Black Rose

Chapter 12

Flashback continues

It was a beautiful autumn night the moon was full and the night was young. A grand ball was being held at the Duke's luxurious manor on top of a hill of a 17th century town. In the grand ballroom of the manor the party was packed with wealth aristocrats and politicians. The rich were enjoying themselves with the luxurious festivities of the orchestra playing and the servants serving wine. You would think these luxurious festivities were the talk of the ball, but to some the most talked about eye catching thing was the mysterious handsome long haired man and the gorgeous woman talking to him.

"Vlad Dracu" Isabella said his name smooth as silk. "That's an unusual name."

"I'm an unusual person," said Vlad with a mischievous grin.

"I can see that. May I ask where you're from?" asked Isabella flashing her eyes in a seductive way.

"Let's just say I'm from a far away land," answered Vlad.

"Hehe, that's a interesting answer," said Isabella. She looked Vlad up and down checking him out. 'He's an interesting one maybe I should get to know him better,' thought Isabella. 'And if he's a good one I'll keep him.'

Thought out the night the two chatted, drank and dance. Lots of the men that showed interest in Isabella glared with envy at Vlad and the women also showed hated thoughts Isabella seen that she snagged another man from them. The clock stuck midnight and the party continued, Vlad and Isabella continued to dance. Isabella looked up at Vlad and smiled. "I had a lovely evening with you Vlad. You're quite an interesting man," said Isabella. "Vlad, would you like to have tea with me tomorrow?" She was ready to hook him, her eyes began to flash and she revived a smile that can charm anyone.

"That's a nice offer, but I'm not interested," Vlad said plainly.

"Excuse me?" questioned Isabella.

"I know your little game, anybody with power or money anyways catches your interest. And anybody with those two things, you will try to be friendly with. You're like a cat catching a mouse once you caught that mouse you first play with it and then kill it," answered Vlad. "With people you charm them with your looks. Any stupid man that falls for you, you'll pull him in and will take everything he got." Vlad stared in to Isabella's eyes. "You got a pretty face, but it won't last forever. I bid you good day Isabella." Vlad smiled kissing Isabella's hand then slowly walked away in to the crowd.

Isabella should shocked, no one every rejected her before. In the background she heard giggling, the woman that was busy glaring at her started laughing, they were happy that someone finally turned Isabella down. Isabella grinded her teeth and then walked away.

An hour passed, Isabella stood furiously drinking her wine her eyes glowing with rage at Vlad. 'How dare he reject ME,' thought Isabella. 'I had men kill for me, leave their wives just to follow me and this newcomer rejects me! And how dare he say my beauty won't last!' Isabella looked around the room noticing Vlad talking to another woman. Isabella growled at this, she was much prettier then her. Vlad and the young girl walked out into the hall. 'I wonder were their going," thought Isabella. She put down her drink and decided to follow them, she walked into the hall watching the two turning a corner to another hallway and then going up the stairs. Isabella walked slowly up the stairs, when she made it up top, she noticed the fourth door on the right of the up stairs hall closed. Isabella sneaked over to the door peeping through the key hole, what she saw shocked her.

Vlad's teeth grew in to sharp fangs and the young girl looked like she was under a trance. Vlad bit into the girl's neck her blood ran down her side. Isabella stood in shock, her body began to tremble, but she still stood watching. "Oh my god, he's a vampire," she whispered. "I can't believe their real."

Vlad finished his drink and looked at the door. "Why don't you come in Isabella," he said. The door swung open, making Isabella jump. Her body then felt like it was being pulled in. When she was in the room the door closed again. Isabella looked down at the floor seeing the young girl unconscious with two holes in her neck. "So the stories are true. I remember tales of young girl's necks being biting," Isabella said quietly. "They said a vampire named Dracula did it. So are you Dracula?"

Vlad smiled and bowed. "Yes I am."

Isabella gasped. "Are you going to kill me or stuck my blood?"

"No, your blood is not worth drinking and I'm not going to kill you."

"What?" Isabella was shocked and angry. "Why?"

"Because you're a pitiful woman, your blood is not pure and killing you is worthless. You're more scared of aging and losing your looks, then dying with your beauty intact. I want you to grow old and die ugly. As for me I will stay young forever. Goodbye Isabella." Dracula transformed into a bat and flew out the window.

Isabella stood in shock fist balled up in fury. "I… will never grow old you bastard, I will stay beautiful forever."

"I was a fool back then," said Alucard. "Growing old isn't a bad thing. My words stuck with Isabella for many years. When she was in her fifties realty finally hit her and she went down hard."

Isabella sat at her mirror staring at her reflection her hair was graying, wrinkles were forming and her eyes were getting baggy. Her worst fear was coming true she was growing old and was losing her beauty.

"Lady Isabella," called a maid. "I brought you your dinner."

Isabella's eyes never left the mirror. "I am growing old and becoming ugly," she said.

"Don't say that ma'am," said the maid. "You're very lovely for someone your age I seen women your age look eighty. I wish I was like you, you have the most beautiful gowns, date the most handsome men, and you're very successful without the help of a man. I really admire you."

Isabella looked towards the maid and smiled. "You're a very sweet girl," said Isabella. "Not many women are quite fawn of me."

"I guess most women could be jealous of you," answered the maid. "Having this much power without a man to guide you is a bit unusual to women."

Isabella smiled a mischievous grin. "Why should women rely on men?" asked Isabella. "We have the looks and brains to follow our own paths, that shouldn't be unusual at all." Isabella looked back at her mirror thinking to herself, then look back toward the maid. "You're a very sweet girl, how about I fix you up."

"Oh ma'am you don't have to do that," said the maid nervously.

"Don't be silly, when someone offers you something take it," applied Isabella. "This is a rare opportunity for women to be fixed up by me, and also I want to thank you for your kind words and hard work for being my maid."

"Oh um, thank you my Lady." The maid went and sat down at Isabella's dresser waiting for her to do her hair. "I never really thought I was pretty."

"Don't say that dear," encourage Isabella. "I bet lots of boys come to you. Do you have a man?"

"No ma'am."

"Oh, are you still a virgin?"

The girl gasped at Isabella's question and began to turn red. "Oh I see you're still an unpicked flower."

"I really don't want to talk about that my Lady," the maid said quickly. "It's kind of embarrassing."

"Oh I'm sorry dear I didn't me to embarrass you," apologize Isabella. "I know, how about you ask me a question, it doesn't matter what."

"Oh ok," the maid thought for a moment and then swallowed. "Well my lady, I have been noticing that you have been reading some very odd books latterly."

"Odd?" questioned Isabella. "What do you mean?"

"Those books you readied had strange sinful symbols on them," answered the maid. "Why are you reading them?"

"I want to learn his secret," whispered Isabella.

"Who's secret?"

"This man I met years ago," answered Isabella. "He insulted me saying I will grow ugly and he will not. I want to learn his secret of never aging and become his equal or better!"

The maid shook a bit in fear. "And how does one do such a thing."

"Easy my dear, the blood of a virgin girl," A pair of scissors pierce through the girl's throat, blood puking out of her mouth and her eyes fading away. "Thank you for your help."

Isabella dragged the poor girl into the bathroom ripping off her clothes and cutting in to her skin. She dumped the maid in to the tub and watched the blood flow. "That won't be enough to full the tub," she said with madness in her eyes. "I need more blood." Isabella walked back in to her room changing her blood covered clothes and then went out in to the night hurting for more virgin girls.

Flashback end

"That night Isabella went on a killing spree, she killed twelve girls that night from young children to teens and a young bride, but unknown to her the bride she killed was the fiancée of the judge's son. She was arrest at her manor naked and covered with blood, the bodies of the die girls lying on her floor. Around her tub a bloody pentagram symbol was made and she was chatting mindlessly. Isabella was then executed the next day, they burn her alive," said Alucard. "Several years later Isabella was reborn again as a vampire, she went by the name Elizabeth bringing that time and she became known as the Blood Queen she was the second most powerful vampire after me."

"How did Van Hellsing beat her?" asked Integra.

"You're ancestor was a smart man, he easily treated Isabella, she was always full of herself. Van Hellsing played as though he was in love with her letting himself be charmed and capture by her," applied Alucard. "When she wasn't looking he intoxicated her blood bath with holy water. When she was burning I shot her with a crossbow sealing her in her coffin."

"So now the Blood Queen has woken again," applied the Queen seriously. "Sir Integra, I want the Hellsing Organization to hunt down this woman immediately. If she's able to manipulate people this easily, she might cause a revolt."

"Yes your Majesty." Integra was about to leave, when Sir Iron stopped her. "Sir Integra, I know you have a lot on your plate right now, but what I have to say is important."

"What is more important then stopping a vampire witch?" snapped Integra.

"The future of Hellsing that's what!"