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Denying it would have been futile. Standing this close, now the veil of ignorance had been ripped from his eyes, it was impossible to deny, what all his senses were telling him…and yet Dracula still couldn't believe the conclusion, that all logic was driving towards. He didn't dare allow himself to hope…not after all this time…
"Agatha."
Her name on his tongue, sounded like both a benediction, and a curse, and Agatha wasn't sure which she would prefer. Yet there was no hiding his wrecked expression, he looked like she had staked him.
"Agatha."
Dracula couldn't stop himself from repeating her name, his feet taking him forward all of their own accord. Taking in a lungful of air through his nose, Dracula luxuriated in the scent of her…his nectar…his bride…all those glorious inches of her scowling up at him. Oh God he had missed her. As much fun as it had been to torment Dr Helsing, she really was a stuffed shirt; it had been all 'get in the box', and 'give me your blood', none of delicious back and forth he had with Agatha.
"Oh Agatha…"
"Count Dracula, you are leading me to believe, your little stint in the water did some permanent damage; or are you incapable of saying anything other than my name?"
Even her sarcasm had remained, and Dracula didn't even try to contain his burst of laughter. A wide smile now etched into his face, as he placed his hands either side of her on the balustrade; even in those ridiculous shoes of hers, he still had several inches on her. Yet it did place her face in such a delightful proximity…yes, the ridiculous shoes could stay.
Agatha could feel Dracula's gaze, pass over every millimetre of her face. His wide grin and looming presence, would have been intimidating to most, but Agatha had never been bothered by his tendency to crowd her personal space. Not when she was alive, and now she was dead, it seemed a strange time to start. For a moment she was even convinced, he was going to try and kiss her, yet instead he rested his forehead against hers, and rubbed their noses together as he sniffed her.
"I did say I was going to make you last." Dracula teased with another laugh, pulling back to admire the artful construction of curls that framed her face, and the simplistic shading of her make up.
"Lovely my dear, this suits you far better than that drab habit."
Despite absorbing, quite a significant amount of 21th century values, through his recent meals, there were centuries of more conservative viewpoints to overcome. There was a part of Dracula that still equated make up with whores. And while visually he appreciated the artistry, beauty was decidedly skin deep, and Dracula's judgement of worth lay below it…precisely below it in fact.
"You did, and I have lasted…Not without challenge." Agatha conceded, choosing to ignore his flattery on her appearance. Agatha knew she was no beauty, vanity had never been a sin she suffered from. Pride however was more difficult to keep under regulation. "But I survived."
"You more than survived." Dracula crowed in delight. "Look at you Agatha, all strong and healthy, and adapting to death in a whole other century. Oh, the fun we are going to have." His mind already racing with the possibilities.
Dracula had barely been 'awake' in this century, and he already had a better start on his selection of brides, than he had achieved in the last four centuries combined. For a moment Dracula imagined the possibilities, wondering how Lucy and Agatha, would take to one another. They had nothing in common, so perhaps his final choice of bride should try to bridge the gap somehow?
"Come we must celebrate!" Dracula insisted, grasping Agatha's wrist, intent on heading towards the dancefloor, only to be brought to a sudden stop, when Agatha refused to move. Her strength, if not her stubbornness, surprising him.
"Oh, that will take some getting used to." Dracula muttered, before turning back to his reluctant partner. "Just one dance Agatha for old times sake, we never did get to waltz."
"I came here to talk."
"And I came here to have a good time." Dracula retorted. "And since you have ruined my dinner plans, the least you could do is dance with me."
"Talk first, dance later." Agatha insisted, twisting her wrist free.
"You know it is possible to do both at the same time, or so I have heard. Apparently multi-tasking is something the fairer sex is supposed to be good at, and here you are letting the side down Agatha." Dracula baited her, he could tell from her little adorable growl, he was getting under skin, and with a shit eating grin he offered her his hand.
"Just one little dance? What's the matter don't you trust yourself?"
"One! If only to prove to you how grossly overinflated your ego is." Agatha conceded with a verbal kick, before placing her hand in his; doing her best to ignore just how attractive Dracula was, when he smiled like that. A real smile not the gloating monstrosity he wore most of the time.
"You won't regret it." Dracula insisted, tucking her hand into the crook of his arm, as he escorted her down the stairs, like the old-fashioned gentleman he once was. "Tell me Agatha do you tango?"
"What do you think?" Agatha huffed, before squeaking in the most embarrassing fashion, as Dracula's right hand settled in the small of her back, and hauled her in close.
"I think I really like this dress." Dracula replied with a salacious wiggle of his eyebrows. "You got it especially for me, didn't you?"
"I thought you wanted to dance?"
"And I thought you wanted to talk?"
"Not about my wardrobe choices…"
"Why not, I will happily talk about mine?" Dracula teased, before tutting as he manoeuvred Agatha into the proper position, her left hand on his shoulder and her right grasped in his left.
"Of course, we could let our bodies do the talking." He added, starting the dance by pressing his right thigh between Agatha's. "You do know you are supposed to move as well." He teased as he coaxed her into swaying with him, unable to resist the opportunity to hold her scandalously close.
Clearly, they would not be tangoing properly tonight. Dracula would have to ask Renfield to find them a suitable sample from a female dancer…perhaps several, as it seemed, Agatha despite her natural grace, had not benefited from an extensive dance education. Dracula had been drilled in dancing since he was a boy, as a nobleman he was expected to dance, and to dance well.
"You wanted to talk…" Dracula prompted after a few moments awkward silence, as amusing as it was watching Agatha squirm, Dracula had a limited attention span and bored easily. "You could tell me what you've been up to all these years, it has to be more entertaining than laying in a box for 123 years?"
"I've been busy…tracking down vampires if you must know." Agatha replied. It was too bizarre, being here like this with him, having a normal conversation about her work, whilst the swirl of humanity danced on, oblivious to the monsters in their midst.
"Oh Agatha…Agatha you need to get a new hobby." Dracula teased. "Is that how you found me? Playing that game with the dating app of all things, or was that just a happy coincidence?"
"Yes, well I had help, and that is why I am here really; to extend you the same opportunity."
Pausing mid step Dracula stared down at her. "Opportunity?" The word sounded cheap and coarse in his mouth, akin to sucking on a greasy coin.
"Or invitation if you would prefer?" Agatha countered, studying his face closely as his expression shut down. "I was sent to talk to you, because of our past connection; they thought it would be better coming from me."
Pulling back Dracula felt his joy sour. Agatha was as he remembered, but there was something colder about her, and not just the lack of physical warmth. She seemed weary, smothered almost, the brightness of her flame almost extinguished. Duty…it was always duty…and to think he had foolishly believed for a while, that she was here because she wanted to see him.
"I'm not sure I would prefer either." Dracula countered, pulling back physically and emotionally, even dropping her hand. "If Zoe set you up for this…"
"Count Dracula I have never met Zoe Van Helsing. I don't imagine we would particularly get along if we did. No, I was asked to meet you today, to invite you to meet others like us."
"There are no others like us." Dracula snapped, shaking his head as he turned to leave. "I've lived for centuries Agatha, don't you think I would have noticed. All other vampires are crude beasts, they are born, they feast, they get caught and then they die. It is cruel of you to play this game, even with me."
"And of course, you are never wrong." Agatha was almost amused at how obstinate Dracula could be, he would rather turn his back on her now, than take the risk. "What have you got to lose Dracula? If you are right nothing will have changed, and if I am right, then you get a whole new society to explore; a society of equals for a change."
Pausing on the edge of the dancefloor, Dracula turned back. Agatha was stood there alone, in the midst of the oblivious cavorting humans. Her gaze showed no mockery, and despite all the years that had past, Dracula didn't think she had suddenly become a liar.
"Tomorrow night, I'll message you the place and time half an hour before, it will be in London. If you pull any tricks…"
"We'll be there, and no tricks, I promise." Agatha replied, she tried for a smile, but it died on her lips as Dracula looked at her coldly, in a way he had never looked at her before…and it hurt when he turned and just left her standing there…alone.
Agatha had succeeded, she had done her job and had gotten Dracula to accept the invitation, albeit on his own terms. So why deep down, did she feel like she had passed the test, but somehow still lost the race?
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