Chapter 8
I recoiled as he said this, turning and running to the front door of his castle. I reached the door and opened it, finding on the other side, only woods and total darkness. He came to my side, smiling.
"You can leave any time you wish. But I warn you now. Those woods are among the most dangerous in the country." He said. The Count chuckled quietly to himself, before turning around and heading in the opposite direction, up the stairs. I shut the door behind me and watched him in stunned silence.
"How do you expect to keep me here?" I asked. His foot had just reached the first step. He turned his gaze on me and smiled.
"I don't expect to keep you here." He said simply. "I intend to kill you when the time is right. Of course I won't do it now, perhaps I will even let you go." He said. "It all depends on what my whim is." He looked away, and quickly began to climb the stairs. "Oh yes, I almost forgot to tell you. I have some clothes for you to wear to dinner tonight. I have a small party to attend, and I would like you by my side." Laughing, he headed up stairs and disappeared into the darkness of the hallway, leaving me alone.
I looked around, not knowing where I should take my first step. All around me lay complete darkness. Massive candles burned as well, casting some shadow to light. I took a pensive step forward, surprised at not seeing anything suddenly show its foul face. A feeling of dread immediately infected my senses, and I hastened up the stairs, following in Dracula's footsteps.
I reached the top stair, stopping and looking behind me for a moment. I heard Dracula's voice boom loudly above me. I looked up, astonished at hearing his voice. I did not find him anywhere.
"Down the hallway. Pass a few doorways on your left. In the forth room you will find a warm bath drawn for you, as well as a fresh change of clothes." I still looked for him in every shadow, trying to catch a glimpse of him in every corner. "Go!" he roared. I ran down the hallway, finding the room he told me of and slamming the door shut behind me. I had heard the hastened steps of someone behind me, screeching its voice and laughing loudly. Just as I shut the door behind me, I felt its hinges creak as something lunged it's full weight against it. I fell away from the door, and heard as it scampered away, still screeching loudly in triumph. My heart beat so loudly in my chest at this point that I felt it would kill me.
"If he doesn't kill me first, I think my heart will…" I muttered silently to myself, holding my heaving chest. It took a few moments before my breathing calmed. I looked around the room surprised to see it as lavishly decorated as it was.
The room was kept in complete silence, it seemed almost as if it had become a shrine over the years. A sweet scent perfumed the air as I walked about, touching everything I saw.
It took an instant before I found the gown he had told me of, a deep blue color he had chosen. I noticed a flash of blue as I scanned the room, and found it lying out carefully on the bed. Gold decorated the bodice, the neckline low enough to show a hint of my chest. Outlining the hem of the gown, I found gold stitching. It shimmered in the night. Beside the gown, I found a diamond of deep blue, on a simple gold chain. It was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. Something that I never once would think I could ever possibly own. My gaze soon rested on the gown once again as I picked it up, finding the fabric to be much heavier than it looked. I was enthralled. The gold threading gleamed everywhere. Small intricate stitches of vines had been sewn onto the hipline. How could he have possibly afforded such a thing?
My eyes still wandered everywhere, drinking in every small detail of the room I now inhabited. Enormous portraits hung on the wall. Each was elegantly painted with what most likely could have been a single strand of hair from a brush. The smallest detail had been captured and immortalized in every painting. Amazed, I looked at the beautiful furniture about me, some hundreds of years older than I was. I had become afraid to move. I feared that if I did, all this would become a mere hallucination and would shatter into a million pieces.
I put the gown down gently and walked slowly towards the adjoining room. In there I found an enormous tub, filled to the brim with steaming water. Perfumes and soaps were carefully laid out everywhere surrounding it. A large crimson towel hung beside the door, ready for use. This room was even more dimly lit than the other rooms, small candles barely lighting the shadows and dark floors. I entered the room cautiously and approached the tub. Picking up a jar, I inhaled the scent of the oil inside, finding the scent sweet and floral. It was luscious smelling, the most perfumed scent I had ever owned. I put it down gently and walked to the towel. I found it to be as soft as it could possibly be, large enough to wrap completely around myself.
It took a few moments before I decided to undress and wash myself. I picked up my once beautiful green gown as I took it off, finding along the neckline a remnant of the blood that had been shed. I folded it neatly on the floor, and completely undressed before climbing into the tub and feeling it's warmth surround my shaking body. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw my clothing lifted, being carried away by a dark shadow. I jumped in fear, not understanding what was happening. It lay my clothing gently into a basket, before turning it's featureless face towards me. It disappeared after a moment, never once even trying to attack me.
An intriguing sensation had washed over me as I lay there, I felt as if I were now safe from the world, safe from anyone that wanted to hurt me. A false sense of security had now assaulted my senses. I let my hair down entirely and slid my head completely under the water, wetting my hair and face. I opened my eyes under the warm liquid, looking up at the scene painted on the ceiling. A scene of a man and woman dancing was what I found. The color was as bright as it must have been when it was first painted.
It brought with it images of Velkan, quickening my heart. I knew not why. He was only a man, after all. I hadn't even known him a day. I pushed the images of him from my mind and I lifted my head from beneath the water, taking a deep breath as I emerged. My senses seemed open to every new sensation. I closed my eyes.
We were dancing. I was being led around the dance floor in a dizzying waltz. I looked up, finding Velkan's smiling eyes looking back at me. My heart resumed its crazy rhythm, as he led me faster and faster on the dance floor. I looked down, seeing the floor spin beneath my feat, I felt myself being lifted. I wore the blue gown, it shimmering and gleaming in the night. His hand was wrapped firmly around my waist, his other tightly around my hand. My hand gripped his shoulder firmer and tighter. Then I felt the rhythm of his feet slow, we stopped. He leaned in to kiss me, and I struggled to break free. Dracula's face had now replaced his.
My eyes snapped open as I woke from my reverie. I heard the chime of a clock, striking one o'clock in the morning. It had been over half an hour since I had stepped into the water. It still gently warmed my skin. My heart still beat quickly from my dream. I lay there for what seemed like an eternity before rising and reaching for my towel. I wrapped it tightly around myself. I was alone, I realized slowly. I was alone in this house of dreams and fantasies, with no apparent way of making an escape.
Some time later, I found a mirror, smiling into it as I wore the new gown. It fit perfectly. Memories of how I had gotten here had been completely forgotten as I spun around once, admiring how the folds of the fabric fell perfectly into place. I had not put the necklace on yet. It lay still where it had been placed on the bed. My hair I wore braided highly on my head. Two small curls lay free, barely touching my shoulders.
So intrigued I was with my reflection in the mirror, that I had not realized the Count had entered the room. He picked up the diamond silently and approached me from behind, smiling all the while. I did not see him in the reflection of the mirror, so pleased with myself I was. I felt his cold hand brush aside the loose strands of hair. I looked back, startled, finding him there, smirking.
"It looks beautiful, does it not?" he asked, never once breaking his stare. He wrapped his arms around me and put the necklace on. I felt as if it completed me. His fingers traced the length of my collarbone, sending chills up my spin. "You look so perfect…" he murmured. "Velkan Valerious would weep if he saw you…" My gaze shot up to meet his.
"Why do you obsess yourself with the elder Valerious?" I asked. He laughed quietly, brushing his hand against my cheek.
"Because you do." He said simply. "Do not think that I do not realize that. You fantasize about him, and you haven't even known him a full day…" he said sneering angrily. I looked away, glancing at myself in the mirror.
"You think yourself beautiful, don't you?" he asked. "And at the same time you wonder why you cannot see me in the mirror as well." He said. I turned to face him.
"You were the one that put images of Velkan Valerious into my head." I said accusingly. "It was you all along." He smiled and walked away from me.
"I didn't put the thought into your head. I merely acted it out. You want him even though you know you can't have him. " He said simply. I glowered at him, and he turned to face me once again. Chuckling, he gestured to me. "You have known of him since you were a child, and for some reason or another it seems that you have believed yourself to be the only person to be at his side. What is it about him that intrigues you so?" he asked.
"How do you know this!" I yelled angrily. "Stop this talk at once! I will not answer your questions." I said my voice firm with the order. He laughed quietly before responding.
"Is it because he hunts me? Hunts my kind?" he asked. "What a tragic twist of fate it would be if the cold Valerious heart were to warm to you? How deliciously sweet it would be to kill you and watch his face wilt with agony. Perhaps I will keep you alive. Perhaps I will…"
"Go away." I said angrily. He leered at me in response.
"I want you to feel exactly as I felt." He said. "I want you to fantasize and dream as I did, so long ago of Charlotte. It happens to be convenient that you find yourself infatuated with Velkan Valerious." He said simply. I glared at him angrily.
"And why me?" I asked. He smiled.
"Because you happened to be there at the time." He replied. I shook my head and walked to the door, he followed behind me. The fantasy had been shattered.
"Come." He said, holding his arm out to me. I did not move an inch as he stood there. "Now do not be so infuriated with me. I was merely playing with you." He said.
"Never speak to me of that man again." I said simply. "I do not want to hear his name." He smiled in response.
"As you wish." He said simply.