I finally get to say it, I own: Nerivka, Viktor, Andrew, Davor, Michael, and of course …. VERISHKA!
But nothing else cries
When Verishka awoke she immediately knew what had happened. It killed her inside knowing that she had let him do that. Why hadn't she remembered why she left him? Just as she had thought she was over him he knew her weakness: his seduction.
She spend a day or so in silence getting over what had just happened and being comforted by Isabel. Eventually she decided she couldn't stay in Madrid. Every time she would be in the house, the memory of that night with Dracula would haunt her. After selling her house, she made plans to go to London.
Along with starting a new life in London, Verishka decided to live a more extravagant lifestyle. She purchased a large estate in the countryside right outside of the city. It was furbished with elegant furniture and several servants. It was more as a symbol of wealth than her actually needing them. She had bought a family of servants consisting of a mother, father, older daughter, and teenaged boy. In addition she was spending more time with other vampires, entertaining, attending parties and trying to avoid Dracula as a conversation topic.
The year was 1765, and it was an unusually warm night. There were three vampires over. Nerivka and her husband Viktor, and a friend of theirs named Andrew. Being single, Andrew naturally longed for Verishka's love, however anyone who knew her well knew that Andrew was the last vampire she would ever love.
"Verishka, please tell us, how have you been holding up?" Nerivka asked in her usual voice of fake sincerity.
"Yes we've been dreadfully worried," Andrew said.
"They've been worried, I've been assuring them you're fine," Viktor said.
"He's right you two, I'm fine really. Just sitting here, listening to the rumors of what my late husband's been up to," she sighed.
"Every single social event it's, 'Nerivka, how is she?' I swear, you have no idea how much he cares for you," Nerivka said.
"If I thought that his concern held the smallest bit of sincerity I would care," Verishka said.
"Honestly I have no respect for that man, treating you the way he did," Andrew said, lovingly.
"Andrew much as I appreciate your loyalty, he is the king of the vampires and respecting him would be in your best interest. That is, unless you wish to be out casted from vampiric society," Verishka said. Nerivka giggled as Andrew replied, "True, but you are the queen. Befriending you has to count for something?"
"I can't not tell her any longer. Verishka, have rumors reached your ears of 'the three?'" Viktor asked.
"No, who are they?" Verishka asked.
"I was speaking with Octavian the other night, who was in from Budapest. Apparently, Dracula has sired three women to be his 'brides'" Viktor told.
"That doesn't surprise me at all. He often spoke of women who were more worthy of his affections than I."
"That is disgusting!" Andrew said.
"I personally think that just because we are what we are doesn't mean we should let ourselves sink low enough to forsaking love for lust," Nerivka said.
"Well spoken dear," Viktor said, taking his wife's hand.
"Yes, very well spoken, and you're right. But I would hardly call him my husband anymore, we've been apart so long," Verishka sighed.
"Yes, when was the last time you saw him?" Andrew asked.
"It must have been about sixteen hundred. But he just stopped by for one night to get a little "missed pleasure" from me. I left him in fifteen seventy-five," she said.
"Do you think he'll ever stop by again?" Nerivka asked.
"Yes, it's not like either of us to go for very long without something we want. I just have control," Verishka said.
"And wit, and charm, and beauty, and..."
"Thank you Andrew, but my answer remains the same. No," she said, the last part more sternly. The four vampires all began laughing together like the good friends they were, when suddenly one of Verishka's servants came in carrying goblets of blood on a silver tray.
"Oh good, I'm starving," Viktor said. The boy appeared no older than fifteen as he placed the tray on the table, bowed and turned to leave. As he did, Andrew stuck his foot out and tripped him. The boy fell to the floor, face first, and the three began laughing hysterically.
"Andrew!" Verishka snapped angrily.
"What?" he asked innocently.
"This is why I always say no," she said, standing up to help the boy. "You go over there and stand in that corner, just stay there," she said, helping him up. The boy did as he was told and watched out of the corner of his eye as Verishka spoke again, "My friends it's late, and I fear our discussion of my LEAST favorite subject matter has tired me," she said.
"Say no more, we're leaving. Good night Verishka," Viktor said, nonchalantly.
"Good night Viktor, Nerivka, and ..ugh.. Andrew," she said nodding to each of them as they left.
Crossing the room, Verishka sat on a red couch and brought her attention back to the boy.
"Come over here now," she said, softly. The boy gave her an uncertain look.
"Don't be afraid, I won't bite," she spoke, quietly laughing at the irony of the last part.
The boy approached her tentatively and looked at the chair, and then her questioningly. She nodded, and he sat down.
"Please let me apologize for Andrew. He's a poor excuse for a creature let alone the title he was born to," she said.
"It's fine, really," he stuttered.
"What is your name?" she asked.
"Davor, Countess Dracula," he said.
"Please, call me Verishka. Dracula is my husband," she said, saddened by him being brought up again.
"All right, I should be going," he said.
"You could stay here, and talk if you wanted. You could ask me questions if you have any," she offered, realizing she was desperate for someone to talk to.
"It's all right, I'm fine," he said. Searching his mind Verishka found he was loaded with questions.
"Yes, I can hear your heart beat," she said smoothly. Davor looked shocked for a moment.
"And yes, I can read your thoughts," she continued.
"Oh, what about my family's hearts, can you hear them?" he asked.
"Yes, they're close enough. That's how I always know where you are," she explained.
"Do you like being a vampire?" he asked.
"Flying is nice, living forever also nice. Drinking blood, you get adjusted to. Yes, I do, most of the time," she said.
"I've always wanted to be a vampire," he admitted.
"That's easy to think. Everyone's minds are seduced by the power at first," she said.
"Still," he said.
"Davor if I turned you now, you would never appear to grow past the age of fifteen. Would you want that ?" she asked.
"I guess not," he murmured, "if I may ask, how old were you when you were turned?"
"Don't you know it's impolite to ask a woman her age?" Verishka asked.
"I'm sorry," he said. Verishka smiled and said, "thirty three."
"I would have guessed twenty six," Davor said.
"You've made your recovering, that was very nice," Verishka said.
"Why do you never speak of him?" he asked.
"Whom?" Verishka asked ignorantly.
"Dracula," Davor stated.
"Your questions are getting very personal, and I don't know why I'm answering you," she sighed. Needing someone to talk to, and who she knew would listen, Verishka spilled out her story to this young boy. Once she finished he knew everything, from her falling in love with Dracula and their deaths, to the fights between them that followed and the son she had lost, but never known of.
Davor was extremely mature for his age and Verishka sensed this, or else she would not have entrusted him with so much knowledge about her. Only Dracula himself now knew more about her than this boy. As Davor gazed at her when she stopped speaking, he noticed more than he had ever before. Her eyes were fiery, with flecks of red, but where there once was life and fire, there was sorrow and pain. She had flawless milk-like skin and perfect eastern european features. Davor's attention was brought to her lips that were, although not extremely full and luscious, were a seductive blood red. Finally he got lost in her hair, that cascaded down her back in distinct waves and somewhat in her face seductively. The lovely strands of gold woven in with her deep brown hair.
"You'll have many instances of lust, passion and love like my life once held when you're older," she said, "do not trouble yourself with it now."
Davor blushed a little at having the vampire read his thoughts again. He nodded and she stood up.
"Come on, get your cloak, where going out," crossing the room to retrieve her own cloak. The black cloak quickly covered the elegant violet gown that she was wearing. She then approached Davor who was pulling on a short black cloak.
"Where are we going?" he asked.
"It has come to my attention that I need something powerful to do some bidding of mine, or more or less to protect me," she said.
"So what are we getting?" Davor asked.
"A werewolf," she replied.
"A werewolf! But I thought I werewolf could..."
"True, but after the final stroke of midnight, on a werewolf's first full moon, if I get there in time I can gain complete control of it," she said, "and besides, don't you think we could use a good guard dog?"
"I guess, but where are we going to find a werewolf?" he asked.
"There's one about twenty miles away, and that's the nearest one," she said heading for the door.
"But Verishka, the sun rises in five hours, how can we get there in less than five hours?" he asked.
"My dear Davor, do I seem so human to you that you have forgotten I am a vampire?" she asked.
Once they stepped outside, the wind began to blow, however the night sky was crystal clear. Perfect weather for flying.
"You're not afraid are you?" she asked.
"Of what, flying hundreds of feet in the air, being carried by a hell beast, nope," he said.
"Good, I'm going to turn first, then grip your shoulders," she said.
"All right. Any advice?" he asked.
"Yes, relax. I won't let you fall," she said, holding his shoulders from behind. As she said that, she remember the time an excellent teacher had once spoken those words to her.
(Flashback)
"What on earth are you doing Dracula?" Verishka asked as he led her up a winding staircase of Castle Dracula.
"Trust me Verishka. You wonder where I have been these past few days. We now have a way out of here, to go anywhere. The world is our playground, we can go anywhere," he said.
They were soon both on the very top of Castle Dracula. Looking down at the five hundred foot drop before her to the ground, and the one thousand five hundred foot drop from the Castle's peak, to the bottom of the ravine, Verishka stumbled back into Dracula. The wind still blowing violently.
"No more riddles, what the HELL are we doing up here!" she asked.
"Flying," he said, simply.
"What?" she gasped.
"I am serious now focus, and grow wings," he said.
"Dracula I..."
"Just grow wings," he said again. Focussing like he said, Verishka's fingers grew long nails and her feet did as well. Her entire body became silver and her muscles grew. Her eyes became almost entirely engulfed in read as she finally grew two large wings f rom her back. Pleased with her new appearance Dracula from behind her, used his incredible strength to lift her off the ground and send her sailing through the air. From shock she let out an ear piercing shriek and began to fall. Out of instinct she spread out her wings and they immediately stopped her fall and jerked her upward. A gentle flap sent her forward as she found which way to flap and move her body in order to fly. It was an incredible feeling like she had never felt before. Like she had no limits, like anything she wanted was hers. Reluctantly she felt Dracula call her back to him.
He was extremely pleased by how she had done, but he had one more thing to teach her. Once she landed and changed back, her smile filled him with pleasure; he had made her happy, for the moment.
"One more lesson for today my darling," he said. She turned around and faced the edge of the roof. He stood right behind her now, both of them half a foot away from the edge.
"Let yourself fall for a moment, then change," he instructed.
"Why is this necessary?" she asked.
"The faster you can make the transformation, the better," he said, "are you scared?"
"No," she lied.
"Do not worry. I won't let you fall... I'll never let you fall," he said, whispering the last part. With that, he gave her a gentle shove, and she fell for about twenty feet before changing, and once again began to soar far above Dracula. He had just given her such a magnificent gift, it was hard not to think that he loved her at that moment.
(End of flashback)
"Verishka?" Davor asked.
"What? Oh, sorry," she muttered. She then morphed and flew up about six feet and gripped his shoulders with her feet before flying up about one hundred twenty feet and flying away from London. Davor was in total disbelief. He was seeing a view of the world that he thought he would never get to see. Although he shuddered a bit at the site of Verishka as a huge hell beast, he quickly relaxed, trusting she wouldn't drop him.
It only took them about ten minutes before she landed directly outside a heavily wooded area. As she changed back Davor spoke, "That was incredible! Thank you so much. And you can do that when ever you want!"
"Yes, but keep quiet now," she said as her heightened senses picked up the werewolf. They both saw the trees begin to rustle and Verishka moved Davor behind her out of protection. She had no doubt that her maternal instincts over him came from the son she had lost. Still, she didn't want her new found friend being bitten by a werewolf. Suddenly a man in nothing but a loin cloth emerged, shaking. Verishka then noticed a thin layer of cloud covering the full moon.
"Who are you?" he asked.
"I am someone who can help you, and give you a place to stay," Verishka said.
"I already have a home," he growled.
"Oh yes, I'm sure your family will love to have you live with them now that you're a blood thirsty killer," she sneered.
"How can you help me?" he asked warily.
"I'll give you a home, shelter, and all I ask in return is that you use your skills to protect me," she said.
"And what would that require?" he asked.
"Surely you have heard of, or seen the famous Count Dracula. All I ask is if he approaches my house, you kill him," she said nonchalantly.
"All right, I'll do it. My name is Michael if you wanted to know," he muttered.
"Excellent, Michael this is Davor," she said, "now if you will kindly follow us back to London." She then leaped into the air with Davor in her claws and started flying home. As the moon came out Michael changed into a werewolf and was able to follow her on the ground.