Hello Drac fans!. :D

Only one chapter left after this one! And this one is longer than the previous one. I hope you will like the changes from the previous version and for those who never read it, I hope you will like what I made of this story.

On either way, I hope you will enjoy chapter 36. :)

Kaya

Chapter 36

Deepest Love

Dracula watched as Anne painfully made her way to the priest. Something was not right, she was just too calm. Then she was in front of his enemy, unmoving. She said something but he could not tell what. He felt as though he was struck by a bolt of lightning when Anne fell to the ground, unconscious.

-"NO!"

His scream, he was sure, could be heard in the entire city, as he flew down to his soul mate. He almost crashed on the cold damp asphalt, then gathering Anne onto his lap. She did not stir, moved or anything. He touched her face. She was not hot, nor cold…

-"Anne, my love, please, wake up." He whimpered

Father David watched, dumbstruck as the terrible, infamous Dracula was rocking the young woman back and forth, softly calling her name. This was not an act made out to deceive the priest's eyes, but real love. The vampire king actually found in him the way to love.

-"Anne, my love, please, come back, don't leave me here all alone." Dracula cried, blood tears falling down his cheeks. "I cannot stay here forever without you…"

Heavy hearted, the priest actually prayed for Anne Tremblay's soul, hoping she would find her way to heaven. Somehow, he knew she had never killed and he felt it was why she had been so weak. She was a vampire, yes, but not yet a monster. He watched as Dracula raised on his feet, the young woman nestling in his strong arms, turning back to the oratory.

Slowly, Dracula climbed the stairs. Father David heard him weep and wanted more than anything to follow, but he did not. It was not his place, so he remained behind, watching and listening. All thoughts of destroying that monster faded. The creature was already destroyed…

When the vampire king arrived in front of the heavy doors to the oratory, he fell on his knees, gently laying the dead body of his Anne. His eyes rose to heaven, raising both his hands to the sky, in imploration.

-"Please!" He cried. "Please, don't take her from me. Please. Don't take my love and very soul from me. Let her live and I will disappear from her life. Please, let her live!"

Dracula lay beside his Anne, brushing her hair from her face, caressing her features tenderly, whispering words Father David knew were in Aramaic. The vampire held the woman he loved in his arms, knowing she would never come back, knowing he would never die. The priest did the only thing he could for this poor, lost soul. He prayed, pleading their cause with his God.

Judas Iscariot was repentant. He found love, he truly loved. He suffered more than enough for his sins. Yes, he killed for centuries, seduced innocent girls, but it was different now. Love arranges many things. If he was given a second chance, Father David swore Judas would never kill again.

-"I am so sorry, my love." Dracula murmured to Anne. "I thought I was giving you a gift and I placed this curse upon you instead."

-"God forgives when asked." Father David said from behind him

-"Maybe, but he would not forgive me." Dracula muttered bitterly. "My sins are far too important to be ever forgiven."

-"But are you repentant, Judas? Are you sorry?"

The vampire closed his eyes, real tears, not made of blood, fell onto his face. If only he did not do all these things, Anne would still be alive. Maybe not happy, but alive. If his greed had not taken over him… and had gotten his son killed, god would have never punished him in such a way. Could he blame him? If anyone had had his loved one killed, he would have done just the same, maybe worst if possible.

-"I regret everything and I proved it to him, when I hung myself on that tree." Dracula said through his tears. "He did not forgive me then, he will not forgive me now."

Father David's eyes doubled in size when he heard the vampire weeping. Was it truly the creature that has killed so many people? The one who has tortured as much souls as he could without remorse?

-"I want to die…" Dracula pleaded. "Please, let me die… What I did to you cannot be undone and you know I was sorry the day you died. Let me die…"

-"You will not die, Judas." Father David said, not really knowing where that came from. "You will live."