-/-
Agatha's first thought upon waking was that she felt so relaxed that she never wanted to move, the second was that she was sore, the third was that she wasn't the only one awake…or at least part of Dracula was. Very awake and very insistent, and very much pressing against her thigh.
Blinking her eyes open, Agatha took in the sunlit room. They hadn't closed the curtains properly last night after Dracula had arrived, and there was a thick strip of daylight cutting the room in half, illuminating the end of her bed, and amusingly enough Dracula's large bare feet that stuck out over the edge of her bed.
Agatha had always been tall, first for her age, then for her sex. Yet Dracula still towered over her, and Agatha wondered if there had ever been any bed he hadn't hung half out of? Her feet whilst not exactly dainty, looked exactly that when placed near his, his hands made hers look ladylike and perfectly proportioned for once. They just seemed to fit together, and it seemed strange to Agatha that two people so clearly created for each other should be born centuries apart, and yet still find themselves thrust together by the strangest of circumstances.
Was this the proof a divine plan Agatha had spent her mortal life searching for, or was it merely coincidence, or worse psychology? That two people, having been through what they had together, would inevitably be drawn to one another. That it was no sign they were special, or intended for one another, and anyone who Dracula went through everything they had together, would have earned his love? That thought made Agatha far more jealous than Isabella ever could. She wanted them to be special, she wanted to be special, and to not just have been in the right place and the right time.
"You are thinking much too heavy thoughts for such a morning." A deep baritone muttered from behind her ears. "I can hear you frowning."
"Why do you love me?" Agatha asked him suddenly, surprising Dracula who had resigned himself to napping some more.
"Because I do."
"No seriously I need to know…I need to understand why me, after all those centuries, after all those other women, what suddenly makes me different. I'm not special."
"I beg to differ on that point." Dracula huffed, resigning himself to dealing with an early morning philosophical debate.
"Then please explain, because I am going around in circles trying to understand why someone like you could possibly love someone like me?"
Now it was Dracula's turn to frown, and he lifted his head from the pillow to watch her think. "Agatha if you are having doubts again…If you doubt me…"
"No." Agatha replied softly, shifting so that she could face him, and smooth away the worry from his face. "No, I believe you, I do, I feel it whenever you touch me, whenever you look at me. I know you really do love me."
"Then what is this really about? Explain it simply, I am not quite ready for a proper debate at..." He paused, taking one glance at the watch on his wrist and groaning. "It's not even seven yet…"
"I just don't understand why me? No listen, I know I am not particularly beautiful, but I am not unattractive, I know I am more intelligent than most, it was a point of pride I could never really shift. Yet I am stubborn and difficult, and hardly what most men would want in a significant other. And do you know how I know this? Because I heard it every day when I was growing up, and not just from my father, but from the other women as well."
"So, you are not what conventional people would want in a wife." Dracula scoffed. "Do I strike you as in anyway conventional?" He added, pleased when Agatha shook her head and smiled that broad brilliant smile of hers, the one that brightened up her whole face.
It was the first time she had smiled like that at him, even in their dream state that Dracula had know this one was different. She had known exactly what he was, and she had stepped towards him, him, not some pretend fantasy lover Dracula had to hide behind. Sure, she had come to sate her own curiosity, but Agatha had been drawn to him as a man and a monster, and Dracula had been likewise entranced.
"There are some people you meet, and they dazzle you either by the looks or their wit, and at first you are in awe of them…"
"Neither accusation could be true of me." Agatha countered only for Dracul to lay a finger across her lips to shush her.
"I wasn't finished, you asked me to explain, I am explaining so let me." Dracula tutted. "Yet after a few minutes most become dull and ordinary. Then there are some people who seem ordinary, part of the scenery at first…that's what all mortals were to me before we met, just part of the scenery of the world, something to interact with but transitory. Then I met you, you insulted me within moments of meeting me and yet you showed me respect as well. This powerless woman in a wimple, and you had more command presence than many generals I fought and bled beside.
I wanted you then, first as a meal, I confess that it is no secret that you tasted exquisite. All I knew at first was this was a vintage to be savoured, but I could have done that without needing to engage with you, but Agatha I just couldn't help myself…You cannot understand what it is like to stare eternity in the face and to do so alone. Every conquest becomes meaningless, and so you search desperately for the new, for the innovative, in the hope that will renew you as well.
By the second week on the Demeter I knew you were a unique mind, an outcast in many ways because of your unique gifts, just like me. I felt a kinship with you, something that hadn't happened to me since I was human. I confess I enjoyed showing off for you, providing you with the foe that would be worthy of you. You wanted so badly to prove yourself worthy Agatha, and I would do almost anything to keep your attention.
Do you have any idea how hard it was that last week? Knowing you were only a few cabins away and having to keep myself hidden until the last minute. I wanted to come to you every night. I imagined it, creeping into your cabin and revealing myself; of offering you a chance to be like me and stay by my side forever. I dreamt that you would accept, but I knew deep down that you wouldn't.
It wasn't love then, it was fascination and respect, and knowing that you were someone who would make eternity very interesting."
"So, it was really me, not just because of all that we have gone through together?" Agatha cut in, prepared to bear Dracula's annoyance for this answer.
"How could it be anything else?" Dracula snorted. "Put anyone else in your place on the Demeter, seriously put Isabella or Lucy or even Mycroft. How long would I have bothered to keep them alive? Would I have told them stories, or played chess with them? You are not a replaceable character Agatha, the circumstances of how I fell in love with you, only occurred the way they did because of the way you are!"
The smile was so bright Agatha thought it would split her face in two. "Thank you…I think I needed to hear that."
"Good, now can we stop all this intense discussion and move on to morning sex; all this emotion has seriously affected my hard on." Dracula huffed, yet he was pleased that Agatha was pleased with his explanation. He really would have to work on her self-esteem.
Pressing her mouth to his, once, twice, three times in quick succession; Agatha managed to kiss away his grumpy expression. "Better?"
"Getting there." Dracula muttered, lifting the covers to take a quick glance down. "I suggest you keep trying."
"Just up here?" Agatha teased as she pressed her mouth to his collarbone and bit down lightly.
"I am sure he would welcome any attention you cared to bestow but mind the fangs dearest."
Rolling her eyes Agatha, lapped at the wound she left on his shoulder. "I may be a beginner but wasn't planning on biting him."
"And he is very glad to hear it." Dracula countered smiling down at her but folding back the covers in a clear direction for her to move. "Now I am very happy to talk you through it, might I suggest you start before the day is entirely spent."
Rolling her eyes again Agatha had learnt to take a hint. Shifting down the bed she placed herself entirely in his hands, relying on the fact that she was a quick study at whatever she did, but one day…one day she was going to surprise him, and that day would be soon.
-/-
Sitting in his office Mycroft cradled his aching head in his hands. His day was not going well, a fact he could lay solely at the feet of two individuals; well more at the feet of one than the other. Dracula could never be accused of being subtle. Still there were other people he could have chosen to insult, than another Elder, by all but openly rejecting his prized daughter, in front of an audience no less.
Mycroft had been on disaster recovery all morning, he had left Dracula a text asking him call him, as soon as he woke up, but it seemed his boss was either sleeping in, or he was ignoring him. Mycroft wished the Pazzi family would give him the same privilege of ignoring them.
"Knock knock."
"Ms Westenra it is customary to actual knock before letting yourself into a someone's private office."
"Yeah well it's customary to be less of an arse to people you hope to consider family." Lucy retorted, leaning against the doorjamb. "So how did the big party go?"
"Calamitous."
"Wow I am sorry I missed it." Lucy sniggered, letting herself in and swanning over to the decanter Mycroft had on the side, and helping herself to the meal he hadn't yet touched.
"How did you even get up to this floor?"
"I have friends." Lucy replied simply, implying quite heavily that Mycroft didn't, whilst sipping on the fine vintage Mycroft had selected for himself; young, male, Cambridge graduate, a little too nerdy for Lucy's taste.
"And why are you here?"
"Why to brighten you day of course." Lucy deadpanned before taking a seat on the edge of Mycroft's desk. "So, why the drama, did Aggi blow his socks off or what?"
"If it was only his socks, we wouldn't be facing a feud with the Pazzi family."
"Wow that good, I knew that was a good dress on her but damn. I suppose that might explain why big sis hasn't turned up for lessons this morning." Lucy added suggestively, causing Mycroft to finally look up from his papers.
"What?"
Smiling like the cat that had gotten the cream, Lucy preened under Mycroft's full attention. "You heard me 'big brother', Aggi isn't here, and I take it from the fact that you are dealing with the Italians all by yourself that the big bad Drac is also MIA. I wonder what they could be doing…"
"Lucy Westenra are you implying what I think you are implying?"
"Why Mycroft Holmes are you smiling?" Lucy teased, shaking her head. "I never thought you for a romantic?"
"I don't think I have ever done anything worthy of that insult." Mycroft tutted, yet she was right he was smiling, but it was a calculating smile.
"You know its kinda creepy. You should stop." Lucy advised.
"Ms Westenra, I do believe you and I have gotten off on the wrong foot."
"Do you have a right foot?" Lucy prodded him, unable to give up the habit, his ever-calm mask just bothered her.
"I could have where you are concerned. We could be powerful allies, after all we all want what is best for our clan, don't we?" Mycroft added, reaching into his desk drawer and withdrawing a credit card.
"Since you and your little girl group did such an excellent job selecting Agatha's evening wear last night. Perhaps you might be persuaded to revamp the rest of her wardrobe?"
"You mean keep playing dress up? What is in it for us?" Lucy asked, her eyes narrowing.
"If you young ladies chose to buy one or two pieces for yourself then I imagine I could turn a blind eye, providing of course that you made Agatha look like…a countess for example?" Mycroft replied innocently, before sharing a smile with Lucy, that creeped her out again after a moment.
"Throw in a night on town for all of us somewhere fancy…somewhere we won't be recognised, in Paris for example, and you've got yourself a deal Mr Holmes." Lucy offered him her hand, a hand that Mycroft shook before dropping it quickly.
Sinking back into his chair, Mycroft dismissed Lucy from his thoughts; this development changed things, and it was time to rearrange the board accordingly…now how could they deal with the Pazzi's?
-/-