Fear was prominent all around it was almost as suffocating as the potent stench of sulfur that polluted the air in which Astrid took deep breathes in. Darkness surrounded in every which direction she ran while the scorched ground beneath her feet burned with each step, she took to escape the impending doom that was now chasing her. She wanted to scream but it felt as if her screaming and pleas for help couldn't escape her lips, all that could be heard was the constant whispers of her name from all around. Thousands possibly millions of voices some loud some soft were repeating her name over and over, the voices always followed they never stopped.

She dared not look back to see if what had been chasing her was still on her tail for what was chasing her wasn't a demon or some menacing creature like one would imagine, what was chasing Astrid was herself. It was truly an indescribable feeling to be tortured by one's own self. Her twin hit, scratched, and brutally beat Astrid ever since she arrived in hell if that was what this place was. There was no track of time in this dark place not even another soul could be seen, it was just Astrid and her evil twin alone together in this darkness.

"Astrid, I see you!" shouted a voice from behind her.

"Leave me alone! Go away!" shouted Astrid. She could hear her own voice laughing and mocking her while she continued to run. Her muscles and joints burned it felt as if her legs would give out from underneath her at any moment, but she had to keep going she just had to as she saw now a faint red glow in the distance.

Astrid tripped over something just as she was close to the river's edge of molten lava causing her fall over and roll onto her back. She winced at the pain that was shooting up her back and remained lying on the ground too tired to carry on. The identical twin was now standing before her feeding off the fear that was radiating off Astrid only making it stronger. Everything about her evil twin was identical except for the one thing that gave away that this thing wasn't Astrid was its smile. It was creepy to her how its smile would reach from ear to ear exposing its sharp jagged teeth. It was disturbing sending shivers down her spine as she was waiting for it hurt her in some way as she now held up her hands in front of her face.

"I gave you a head start Astrid and yet you still have not managed to escape me." Said the twin with an echo in each word it spoke. It was now circling her slowly it's dark eyes that were not of her own gazing down upon her.

"Enough! Just please stop." Cried Astrid

"Pleading will get you nowhere with me princess and nor will it go over well with the master."

"The master?" questioned Astrid.

Her twin look alike knelt down before her on one knee with its head bowed down and remained frozen like a statue for what seemed like several minutes till a voice spoke.

"I'd be the master that it speaks of."

Astrid went to glance over her shoulder to see a black hooded figure looking above her. With poor lighting Astrid couldn't make out its face, but only could see the tattered thin robes that came its feet. The figure before almost reminded her of death or the grim reaper minus the scythe. Her clone or evil twin as she liked to call it looked up in the direction of the dark figure then back at Astrid with that same wicked grin on its face.

"The master wishes to have a word with you." Said the twin.

"Who are you?" asked Astrid

"You already know the answer to your question so why ask? Take my hand and I shall explain everything to you very soon." Said the hooded figure.

It extended its leather gloved hand out to Astrid which she felt reluctant to take even, but anything or anywhere was better than being alone with her tormenter. Away from this thing that pretended to be her maybe even a place where she could be alone with her thoughts just for once without worry or fear would be ideal. It seemed as soon as the strangers gloved hand grasped that of her own the world around her began to spin. She could now feel herself falling deeper and deeper spinning out of control, it was nauseating she couldn't breathe. The empty darkness that engulfed her showed no sign of coming to an end after several minutes till suddenly her body came into impact with the hard floor below.

Astrid opened her eyes ever so slightly trying to take in where she was now at. Things seemed blurry the room was spinning she placed a hand to her forehead hoping to suppress the oncoming headache on each side of her head. Words coming from the hooded figure were muffled with each word echoing in the distance, she couldn't make out heads or tails of what it was saying. Her head now laid against the cold stone marble floor while she waited for the spinning in her vision to cease. This feeling she was experiencing was as if she was in a drunken stupor minus the alcohol.

"What's... happening?" she finally managed to mutter.

"I take it you don't teleport much? Here drink this."

The hooded figure now had his hood down with a wine glass in his right hand filled to the brim with a red liquid. His face looked distorted at first terrifying her till her vision finally began to clear up. His black hair was short and spiked that matched his goatee while his eyes were the color of amber with a golden ring along the irises. Handsome he was and had to be no older than in his late thirties it would seem, but it was his smile that caught her attention. She sighed in relief when she realized unlike her evil twin his almost too white of teeth were normal looking. It was an utter delight to be around another being in that very moment and one who seemed ordinary at that.

"Drink you'll feel better."

He placed the glass before Astrid while watching her with great interest. It smelled like blood, but at the same time it wasn't. She managed to grasp the handle of the wine glass slowly allowing the dark red liquid to pour into the side of her mouth. It was sour almost tasted expired to the point Astrid wanted to gag as it ran down her throat. It terrified her a second for she felt maybe the stranger poisoned her, never had she tasted blood so rotten so disgusting in her mouth she so desperately wanted to wash her mouth out with soap as this point.

"Oh, the reactions when people drink my blood are priceless. How are you feeling over there?" asked the stranger.

"Blood? You call that blood? I'd feel much better if I didn't drink whatever the fuck that was."

"It's an acquired taste I can assure you. Perhaps you'd like to take a seat."

She looked up next to her see a chair that was anything, but ordinary. Bones of human remains made up the back, arms, and legs to the solitary chair before the wooden desk. The four legs of the chair were made with ones femurs while the back of the chair had several humerus bones lined up one next to the other in a neat intertwined pattern, while the arms of the chairs were the structure of human arms with the skeleton hands still attached to ends. She looked at the stranger and then back at the chair in disbelief that he actually wanted her to sit in that thing.

"Don't be rude now Astrid take a seat will you."

She slowly managed to get off the floor before seating herself in this rather scary chair with the dead remains of other beings poking her into her backside. The chair didn't even have a cushion or pillow to sit on for nothing about this chair was comfortable to sit in, the stranger before seemed to know this and this brought him some more amusement.

"You call this a chair?" asked Astrid.

"Even in death the remains of my enemies I still find a purpose for. I suppose you are wondering why I brought you to my office."

"I'm still trying to figure out who you are." Said Astrid.

Astrid rested both arms on the chair trying to get comfortable when soon after where her arms rested steel cuffs went over her wrists and ankles confining her to the chair. The metal cuffs were constricting the blood flow to her hands while she began to violently shake her arms to break free. Her attention immediately snapped back to the stranger as a flame ignited right there in the palm of his hand while he tried to light up the cigarette that was now in his mouth.

"Say my name Astrid. Say it now." He said before blowing a cloud of smoke in her face.

She coughed as she inhaled the smoke from his cigarette while still trying to desperately to free herself from this damn chair.

"Are you deaf? I just asked you who are for I clearly don't know you or ever have I seen you before." choked Astrid.

The man before her was clearly not buying into what she was saying. Her thoughts were of no secret to him as he listened quietly to ongoing battle of doubt that clouded her mind.

"It will only be a matter of time before you call for me beg me for mercy. You'll soon crave my touch as it satiates and satisfies your inner deepest desires. One cannot deny the likes of me for long. All you have to do is say my name thus freeing you from torture you inflict upon yourself."

Astrid looked at the ground to avoid the stranger's gaze. She knew all too well who he was now. The stranger was the father of lies and father to Count Vladislaus Dragulia. The devil in the flesh was standing right before her and she couldn't understand what she had done so wrong to deserve a fate such as this.

"Look at me my dear and make this easier on the both of us."

Two of his fingers went under her chin so that she would meet his gaze. She closed her eyes immediately shut refusing to be hypnotized like some many times before with Dracula.

"I can see now Vladislaus why you are so enchanted with this one. Clever and stubborn all at the same time. You were always attracted to the feisty ones."

Astrid's eyes opened immediately upon hearing Dracula's name. He now appeared next her out of nowhere looking the same as she had last saw him. Although he looked untouched compared to Astrid who looked like she had been through war with bruises and scratch marks covering every inch of her skin.

"You summoned me father?" asked Dracula

"So I did. Surprising it is to see you back in my kingdom oh so soon." Said Lucifer as he now had his back to the two of them while watching the glow from river of lava out the window below. Dracula seem to tense up for he could hear the displeasure in his father's voice.

"If I remember correctly you assured me that if I allowed you to return back to the surface that you would be my eyes and ears that you would fulfill my every command. Instead you took it upon yourself to have a little vacation it would seem."

"I did no such thing. "said Dracula.

"Silence!" shouted Lucifer as he was now turned around eyes ablaze directly towards Dracula.

"No instead harnessing the powers I've bestowed upon you and creating an empire to destroy God's most prized creations, you decide to mess around with a woman and a Valerious at that."

Dracula didn't respond while watching Lucifer pace back n forth in front of his desk. He looked down at Astrid feeling almost responsible for the situation she was in. He felt pity for her, but there was nothing he could do to comfort her in the very moment when Lucifer was clearly in one of his moods.

"You know Vladisluas, I'm now the laughing stock of all my empire because of you. My council don't know why I bother with you for you have been nothing, but a disappointment each and every time." Said Lucifer

"Leave Astrid out of this. If I may I'd like to have a word with you in private?" asked Dracula.

With a snap of Lucifer's fingers, the cuffs on Astrid's hands and ankles opened up releasing her from the confines of the chair. The door barged open to Lucifer's office with Astrid's evil twin walking briskly towards her. Her break from the demon was short lived and she immediately sent a pleading look to Lucifer in hopes he might change his mind and send the demon away.

"Astrid don't worry I see will you very shortly." Said Dracula as he watched the demon who disguised itself as Astrid drag the real Astrid off outside the office. He knew that the demons that inhabited hell mimicked their prey no one actually knew what they looked like. However whatever punishment awaited him he knew would be ten times worse than that of Astrid's. The door slammed shut to Lucifer's office leaving the two of them alone as Dracula tried to figure out a plan on how to talk himself out of this one.

"Well Vladisluas I'm all ears. What excuse should I now expect from you this time?"

"Why did you release Arnold from hell?" asked Dracula immediately after.

"Isn't obvious?" asked Lucifer before taking a seat behind his rather large wooden desk.

"Your obsession with women of the Valerious line seems to get in the way with the task at hand. Clearly the woman loathes you and rather be with Arnold, so I took it upon myself to rid you of any distraction to get you back on track." Said Lucifer nonchalantly.

"Valerious or not she is the mother to my children. She is the key component to the building of this empire that you speak of." Said Dracula.

"You cannot bullshit a bullshitter my son. I'm no fool I saw earlier the way you looked at her to know you are in love with her. It's no surprise to me now why you begged me to release her while you remained here earlier."

"My loyalty to you knows no bounds father. Sacrificing my humanity in order to vanquish my enemies and enemies of yours has taken a toll on me over the years. Recently I had a glimpse of what my life could be like with a wife and children. I never thought it was possible after several failures and for it to actually happen well... I kind of got carried away in this new life of mine." Said Dracula.

Dracula took a seat now in the skeleton chair across from Lucifer's desk while he pondered at what to say next. Convincing the devil of anything was tricky especially if what you were trying to convince to do didn't benefit him somehow someway.

"What I guess I'm trying to say is I don't see no harm in both having my family together and carrying out your work all at the same time." Said Dracula.

"As much as I'm in favor of you having your cake and eating too, I've seen how you handled both. Your family takes precedence over your loyalty to me and that cannot be. Astrid will remain down here with me until you regain power once more and prove to me that sending you back wasn't a mistake." Said Lucifer.

It was pointless to argue for he knew he probably say something that he would regret ruining any chances of getting both Astrid and him out of here. He contemplated if he should beg, but he was too proud of man do so and instead proceeded to turn around as he walked towards the door.

"Vladislaus stop! I'm not finished talking to you yet."

Dracula was just about to turn the knob on the door when he stopped what he was doing to turn around to an angry Lucifer behind him.

"Such disrespect I would not tolerate from no one else, don't abuse your position with me if you know what is good for you. Now I will let you have one hour with the Valerious woman before I send you off. You ever seeing her again after that will all be depending how fast you carry out the task at hand." Said Lucifer.

"May I be excused now?" asked Dracula

"Yes, you may, she in one of the guest bedrooms down the hall third door on the left. Report back here in one hour."

Dracula went to turn the door knob to let himself out without saying another word to Lucifer. Half down the hall he could hear Lucifer whistling over to him before turning around to face him once more.

"Oh, and don't worry about Astrid while your away. I'll make sure she is well taken care of." Said Lucifer with a wicked grin on his face.

All the possibilities of what that could mean he didn't even want to think about as long as Astrid was in Lucifer's care, Lucifer could do anything he wanted to with her and there was nothing Dracula could do about it. Astrid's twin could be seen guarding the door as he approached closer towards it.

"You have one hour better make it quick." Said the twin before moving out of the way so Dracula could enter.

Astrid could be seen sitting on the bed with her back towards him. She turned her head when she heard someone enter and was relieved to see it was Dracula who entered. It was a bittersweet feeling of seeing him again after all this time. A familiar face in this dodgy place made her feel she wasn't alone, but all the events leading up to this point she couldn't help but want to strangle him if given the chance to.

"We don't have much time Astrid, Lucifer has given me only an hour to spend with you before I make leave." Said Dracula

"Leave? What do you mean?"

Dracula took a seat next to her on the bed and reached out for her hand as he held it in his.

"I must return to the surface and carry out the devil's work"

"What do you mean the devil's work? What is to happen to me?"

"I am to create an army and rise back to power. It is Lucifer's wishes that I see this through as for you my dear, I'm afraid you must stay behind for a while."

Astrid yanked her hand from Dracula's grasp and stood upright immediately off the bed. Anger, fear, disappointment was clearly all over her face as she now stared at him. She wanted to escape this place so bad with every fiber of her being. Her children needed her she needed them, she thought about Arnold and if he had taken the children in like he said he would.

"Look Astrid I've asked and pleaded to Lucifer about letting you go, but he is adamant I finish the task at hand before you can join me. I will get you out of here Astrid, I promise you."

"I don't believe you! After all the lies and everything you have done to me, I believe you will just allow me to rot down here and I will never see my children again." Sobbed Astrid.

Dracula stood up from the bed and went to embrace Astrid. She pushed and smacked his hands away from her as she backed far from him.

"Don't touch me! Don't you ever touch me again. I hate you!" shouted Astrid.

"Astrid please, this is not how I wish to spend my final hour with you until I'm able to see you again."

"I hate you! I hate what you have done to me, I hate what you have done to our children, and I hate everything about you!"

"You don't mean that Astrid. Perhaps time away from one another will help dissolve any pent-up anger you are feeling at the moment. I will come back for you regardless if you want me to or not, I will come for you. Do you understand?" asked Dracula

Astrid just stood there shaking her head in disbelief before turning her back towards him as went to walk towards the window. The only light in hell was the molten river that cut through the scorched landscape down below her window. Her eyes followed the bends and turns of the river in the distance. Beautiful it was from afar, but those so many close calls where she almost fell into it when her twin kept harassing her, made her all the more thankful to be as far away from it as she was now.

"Lucifer said you are to remain her in his estate until my return. I ask that you don't do anything stupid while I'm gone. My mind will rest easy knowing you're safe within the castle walls instead of the unforgiving lands outside."

Astrid didn't reply but continued to stare outside the window. Dracula knew she was mad he couldn't take her and that she didn't grasp how much it hurt him to leave her behind. He hoped all she needed was time he hoped that she truly didn't mean the things she said to him earlier. Dracula went to walk towards the door with disappointment in each step that he took. It bothered him immensely that they didn't have much time and that everything was left on a bad note. He reached for the door knob, but before grasping for it he turned one last time to look at Astrid before leaving.

"I love you Astrid. I shall see you soon." Said Dracula solemnly before walking out the door closing it shut behind him.