A/N:Sorry it's taken me forever to update I had writer's block on this story, but I think I finally know where I want this story to go. Hopefully I will have the next chapter up soon!
Chapter 10:
The next night Natasha was awakened by Verona. "Why do you disturb me?" She questioned agitated.
"The Master would like to speak with you." Verona replied.
"I am not in the mood to speak with him." She replied bitterly.
"I advise you not to get the Master angry he is testy towards his servants already." Verona warned.
"I don't care to speak with him or even look at him for that matter and you can tell him that!" She snapped, Verona nodded and left the room.
He is going to be furious with my response but I no longer care. She thought
A moment later Natasha heard a furious roar echo through the castle, which was followed by a dwerger entering her room. They dragged her to the entrance hall where Natasha saw Marishka lighting the torches in the middle of the room.
"He is not pleased with you." She muttered, as Dracula and Verona entered the entrance hall a moment later.
"Do you dare defy me?!" He shouted at Natasha.
"Yes…" Natasha replied dangerously.
Dracula roared at her showing his fangs, but Natasha was unmoved by this. Both Verona and Marishka backed away from him, but Natasha didn't move. She hissed back at Dracula baring her own fangs.
"Have you forgotten I gave you a new life with immortality?!" He shouted.
"Did it ever occur to you that I possibly never wanted this?" Natasha questioned matching his tone.
Dracula glared at her. "You should have said that the night I turned you."
"Would you have given me a choice?" She asked and Dracula didn't respond.
"I thought not…" Natasha said and turned around to return to her room, but Dracula appeared in front her. He grabbed Natasha by her throat and lifted her off the ground.
"I will not be spoken to like that!" He stated and began choking her.
Both Verona and Marishka wailed, "Master please don't hurt her." Marishka begged.
"She is our sister, the closest thing to family we have." Verona said.
Dracula released Natasha from his grip and she crumpled to the floor. "You are lucky my brides care for you." He muttered.
Natasha glared at him, "Don't do me any favors…" She rose to her feet and went to her room. There she flew outside and perched atop the highest tower.
Natasha stared out at the dark, snowy sky trying to figure out what she was feeling. At the moment she hated Dracula and would rather be sitting in the pits of Hell at this moment. Another part of her was dark and cold just like the sky Natasha had been staring at. The third part understood why Dracula was so cold toward everything and still cared for him.
She heard the flapping of wings and slightly turned her head to see Verona and Marishka. "My dear, something other than the Master is bothering you." Verona stated appearing next to her.
"As we said before, we are sisters for eternity even though we don't share one family." Marishka said appearing on Natasha's other side.
Natasha sighed, "I never truly spend time with him anymore. He has both of you and I suppose I feel thrown aside." She admitted.
"He still cares for you." Marishka stated trying to comfort her.
"If he did he would not have choked me…" Natasha replied.
"That was his anger talking, my dear, not his heart." Verona stated.
"He has no heart…" Natasha muttered still staring at the view.
"Perhaps if you speak with him it may sort things out." Marishka offered.
Natasha nodded, "Perhaps I should speak with him…" She jumped from her position on the roof and enjoyed the free-fall for a moment before turning into her bat form. Natasha flew through the open balcony doors and clung onto the ceiling as she changed back into her human form. While still hanging upside down from the ceiling Natasha spotted Dracula ordering around the dwerger he had as servants. She gracefully dropped down from the ceiling landing perfectly on her feet behind Dracula.
Dracula turned around when he heard Natasha land behind him. "I've come to ask you something." Natasha said emotionless.
"What might that be?" He asked in the same tone and Natasha could tell he was still mad with her.
Natasha took a deep breath and asked, "Who murdered you and why?"
Dracula turned his back to her and replied, "That is a discussion for another time."
Natasha appeared next to him. "I heard you yell and found your body that night, please tell me what happen." She begged quietly.
"A man named Gabriel Van Helsing murdered me that night." He said not looking at her.
"Van Helsing, why would he want to kill you?" Natasha questioned curiously.
Dracula looked at her and said quietly, "He wanted you, my dear"
Natasha was appalled by this new information. "I don't understand, why would he want me?" She asked softly.
"It seems your father was pulling two sets if strings my dear. When you moved to Transylvania and met me your father was trying to make an arranged marriage with you and Van Helsing. It was however unexpected when we got engaged. I can only assume that around the same time we got engaged your father successfully arranged the marriage with Van Helsing thus leading to Van Helsing murdering me." Dracula explained.
Natasha all of a sudden felt weak as this new information registered into her mind. "For what purpose would my father have to arrange a marriage for me?"
Dracula held her close and shook his head. "I do not know my love. Perhaps tomorrow you can find him and see why he betrayed you."
Natasha nodded and after a moment she asked, "Did he say anything, Van Helsing I mean, when he murdered you?"
He thought for a moment then responded, "Only that I should rot in the fiery pits of Hell…"
Natasha looked up at him, "How did you find all of that out about my arranged marriage to Van Helsing?"
"I stumbled upon a letter to Van Helsing written by your father containing all of this information in it. I realized you had not been told about this arranged marriage or you would have mentioned it to me when we got engaged. I didn't tell you about it because I thought our engagement would send this person away, but obviously I was wrong." He explained holding her tighter.
"I just don't understand why my father would do such a thing especially me being his only daughter." Natasha muttered.
"There, there my love everything will be alright. Go now and rest tomorrow we will deal with your father's treachery." Dracula said and Natasha turned to retire to her room, but he grabbed her arm before she could leave.
"Forgive me if I hurt you, my love." He stated.
Natasha smiled, "You are forgiven…"
Natasha sat in the dinning room of Valerious the Elder's mansion. Across from her sat her father, at the head of the table sat Valerious the Elder and next to Natasha sat Vladislaus. Servants entered the dimly lit dinning room carrying silver trays with that evening's dinner. Once the food was placed on the table Vladislaus stood up.
"Forgive me for interrupting this evening's meal, but I have an announcement." He said and glanced at Natasha before continuing. "Natasha and I are engaged."
There was a moment of silence and then Valerious the Elder stood up beaming. "Congratulations to both of you." He said hugging Vladislaus.
Natasha stood and glanced at her father. She noticed his face was a bit pale as he walked over and embraced her. "Your mother would be so happy and I know she is smiling down upon you." Her father whispered and Natasha smiled.
"We must celebrate our children's engagement to one another." Valerious the Elder stated joyfully.
"A ball perhaps to celebrate this wonderful union." Her father recommended.
"What a wonderful suggestion Charles. We will have an engagement ball two days from now. After dinner I will begin the arrangements." Valerious the Elder stated, Natasha smiled happily and took Vladislaus' arm.
"Natasha are you alright?" Natasha turned to see Verona standing in the middle of the dark empty room.
"Yes I'm fine, I was just remembering the night Vladislaus announced our engagement." She smiled as she spoke. "There was to be an elaborate ball celebrating it, but Vladislaus was murdered the night before the ball. Instead of a ball the next day we had a funeral." Natasha explained sadly.
Verona looked at her sympathetically. "I am sorry Natasha"
She shook her head, "Don't be it's over with now. Besides I have business to attend to in Botiza. You are to watch over Marishka until I get back."
"When will you learn, my dear, where one bride goes we all follow. We need to look after one another; we are like a family now." Verona stated, Natasha smiled and nodded.
"I will tell Marishka…" Verona said and disappeared only to return with Marishka by her side.
"Verona tells me we are going to Botiza. Good, I'm dying to stretch my wings." Marishka said pleasantly.
"Alright, we'll leave now then…" Natasha said, as she jumped out the window followed by Verona and Marishka. All three brides turned into their bat form and flew toward Botiza. The brides reached Botiza around midnight. The city was quiet except for the drunks and prostitutes that hung around. A young man who was drunk out of his mind came up to Marishka.
"Hey, you up for a round?" The man was slurring his words and could barely stand.
"Love to…" Marishka replied her eyes turning yellow and she showed her fangs when she smiled. The drunken man didn't notice this because he could barely see straight.
"Marishka…" Natasha began but was interrupted.
"Natasha please it will only be a moment besides I'm starving." Marishka pleaded.
"Alright but be quick…" Natasha responded while sighing.
Marishka smiled and walked into the shadows with the drunken man. Natasha closed her eyes and breathed in the air. She was trying to find the blood scent of her father. Natasha reopened her eyes just as Marishka came back toward them wiping the blood from her mouth.
"Who are we looking for?" Verona asked curiously.
"My father…he's not far from here." Natasha said as she began walking down the dimly lit street.