Author's Notes: Thank you all so much for the love and the hate! It makes me so happy knowing that my little ol' fanfiction can make people feel! I was so overwhelmed with the recent feedback that I made sure this chapter would be up fast…so please forgive the major grammar booboos that are most certainly all over the place in here. Not to mention the '…' XD They were kinda needed in this chapter but even I can admit that they were abused…XD

Love or Blood

Chapter Thirty-four: The Cold Oblivion

XXXX

Hal-Liurz held her letter of resignation in a tight scaly grip. After a lifetime of servitude she was done. She could take no more of her Count's foolishness. She often thought that she would live out the remainder of her life within Castle Skingrad, but the Stewardess saw now that it was not to be. She would not stick around to watch everything she had preserved fall apart at the hands of a man who knew not his own strength. No, she was far too proud to see it all crumble. She would not be around to gather the pieces either.

With heaviness in her step she walked down the secret passage to the Chamber of Fate. She would say goodbye to her Countess. She would pray for her peace and happiness in this life and the next. Knowing that it would be the last time she addressed lady Rona, Hal-Liurz felt tears form in her eyes. She blinked them away and pocketed her letter. With a long sigh, she pushed the door open, only to have her breath taken away at what she beheld.

The Countess' room was in shambles. Splintered wood was strewn across the floor, furniture cracked and obliterated. The once ornate tapestries were now reduced to tattered cloth hanging from bent iron. The room was dim, only one candle sconce stayed lit and untouched through the chaos. It casted a shadowy gloom over Rona's bedside.

Hal-Liurz rushed into the room, tripping over furniture in a wild panic to reach the Countess. Draped over her Lady was a stark white sheet, it hung heavily over Rona's gaunt features and chilled the Stewardess to the bone, "W-Who could have done this?" She exclaimed, blinking back more tears. Hal-Liurz reached out to remove the cloth when a voice cut out from the blackness.

"Leave it," Said the Count.

The Stewardess whipped around to face the man who was shrouded in shadow. What she could see of him confused her. He was leaning against the wall, nonchalant over the disaster he stood in. His eyes took on a peculiar glow in the darkness.

"My Lord?!" Hal-Liurz called. "Who has done t-this…this great disrespect?!" She spat, again turning wildly around the room, as though looking for the offender.

"I did," Answered the Count calmly. He stepped around some debris and entered the small light. "And she will remain in this state of great disrespect until I no longer find it to my liking."

His words at first confounded the Stewardess. She stared blankly at the man who she had served her entire life with great disbelief. "Is this some sort of cruel joke?" She demanded, advancing on the large and foolish vampire. "How could you—" And then she stopped. Again confusion hit her but this time her stomach turned sour as well. The Count's once white shirt was stained red. Blood ran down his front and sleeves, staining the tunic beyond recognition. "By the Nine…"

It only took the Stewardess a moment to realize whose blood he was covered with. Her scales flushed with anger, with betrayal, and with small fear. "Where is she?" Hal-Liurz growled, her tail flicking back and forth apprehensively.

The Count inclined his head and looked toward the ceiling. "She's right up there where I can hear her."

Again the Stewardess was shocked. "Right above us?! You put her in the holding closet?!"

"It is where I can best hear her."

"You bastard!" Hal-Liurz shouted, reaching down quickly to grab the leg of what once was a table. Had the Count finally lost his mind? "I should stake you where you stand! What have you done?!"

"You are to make preparations for me. She no longer resides in the Maids Quarters. Stock the Green Room with the finest. It is hers now."

"You've gone mad!" She yelled, storming her way over to the staircase. "I've got to check her…I have to see if she's alright." She tossed the wood aside and hiked her skirts up to better maneuver over the wreckage.

"She'll live." With lightning speed, Hal-Liurz made her way back over to the Count. Whack! Her hand struck his cheek with all the strength and force she could muster. The Count looked bewildered but to his credit made no move against the Stewardess.

"You loathsome creature." She spat. "This…all this…Your doing…CLEAN IT UP!" And without another moment spared Hal-Liurz raced up the spiral staircase.

xxxx

Cold. I was so very cold. It was the only thing that seemed to want to register in my mind. After pleading and begging at the door for what felt like an eternity, I gave up. My body's strength had not yet recovered but I had eventually managed to push my way to the far corner of the room and sit. I could not stand nor could I lift myself onto the small cot of the chamber. I was confined to the floor, sitting limply, not even the strength to hug myself and keep warm.

The blood on my skin had begun to dry and itch, again something I could not do. Occasionally I would turn my head to the side and moan in protest. My body hurt, my skin prickled, cold seemed to be coming from my very core and my eyes did not want to stay open. I was so tired…but each time I drifted off into sleep my body jolted itself awake, and I would gasp for air as if I had been drowning.

My mind would flitter to the Count without my consent. I could be on the verge of sleep and then he would be there, so boldly in my thoughts, clouding my muddled mind further. At his face in my mind's eye I would scowl. The more I sat in that room, the more far-off I felt from the entire situation. In the place of self-pity a strange hunger grew for the Count. Violent and sometimes random fantasies about him would surround me. I felt engulfed by him despite his lack of attendance.

And sitting on the floor, too tired to be afraid of death but fully acknowledging its possibility, I wondered why he did this to me. What was it that I had done to him? I could not focus, so I would whine like an animal, everything was far too beyond my depth of comprehension now. My very soul felt numb; an almost absent feeling, like a limb being chopped off.

Sometime while I was focusing on regulating my breath I heard a far-off sound. After the first noise more came. Clinking sounds, pattering of feet, and raspy speech. It sounded like a broken orchestra so far away…

"Oh dear Gods! Abigale Lynn? Answer me, girl!" Light suddenly filled the room. It hurt my eyes so I turned away and grumbled incoherently at it. "No, no, no! Hey! Do not sleep! Abigale Lynn you need to stay awake!"

Finally I recognized the broken orchestra as the voice of the Stewardess. I looked up at her panicked red eyes. They were glazed…she was crying. She touched my face and apologized, for what I did not know or care. But seeing her, knowing that I was no longer alone, and feeling her scaled hand upon my cheek, made me get some sort of second wind; I burst into a fit of tears.

"Help me!" I sobbed, finding enough strength to pitch myself forward and into her arms. "He hurt me! He hurt me! Gods why?!" I clung to the Stewardess as if my only salvation resided in her embrace. I continued to weep as she too sniffled and held me tightly.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." She said while stroking my hair. "Abigale, let me look at you." She took hold of my shoulders and gently distanced our bodies. Again she gasped. She placed her palm on my forehead and swore. I didn't understand, I just wanted to be held again. "Abigale I need you to stay here and stay awake. I need to get you help. Do you understand me?"

"No! Don't leave me…He'll come back! He'll -!" I stopped, suddenly unable to breath. All went black.

I awoke to the Stewardess standing above me but she was no longer alone and I was no longer on the floor. I had been placed on the cot, the covers over my lap, Tualga sitting beside me, keeping me from lying down. In my delirium I smiled at the weeping Tualga. I was happy to see people who did not want to hurt me.

"Stewardess! Lynn's awake! B-but she's getting colder."

"The infusion is almost ready! Just keep wiping that blood off of her!"

I heard clinking noises and turned to watch the Stewardess pouring a green liquid into a small bowl. I wrinkled my nose. It smelt of vinegar and roots. I then looked back to Tualga. In her lap she had a large bowl full of a reddish liquid. I knew it was my blood that had dyed what was originally plain water pink. It smelt of copper. Steamy copper.

"Done! Put that down now, Tualga. Grab her head and keep her still."

Even if I had wanted to struggle I could not. My body was too tired. Tualga tilted my head back and gently forced my mouth open. The Stewardess began to pour her concoction in my mouth. The taste made me retch and convulse but I did my best to swallow it all down. It was thick and gritty, akin to the texture of an egg yolk that had been mixed with sand and broken hairs.

Once the bowl had emptied the Stewardess was quick to pull Tualga off of the cot and lay me down. She pulled the blankets up to my neck and tucked me in tightly. She then pressed her palm to my forehead again and nodded to herself. "It may be working; I think her temperature has increased. Go fetch some fruit and water. No other potions yet, her system needs to process the Mandrake and Elf Cups. And before you return send Shum to the Count. He has errands that need attending. No now don't look at me like that. The Count only wants her…that I can assure you. He will be fine Tualga, now just get moving girl! I'll stay here and watch over her."

I heard the door shut and the sound made shivers run up my spine. Hal-Liurz sat on the small bedside and smoothed the blankets that covered me. "You can sleep now, Abigale. Let the potions do their work. I shall wake you when it's time for the next round of medicines."

"My toes tingle." I mumbled, which made the Stewardess give a small tired laugh.

"That is a good sign Abigale. You've lost a lot of blood and you…you had been…well, your body is working again. It's just your circulation, dear."

I found it strange that the Stewardess had called me 'dear' but nevertheless I fell asleep at her command.

XXXX

The Count had returned back to his manor after sending Shum the butler out for errands. Shum was to restock the entire Green Room and make it fit for a young noble lady. The Count was oddly pleased by the glint of fear in his staff members' eyes. He was reminded of his power and ruling and it felt good.

The blood of Abigale Lynn swam through his soul. He felt her emotions, he felt her life. Janus could taste the salty sea air of Anvil in her blood. He could feel her insane curiosity about the world, but a more present sensation was the one of repression. The Count could physically feel just how much Abigale Lynn molded her soul and person into what it was…and it was beautiful.

He had never felt so alive as he did when the hot copper of her blood ran over his tongue. It was sweet, almost too much so, and thick. It was also hot, so very, very hot. His body wanted to melt into her, he wanted to cling to her and drink from her for eternity. To feel her small body against his, smell her sweetly perfumed skin and hair; it was almost too much to bear. It was intoxicatingly wonderful and torturous all at the same time.

He had to force their hips apart during their 'conjoining' to keep her from feeling his arousal. The girl was addictive. He wanted nothing more than to feel her warm body against his cold skin again. To touch her soft silk-like hair, and maybe place his mouth upon hers this time instead of her neck.

Abigale Lynn's blood was clouding his thoughts and judgment. He felt lightened and optimistic, but at the same time he felt dread and defeat. It was all so lovely and strange. Everything was warm and alive, despite the apprehension in the back of his mind.

The Count had bathed and redressed. He now lay upon his bed staring up at his hands which he waved around above him. They tingled and each movement of his knuckles or flexing of his fingers somehow felt new, as though he was truly feeling himself for the first time.

His chest swelled and thighs ached from the constant testing of his revitalized muscles. Arousal burned in his lower belly, coupling with sweet thoughts of Abigale Lynn. It was hard to keep himself still when he was so full of wants and curiosities. But he knew to do nothing as the night was far from over. He was to savor the effects of her blood uninterrupted for as long as he could.

Janus knew he had made a mess of things but he felt ridiculously optimistic over the outcome. He could fix it somehow.

Her blood clouded his judgment to the point of near madness. Has someone told him then and there that black was white and white was black, he might have agreed…

XXXX

At some point the Count had fallen asleep. It had been a wonderful experience. He had suffered no nightmares and was uninterrupted in his fantasies. But when he awoke, however, his high came crashing down with mindboggling force.

His ranting echoed in his mind along with how he verbally and then literally attacked his Abigale Lynn. In the heat of the moment all felt justified. She had toyed with his emotions long enough, he had thought. Janus had wanted to make his intentions clear. Yet he had not truly realized what his own were.

He had been so damn angry with her and with his life, she just became the poor outlet of his rage. He poured all his insecurities on the wrong person. At the time it felt right and just. Janus felt like he finally had the attention he deserved from her - unwavering attention. He made her question herself as she often made him. Then when he had thought he could get no angrier she had bit her lip and the scent of fear and sight of hot blood on her full lips tipped him over the edge and made him a monster.

The startled look on her face was burned into his mind. The way she struggled and pleaded brought an intense flush of shame over the Count's face. He had lost himself. He had betrayed Abigale Lynn, his true companion and ray of happiness.

Janus looked across the room where the violence took place. A tattered piece of her blouse and several shiny buttons were scattered on the floor. He went over to them and gathered the bits into his hands. What if it had gone further? He thought frantically as fear formed in his stomach. What if he had done unspeakable acts to her?

The Count panicked and wracked his mind, trying desperately to work out every moment of the evening. His hands shook as realization took him: there were great gaps in his memory. He saw Rona, and destroyed her room, but how long was he down there? He then came up and assaulted Abigale Lynn in the library. But when did they end up in his bedchamber? And someone had struck him…did she do it? And when did he bathe? Where were his soiled clothes? How long had he slept?

The Count sprang forth from the room to find the manor halls filled with furniture. At first he was puzzled, and then he remembered telling Shum the butler to restock a room for Abigale Lynn. But where was she?

Using his magic, Janus desperately sought for life forces. Then as he was about to head towards one, a door opened. His Nordic Housekeeper emerged from the small holding closet. The Count quickly went for her but stopped at her odd reaction to his presence.

Upon seeing him she threw herself back in front of the door she had just exited. Her arms were out wide as if in attempts to block him and her face was panic-stricken.

At first Janus was taken aback by her actions, and then he noticed the small drops of blood on the Nordic woman's apron. The smell of Abigale Lynn hit him like a brick wall. "Where is she?" He pleaded, the sound foreign to his own ears. "Is she alright? Is she in there?"

His Housekeeper said nothing at first which worried him greatly. When she finally spoke it was rough and nervous. "We are preparing to move her. The Stewardess said you're not to be near until she's been settled in."

"Wha-? But she's alright?" The Count asked perplexed and frightened.

"Oh aye!" The Nord then snapped, her blue eyes turning hateful. "She's just peachy after nearly dying of blood loss!" The Count froze.

She nearly died?

I almost killed her…

"I need to see her immediately! I have potions! T-they will help –" Janus sputtered, stepping forward.

"She can't have any more potions. She's suffering from an overdose right now as it is. We can't use any of that magical nonsense either. The Stewardess doesn't want to risk the disease spreading by any means. Rapid healing could cause rapid growth, she says."

If there was anything that could have broken the Count more, it was hearing those words. "No," he choked, bloodied tears flowing down his cheeks. He shook his head, he felt faint. He wanted to die. "No. No. I-I infected her?"

His Housekeeper gave a grim nod and the Count could hold it in no longer. He turned away from the woman and wept into his hand. He wanted death. He took away the life of beautiful Abigale Lynn. She would end up like Rona. He had lost her too. Everything was wrong. How could he have let this happen, what kind of monster was he?

"I…I killed her." He sobbed, overcome with dread. "I couldn't stop…it…everything. She made me happy. Oh Gods, why?"

The Nord stood uncomfortably in the hall as she watched her Count weep. She did know how to feel about his reaction. All this was his doing; he had attacked her friend Abigale Lynn. Now she was on what may be a deathbed. If not for Hal-Liurz, it would have been. And yet the man before her, he was broken. His back was turned to her, his shoulders were hunched, and he wept like a child. Tualga had never seen a vampire cry and she found the bloodied tears unsettling. It reminded her of pain, like the embodiment of mental anguish finally visible in its terrible form.

She scratched the back of her neck nervously. Of course she was angry, she was downright livid with the man before her. Still, she felt the need to say something. "The Stewardess is doing her best to combat the disease. It seems to be working but we can't continue to work in there. Her wounds keep hemorrhaging."

The Count spun around at the small beacon of hope. His movements made Tualga jump. "She is not a vampire?"

"No," She answered hesitantly. "But there is still a chance of it. You almost killed her, Sir. It sped up the process. Had the Stewardess not found her in time –"

"What do you need to make her well? Tell me please! What can I do?" The Count nearly begged as he made a move to come closer. His Housekeeper was quick to put a hand up to him and stop him in his tracks.

"You can go back to your bedchamber, Sir. She needs tending to and there is much blood, it would be best if you weren't around."

The Count frowned deeply. "I want to help." He said in earnest but Tualga only shook her head at him. The Stewardess had made it clear to her that the Count was not to be around when they moved Abigale Lynn. No one knew what state of mind he was really in, they were all taking a risk by simply being so close to him. Abigale Lynn had been his preferred target and all knew that. They did not know if the Count would have a mind to attack her again if he saw her.

"Help us then by going into your room. She needs to be moved and no one will bring her out here if you're about, Sir." The Count needed to hear no more after that. He banished himself to his room and listened intently by his door.

Janus heard Shum speaking to the Stewardess about moving the silent Abigale Lynn. He could smell her through his door and it only made more tears spill from his eyes. He wiped at them hastily with his sleeve and stayed close to the wood. The slow shuffling of footsteps was conformation that the Butler was carrying his friend to the Green Room.

xxxx

Silence. It was beautiful and still. I marveled at the blackness around me, nothing existed when my eyes were closed and all was so calm. It made me smile and stretch. It was wondrous and warm and comfortable…and then it wasn't.

I shuddered at the cold, hard surface beneath my back. I shifted against it and rolled onto my side. My skin prickled at the chill in the air and my fingers rubbed curiously at the stone-like texture of my surroundings. I need a blanket. I thought to myself as I reached down in search of bed covers. My hands slid across the bareness of my hip and thigh, past my calf and to my ankle. Then my eyes fluttered open as my fingers met something colder than my surroundings.

I sat up with a gasp, quickly absorbing my location. Everything was dark and foreboding. The ground beneath me was indeed stone, but with large terrible cracks that emitted an unearthly blue light. It was somehow dim despite the stark contrast to the twisted dark lands surrounding me. I turned my head wildly around, trying to figure out where I was. It looked like I was on a road – in the middle of it – along some dilapidated, black forest. The trees had no leafs, the sky was cracked and took on an odd shade of purple, the color over the ocean before a terrible storm.

Swallowing hard, I looked back down at my ankle to see what my hand had touched, and immediately regretted doing so. A large iron shackle was clasped around my leg, a long chain stretched leisurely over the land, trailing so far that I could no longer see it. I tugged furiously at the chain but only more slack was given. I tried the iron shackle, feverishly pulling at the metal in attempts to pry it open, but it did not yield.

It was then that I noticed my nakedness. I was completely bare, aside from my chained leg. I looked about for something to cover myself with when I spotted a tattered robe conveniently placed before me. I did not care how it had got there as I quickly pulled it on. It smelt of rotted fruits and made me want to retch. I forced myself into a semblance of composure and stood on two very wobbly legs.

The thought of calling out for help had crossed my mind but I did not think anything here that heard my cries would be coming to my aid. Again I looked around, noticing a forked path ahead of me. I went to step closer when my unsteady legs gave out beneath me.

I fell to the ground hard, catching myself with my palms, skidding them across the jagged ground. I hissed as the tore, quickly bringing them to me for examination. The blood welled up in my palms quickly. I groaned and wiped them on my thighs, not wanting to touch the foul-smelling robe with a fresh wound. I was about to stand again when I heard a strange metallic sound. The clanking of metal.

There was a small yank at my chain and the surprise of it made me yelp. I grabbed the iron and looked about, fearful of what had hold of me. Then a low chuckle sounded from everywhere. I froze as I then heard large, heavy footsteps behind me. My chains rattled and I forced myself to turn around.

"Ah, so you have finally risen. Welcome little mortal. I have been waiting for you."

Author's Notes: MWAHAHAHA! Anyone wanna' take a guess where she is? :3