Chapter 9
We sat in complete silence. It had been what seemed like hours since he and I had spoken. I stole a quick glance at the Count, who sat opposite me at the table. I could feel his eyes boring holes into me, as I took small spoonfuls of food to eat. The awkward silence made me crazy.
"Stop looking at me." I said suddenly. He unexpectedly began to laugh. I glared at him angrily. "What is so funny?" I asked angrily.
"How can I help but not look at you, Christine?" he answered in reply. He smiled sardonically before continuing. "You are the only other person here. What do you expect me to do?" he asked.
"I expect you to not glare at me as if you have never seen another woman before in your life." I answered in reply. I pushed my plate of food away, and stood. "I think I will go to my room now." He laughed even louder at this. Fuming, I shoved the chair away and quickly began to head towards the entrance. He rose from his seat, and ran after me, stopping me at the door.
"My apologies, Christine." He said. "But it is terribly rude for you to leave without graciously thanking your host for the meal you have eaten." I glared at him angrily.
"You always mean to offend me somehow, don't you?" I asked in reply. I tried to push my way around him, but he refused to move. "Let me by." I said simply. He sneered angrily at me in response.
"You will leave when I am ready for you to leave." He said simply, his voice dripping with venom. He pushed me roughly away from the doorway. "I am not done with you yet. Don't you want to know what my plans are?" I shook my head in defiance.
"I don't want to know about anything that has to do with you, Count." I said simply.
He turned to the doors, shutting them roughly behind him, without even raising a hand to do so. My eyes widened in shock as he turned to face me.
"You and I are inevitably tied, Christine. Our histories will forever be that way, as the Valerious family fate is indelibly tied to my own." He said. I narrowed my eyes in confusion. "You cannot just leave and expect to never hear of me again. Wherever you go, you will always know me. You will forever know what I have done to you and your own. Until your dying day." He said.
"I hate you." I answered in response. "You have no inkling of the depths of my hatred for you." I said. He shrugged his shoulders and walked to the table once again, taking a seat.
"I understand that." He said in response. Fuming, I turned and walked to the opposite wall, towards the large fireplace. I fell to the floor. Staring into the dark, soot covered walls of the old structure. I could feel Dracula behind me. I could feel his strong gaze at my back.
"Have you decided what you are to do with me?" I asked simply, never pulling my gaze from the chimney. He smiled and rose from his seat and approached me. I could feel a cold chill run down my spine as he drew near.
"It is all up to you, dear." He said, standing behind me. I felt the rush of cool air as he knelt on the floor behind me. "I am still considering what your fate will be." He continued. I did not reply to his comment. I kept my eyes locked on the soot-covered chimney. It was minutes before he ventured another comment.
"Perhaps I should enjoy a taste of you now…" he said suddenly. My body flew up in surprise, not anticipating his sudden decision. I felt my back press tightly against the cool bricks of the fireplace. He sneered angrily. "I've made my decision." He continued.
"There really is no need to keep you alive now." He said simply. "I have been thinking on it for quite a while. All the time I was glaring at you, ironically." He continued. His eyes darkened in anger as he glared at me. "God only knows how much I hate you." He said. My hands fumbled behind me, grabbing a spoke that had been left after the last fire.
He rushed me suddenly, grabbing me firmly around the waist. My eyes widened in shock as he perused me for a few moments. With a free hand, he suddenly reached up and pulled my head to the side, exposing the tender flesh of my neck. It was then with all my might that I hit him with the spoke. He cried out in pain, shoving me away from him. I fell back, hitting my head against the pointed edge of the fireplace. I reached back, touching the spot, and feeling the hot wetness I knew would be blood. He sneered at me angrily.
"How dare you have the audacity to do that!" he yelled angrily. I pulled my hand away from my head to see the blood covering it. He smiled. Approaching, he quickly grabbed my hand, looking at the blood. "You've received you just deserts." He said simply. I tried to pull my hand away, but held it only tighter. He brought my hand up to touch his lips. I could hear him as he smelled my blood. Suddenly, he licked my hand. I jumped in surprise. He looked up and smiled.
"Let go of me." I said, pulling my hand away from him. He smiled and allowed me to go.
"Perhaps I will keep you alive, if only for a little longer." He said. I had reached the door, and I opened it. He suddenly called to me, stopping me in my tracks. "Don't you want to know how you taste?" he asked. I hurried from the room, angry beyond belief.