In the den of the Devil
Ana Couldn't believe what she saw as visions of Dracula's memories flashed through her mind. She had actually seen Van Helsing and Dracula as he said, brothers of the Holy Order and were like brothers. 'But why doesn't he remember any of this?' she asked herself puzzled at this.
Suddenly she was before Dracula and another man that she knew as Dracula and Van Helsing's mentor. "Don't be a fool Vlad!" the mentor said to him. "That woman is a witch!" he said pointing at Dracula. "Do not let her bewitch you and loose your soul to that whore of Satan," he added with a hint of hatred in his tone. Dracula glared at him, knowing whom he was referring.
"Her name is Anastasia, and you best stop calling her all those wrongful lies if you value your life!" Dracula said as he started to slip his riding cape on. "And no I will not change my mind, I will marry her as she is a gift from God to me!" he said before he started to walk away. The mentor looked at Dracula with hatred in his eyes. "Mark my words Vlad Dracula! You will pay for this in Hell! God will forsaken you for denying him and not sending that witch nor her demon pet to hell when you had the chance!" he shouted at him before the vision then changed to Dracula and her past self, as she found out earlier. Ana's heart skipped a beat as she saw Dracula smiling down at her lovingly. "Must you go my love?" her past self asked as she caressed his cheek, seeing that Dracula was going out riding with his father.
Dracula smiled at her as he cupped her cheek lovingly. "Sadly my love I must," he said to her. "But that mentor of yours, I feel scared whenever he is around me," she said to him with fear in her voice. He kissed her forehead sweetly. "Do not be afraid Ana, I asked Gabriel to watch over you till our wedding tomorrow," he said to her with a smile.
Ana looked relieved at his words. "I trust him with my life, which is now you Ana," he added with a whisper as he rested his forehead against hers. Valerious the Elder came in on his horse smiling at Dracula as the black wolf that Ana knew was the traditional werewolf before the one that Velkan had become, walked up to them.
"My son, you will have plenty of time to be in Ana's embrace later," Valerious said with a chuckle. "But come my boy and enjoy the last few hours with me before all of your time is preoccupied elsewhere," he added with a tease. Dracula chuckled at that before he looked at his father with a smile. "All right father, just a minute," he said before he looked at Ana with a knowing smile. Ana then kissed him lovingly with her arms wrapped around his neck. Valerious smirked at them as he saw Dracula kissed Ana back. "Save some of that for tomorrow you two," said a voice that Ana recognized instantly as she saw Van Helsing with his hair in a pony tail like Dracula's was. Dracula broke away from the kiss with a smirk.
"Gabriel, I'm counting on you protecting Ana till tomorrow," Dracula said as he then hopped on his horse that was nearby. Van Helsing smiled as he stood behind Anastasia. "Do not worry my brother, I will take care of her," he said with a nod.
Dracula smiled with a nod before he looked at Ana. "Till tomorrow my bride," he said before he galloped away on his horse with his father and the black wolf following after him. Suddenly ana was transported to a different area that Ana recognized as the town square. 'What is going on now?' she thought before she saw that her past self was being tied to the stake that was right where the well was but it wasn't there. "No!" she heard her cry. "Please!" she cried out again.
Ana looked jaw dropped as she saw Dracula's mentor tie her to the stake that was surrounded by hay and wood. "Silence witch!" he shouted before he slapped her. "Bastard!" Ana said as she walked through the crowd o people that gathered around the stake. Ana then stopped as she saw Van Helsing standing there right next to her watching all of this. "Why are you standing there doing nothing Van Helsing!? Help her!" Ana shouted at him, but her words fell on deaf ears, as he stood there. "You traitor!" Ana softly whispered as she looked at him appalled by this.
"Please Gabriel! Don't let him do this!" Ana heard her past self cry out to him. Van Helsing looked up at her with a sad face and was about to say something but was stopped by the mentor coming up to him.
"No, Gabriel!" he said to Van Helsing. "Don't let this witch bewitch you as she had bewitched Vlad!" he said as he grasped Van Helsing's shoulders. "She talks to beasts of Satan!" he added with venom. "She is a whore of Satan and has planned on damning us all if she marries Vlad!" he said as he turned to look at Ana's past self. "But she isn't going to, not while I'm here!" he said in defiance as he grabbed a lit torch.
"In the name of the father, the son and the holy ghost," he said as he made the cross with the torch glaring at her. "Burn in the Holy flames and burn in Hell!" he finished before he tossed the torch into the hay and wood. They burned faster then Ana feared as she saw the flames started to surround her past self. 'This is why I'm afraid of fire,' she thought as she saw her past self cry in fear. "No!" she then heard Dracula cry out as he galloped towards them. "Anastasia!" he cried out as he ran towards the burning flames that were surrounding her past self. "Vlad!" she cried out as she saw him. Dracula drew his sword about to jump into the flames but he was stopped by Van Helsing who drew his sword the same time Dracula did.
"Gabriel!" Dracula shouted at him knowing now his best friend's role in this. "I'm sorry my brother, but it is for your sake," Van Helsing said as he stood before Dracula. "Stop him Gabriel!" she heard the mentor say.
"He is lost to us!" the man added with a odd look on his face. Gabriel looked at the mentor shocked. "You told me that if the witch was burned he would be free!" he said to his mentor. "He lied to you Gabriel, convincing you his own lie!" Dracula said before he ran to this mentor about to strike at him but suddenly Gabriel stabbed Dracula right through the back. "No!" Ana screamed aloud.
"No!" Ana cried out as she suddenly sat up awake from the visions. She softly panted as she found herself in a canopy bed all in white in a room carved in by black stone and decorated in a red gypsy styled decoration but also with the feeling of the past in it, like it had been here for thousands of years. As Ana slowly got out of the bed before she noticed that she was wearing in a red gypsy top and flowing skirt with a hint of black that outlined the design of flowers on the top and skirt. "Must be one of my past self's old clothes," she softly whispered before she got out of bed and slowly walked out of the room. "I must be in Dracula's lair," she whispered to herself as she sneaked down the hall. Ana slightly shivered as she sneaked around, searching for what she didn't know but soon she found herself in a room that had an odd upside down jar that had a needle that doctor's used for shots. Ana knew instantly that this must be the cure and she quickly ran out of the room making her way back to her room, but she soon found herself lost.
'Great, I'm lost,' she thought to herself before she heard a soft moan. Ana went to a door and gently opened it to find she was in a prison cell. She saw whose cell this was and sighed in relief. "Frankenstein!" she said softly as she walked to him, but as she got closer she saw what that Frank was inside a block of ice. Frank softly moaned before he saw her.
"Anastasia?" he asked in disbelief. "How on Earth did you get here?" he added. Ana shook her head at him.
"Not important," Ana replied. "Listen to me very careful, Dracula has a cure!" she said to him before she looked behind her to the door thinking that she heard something. "Van Helsing is coming here to try and save you," she said as she looked back up at him. "When you see him, tell him of then cure that can remove the curse of the werewolf!" she added before she slowly started to step away from him. "What of you? Why can't you tell him?" Frank asked her confused. "Because it is too late for me, Frank," she replied. "I can't go back to the man that had a hand in my death in a past life," she added before she turned around and gasped as she saw Dracula standing in the door way looking at her with a knowing smile.
Frank growled at Dracula as the vampire walked in and presented a hand to Ana. "Come my dear," he said to her. "You must be freezing in here," he added with a smile.
Ana nodded her head as she took Dracula's hand, ignoring Frank's curses as Dracula escorted her out of the cell and back to her room. He smiled at her as he watched her sit back on the bed. "You see what happen four hundred years ago?" he asked as he walked to her. "Yes," Ana replied with a nod. "I saw everything," she added as she tried to look away.
Dracula gently caressed her cheek lovingly, making her look up at him. As she looked up at him into his eyes, she recognized the look he had used when they danced at the ball, right before he was about to bite her. Dracula sat next to her on the bed as her eyes reflected her own feelings and desires for him. "I must confess that when I saw Van Helsing with you up on the balcony I found myself jealous," he said as his face moved closer to hers. Ana felt her heart pounding as she felt his breath on her skin. "There was no need to be Count for my heart doesn't belong to him," he said softly again against his lips. "Then who is the lucky man that has your heart?" Dracula asked her as she moved his face away looking jealous again. Ana smiled at his reaction.
"A Count from Romania," she replied which Dracula looked surprised as she then reached her hand to caress his face. "But I am curious as to what he desires of me..." she added as Dracula sighed in pleasure to her touch. "I desire you not only to be my lover but to be my bride...and my queen," he said as he looked at her with the fire of desire in his eyes. Ana felt that fire warm her body in both from the coldness of the room but also to her own desire of wanting him...To become one with him.
"Then I will accept you and give you my heart, my body, and my soul," Ana softly whispered before she then leaned to kiss Dracula's lips, which tasted like sweet nector to her. Slowly exploring this new delicious sensation as he then started to kiss her back. Ana slowly cupped his face as Dracula slowly moved his body over hers, making her lay flat down on the center of the bed.
Ana slowly moved her hands to his shoulders, slowly moving his coat off of his shoulders. Dracula soon slipped his coat off while still kissing Ana, as if he was starving for her and her alone. Which Ana was gladly to give him as her hands moved to his vest and slowly unbuttoned each button one by one, pressing her body against his, as she knew that soon she would fully become a woman. When all of the buttons were undone, he slipped it off gently pulling away from her lips as he then started kissing down her neck. Pausing only to have his lips kiss at the vein pulsing in her neck before he went lower. Ana could only softly gasp and moan as she felt his cold hands undo the front clap of her top and captured them in his cold fingers. She shivered to his cold touch and was surprised as she saw the fire place in the room along with all the candles in the room light up. Ana felt the whole room become warm before she gasped out in pleasure as she felt his mouth gently suckle one of her nipples that instantly become hard.
Ana moved her hands to cup the nape of his neck as she softly moaned and whimpered in pleasure. He played with the other nipple with the tip of his tongue. Her nipple hardened and she was about to pull his head to her breast but then he licked between the Valley of her breasts all the way to her neck.
"Vlad," she softly whispered as she felt herself hot and wet between her legs. He softly purred like a tiger as he brushed his lips against her earlobe. "I want this to be good for you," he whispered into her ear before he teasingly nipped at her ear lobe. "not going to be much of a problem," Ana said in a shakey voice as he was caressing her thighs as he rested perfectly between her legs, riding up her skirt. "Oh, just wait my Ana," he said as he pulled awa from her, giving her an excellent view of him as he slowly started to take off his shirt.
Ana took this chance to throw her top to the side and was about to slip her skirt off but Dracula's hands were right on top of hers stopping her. Ana then saw that Dracula had his shirt and boots off. "I want to take off ALL of your clothing," he said before he slowly slipped his hands up, caressing her thighs in the process. Ana softly moaned as she slowly laid back on the bed before Dracula then slipped her skirt off, which made her blush. Dracula's eyes glowed as he looked down at her now naked body which made goosebumps cover her skin. "Beautiful," he said in a breathless whisper as he leaned towards her, his body covering hers. "Most beautiful in all the word," he whispered against her lips before he gently kissed her sweetly pressing his body against hers. Ana softly moaned as she felt what must be his desire for her as she felt him gently grind his pelvis between her legs.
She wrapped her legs around his waist, feeling his hardness rub directly over her loins that now were hot and aching for him. "Please," she softly whimpered into his ear as she caressed her fingers into his hair. "Patience my love," he whispered into her ear before kissing at the area below her ear lobe.
"Soon I will have you but first I will like to taste your sweet nectar first," he said as he kissed his way down her body until he got to her loins. Gently kissing and tasting her juices as she moaned in pleasure as the waves of sparks and tingles go through her. "Oh!" she gasped in a moan as she felt his hands caress her hips as he gently lifted her pelvis and plunged his tongue deeper into her. Making her head twist side to side as she whimpered at the sweet pleasure she was experiencing. She felt her body tingle and spasm as she felt what must be an orgasm take over her but he didn't stop as he continued to taste her loins, bring her to climax one more time before he pulled away from her.
Ana was panting heavily as she tried to control her heartbeat, not seeing Dracula strip his pantaloons off and start kissing his way up her body. He placed her legs around his waist, aiming his hardness right about to enter her. "Hold on tight my Ana," he said to her before she wrapped her arms around him. "Here I come," he said before he rested his lips to the vein in her neck as he slowly entered himself into her. She softly cried out in a slight painful pleasured moan as she felt a slight pain that soon went away. "Oh my love," he moaned in pleasure as he looked down at her. "You are heaven itself," he said before he then started to slowly thrust in and out of her. "Oh, Vlad," Ana moaned in pleasure before she kissed him as he made slow love to her, knowing he was making her savor and enjoy this new experience. Soon then Ana felt Dracula's mouth on her neck, shivering in pleasure as she felt her climax come upon her.
"Do it, please," she softly whimpered into his ear as she tilted her head to the side to bare her neck to him. "I want to," she added as she looked down at her surprised. He softly growled like he did at the ball, his eyes glowing an icy blue like before. "My love," he said in a loving purr. "My...bride!" he said in a purr again before he sank his fangs into her neck, making her cry out in pleasure as she climaxed with him at the same time.
She softly moaned as he slowly fed from her, feeling the ultimate pleasure as he licked and sucked from her. Ana felt time pass by before he pulled out of her gently and kissed her neck lovingly. Dracula looked down at her caressing her cheek as he laid beside her.
"Did I hurt you?" he asked sweetly and with the look of concern on his face. "No, you didn't," she said in a soft whisper as she caressed his cheek with the back of her fingers. He smiled at her with joy before he gently kissed her forehead. "I'm glad, I was worried about that since this was your first time," he said as he held her close. He then waved a hand over her neckline. She looked to find an amulet of sorts with a blood red stone or liquid since it looked fluidly surrounded with small bats. "This is an amulet necklace that contains some of my blood frozen as ice," he said to her as he snuggled his face against her cheek lovingly. "I am giving you the choice to become my bride," he added as he held her close.
"Don't decide now, think about it," he said to her as she then looked at him. "For now rest," he said as she turned to him and snuggled to his body. "When it is two hours till sunrise you will be brought your bride dress, the dresses that Aleera, Verona and Marishka wear,"he told her.
Ana smiled at that, thinking that it will be her wedding dress of sorts. She then kissed his lips gently before she looked up at him with love in her eyes. "I love you," she whispered softly to him. He smiled happily at her before he snuggled against her, holding her in a loving embrace as they both fell asleep. Ana could only hear the crackling of the burning firewood in the roaring fire inside the fire place as she closed her eyes and for the first time she wasn't afraid of the flame anymore.
A couple hours later Ana was gently awoken by Aleera who looked calm and friendly. "Come Ana, it is almost time for him to awaken," she said as she glanced at Dracula, who was in his dead sleep. "You don't want to be here when he wakes up after having blood," she explained as Ana slowly got up looking at Dracula at the same time.
"My Lord has asked me to help you dress, believed you would feel less uncomfortable with me then the Dwerger dressing you up," she said as Ana got out of the bed and nodded her head in agreement. "Yes, I would," she said as she followed Aleera to another room that was a bathroom. Ana remembered Aleera, Verona and Marishka from her past life, which made her feel a slight guilty for Marishka and Verona's deaths. Because they were her sisters so to speak, each of them grew up together, as would each daughter of each highest gypsy family in their camp. They may not have been born as such, but they still felt like sisters either way. "I remember you in my past life," Anna said as Aleera waited for Ana as she washed herself up. "Still I don't understand why you want to kill Anna so badly more then anyone," Ana said as she looked at Aleera. Aleera walked to the changing area of the bathroom setting up the dress for Ana.
"I want to kill that little wench so badly because she shames your face and memory," Aleera said. Ana looked at her surprised. "Cause she is myself reincarnated in appearance?" Ana asked surprised.
Aleera nodded her head before she presented a towel. "Come, it is about close to sun set," Aleera said in a gentle manner. "You don't sleep?" Ana asked as she walked out of the bath and into the towel. "We vampires do sleep, but we can walk in daylight hours as long as Ana dried herself a little. Aleera then helped Ana into her bride dress..
Meanwhile back at Castle Valerious Van Helsing lead Carl and Anna back to the armory and headed to the map painting. "You said your father spent hours staring at this painting trying to find Dracula's lair," he said as he lead them from the tower to the map painting. "I think you were right quite literally," he said as he walked up to the painting with his hands pointing at it. "I think THIS is the door," he added before looking at Anna. "He just didn't know how to open it," he said to her explaining her father's actions. "Look, a Latin inscription," Carl said pointing at the words at the side of the painting. "Maybe it works like the painting in the tower," he said looking at them before walking to the painting translating it in his mind, Van Helsing stepping away so Carl could read it better. "If this were a door my father would've opened it long ago," Anna said as she walked up to Van Helsing's side.
Carl had knelt to the floor, pushing a chair to the side before he looked to see a piece at the bottom corner was ripped off. "I can't finish the inscription," he said before looking at them. "There's a piece missing," he explained to them.
Van Helsing started at the painting before he then smiled searching his pockets. He then pulled out the scroll he had gotten from the Cardinal when he got this mission. "Your father didn't have this," he said to Anna the unrolled piece of the painting. "Where did you get that?" Anna asked him surprised at this. Van Helsing handed the piece to Carl.
"Carl, Finish it," he asked Carl before the friar took the piece and clipped it from the thing it was attached to. Carl then pressed the piece into place, which it fit like a piece of the puzzle and then spoke the last Latin inscription that the piece had written on it. Van Helsing looked at the painting knowing what the last words translated to. "'In the name of God, open this door,'" Van Helsing said like he was almost casting a spell. Suddenly there came the soft sigh of a shriek as the entire painting iced over and suddenly it became a giant mirror. "A mirror," Carl said as he took a step to it curiously, after standing up when the painting changed. "Dracula has no reflection in a mirror," Anna said looking puzzled at the mirror. "But why?" Van Helsing asked confused as the others.
"Maybe-Maybe to Dracula, it's not a mirror at all," Carl said looking at Anna and Van Helsing. Van Helsing looked at his reflection in the mirror trying to have this make sense to him. 'If this is a door then why is is as a mirror?' he asked himself. 'What would it be to Dracula if not a mirror?' he asked himself as he stepped closer to the mirror. Then Van Helsing noticed that the mirror looked odd up close.
'This looks like ice,' he thought to himself. 'I wonder,' he thought as he moved the fingers of his right hand to touch it. Suddenly as Van Helsing pushed his fingers inside, the mirror cracked up like frozen ice above water cracking up.
"It's cold," he said before he pulled his hand out and smiled as he looked at his right hand. "And it's snowing," he added as he saw his hand covered with snow. He then went to grab one of the torches that were nearby the painting. "See you on the other side," he told them before he took a step. Anna stopped him with her hand on his chest. "Be careful," she whispered to him sounding worried for him. Van Helsing nodded to her before he looked at the painting and slowly walked up to it. He closed his eyes before he pushed himself into the mirror, walking blindly into the signing ice like he was walking through a water fall.
When he opened his eyes he looked before him to see he was in a gentle snow falling storm. He heard the mirror door sign behind him and he turned to see Anna's hand peek out. He quickly took it as she came fully through the door and they both looked before them deeper into the storm and saw what looked to them an icy fortress.
"Castle Dracula," Anna softly whispered as they took in the grim and macabre detail outside of the castle. "Guess Ana's knowledge of Dracula being an impaler is proven fact," Van Helsing said as he saw the two impaled skeletons that were above them. "Let's go," Anna softly said to him being a bit creeped out now. They both looked behind them waiting to see if Carl was coming before they started to walk towards the castle. Carl then soon came through the door and opened his eyes looking around nervously.
When he saw the impaled skeletons he ran back at the door mirror, but crashed against it, making him land to the ground. He quickly got up and ran after Anna and Van Helsing.