AN: I do not own Van Helsing or any of it's characters.
His well-muscled hand cupped her cheek as his lips burned into hers with an intensity that her mind could not fathom, his tongue exploring her mouth, seeming as if it was trying to drink her soul.
No, musn't think like that. She thought as the image of her soul being retched from her body and into this creature's hands seared her skull. That's dangerous to be thinking like that.
What astonished her more than anything was that she slowly, but surely found herself kissing him back with the same abandon, her lips eating hungrily at his, wanting and hoping that the moment would not end.
Vladislaus ran his long fingers through her hair, playing with the small, curling strands at the base of her neck, reveling in the feeling of the softness of them. Anna made small noises against his mouth, and he pulled away slowly, proud of his ability to seduce his enemy-turned-hostage, loving the fact that he had elicited the small noises from the back of her throat. His heightened senses picked up a new flavor coming from the woman, and from the way her heart beat had sped up he could only assume that it he had, in fact, aroused the dangerous Anna Valerious, the bane of his existence. The feeling of triumph spread through his body with an almost audible tingle as he tried to suppress his feelings of elation.
Both Anna and Dracula, lost in each other's embrace did not notice the door to the lofty tower bedroom being opened by Verona, who was staring daggers into both of them. With a screech, she launched out of the window closest to the door and into the air, Aleera and Marishka following behind.
"With that, my dear, I must take my leave of you. I am afraid that while they are selfish and demanding, my wives do have their purposes, and so I must try to placate them." Dracula said, with a bit of sneer in his voice as he spoke of the three females. He looked out the window, watching them soar away into the night, turned back to Anna and gave her a light kiss on the forehead, hoping that the moment was not lost forever.
Dracula turned on his heel and leaped through the window that the female had just left through. In a matter of moments, Anna was left alone and could hear distant, harsh fighting.
How can I be feeling this way about him? The monster that created this damned curse. I should burn in hell for the betrayal of my family. I most likely will join him in hell…I am doomed.
Anna lay back onto the lush bed and fell into a dreamless sleep, wishing silently before her eyes closed that she would see him, her hellish temptation once more.
The next day came and went while Anna slept peacefully on. When she awoke, she could barely see the magentas and oranges of the sunset as the Carpathian Mountains were bathed in a cruel and foreboding light that signaled another night of torture.
As if on cue, a knock came at her door, and in walked the creature that she had just made references to in her mind.
With a bow and a smirk, Dracula questioned in his most courtly manner, "Would you like to join me for a walk down the bank of the small lake we have behind the castle? The moon is gorgeous tonight."
If I say yes, he will think that I am willing to go along with his game. If I say no, he might become angry and try to beat me once more…I do not understand the choices that I have. They do not seem very promising at all, Anna thought as she weighed her options.
At last, with a sigh of resignation, she said "I will join you, tonight. I only ask one thing."
"What is that? Like I am sure you know, you have but to ask and (besides letting you go) it shall be yours."
"After I walk with you tonight, I want to be able to choose whether or not I spend any more time with you. If I find this evening enjoyable, I will feel more inclined to spend time with you, and if I do not, then I simply want your word of honor that you will leave me alone. As I am but your prisoner here, even against your insistence, I will not be treated as some common whore. I am a princess, and you will by God treat me as one."
"I cannot fulfill your entire promise but I can say that if you do not find tonight enjoyable, then I will leave you alone for the remainder of this evening, nothing more. I will not just allow you to say that you will never see me again, because, as I said, I will have you as one of my brides. You are a princess, just as I am a prince. As I sold my soul to the "Satan" you speak of, you really have no ground with calling upon your "God." He spat. "Now, shall we?" Dracula coolly replied as he offered his arm to the young Valerious and together they walked out of the turret and towards the frozen pond.
The nights here really are magnificent Anna thought to herself as she was being led effortlessly along a moonlit path through a garden which bordered a calm and reflective pond.
"What are you thinking about so intently, if your highness, you do not mind the intrusion" Dracula asked, every word oozing sarcasm.
"Actually, I do mind." She replied coolly, keeping an aire of mystique about her.
A leering voice came through the trees, sending chills down Anna's spine. "How dare you, filthy human that you are, talk to him in such a disrespectful manner. Vladislaus, how can you abide her screeching and unrefined voice?"
"I can, Aleera, because I wish to. Just the same, I wish for you to leave. At once."
"In all the years I have served you, loved you, you have never spoken to me thus. I think the human is making you weak."
What in the world was Aleera talking about? Anna wondered as she thought of what the implications of those few sentences could mean. Does he actually care about something? About me?…Would I be able to say 'no' if he did?
Anna was so wrapped up into her thoughts that she missed Aleera's fist come crashing into Dracula's oh-so-high cheekbones, knocking him unconscious.
"Weaker than I thought. Pitiful." She sneered and then turned to Anna, "You cannot have him, you know. By the time he wakes up, which should be in a couple of minutes, you will be long gone, dead."
With that, Anna felt something hard slam into the side of her head before black enveloped her.
I hope you all liked it. I am sorry for the long wait, but I tried to make this one longer than usual, so I really hope you all like the longer chapter. Anyways, Ill be seein' yas around.
Lilacskissgoodbye