Hullo, all. This is a Tanz der Vampire fanfiction. Don't know what Tanz der Vampire is? This site is your best friend, then: www.old-hickory./TanzderVampire.htm - YouTube is your next best friend when it comes to Tanz. Anywho, this fic is from Sarah's POV and starts with the scene/song "Tanzsaal." I'm tweaking the dialogue so that it fits my plot, and I'm using the above site's translations as reference. 'Sides, you don't even know how hard it is to make song lyrics work as regular dialogue. UGH. But hey, it's worth it. Also, I do realize that Graf translates to "count" in English, but the musical never specifies his first name. (I refuse to call him Breda as told by the original movie!) For this reason, I shall just call him Graf (also because I can't come up with a historically accurate - not to mention Transylvanian - name to do him justice.)

So without further ado, I present my fic to you!

Oh wait... Disclaimer first: I don't own Tanz der Vampire or any of its characters, no matter how much I wish that smexy man-vampire by the name of Graf von Krolock was mine to have and to hold. ;D I am not making any profit from this work, except for the personal gain of happy Tanz-ness. Then again, everyone who reads it should gain happy Tanz-ness as well... Hopefully.

Tanz der Vampire: A New Ending - Part 1

Featuring:

Sarah Chagal (as played by Cornelia Zenz) + Graf von Krolock (as played by Steve Barton.)

The Count spun to face me as I made my grand entrance at the top of the staircase. His blazing eyes locked with my own, and I hesitated; I was afraid. There was a dark, yet strangely compelling look in his eyes, it made me willing me to give myself over to death. An underlying emotion was there as well, something that I could not name. Those eyes resurrected my resolve. I had made up my mind long before tonight, made up my mind to become a part of that eternal darkness. It was strange. I hardly even knew him, and yet I was willing to give up everything to be with him...

I began my descent, slowly spiraling down the winding staircase. The other vampires were saying something, I knew, although I couldn't hear them. All I could focus on was him. He was watching my every move, waiting to make me one of his own kind. When I reached the bottom of the stairs, the others crowded around me, almost blocking my view of him. Panic bubbled up inside of me. I didn't feel safe around them without him near me!

But my fears were soon stilled with an imperious gesture from the Count. The vampires moved back reluctantly, none daring to defy their master. His eyes had not left mine since I had arrived, and they did not stray as I approached him. He extended an elegant hand to me with a flourish. Slowly, cautiously, I took it. As soon as he had a grasp upon me, he spun me around and pulled me close. He held me tightly in his arms, and I knew then that I couldn't turn back, even if I had wanted to. He reached down to caress my cheek in a surprisingly tender gesture. His fingers only lingered for a moment before he gently turned my head to the side, brushing away my hair and exposing my neck. This was the first time we had broken eye contact, and I saw the vampires beside us drooling with bloodlust. I was trembling, in both fear and anticipation, when out of the corner of my eye I saw his head rearing back. I braced myself and closed my eyes, first feeling his cool lips upon my skin before he sunk his fangs into my neck.

My first reaction was to scream, but I just whimpered and threw my arms around his neck instead. I held on as tightly as I could, but he was draining me of my blood, slowly, so slowly… The world began to spin in a dizzying manner. My knees gave out. My whole body soon went limp. He was the only thing keeping me up, his strong arms held me close to him. I knew I was dying, yet strangely, I wasn't afraid anymore. I felt safe, calm and peaceful in the Count's arms. I felt him move away from my neck, heard him let out a triumphant laugh.

A trickle of blood ran down my neck. He traced its winding path with his fingers. The Count felt warm compared to the coldness that was enveloping my body, and I struggled to reach out to him, to no avail. I could not move, I could not breathe… No longer could I feel my heart beat. Why wasn't I dead? I vaguely registered that I was being carried, and then all feeling left me as I sank into icy darkness.

All it took was a light brush of his hand across my face, and my shocked body sprang back into consciousness. My eyes flew open as he set me gently down on my feet, supporting me with a hand around my waist. I clung to him desperately, confused and disoriented. He was speaking to me, I realized.

"You set out to lose your heart… now you're losing your mind," he said poetically, turning me to face him.

He kept hold of my arm, and I gazed at his strangely beautiful face, grasping his cape for support. I noticed that he had blood around his mouth. My blood. I touched it tentatively, and he held my hand to his face for a brief moment before touching my cheek with his own hand, an intensity of emotion in his eyes I had never seen before. Then he was pulling away, walking backwards as I stumbled towards him. I was still weak, and when he let go of my arm I fell to the ground.

"My heart was already lost," I whispered. "Now my mind joins it." While I sat there on the ground, gaining my strength, I heard the rustle of his cape that meant he was bending towards me.

"Your world has been shattered," he said quietly. "Total eclipse… we're falling and nothing can hold us."

With that cryptic message, he took my hand and pulled me to my feet. After allowing me a short moment to regain my strength, the Count began to lead me in the steps of a familiar minuet. The rest of the vampires followed suit. He kept a firm grip on my hand, and steadied me whenever I began to stumble. My body had changed in some indescribable way, subtle and yet noticeable, and I was still getting used to that.

He gave my hand a gentle squeeze before letting me go. Continuing the steps of the minuet, I drifted across the room with various partners, taking in very little of what was happening around me. Suddenly, I heard a voice near my ear.

"Sarah! It's me, it's Alfred! I'll save you!"