Mina Read Online Free

mine so often now," I told him.
    "And
how do you feel? Does he try to control you?"
    "No."
I hesitated, weighed my words carefully and decided to tell the truth. "I
believe that he knows that to make me truly his ally,
    he must allow me some
independence. He is testing my resolve. So far, at least, I am up to it."
    Van Helsing knelt in front of me. He
studied my color, took my pulse. Afterward, I opened my mouth so he could part
my lips and examine my teeth. I wonder what he would think if I bit him at
that moment. Would he be concerned about being infected? More likely, he would
question my misplaced sense of humor, or my sanity. He would be right to do so.
So much that is tragic strikes me as humorous. So much I used to ignore seems
tragic.
    "You
should join us for dinner," Van Helsing said with an uneasy smile as he
patted my hand.
    "In a
moment," I replied, closing the compartment behind them.
    Soon after,
I tiptoed down the dark and narrow hallway to the door where Seward and Van
Helsing had paused. I smelled the
    smoke of Seward's meerschaum pipe, Van Helsing's cigar. Just out
of sight of them, I stopped, leaned against the wall and eavesdropped on their
conversation. "How is she?" Seward whispered.
    "Worse."
Van Helsing's voice became even softer. The noise of the train made hearing
nearly impossible, but I believe he said,
    "You are prepared to do
what must be done?"
    "If it
comes to that." Grief made Seward's reply much louder, and I had no
difficulty hearing his words.
    "I fear
it will be soon."
    Soon. I backed up a few feet then
strolled down the hall toward them, bumping into Dr. Seward. He started as if
he expected me to suddenly turn into a wolf and lunge for his throat. I felt a
pang of pity that would have brought tears to my eyes had I not fought them
down. Seward was a reclusive man. Like so many others, he had found his love
late in life. Though Lucy chose another, he loved her still and had been
horrified by the creature she later became. If "true death" would
save my poor soul from her fate, he would gladly help deliver it.
    I find
myself pitying Jack for his loss, all the more because it would be impolite for
him to mourn openly as Arthur does.
    What is stranger
yet is that I do not fear Van Helsing. I have always trusted my intuition, and
it rarely fails me. It is a good sign
    for the future!
    Exhausted by the constant focus on their enemy, the men discussed
their work over dinner. While he is away, Arthur has placed his affairs in the
hands of a trusted friend. Seward has able assistants at the asylum. Quincey,
of course, is touring Europe and can go where he wishes.
    During the
discussion, I noticed that Jonathan had become quite withdrawn. Van Helsing did
as well and laid a sympathetic hand
    on my husband's arm. "I
too left my work suddenly," Van Helsing said. "We will be back to it
much sooner than you think."
    "The
Hawkins staff has a reputation for dependability," Arthur added and
instantly regretted his choice of words. "Mina is more
    important than the firm of
Hawkins and Harker," Jonathan said softly.
    "I
meant that they will manage well in your absence," Arthur replied.
    "Of
course they will, darling," I said and impulsively kissed his cheek. As I
did, I noticed Seward lean forward in alarm.
    If I had any desire to devour my
husband, did he think I would do it in the dining car? The thought of such an
act struck me as hilarious. I hid my smile behind my napkin, my laughter
behind a feigned cough. Quincey seemed to have shared my thought, but his reaction
was concern not amusement.
    When dinner was over, Jonathan decided to join the other men in
the smoking car for a game of cards. Quincey offered to see me back to my
room. When we arrived there, he paused then asked awkwardly if he could come in
for a moment and speak to me. Once inside, he came directly to the point.
    "On the frontier in America,
women have to be armed just like, the men. I have something for you." He
reached into his coat and