AN: Sorry this took so long! I wanted to work on it and make it perfect. RR please!
"All set." Anna said, closing the coach's door.
The black horses stomped and snorted, wanting to move. Vanhelsing was happy to see the horses so excited to move. He knew that for the plan to work, they needed as much speed as possible.
"Now Carl, mind your manners and don't stare at him." He said.
"What do you take me for?" Carl scoffed. "I have manners, I've seen some things."
Anna chuckled at Carl's bravado. After all, he was a monk, what did he know? Vanhelsing helped Carl get in, and watched as his eyes bugged out of his head. The Frankenstein monster was chained to the other side of the coach as he sat on one of the silk benches. Frankenstein strained against his chains. "By exposing me, you have condemned me! Me and all of…" Anna slammed the door shut once again and turned to leave. He didn't like leaving Anna out of his sight, but under the circumstances, it was the best they could do. Climbing into the drivers seat, he tugged on the horse's reins and shouted. Not much to his surprise, they shot off like a rocket. He drove the team from daylight into night, not bothering to rest as they plummeted deeper into the dark forest.
Meanwhile, Mira paced back and forth in Dracula's chamber.
"Are they back yet?" she questioned whiningly.
"No! For the fourth time, NO!" Dracula cried, not bothering to look up from his desk.
"Sorry!" she said, annoyed.
"I'm just worried, that's all."
"They will be fine, they've done stuff like this before." He said.
Sighing, she sat down on his bed.
"Alright. I just don't want Aleera's or Verona's babies to be left without a mother…I would have a hard time teaching them."
Dracula smirked, imaging her building a flying machine and trying to teach them how to feed. He turned from his legal papers and treaties to look at her. There she was, sitting on the bed, biting her nails.
Just last night they flew from his winter home to their summer castle, and Mira, being afraid of heights, did not sleep at all in Verona's talons. She never seems to rest. He thought, watching her as she began to tap her foot. He sighed and turned back to his work.
Vanhelsing rode through the forest on the backs of wind itself. He admired the horses speed and stamina, as they rode like the wild animals they once were.
Suddenly, he felt a chill go up his spine as all the hairs on his neck stood up. "I'm being watched." He whispered, rubbing his neck.
Verona watched as he tied the reins to the bar and picked up his crossbow, waiting for an attack. "I better get behind him." She thought to Aleera, speaking telepathically. Aleera nodded with approval as she watched her sneak behind. She always thinks of the good ideas. Aleera thought bitterly. She watched as Verona jerked him off the sea, sending his crossbow flying. He grabbed her wing, forcing her to let him go, and he landed hard against the lead horse. Verona scowled. Stupid human. She thought. He leaned down near the horse's neck, urging it to go faster.
"Why are you looking at me?" Mira asked.
"Nothing, nothing at all." Dracula replied, turning back to the work on his desk.
"Mira?" he asked, turning back to her.
"Yes?" she said, taking her nails out of her mouth.
"I was wondering…would you like to go to the ball I'm throwing? It's in two days and…"
"All hallows ever?" she interrupted.
"Yes…" he said, not sure of her reaction.
"I love all hollows eve." She said softly, in a trance like state. She shook her head and sighed.
"But, I'm kinda afraid to go, I don't think anyone will like me, and…"
"I would be honored, Mira, " He said standing.
"If you came." He said. She looked at him, puzzled. She looked away.
"Hmmm…" she said, touching her chin.
Meanwhile, Frankenstein was having a fit. "Let me go." Frankenstein said, leaning so close to Carl he could smell his putrid breath. "Where are you going to go?" Carl asked, "I don't know if you've looked in the mirror lately, but you would kinda stick out in a crowd."
Vanhelsing watched as Verona and Aleera swooped in the murky skies. There was a sharp turn up ahead. He felt as the strain of the carriage weighed on the horses as they sped around the turn. Just as he anticipated, the rope holding the carriage snapped. He smiled to himself as he watched them swoop down after it, and as the weight of the coach was lifted, the horses sped up. He turned again to watch as the brides struggled with the coach. Finally, the only bride holding on let go, and there was a huge explosion. He watched as Aleera flew away, while Verona fell to the ground, a stake threw her heart. A minute later, an identical coach ran up, with an unhappy Frankenstein inside. He sighed with relief.
Meanwhile, Dracula watched as she thought about it. What! But she's human, how can I like her! Stop thinking so much! His mind argued.
"Well, as highly unethical as it is, I will go but…"
"Great!" he interrupted.
"But, " she said, taking off her glasses.
"But, I don't have anything to wear." She said.
"Oh." He replied. "Well, I'm sure that…"
Suddenly, he stopped, a faraway look of realization appearing on his face.
"Verona is dead." He whispered.
"What?" Mira asked.
"Verona…she's dead, so I'm sure you can use one of her dresses." He said, a fake smile appearing in a trance like state as he appeared in front of her closet, disappearing right in front of Mira's eyes.
"Dracula!" she called down the hallway.
"Ok, shoes, dresses, god where is a black dress!" he said, squatting in front of her dresser.
"Dracula!" Mira called down the hallway. She ran down the hallway and finally found him.
"Dracula." She said softly, squatting down next to him.
"Dracula." She said sternly.
"What!" he yelled, looking up at her.
Suddenly, she reached up and hugged him, wrapping him in her arms he lost balance and fell into the pile of clothes he went through. His hand reached down and stroked the side of her face. He was about to kiss her, when "Hunny! I'm home!" Aleera called. He stopped himself, and Mira looked up at him, confused. She got up immediately and walked a few feet away, and sat on Verona's bed as Aleera just arrived.
"And guess who I brought," Aleera said, Shoving Anna on the bed.
"Where is the Frankenstein monster?" Dracula asked, annoyed.
"We couldn't grab him master! The Carriage was empty!"
"What? Dammnit!" he replied.
"They probably used a double coach." He said. Then inspiration came into his eyes once again.
"Wait…I have a idea…" he said, as Aleera was walking away to leave. "Aleera?" he asked.
She turned on heal to look at him. "Yes?"
"Go find the Vanhelsing, and tell them I would like to make a trade. Midnight. At the All hallows eve ball."