Hey! I survived one exam, the results will come later, but I care little about those! I'm more worried with the story now, I have so few readers! Whom I have are loyal, and I love them the most in the world,( hugs, kisses, thank you for the reviews you posted so far!)but do tell me if anything is wrong with my fic, I can't think of any other reason for the little number of readers! But this goes out to everyone, I hope you will have as much fun reading it, as I had writing! Another loooong one! And please review!

Dracula woke up in the very second as the Sun crawled beyond the mountains. He called out for Igor right away, his voice rolling off the black rocks, echoing through the entire castle. But Igor failed to come, and Dracula was infuriated with his servant's disobedience. He was in the dungeon in seconds, to find Igor tied to a stone pillar, struggling with his chains. Dracula was taken aback by the many dead bodies of the dwergi; they have been slaughtered in a manner. He could see right away, that his servants were not killed by any loose-running werewolf, but their death was the sophisticated work of a warrior.

„ Master!" called Igor. Dracula tore his chains off as a response, grabbed his throat, and lifted him up in the air.

„ You let her escape!" yelled the count.

„ She didn't ask for a permission Master!" Igor tried to answer, struggling in Dracula's clench.

„ Don't you dare talk back to me Igor!" Dracula shouted, eyes red wit rage „ Where is she?"

„ I think she began climbing down the wall of the Eastern tower" Dracula dropped the unfortunate Igor, changed into his hell beast form, and flew out through one of the windows. He could hear the slow and dim beating of Agnes' heart in the back of his head as he flew downwards by the stony and uneven surface of the mountain wall. It took him hours to find the unconscious Agnes lying under a salient rock, frozen, and half-dead.

„ To Hell with your stubborn head!" Dracula cursed as he took Agnes' fragile figure in his arms, and flew back to the castle. Changing back into his human form, he laid Agnes' chilled body gently down on her bed, and removed her clothes save her lingerie and blouse. Dracula was fully aware of the fact, that Agnes would hate his guts if he removed more, and they were not wet anyway. But he couldn't keep himself from caressing his angel's smooth naked thighs, although it was more of an aesthetic experience, since Agnes wasn't aware of his gradually growing desire for her at that moment. He covered her in warm blankets, and was hoping she will not die. Dracula knew he wouldn't let that happen anyway, he could save her from death, but the time for her turning has not come yet. But occasionally he thought it might be the simplest solution. The petulant lady caused Dracula more trouble in the past few days than he had in the past few centuries altogether. He hissed as he collected a list of Agnes' nerve-racking deeds in his mind, counting them on his fingers; she killed two demons, wounded a third one, massacred a dozen of dwergi, tried to kill him three times, and herself two times. Dracula tilted his head to the side, and raised his eyebrows.

„ I never believed she would cut her own throat, but trying to escape from here by climbing down the mountain wall with a simple rope can also come up to an attempted suicide." he thought. The count sat down on the inner sill of the window with arms folded, and was eyeing Agnes' chest rising and falling steadily. With her deadly white skin and the cold her body radiated, she resembled the image that Dracula saw in his dream too much.

„ Strange is destiny, isn't it?" the count asked himself „ The living long for death, while the dead long for the living." Mixed feelings arouse in his dead heart towards his sleeping angel; he was angry with her, yet worried in a manner. Moreover, although Dracula hated to admit it to himself, he was amazed with the power Agnes seemed to possess, and her unwearying struggle against any control. He looked at the hands, laid upon the top of the blanket by Agnes' side, which wielded a sword to compete all enemies.

„ Who would know the strength of nine warriors rest in those slender fingers!" Dracula's ears were caught in the rhythm of Agnes' heartbeat, and upon listening to the chant, the count got lost in the tales it told. It spoke of the versatile personality, feeling heart and deep emotions of angel, and confirmed what Dracula already knew in the back of his mind. Agnes' heartbeat revealed her fragility and the wounds and scars she carried in her soul, which made her mistrustful and unapproachable towards the world, and hide behind the mask of a fierce warrior. She didn't fake strength, but she had to pay the price for it, and learnt never to give in to blatant force, even if it meant giving up a chance for indulgence. Dracula could hear Agnes' words echoing in his ears from yesterday: „ You can even beat me to death, I will never give in to you! Never." The count gave a small laugh at the entertaining memory.

„ She got used to being in control, but it is about time she found out how it feels to surrender. And the pleasures it might hold." Dracula thought, as the edges of his lips curved into a smile. The count knew he could make her submit using his physical strength or mental abuse, but that would only urge her to lie snug, and turn against him in a weak moment of his.

„ Or worse; turn against herself!" Dracula shook his head „ No" he thought „ She deserves other than that." Making angel surrender in a refined way that would break neither her body, nor her free spirit, sounded a suitable challenge to the Prince of Darkness. He will not take her blood by violence or victimization; suddenly Dracula wanted it as a gift of gratitude and love. He grinned and licked his lips as he remembered the taste of her blood; the intoxicating mixture of fire and honey.

„ Wonder if it would taste even sweeter if it was freely given?" he grinned, then walked to the bed and sat down by Agnes, taking her hand. To Dracula's delight her body began warming up by itself already, and the roses of life began flourishing on her formerly pale cheeks again. The count became more curious about the lady behind the mask of a warrior, whose noble features became smooth in the dreamless sleep she was now in, than ever. Dracula's cold lips began tracing Agnes' knuckles that were warming up gradually. He lost himself in the touch of Agnes' silky skin, and the sight of her maroon hair, lying about on the pillow, like glory glowing around angels' head. The count soon had to retreat to a dark corner, for the Sun began peeking above the horizon as the sign of the new day. He sat down in an armchair; the count wasn't in the mood to retire to his coffin. Yet. Dracula yelled for Igor, and made him bring a goblet of blood for him, and a tray of food for Agnes. The snow clouds were partly blown away, revealing a world of fragilities outside, formed of ice and snow, reflecting the first orange rays. Dracula didn't feel like drawing the heavy crimson drapes, he enjoyed the sight of his angel's face bathing in the early morning sunlight, from the protective darkness. He still couldn't believe Agnes risked her life for flighty and hysterical Elizabeth. Burying a cold blade into her own throat, or dying of frost on a mountain, just to save her.

„ She could teach anyone a lesson of love" he said out loud.

„ Anyone?" he thought right after the words rolled off his lips. He ached his eyebrows, and took a sip of blood from the goblet. Dracula had deep battle scars, and his heart was like an old castle, frozen and deserted centuries ago, damaged by a savage betrayal, he was sure it would never beat again. Unless....someone had the power to revive the dormant embers lying in the cold and death.


Agnes was way asleep when something began to tickle the back of her mind. She knew the feeling, and tried to flap it away. But it just kept coming back, as if imps were chewing her ears, and yanking her collars. Agnes turned to her side and groaned, she didn't want to get up yet, she enjoyed the warmth of her bed, and the stroke of the morning Sun on her thigh, which lolled out from under the blanket

" Not this time!" she thought, and her thoughts digressed. Agnes recalled the events of the previous day. The sunrise, the passage with the skeleton, her face turning into a grimace. The dwergi, Igor, and descending down the mountain, and the feeling of frost slowly crawling to her bones. Agnes suddenly sat up in her bed giving out a loud and scared groan. She was panting as her eyes slowly took in the image around her, looking through the mops of her hair in her face. She looked out the window, and saw clear blue skies, but the iron frame seemed familiar. She was back in the castle!

" I m supposed to be dead by now..." Agnes thought out loud, and combed the hair from her face with her fingers.

" But you're not." came a too well known voice from the corner. Agnes jumped a bit from the surprise, then tried to focus switching her gaze from the light to the darkness. Dracula's figure was outlined, as sitting on a chair. All became clear to Agnes in an instant: the count had saved her from dying! And he brought her back, and took the clothes off her! She blushed, then noticed her naked thigh exposed to Dracula's eyes. Agnes quickly covered it with the blanket and looked at the smiling count.

" You shouldn't have hid that! It was really a sight to remember!" he remarked with a hiss of a gourmand " I see you are better now." Agnes didn't answer, she felt embarrassed by the whole situation; the man whom she considered her worst enemy, saved her from the claws of death itself, and half-undressed her. She clenched the sheet next to herself in fury and helplessness. Agnes looked at Dracula who was eyeing her with a curious face, and gave a loud sigh. Perhaps she had misjudged the count. Or at least partly. Mostly she would refer to him as a squirt, but she did owe him a favour now. Not any kind of a favour. Dracula stood up from his chair, drew the curtains, and the room suddenly became intimate in the twilight. He turned around to see Agnes looking around, turning her head from left to right wildly. The count folded his arms, and knew she was looking for her weapons. Dracula rolled his eyes; he was getting tired of Agnes' trying to kill him already. He would punish her if she tried anything this time. Agnes noticed his grimace, and turned to Dracula, giving him a look of deep significance.

" Don't worry, I just checked if they were not lost. I am a warrior, not a murderer. I have morals. I am not going to attempt to kill the man who just saved my life." Agnes lowered her head, began playing with her fingers, and her face softened She lifted her gaze after long minutes, and her deep brown eyes met Dracula's, which were black as a starless night.

" Thank you." Agnes said with a broken smile. Dracula was caught off his guard by this statement. It was the first time for centuries, that somebody honestly thanked him for what he had done, and that Agnes rewarded him with a smile that was not of irony or mockery. His lips curved into a smile, and the look on his face turned into an almost loving one. The magic vibration between them, which had hardly started, was ended by the rumbling sound of Agnes' stomach. She made a grab at her belly, as if that would end the noise. Dracula nodded towards the tray of food on the night table.

" Eat something, you need to regain our strength." Dracula said in a dry voice, knowing who could be blamed for Agnes having eaten nothing for quite a while. The latter's eyes sparkled with delight, took the tray in her lap, then looked up at Dracula before touching the delicacies.

" But don't forget Vladislaus that it was my head that I bowed to you for this, not my heart." Agnes said with a determined look.

" That will do for a start!" Dracula remarked with a devilish grin. Agnes began eating, and tried to decide how she should behave with the count now. Her honour as a warrior would keep her from attacking Dracula in the future; save he should threaten her life. But she knew he wouldn't risk that. The count seemed to enjoy the current situation of setting up as a hero. And she will not give in to his seductive smile. Agnes looked up at Dracula, who was wearing exactly the grin she was thinking about. Her lips curved into a wide smile as well, when she decided it was time she used another of her arsenals. The thoughts began flying in her head quickly.

" I have to co-operate with him to some extent if I ever want to be free again. Without him noticing it. He will regret it a million times that he had kidnapped me!" Agnes combined ideas, forming plans and strategies with the speed of lightning. To her luck it was only later that curious Dracula began reading her thoughts.

" I should be kind to him somewhat." Agnes thought.

" You should indeed. I would appreciate that." said Dracula with a sneer that sent chills up and down Agnes' spine. Of course! Agnes remembered the events of the past days, and put two and two together. She looked at the count angrily.

" Quit reading my thoughts!" she yelled.

" Quit this yelling and be kind to me!" said Dracula, making a face like a spoilt child, leaning forward " At least somewhat." he continued ironically. Agnes didn't say a word, but went on eating some sliced apple, and tried not to think of anything. But she had a hard time; the things, which she was not supposed to think about, kept popping up in her mind. Dracula gave a small laugh at her struggles.

" Then do answer my questions, love" the count said, looking at Agnes from behind a few loose strands of black hair" I have more fun if your thoughts roll off your lips anyway!"

" Alright. Go ahead, ask what you will!" Agnes said, after finishing her breakfast, looking at Dracula raising her eyebrows, making an ignorant face.

" Why did you want to escape? And I want an honest answer darling." Agnes raised her arms in misbelief.

" You ask me why? Aright, I will answer. First, you wanted to kidnap my sister, then your demons kidnapped me instead, you locked me in a room, and then threatened me with hurting Elizabeth. Need anymore reasons?" Agnes asked ironically. Dracula was sitting with his right fist against his mouth.

" And you kissed me." finished Agnes the wide-ranging list. Dracula took his hand away from his mouth, only to reveal a smile Agnes had never seen on anyone's face before; a mixture of lust, desire, triumph and sauciness.

" You are never going to make me believe you haven't enjoyed those, love!" he said. Agnes took up a diabolical smile too, and narrowed her eyes.

" Since I said I will be nice to you count, " she said, then turned to the tray which she placed on the bed by her side " you get to choose what you want me to toss at your big head!"

" I thought you didn't want to kill me anymore!" said Dracula, pretending an innocent smile.

" Surely it would not kill you!"

Dracula made a face of dissatisfaction, and turned to Agnes accusingly.

" So this is what I get as gratitude? As a reward?" he asked, raising his eyebrows, trying to make a piteous expression. Agnes' heart failed one beat when the word 'reward' hit her ears. She could clearly recall what happened the last time Dracula mentioned it.

" I'd better give him one before he takes it for himself!" she thought, and got out of bed, the smile never leaving her face. Dracula couldn't hide his surprise and joy he felt at the sight of Agnes approaching him in nothing but her blouse and lingerie. He had seen her this way only a few hours before, but this time she radiated life and the touch of her warm skin with her blood rushing under it, offered Dracula pleasure beyond imagination. But Agnes stepped on the toes of the count's black boots instead, and stood on her tiptoes to even the difference in height between them; careful not to have her body touch Dracula's. She was playing with her fingers behind her back as she whispered in the count's ear. Agnes knew the feeling of her hot breath upon his ears made Dracula burn with longing.

" Will this do as a reward?" she asked. Dracula didn't answer, but tried to fold his arms around Agnes. But the angel was faster this time, and she jumped away from Dracula rapidly, leaving the latter stand there like he had been poured hot water on the head.

" I wasn't in that much trouble!" said Agnes.

" You don't know who you're tempting, running around in clothes like this. Or should I say without the clothes that you miss?" the count arched his brows, and Agnes gave a minor laugh, but her victory didn't last long, Dracula had disappeared from her sight, and reappeared behind her back, placing his cold hands upon her belly, pulling her close. The count lavished Agnes' dainty neck with kisses that boosted her senses and burned like dry ice upon her skin of flames. Until the second she regained control over her body, and broke away from Dracula, who refused to believe his eyes, as Agnes walked past him, using his distraction.

" Where are you going love?" he inquired, all efforts not to look surprised.

" I will have a bath! This is what people do after getting up, don't they?" she asked, and looked back at Dracula from the bathroom door, to have it closed and locked moments later. If the count's eyes could actually burn, the bathroom door would have been on fire long ago. He grinned, and whispered under his nose:

" This is going to be more fun than I thought!" Dracula quickly turned on his heels and walked out of the room, leaving the door unlocked.

" As fanatic as she is, a locked door would be no barrier!" But he knew Agnes was bound to her ethics, which kept her from such attempts for the time being. To his glee.

Agnes was standing in the bathroom, her back against the door. She could hear Dracula leave as her fingers traced the line of her neck, which were petted by the count's lips only minutes before. Agnes knew she began playing a dangerous game, but part of her enjoyed it tremendously.

" Take one sip of Devil's poison, and you'll get addicted right away." she thought out loud. Agnes turned the tap on, planning to indulge in the hot water, and think things over once more.

The new summary was the help of the Widow Dracula, go read her work too! It's all fabulous!

O..o..o. Things got a little hot, didn't they? Please review! I'm desperate! And I won't update unless I get enough of them!