This will be DraculaOC based off the Greek myth CupidPsyche(aka ErosPsyche). I'm not going to copy the myth, but try my best to make it my own without falling into the typical cliche of 'some innocent girl being visited at night by a dark lover coughDraculacough.' Though I think Cupid and Psyche can safely be considered the original night lovers.

One line featured is from The Divine Comedy. Also, the rating for this might go up somewhere along the line from 'T' to 'M.' It depends.

Prologue:

The glory of old is gone
With the loveliness of light;
High fortune capers and dances there
On the terrible edge of night.

- Aeschylus, The House of Atreus, Act II

Hell 1889

Hell. That one word held many definitions that could serve as a description to an even greater variety of situations. It could refer to a point of hardship and agony in one's life, brutal destruction of a country and its countrymen, or most often to the infamous place of torment. For Count Vladislaus Draguila, it meant all of the above. The ghosts of hell had shadowed him everywhere, from his mortal life's struggles as the Dragon voivode, to his years as a vampire long after his pact with the devil. Hell had always been a malicious, looming abyss that threatened to swallow him up should he make a disastrous miscalculation.

And now it had.

His enemies wished him nothing but to be imprisoned in the deepest pit hell had to offer, and for the past year since his second murder their wish had been granted. While Dracula had committed many wicked deeds in Lucifer's name, Lucifer directed his plans in the present, only using past errors as a means of moving forward – after such errors were dealt with cruel and merciless retribution.

There had once been a time ages ago when he had proudly declared himself the "Son of the Dragon." Now he was the "Son of the Devil." But who was it truly better to be the son of? Neither Dragon nor Devil had served him well as a proper father. But who he was and who he is made no difference. His deal was binding, and the devil himself had warned him when he had first knocked on hell's door, "Lasciate ogne speranza, voi ch'intrate." (Abandon all hope, ye who enter here) He had ignored that single warning, and had accepted the Tempter's proposition with open arms.

On many occasions Lucifer had personally seen to his punishment, ensuring that it was as cruel, painful, and prolonged as possible. Sometimes his torture called for oceans of his blood to spill upon the obsidian floor, while other agonies jeered relentlessly within his own mind. The torture in his mind was far worse than any physical suffering. In the mind, there was no escape, just endless pain. Those particular punishments often left him with the notion that nothing of him would remain but a mind that would always know pain should he ever escape this.

But his punishment seemed to have at long last come to an end, as his torture had not been continued for several days – or was it hours? Perhaps now Lucifer had tired of inflicting torture on his favorite creation, no longer attacking body and mind relentlessly day after day, night after night until Dracula was certain that sticky crimson was bleeding from his very eyes for the maggots to drink. Now, he kneeled in Lucifer's throne room waiting for him to speak.

"Ah, Count Vladislaus Dracula," Lucifer began as he entered his throne room, his aura combustive and dark. "How nice of you to grant an audience with me," he mocked, looking his worn, beaten servant over. "You summoned me," Dracula hissed bitterly, not meeting Lucifer's cold, pitiless eyes, eyes of a serpent. The Serpent. Lucifer grinned and a lone tooth flashed, giving him a savage appearance. "Yes, and I see while you fail in all other aspects, you are at least still obedient to my rule."

Dracula tightly pursed his lips to keep himself from responding aloud. I only obey because you have granted me escape. Though perhaps what I thought was escape has only been a deceitful imprisonment.

"Imprisonment is in the eye of the beholder," Lucifer replied, his harsh eyes angrily boring into the vampire before him. Dracula cautiously lifted his eyes to meet his master's livid ones, unease filling him like water filling a hollow gourd. It had been so long since he had to fear for his own thoughts. Others feared for their minds because of him.

"You forget where you are, Count," he spoke in a low hiss. "You forget who you sold your soul to! Who has complete power over you!" The devil slowly approached his servant, barely an inch between them. "You are arrogant, far too arrogant, and so you have become indolent."

"I am not indolent!" Dracula growled. "I have never been lazy! It was Gabriel Van Helsing – "

"Silence!" Lucifer roared, his dark eyes glittering a dull scarlet. "Your master speaks!"

Dracula fell silent, but his jaw was set hard and his eyes burned with anger. He was not lazy! Did all the evil he had done mean absolutely nothing? It appeared that because of one error, his past successes did indeed mean nothing to Lucifer. And this new regard of inferiority was all because of one mistake.

"The Left Hand of God has succeeded in killing you not once, but twice. If you are not lazy and incompetent, then what are you?" Lucifer left the question hanging. "Your failure to kill the Left Hand is what once again cost you your life! You had countless opportunities to dispose of him, but instead you sent your brides out, letting them do your dirty work!"

"I was dedicating my time and energy to my progeny!" Dracula spat defensively.

"Yes," Lucifer sneered, his eyes flaring with mockery. "Your progeny. I'm glad you brought that little escapade up. It was a foolish waste of our efforts. There are other ways for you to conquer mortals. Fatherhood is not one of them. There is no need for it. You can continue your kind by the usual means of conversion."

Dracula froze, his previous anger fading like cool water among the hot sands of the Arabian Desert. He didn't show it, but he felt like he had been struck, the repercussions of Lucifer's last words cutting into him much deeper than he'd ever consent to acknowledge. "Yes," he finally agreed softly, his eyes regretful. "No need for me to… to be a father."

Lucifer smiled with satisfaction at his servant. "Good. You understand. Remember, you are a heartless, forsaken wretch. No one will have you Vladislaus, save for me. Not even God would welcome you with open arms! You would do well to remember that."

Dracula did not answer. This was true. There was no going back from the beast he was. He'd always be this cold, bloodthirsty animal of Satan, and nothing, and nobody could ever change that. He had always thought he had fully accepted that, but now and again he still had brief moments of remorse for the hunted creature he was.

"Now," Lucifer continued as he circled his servant the way a vulture would circle a rare and prized carrion. "I have a twist in mind for my plans, a way to test your true and utmost loyalty to me."

"I have been nothing if not loyal to you," Dracula reminded him with annoyance, weary of being the never-ending object of Lucifer's flaming criticism.

Lucifer smiled coldly, amusement dancing in his eyes. "Yes," he agreed. "In fact you are so loyal to me, that you continuously find yourself back in my realm! Tell me, Vladislaus, do you truly desire my company so much as to fail your assignment just so you can see me? I'm touched."

Dracula pulled his lips back to snarl at Lucifer's mocking, but remained silent. It would do him no good to anger his master now, especially since the only way he would be sent back was if Lucifer wished it. He'd play along with Lucifer now, but once he was back on earth, he would be the master. "Truly," Dracula replied cynically. "You are an inspiration to us all. Evil would never survive if not for you."

Lucifer laughed a loud, hollow laugh. "You're forgetting that I am, Evil!" Then the devil ceased his laughter at the Count's dry humor. He stood before Dracula so that his every snakelike quality from his coiled posture up to his narrowed eyes would be held at attention.

"Now, Count. In regards to your loyalty, I have a few changes to make to our original agreement. I have for you a simple test."

"Test?" Dracula questioned, refraining from allowing his suspicion to show.

"Yes. Your garden of hubris has over-grown. I'm simply trimming it for you. Over the past four hundred years, I have allowed you to take three brides for your pleasure. That was a grave mistake.

"For you see, with each bride you grew more dependent and slothful. And when I say this, I mean that you sent them out to see to do work you should have taken care of personally. There is something to that saying 'if you want something done right you do it yourself' nonsense."

"And?"

"And," Lucifer continued. "I have reasoned that in order for me to use my power to send you back to earth, that you must remain in complete darkness at all times."

"What!" Dracula demanded. This was a violation of his rights as the vampire king! A privilege reserved for him to have the power to observe the brilliant, golden orb that gave humans light. The sun could hurt him, but not kill him. It was in their bargain!

"You must remain in darkness when in the presence of women," Lucifer corrected himself. "This is an exercise to test your discipline and obedience. Surely you are familiar with such challenges. Also, it will prove to be quite the sport for me. With your sexual history, this will be a great challenge to test your compliance. I look forward to watching that."

"So I am now your source of entertainment?" Dracula hissed, his eyes smoldering with loathing for the monster lord before him.

Lucifer only continued to smile pleasantly as if he and the Count were only having afternoon tea. "You are my servant," he said. "And so you serve me. We made a deal."

Dracula glowered, using all of his self-control in an effort not to attack without mercy and proclaim that no one made a fool of him, and that he was no one's puppet. But yet again he stayed quiet.

"Now, you may of course take release for your carnal pleasures with women. I would never deny you that! But no female is to set eyes on your face in the light. I'm sure you are very well aware of the influence you have on women," Lucifer continued with a knowing smile. "I'm simply removing that indulgence from your ego. We both know that women have always been one of your more… favored distractions. With no women fawning over your appearance, there will be no distractions and results will follow."

"But, my lord," Dracula beseeched, ignoring the direct insult. "Surely you cannot mean this? Women are not such a great distraction. They are toys, my playthings, nothing more."

"Be calm, Vladislaus," Lucifer soothed, unmoved by Dracula's outrage at being handicapped by him again. "It's all in good fun."

"I do not see the fun!" Dracula hissed. "I implore you to simply send me back as you did last time. This time I will not fail you!"

"No, you will not fail," Lucifer agreed and paused before adding, "And remember Vladislaus." He bent down to Dracula's eye level. "Remember that you are my creation, and so you do as I say! I say that you return to do my bidding, but no woman is to see your face until I say otherwise! Should you disobey and a woman sees your face, even accidentally, you will be immediately returned to me to claim the reward that awaits all those that defy my wishes!"

Signaling that the conversation was over, the devil snapped his fingers and an old, yellowed parchment appeared in his hand. Centuries old elegant handwriting covered the entire paper, and at the bottom in a much larger print was Dracula's signature, Count Vladislaus Draguila. Beside his signature was his family crest. This was the contract that bound Dracula eternally to the devil. Every inch of the ancient writing had been written in blood – his blood. Against the pale piece of parchment, the crimson calligraphy was a disturbing sight. Even the noble and proud Dragon crest had been carved in the telltale ruby.

Dracula gazed upon that damned piece of paper, unsure of what to make of its sudden reappearance. That parchment was very powerful. It was that parchment that made him what he was. One word on that contract could change his fate. Abruptly breaking the Count out of his thoughts was Lucifer, waving his large hand over the parchment. Not a moment later, the scarlet letters began to tremble of their own accord, bubbling until they began to drip down the parchment. For one moment the entire contract was nothing more than blood raining down the page. In the next moment, words began to form again.

It appeared as if an invisible hand were present, each crimson letter appearing out of thin air. Once the possessed writing ceased, Dracula could see that every word was the same, save for a new paragraph at the bottom directly above his signature. Before he could observe it at a closer angle, he halted himself, hissing in the sudden pain. He clawed at the ground, ignorant of Lucifer's pleased grin. It felt as if his very insides were being carved out and reorganized with a blazing hot dagger. The supernatural DNA coding that made him a vampire was being rewritten by a few new sentences. Sentences. Sentences were much longer than one word. Sentences meant larger changes and larger changes meant intensified pain.

For what seemed like an eternity, the Count writhed helplessly upon the ground as each new word took effect. When the process was at last finished, Dracula forced himself to his feet, shooting cold knives at the devil. The Count snarled, his body aching to morph into the beast he had within, the beast that would make all before him cower and beg for mercy. He made a move to attack Lucifer for this unnecessary alteration.

"Be still, Vladislaus," Lucifer ordered coolly. He saw no danger. Dracula halted, unable to move another step despite his intense struggle to. Lucifer took a step so he stood inches from Dracula's nose. "I apologize if my means of giving you my gifts pained you, Vladislaus, but it is simply how I work." With that, the devil chuckled.

Dracula's jaw-line was set hard, his fists trembles at his sides, and his undead blood boiled with anger. But he once again forced himself to remain silent. He must remain silent if he ever wanted to be free. One wrong word and he'd be thrown to the Harpies.

Lucifer now smiled a cheerful, almost kind smile, like Dracula was his best friend, his brother. "Don't be angry with me, Vladislaus. You'll hurt my feelings."

Dracula fought to inhale a snort. Feelings? That was a laugh. The devil didn't have feelings, which was why he had locked away his.

"After all, I've stretched my powers for you countless times. And now I do it again." Helping Dracula to his feet, he gave the Count a friendly slap on the back, meant to give his servant yet another illusion of friendship. "I am your only friend and ally, Vladislaus. What I do is for your benefit," the Master of Lies crooned. When Dracula still forced himself to remain silent, the devil continued. "Now, for your orders. I want you to travel to every country in Europe and create new vampires for me."

"Every country?"

"Yes," Lucifer replied. "Every country. After a while all of Europe will have its own army of vampires, will it not? No demon hunter stands a chance against that! It is a large task, I know. But you will live forever, Count. Why does it matter how you spend your time?

"Your sunrise curfew has been reinstated. How long that lasts is up to you. If you obey without a hitch, then I will remove your newest set of chains in a decade or so. But to help compensate for them, your other powers have been strengthened. You'll have great fun with that whilst hidden among the shadows."

Dracula slowly nodded, his eyes finding the ground to be very interesting at the present time.

"Oh and while you're on earth, if you do happen to run into the Left Hand of God - " Lucifer spat the last part like it was a curse word. " - Be sure to not let him defeat you again. Understood?"

"Yes."

Sensing that Dracula's temper hadn't cooled at all thanks to Lucifer's constant baiting, but he wasn't going to risk arguing with his master, Lucifer tossed aside his façade of friendship and barked his final order. "Now get to work!"

One moment, Dracula was face to face with Lucifer, the next he was looking directly into something icy blue and cold. His coffin. With a screech he leapt up, shattering ice and sending his bats into a frenzy. He landed perfectly on his feet, save for the usual stray hairs that always managed to escape his hairclip. He was back. There would be no distractions this time, not in any way, shape, or form. Ice crackling beneath his boots as he walked and hands clasped behind his back, Dracula immediately began making plans for his expedition.

Beware, mortals of Europe, beware.

Well, I certainly wouldn't want to be in Europe at the moment. ha. So, how was it? Shall I hurry up and update? Or hide under a fire-proof bed from flamers? Any and all concrit is most welcome.