Chapter 3: Trying to forget

The streets were lined with people cheering and screaming; it was Mardi Gras once again. Dracula smiled down upon the crowds, leaning on the concrete pane of the roof. He was home.

A huge burst of flame emitted from one of the fire blowers, who had a vast crowd around him whistling and awwww-ing in awe. Dracula swept through the crowds, feeling the people's gazes upon him and smiling to himself. He still had his charm. He scanned a large group of people on a luminous dance floor, until his eyes fell upon a girl. She was young, pretty and best of all, vulnerable. Smiling he walked over to her, and pulled her aside…

"Join me"

For a moment she looked as if she was about to slap him clean across the face, but one stare was enough to render her thoughtless. She fell in a daze, and he caught her, bearing his fangs and sinking them into her flesh. His eyes closed gently as her blood renewed him still. Eventually he let her fall to the ground.

"Oi! What're you doing!"

He turned and saw a man walking towards him, a look of suspicion and anger upon his face.

"What've you done to her?"

He said, looking down horrified at the girl, her neck was half covered in blood as it began to run across the floor.

"Don't worry about her,"

Gerard grabbed the mans jaw, and looked down powerfully into his dark eyes,

"She'll soon face the sweet world of eternity…"

He smiled in delight as he heard a small whimper emit from the man before him, he was cowering in his sovereignty.

"Just like you will"

And with no further words his eyes turned blood red, as he feasted swiftly on his new prey. He could hear him whimpering and felt his tears stain his cheek, but to no avail. He too, fell, landing across the girl as their blood combined. Dracula smiled, wiping the last stains of blood from his chin. He kicked their bodies into a small alleyway near by, before sweeping off into the night, a new found taste for fear.


"Mary? Mary are you home?"

Simon closed the front door behind him carefully, walking into the entrance hall. The lights were off, and there was no reply. She was obviously working late.

He chucked his keys onto the table, and hung his coat upon its peg. He went to turn on the lights. Nothing. He flicked the switch back and forth, but no light came, or faded away again.

"Must be the stupid fuses"

He muttered, rooting around in his pocket for his lighter.

"Come on work"

He said, trying yet again and again to spark a flame. He smiled slightly as it flared up, lighting the small area around him.

"Bloody hell!"

He cried dropping his lighter, as he saw Luthiene hanging from the doorway above, her fangs bared and a smile of satisfaction widespread upon her face. She swept down from the wall to stand in front of him, her finger on his lips…

"Language Simon"

She laughed, sweeping behind him and running one fingernail down the side of his neck…

"You wouldn't want me to do anything I wouldn't regret now, would you?"

Simon pushed her away and straightened up, trying to rub off her essence from his neck.

"What do you want?"

He said roughly, trying to make himself sound tough. It didn't work though, at all. Luthiene cocked one eyebrow up as she walked towards him.

"So I'm not allowed to drop in anymore am I? Not even to see you?"

He started to slip her arms around his waist put he pulled them away, and turned around.

"Don't do that, we're not together anymore"

Lu smiled, tracing the sense of pain in his voice.

"Doesn't mean I have to act like we're not"

He turned around and shot her a deadly stare. She smiled though and tittered slightly.

"I'm already dead, that old look cant do anything"

Simon looked down; he wished she wouldn't turn up like this.

"Listen we had a deal, you have to stay away from me"

"Oh I'll stay away, when you do your half of 'our deal'"

Simon carried on looking down. He was hoping she wouldn't mention that…

"Until you deliver Mary to me, I won't stay away. You promised me Simon"

He looked up at her now; her eyes were unfortunately still upon him, impatience hanging on her every word.

"I know what you are. I could always let it slip if you wont deliver her Eradon"

"How many times do I have to tell you? It's Simon now. No more of that stupid name…"

She walked over to him and placed her hands upon his shoulder, her fingernails tapping gently upon them.

"Its who you are. You can't run away from the past."

She turned him around and gazed into his eyes…

"You can't run away from me."

He shrugged her off and turned round, his eyes turning blood red…

"I'm working on it ok? I just need some more time to gain her trust before I can do anything"

"And when you can?"

He turned back to her, pain struck in his red eyes,

"I'll give you a sign"

Reading his mind she nodded, and vanished almost instantly. Simon waited until she'd disappeared before he let his tears fall. He didn't want to hand Mary over, but he never wanted to see her again either…

His heart twinged with regret as he trudged up the great stairs, Lu was right…whichever way he turned, he couldn't escape his past…


Luthiene swept down onto the roof top, Dracula turning to face her on her arrival.

"And?"

She walked over and smiled,

"He's caved. Expect the sign any day now"

He smiled gratefully, and triumphantly. Everything was falling into place. Smiling down on Luthiene he planted a kiss on her lips, wrapping his arms around her waist.

"What would I ever, do, without you?"

Luthiene shrugged playfully, as their lips met again, the moonlight rising up behind them.