glad to see that she was in fact alive. Samantha and Joseph Turner had known Danika since her birth and were the closest thing she had to family now. They were very kind and there seemed to be no end to their hospitality.
A week after her arrival in the city Danika was on her way home when a tall familiar figure stepped between her and where she needed to go. He still wore the same black clothes though the inside of his cloak was lined in red velvet. Raven locks still held back in the same ponytail and gold clip at the base of his neck save the two stubborn strands that, as always, framed his visage. The Valerious girl backed up a few steps distancing herself from the Count.
"Good evening Danika, how are you?" he moved closer to the girl hoping that now she would be more reasonable than three weeks before.
"I was fine until you came along." He sighed… apparently not.
"I told you my love I had nothing to do with the deaths of your parents. Will you not return to Transylvania with me and we can discuss this?"
"I will never go anywhere with you!" was her vicious response.
Again the Vampire King sighed, "Then you give me no choice," his eyes began to glow compellingly attempting to lure her into his power, "I will have to take you by force." He said as he leapt forward to grasp her wrist.
Danika squeezed her eyes shut and tried to fight him off, "let go of me!" she screamed hoping someone would hear as she tried to squirm out of his grasp. This resulted in Dracula clamping his free hand over her mouth. He smelled of leather and soap with a hint of spice she had always loved that about him. A strange feeling of dazed calm came over the struggling woman. His scent was heady but something else seemed to cloud her mind making it much harder for her to think coherently. Before the Count could act on the be spelled girl someone interrupted.
It was a man's Scottish accent that caused him to sh his s's, "you there! I suggest that you release that young woman." His interruption snapped Danika out of her trance. She rammed her elbow into Vlad's solar plexus causing him to release her. The girl moved away from him quickly and glared.
Vladislaus simply bowed to the both of them smooth as always, "until we meet again." This remark was meant mostly for Danika. Then he walked off and turned the corner.
The woman sighed, "thank you sir for your help. I am Danika Valerious of… formerly of Transylvania. It seems I now owe you a debt and we Valerious never leave a debt unpaid." She offered her hand to the fairly elderly looking man. Though he was advanced in years he had an abundance of gray hair as well as a beard that framed his mouth. The man's brown eyes were hard with experience but they seemed to soften when he looked at her.
"Alan Quartermain at your service. May I enquire as to the gentleman you were engaged with a moment ago?"
"He… courted me once it never came to anything though he wishes it had." Then it dawned on her, "wait a minute! You are Allan Quartermain? The most famous hunter in all the world?" She gasped as she took in his appearance. His wide brimmed hat sat snuggly a top his head. He was dressed in a brown trench coat edged in leather with a neat, white button down shirt, brown leather vest and brown pants that wear complemented by his well-worn leather boots. Strapped to Quartermain's back was a beautifully designed Winchester rifle, under his coat she guessed he had either pistols or revolvers.
"I suppose you could say that." He replied with a small smile, "You look hungry, would you like to get something to eat?"
"Certainly, may I just ask… why are you in Senjin? I had heard that you had retired to Kenya."
"I was until a few months ago. I am looking for some friends of mine whom I have tracked to this city."
Danika showed him to a good restaurant and they talked for several hours about various things like family. Danika poured out her story, leaving out the vampires for now and instead making them bandits. She did not like lying to Quartermain seeing as he had just saved her from the Count but she was afraid that he would not believe her. Then Allan surprised her by asking if, once he found his companions, she would like to join them in their travels. The young woman immediately accepted this offer. As they left the restaurant they both heard a voice
"Allan?" they turned to see a man of Indian decent, "is it really you?" he had a long black beard and wore clothes of royal blue that had silver designs on the cuffs, shoulders and on both sides of where the coat fastened shut. His turban was also blue and had a silver pin in the front. His boots were made of good brown leather.
Quartermain smiled at the man, "Nemo it is good to see you!"
The Indian sea captain was in shock, "how? How is this possible? Not that I am not glad to see you." There was a moment of silence then the captain came forward and embraced his comrade as they both laughed.
"It is a miracle! We all thought you were dead. The others will be overjoyed especially the boy."
Danika looked very confused as Allan replied, "I told you Africa would never let me die. Oh and Nemo I would like you to meet Miss Danika Valerious who, with your permission will be joining our group. Danika I would like you to meet my good friend Captain Nemo." The girl smiled and bowed. She had heard rumors that Nemo had been a pirate once but from what Allan told her this was no longer true. Pirate or not she had heard much of his travels and respected him greatly. She knew that Nemo could probably see where every weapon on her person was concealed.
"It is a pleasure to meet you captain. Mr. Quartermain has told me much about you."
"The pleasure is all mine Miss Valerious I have heard much of your family. Rulers of gypsies and fierce warriors and hunters all of you I understand?" Nemo frowned a little as he saw a sadness creep into the girl's eyes.
"Yes but it is no longer us… just me." She heaved a heavy sigh, "My family was killed not three weeks ago by bandits. I hope my people will forgive me for not returning to rule them but if I go back it is to certain death."
"I am sorry for your loss Miss Valerious." And he was truly sorry that such a young woman had suffered so much tragedy and that her great family would meet such a fate.
"Please captain just call me Danika I could never hold up formalities for very long." She replied with a weak smile as she attempted to put thoughts of her family out of her mind.
"Then you must call me Nemo. You must call us all by our first names if you are to join us."
Allan cut in, "except Skinner… no one ever uses his first name."
"Come you must both return with me to the Nautilus the others shall return soon as well."
When they reached Nemo's 'lady' all Danika could do was stare at the submarine, as Nemo called it, in complete awe, "it is the most amazing thing I have ever seen. And to think that you designed a built most of it yourself!" Nemo beamed with pride it always put him in a good mood to have his lady complimented for the beauty that she was not many truly appreciated her craftsmanship. A woman's voice brought the girl's attention back to her surroundings.
"Nemo who is that with you?" she spoke with a proper British accent. Danika turned to see a woman of average height dressed all in black Victorian style clothing with a red scarf tied around her throat. She was extraordinarily pale and her eyes reminded Danika of the forests back home. The woman had dark red hair tied up in a sever bun that could just be seen beneath her black hat (Mina's hat from the beginning of the movie). Accompanying her was a man in a white cotton shirt, black overcoat and pants, with a necktie of the same color. His hair was richly brown and he had side burns that grew down his jawbone to just before his cheeks. Together they looked like the perfect English couple.
"Mina, Henry you found what you required I trust." Nemo replied not immediately answering Mina's question.
"Yes," the gentleman replied, "we have both eaten as well." His voice was pleasant though this seemed to Danika , an odd statement.
By now the woman had gotten a good look at the captain's companions, "great merciful heavens," she paled, "it can not be… Allan?"
"Don't look so surprised Mina. After all I told you that Africa would never let me die." Was Quartermain's only reply.
Danika studied Mina closely and almost immediately realized what she was, a vampire. At first she was a little frightened then she realized that Mina was obviously alright if Allan trusted her. Mina and Henry were now watching the young woman standing next to their newly resurrected fearless leader. Danika held out her hand to shake.
"I am Danika Valerious, pleased to meet you." Once again the little color she had fled Mina's face, though Henry returned her greeting cordially. The n frowning he turned to Mina his eyes asking a question.
"Are you Nosferatu?" the girl asked, " you do not have to worry about my family's job. If Allan trusts you so do I. Besides my family is… gone. I have no reason to continue our mission.
Mina could sense the girl's sincerity, "Mina Harker I am a chemist by trade. I feed off of animals most of the time." Danika knew what that meant, she fed off of animals and criminals. Not that the Valerious objected entirely. Danika had been wrestling with something in her mind ever since she had realized what Mina was.
"Allan there is something I need to tell you." Her voice was quiet.
"What is it?" he had felt that the girl was hiding something.
"My parents and siblings were not killed by bandits… they were massacred by a coven of vampires." She was at this time examining the cobblestones beneath her feet with intense interest, " I am sorry I did not tell you the truth."
Jekyll looked a little puzzled, "why not just tell him the truth to begin with?"
"I did not think that he would believe me. Some people are very stubborn when it comes to not believing in the things that go bump in the night. The only people I have ever found who willingly believe in vampires are Transylvanians, monster hunters, and doctors who have treated the victims."
"I think Allan has seen his fair share of strange things in his travels." Nemo spoke, " and even more since the League was started."
"League? What league?"
"The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen."
"Hey Nemo," a new voice called out, "everybody here?" the voices sounded like it belonged in the southern states of America.
"We have a special guest Tom," Nemo said obviously referring to Allan who, Danika had now figured out, had died and was now living and breathing once again. Danika saw a young blond haired man, of somewhere in the early twenties. He was wearing a white shirt and black, worn, leather vest with a pair of brown trousers that had suspenders he was not using. The American carried and Winchester identical to Quartermain's. With him was a man in a long, black leather trench coat, black leather gloves, and a hat to match. His face was covered in white grease paint and dark glasses. A gust of wind blew the coat open … there was nothing inside!
Agent Tom Sawyer stopped dead in his tracks as he saw Nemo's companions and just stared.
"Bloody hell." Was all that Skinner could manage.
Allan smiled warmly at the American, "that was a ruddy good shot boy." At that the American grinned and ran forward embracing Allan in a tight hug.
Tom was as close to crying as any of the League had seen him since Allan's death one month ago, "well I had a good teacher." He laughed.
"Skinner," Quartermain turned to the invisible thief, "I hope you've been staying out of trouble while I was gone."
"Aw Allan ya never give it up do ya. At some point you people are gonna hafta realize tha' trouble finds me no' the other way around."
Nemo spoke now, "Tom, Skinner may I also introduce the newest member of our League? This is Danika Valerious of Transylvania." Danika greeted them with a bow.
"It's a pleasure to meet you Danika," Sawyer shook her hand, "name's Tom Sawyer and this here is-"
"Rodney Skinner Gentleman Thief and the one and only invisible man." Said Skinner giving the girl a once over from behind his dark glasses.
"Tomorrow morning we set out for our next mission in Cairo, Egypt," Nemo said, "Danika if there is anything you need to do or pack you should do so tonight."
"There is just one thing, I should say good bye to the friends I have been staying with and get my things."
"I'll come with you in case you need help carrying anything." Allan offered, though Danika knew he was really coming in case the Count showed up again she accepted his offer. Better safe than sorry she was determined that Dracula would not catch her off guard again.
"Samantha?" Danika called out as she let herself into the house.
"In the kitchen dear." The blond woman at the sink looked up to see Danika and Allan standing in the doorway, "who's your friend?" her light Irish accent making her sound perpetually cheerful.
"This is Allan Quartermain," the women's eyebrows raised at the name, "Allan I want you to meet Samantha Turner she is my adoptive aunt." The two adults greeted each other, "Allan has invited me to join him and his colleagues in their travels. I have decided toe accept his offer I love you and Joseph dearly but there really is not any reason for me to stay."
Mrs. Turner smiled, "o' course I un'rstand dear, jus' promise me you'll come an' visit us e'ry now an' again."
"I promise, I am going to grab my things Allan it will only take a moment." Then the Valerious girl dashed up the stairs.
"so Mis'er Quart'rmain I suppose you ken of Dani's mi'fortunes."
"Yes, she has told me about her family. It sounds like it was a miracle she survived."
"Indeed i' t'was, which is why I'm sure ye'll ken me concern fer her safe'y."
The old hunter smiled, "I can assure you Mrs. Turner I will look after her. As will we all. She is a member of our team now and we take care of our own."
"Samantha have you seen my staff? I seem to have misplaced it." Danika called down the stairs.
"No dear why don' ya ask Joseph?" There was a small thud outside the kitchen window as the girl jumped from the second story window landing in a perfect crouch. She stood and walked to the shed in the backyard that doubled as Joseph's workshop. A few minutes later she returned with what looked like an ordinary quarterstaff. Joseph followed her in. He was a tall quiet man with dark red hair and green eyes, he nodded to Allan in greeting.
"Joseph hold this for a moment I will be right back." The man nodded. Not thirty seconds later there was the sound of the girl bounding down the stairs. She carried three heavy saddlebags with ease if not a bit awkwardly, "Okay I am ready. Joseph, Samantha I shall miss you both, but I will write and definitely come visit." She hugged and kissed them both on the cheek, "take care of Eternity for me."
"We're goin' t' miss havin' yeh around Dani but we wish yeh all the best!" Samantha replied with tears in her eyes. Joseph was more reserved but he leaned over and whispered something to Danika.
She nodded, "I will don't worry." The girl strapped two of the saddlebags to her shoulders while Allan took the third. Danika retrieved her staff from Joseph and with one final fair well the pair of them headed back to the Nautilus to rejoin the others.
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A/N: so that is it for Chapter two Danika has finally joined the League and Dracula has vowed that he will not give up (pft what else is new?) Perhaps you have all noticed one little detail that Danika has left out eh? I'm not gonna tell... unless you guess that is. READ AND REVEIW!
Until next time
~Kairi's-twin~