AN: Quick introduction. I am 19, an amatuer writer, who loves to write, loves to read multiple books at a time, and write multiple stories at a time - posting only one :P There will be two chaps today since that seems only fair given how short they are, I love to write longeys. LOL. That being about it...please let me know what you think.

The Redemption
by Ephemeros

Revenge, lies, seduction, murder, purgatory, and immortality. Can the Damned be Redeemed? Through a series of strange events with strangely familiar characters, one girl, Everhart Gavrel, will find love, betrayal, damnation, and hopefully, redemption for the soul that was never her own. Dracula/OFC. Rated M. Violence, Sexuality, Swearing, General Naughtiness ;)

Prologue: Last Resort

The halls were long and shady in the hours after class, his footsteps resounded hollowly. A pool of light spilled onto the floor and he approached it, glad that the door was open. He looked in, a word on his lips, but was disappointed to find the one he was looking for already gone. He saw a girl walking among the desks and hoped.

"Excuse me - Is Mr. Everhart Gavrel still in the building?" The girl, apparently the teacher's TA, barely paused in picking up the test papers.

"Yes."

"Could you tell me where, then? I need to speak with him." She continued gathering papers, as if she hadn't heard him - but he knew she had. He bit his tongue with impatience. "It's urgent."

She finally turned, "Urgent?" Behind a pair of black rimmed rectangular glasses, a pair of dark green eyes quickly assessed him. She pushed a stray curl out of her face. "Why don't you have a seat, sir." her tone was derisive, "He'll be right with you."

He held a curse back and took the seat she indicated. Flying half way around the world to wait in a chair while some skirt traipsed around, wasting his time, was not what he had planned. He was about to say as much, when the skirt came down the steps in her heels, setting a healthy stack of papers on the desk, and going around to the other side, took the seat designated for…He gulped.

"Very well, sir. The Mr. Gavrel is in. What's so urgent?" Her eyes glittered with dark amusement as she took her glasses off and met his baffled stare with one of challenge.

He tried to chuckle, his neck hot with embarrassment, "I have bite-marks on my knee…"

She smirked, "And well you should. But you're not the first, or the last."

"I apologize."

She waved it off. "No need. I think you have more important things to say in your five minutes, than 'I'm sorry'…"

She'd given him a time limit?

"…Let's not waste them." She gave him another crocodile smile.

He leveled a questioning gaze at her, inclined to expect more respect, but had to remind himself that this was not Europe and she didn't know who he was. "I am currently researching my ancestry and…" he skipped preamble, "…There's a question of… inheritance, that has led me to a certain estate…" He checked to make sure she was following, "Where an artifact has been 'discovered', for lack of a better word."

She looked at him quizzically, a line on her forehead showing impatience.

"With your expertise in Latin, I was hoping that you could…translate the markings for me. Inform me just what and why it would be at my ancestor's home?"

He finished feeling a fool. She wore a guarded expression, one that didn't impress him with any optimistic expectation. He expected to get the boot - yet again. She even did so much as to smirk, again.

She readjusted herself, choosing her words it seemed, "I'm curious, seeing how you're clearly not from the States," she casually gestured at him, indicating his failure at blending in, "why not seek someone closer to home? I know for a fact that there are professors and translators more qualified than I." She waited, expectantly, searching his face for…what?

"Well, to tell the truth, Miss Gavrel, I did. Seek someone closer that is." He knew it! She sat back in her seat, that dark amusement coloring her eyes, not unattractively, but not in his favor either.

"So, I'm not only not-a-man, but I'm also your…last resort?" She smirked, "I don't know why I don't just jump at the opportunity."

"I don't mean to be so offensive. But, perhaps, if I had known you were a woman, I would have come to you sooner." He gave her a devilish smile, using his charm for good - he hoped. "I really would appreciate your help."

She raised a brow, and then pursed her lips, looking down at her desk as she declined. "I'm sorry, I teach Latin - not archaeology. But I can refer you to someone -"

He stopped her before she could pull out the drawer containing her index. "There is no one else. I was told that you were the best - my last chance of finding someone qualified -"

"Oh? And what qualifies me?"

"Your expertise - your heritage - in eastern European history."

She studied the wood grain of her desk. "To know about my mother and not that I was a woman is rather an interesting gap in your information - don't you think?"

"Yes, if I had read about you from a file. But I didn't, you were referred to me yourself, by Dr. Perlman at Oxford."

She nodded, still not looking up at him. "He probably was amused with the idea that you would think I was a man." He heard a rush of breath escape her parted lips. "Where, exactly, is this estate?" She looked up at him, pinning him with those emerald eyes.

"In the Carpathian mountains."

"In…?"

"Eastern Romania. I'll supply the ticket." He said, hope having ignited within him once more.

"I would expect you to." she said with another smile that was more irony than happiness. "Alright. I'll agree to it. When?"

He smiled, "As soon as possible. Tomorrow morning?"

She seemed pleased, "Good."

"Thank you very much, Miss Gavrel." he stood and held out his hand.

"You're welcome, I think. And…" she took his hand and shook it, "Call me Eve, it will eliminate confusion in the future."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Eve." He gave her a nod, and was leaving when the sound of her clearing her throat stopped him. He pivoted on his heel.

"I think you're forgetting something, sir. Like your name?"

Had he forgotten? He had. He was too eager for the answers to finally be given. He was heady with expectation, the fruition of that promise made so long ago, so long, now so close. He gave her a tilted smile, his brown eyes glimmering keenly, "Velkan, Velkan Waleri."