Enjoy!

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CHAPTER 10.

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The moon rose majestically in the air that night, softly bathing the now busy streets of Slatina in moonlight as the cold air blew through alleys and the wind howled with a vengeance. Dracula frowned as he gazed out the widow, as much as he liked the cold bite of the winter he doubted his pet shared his sentiments, it would be a cold flight for her tonight.

Realizing he had yet to see her, he moved away from the window and walked into the main bedroom. The comfortable bed with its fluffy deep covers was as neat as it had been when he first walked through the doors and there was no sign of the huntress anywhere. Frowning, Dracula entered the bathroom and gazed displeased at the figure that sat curled in the corner.

"She hadn't move," he thought, bending down and brushing her hair back from her arms as they cradled her sleeping head. Then he smirked slightly, it was good to know he hadn't lost his touch.

Without waking her he silently left the room and walked down the hall toward the foyer. The smell of warm blood reached his nose and his fangs elongated at the thought of breakfast. As it had yesterday, all conversation stopped as he entered the room and it was barely seconds before he found himself holding a fresh goblet of spiced blood and being seated at the head of the great table. Damien had come down earlier and was already sipping his second glass of blood with a contented grin on his face.

"Damien," he said addressing the young man, "We'll be leaving soon. I need to be in Bucharest by morning so hurry up with your breakfast. I'll also need you too go fetch the huntress, you'll probably find her asleep on the bathroom floor—"

At this Damien looked up, curiosity and speculation written on his face. Dracula pointedly ignored the expression and continued.

"Also, see if the kitchens have any human food, little witch is probably too proud to admit she's hungry and get a thicker cloak. It's going to start snowing."

Dracula drained the last of his blood from the goblet feeling the warmth spread throughout his body, and yet, it was not the same as when he'd sucked the life from the soldier a couple days ago. Dracula frown at the empty cup, that blood had probably been sitting in its bottle for days now and lost its freshness.

Dracula thought about the woman upstairs and grinned, perhaps he could have a little taste of her tonight.

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Standing on the terrace Fleur gazed out at the cloudy night as snowflakes began to fall around her. The winter cloak Damien had brought her was pinned securely around her shoulders and the degusting meal of werewolf feed sat heavily in her stomach. "Of course they didn't have real food," she thought, scowling, "why would they waste edible food on werewolves when they themselves are only a step above humans."

At least she wasn't hungry though. Her solitude was interrupted as Dracula and Damien emerged from inside where Dracula had been having a last minute discussion with some baron or another. Unconsciously she stepped father away as Dracula stepped next to her.

"You'll be flying with me today," he stated without preamble.

Fleur turned to him, appall written across her features, she not certainly would not!

She opened her mouth to speak when he turned and captured her jaw firmly in his grasp, his eyes glaring dangerously. "I would not object were I you little hunter. You have pushed me to the end my leniency; that stops here. From now on you will only speak when spoken too and when you address me you will address me as master or my lord," he growled, his eyes flashing their eerie electric blue. "I will not tolerate your disobedience any further. Understood?"

Fleur struggled to shake her chin from his iron grip but he didn't give an inch, continuing to hold her there within his chilling gaze.

Finally, sensing there was no point in fighting here; Fleur dropped her eyes to the floor and whispered an almost inaudible "yes". He stood there for a second as if waiting for something before lifting her almost effortlessly off her feet and slamming her backwards into the stone wall.

"Yes what?" he growled, his eyes glowing a demonic red as he shimmered into his beast form. "Gods," Fleur thought, as fear rose from the pit of her stomach and his talons cut painfully into her arms, "he's even bigger than Damien." Indeed his fangs seemed more deadly and with his wings spread out to their full extend Fleur felt trapped within his dark embrace.

"Yes my lord," she whispered, her voice shaking much to her dismay.

The demon's eyes cease glowing and he dropped her unceremoniously back to the ground. "See now," he growled, his rough voice sending shivers down Fleur's skin, "was that so difficult?"

She refused to look at him. Not waiting for a response Dracula held out an arm and wordlessly reckoned her to him. Fleur hesitated but the look in his eye told her now was not the time for defiance.

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Dracula could let she was far from comfortable as she walked into his embrace and he wondered faintly if she was like this with all people or just him. Figuring he'd question Damien later he bent down and slipped a hard under her knees neatly holding her against his chest as he moved to the edge of the ledge.

Without thinking twice he walked off the edge of the terrace plummeting downward before stretching his great wings out and effortlessly soaring high above the city. The cool air rushed past him and he savored the refreshing feel of it as he rose higher and higher into the frosty night air.

After a while he sensed the figure in his arms open her eyes and look down as she marveled at the bright moon and beautiful landscape. He couldn't help but agree with her unspoken sentiments. It was breathtaking.

For hours the two winged figures glided through the air in silence simply reveling in the joy of flight; the wind was at their backs and they made good time arriving in Bucharest shortly after midnight.

As they neared the city Fleur gazed in wonder at the beautiful picture it made, light shone from the city making it appear warm and inviting. Shivering she pulled her cloak even closer around her body and feet, she still had not gotten any shoes. Dracula circled one of the huge mansions once before landing lightly on the rooftop.

Fleur quickly slipped from his grasp and went to stand a little ways off looking over the side of the building at the bright lights and busy streets. Faintly she wondered why vampires and werewolves should need lights but was rudely pulled out of her musings as Dracula barked at her to come.

They headed through a door leading down the stairs and Fleur could only stare at the wealth and grandeur that emanated from the well lit hallways. Gorgeous Persian rugs tickled the bottoms of her bare feet and priceless paintings and tapestries adorned the dark stone walls. Suits of armor seemed to be placed at every turn and the light from the torches on the hall flickered as they strode pass.

Finally the trio came to a stop at an immense sweeping staircase that led directly into the grand hall where vampires of every shape and size could be seen conversing and laughing as they sipped their spiced blood. Fleur shuddered at the sight and felt her heart beat pick up, unfortunately everyone else in the room did too and the entire hall seemed to turn as one to look at the mortal.

Fleur took an unconscious step back, then another, as their hungry gazed followed her every move. Dracula smirked maliciously at her before laying a hand on the small of her back and guiding her closer to him.

Immediately the spell was broken and all eyes turned to Dracula; the room's occupants falling into graceful bows as their master descended the stair. Unlike in Slatina however, the room did not remain silent, this time vampires rushed up to greet their lord to inquire eagerly how he was, and was his trip a success, and if perhaps they could have a word with him privately later?

Dracula felt annoyance rise in him as he dealt with the petty and repeating questions his faithful higher vampires threw at him. God how he hated returning to court. Desperately needing a break from their infernal queries he pulled Damien in front of him and announced in a loud voice, "I would all like for you to welcome, Damien the Forth High Lord, and my newest predecessor," and then stepped back as the throng quickly moved to Damien as if smelling new prey.

Dracula couldn't blame them, Damien was new and he was powerful, it would be social and political suicide not to try and get on his good side from the start. Dracula already had his favorites picked out, they no longer needed to try and sway his allegiances. His eyes laughed as he watched some of his more ambitious vampiresses hang on Damien's arms running their hand over her shoulders and back as they fluttered their eye lashes and acted coy. It seemed Damien would not be lonely at all for his first night in Bucharest.

He felt a cold hand slip smoothly around his waist and the feel of a warm goblet being pushed into his hand as enticing lips pressed against the sensitive skin of his neck. He smiled and looked down at the golden hair of one of his own favorites. Gwenevere never was one to dawdle over formalities as she worked her way up his neck and began sucking gently on his ear lope.

"Missed you," she murmured.

"Don't lie Gwen," he replied, "I didn't miss you either."

He laughed at the absolutely wicked look she gave him before she broke into a smirk. "Fine," she replied, tracing the lined of his lapels as he took a much needed sip of the warm blood, "I didn't miss you, but I must say it's much more interesting when you're here master. I was so bored, the only thing to do was watch the werewolves be beat and even that got old after a while."

"Promise me you'll stay for a while?" she pouted, her sky blue eyes gazing up at him. "I'll make it worth your while," she added, leaning closer suggestively.

Dracula only chuckled. "We'll see," he said, and then looked sharply up as he heard a familiar heartbeat rapidly pick up.

Gwen turned too as she picked up on the sound and she spied a figure trapped slightly against the wall with Gavin towering over her.

"Yours?" she asked mildly, sipping her own blood as she watched Gavin reach out and gently cup the mortal's chin, brushing a thumb softly over her bottom lip.

"Mine," he replied and quickly excused himself as he headed towards Gavin.

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"Damn all," Fleur cursed, furiously chastising herself for getting into such a situation. She'd tried to remain inconspicuous and had been doing fairly well till she'd accidentally caught the honey colored eyes of the tall dark haired vampire. Quickly she'd tried to look away, but it was too late, he'd already seen her. Handsome, she'd thought as he'd approached but then had quickly reconsidered, no…beautiful.

"A lovely lady such as yourself should never find herself standing alone," he'd said and then dropped down into a graceful bow and placed a tingling kiss on the back of her gloved hand. "Allow me to introduce myself, I am Gavin Durlaciis, reigning high lord over the western kingdoms. And you, pretty mortal, are…?"

Fleur had cleared her voice trying to hide her flustered demeanor. "Fleur," she'd replied, looking desperately around her for some kind of escape route, something about this vampire had sent warning signs shooting down her spine, but alas he seemed to be standing right in her way.

"Flower, a name suiting for such a beauty as yourself," he'd answered smoothly, taking another step closer to her and keeping her hand trapped lightly within his grasp as his thumb gently caressed the smooth leather.

"Tell me pretty flower, what are you doing here with the master?" he'd asked, his eyes taking on a soft glow.

Fleur had looked away and scowled. The hell if she was going to admit to this vampire she was Dracula's entertainment. "I don't know," she'd lied instead.

The vampire's eyes had seemed to twinkle with a dark kind of amusement as he'd bent closer and whispered in a low voice, "Ah, but I think you do little flower."

"And," he had continued as her eyes snapped up, anger burning like a small flame, "I would recommend you just accept the fact that your fates already been set."

He had laughed a low chuckle and gently reached up to cup her chin. "Perhaps the master will even share you," he'd added fondly.

And that's how she found herself in this situated, backed into a corner with the tall vampire caressing her face and looking at her as if he'd like to eat her up like some kind of dessert while she struggled to restrain herself from doing something rash.

She felt his thumb graze her bottom lip and she clenched her fists, one more second and she was going to nail him right in the face…

"I wouldn't do that," a voice suddenly drawled from behind the dark haired vampire, "she may bite."

The suave vampire quickly dropped his hand as he turned to face his master, and then grinned wickedly. "Perfect," he said, throwing Fleur a once-over, "I like them better when their feisty."

"Really? Well you see we are at a disagreement there Gavin for I prefer the obedient and quiet type," Dracula replied, not even sparing Fleur a glance.

Fleur's face flamed as she quickly reached up to wipe off the nonexistent mark of the vampire's finger tips from her skin. She was not a prize, or an object, and she would not stand to sit by and be talked about as if she wasn't present!

"Well I prefer the gentlemanly chivalrous type who actually possess a heart that beats!" she snapped, "a shame this room seems to be lacking in that category!"

The whole room went silent, his manners and heartbeat were not the best topics for Dracula and Fleur had just unknowing crossed a very fine line.

"Indeed," he said stiffly, his eyes flashing dangerously but Fleur was still too angry to notice.

"Yes, unlike cowardly chauvinistic pigs who murder in the night and then kidnap and flee—"

She was abruptly cut off as Dracula's hand shot out and gripped her arm in a viselike grip yanking her to him. "What," he began, speaking slowly and pronouncing each word individually as his eyes turned their deathly electric blue, "have I said about speaking when spoken to and respecting your betters? Obviously my warnings were not enough, and as promised you will now be punished by my hand."

He snaked his arm painful around her torso pinning her arms to her side as Fleur kicked and yelled at him, not caring if she caused a spectacle of herself, dignity was long forgotten after she'd recognized the look in his eyes. She'd seen it enough in her lifetime; it was a look that ensured pain, and a lot of it.

"Meet me in the lounge in half an hour, this shouldn't take long, and bring the other high lords. I have things to discuss," he snapped to the now silent Gavin before materializing abruptly out of the room.

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Yay they're finally in Bucharest!!

OK PLEASE GUYS REVIEW IF YOU LIKED IT (or hated it)!!!! ESPECIALLY YOU 'HITS' BECAUSE THERE ARE LIKE 700 OF YOU!!!

Another thing…if you're going to put me on your alert list…can you at least say hi? Nothing fancy, just a little something that says 'hey your work is good enough to at least interest me'…that'd be nice. And I'd love you forever.

TEASER:::: So I'm thinking of revealing Fleur's secret next chapter…and she meets a new character that plays a very important role in the story…and maybe the first hint of Dracula actually 'feeling' something…plus a very special event will be happening soon and I think you should all review and let me know just how fast you want me to finish it. hehe evilness and yes, I'm a review-whore. Don't hate me.

OK LOVE YOU ALL, HOPE YOU'RE ENJOYING THE STORY, I'LL UPDATE SOON!!!

Chow.

-Still don't have an alias I'm satisfied with yet…