The dinner table was set with more food than Anna had ever seen and as she entered the dining room her breath caught in her throat. Dracula was standing beside the table.
"You look stunning," he said.
She couldn't, wouldn't, look at him. She crossed to a chair, sat in it, and reached out for a glass of water, which she began to sip nervously. Dracula sighed and sat directly opposite her, gently rubbing her leg with his foot.
"Stop it," she whispered, moving her chair back.
"Look at me, Anna," he purred.
"No."
Her eyes were teary, and she closed them, lowering her head.
"Anna, look at me," he repeated, more firmly.
"I will not look at you, undead scum," she said.
She froze as he was suddenly behind her, his hands on her bare shoulders. She felt her arms become pimply. Tears rolled uncontrollably down her cheeks.
"Why won't you look at me, Anna?" Dracula asked slowly. "Is it because you despise me? Or is it because you fear looking into me, I mean really seeing me, and deciding you do love me, and that I can make you happy?"
"Gabriel," she whispered, forcing herself to think about Van Helsing. She loved him, he loved her, he would save her from this torture...
"Gabriel cannot make you complete as I can," he sneered.
Then suddenly she was attacking him again, flying over the back of the chair, beating wildly with her fists, kicking with her legs, screaming, sobbing...
All of her energy melted as he held her tightly. She collapsed pathetically in his arms, sobbing into his shoulder. He stroked her hair, held her so lovingly... all of her anger melted, everything seemed blurred, Gabriel...
"Look at me, Anna," whispered Dracula.
"Vladislaus," she moaned, looking up.
She looked into his eyes. It was like looking back into Heaven. All of her thoughts seemed to fade into insignificance as he lowered his mouth to her's, and kissed her so gently...
"You look stunning," he said.
She couldn't, wouldn't, look at him. She crossed to a chair, sat in it, and reached out for a glass of water, which she began to sip nervously. Dracula sighed and sat directly opposite her, gently rubbing her leg with his foot.
"Stop it," she whispered, moving her chair back.
"Look at me, Anna," he purred.
"No."
Her eyes were teary, and she closed them, lowering her head.
"Anna, look at me," he repeated, more firmly.
"I will not look at you, undead scum," she said.
She froze as he was suddenly behind her, his hands on her bare shoulders. She felt her arms become pimply. Tears rolled uncontrollably down her cheeks.
"Why won't you look at me, Anna?" Dracula asked slowly. "Is it because you despise me? Or is it because you fear looking into me, I mean really seeing me, and deciding you do love me, and that I can make you happy?"
"Gabriel," she whispered, forcing herself to think about Van Helsing. She loved him, he loved her, he would save her from this torture...
"Gabriel cannot make you complete as I can," he sneered.
Then suddenly she was attacking him again, flying over the back of the chair, beating wildly with her fists, kicking with her legs, screaming, sobbing...
All of her energy melted as he held her tightly. She collapsed pathetically in his arms, sobbing into his shoulder. He stroked her hair, held her so lovingly... all of her anger melted, everything seemed blurred, Gabriel...
"Look at me, Anna," whispered Dracula.
"Vladislaus," she moaned, looking up.
She looked into his eyes. It was like looking back into Heaven. All of her thoughts seemed to fade into insignificance as he lowered his mouth to her's, and kissed her so gently...