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Once upon a time Count Dracula would have relished this type of social gathering, the famous and the powerful of the vampire world, even infamous, all coming together to barter and pick each other over. Part of him still did enjoy the cut and thrust of politics, who was aligned with who, which vampire had insulted another, which power block was making shifts. Yet there was something decidedly stagnant about the very elite of vampire society, in that the players barely ever changed, they simply reset the board. Eventually it would all become so dreadfully predictable; once you knew all the players, knew how they would react, you could predict them and block them, and thus an endless stalemate.
"Count Dracula such a delight to finally meet you? I have heard so many wonderful things about you, but they really do not do you justice…in the flesh so to speak."
Bowing over the hand that was offered, Dracula smiled politely but chose to ignore the flirtation or the expectation he would kiss it. "Madam?"
"Veronica Franco. But please do call me Veronica, every does you know." The dark eyed Italian beauty fluttered her lashes at him, a flicker of annoyance in her gaze as Dracula remained politely aloof.
"Veronica I'm honoured." Dracula countered, unable to keep the sarcasm out of his tone entirely.
It would take more than a sixteenth century courtesan to sway him, even if as a younger man he might have been enticed. He had a particular weakness for intelligent women, and with her notorious talents in the bedroom, Veronica was someone that would have once held his interest; if she wasn't also known for spending her way through other people's fortunes.
"Ah Count you have the look of a man who would rather be somewhere else?"
"Well when in Rome…"
"And in love, or so the rumours would have it. I have heard that congratulations might soon be owed…" Veronica fished, aware that although the rich Count might not be swayed to warm her bed and line her coffers, he might be good for some gossip.
"Really and just who did you hear that from?" Dracula replied, his tone all politeness but just the wider smile, with a hint of fang, was warning enough. Let them call him uncivilised, a warlord, Dracula didn't care, society was only a veneer and a thin one at that.
"Just around." Veronica's answer was a little flustered, as there was no hiding the way she both stepped backwards and leant forward at the same time, gifting Dracula with an eyeful of her décolletage, her instincts clearly warring inside her.
It was a reaction the Count was used to, mainly from his victims, all their instincts warning them that here was a predator they should be fleeing from, and yet they were magnetically attracted as well, for all the wrong reasons. Well Dracula had no interest in taking a bite, or anything else for that matter, from Veronica Franco.
"The trouble with gossip, it is such a vapid thing, the false kind leads to such trouble, and the true loses all its value when confirmed." Dracula teased, catching Mycroft's eye from across the room. "Now please do excuse me, my counsel wishes to speak to me."
"Of course, Count, perhaps we might continue our discussion later? Feel free to bring your 'gossip' with you, I'm quite broad minded you know, and an intelligent woman is such a rarity in our society."
Waiting until he was safely out of even a vampire's ear shot, Dracula muttered something about over his resurrected corpse. If it weren't impossible to avoid it, Dracula would rather never introduce Agatha to any of these vampires. They were indolent and lazy, sat on the very pinnacle of society for so long, they had forgotten what it was like to achieve anything. His chosen bride was their very antithesis, and Dracula adored her for it, and right now the feeling of missing her was so acute Dracula could almost taste it.
"Mycroft…"
"Count." Mycroft returned Dracula's greeting with a polite bow of the head.
"When is it going to start? We rushed to get here and all we have done is gossip and drink." Dracula couldn't help if he sounded a little irritated, he had been feeling on edge since he had parted from Agatha. He should be back at the hotel, testing out that bed with Agatha right about now, irritating her with his over attentiveness, and not here playing nice with this bunch of idiots.
"I am sure it will start soon, they are just waiting for everyone to get here…"
"Yes, they can wait for everyone else." Dracula muttered barely under his breath, finding it harder and harder to hide his irritation. There was just something nagging, a feeling of being on edge for some reason he couldn't name. Dracula knew he was being watched, it was obvious and normally it didn't both him, normally he relished it, so why now did it make him feel so uncomfortable?
"Sir are you alright?" Mycroft had been studying Dracula closely, and the longer he watched the more concerned he became. For someone who had come to know the Count reasonably well, Mycroft could see below the veneer and catch the minute twitches, and warning signs of an increasingly trigger hair temper.
"I…I'm fine." Dracula insisted, dismissing Mycroft's concerns out of hand. "I'm just bored."
Yet he took a sniff of the blood he had barely touched, just to make sure he hadn't been spiked again…no it was clean…he was fine…so why did he feel this sudden urge to go on the attack, to rip people's head from their shoulders. It was like every warning sense in his body had suddenly activated, like an attack was imminent, and yet Dracula couldn't work out where the threat was coming from.
"Sir you really are not." Mycroft was now very worried, he could see the red pooling in the Count's eyes, the sudden emergence of his fangs, and if he could notice then so could somebody else and the last thing Clan Dracula needed was to be accused of starting a blood bath. All it would take was for Dracula to attack one of his fellow Elders, and he would be exiled quicker than they could mop up the blood.
"Something is…wrong…there is danger here." Dracula scented the air, his head scanning the room for the threat he knew was there. "I can feel it…I just can't find it." He just couldn't tell where it was coming from.
Mycroft knew better than to argue, the older vampire would surely know a threat better than he would. Still he did his best to scan the room, unable to pick up on whatever it was that had set Dracula off. Everything seemed normal to Mycroft, if not exactly safe. They were in a room full of vampires after all, some of whom hated the other, but no one should be gunning for them, they were unimportant in the grand scheme of Elder politics…no one other than…
Mycroft searched the crowd for Elder Pazzi; the older vampire was harder to find than he expected, he was not in discussion with any of the others. Finally, Mycroft found him, standing alone across the room from them, his gaze firmly locked on the Count, something so satisfied in his gaze that Mycroft himself shivered. Perhaps Dracula was right, and they were in danger, but Pazzi would be a complete fool to try to pull a stunt in front of the Elder Council, they were better protected here than the Pope was…or perhaps…perhaps it wasn't them that was in danger.
Whipping out his phone Mycroft ignored the mutterings of his Elders, so many vampires despised these symbols of modernity, and he speed dialled Agatha's number.
"Pick up…pick up." Mycroft muttered, for once his unflappable calm was shaken, and the longer the phone rang without being answered, the more certain Mycroft was that his hunch was right.
Distracted Dracula turned back to the younger vampire, surprised to find him on his phone. "Mycroft?"
"Come on Agatha pick up the damn phone." Mycroft growled, alerting Dracula to his suspicions, and giving him a front row view of the utter horror that filled his Elder's face.
Of course…it made sense now…these weren't his feelings, they were Agatha's, their connection although muted because of the larger distance, was still stronger than most bonds and given Agatha's own talents…
Not waiting for Mycroft to reach her Dracula closed his eyes. Shutting out the bustle of the room and focusing on that delicate thread that bound Agatha to him; surprised to find that it had thickened since the last time he had used it. What was once spider thin, was now a thickly corded rope, one that Dracula could follow easily. Until he reached a barrier he couldn't hope to penetrate, it was like polished steel, and if it wasn't for the desperation of the situation Dracula might have marvelled at it. His girl was getting stronger.
Placing his hands against barrier, Dracula pleaded with it to let him through; entreating with every sweet word he could find, until finally he caught a whisper, a flicker of a feeling returned, that reassured him she was still alive. Alive but for how long and in what state?
"Count."
Blinking awake Dracula stared dumbly at the phone when Mycroft thrust it at him. Then he caught up and was clutching at the phone like a life line. "Agatha?"
"I'm alright…I'm ok…There was an attack but I'm ok."
The initial relief at hearing Agatha's voice was overwhelming, Dracula had never been so pleased to hear her speak, but when her words registered with him he felt that relief vanish, and rage take its place. He could barely force out his question, his jaw clenched so tightly it might have cracked under the pressure.
"Who?"
"Vlad…" Agatha began, able to hear the fury in his voice, her attempts to calm him washed away when Dracula spoke over her.
"Who was it Agatha, vampire or mortal?"
"It wasn't the Harker Foundation, they were vampires…"
"They? There was more than one?" Dracula couldn't hide his incredulity. To take down one assassin was impressive, but to defend herself against multiples, well Dracula was honestly surprised, delighted but surprised nonetheless.
"It…it's complicated…I did something…something I can't explain on the phone, but it scared the other two off. Vlad it was Pazzi he ordered the attack, the one I dealt with told me, and he wasn't…capable…of lying about it."
There was so much in what Agatha wasn't saying that intrigued him, but the moment she mentioned Pazzi's name, Dracula saw red, all other considerations went out of the window. He turned to stare across the room at the other Elder who had been watching the exchange with macabre delight.
"Sir don't. You can't." Mycroft knew what Dracula was going to do a second before he could move, and with unexpected speed, turned and put himself directly in the path between the two vampires, breaking the line of sight between them.
"Move Mycroft." Dracula growled.
"No sir not here, think about how it will look."
"I don't give two fucks how it will look, that bastard has to pay."
"And he will but not at the expense of your life, or that of your family." Mycroft remained resolute, even the threat of violence towards him couldn't make him move.
"Sir you have the advantage here, please see that. Pazzi has made a mistake, he overreached himself by ordering this attack, and it failed which is humiliating in itself, but if you attack him now, then he still wins. Think of the timing, it was done deliberately to make you lose control in front of the other Elders. Pazzi doesn't just want Agatha dead, he wants to use her death to provoke you to madness, don't let him win!"
"Vlad Mycroft is right! Please for me, stay calm about this, don't give him the satisfaction. I am fine…I'm better than fine, please my love, listen to Mycroft." Agatha's voice echoed tinnyily out of the phone, which a chastised Dracula returned to his ear.
"You're really alright?"
"Not a scratch I promise."
"I will hold you to that, and I promise I will be checking thoroughly." Dracula grunted, feeling the flush of anger slowly being to dissipate. "I will be at the hotel soon, just stay safe until I get there."
"Sir…"
"Non-negotiable Mycroft." Dracula cut off before his counsel could protest and insist that he stayed. "Make up whatever excuse you want but I cannot stay here and sit opposite Pazzi's smug face for the next few hours, and not rip it off."
On the balance between ruffled feathers or bloodshed, Mycroft could concede perhaps it would be better if they left the gathering early.
"I will make our apologies, perhaps it would be best if I met you outside?"
Nodding Dracula agreed on that point, at least moving would feel like he was accomplishing something. Staying on the phone just so he could hear Agatha's reassurances Dracula headed for the nearest exit, yet he had reckoned without the persistence of a certain Italian vampire, who was clearly irritated his plan was crumbling.
"Leaving so soon Count? It must be something dreadfully important to abandon your duties like this."
Of course, Pazzi wouldn't just let him leave. Yet instead of losing control, Dracula felt an ice-cold rage overcome him. Turning he could feel an almost rictus grin take control of his face, as he channelled all of his anger into his gaze instead, and it pleased Dracula when Pazzi's smug smile flickered.
"Elder Pazzi, I wish I could say it was a delight to see you again but we both know that would be a lie, and my beloved is determined to make an honest man of me."
At the mention of Agatha, Pazzi seemed to rally, an almost covetous expression sliding over his face. "Yes…your beloved…" Only the way Pazzi sneered over the word beloved, it was clear he really meant whore. "She is well I hope?"
Leaning in, using the full advantage of his height, Dracula dragged his bottom lip between his fangs. "Oh, she is wonderful…positively thriving." He replied, his grin growing as he watched that news sink in.
"And just between the two of us Elder." Dracula paused bringing his face down to crowd into the other vampire's. "As much as I appreciate you sending a welcome party to help Agatha feel right at home, there will be no need for any such further efforts. Agatha is perfectly capable of taking care of herself, but in case she needs further support, she has me and I take prestigious care of her wellbeing. Anyone that threatens that wellbeing…well let's just say they don't last long."
"I…I don't understand what you are implying Count."
"Hmm." Dracula snorted, Pazzi was lying, he could smell it on him. "Well let's keep it that way. Now please excuse me and do pass on my best wishes to your family. Agatha and I are so looking forward to seeing them again." Dracula added with a toothy grin as he backed towards the door, leaving Pazzi to gape after him.
He had wasted enough time playing games with these vampires. It was time for the games to stop and for the warlord to return; Dracula was declaring war on House Pazzi and these spoilt children wouldn't know what hit them.
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