Hello all,

Glad you are enjoying the story and hope you like this new chapter. Enjoy

Dracula knew he could always rely on Aiden as the captain knelt by him and cut his wrist to give Dracula some of his blood. Just enough to restore some of his strength, then others were brought to him and he drank much more. Slowly the burns began to heal and his cracked skin returned to it's normal pale smooth complexion. It just took Dracula drinking a lot more then normal to recover from his run-in with the sun, but eventually he sat up. He looked around for the girl, then to Aiden. "Where is she?"

"I have had two of my men lock her in your chambers, my lord." Aiden replied, and Dracula nodded. Perhaps his chambers were the best place to keep her for now. He had some people to deal with for what was allowed to happen. Namely a foolish knight and his mistresses.

"Very good Aiden." He slowly rose to his feet albeit abit shakily, the sun still had a draining effect on him. He was grateful Aiden offered to help hold him up as they walked to the throne room to meat out punishments.

It was in the throne room, Dracula took a seat and Aiden stood close by on his right with Femris taking position on his left. The knight that was suppose to be at Lecura's door was brought in first, and knelt down. "What have you to say for yourself? Leaving your post."

"I apologise my lord, a servant came to me stating that you had wanted to see me in the throne room. I should have ignored the summons. I should have known you would be asleep at that hour." The knight replied.

"Wait someone summoned you?" Dracula asked watching the knight carefully.

"Yes my lord. The letter bore your seal, so I did not question it." The knight answered.

"Do you have this letter?" Femris asked.

"Of course my lord." The knight pulled out the letter and Aiden came forward taking it off of his knight, then brought it to Dracula. At least the knight spoke true the note did have his seal and it did ask him to come to the throne room.

"My lord, Renfield did warn us of a traitor within our walls." Femris pointed out.

"But why lure a knight to the throne room?" Aiden asked.

"The traitors wanted the girl in the clearing's head, now that said girl is here..." Femris trailed off.

"They are attempting to take her head now." Dracula finished in an angry growl.

"Then it is a good thing Lecura escaped the room before the assassins could move on her." Aiden replied.

"Inform your knights any and all orders given must come from myself or you Aiden. No written orders are to be accepted, only verbal ones." Dracula said firmly, and Aiden nodded as the three looked on the knight. "As for this knight. What do you recommend?"

"My lord he is one of my trusted, but he left his post when I asked him to guard the lady. Had she not escaped her room Lady Winters could have been killed. I recommend he be severely punished." Aiden said.

"He was deceived, and as I understand it the lady in question is a skilled Vampire hunter. I doubt the assassin would have been successful, more than likely she would have dusted him. Just look at what she did to one of your mistresses." Femris gestured to the three women awaiting their own punishments.

"You are suggesting the lady does not need protection! What if the would-be assassin had caught her unaware?! Even a seasoned vampire hunter can be killed as easily as a new recruit!" Aiden argued.

"I am not saying she does not need protection, Captain. I am merely stating she is not defenseless. Nor does your man being deceived by a note fully need to be punished." Femris pointed out.

"Correction a note, mid-day when our lord is asleep. Such recklessness can not go unpunished even for a loyal knight." Aiden said.

"Gentlemen please. I see both your points." Dracula sighed then looked to the knight still knealt before him, "I have decided."

The knight in question looked up briefly then awaited the punishment. "Report to the cells you will be spending the next couple of days mucking them out and have your sustinence reduced. When you return to your normal duties I expect you to never again take a written order only a verbal one. If you do take a wrriten order over a verbal one next time you will have a date with the sun."

"Of course my lord, again I apologise for failing you." The knight replied bowing low, then left. Aiden sighed, it was a lighter punishment than he expected for the knight, but was not going to question it. Next the three mistresses were brought forward and knelt before Dracula. The three were crying and Rosalie had a nasty burnt cut on her shoulder. For a moment Dracula merely listened to their frightened thoughts. 'Damn Rosalie and her pride, now we will all be punished for attacking the girl! I warned her! Why could she not listen?!' Marissa thought dreading the possible punishment.

'Stupid Rosalie scaring the poor girl. I wanted to talk to her more she seemed nice. I hope she is alright, and not in trouble for stabbing Rosalie.' Anna's thoughts were always sweet and innocent thoughts that made Dracula smile, but Rosalie's bitter thoughts always left a bad taste in his mouth.

'I wish I could crush that bitch's throat for this! What does our lord see in her anyway? I used to make him so happy.'

"And you forget it is that form of thinking that gets you into trouble Rosalie." The three girls gasped as they remembered their thoughts were not private. "As a lesson about touching the only girl that will ever make me truelly happy, Rosalie. You will be locked in the dungeons for three days and denied blood. Nor will your injury be allowed to heal, I want it to scar and be a good reminder for you."

Dracula gestured to the guards to take Rosalie away to her punishment, and once she was gone he slowly stood and came down the steps to his other two mistresses who feared what their punishments would be. He offered his hands to the two girl's who hesitatnly took them and rose to their feet. "Oh now neither of you need fear, just as I know Rosalie's thoughts I know yours too. Neither of you will be punished, you were both very good girls. Now go on back to your chamber."

Marissa took Anna's hand and the two started to head for their chambers, then Anna slipped loose from Marissa and turned back to Dracula hesitant. "Anna, our lord said-"

"Is there something else Anna?" Dracula asked when he looked at Anna.

"Well my lord I am just curious if the girl is alright? I didn't get her name, but Rosalie scared her." Anna asked nerviously. It got Dracula to grin as he came forward and kissed Anna's forehead.

"Yes she is fine."

"She isn't in trouble is she? She only stabbed Rosalie in defense." Anna added. The question got Dracula thinking. Would he have to punish Lecura for her defiance? He would think on it later, but for now he would calm one of his mistresses.

"No she is not in trouble. Later when Lecura settles in more I am sure you and she will become good friends." Anna smiled at the idea, then Dracula urged her to return with Marissa to their chambers. After that Aiden went to tell his knights their new orders, and how they would recieve orders. Femris left to attend to other duties, leaving Dracula to think by now the sun had set and Lecura would have been in his chambers for hours. Even then as he headed for his chambers he was not sure what he would do, punish her? Or not?

For so long Lecura did not move or take in her surroundings but allowed herself to cry until her eyes could shed no more tears. Finally she rose from the floor to find herself in a underground type of bedchamber. To her left sat two large arm chairs in front of a fire place, to the right was a weapons rack, that her captures must have forgotten about which held various weapons. Acrossed the room was a large bed, that monster's bed. A shiver ran down her spine as she felt ill having remembered they had put her in his room. Again Lecura eyed the weapons rack and took a dagger of his and put it in her boot, if need be she could use the dagger on herself. 'There are fates worse then death' Lecura thought qouting her uncle, and one horrible fate was to end up in Dracula's bed. 'If it comes to that I will choose death first.'

However she would not forsake her life just yet, no instead even as it was hopeless she would try to kill him first and avenge those she loved. As if on cue she heard someone coming down the steps and stopping at the door outside the room. Picking up a long sword she went over by the door and held the blade at ready to take the vampire's head off. She waited as she heard the key in the lock and watched the door open. Vlad no Dracula slipped inside and once the door closed Lecura swung the sword. She would have taken off his head had he not ducked, instead the sword only cut through the air and end up embedded in the door. Before she could pull the blade free she was pushed against the wall by the door and pinned there.

Dracula pressed against her making her shiver as he held her there. "Is that any way to treat your rescuer?!"

"No! That is how I treat a murdering monster!" Lecura yelled back as she tried to get loose.

"I saved you from falling to your death!"

"You killed my uncle and friends!" For a moment Dracula stared at her surprised, who told her that he had killed her friends? He left them alive in the clearing! From her point of view his silence confirmed it all for her, and she wanted to cry even more; if only her eyes were not so sore from all the crying she did already.

"I did not kill them." Dracula said calmly, Lecura gave a bitter short laugh not believing him for minute. "I left them alive in the clearing."

"I do not believe you!" Lecura cried looking down and away. Dracula stepped away shocked then took the blade still embedded in the door out. Setting the blade back on the rack he ran his fingers through his hair as he tried to think. Never before had he dealt with such a difficult and defiant woman. Looking back at Lecura he watched her unmoving form, why did she have to be so defiant?

"Whether you believe me or not, your uncle and friends are alive." He got no response only a glare that said she would sooner believe the sky was green. Getting no verbal response he listened in on her thoughts. 'As if I would believe anythng this monster would say! If my uncle and friends were alive I would be with them.'

"I speak the truth, and stop calling me a monster." Dracula snapped at her. She was certainly surprised until she remembered some of the rumoured powers Dracula had included hearing a person's thoughts.

"And I told you I do not believe you nor will I believe anything you say, monster!" She replied coldly. That did it, Dracula growled as he stalked towards her and she forgot to avoid eye contact with him. His piercing blue eyes locked with hers holding her in place as her mind went blank. She was unaware that she had stepped closer to him, nor that her hands moved to undo her corset and belt. Unlacing her corset and taking it off her hands then undid her belt. She kicked off her boots, and next she pushed her trousers down and kicked them off leaving her legs and feet bare. Stepping closer to Dracula Lecura pressed up against him and started to open her tunic, he retained control but knew he had to stop her now so he released her from his control.

Lecura blinked wondering what had just happened as her mind cleared. For a second she was confused. What had happened? She was telling the master vampire off then... Lecura shivered from the cool draft in the room and realised something was wrong. She looked down and gasped at her state of undress, then glared up at a smirking Dracula. It was just how the rumors said Dracula had taken control of her and made her remove her clothes! Her cheeks flushed red more so out of anger then embarrassment as she quickly backed away. "You monster!"

Before she could move further away Dracula was right there in front of her and had grabbed her in a tight grip. One arm was around her waist the other gripped the back of her head making her face him as he glared at her. "I saved you from falling to your death today! I could have had you remove all your clothes and join me in my bed! You would have done it and been mine gladly, so be careful who you call a monster!"

Days after finding out her host was the master vampire himself and knowing just what Dracula was capable of did not make things better or less frightening. Lecura was learning the hard way at times that if she argued or resisted Dracula too much it would be like before when he first took control of her mind and body. Still every action, every look she gave showed him how repulsed she was by him. What was worse was she was now kept in his bedchamber as his prisoner. The first night she was made to sleep in his chambers, Lecura flat out refused to sleep in his bed intent on sleeping in one of the large chairs by the fireplace. Unfortunately Dracula was already short tempered from his moment in the sun and her fiestiness, so he gave her no choice as he said. "You can either willingly come to my bed, and I promise not to touch you. Or I can compel you to come to my bed where you will give yourself to me willingly."

It was the first of many ultimatiums Dracula would give her to force her compliance. Of course if he thought to gain anything from making her doing as he asked, it only made her hate him more. Fortunately the one saving grace was he had not tried to rape her, yet. One of the ultimatiums was for her to wear dresses even though she hated them, still she complied because the alternative was to have her travel clothes shredded and be made to wear nothing.

In response to his 'demands' every thought about him was a thought tinged in hate and disgust. She made no attempt to hide how she felt about him. This made him even more short tempered and irritable. It was on one such evening that Vlad paced the hall of his throne room grumbling about how stubbourne and willful Lecura was. Eventually that was how Captain Aiden found him. "My lord is everything alright?"

"No!" Vlad snapped, then sighed regretting snapping at his loyal friend, "My apologies, Aiden. It seems no matter what I only gain Lecura's hatred not her affections."

"If I may be so bold as to suggest something my lord?" Aiden asked not wishing to overstep himself.

"Go ahead." Vlad sighed.

"My lord I believe Lecura to be Elora reborn, but they are also different people. Lecura can not be forced into the role Elora once held anymore then Elora could be asked to take on Lecura's role. You are trying to force Lecura to be something she is not and that will only make her hatred grow, my lord." Vlad sighed as always Aiden had a point. One was his kind sweet and devoted bride. The other was a smart, independant vampire hunter.

"Very well Aiden you do have a point. What should I do?"

"Do not force her to do things, my lord. Ask her, try to learn more about her. Earn her affections. It will take time and patience, and it will try your temper but I am sure it will work." Aiden said hoping to have given good advice. For a few moments Vlad remained silent thinking, then sighed at the suggestion. It was a good plan to win Lecura's affections, but first he would need to begin by repairing the damage done.

It had been too long since he had tried to win a maiden's affections, and he doubted flowers and candies would do it.

Author's Notes:

I had a lot of fun writing this chapter which shows how the sparks fly between two strong willed characters. Not a whole lot to report on here, I know I need to write some on Van Helsing and the group too. Do not worry they are not packing up or going home without Lecura. However for now I hoped you enjoyed this chapter and look forward to hearing from you.

Lesliezin