This story is a rewrite of my original oneshot 'In the Deepest Core of Your Heart', which I posted a year ago. I re-read it a few weeks ago and decided that I could do better, so here you have the updated version. I would like to dedicate this to all those who reviewed my story the first time around: Tempest2004, Remember, Anon E. Mouse, Mary, phantomrose23, jams, edgar, ForeverACharmedOne, RedDragon30000, Suze, Paper Butterfly 8, wolfhuntsmoon, whistlerstwin and pheobep3. I really appreciated your comments and hope that you enjoy this version. Special thanks also to my Beta, Nienna Silmarwen, who rocks.
19/5/2011 - Hello again! I re-read my first upload the other day and thought it could do with *another* reworking, so I did it and replaced the new one. I guess that makes this version the new, new one. I hope you like it anyway, feel free to let me know what you think!
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Drip!
Drip!
The sound echoed distantly in Anna's mind.
Drip!
It was closer now, echoing more clearly.Water, Anna thought, trickling water.Her back was wedged against something which scraped it sore. Where am I? Her ankle ached. She had been with Van Helsing – the Creature – they were taking him to Rome but the Brides had caught up with them – and then...?
Velkan.
Grief caught in her throat as everything that had taken place in the woods came flooding back; crouching in the underbrush with his dead weight in her arms, flying at Van Helsing in hopeless rage and Aleera's fist crumpling her like a rag-doll. Hot tears sprang to her eyes, but she took a deep, juddering breath, and held them back. She would cry for her brother later – tears were not a luxury she could afford now.
She stood still where she was, gazing into the blackness. Her wrists were crossed over her head, and chained there, and her feet could just about feel the floor. Her ankle was numbing – she supposed it broken, or at least badly sprained. The air was damp, and cold was beginning to bite deep through her clothing. She must be deep underground.
She shifted cautiously to scan the chamber, masking a whimper of pain as the manacles bit into her wrists. A coy giggle echoed through the chamber.
"Enjoying our little spell in the dungeons are we?"
A torch spattered into life on the opposite wall. Anna blinked hastily, finding herself where she had expected, a windowless cell. Dracula's bride stood before her, her mass of red hair tumbled about her shoulders, her eyes and fangs glittering.
Anna sighed, "Nice to see you too Aleera."
The Bride's fangs bared in a triumphant smile.
"Why have you brought me here?" she muttered, "Does your master think that I will bring your children to life where my father and brother failed?"
Aleera smirked, "Close Princess, but seeing as your family seem incapable of even giving their pitiful lives for our children, my master has a different plan."
Anna raised her eyebrows.
"I am destined for his dinner-tray then?"
Aleera grinned. "Guess again Princess."
Anna sighed. Her arms were pricked with pain now, and she was trying not to think where she would be in a few hours, when they would be numb enough to spasm. "I tire of your games," she snapped.
Aleera's smile became more pronounced and she examined her long fingernails with a disinterested air.
"You are in no position to make demands Princess – why should I tell you?"
Anna's blood began to boil; her captor was toying with her – playing as a cat might with a mouse that it would soon eat. Well, two could play at this game. She forced herself to look away; letting her eyes rest on the opposite wall and suppressing a smile when the Bride pouted. After several moments of silence where Anna stared resolutely away Aleera sighed and continued with a bored yawn. "He had me negotiate a trade with Van Helsing; the Creature for yourself," she said, and then, unable to resist a barb, "he will prove far more successful at bringing our children to life than members of your family Princess."
Anna's heart had risen at the thought of escaping the Count, but it sank again when she realised at what price her escape's price must be.
"He is to bring the Creature for the exchange tonight at the Master's masquerade ball. Did you know Princess, that it is the master's habit to give a ball on All Hallow's Eve? And tonight, it is I who shall accompany him."
"What is that to me Aleera?" Anna replied, "I care not which whore your master chooses to dance."
Aleera's eyes flashed purple. "Enough of your insolence!" Anna's head slammed back against the wall and stars danced across her eyes – the Bride's backhand had come too fast for her to see. She grabbed Anna's chin and forced her to meet her eyes. "I know what lurks in your lusting heart Princess," she whispered, "and I tell you now that I will have none of it."
Anna snorted and the Bride shoved her face aside with a grimace. But when her vision cleared she found Aleera distracted – her eyes were fixed on her cheek and glittering strangely. Anna cursed inwardly as she realised the blow must have cut her somehow.
Her captor stretched out a long finger and trailed it across her hot cheek, then raised it to her lips and licked the blood away greedily.
"Perfectly aged," she commented. "You know something I forgot to mention Princess?" Anna shook her head warily.
"After I negotiated that deal I followed Van Helsing to a graveyard where he hid the Creature. Even now my love, Igor and the Dwergi will be collecting him for the Master. So, I suppose, he will no longer have need of you…"
Aleera's fist moved before Anna had registered her threat, delivering a crushing blow to her skull that left her momentarily senseless. When she next opened her eyes her blouse had been torn open and her throat was bared, and the Bride held her head so tight she could not shift an inch. A momentary effort and she could crush her skull to fragments.
"Do not worry my love," her captor taunted, "I'm sure that Van Helsing will weep when he encounters your dead body." The Bride lowered her head. Cold lips touched her skin and she could feel the hard dents of fangs at her neck. Anna closed her eyes and willed away her fear. God, after all this, she was going to die at the hands of Dracula's whore.
An instant later the chamber flooded with torch-light as the door fell back on its hinges with a resounding crash; Anna's eyes flew open in time to see a white hand grasp Aleera's shoulder and throw her to the flags. Dracula rounded upon his bride, his face lined in cold fury.
"My orders were for you to catch and bring Anna to me," he snarled, "How dare you disobey me, how dare you touch her when I had forbidden it?" Aleera had blanched, red flush spreading across her cheeks. Yet Anna underestimated her, a moment later she had risen and arranged her features into an alluring smile.
"But you can no longer have need of her Master," she purred, slipping one arm around his waist and pressing her body enticingly into his. "Why not kill her and have done with it?"
He disengaged himself; his eyes narrowing, "It is no concern of yours what I do with my things; she is mine Aleera and you do not touch what is mine."
"But Master - "
"Get out of my sight Aleera!"
The Bride's face crumpled; tears springing to her eyes. She turned away and left the room in a flurry of wings, the sound of her plaintive whimpers following her all the way down the corridor.
When she was gone Anna flicked her eyes sluggishly to the Count's face. Her head spun, and it was difficult to keep him in focus for long. She was gathering the last of her strength to pull herself straight and face her enemy when he reached her. He turned her face to one side to survey the damage, and she could not help but wince.
"Let me see," the Count said softly.
He examined her face for a moment with cool fingers, while Anna tried not to squirm. "Hush," he murmured, releasing her. "Come with me."
The manacles opened, and Anna staggered, but the Count caught her and lifted her up. It seemed barely a moment before they were somewhere warm and bright. Then she was being lain on something soft.
She closed her eyes and sighed. It was so pleasant to sink into the warmth and let it soothe her hurts away. Her head ached so. But she remembered where she was, and who was with her, and forced herself, wincing, up onto her elbow. She was in a bedchamber. It was day, and the chamber's wide windows gave a good enough view to tell her where she was - Budapest.
"Be careful Princess – you hit your head quite hard." The Count was standing by the bed, idly playing with a loose thread on one of the drapes. Anna met his eyes warily. "I must apologise for my Bride, it was not my intention for you to be treated in this manner."
Anna's astonishment at his remark must have shown on her face, for the Count gave a maddening smirk. "Don't be so surprised, my dear. I may be a vampire but I know how to be a host when it suits me." He knelt by the bed then, leaning over her. Anna, startled tried to draw away, but he caught her shoulders and held her still. "I would see what harm Aleera inflicted upon you."
He pushed her back onto the mattress. Anna's breath caught in her throat, her limbs had grown weak at his touch, and when she tried to pull away from him she found she could not. The Count was stroking her arm, and the taught muscles were relaxing, the bruises from the manacles melting away. Suddenly it seemed so easy to give in, to let him help her, and she shuddered, knowing this was some devilry, but for all she tried, she could do nothing. She could feel the Count turning her face from side to side, running across the scratches there, and the pain vanished at his touch. How her head ached. If she could just rest a moment...
When she opened her eyes again the room was dim. The drapes had been drawn and the lamp on the table lit. Starting, she drew her hands up to find her wrists whole and unmarked, flexed her ankle and found it healed as though it had never been damaged. Her head was clear.
"Feeling better?"
The Count sat in an armchair by the fire, one booted foot resting languidly on his other knee, watching her.
Anna sat up warily against the headboard. "What did you do?"
The Count shrugged. "You were sick and hurt. I healed you."
"You could have asked me first," Anna muttered.
"And would you have allowed it?" The Count's eyes had suddenly grown bright, and meeting them, Anna found herself shaking her head. "There you are then. Are you hungry? Eat." He gestured to a tray of covered dishes on the bedside table that had not been there before, and Anna found herself ravenous. Still she watched the Count warily, not trusting his food. He gave a soft chuckle.
"If harming you had been my intention Princess, would it not have been easier to do so while you were sleeping?"
He was maddening, but again, Anna was forced to concur. At least his food would keep up her strength. "I suppose," she muttered, then, unable to hold back the question any longer, asked, "What do you want with me then?"
"Eat, and perhaps we shall discuss it." Anna, seeing no other alternative for the moment drew the tray into her lap. The food looked good at least, better than anything the servants managed at home, and she wondered distractedly who had made it. She took a cursory bite and faced the Count again.
"I am eating, so will you tell me why you brought me here?"
The Count shrugged. "It seemed fitting – Aleera, strong though she is, could not subdue the Creature alone. Van Helsing can control it, but you are the only one he would trade it for." Anna looked up, startled, and the Count rolled his eyes. "Do not feign innocence Princess, you know quite well how he feels about you. No, he will come, and soon."
Anna, to her horror, felt herself flush. It was true, though over the few days she and the hunter had travelled, she had barely dared to think it. It was something she needed time to consider, but once again now was not it, and she forced herself, with an effort, to lay the thought aside. For once the Count's plan seemed too simple. There was something that he was not saying.
"You want them both, don't you?" The Count smiled, a move which showed the tips of his fangs, making Anna suppress a shudder.
"You are a sharp one. Sharper perhaps than I gave you credit for. But yes, I do wish for the hunter to come here, and why is none of your business. You will know soon enough. Tomorrow night in fact."
Done, Anna put her tray aside. "The ball? Aleera told me – "
"Yes, she is right. I shall expect you to accompany me."
"Accompany you? But why -"
Her protest died on her lips when she discerned a noise above them – muffled crying. She frowned.
"Aleera," the Count said. "She does not wish me to be here with you." For one foolish moment, Anna wondered what the Count could mean. She paled when it dawned on her.
"Is there something wrong Princess?" The Count's voice was in her ear and she almost started out of her skin. He was sitting on the bed beside her. She drew her legs over the side of the bed to run, cursing herself for letting her guard down. Left alone in a bedroom with the Count and she had believed that he meant her no harm? Imbecile!
He caught her hands and held them hard.
"Monster, let go!"
"Now now," he said, drawing her towards him. His fingers were more fetters around her wrists. "You always try to run my dear."
A curse was ready on her lips but he scared it from her mouth when he pressed her down onto her back. She tried to struggle, but he was far too strong. He lay beside her now, and she was acutely aware of their position, his face so close to hers that several strands of his hair brushed her cheek. Her breathing grew ragged as he buried his face in the crook of her neck and began to place cold kisses there. A strange tightness began to coil in the pit of her stomach.
"Please stop." Her voice sounded small and childish to her ears.
The Count drew back a little, smirking. "Come now my dear. I will not harm you. Enjoy this."
A little sound passed her lips, a pitiful whimper, and she hated herself for it. Then the Count was kissing her face again, and her head was growing strangely light. She was suddenly relaxing, and she bit her lips when she realised what was happening again. Again, so easy to close her eyes and lean back.
Dracula grinned. His hand moved to cup her breast, and Anna gasped. The ball of his thumb rubbed lightly across her nipple, and suddenly her clothes seemed far too tight. The Count had not harmed her. In fact he had been the one to heal her, rest her, feed her. He would be gentle. She tangled her fingers in his hair, tipping her head back to allow him better access. It had been so long since she had been touched like this, since there had even been time to consider it, and the Count felt so good.
"It is as our dear Aleera says," he purred, "I know what lurks in your lusting heart."
"But I –"
He put an effective stop to her denial by kissing it away. His lips were cool and soft over hers, but he held her tightly, urgently, coaxing her into responding. She had never been kissed so before.
Slowly, her arms slipped up about his neck to press him closer, and she returned his kiss, hesitantly, and then more passionately. He was handsome, it was true, and she hated to admit it – but perhaps Aleera had been right – and some small part of her wondered if he would be pleased with her, inexperienced as she was. She unconsciously shifted her legs, bringing his lower half closer to hers. Her stomach coiled tighter.
The Count was smoothing her hair from her neck, his fingers gentle, then lowered his face to her throat teased her once more with feather-light kisses there. His eyes were red, she thought dully, much too red. Something was badly wrong, but it was so much easier not to think on it. She let her eyes flutter shut as he trailed kisses across her skin, and his hands drew the edges of her blouse further back. Then He bent his head once more and sank his teeth into her neck.
Easy, of course, to let it happen, it even felt good, but something deep inside her that fought for control made her eyes fly open and her head suddenly clear, and she was up from among the pillows and crying out loud.
Dracula's face had elongated like a beast's, his eyes were red and his mouth brimmed with so many fangs that his jaw had stretched almost to transparency. Dear God, what had she done? She drew in a ragged breath.
Yet the Count released her wrists and sat back on his heels, and as she watched his appearance returned to normal. He stared at her in silence.
"Please, let me go." Tears sprang to her eyes again at the childishness in her voice.
The Count shook his head slowly. "I shall not, Princess, you are far too valuable an asset. But do not fear. I have no wish for unwilling bedfellows." Anna released the breath she was holding. "You are stronger than I gave you credit for my dear. I will leave you alone now."
Her eyes filled with tears of relief, and of shame, and before she could blink them away one had escaped to make its way down her flushed cheek, followed by another, and another. The Count reached out and brushed one away, then stroked her face, her forehead with cool fingers. She leaned into his touch, exhausted, pitifully thankful for his spell. Her tears seeped through his fingers as fog filled her mind, sending her into a sleep where she knew no dream could touch her.
.:I:.
Dracula smirked as Anna succumbed to his spell, and released her, rising from the bed. Despite her healing, he could see that she was still exhausted, and he would keep her asleep till the next night – as much to recover her strength as to keep her from running. He needed her well-rested for the ball, experience had taught him that a mortal must be strong to survive the turning. Anna thought herself weak, but there were very few he had seen in centuries who had found the strength to break his spell. She would be strong again soon enough. In fact he was sure she would be sparring with her boldness the very next time she woke.
Sighing, he removed her jacket and boots and drew the coverlet over her. His eyes rested above her pulsating jugular vein, the surrounding skin reddened and marred from his fangs. He brushed the hurts away absently. Perhaps he had let things go a little too far, given his bloodlust too much control; it had not been the time to bite her, he must wait for the masquerade ball where he could turn her before Van Helsing. He would have a fitting revenge, taking Anna from the hunter, and proving that she now belonged to him.
On that note, when that time came she would be needing a gown. He crossed to the wardrobe and considered the contents for a moment. Eventually he removed a red satin dress that he believed would suit her and laid it over a nearby chair, then turned his back regretfully, and left the room.
Repost is dedicated to everyone who reviewed the original post: ForeverACharmedOne, Stacy Vorosco, pheobep3, Shoysrock, takara410, sakr9, Kairi's Twin, Memories of the Bittersweet, odkfapodsfdsaf, exovia9634, Kerazy Ophelia, Laheba Alam, wolfspirit802, Kay'R and last but not least, Misshaileer. I'm so grateful to you guys for letting me know what you thought :) In other news, should have an update of Strangers in the Night up soon. Farewell!