In The Blood

Chapter 10 - I Will Possess Your Heart

Billie had been fighting against exhaustion all day. With Sarah missing, she couldn't afford to rest. But sleep kept trying to claim her and eventually, she succumbed to it. Jude carefully covered her with a blanket and maintained a vigil at her side. He could well understand how his great-grandfather had been compelled to help Mina Harker as her relation aroused the same instincts in him. It wasn't only the desire to protect her that he felt, there were other feelings he could not ignore. When this nightmare ended, he would be free to indulge them, if that's what she wanted too. He hopes she would because, despite their short acquaintance, he can't imagine his life now without her in it.

After finding out Dracula had taken Sarah, they were at a loss as to how to proceed. Reluctant as they were to go back inside the building, it seemed prudent to question Jude's neighbours. One of them must have invited Dracula in and may not have lived to tell the tale. As it turned out, Mr Stokes, an elderly man who lived in the front downstairs bedsit, confessed to giving admittance to someone matching Constantin's description. The sometime taxi driver was apparently masquerading as a meter reader from the local electricity board. Dracula may have been lurking in the vicinity, but no one recalled seeing him. Having failed to gain any information to aid them in finding Sarah, Jude turned in desperation to his great-grandfather's journals for assistance. He had the idea that if he could replicate Van Helsing's technique for hypnotising Mina with Billie, they might be able to get some vital clues as to Dracula's whereabouts. It was a long shot, but they'd exhausted all other conventional options. Their first priority had been to find a safe location in which to attempt the task. The bedsit wasn't secure with Constantin and the Count knowing where they were. Billie didn't want to involve her family any further, so returning to Greenwich was ruled out. In desperation, Jude decided to turn to his friend, Caspar. After all, the man was a priest and supposedly in the business of giving sanctuary to those in need. Unfortunately, Father Stack wasn't as welcoming as they hoped. He appeared to be more concerned about what his earthly boss, the parish priest, would make of the whole business. Jude argued he should look to a higher authority and that God wouldn't want him to turn them away, especially when lives were at stake. With reluctance, Caspar agreed to let them stay for the night.

After getting settled in, Jude went over his great-grandfather's notes one last time. The hypnosis procedure was unusual in that it wasn't the traditional kind which utilised a swinging watch or pendulum. Instead, passes were made in front of the subject's face using alternate hands all while maintaining intense eye contact. Van Helsing swore by it as an effective method and it had certainly worked on Madam Mina. There was no time to lose and as soon as Billie was sitting comfortably, he began. Jude could see from old photographs that he had the same eyes as his great-grandfather. Both of them being full of curiosity and wonder. He only hoped he'd also inherited the professor's talent for putting people into a trance. To his relief, Billie did appear to be falling under as he waved his hands in the required fashion. The warm night air left Jude sweating profusely as he maintained intense concentration. His subject kept her gaze fixed intently on his and after a few minutes, her eyelids flickered and closed. She sat perfectly still; no part of her moving except for the steady rise and fall of her chest. When she opened her eyes a moment later, they were glassy and distant.

"Billie, tell me what you can see?" He inquired in a low voice, practically holding his breath as he awaited her reply.

"Sarah," she cried. "Her heart is fluttering, like a wild bird trapped in a cage. I can hear her blood singing."

"Where are you?" Jude needed her to focus in on the location.

"In a garden that has no greenery," Billie laughed in a sinister way that wasn't her own.

It could be Covent Garden, he mused. He intended to press her for more details, but before he could, she began to speak again in a surprised tone.

"And what do we have here, a sprite is it?"

"Is it the Goblin King?" Jude tried not to get too animated for fear of breaking the trance.

"He took my dark haired beauty away," Billie hissed.

"Sarah?" He didn't know what to make of that, other than she might be slightly better off with a faery than a vampire.

"Let the sprite have her, I shall have what's mine. How many will flock to my side when they realise what it is in my power to give?" Billie smiled in such a wicked way it made Caspar shudder.

The priest had been watching the proceedings and silently praying for all of their souls.

Jude pressed for details of Dracula's plans, but it appeared the Count had grown wise to what was going on and further questions were met with evasion and derision.

"I will see you both soon enough," he vowed through Billie.

She slumped face down onto the couch and couldn't be roused for a long moment.

Father Stack and Jude were both on the verge of panic, their nerves frayed as it was, but thankfully, she soon regained consciousness. Caspar brewed up a fresh pot of tea to aid her recovery.

"Well?" Billie took a sip from her cup eager to hear what had transpired, as it appeared she had retained no memory of it. Finding out Jareth took Sarah from Dracula's clutches had hardly been a comfort, but her friend had outwitted the Goblin King once and would hopefully do so again.

Caspar's living arrangements were comfortable, if suitably modest, and practical with the two bedroom clergy house attached to the church. He offered Billie the spare bedroom and Jude the couch. Her parents weren't happy when she called them up and told them she and Sarah would be staying out all night. But as she was technically an adult, there wasn't much they could do about it. Father Stack retired to bed as he needed to be up bright and early the next morning for Mass. After watching his friend and the young lady exchange furtive glances, he made it clear he couldn't sanction any romantic shenanigans by unmarried persons under his roof. Jude firmly assured him there would be nothing untoward occurring, despite the mutual attraction he and Billie felt for each other. His main priority was for her continued well-being and safety.

"I'm depriving you of your bed," she murmured guiltily from under a tartan blanket.

She'd been reluctant to leave his company for the spare bedroom, even though she was exhausted.

Jude didn't mind as he'd comfortably reclined in a nearby armchair. He felt he could have slept on a clothesline, he was so weary. "Don't you worry about me, just go back to sleep," he said as he opened one eye to double check his weapons were within easy reach.

Billie eased herself up slightly so she could reach over and cover his hand with hers. "It's funny the things that bring two people together. I wish we'd met under pleasanter circumstances, but I'll never be sorry we did meet."

He entwined his fingers with hers and smiled. "Neither will I."

The clock on the mantle ticked rhythmically towards midnight as they drifted off to sleep.

It took Sarah a moment to realise what was happening to her as the scenery around her began to fade away. Jareth wore a furious expression as she disappeared which indicated her transportation wasn't his doing. Perhaps he didn't have any power over her after all, she pondered. At least, not enough to keep her with him against her will. As the drunken goblins and the bonfire faded from her sight, Dracula's dusty candlelit lair came into focus. She jerked her head around, half expecting the Count to be lying in wait for her. Thankfully, she found the room deserted. The candles, which had been left to burn unattended, were almost spent. She heard the laboured ticking of an antiquated Grandfather clock that told her it was five-past-midnight, and Sarah had no wish to linger. Making her way over to the door, she pressed an ear to it. The place remained eerily quiet except for the creaking and cracking noises old houses make. She tentatively tried the doorknob and, to her relief, found it unlocked. Glancing down, she remembered her own clothing had been taken from her, along with the sacramental wafers in her pocket. If she could have scattered some around the place and find where Dracula rested, she might have been able to corrupt his sanctuary. He probably owned other houses, but it would help to deprive him of this one at least. She let out a sigh of frustration.

"Sarah?"

A familiar voice came from somewhere close behind her and made her start. She shushed him, fearful the Count would hear.

"There is no need for concealment," the Goblin King insisted with his customary arrogance. "The vampire is an impudent dog, but he's no match for me."

Sarah hitched up the hem of her gown to keep from tripping on it as she reached again for the doorknob.

"And where do you think you're going?" Jareth questioned as he swiftly weaved around her, blocking her exit.

She bobbed from side to side, attempting to dodge him, but he wasn't to be outwitted. "If you had any power to keep me in your kingdom, I'm sure I'd still be there, whether I wanted to be or not," she ranted fiercely prodding at his shoulder.

He looked chastened for a moment.

Sarah suddenly had to stifle a yawn and realised how weary she'd become. She felt far too tired to be doing battle with the Goblin King. "I really need to find my friends and hopefully get some sleep."

His expression soured. "Why do these people matter to you?" Jareth inquired. "You hardly know them. Why would you place yourself in such peril for near-strangers?"

Sarah didn't view her situation in those terms. She barely knew Jude, that much was true. But during their short acquaintance, he'd demonstrated honour and bravery, and his innate decency shone through. Her friendship with Billie went deeper than the few days they'd spent in each other's company. Who else could she have trusted with the secret of her time in the Labyrinth? Sarah would fear for her sanity without having Billie to confide in. Irene and her father wouldn't have understood and Toby was too young to grasp the complexity of her feelings on the matter. Truth be told, she didn't want to hurt her brother by telling him about her wish. "You can't put a price on friendship," she argued when she noticed the Goblin King expectantly awaiting her reply.

"Friendship?" Jareth winced as if the word left a bad taste in his mouth. "Where were they when you were in the clutches of that foul bloodsucker?" He sneered. "I am the only friend you need."

Weariness and irritation over his possessiveness riled her temper. "I wouldn't expect you to understand," she said jabbing at his chest with her index finger. "You threw Hoggle, Ludo, and Sir Didymus into your dungeons when their only crime had been helping me. I didn't even get a chance to see them before I left, or to check if they're gonna be okay," she lamented.

The Goblin King narrowed his eyes, his displeasure evident. It was a silent warning she should proceed with caution. "Their crime was disobeying their king," he reminded her. "And if you're so concerned about them, perhaps you should be nicer to me, or I might be tempted to lock them up again."

Sarah took a deep breath, not wishing to anger him any further or give him cause to carry out his threat. Whatever the limits of his power over her, he was still a magical being and not to be trifled with, she'd learned that much. But something had been niggling at her and she couldn't let it go. "You lead me to believe I couldn't leave your kingdom without your say so, why did you do that?" It wasn't as if she'd hated being back in his world, she had been rather enjoying it. But she would have appreciated it more if she'd known she had the freedom to go at a time of her choosing and wasn't there as a potential prisoner.

"Tell me whose face you saw in the bonfire and I'll answer your question," Jareth challenged as he leant back against the door to prevent her from leaving, never one to give anything away without expecting something in return.

Sarah really was exhausted and, risking his wrath, she refused to play his silly games. "It's late," she sighed. "Please, let me pass, so I can go find my friends."

Outside, the night air might have been balmy, but inside Dracula's dank lair it felt distinctly chilly. The red velvet gown he'd clothed her in offered little in the way of warmth with its plunging neckline and lack of sleeves. She shivered involuntarily and hugged herself, rubbing at her goose-pimpled arms to generate heat. The Goblin King regarded her with a pitying look and with a wave of his hand, he conjured up a black velvet cloak to cover her.

"Thank you," Sarah gasped with a grateful smile as she wrapped herself up in it.

The flickering light from the candelabras began to dim as one by one the wicks burned out, leaving only dripping puddles of wax. "I don't suppose you could magic up a torch as well, could you?" She asked, only half joking. It appeared likely, as the house seemed to be in danger of falling down around them, that she would never find her way in the dark without risk of serious injury. "If I could have my own clothes back too, that would be a big help." Tired as she was, Sarah wanted something useful to come from being captured by Dracula. Recovering the sacramental wafers would be a start.

"You have no need of either," Jareth said maintaining his obstructive stance to be sure she couldn't escape.

Sarah thought about trying to pry the boards from the window as she could see no other exit besides the door. It occurred to her she could set the room on fire by igniting the dusty furniture with the remaining candles. Fire would cleanse it and render the house useless to the Count. She felt fairly certain the Goblin King wouldn't let her burn to death. But without knowing where the house was situated, she didn't want to risk injuring or killing anyone else if the blaze spread. She stifled another yawn and huffed with impatience. If nothing could be done to hinder Dracula, then all she wanted was to make sure Billie and Jude were okay, and then hopefully get some sleep. "I'd really love to get to bed," she sighed.

"Why didn't you say so sooner, my precious one?" Jareth's odd eyes twinkled with mischief and he gave her a wicked smile. "You would look delightful tangled up in my satin sheets," he purred seductively.

Sarah blushed profusely, trying to blot the image he'd conjured up out of her mind.

Somewhere beneath them, they heard the echoing sound of a door slamming shut. It sent a shot of fear through her, and Sarah looked around for something to arm herself with. The Goblin King had declared himself capable of protecting her, but she didn't want to rely on him again, not when he wanted something in return she wasn't yet ready to give. She spotted an iron poker by the fireplace and went to grab it.

"What are you doing?" Jareth's expression betrayed a hint of concern at her choice of weapon, which didn't go unnoticed.

Sarah moved as close as he would allow her to the door. "I'm not gonna give Dracula another chance to get his fangs into me," she hissed in hushed tones so as not to alert whoever had entered the house to her presence.

"Don't be ridiculous," Jareth scolded her, unafraid of discovery. "Do you think I would allow such a thing to happen?"

"If you're willing to put an end to him for free, then please, be my guest," Sarah said maintaining her defensive stance and keeping the sharp end of the poker pointed in his direction. "If not, step aside, unless you want to risk being impaled on an iron spike."

Jude claimed that iron could be fatal to fae and vampires. The wariness in the Goblin' King's eyes led her to believe the myth might be true.

"Put that down, agree to be my wife and queen, and I shall vanquish the foul fiend for you," Jareth promised.

Sarah's courage faltered as the sound of creaking footsteps outside the door drew closer. How could she ever hope to kill a creature with the strength of twenty men? But then again, how could she agree to marry someone she barely knew and didn't trust? "If you cared anything for me at all, you'd help without expecting anything in return," she wailed, her green eyes turned watery as fear and weariness threatened to overcome her.

The Goblin King exploded with fury. "If I cared for you?" His words were sharper than a paper cut. "Have I not made it clear that I want you to be mine? Tell me it wasn't my face you saw in the flames, go on, deny it if you dare. You know as well as I do, we are meant to be together forever."

For a moment Sarah forgot everything, except how annoyed she was with him.

"I didn't see anything in that bonfire, least of all your stupid face," she lied.

The doorknob began to turn and panic swelled in her chest. She started to back away, her fiery determination deserting her in the face of possible death. The cloak Jareth provided did nothing to quell her shaking. Her hands began to tremble so badly, she lost her grip on the poker and it fell with a heavy clunk onto the dusty wooden floor. "I don't want to die," she whimpered.

Before she could stoop to retrieve the poker, strong arms grabbed her in a tight embrace. A sparkling whirlwind encircled them as the Goblin King carried her away.

"Come into my arms and let me show you the way."

Billie writhed around in her sleep as her evil dream master attempted to coax her to him.

"Perhaps I should go to Greenwich, what say you? I could pay my respects to your family. If they will not invite me in, I shall find another way. I have all the time in the world."

Dracula's wicked cackle echoed through her mind. He intended to give her no peace until she joined him, one way or another.

"Come outside, my dear, stop fighting and accept your destiny."

The compulsion to obey became overpowering. Billie wasn't prone to wandering in her sleep, but she couldn't stop herself from rising up from the couch. She wasn't sure of her state of consciousness; it felt as if she'd been trapped inside her dream, and yet there was a degree of awareness regarding her surroundings. Opening the front door carefully, so as not to wake Jude, she stepped out barefoot into the moonlit night. Somehow, she knew exactly where to go, even without his voice to guide her. The Count stayed in the shadows until she reached him. Face to face, at last, he stepped out to greet her with a toothy smile.

I Will Possess Your Heart is a song by Death Cab For Cutie.