Hi all! Apologies for the long wait and shortness of this chapter. It's necessary for moving the plot along and also explains Annora's state of mind, which is crucial for the next chapter.

Thank you my lovely reviewers:

Katca Mcadar: Babies' heartbeats cannot be detected until five months (I think) so that is why he couldn't hear it. What has happened to the baby has yet to be disclosed… Yup, divine intervention is pretty much correct… Thanks for reviewing, now hurry up and update your Kingdom Hearts fic or I'll nag you in college :)

DarkBird1345: Thank you! I updated!

Sora-sama15: Vampires can't get pregnant! The whole point of Dracula trying to capture Frankenstein's monster in the film was to bring his vampire children to life! That a human and a vampire could have a baby is questionable but the reason the baby came into existence was because God gave it life, it was a sign from God to Dracula that he will be forgiven if he sincerely repented. Thank you for reviewing! Hope you like the rest of the story :)

mysticjewel: Yay! I achieved the element of surprise! I hope you enjoy this chapter! (Lol, it's less scary!)

Lionrose: Thank you! I know it's confusing, I suppose it's because he himself is confused and that makes him unpredictable and prone to violent mood swings. (I have studied WAY too much psychology this week!) And thank you for noticing my mistake; I have edited chapter 10 to include what happened to the baby (D'oh!)

Fortune Zyne: Technically she's already dead...

Estrella of the moon: Thank you! -

Eccentric Banshee: Lol, brothers can be most bothersome! Kill Dracula? That would be a just punishment but I quite agree; it would be too great sacrifice. How can our lives go on without that sexy evilness :o

And now, without further ado, here it is, Chapter 11!

CHAPTER 11- SPEAK TO ME

A cracking sound tore through the heavy air as Dracula burst in through the door, splintering the wood. He morphed back into his human form, breathing heavily and prepared for a fight. He had been expecting hysterics, yells of protest and abuse at intruding her privacy but the atmosphere could not have contrasted more. Annora lay unmoving on her bed, eyes glazed over, staring, unseeing out of the window. For a split second he panicked but then he saw her eyes flicker, her thoughts disturbed by his violent entrance. He was reminded horribly of the night he had visited her in her room after her father had disowned her, she had the same blank, empty gaze and her now-flawless face was pale and drawn. One hand rested on her rounded stomach and Dracula's eyes were drawn to it. The baby… had it survived? He could no longer feel a heart beat but then vampires didn't have one. A month had passed since Dracula had taken Annora's life and she had refused to see him. She hadn't fed except when the brides had she persuaded her she absolutely had to, unable to accept that there was no chance that the baby could now be born human. The guilt tore at her and the turmoil in her mind had driven her half insane. She drifted in and out of reality like a shadow, flitting through living death as though it were some form of nightmare she hoped to wake from. He was reminded of a butterfly; delicate and beautiful, longing to be free but stammering through life, chained by her own weaknesses.

Looking at her now Dracula realised he had gained the opposite of what he had wanted. She was as far from being his as she had ever been. He could not control her, he could not make her happy. All she lived for was a child that she loved with a fierce passion. A possessive, protective love that Dracula knew would only make the pain stronger when she realised it was all in vain. Love could not bring the baby back, nor change its fate but Annora too blind to see this and even if she wasn't then she would simply have gone into a state of denial. Dracula stood looking down at his bride but she didn't return his gaze. He had torn down the door in frustration wanting to see her and angry at her refusal to allow him in. Admittedly he could have forced his way in at anytime but he had really hoped that she would give in first. He looked down at her haggard face and swallowing his anger he spoke softly.

"You need blood," he said. Annora didn't stir but he knew she had heard. He left the room and left Annora to her thoughts. When he returned he carried a human. She was stunned, Annora became too distressed if they were awake, and he held her out to his bride. She slowly sat up and numbly fed until the unsteady heartbeat faded and died. Then she let the body drop and sat still, looking down at the face with a sad, empty expression on her face. Dracula watched the hollows in her face fill out again, the shadows vanish from under her eyes and her skin regain that beautiful delicate translucence. Her eyes fluttered as she grew stronger and her lips became fuller and richer in colour. Beautiful, he thought. He went to place a hand on her cheek but Annora flinched as though he had struck her.

He drew his hand back and sighed. Then Annora looked up at him. For the first time in a month she looked at him. Her grey eyes were cold and hard. Despair swam in their depths but she forced anger to the surface.

"Get out," it was a small, silly command and she sounded like a child. Dracula simply looked at her.

"Now."

He still didn't obey.

"Out." She spoke through clenched teeth. Any minute that fiery temper would flare up and he could argue with her and she would let out all her rage and anger, she would forgive him and all would be well again. Dracula smirked at her, provoking that temper. He loved to see her angry. She was even more desirable when she was angry, the way her eyes flashed, her skin glowed and she bravely struggled against him, she was irresistible. He needed to keep talking.

"I'm going to tell you once more. Get out."

"Why?"

"Because I don't want to see you."

He was silent. She still looked at him, a stony, accusing look that cut him deeply but he shook that feeling and forced his face to remain passive. He closed his eyes and touched her mind, requesting and commanding at the same time; speak to me. Unaware of what had prompted her Annora began to speak in a steady voice, completely devoid of any emotion whatsoever.

"It was all a lie. You said you loved me. At first I believed you then I grew to understand you. How could you know love when you didn't understand the difference between lust and love? You took from me what you had no right to take."

"You know why I did what I did. I don't want to spend life without you."

"But I don't want to spend the rest of mine with you. Not anymore. If you had let me grow old, if you had let me die… I could have been with you until you no longer wanted me and then, even though I would have loved you, I would have left and let you find another, younger woman who you could make-believe you loved. And maybe she would've believed you and you would have been happy."

"You can still make me happy. Accept what you are. Forget your God, he no longer wants you. But I do… Annora, I need you."

"Don't insult me," she spat. "I know you don't need me. You have your brides for satisfy your lust and here are plenty of other women in the world for you to amuse yourself with through seduction."

"Other women aren't carrying my child."

"This baby was a gift from God. You may be the father but God gave it life. Nothing is impossible to him and I believe that it is God's sign that there is still hope for you and you threw the gift back at Him. It is His child as all children are and it shall be given to the church."

She spoke with such finality that he knew that that topic was closed. He decided to continue with the acceptance theme.

"You love me."

"No. Yes. I don't know."

"You have nothing left but me, now. Annora, my love, I am all you have left in the world, forget the past and embrace your new life."

"Get out."

"Stop pushing me away! Annora, you know you want me, your heart demands my kisses, your body aches for my touch and your mind needs me to make you feel like life is worth living."

"It isn't worth living anymore."

Dracula lost his temper then.

"Don't be so pathetic! I gave you immortality, accept it! You disappoint me by your weakness."

And Annora lost her temper as well.

"I never promised to be strong! I have always been this weak, foolish person but you deluded yourself into believing that I was someone that I wasn't! And now you have realised your mistake but you can't accept that the woman you believed you loved isn't what you thought!"

"You have let your religion take over your life! You allow guilt to eat away at you, you hurt yourself to repent, you refuse to accept that there so much more to life that following a God that demands worship, praise and obedience! Why you want to worship him? What kind of a God allows death, disease, heartache and pain? Answer me that!"

"It is mankind that causes pain! If humans all followed his teachings then there would be no poverty and thus less disease. Those that die go to a better place, or hell if they so deserve! Death is a release from this world and you have denied me what I so desperately sought!"

She continued screaming at him, ordering him to leave her alone. Then suddenly she stopped in mid-rage and the colour drained from her face. She gasped and then groaned, collapsing to the floor. Dracula stared at her in alarm. She looked up at him, panic in her eyes.

"The baby…" she said hoarsely. Dracula turned on his heel and marched out of the room. Then he tilted his head back and roared for his brides. They came and one glance at Annora was all they needed. Verona hurried to her side and helped her onto the bed, Marishka prepared sheets and Aleera shut the door on the Count. Leaving him to wait in apprehension to discover what had happened to his child.

Please review, I will be handing out Dracula shaped biscuits to all those lovely enough to do so! Plus, please let me know if there is anything you don't understand so that is can be explained in the next chapter :)