Once past the Bassicilica’s neighbourhood, the styles varied. This city had seen many renewal periods over its lifetime, some more successful than others. It was not uncommon to find early twentieth-century brick structures surrounded by towers of glass and steel. While discombobulated, she enjoyed the chaos, wondering how this all came to be.

She passed a coffee shop at the corner, which brought back memories of Elizabeth introducing her to the modern variations. She slowed to a stop, making sure that no one was behind her, lingering over that sign as that memory washed over her.

“I miss her,” Clara whispered.

Disclaimer: This excerpt from The Van Helsing Impetus is currently in development. There may be typos, errors, omissions, inconsistencies and so forth.

“Maman,” a girl said. “Is this your hotel?”

That voice broke through her focus. She turned away from what promised to be a battle royal, to look at the young girl with brown curly hair holding her mother’s hand. The child was clearly a younger version of her mother, who was staring at hotel her child was pointing to.

The mother smiled, and kneeled down to be at her daughter’s eye level. She brushed away a stray curl and kissed her tenderly on the forehead.

Clara never had children, and was incapable of having them. Watching this heartfelt exchange made her momentarily question all of her life choices. I wonder if I’d feel the same seeing a child screeching and tearing apart the room.

“Non, Tessa,” her maman replied. “It was named after a famous poet. One of your ancestors.”

“Really?” Tessa asked.

“Yes, really,” maman replied.

Disclaimer: This excerpt from The Van Helsing Impetus is currently in development. There may be typos, errors, omissions, inconsistencies and so forth. The image is sourced from Pexels.

Under normal circumstances, she would have taken a leisurely pace along these streets. The cobbled streets, and older architecture reminded her of Europe and in many ways her youth. Alas, she was forcing herself to keep from sprouting wings and take off in the air.

She passed by a museum built atop the earliest foundations of the city. She heard a couple talking about it over lunch, and made a note to visit someday if the situation permitted. A quick glance at the tower evoked thoughts of a power connector, surely an indication of an overactive imagination.

Disclaimer: This excerpt from The Van Helsing Impetus is currently in development. There may be typos, errors, omissions, inconsistencies and so forth.

“Here you go,” the server said as he dropped off the glass.

Clara looked at his smile and then the glass. Any potential to get in the mood had been shot down. So, she grabbed the glass and drank all of it in several loud gulps. When done, she put down the empty pint, and smiled.

“That hit the spot,” Clara said. “Cheque please?”

Disclaimer: This excerpt from The Van Helsing Impetus is currently in development. There may be typos, errors, omissions, inconsistencies and so forth. The image is sourced from Pixabay.

That worsened the mood, and the sounds that followed gave her more reason to worry. It was difficult to form a picture using a singular sense, but she guessed the phone had been tossed. While the footsteps registered clearly, an electrical arc created enough interference to nearly end the call.

However, that cleared up before the sound of something heavy falling into the grass. That formed a picture, and was left with a choice. Disconnect the line after making it seem like a mistake, or make sure whoever they were that would tear them limb from limb.

“Sorry,” Clara said. “You have the wrong number.”

Disclaimer: This excerpt from The Van Helsing Impetus is currently in development. There may be typos, errors, omissions, inconsistencies and so forth. The image is sourced from Pixabay.

Her phone began to vibrate. Not the one she had in her hands, but the one she bought after dropping a church on her head. Clara reached for her purse and pulled out the second phone.

The phone number was not registered in her contacts, but was familiar. She remembered that range of numbers being given to a woman who had been released from prison two weeks ago. Either she was calling to join up or there was trouble.

Clara accepted the call and placed her ear against the receiver. She knew this call was from a satellite call and waited for Julia to say something.

“I need help,” Julia whispered.

Disclaimer: This excerpt from The Van Helsing Impetus is currently in development. There may be typos, errors, omissions, inconsistencies and so forth. The image is sourced from Pexels.

Clara was sitting alone at a table on a patio. The sun was beaming down over her and the sky was nearly free of clouds. The wind came up from the river, bringing in just the right amount of cool air to keep her comfortable.

She took a sip from her beer, the outside of her glass tearing up from the condensation. Two other glasses were on the table, along with the crumbs that remained of her steak frites.

“Would you like another?” the server asked.

Clara looked up from her phone, her eyes peering over the sunglasses towards the muscular man with sunburned skin and a trimmed beard. She rather enjoyed the look of him, but was in no mood to play. Although a few more beers might change my mind.

“Yes,” Clara said. “Please.”

Disclaimer: This excerpt from The Van Helsing Impetus is currently in development. There may be typos, errors, omissions, inconsistencies and so forth. The image is sourced from Pexels.

Evelyn walked up to Clara, and gave her a hard look. Spotting something off with her makeup, she licked a finger and brushed off the offending element from Clara’s face. The angel did her best not to laugh, but a snicker broke through nonetheless.

“The last person to do that was my mother,” Clara said.

“Hush, ma chère,” Evelyn replied. “I don’t need to be reminded that I’m her elder…”

Disclaimer: This excerpt from The Van Helsing Impetus is currently in development. There may be typos, errors, omissions, inconsistencies and so forth. The image is sourced from Pexels.

“What should I talk about,” Clara asked.

“Your goal is to draw out your enemy?” Evelyn confirmed.

“Of course,” Clara answered.

“You want them to see past their lies?” Evelyn added.

“Ab-so-lutely,” Clara said like they would back in her day.

“Tell them the truth,” Evelyn said. “What hunters and my kind have been hiding from them for centuries.”

Disclaimer: This excerpt from The Van Helsing Impetus is currently in development. There may be typos, errors, omissions, inconsistencies and so forth. The image is sourced from Pexels.

The office was barren, with no special attention paid to the aesthetics. The walls and ceiling were bare concrete, while piping and conduits cut through at random.

The desk itself was a dull grey, and nearly blended in with the concrete’s natural colouring. The same went for a row of matching file cabinets, all equipped with a hefty locking mechanism.

The wall to the left of the desk was bare, but there was a pull down screen hanging from steel chains. Given how Spartan this room was, the black tripod, and stool stuck out.

This place had a decidedly melancholic feel to it. It surprised her that anywhere within the realm of Evelyn’s influence

“Functional,” Clara said.

“I told him depressing,” Evelyn said.

Disclaimer: This excerpt from The Van Helsing Impetus is currently in development. There may be typos, errors, omissions, inconsistencies and so forth. The image is sourced from Pexels.