Disclaimer: ONCE MORE WITH FEELING! 'begins to sing all Broadway style' I do NOT own Dracula nor any of it's trademark characters. I have NOT profited from this story in ANY WAY. All original characters are my sole property.
A/N: Well what can I say, I was inspired by all you wonderful faithful readers to post another chapter whilst my creative streak was high. Thank you to everyone who has reviewed, it is like opening Christmas gifts 'grins'. And to those who have not reviewed, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW! Anwho without much more ado... On with the show...
The next evening, as Vlad's body sensed the darkness falling, he awoke and slowly opened the lid to his coffin, gliding gracefully from it. Looking at the still closed coffin as his newly born vampire love slumbered, he knew she was still peaceful her own senses not nearly as agile as his, her fury still for the moment. He knew the moment she awoke it would resume. He slowly circled her coffin, hesitating to open it, knowing that her anger would be unleashed with the opening of the lid.
Finally decided that he had waited long enough, he slowly began to open the heavy coffin lid, releasing Morriquinne from her sleep. Her eyes fluttering open falling on his form, with lightening speed she had lunged at him, nails digging into his neck as she attempted to pin him.
"You should have just let me sleep," she growled, at least to his pleasure he could see her fangs were fully formed and the surreal inner violet fire in her eyes, letting him know her transformation is near complete.
He smiles wickedly at the sight in front of him, wondering if he had created a monster, as he fended her off, "You have to wake my darling... you have to feed."
Snarling she released him, "Perhaps I'll simply feed from you and be done with it," with a dignified air she strode away from him.
She stopped in her tracks as she heard a low chuckle forming into a maniacal laugh, "Be my guest my darling, I know it would bring me all the pleasure in the world to nourish you," quickly coming behind her pulling her back against him, "But my blood will not sustain you forever."
A small sound escaped her lips, he could not tell if it was from surprise, disgust, or desire, but she quickly pulled away throwing the door of their little crypt open. He stopped her once more with the sound of his voice, whilst exposing his neck.
"But if you truly cannot wait till your first meal... Be my guest."
She quickly whirled on him slapping him harshly across the cheek, "I would rather die a thousand deaths than drink from you again," then adding with a smirk, "Actually I would rather see you die a thousand deaths."
Reeling slightly from the slap, his hand instinctively reached out and grabbed her wrist pulling her to him speaking low and menacing, "That you will not see in your lifetime, Morriquinne."
"How can you be so sure?" she glared, tension in her whole body but did not pull away.
"Because my darling, I will see you die... before I allow you to see me meet my end," with that he released her striding through the door, "Now, we must feed. Surely your hunger is rising up in you."
"So that love you spoke of after all is nothing more than a whim, just as I suspected," Morri taunted following him from the room.
"My love for you grows deeper with every passing second. Deeper than you shall know for some time," leading her form the room into the night.
"Rubbish," she snapped, looking into the night sky, suddenly having the urge to soar through it.
He then took her past the front gate of the castle, which, seemingly without his command, started to rise open for them to pass easily through. The gate quickly clanged in place behind them, baring intruders entry to their home.
Looking up into the sky… sighing softly at a new sensation that flooded through her. "Why do I feel as though I could fly?"
He paused surprised at her question, "Flying... exactly... may not be the right word for what you can do," waving her off, "We'll get to that. But first we must feed. We are nothing without blood."
He began to stroll through the woods close to his castle, beckoning her to walk close to him, "I will now teach you the hunt, Morriquinne. Learn this and learn it well."
Scowling Morriquinne followed, the closer she came to him the more she wanted to pounce, in an effort to satisfy her urge to pummel Vlad. Suddenly he turned, able to sense her growing anger minute by minute. Grasping her by the arms, up near her shoulders, he stopped her in her path giving her a firm shake.
Baring his fangs, hissing, "DO YOU WANT TO FEED WOMAN, OR DO YOU WANT TO FIGHT ME AND DIE!"
"YOUR THREATS OF DEATH DO NOT FRIGHTEN ME, I KNOW I MUST FEED TO LIVE, BUT I CANNOT DENY MY ANGER AND NEITHER CAN YOU!" she stared directly into his eyes, no fright there, voice matching his in volume, and did not wince with how tightly he held her arms.
He growled fiercely, throwing her down harshly onto the forest floor, before bolting suddenly into the woods. She was stunned, angry and confused, he had left her so quickly she had no way of being able to follow. Still reeling from what just happened to her surprise moments later Vlad returned two snow rabbits in his grasp, alive, struggling in his clutches.
"One for each of us my dear. Prepare for your first meal as a vampire," he hissed holding one harshly out to her, the other at his side.
Coiling on the ground, Morri glanced at the two rabbits, she had often hunted them and brought them home for stew. Taking the offered creature she couldn't help but still feel sorry for the little one.
"This is wrong." she stated flatly.
"Watch me, Morriquinne," he replied.
He held up the struggling rabbit, and pulled it to his lips, fangs bared. He paused to look at Morriquinne and revel in the death he was about to cause. He then took his time to sink his fangs into the rabbit's neck, draining its blood and not stopping till he could feel the heart had completely stopped beating. Then pulled the rabbit from his face, its blood dripping down his chin.
"Now you."
Hunger gnawed at her stomach, as she smelled the keen scent of blood, its metallic scent was near driving her mad. She had begun stroking the rabbit in her arms to calm the poor creature, and herself. Lifting the tiny animal she looked into its red eyes.
"Shhh, my pet, do not be frightened," continuing to stroke the silky fur all the while.
Once she could feel the rabbit relax in her grasp she quickly sunk her fangs into its neck. Drinking from it quickly to spare the creature from any fear and pain. Speaking a silent prayer for the creature's small soul.
With glee Dracula purred, "That's it darling, drink."
"I am not like you," she hissed dropping the animal when she was finished. Gently placing its body on the ground.
As soon as she was done with her small ritual for her prey and had stood, he stepped forward, pulling her to him. Then as quickly as he had pounced on his prey, he pressed his lips against hers, the rabbit's blood and their saliva mingling. A satisfied growl escaping his lips. Morri allowed this for a moment, bloodlust still holding her for a brief moment, but quickly realized what was happening and squealed into the kiss in anger. Drawing her hand back she struck him across the face, nails digging into his porcelain skin. Drawing red gashes in his perfect cheek. He reeled back, crying out more from surprise than pain, as the gashes already had begun to heal.
"We are going to have to do something about your temper, young lady," he scolded a grim edge in his voice.
"What can I say? You bring it out in me," she growled turning on her heal leaving her back to him, "Perhaps that will be a lesson, you'll not touch me again."
With a frustrated sigh, he turned and walked away from his violent bride, heading into the deeper part of the forest to hunt for more. For the moment not caring if she followed. Feeling he was leaving, Morri returned to the castle, secretly wishing he would fall upon something a cross... a stake... anything and meet his end.
Hours later, finished with his hunt, he returned to the castle with two more rabbits for Morriquinne. Knowing she must be nearly dead from hunger. He strolled into the common room where her transformation took place and release them within the room. An effort to teach her to hunt. The adorable creatures hopped around the room, lost and scared.
"Take them Morriquinne. Take them or you will die."
She scowled fiercely at him, gently scooping up one stroking it's feather soft ears, "What do YOU care?" she snapped, and began too coo at the rabbit, the way she had with her horse and the previous rabbit, "You know there is no need to scare them half to death," cooing sweetly at the rabbit, but speaking the words directly to the Count.
Once she felt the rabbit calmed she gently drank from it. Mimicking her actions for this one as she had in the woods.
"Scared or not scared, eating these rabbits is the first step for you. You won't be able to exist on just rabbits for long, Morriquinne. Trust me on that. Now, the other one is hiding somewhere. HUNT IT... FEED."
She raised an eyebrow, calling in that soft coo for the other rabbit to come out. Almost immediately it began to hop out to the gentle sound. She then repeated the process of calming the creature then proceeding to drink. Then lifted the rabbits limp forms examining them.
"These would be good use to a family in my village," she commented thinking bloodless meat would be better than none at all for the family. Further frustrating Dracula with her determination not to be like him in any way.
"My darling, the sooner you realize that your village is dead to you, that you cannot help them nor they you, the better," walking towards her as he said this, snatching the dead rabbits from her and tossing them into the fire.
"I'll never stop trying!" she snapped moving abruptly to the window, wrapping her arms around herself.
He then walked up behind her, wrapping his strong arms around her shaking body, "You will... you will, it just takes time," kissing her softly on the neck and temple, "We are the only ones in the world that matter now, you and I. Morriquinne Aidwren and Vlad Tepes."
"No I won't, even if they are dead to me, I am not dead to them. Even in this cursed form, I will ALWAYS look over them," she sighed not pulling from his embrace, simply staring out the window.
Holding her tight, kissing her neck off and on, "They hunt us, they despise us. We vampires are the most hated form of life to them. Going near that village is your certain death. Please my darling understand that, "He began to stare out the window, hoping her had made the right choice about her.
"They need not know I exist unknown help they will assume is mercy from their lord," she sighed, finding herself settle against him allowing a small comfort in this.
Sighing, somehow he truly wished to make this transition easier for her, "My dark angel, I don't see how your soul can be so pure. But you have to understand, the humans are our sustenance, our life source. You will come to accept this in time."
"I don't care! Do they not make their barn animals as comfortable as they can before they use them for food? Why can't vampires do the same?" she cried frustration building in her again, turning fists pressed against his chest.
He pulled her tightly to his body, comforting her as best he could. He could feel her cool, dead skin pressing against his form... yet the was a certain warmth to it. The elder vampire stared out the window, already able to feel the heat of the sun that is still more than an hour away form rising. Suddenly Morri pulled from his embrace finding no comfort in it, moving to stare at the fire as she did the night before, once more mocking her with its merry blaze.
Suddenly Dracula's own frustration was at fever pitch, causing him to exit the room quickly. He could feel the desire for human blood stronger than he had felt in months. He quickly flew from the castle, heading towards the nearest village. Within near moments, he found his destination. On the outskirts of a small village near a small farmhouse, he could see a young woman carrying a bucket of what must be cow's milk from the barn to the house. He quickly grabbed her from behind, a hand over her mouth, and change into his black winged form wisping her back to the castle. Retaking human for as he reached the top of the stairs that led to the common room, and burst back into the main room.
His exit had frightened Morri, she had remained rooted in her place since he left, but his entrance frightened her even more. His eyes were wild with blue lightening, several more dark whisps of hair fell from his smart ponytail than normal, within his grip the frightened struggling girl. Immediately Morri's eyes fell to her frightened squirming figure.
"What have you done!" Morriquinne cried in disbelief.
Forcing the girl down on the sofa, they could both see she was too frightened to scream, Vlad then snatched Morri over to her pushing his bride onto the couch, "She is yours. Take her... or I will."
"You really are a monster!" the new vampires near yowled at him, her fury building acting as though she might rise from the couch but decided against it. Instead looking at the girl speaking in a tone meant to calm, "I'll not hurt you, nor will I live to see him hurt you," Morri turned glaring at her creator, furious with him.
By this time the terrified girl had risen, and begun a retreat to the far corner of the room. The Count whispered to his bride, "Morriquinne... you can feel the bloodlust rising up in you, I know you can. TAKE her..." he returned her glare, so that she could see the bloodthirst in HIS eyes.
"Lay one finger on her Vlad, and you WILL regret it," she snapped, the girl watching frightened and wide eyed at the vampire's test of wills.
With a smirk he taunted, "My sweet Morriquinne... You know that no mortal can see this castle and live... she was dead before she got here."
With that he lept across the room, covering the entire distance between himself and the terrified girl. Before either women could say a word his fangs were buried deep into her neck, tearing at her jugular draining her innocent blood into his mouth. All too soon her body was limp. Disgusted with the scene, and unable to help the milkmaid, Morri burst from the room, furious with Vlad and her situation. The door slammed and she returned to the rooms with the coffins. Upon seeing his she was tempted to smash it to bits, but knowing in her state she could not. So she simply sank into hers slamming the lid, determined to be left alone.
Following her down, Dracula decided to dispose of his prey's body later, his bloodthirst satisfied for now. He coyly slunk into his own coffin, like a cat all too pleased with himself. Just as the lid closed, the sun began to rise outside of his home. Vlad peaceful and contented in his coffin, and Morriquinne frustrated trapped in a dreamless sleep within hers.
A/N: Well there you have it Chapter 6.