Chapter 24

"What happened to you, William?!" I screamed angrily. I turned back and noticed Velkan's gaze on me, worried and thoughtful at the same time. "Why are you doing this so suddenly? What happened to you?" I asked again. William pulled me behind him forcefully, my arm badly bruising as he did this.

"I've had a change of heart." He responded, looking back at me only momentarily. Briefly, I noticed an unnatural glow of his eyes, my eyes widened in astonishment. He looked forward again, resuming our march towards the dance floor. We were quickly reaching the end of the small hallway, and I could hear Dracula's laugh as he finally saw me again. I cringed in reply.

"Anna!" I heard Velkan call loudly. "Anna run!" Dracula laughed loudly in response to this.

"It is so nice to see you again, Velkan Valerious. Tell me, how does your father fare? I am hoping he is alive. It would be a shame if he were to die naturally. I would so rather like to do it myself." He said, once we both had reached the ballroom. I looked around me like a madwoman, searching for my uncle. I did not find him anywhere. I turned to Velkan and saw his look of pure rage.

"He is perfectly alright, Dracula." Velkan responded simply. I saw him pull his arms away from the men that held him suddenly. They moved to take him again, but I saw Dracula put a hand up in assurance.

"It's alright." The Count said simply. "Stay where you are."

Dracula smirked as Velkan approached him. "Tell me," Velkan said, throwing a quick glance in my direction. "Do you take pleasure in persecuting young women? Do you enjoy seeing them suffer?" I heard Dracula's laugh.

"Of course I do." He responded. "Especially when it is she. But do not worry. She is not alone in my attentions. I am always thinking of you and your own as well. Anna has not been far from my thoughts, if that is what you have been worried about." He responded. In moments, faster than I could even think, Velkan had swung full force at Dracula, punching him squarely in the jaw. In slow motion I saw the Count's head swing back, his whole body following soon after. His hand reached for the spot where Velkan had hit him. The Count remained turned away from us, his hand on his jaw. I heard an angry growl deliberately begin to issue from him, and quite suddenly, he turned and grabbed Velkan by the throat. He sneered angrily.

"That was not a good idea, tsk tsk." He said simply. Velkan struggled in vain to release himself. Dracula threw him angrily to the ground, knocking the wind from Velkan's lungs. I yelled suddenly, seeing his limp form lay there. I tried to pull away from William, but he held me only stronger.

"Let me go!" I yelled in anger. In vain, I attempted to run away from him, but I felt him reach with his other hand up to my hair, pulling it violently. My head shot back, and I shut my eyes in pain. I reached into my skirts, pulling out a dagger.

"And what exactly are you going to do with that?" he asked, sneering. "You aren't one for weapons, cousin." He said. I sliced his hand in frustration and he released me, screaming in pain. I ran immediately to Velkan's side, and fell beside him. Dracula laughed.

"Such a touching display of affection. It almost makes me wish I had a heart." He continued. He took a sudden step towards us, and I moved closer to Velkan, shielding him with my body. I felt him stir slightly behind me, a sign of life.

"That hurt Christine!" William yelled angrily, pulling his jacket off. I looked on in shock as he tore his coat, wrapping it around his injury. He looked up at me after a moment, in a pure fury. "You are going to pay for that." He said, taking a step towards me. He was stopped immediately by the Count.

"Stay where you are!" he said angrily. I saw William's gaze shift slowly to the Count.

"God help us all if a hair on her head were harmed! We wouldn't want your new little fascination to be hurt, would we?" he said disdainfully, looking to me. "She is my cousin and all, but god, do I hate her."

"SILENCE!" Dracula bellowed suddenly, sending William still. "You will not speak to me in that manner! You do again, and I will make sure you rue the day you were ever born." He said. He slowly turned his attention back to Velkan and I.

"Where is Anna?" Velkan demanded from behind me. I turned and saw him rise slowly to a standing position as he reached down and pulled me up after him. Dracula laughed. "Where is she!?" he screamed in a rage. I flinched at the sudden change in tone.

The men and women all stood around us, amused expressions on their faces. I looked around, trying to find a means of escape, but found nothing. Dracula immediately addressed me.

"Christine." He said, holding his hands out to me. "Would you like to do a small favor for Velkan?" he continued. I shook my head in denial. Almost instinctually, I felt my hand reach back, clasping his tightly. I felt him squeeze my hand in reassurance.

"Christine." Dracula said again. He smiled. "You do want to see Anna, don't you? All you need to do is say yes." I barely mustered a reply.

"Yes." I managed to sputter out. He smirked.

"Good girl." He responded. I noticed him turn gracefully from us, his attention returning to the crowd. "Anna…" he beckoned softly. My heart rose slightly when I saw her.

She came quietly, a blank gaze before her. She seemed so defiant, so angry. I smiled despite myself. She was still as spirited as I remembered. Her gown was a blood red, silver decorating the hem and bodice. I could almost feel Velkan's spirits lift as he saw her.

"Anna!" he said happily. "Anna!" I felt him tighten his grip on my hand.

She did not notice him for a few minutes, so entranced she seemed to be. But, slowly I saw her shake her head and turn her attention to us. Her face lit when her eyes rested on her brother.

"Velkan!" she said happily. "Velkan, your alive!" she screamed. I smiled despite myself.

"He is alive for now, my dear." I heard a feminine voice say. Verona stepped from the crowds, Aleera and Marishka not far behind. They looked to me and smiled sweetly.

"It has been quite a long time since we saw you last." Marishka said first to me, taking a sudden step forward. "Master tells us you taste sweet."

"Ooooh," Aleera said finally, chiming in. It was as feminine as ever, almost musical. "Let me have a taste. Please, Verona." She continued, looking to the long dark-haired woman.

"Leave her alone." Anna said. "She hasn't done a single thing to you." Verona turned her attention to Anna and slowly approached her. She circled her for some moments and stopped behind her, snaking her long arms around Anna's shoulders.

"I hardly think you are in a position to negotiate, princess." She said, whispering quietly in her ear. I turned my gaze from them in a panic, looking around for Christopher maddeningly. He was safe. I found him hidden among the crowds. He smiled at me as our gazes met. I knew that smile. It was the smile of someone who had an idea. He nodded his head and turned his gaze to Anna. I looked away.

"Please, please." Dracula said finally, ending the small conversation he had not been a part of. "We have a bargain to make here Verona. It would be best if you left the princess alone." He continued. Verona smiled charmingly at her master before returning to Aleera and Marishka's side.

"I have quite a choice to make." Dracula said, directing his comment towards me. "Which one of the women do I kill first? You?" he said, asking me. "Or Anna?"

"Neither would be preferable." Velkan said. Dracula laughed.

"I second that motion." I continued. My gaze drifted to where my Uncle was. He had disappeared. I found him up in the balcony, the men we had brought with him. I watched as he directed them into position, and then quietly beginning his descent down the stairs.

"You amuse me." Dracula said suddenly, breaking my line of thought. I met his cold gaze as he approached me. "You are quite the spitfire, aren't you?" he asked. I released Velkan's hand quickly as I saw his hand reach to touch me.

"Is there nothing for us?" Aleera asked suddenly. Dracula turned to her, somewhat annoyed.

"My dear." He said simply. "Can't you see I am busy right now?" Aleera looked at him, a hurt expression on her face. "I will be with you in a moment, my love." He turned his attention back to me. Suddenly, he grabbed my shoulders firmly.

"I will propose this," he said, looking down at me, and over to Velkan. "I would like some fresh blood in my household, a new family member you could say."

I saw him look between Anna and myself, an amused expression playing on his dark features. "And you, Christine, will have to choose whether it will be yourself, or the princess." I glared at him in pure anger.

"Please choose yourself. I like you!" I heard Marishka say, approaching the Count all the while. She directed the next comment towards Dracula, her eyes shining with anticipation. "She seems fitted to the position. I do think I would like her!" Aleera nodded in assent.

"You are right, Marishka." Aleera seconded. Verona smiled, but said nothing. I furrowed my eyebrows at them, not understanding at all what they meant. Dracula looked back at them and turned back to me, a small smirk on his lips.

"You have heard what my brides have to say, so what do you decide?" he asked. I looked to William, who strangely enough, looked to me with a pained expression on his face.

"Stop!" I heard him call suddenly. Dracula looked away from me for a moment, wondering where the sudden outburst had come from. His eyes slowly came to rest on William.

"I thought we had him under our thumb, Verona." Dracula said simply. William reached up to touch his temple in pain, confusion racking his senses. He was being possessed by one of them. They were making him his puppet.

"His will is strong, master." Verona replied. "We can't hold him forever." She continued. I heard the Count's disdainful huff.

"Try your best then. I do not appreciate those sudden outbursts." He answered. I looked around quickly and found Christopher once again. He was approaching quietly, hidden in his hand a revolver. A quick glance up, I found William's men, their weapons trained on the brides. In moments he had approached Dracula's back, his gun aimed squarely at the Count's head.

"You talk far too much." Christopher said. "If I were you, I would have killed all of them a long time ago."

A/N:
So what do you think of my newest chapter?? I sort of like it, let me know what you guys think, lol! I've been trying really hard on making this part of the story as interesting as possible, and I'm hoping I've succeeded so far!