A/N: So here I am taking the plunge and, for the first time, sharing something I've written (no, I'm not saying this in hopes of getting people to leave only positive reviews; on the contrary I would rather people be honest so I can work at getting better.) This story is complete but I will post it bit by bit, a chapter or two each week.
Onto the important stuff - Count von Krolock in this story was inspired by and completely based off of Steve Barton's (who was and always will be the best!) portrayal of the character. It takes place a year or so after the events in Tanz although I'm ignoring Koukol's demise and using him here.
I can't end this without saying a huge thank you to two friends, Iris and Marina, for being such a huge help in the creation of this story. So THANK YOU Iris and Marina!
Anneliese stood still and silent as she stared at the large castle that loomed before her. The setting full moon gave off an eerie light that caused the gargoyles to cast long shadows along the stone walls. Anneliese had stopped walking when she thought she saw one of those shadows move but now as she watched closely she knew it had only been her imagination. "It's just those silly stories," she told herself. "They're causing my eyes to play tricks on me." She laughed at the idea of it but she felt no relief from her fear. Back in the village people always spoke in hushed tones of vampires that lived in Castle von Krolock but Anneliese wasn't afraid of vampires. Vampires didn't exist, but wolves did and she was terrified of them. She wasn't even sure why she even decided to go but she had made it so close to the castle that she wasn't going to turn back now. She would get inside the castle, find some sort of proof that vampires couldn't be living there-some garlic from the kitchen or perhaps a religious symbol decorating one of the walls-and bring it back to the farm.
Swallowing her fear, Anneliese forced herself to move on until she was standing in front of the massive doors. All the nearby windows were dark so she pressed her ear against one of the doors and listened carefully for any sound coming from within the castle. She stood that way for a few minutes and once she was convinced the room behind the door was empty she turned the iron handle only to find it was locked. She stepped back away from the door, swearing under her breath, and looked around. Now what? She thought to herself. She looked at one of the darkened windows again then down at the ground where she spotted a rock. She moved to pick it up but paused just as her fingers brushed the surface of it. "What am I doing?" She whispered. "I can't do this..." She turned her head to look back at the path she had just taken to get to the castle. "But if I go back now they'll all say I'm nothing but a coward." Anneliese quickly picked up the rock before she could change her mind and hurried over to the closest window. Gripping the rock tightly, she raised it above her head and swung it toward the window.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Anneliese yelped in both surprise and pain when she felt a cold hand wrap tightly around her wrist in mid-swing, causing her to drop the rock. Her arm was pulled back painfully and she was forced to turn around and face the man whom she knew immediately had to be Count von Krolock himself. She had never seen him before but she had heard many descriptions of him by other villagers who claimed they had. Most of the descriptions varied from person to person-the most imaginative ones going as far as comparing him to the twisted and monstrous gargoyles that adorned the castle-but the few basic descriptions of the man that remained the same from one story to the next now stood before her.
"It's not very polite," Von Krolock continued, "to go around breaking windows that don't belong to you, especially when it's quite obvious you could never pay to replace them." Anneliese blushed in embarrassment when she realized the Count was eyeing her cloak which was worn thin from age. "What are you doing here?" Anneliese opened her mouth to answer him but quickly shut it again when she realized she didn't know what to say. The truth was out of the question. "Well? Speak up, young lady! Why are you here trying to break into my home? What is it you want from me?" Von Krolock tightened his grip on Anneliese's wrist as he spoke.
"Please, Sir!" She cried softly. "Let me go! You're hurting me!" Von Krolock ignored her pleas.
"Were you hoping to find a place to sleep for the night?" He asked. "Or perhaps you thought you could steal some food or better yet, something you could sell to earn a little extra money?" As Von Krolock spoke, he remained calm and composed but the tone of his voice was dripping with sarcasm and it made Anneliese uneasy.
"No... I... I just..." Her voice cracked as she spoke, her mind racing to come up with an excuse that would hopefully keep her out of too much trouble.
"You just what? Is it that you just enjoy destroying the property of others? A barn fire here, a broken window there. Is that it? You know there is a word for people like-"
"I was looking for vampires!" For a few moments the only sound to be heard was the wind rustling through the nearby trees. Once the realization of what she had just said sunk in, Anneliese felt her blood rush to her head and the world around her began to spin a little. She stared at Von Krolock and waited for his reaction.
"Vampires?" A vague hint of a smile appeared on the Count's pale face and Anneliese released a breath she hadn't realized she had been holding. At least he wasn't angry; maybe he would let her go with just a warning. "You were looking for vampires?" The vague smile slowly turned into a wide grin and Anneliese allowed herself to relax a little.
"Yes Sir. It was on a dare, you see," she explained with a nervous laugh. "It's awfully childish, I know." Anneliese lowered her eyes to the ground as she rambled on about the events that had brought her to his castle.
"Anneliese..." Von Krolock's voice was soft against her ear. She looked up again and was shocked to find his face so close to her own.
"How did you know my..." Anneliese's voice left her when Von Krolock gave a smile that exposed two long fangs within his mouth.
"It looks as though you've found your vampire, Anneliese." Before she had a chance to react Von Krolock dragged her over to the front door of the castle and pushed her inside. She stumbled from the force but once she steadied herself and turned around, Anneliese saw that Von Krolock was locking the door behind them.
"No!" She screamed and lunged toward the vampire. "Let me go!" She cried over and over, trying desperately to push him away from the door but she was no match for the much larger man.
"What do you think you're doing? Do you think you can hurt me?" Von Krolock laughed as Anneliese continued to hit and punch him with every bit of strength she could muster. Completely unfazed by her attacks, Von Krolock turned his attention back to the door and once it was locked, he slipped the key inside his pocket. By now the girl's punches were growing weaker. "You're wasting your energy. If you tire yourself out like this you won't be able to try to defend yourself when I bite you." His words caused Anneliese to freeze.
"What...?" Von Krolock took hold of her wrist and began to lead her toward a large staircase on the other side of the room.
"Not that you would succeed even at your strongest, but I do enjoy a good fight. They all taste better when they fight back." Von Krolock glanced down at Anneliese. The look in his eyes left her feeling dizzy and nauseous from fear.
"Where are you taking me?" Her voice was so weak she wasn't even sure he could have heard her.
"I am taking you to your new room where you still stay until I'm ready. You've come at a rather bad time, you see. The sun-" Von Krolock's words were replaced by a horrible scream. He let go of Anneliese and held his hand protectively, looking at the blistering skin. He turned to see Anneliese holding a pendant in the shape of a cross that was dangling from a broken chain. Without warning he swung his arm and the back of his uninjured hand hit Anneliese's face so hard she was knocked down onto the floor with a cry. When she hit the floor the necklace flew from her hand and slid beyond her reach.
"Koukol!" Von Krolock's voice thundered through the castle and moments later a hunchbacked man limped into the room, grumbling something Anneliese couldn't understand. "Take that away. Get it out of my home." Anneliese watched as Koukol picked up her necklace and when he walked between her and Von Krolock on his way out of the room, she turned her attention to the vampire. An ugly red welt had formed where she had pressed her cross against the back of his hand but it was something on his other hand that now had his attention. "I've cut you." He said softly. "You're bleeding." She watched as he dragged a finger across his knuckles and after holding his finger up so she could see the blood on it, he placed it in his mouth then slowly pulled it out, sucking the blood from his skin. Anneliese swallowed hard an in effort to keep her nausea at bay.
"You're sweet..." He licked the rest of her blood away from his knuckles and sighed. "Very sweet... Fear and anger make a heavenly combination." Von Krolock began to walk toward Anneliese as he spoke. "Just think how scared and angry you'll be by tomorrow night," he chuckled. With each step he took Anneliese pulled herself along the floor until her back hit a wall and the vampire was towering over her. "Scared and angry," he repeated as he knelt down and placed his lips near her ear. "But it's quite a shame you're not a virgin," he whispered. Before Anneliese could respond strong fingers were digging into her bicep and she was forced to her feet. She struggled against his hold but no matter how hard she tried, nothing seemed to slow Von Krolock down as he pulled her up the stairs and down a long hall. When they reached an open door, he shoved her inside the room and slammed the door without a single word.
Anneliese hit the floor hard on her hands and knees; ignoring the pain she pulled herself up and turned toward the door. She tried the handle but just as she feared, it was locked. She placed her ear against it and listened; she hadn't heard any footsteps and she was certain the Count was still standing outside the room. "Von Krolock!" She shouted. "Let me out!"
"I guess an introduction isn't necessary after all since you seem to know who I am." Anneliese spun around when she heard the voice behind her but there was no one there. Her throat tightened with the threat of tears but when she heard Von Krolock chuckling on the other side of the door her fear quickly turned into anger.
"Let me go you monster!" She cried out as she pounded her fists against the door. "My friends know where I am and they'll come looking for me when I don't come back home! They'll come here and they'll find you and kill you!" Anneliese kicked the door to emphasize her words. "Do you hear me Von Krolock? They'll kill you!"
"It's raining." Was all Von Krolock said in response, his voice sounding as if he were bored. Anneliese furrowed her brow in confusion. They both remained silent for a few moments before he spoke again. "They won't be coming to look for you tonight. It's raining. Hard. By the time they reach the castle-if they come at all, mind you-it will be too late. Good night, Anneliese."
"What? What do you mean by that? Von Krolock?" Anneliese turned the door handle repeatedly even though she knew it was hopeless. She listened for a moment and when she heard his fading footsteps she began to scream. "You can't do this to me! Let me go!" She slammed her fists so hard against the door that bruises immediately began to form but she paid no mind as she continued. "Von Krolock! Please! Please don't leave me in here! Please let me go!" Eventually her voice grew hoarse and her screams became silent cries as she finally gave in and slowly sunk down to the floor.