Author's Note: It's attack of the shameless filler! Let's see, I'm sure I ripped from someone: my RP buddy first dubbed Ari "Wings" so apologies to her and to Alex for ripping it and giving it Isaiah. Nancy Springer's I am Mordred inspired this chapter, as did the Alamo. Heh, enjoy and review.
Chapter Ten: The Svengali
Dracula became aware of his Brides' presences before they appeared and despite himself, he stood to walk to the French doors. He ignored the Prince's curious stare and Isaiah's pause in pacing. They didn't matter. Fallon was in pain, deep terrible pain that brought tears to his eyes and forced him to look away to avoid appearing weak towards the Dark Prince or the clan leader Isaiah. Reaching out with his will, he took Fallon and comforted her as best he could, while at the same time feeling Tale's anger and feeding that. He would have his revenge for what Gabriel, and the renegades Vampires had done to his bride.
And finally, he could feel Erised. Her will was still resisting him but he could sense her despair. She was losing, and she knew it. Dracula smiled smugly. He reached out again, into her mind and taking the information he needed. Her mind was screaming in protest from this violation and he could feel her anger coupled with the memory before. First, men had taken her body without her consent, now he was taking her soul.
Dracula almost pitied her.
But, that didn't matter, for her will was already conforming to his. She offered up her knowledge for his pleasure and his use: Gabriel had tapped a werewolf to combat him, and the renegades that had challenged him were scattered. According to his wishes, the Brides had attacked the Hotel, and slaughtered the children…
No…
Dracula growled in frustration as he spun about as the two brides flew into the window, returning to their human forms and bowing before him. Tale stood as soon as the bow was complete and steadied Fallon who was too weak to raise. Finally, Erised appeared, standing and looking directly into Dracula's eyes.
"You've betrayed me. I ordered their punishment and you failed me."
"I will not slaughter innocents for your whim." She whispered softly.
Dracula waved his hand dismissively at her. Ari seized up, paling as she fell to her knees, cradling her stomach and screaming from the pain that Dracula flooded her with. Dracula glanced back towards his guests, curious. Although no reaction could be seen behind the alabaster mask, the Dark Prince had made stopped himself just shy of intervening between Dracula and Ari. Isaiah was more contained, having not moved at all but his face shone with his disgust.
He ignored them, forcing instead on Ari and turning his voice momentarily cold. "You no longer have a choice, do you understand? All your answers and all your dreams are what I say they are, daughter. From now on...you are mine. Understand?"
Ari shuttered and choked out the words that came. Dracula could feel her will already bowing to his, her eagerness to please her Master. "Forgive me…"
Dracula released her from the pain and kneeled down to pick her up. Folding her into his arms, he kissed her deeply, soothing her through the power of his will. She smiled and pressed closer to him.
"Forgive me, Master." She murmured. "Please tell me you forgive me. I'll do whatever you wish next time…please."
He laughed as he petted her hair. "Forgiven, my Angel."
The Dark Prince rose from his seat and turned away, walking to close the curtains of wide windows. There was no emotion that escaped from his mask but turning back, he stared at Ari's head for a moment, before looking up to Dracula and speaking warningly. "Touching. But if you can pull yourself from your slave long enough, Rene, my Lord demands answers."
"I'm busy." Dracula said, carefully. He turned away from Ari, but allowed her to wrap her arm around his waist before motioning for Isaiah to rise. Tale had helped Fallon up and presently both brides edged closer to their Master. "You can tell the Dark Lord I am doing what he wants. Eoin was merely a tragic victim of war."
Ari's voice was barely above a whisper. "Eoin?"
"He was trying to save you." The Prince replied. He turned to Isaiah. "But this one fed him to the Brides. He lies near death in his home now."
Ari turned, staring a long time at Isaiah. No emotion passed over her face, or in her eyes but Isaiah stepped back and looked down. Ari swallowed, and turned back to Dracula. "It doesn't matter." She told the Prince, leaning up and kissing Dracula passionately. "Nothing else matters outside my mission." There was a small beat. "And my orders."
Isaiah rose now, staring hatefully at Dracula. "What was the order?" He demanded.
Dracula looked over and smiled. He had Isaiah exactly where he wanted him. Now, he would teach the Vampire a lesson for daring to attempt to double-cross him. Turning back, he motioned to Ari. "Tell him."
Ari lifted her chin, "The Master knows that Gabriel and I have secured the rouge werewolf, Remus to attempt to defeat him. To that end, Master arranged for me to attack the Grand Marquis in order to draw your clan and the others out. St. Michael will plant the necessary information to bring them to a location of my Master's choosing. And then it will be time to end this game of hide-and-seek."
Isaiah's face became haunted as he struggled to find words that didn't dare appear. "What sort of attack?"
"Stella's dead." She whispered, looking down and finally pulling away from Dracula. "But don't worry. She'll have company soon."
"It's a trap." Isaiah whispered, glancing at the Dark Prince. "What of the non-aggression pack? I have Voldemort's word my clan would not harmed…"
"I didn't harm them. Dracula did." The Prince whispered carelessly, motioning to the Count. "If you're mad, blame him."
Isaiah made a motion to turn away, but at the last moment he double backed, throwing Dracula and swatting with one hand. Startled, the Prince, jumped back just in time, throwing his hands up in surrender and grinning under his mask. Ari had also jumped away, towards the Prince, and threw out her arm in front of the Prince. To protect the Prince, or keep him from joining, Dracula didn't know but it didn't matter, in the next beat Fallon and Tale had jumped towards Isaiah pulling him off. Fallon hissed and struck at Isaiah's neck like a tiger, ripping at the throat and pulling away with a triumph howl.
Isaiah was on his knees, struggling for air, hand to his throat as if he was trying to keep the blood from gushing forward. He forced himself to his feet, forcing out the words fueled by sheer hate. "They'll kill you."
"Perhaps, but you won't see it." Dracula whispered. "Tale, bring him. I'm sure the Dark Lord can keep him for a day till I'm through with his clan. Then he'll be free to go."
"What about our arrangement, Wings?" Isaiah whispered to Erised, "In your Master's grand plan, where do I fit into the deal?"
Ari paused, looking up. "It's been altered. Pray nothing else changes."
There was nothing on Isaiah's face for a moment, nor would it change when he was hauled to his feet, with each arm taken by a Bride. He seemed to no longer care about his injury or even the fate of his friends. Instead, he was just watching her, with a calm dispassionate look that bordered on pity and disgust. "I should have seen this coming." He whispered. "Love like yours is bought and traded after all."
"What we had was never love." She countered.
"But you do love me." He told her. "Whatever sin it is, you love me."
Ari glanced at the Prince and turned away. "Master, please take him away."
"I will; Angel and you should rest." Dracula assured her. He bowed slightly to the Prince then motioned for Tale and Fallon to bring him as they walked away. "This is your last day as a human. Prepare."
A moment after Dracula left, Erised fell to her knees in front of the Dark Prince, cradling her stomach and sobbing. The Prince stepped back; watching for a long tortured moment as she shook, and released a torrent of emotion she could not display while Count Dracula controlled her. Now, without, the emotions came unbarred and spooked the Prince who had never seen her weak.
"My love," She sobbed, "My love, forgive me. I'm not strong enough to defeat Dracula…I can't control myself. He owns me and I can't get free. Forgive me, my love." Severus flinched and for a moment thought to react. But the moment of weakness had passed somewhat, as Erised straightened up and looked up at the Prince, with dry red eyes. "I know you." She said simply.
He withdrew again, tilting his head. She could not know that under this mask hid Alexander Rouge, the great Morning Star and Miracle Maker. She could not know that her lover was not hidden and transformed. If she did, everything would change.
"You are he who makes the nations tremble." She told him. "And if there is any mercy within you for me, you'll save me now when I need you the most. I do not want this but I can't fight it."
"What would ask of me?" He whispered softly.
Ari touched her chest softly, over her heart. "Strike this."
"Your heart?"
"It's never been much use to me anyways." She said, gently. "But if it's breaking can save me from hell, then destroy it. You've done it before."
The Dark Prince blinked and turned away from her. "I'm sorry."
"It doesn't matter. Just please, release me."
"I cannot." He told her gently. "I need you alive." That said, the Dark Prince drew to his full height, pulled his cloak around him so it rippled like dark water and turned and walked away.
"I want to know where the hell she is!"
Remus blinked and stared at the Headmaster's door, which he, Gabriel, Irvan and Kuso had been waiting outside for a few minutes, debating about leaving or entering but finding themselves unable to pull themselves from listening in on an interesting rant. Remus looked over at Gabriel for the umpteenth time and for like he had all the other times, Gabriel merely shrugged and motioned to the doorknob. He clearly wasn't going to do it. In truth, neither was Remus. The wolf looked at the Vampires, expectantly.
Kuso shook his head and mouthed, "Not a chance."
Irvan grunted, and pushed pass the others, forcing open the door and walking in. The others exchanged glances and followed. Dumbledore was sitting behind his desk, and looked up, smiling as he raised his hands to greet them as if had been expecting them for a while now. Knowing Albus, he probably had.
The man who had been yelling had stopped pacing and turned to stare at them. Gabriel was the first to notice he had drawn his wand and was tapping his thigh with it. The man was attractive, with a narrow face, long nose and short cropped brown hair peppered by gray around the ears. His eyes were bright and hazel and were watching them with a curious, thoughtful look.
"Friends of yours?" He asked Albus.
Remus blinked. "Severus? Is that you?"
"Sometimes." The man offered warily. "How do you know Snape?"
"How do you know him?"
Dumbledore cleared his voice. "Jean Andre Lafayette, meet Remus Lupin, Gabriel Van Helsing and…"
"Friends." Irvan stated. Kuso gave a soft smile and nodded in affirmation.
Albus nodded, smiling. "More of Erised's friends."
"More Vampires." Jean Andre said, annoyed. He turned away from them and grunted. "That's all she's been sending me lately."
"Sending you?" Remus asked. "You've talked to her, when? What happened?"
"I received word early last night to provide safe haven to some guests of hers...come to find out, I'm harboring three Vampires who are hysterics because another Vampire has been killed! And another thing, how the hell are you two walking in the daylight?"
"The children." Irvan said, falling into a seat. "They're safe."
"I knew she couldn't have hurt them." Kuso said, grinning. "She cared too much for them."
"Erised, caring for Vampires?" Jean Andre scoffed. "You're mistaken...but back to the daylight thing."
"Where do you think she got all her love bites from, partner?" Kuso countered. "And lie down before you hurt yourself."
"Amateur." Irvan muttered.
Gabriel walked closer to Albus' desk, to study the human. It was then he caught sight of a medallion over Andre was wearing. An Angel poised to destroy a dragon that he had underfoot. "You're wearing a St. Michael's pendant."
Jean Andre tucked the necklace in, nodding. "Yeah, and?"
"That's how she sent you you're information, is it? Through St. Michael's contacts…"
"She sure doesn't pick her contacts for their brains, does she?" Irvan muttered.
"Listen, Fangs..."
Jean Andre looked over to Albus who gave him a long, pleading look. The man inhaled to quiet this temper. Begrudgingly, he turned back to Gabriel and nodded. "I am a Kaga from Hecate. I work as a go-between for Michael sometimes to run information between Albus and Hecate, and find what I can from the Underworld."
"When did you last hear from Erised?"
"A couple of hours ago. She sent me a letter, telling me to bring Albus to the location she indicated. She didn't say why."
"It's a trap." Remus announced, looking to the Vampires. "Dracula's after Dumbledore."
"No." Irvan said. "It's too obvious. Michael doesn't work in obvious."
"What do you mean?"
"It's not Dracula planning this." He said, turning his head as if someone were watching him over his shoulder. He was quiet as he studied the room, then Jean Andre and then Dumbledore. He glanced at Kuso for a long time too. "It's Ari."
"Wait a minute," Jean Andre interrupted angrily. "Dracula? Ari? What the hell is going on?"
"Dracula and the Dark Lord formed an alliance." Gabriel looked up at Jean. "Ari and I were sent to kill Dracula but she…was lost."
Jean Andre's face lost its color. "No, that's not possible…"
"I agree." Kuso said lightly. "But it looks that way."
"I don't believe it." Jean Andre said. He turned to Albus. "You can't believe this. Ari's a Kaga…your Companion. She wouldn't have betrayed you."
"Exactly." Irvan said, simply. "Just like she didn't betray the children. Not fully anyways."
"I don't understand." Gabriel asked.
"Look at it," Irvan said. "Suppose for a moment Ari is in control of her actions, and try to think like she would. She needs us to confront Dracula, so she needs our attention. She attacks the Hotel, and kills one of the children, knowing we'll go after. She knows we'll need a location so she sends the other children to Jean here, knowing he'll come to Hogwarts for answers. She also knows Gabriel would come here if she were compromised, looking for answers as well."
Remus looked startled. "She's playing us. Moving us around like chess pieces!"
Kuso was staring at his hands for a long time. "Baiting us into actions, playing on emotions, and moving it all into place." He looked up, licking his lips. "Irvan's right…wow, that sounds awkward. This is all Erised. Dracula will know to await us, and who knows who else will there?"
"So what do we do?" Remus asked.
Gabriel was watching Albus for answers. Although the Headmaster was younger then Gabriel by many years, he had long since accepted that Albus was wiser then he would ever be. Dumbledore had a way of understanding the world he could never possess, and because of that, he matters of the heart and Albus could sooth and comfort horrors no one else could even fathom.
"This could be a deliberate trap for you." Albus agreed at last. Gabriel felt his heart sink until he heard Albus speak again. "But this could also be a cry for help. She will fight for as long as she can, but this is a fight she will lose without your help." He looked down. "Go now, and they're be ready and waiting for you. Wait, and you'll lose the chance to save her."
"We'll also lose the window of opportunity for me to stop this threat before it gets any bigger." Remus said, suddenly. He glanced at Albus and shrugged. "Wouldn't want to miss out on being the hero, now would I?" He turned to the others. "What'll it be boys? Want to go play Alamo?"