-/-
Agatha had forgotten just how short this dress was. Tugging on the bottom of the skirt did no good whatsoever, it still showed most of her thigh. Still at least her legs looked good, thanks to a quick slavering of hair removal cream, and then a copious lathering of that body lotion, Agatha had 'liberated' from Dracula's penthouse. Choosing to forgo her beautiful red stiletto's, in favour of something a little more practical for dancing; Agatha selected a silver strappy sandal with a kitten heel, at least she shouldn't fall off those.
Her hair she was keeping simple, there had been no time to get an appointment anywhere, so it was put up in a high pony tail, the ends curled with a curling tong to keep it from looking straggly. Her makeup, well Agatha only knew how to do a basic smokey eye, and so she stuck with that. All in all, she looked passable. Agatha could only hope her efforts, would stop people from staring, and wondering what such a handsome man, was doing with a woman like her.
That was the problem with being a vampire, the enhanced hearing meant you heard all the muttered bitchy comments, and although Agatha could brush them off; well she didn't want anyone pushing their luck where Dracula's temper was concerned. For some reason he thought she was attractive, and with his ego, Agatha could only assume he wouldn't tolerate people disagreeing with him.
The buzz of her phone interrupted just as she was putting on a pair of simple platinum drop earrings.
I'm downstairs…don't keep me waiting or I will come up and get you 😉
On my way
Agatha texted back, picking up a simple black shawl for a wrap, and a silver clutch purse, that she had dug out from the back of her wardrobe.
I am aquiver with expectation…
Well take a cold shower and dial down your expectations
Agatha snarked back earning her a sad face in reply, followed by a crying face, followed by clockface
Choosing not to reply to that and to just meet him downstairs instead. Agatha shoved her phone in her purse and grabbed her house key from the side. Pulling the door shut behind her, she tried to take the stairs with ladylike grace, but the excitement of going on her very first date, meant she rushed a little too much to be truly elegant.
"Ahhh lovely." Dracula greeted her the moment Agatha appeared at the front door. He was leaning against the side of a waiting uber, his all black attire looking effortlessly stylish, even his beard had been tended to, the now sharper lines emphasising his square jaw.
"What do you think?" Dracula asked, lifting and posing his chin like he was a model posing for shots.
"It looks good."
"Good?"
"Does your ego need me to inflate it further?"
"No…but I won't object to you trying it with other parts of me." Dracula retorted with a salacious wink.
Knowing that silence was the only sensible reply to that comment, Agatha smiled as Dracula opened the door for her and offered her his hand to step into the car. The gentlemanly behaviour might only be a veneer, but it was a particularly fine veneer, well-polished at least.
"So, dinner. Tell me, do you have any particular objection to eating out?" Dracula asked as he slipped in though the other door.
Blinking in surprise it took Agatha a moment to realise Dracula wasn't joking. "You are not serious?"
"Well I am not suggesting we cruise the club scene." Dracula replied with a pointed grin. "Although believe me, there is nothing I would enjoy more, than 'hunting down' a fine dinner with you…But I know your…dietary preferences would make that difficult." Dracula added, holding up his hand to stall Agatha's objections.
"Yes, my dietary preferences…" Agatha paused, almost amused at his turn of phrase, and the way Dracula could use every day slang as shorthand for a very different meaning.
"But if it was a prearranged private dinner." Dracula paused, his eyes raking over the sight of Agatha's exposed thigh as she crossed her long legs. "With umm…all ethical considerations taken into account."
"I struggle to see how that could be possible." Agatha retorted, rolling her eyes when she saw just what Dracula had gotten side-tracked by. "My eyes are up here."
"Yes, they are." Dracula teased yet he didn't lift his gaze, even going so far as to place his hand lightly on her knee. "Have I told you how much I really love this dress?"
"You really are determined to push at my boundaries tonight."
"Nudge perhaps, not break, nor demand." Dracula clarified, his fingertips curling around her knee, to stroke lightly at the sensitive skin there. "I…I know how important consent is to you." He added, gaining just as much of a thrill from touching her, as Agatha did from his gentle caress.
"So, if that's nudging, I'm intrigued to see what you consider pushing them."
Lifting his gaze Dracula leaned in closer, pausing millimetres from Agatha's lips.
"Have I told you yet how stunning you look?"
"You might have mentioned lovely." Agatha reminded him; it was damn hard not to give in to, the urge to close the gap between them and just kiss him. "And you Count are avoiding my question."
Yet this was a game. Dracula was pushing her buttons, wanting to test how far she would allow him, wanting to see how much he could tease her until she caved in, and revealed how much she wanted him. He wanted her to crack first, well Agatha wasn't in the mood to give him that satisfaction…well not without him earning it first.
"Yes…lovely." Dracula swallowed, drawing out the word and make it sound sinful.
His gaze now firmly on her lips, as his hand slide slowly along her thigh, the very tips of his fingertips trailing along the seam where her legs were pressed together. Agatha jolted, capturing his wandering hand the moment she felt those claws of his, skim the edges of her underwear.
"And now you have your answer." Dracula added in that perpetually smug manner that made Agatha want to slap him and snog him in equal measure. Still he removed his hand and leant back into his own seat. "You're better at this than I thought you would be."
"Is that what passes for a real compliment in your head?" Agatha scoffed. "And need I remind you, that unlike you with your hedonist indulgences; I have had years of practice at managing my appetites. You should consider yourself lucky, I am not the one testing your boundaries."
Laughing Dracula learnt back in, his dark eyes twinkling as if daring Agatha to do just that. "Test away, I am pretty certain I no longer have any."
"Challenge accepted." Agatha retorted smugly, determined to torment the Count until he fell pleading at her feet and begged for her mercy.
"Oh Agatha, my darling Agatha we are going to have so much fun…but first dinner."
-/-
"Are you sure this is the right place?" Agatha was surprised when the cab pulled up at one of the Thames piers.
Dracula typing away on his phone barely glanced up. "Looks right to me…ahh there look." He pointed to one of the larger boats that were moored up, whose lights were full on. "That must be the one."
"I thought we were going dancing, not sailing."
"Who said one must preclude the other?" Dracula asked, tipping their driver generously, as he hadn't once tried to make small talk, and other than an amused grin at their antics, he had given them relative privacy.
"Come on, where is your sense of adventure?" Dracula added bounding from the cab with boyish enthusiasm, rushing around to open her door before Agatha could free herself from the seat belt.
"You do recall what happened the last time the two of us were together on a boat?" Agatha retorted, her eyebrow raised pointedly.
"Yes, I do. However, this time I intend to keep you fully occupied and far away from explosives."
Accepting Dracula's hand to exit the car, Agatha amused herself by thrusting her clutch purse into his hands, whilst she did her best to pull her skirt back to decent levels.
"I thought it looked perfect as it was."
"I have no intention of flashing my knickers, at whatever ethical dinner arrangements, you have made."
"Only your dining companion I hope."
"Only if they are very very good, and since that rules you out, I think my underwear is safe for the evening." Agatha teased, retrieving her purse and shoving Dracula out of her way. "Now you have a few minutes to explain what the hell is really going on."
"It's a party. People do have them."
"And they invited you?"
"In my line of business, I meet some very interesting people…Shall we?" Dracula asked, offering her his arm.
A few moments later they approached a gangplank that was flanked by two bouncers.
"Can I help you sir, madam?"
"Count Dracula and my plus 1." Dracula nodded to the clipboard.
"Yes sir, we've been waiting for you. The captain will cast off as soon as you are aboard."
"Excellent…my dear…ladies first." Dracula waved Agatha on board the yacht.
Following a step behind, it amused him when Agatha stopped the moment she was onboard. Her eyes widening as she caught sight of all the well-dressed people on the sundeck, some with obvious money, and others pretty and young and attracted to money.
"Ah my dear a little trick of the nobility, always enter a room like you have every right to be there." Dracula whispered in her ear. "Shall we?" He added, grasping her hand and pulling Agatha along in his wake.
"Count…Count Dracula I am delighted you were able to make it. My friends were so excited when I told them you were coming."
"Sir Richard a delight to see you again." Dracula greeted their host with familiarity. "May I introduce Agatha Van Helsing, Sir Richard Wrexham."
"Enchante Madam." Sir Richard bowed his head in greeting, yet it was quite obvious to Agatha, that Dracula was the one that held all his interest. "Can I get you both something to drink?"
"Well that depends, did my man drop off my delivery earlier?" Dracula asked all polite smiles and fangs.
"Yes…I had it decanted, I do hope that was appropriate?" Sir Richard's nerves and willingness to please was palpable.
"Yes fine, and two glasses." Dracula prompted him, causing Sir Richard to suddenly glance back and forth between the two of them, the penny finally dropping for both him and Agatha.
"Two…both of you…" He all but squeaked in his excitement. "Well I am…of course right away." Sir Richard waved over one of his staff and passed on the instructions.
"My friends have been so looking forward to meeting you…and of course Ms Van Helsing I am sure they will be delighted to also make your acquaintance. My my party is going to be the social highlight of the calendar. Would you care to join us in the salon?"
"In a few moments…I did promise Agatha here dinner and dancing, and it would be a shame not take advantage of your excellent band whilst they are playing so well."
"Of of course."
Smiling the smile of a predator, Dracula led Agatha to the makeshift dancefloor, pulling her into a loose embrace.
"Well I am sure you have about a hundred questions…" Dracula whispered in her ear as they swayed in time to the slow jazz group.
"Just about." Agatha muttered, deliberately stomping on his foot in her heels. "That's for the lack of warning."
"Sweetheart I didn't want to ruin the surprise." Dracula replied innocently. "Besides would you have agreed to come if you knew we were going to a party?"
"Sounds more like a dinner cruise to me." Agatha snarked, and Dracula laughed.
"Yes, where all the hors d'oeuvres are here of their own free will. Now that cannot go against your preferences can it? I mean what's the difference they are all blood donors?"
"You know damn well there is a diff…" Agatha began only for a sharp suited waiter to appear with a silver tray, balanced on top was a wine decanter filled with a dark red liquid and two sparkling balloon glasses.
"Your order sir."
"Put it down there." Dracula nodded to a far table.
"You know I haven't." Agatha hissed in his ear. "That's why it matters."
"Yes, I know there are many things you have denied yourself Saint Agatha…"
"You are not funny."
"I am not joking or laughing." Dracula replied seriously. "If we had both survived on The Demeter then we would not be having this conversation. You would never have been handicapped in this way, I would never have allowed it."
"I have done just fine, doing things my way." Agatha hissed, unable to put her finger on what bothered her more, that Dracula thought he just had to trot out some willing throats for her to cave, or that he had such contempt for her moral choices.
"No, my darling you haven't. You've survived, but you haven't lived." Dracula insisted, pulling her in and then pushing her out into a twirl, before dragging her back into his embrace. "I am here to get you to live, to be as magnificent as I know you can be."
"By backing me into a corner?"
"No by offering you a choice, for the first time ever Agatha. Everything that happens here tonight, happens because you want it too. I have provided appropriate alternatives, should you choose not to accept, all of our hosts offerings." Dracula pointed to the decanter. "You say the word, and all we will do tonight, is sip our drinks, dance and make slightly boring conversation with anyone who comes to bother us."
"You mean that…it's up to me?" Agatha was confused, didn't he want her to indulge herself, wasn't this why Dracula had brought her here? It didn't make sense for him to simply back down.
Cupping her face tenderly Dracula smiled before pressing a chaste kiss to her lips. "I value you, more than I do anything else in this world Agatha Van Helsing. Do you really think I would do anything, that would risk pushing you away, when I have only just found you again?"
"Won't Sir Richard be mad?"
"Do I look like I care?" Dracula teased, relieved when Agatha smiled back, relaxing his arms once more. "Look let's dance and drink and enjoy ourselves. After all the night is young and full of possibilities."
-/-