Long-ish chappie. Enjoy and review.

Disclaimer: I own nothing except what I made up. Fair enough.

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Lucia gaped at her reflection in the full-length mirror as Frances Danewood smirked. Lucia couldn't believe it. She did look beautiful. She looked positively stunning. The dress fitted perfectly, accenting her body fully. Lydia had twisted her hair up delicately at the back of her head, but a few strands fell loose around her face and they had been curled. Her sapphire eyes had been lined with black, making them look huge. Some make-up covered the bite and scratch. The most lovely satin slippers finished the outfit.

"You look heavenly, darling," Frances assured her.

Lucia smiled at the irony of it. "I can't believe that the woman in the mirror is me. She's just... beautiful."

The main door to the shop could be heard opening and closing, and Lydia popped her head out of the back room. "Miss Craft, it's your... friend, Miss."

Lucia walked out to see Gabriel standing in front of her. He was dressed in a black trousers, and a black tunic with silver details. He stared at her as she stood before him.

"You are gorgeous," he breathed.

"You aren't looking so bad yourself," she replied, slipping her fingers through his, which were now gloved in black velvet. "Where's the hat?"

"It didn't seem fitting," he said seriously, paying Frances with a grateful nod. "Here, you'll be needing this, Lucia."

She took the mask he handed to her. It would cover the left side of her face, with a large hole so that her eye would stand out. She put it on carefully, and Gabriel smiled as they walked out of the shop. Night was falling outside, and Lucia gasped as she saw the large carriage waiting for them. A smartly dressed man was sitting on top of it, clutching the reins to the two horses.

"Oh, Gabriel..." Lucia whispered, as he opened the door for her and she climbed in to be greeted by warm red velvet. She sank gratefully onto the seat.

Gabriel sat down beside her, pulling the door shut. The carriage began to move. "I decided we might as well arrive in style." He put on his own mask, a simple black affair around his eyes.

Lucia's heart was racing. She had no idea what would happen at the ball. She knew one thing for certain- she might never see Gabriel again. She would go with Dracula and try to stop his plan. She had to. She was the only one who could. Carl would be safe, and Gabriel would be safe.

"You must stay with me at all times," Gabriel said, his voice sounding distant as Lucia nodded, knowing fine well she would be doing anything but. She was vaguely aware of him handing her a pistol.

The carriage stopped suddenly. Gabriel pushed open the door and stepped out into the night. Lucia rose and took his hand, stepping carefully out after him. She stood beside him, holding his hand tightly as they stared together at the tall, grand building that was the town hall. Golden light poured out of it. People were everywhere outside, milling about on the steps, arriving in carriages.

Lucia knew something was wrong. She could sense it. "I love you, Gabriel," she whispered.

"I know," he replied gently. "Shall we go inside?"

She nodded grimly and they walked forward together. They climbed the stone steps that led up to the main doors, then stepped inside. They were standing on a grand balcony. It was pretty small, and a curved marble staircase ran down to the main hall. Lucia stared down at it. The place was huge. There was at least three hundred people in here, dancing in a swirling mass of colour. The music was coming from a band in the corner. She looked for Vladislaus but could not spot him.

"Shall we dance?" Gabriel asked her. "I'm sure he'll make himself known when he feels like it."

Lucia nodded, and they walked down the stairs together. Gabriel took her awkwardly in his arms at the bottom, and they began to dance slowly. Lucia was quite a good dancer. Gabriel seemed uncomfortable and stiff as he spun her around in time to the music.

Lucia winced as he stood on her toes, and he flashed her an apologetic smile. She returned it, just as a blue-gloved finger tapped her on the shoulder. They stopped dancing and turned to stare at Dracula. He was dressed in attire of midnight blue velvet, his satin cloak billowing out around him. His hair was clipped back as usual. He wore a mask of black over his eyes.

"So glad you could make it," he purred.

"Where's Carl?" Gabriel demanded, pulling Lucia closer and holding her tightly.

Dracula pointed to the balcony they had been standing on moments earlier. Carl stood there, dressed in black, apparently in some sort of trance. "Just shake him a little, and he'll wake up," Dracula shrugged. "Now, Lucia, you come with me."

Gabriel glanced down at Lucia and she looked up at him. "Let me go," she whispered, seeing the fear in his brown eyes.

He sighed and nodded slightly. "I'll see you again, my darling," he replied, saying something neither of them believed.

Tears filled Lucia's eyes. Now that goodbye had arrived, she wished she didn't have to go with Dracula. "I love you. Oh God, how I love you."

"Can we hurry it up, please?" Dracula said impatiently. "Come with me, now, Lucia."

She didn't have a choice. She cast a final, lingering glance at Gabriel and walked over to Vladislaus, who wrapped an arm tightly around her and took her across into the very centre of the hall. He spun her in a complicated dance movement around himself, then caught her close as they began to dance. The tempo of the music picked up.

"Did you miss me, my love?" he asked seductively, pulling her close and holding her gaze steadily.

All other thoughts were leaving Lucia's head. There was only here and now, only Vladislaus and herself, only the longing for his touch. She tried to focus on how to stop his plan, how to save the world, but everything else was a blur. It took all her concentration to reply to him as she did. "You know fine well I did."

He chuckled softly. "So strong-willed... I think that's what I love most about you, my Lucia." He dipped her down low to the floor, and kissed her cheek gently, then pulled her back up. He lifted her mask slowly, pressing a kiss to her mouth as they rotated in time to the music. She kissed him back, unable to resist, until the kiss became so deep, so passionate, that they stopped dancing altogether and just stood there kissing.

Lucia realised with a jolt she was taking a long time to get short of breath. Finally, she pulled back, panting slightly. He smirked and lowered her mask again, and they returned to dancing. Lucia thought of Gabriel in a sudden, warm moment. She had not kissed him, not properly, not on the lips. If she ever saw him again, she would kiss him like that.

"You look unbelievable," Vladislaus whispered. "You will make a beautiful Queen."

The thoughts of Gabriel seemed to be making her stronger, for she replied, "I cannot be your Queen, Vladislaus. You know that."

They were walking off the dancefloor now, heading through the crowd towards the back entrance. Vladislaus was silent, his arms wrapped around her. She wondered if he was mad at her. His face was impassive. Finally they reached the doors, and stepped out in the cold, inky black night. Something struck Lucia as she stared at the fountain ahead of them.

"We weren't alone in there," she said slowly, stopping. He turned to face her.

"Of course not, there was a hall full of people..."

"We weren't the only vampires in there," she said, horror flooding through her as she realised this. Gabriel was in trouble now.

Vladislaus smirked. "Not just a pretty face then, eh?" He began pulling her towards the fountain once more, but she was struggling this time, determined to save Gabriel.

"How many?" she demanded. "How many of them are vampires?"

He gave an evil cackle. "All of them."

Lucia gasped. How could he have betrayed her like this? She had to save Gabriel. Thinking quickly, she swung her leg around very high, kicking Vladislaus in the mouth. Wondering briefly how she had managed to pull that off dressed in this dress, and catching sight of the pistol Gabriel had given her strapped to her ankle, she turned and ran back to the town hall, as Dracula nursed his bleeding lip.

Lucia burst in a whirl of skirts and curls to see that everyone was still dancing. She spotted Gabriel and Carl up on the balcony. Gabriel saw her, and looked down at her. She started to head towards him, but stopped as she saw the cool blue form of the vampire lunging at him from behind.

"Gabriel!" she screamed. It happened in less than a second; Gabriel grabbed Carl and forced him to the floor, Lucia raised her pistol and shot clean through the vampire's heart. As it became dust, everyone stopped dancing. Lucia watched in horror as their jaws extended, their fangs sliding into view.

"Vladislaus, you bastard," she whispered under her breath. She ripped the mask from her face angrily and stepped back. The vampires were all facing her. So this was her time to die. She couldn't fight them off. There was too many of them.

Heart racing, she closed her eyes. This was it.

An arm wrapped around her waist and she was lifted from the ground. She gasped and opened her eyes to find herself in Gabriel's arms. He was swinging from a long rope apparently used to hold the curtains back. He smiled down at her as they swung back over towards the balcony.

"Now, Carl!" he shouted as he leapt onto the balcony. Lucia watched as Carl tossed a small sphere over into the mass of vampires. Gabriel grabbed Carl with his other arm and Lucia was suddenly aware of a loud explosion behind them. White light blinded her; she was flying through the air.

She landed on hard cold ground, arms spread, hair free of its bonds. Her body ached, her head on her shoulder was pounding. Her lip was bleeding. Water hit her face. It was raining heavily now. She lay still, eyes closed, literally exhausted.

"Lucia!" Gabriel turned her head gently, his warm breath tickling her soft skin. "Lucia, are you alright?"

Her eyes flickered open slowly. He was leaning over her, looking pale and concerned. Strange that five minutes ago she had thought she would never see him again. She smiled distantly. "I'm fine. What was that?"

"It creates a light intensity equal to that of the sun," Carl's voice said weakly from somewhere behind Gabriel. "It's fatal to vampires."

Lucia thought of Vladislaus. Would he have died in the blast? Her heart ached at the thought. Still, it made her task easier.

"I am not dead, Lucia," came a cold voice from a few metres away, and Lucia sat up to see Vladislaus standing alone, his cloak billowing in the breeze.

Before this had a chance to register, Lucia felt her eyes snap up to stare at the moon. A wispy silver cloud covered it, but it was blowing over, revealing the full moon. Panic filled Lucia. She would turn into a werewolf, she knew it. She had to get out of here before she hurt Gabriel or Carl.

"Get me out of here," she ordered Vladislaus, standing up and walking shakily over to him. Her skin was itching.

"As you insist," he replied smoothly, eyes glittering. He scooped her up in his arms, and she closed her eyes, unable to look at Gabriel, who looked heartbroken.

TBC.