After wandering the deserted streets she found the road to the Rhan's farm. Climbing the two steps to the door, she heard voices coming from inside. Her parents were talking to someone.
Mrs. Rhan's voice sounded in the house, "Michael, you come here and sit down"
Michael? Who was Michael? Adrian sits down under the window and listens to them talk.
Mr. Rhan cut in, "Yes, sit down. Listen to us, it is very important that you come inside before it gets dark. There will be no playing outside after dark."
Mrs. Rhan was talking quickly now, almost frightened. "We will lock all the doors. All the doors, and the windows. They all will be locked."
"There is nothing to worry about." He was talking soft now.
"Don't tell him there is nothing to worry about!"
"There is nothing to worry about."
"There is something to worry about!"
"ok..." He attempts to sooth her.
"Listen to me, this is very important!"
He starts talking, cutting Mrs. Rhan off. "When there are chores to do, you finish them before it gets dark. I don't want to see you out in the darkness...."
The talking faded away as Adrian moved out from under the window and stood, leaning against the house. Her new family adopted another kid to take her place after only a few days. She walked down the path jumping the fence into the field. The dogs were the first to greet her, running at her then yipping and growling nervously before they went on their way. Stepping into the barn, there was a shift of horses kicking at their stall doors and snorting as she passed. One stall at the end of the hall was strangely quiet. Adrian looked down into the stall to find Jetta lying down, head down, nibbling on some pieces of hay. Adrian smiles down at the horse, "Hey Jetta."
The animal looks up from its midnight snack and quickly stands at the sight of once lost friend. Jetta brings her nose to Adrian's hand and nuzzles it, pushing it playfully back. Adrian picks up a handful of hay and offers it Jetta who gratefully takes it. Adrian reaches down with her free hand to pull open the door then realizes that her "parents" had made some modifications to the lock. In addition to the latch, the door was tied shut with
rope and completed with a lock that appeared so bulky it was a clear exaggeration.
"You're a prisoner too, huh?"
Jetta snorts, apparently disgusted with the new locks. Adrian finds the key to the heavy lock and takes a hatchet to the ropes. She looks at the door where she had proudly carved the name JETTA upon meeting her horse and to her disappointment the name Jetta was no longer there. In its place was the word JET and below that was 'Welcome home Michael. Meet your horse.'
Adrian was sad and furious at the same time. She flung the stall door open, startling Jetta, and wrapped an arm around the horse's neck, leading her out. "No saddle." Adrian whispers to the horse before swinging herself onto the horses back. They went flying out of the barn, Adrian guiding her with a hand on the horse's neck and a heel in the ribs. Adrian knew where she and Jetta both wanted to go and gave one last hard kick, charging the fence. In a swift leap they were both out of that little pen and running wild in the world. Adrian held on to Jetta, knowing better then try to stop her or take control. Jetta turned suddenly and ran into the dark forest. The branches of dead trees hung threateningly low over their heads waiting for the moment when they could knock the rider from the horse. Every now and then a branch would whip across Adrian's bare flesh leaving a red welt behind which would fade a few moments later.
After almost and hour of running, Jetta slowed to a stop. Adrian had wrapped both her arms around Jetta's neck in an effort to stay on. She lifts her head out of the horse's mane and opens her eyes. They weren't in the forest anymore but the darkness still made her blind for a moment. There was an awful smell lingering in the area, as if there was a dead animal nearby. Calming Jetta, Adrian jumps to the ground and took only a few steps forward before her feet were in something cool and wet. Her eyes grow accustom to the darkness and at the smallest glance of what was before her she turns away and falls to her knees vomiting. Once there was nothing else to bring up, she braced herself and turned back to what was once a body. It looked like a giant ice cream scooper had removed everything, starting at the heart and ending at the hips leaving only the mangled spine visible. The face of the man was no longer there. In its place was a bowl of old dead blood. There were body parts and pieces of flesh missing. The warm blood was cooling under her legs as she sat, still on her knees.
"Not a bad job, although I would have enjoyed bringing about his death myself. If I had known you would rid me of the Valerious' I wouldn't have sent my brides to find you." His voice was cold and mocking but didn't faze Adrian, who was still in shock from the death.
"I did this?" She asked softly, confused.
There was only silence behind her.
It all finally sunk in as she quietly gasped out, "I did this..."
She sat quietly until Dracula's dark, seductive voice spoke from behind her, "Ride with me." Adrian shook her head no slowly, though inside she wanted him to hold her, for anyone to hold her and make all the bad things go away. But Dracula was a vampire, as was Marishka, they live off the pain and death of others. Adrian wasn't like that, she would never have peace with them. "Who do you have now orphan? The parents you spoke of have found another to replace you and the village will think of you as either murderer or dead. Also, I can not protect you from my brides with you out of my reach."
She turns her head to look at Dracula and sees him a top Jetta, watching her with emotionless eyes. She stands shakily, not really trusting her legs. Scanning his face, there was no trace of mind games to make her go to him but knew if she went with him, she would loose her freedom to him and he would use mind tricks when ever he felt like it. Dracula plucked Adrian off the ground, placing her in front of him on the horse. Untying his cape, he placed it over her shoulders, barely touching her and pulled it around her practically naked body. He kicked the horse and sent them galloping through the forest
towards the castle on the horizon.
The large doors open as Dracula walks dramatically through the corridors, Adrian in his arms. Screeching echoes through out the halls, signaling that the brides were coming. Dracula paid no mind as Aleera, Verona, and Marishka landed around him, mewing and reaching out at him as he walks. Verona grips Adrian by the ankle and traces a sharp nail over the spots where blood had crusted on her leg. Marishka steps between Adrian and Verona, causing an up roar of hisses.
"Silence!" Dracula booms, stooping the quarreling of his brides and having them step back up a wall whimpering, even the girl in his arms sunk down as if expecting a blow. He sets Adrian down beside him and speaks again, "No one is to harm the child as long as she is with me." He looks to Marishka, and almost as if commanded, she goes to him. He stands before her and speaks softly. "You begged for this orphan to be yours. She will age until the wolf makes her immortal one day."
The joy shone in Marishka's eyes as she flung her arms around his neck, kissing and nuzzling him. She turns to Adrian and kneels down, placing a kiss on her forehead. Adrian grips her hand, "Please take me with you." she whispers.
"Leave us." Dracula orders his brides and with out argument they leave. Adrian attempts to slip away while Dracula has his back turned but when she turns around to run, he appears in front of her. "Leaving again, Adrian?"
Adrian takes a step back, "I will not follow you to my doom."
In a quick motion he had flung her over his shoulder. "You don't have to follow." Adrian kicked and screamed as he carried her down the hall. Stopping at one door, it opens on its own revealing a dark room. There was no light and reminded her of looking into a cave, Dracula carries her into the room and the door closes behind them.