Disclaimer: Nope. Still not mine. Big surprise.
Well, I'm updating soon this time! (For once, lol.) I actually have some free time so here's chappie 11. Another short one I'm afraid, but Drac's back! I apologize for the long waits in updating, and for the shortness of this chappie, but what can I say? There's only 2 more chappies after this one and I can't give 'em to you all at once! Well, I guess I could, but where's the fun in that?
Lady Kathrin: I love the fact that you love my story, lol. I told you Phantom rocked! And I have heard that both the movie and the book for Girl with a Pearl Earring are good, but I haven't seen the movie or read the book, so I wouldn't know. Anywho, I hope you like this chappie even though it's short, and I'll update again soon. Maybe tomorrow…
Countess Alana: You saw Phantom on Broadway?! I HATE you! Jk, lol. It was definitely sad. Erik is such a tragic character! I cried at the end. And in the name of all that is holy, UPDATE PLEASE! Anytime now would be good, lol.
Luthien Anwamane: DRAC'S BACK! WOOT! I promised him so here he is! Sorry it's so short though…I feel really bad about that. I'll just have to update again soon to make me feel better then, won't I? lol I'm glad you have such faith in me…I'll try to live up to your expectations, lol. Enjoy!
Roselynn: A new reviewer! YAY! Your reviews made me laugh and I'm so happy you like my story. I hope you like thischappie as much as all the others!
Christine Marquez: Gah! Don't yell at me; I'm updating, I'm updating! And this counts as soon right? My apologies for making you wait, and for these short chappies…I really feel bad about it. Anyway, I hope you like this chappie (even though it is, once again, short) and I promise I'll update again as soon as I can. Which should be soon. In theory.
Charlie Quill: I appreciated your review, but I'm a little confused. Did you like that last chappie or not? It's okay if you didn't, I mean, I can't please everybody, but I couldn't tell if you were being sarcastic or not. (Looks down in embarrassment at my stupidity)
Thanks again to all of you who reviewed! Here's chappie 11 for you.
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Chapter 11
Walking through that mirrored wall was probably one of the weirdest sensations I've ever had in my entire life. And I've had some weird ones. It was like being held, suspended in thick JELL-O, and it felt like everything had just stopped, time, my life, everything. I couldn't hear much of anything but my own breathing echoing in my ears. That was the only way I knew I was even still alive. I think that if I hadn't kept moving forward, kept slogging through that icy gelatinous whatever it was, I would still be standing there, frozen.
And thank God Van Helsing talked me into bringing a cloak and other extra layers. When he said it was cold, he meant cold. You may think you know cold, but you have no idea. Wait until you've stood in the icy wind and snow in front of a gigantic castle about to face the most evil thing on the earth, then come and talk to me about cold. I could only take a few steps towards the towering castle doors before I became completely frozen by the frigid tendrils of the wind that seemed to blow right through my very being as if I were nothing. Van Helsing and Carl followed me through the door, Van Helsing boldly walking through, while Carl hung back as long as possible. Van Helsing walked up behind me, put his arm around me, and propelled me towards the doors in front of me. I don't know whether he thought I was really frozen from the cold, or whether he thought I was too afraid to walk; either way, Van Helsing seemed hell-bent on making sure I got to those doors.
We reached that enormous portal, sooner than both Carl and I had wanted, and stood there looking at it. I turned to Van Helsing. "Umm, this may be a stupid question...but how do you get in?" I looked back at the impenetrable doors in front of us.
"Well," Van Helsing began, "How did you get in?"
"Dracula transported me inside. How did you get in?"
"You let us in, remember? I almost ran you over!"
"No, not that time, of course I remember! I meant last time, with Anna!" I said, my nervousness and frustration causing me to raise my voice.
"As I recall," Carl cut in, "Van Helsing had werewolf venom in his veins, causing him to have much more strength than usual. He kind of, just picked us up and jumped over the doors through that little window there. See it?" He pointed way up to the top of the entryway.
"Great." I said, "I don't know about you, but I don't think Van Helsing is up for any Superman tricks right now." (A/N: You know, 'leaps tall buildings in a single bound'? Superman? Clark Kent? Oh, forget it, never mind.)
"So, what do we do?" Carl asked, half curious and half hopeful that this meant we could go home.
"I'm working......on it." Van Helsing began, when suddenly the doors began to open by themselves. We walked in, Van Helsing leading the way. Then, the doors just as suddenly slammed shut behind us. Typical, I thought. What else would they do? But there was no more time for thought because in the center of the hall where we stood was Dracula, waiting for us, it seemed.
"Gabriel, so nice to see you again. And Andrea, I knew you couldn't stay away." Dracula chuckled and walked towards us. While our attention was focused on him, a darker shadow moved within the shadows to our left, then leaped out at us. It was a werewolf! Apparently Dracula had been busy with his old hobbies again. Well, no matter, I thought, as the werewolf stood snarling in front of us. Van Helsing will quickly dispatch it and that will be that. I glanced at Van Helsing out of the corner of my eye, and a creepy feeling came over me as I saw the worry on his face. What, what's the problem? Then, the shocking realization hit me like ice cold water. We had no silver! Not a scrap of it! We had left it all because we couldn't put the venom on it! All this passed through my mind so quickly, I barely had time to process it before I heard Van Helsing's voice.
"Run, Andrea!" I took off to the right down a hallway running as fast as I could. I could hear something behind me, and assumed it was Carl and Van Helsing. But I soon came to realize that they had gone another way with the werewolf following them, when I ducked into a room, turned around and saw Dracula standing calmly behind me. He smiled, but his cold eyes held no happiness or mirth. He advanced towards me, and then I remembered, my sword! I whipped it out and faced him, trying to hide my fear.
Dracula began to laugh. "When will you people learn? You can't kill me, you can't even hurt me. I'm–"
"Already dead. I know." I spun around and flashed the blade toward his face. He screamed, an unearthly, horrible sound from the depths of hell, and when I looked, there was a slash down his cheek from my sword that was already starting to fester and burn. Dracula looked up at me, once again in control of himself, but now his eyes were filled with anger. His cheek had only partially healed and he touched it gingerly.
"Werewolf venom on your blade. How clever. But you will not succeed in destroying me. It didn't work last time. What do you have that Anna didn't that would make this outcome any different?" The color of his eyes and his tone of voice changed slightly as he tried to gain control of me with his mind. "By now your friends will be dead, and what will you do now?"
I then remembered my job as "Dracula distraction" in this little charade and figured that this was the perfect opportunity to start. And I hate to say it, but it was hard for me to put up much of a fight anyway. My nerves were too frazzled, I was too tired. A part of me screamed to look away, shut him out! But another and unfortunately bigger part of me wanted to run into his arms and never have to think or worry ever again. And I was so tired......No!
The battle waging inside of me must have been plain on my face as tears sprang from my eyes. Dracula, seeing that I was weakening, forced a little more of his controlling mind upon me, concentrated a little harder, but, before he took complete control of me, I decided to act like he'd already won. So, the next thing Dracula and I knew, my sword had fallen from my limp hand and I had rushed into his waiting arms. Much of my free will was lost due to mental exhaustion, but I still had some control over my actions. I was still sobbing, being the great actress that I am, and I clung to him, shuddering. Ugh, I can't believe I have to do this! I thought, as Dracula ran a hand lightly up my spine to rest amid my numerous curls.
"There, there, my dear." Dracula whispered, smiling smugly in his supposed triumph over me. "All will be well soon enough." He held on to me, as my sobs quieted, and slowly, we lifted off the floor and, floating, glided out of the room.
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Next chappie will be up soon, I promise, and it's longer than this one so that's good, right? Please review and I'll have chappie 12 up ASAP…only two more chappies to go! It makes me kinda sad…but there could be a sequel depending on what you guys think… Anyway, bye for now!
Gem