April 1898
Thirst.
The thirst was overwhelming. Everything was aching and raw. His eyes were heavy and he felt weak, weaker than he had ever remembered. His head was pounding. How long had he been out for? His memory was hazy. He remembered pain. Blood.
His throat scratched at the thought of life's sweet elixir. He should feed as soon as he was able to, gain his strength.
What had happened? Where was he?
A sharp sting assaulted his arm. He tensed, then relaxed. Warm liquid filled his veins…blood. His fangs elongated with pleasure. Memories flooded his mind.
Harker. Lucy. Whitby and Renfield. Van Helsing. Transylvania. Mina.
Mina.
His eyes snapped open and he growled in want, in need. She was his reason for being, he was her devoted servant. He would find her. They would be together.
Taking in his surroundings, it felt strangely familiar.
A sound in the darkness. He was not alone.
"How nice of you to join me, Dracula. You have no idea how much you've been missed."
He knew that voice and yet, could not place it. What was clear was that he could not move. He was strapped down, like a beast. With full strength he would normally have no problem with such human restraints. However, he was not at full strength and he felt vulnerable, exposed. Was this friend or foe?
"It seems you find me at a disadvantage, friend." Dracula listened keenly for a response. A figure stepped towards him.
"Yes, friend I am indeed, Dracula. Do you remember me?"
Dracula studied him. "You. Van Helsing's pet, if I remember correctly. Was this his idea, I take it? What will become of me now? A specimen for his scientific experiments, I presume?" He spoke with venom at the mention of his enemy and Jack was taken aback by the hatred in Dracula's voice. Had he made the right decision bringing him back to life? How could he possibly control him to do his bidding? Would he end up dead? Jack felt his forehead dampen with sweat. Get a grip, Seward! He is your key to Lucy, do not fail in your task.
There was silence for a time. Dracula could hear the steady beat of Seward's heart, the flutter of his delicate pulses and the swish of blood coursing through those precious arteries. His throat was burning with longing but he remained in control; his senses were clearing and he felt his strength coming back to him, albeit slowly.
"Wrong on all accounts, actually. Well yes, I suppose to you I was something of a pet. Though a pet no longer. I brought you back to life of my own free will. Van Helsing has no knowledge of this."
Dracula said nothing, a thousand thoughts racing through his mind. Never a fan of surprises, he remained alert yet strangely hopeful. Van Helsing knows nothing about this?
Jack cleared his throat. "I have brought you back to help me."
Laughter began to envelope the darkness. "My dear pet, why should I even want to help you?"
Jack was shocked. He had imagined this very conversation many times but never with this outcome, or lack of outcome. After everything he had already done for Dracula, the damned monster wasn't even going to help. No, he had to help him, he had to. "I travelled thousands of miles, worked with rogues and villains, renounced my faith, all to revive you!" He was yelling now, his eyes boring into Dracula's. "You were dead! You were left, headless and mutilated in that godforsaken castle of yours! I went back for you, I brought you back to life, it was all me! I want my Lucy back. By God, I have made a pact with the Devil himself to bring you back and you will help me bring her back to me."
There was not a sound in the room, save for the doctor's heavy breathing. Jack was now desperate. He had to do something to get Dracula to want to help him. Of course.
"I can bring you the one who you desire the most. I can bring you Mina."
It took only a moment, if that, for Dracula to break his bonds and crash into him in a fit of rage. He was on top of his chest with his hands wrapped tightly around his neck, squeezing hard. Dracula lowered his mouth close to Jack's ear, his fangs at full capacity. "Your idle tongue runs away with you, Doctor."
Jack gasped for air. "I-it's true! I-I can get her…to come here...London…Harker…" Dark spots flashed in front of his eyes and he felt his life being crushed out of him.
Harker.
Dracula slowly released his grip and Jack coughed himself back to life, his hands gently touching his raw, aching neck.
"I think you had better sit down, Dr Seward. It seems we have much to discuss. But first, some more blood if you please. You would find me much more agreeable on a full stomach."
Jack Seward shakily got up from the floor and retrieved a syringe, needle and belt from the sideboard. Dracula was watching with curiosity as he rolled up his shirt sleeve, tied the belt and plunged the needle into his vein, sucking up the dark red liquid. Once the syringe was full, he walked towards Dracula, beckoning him to hand his arm out.
"If you don't mind, Doctor, I'd much prefer to taste it then be stabbed at like a patient of yours."
Jack nodded, returning once again to the sideboard to push the contents of the syringe into a glass. Dracula grinned as he handed it to him.
"Many thanks, Doctor." He brought the glass to his nose, inhaling the metallic scent. He swilled the warm liquid around his mouth, savouring every drop.
He sat opposite the Count and watched him carefully. "I know you need more but this will have to do for now. I have many patients upstairs who can satisfy your needs, ones who have no family and no sane mind left. They will not be missed. But first, business. I need Lucy…and you need Mina. We help each other and reap the rewards. No betrayal, no lies. Simple."
"Tell me, Doctor, how did you bring me back to life?"
Jack hesitated. "It wasn't easy. You have been out of existence for five months. I collected your body and salvaged as much of your blood as I could from the chapel. I brought some desecrated earth with me and brought you back here to England. Trial and error brought you back: bathing you in blood for weeks on end, burying you in the consecrated earth, mixing your blood with new blood and injecting it back inside you. I'm not sure what worked for certain in the end, perhaps a combination of the three? You began to heal, slowly, so I kept repeating what I had been doing until you woke up."
"I did not imagine it would be even possible…yet, to be so simple?"
"Yes well, that's that. You're alive again, thanks to me."
Dracula looked at his eyes and knew he was not telling him the whole story. No, there must have been something else. He had said he had 'made a pact with the Devil himself' to bring him back to life and yet there was no mention of any of that. No matter. Let him keep his secrets. The doctor will submit to him eventually, they all did.
"Well Doctor, I take it you have tried all of this with the girl that you speak of, otherwise why go to all that trouble with me?"
Jack straightened up in his seat. "I have. Nothing works. I think it only worked with you because you are the strongest Vampire to have existed. Also, you are the creator. You created Lucy so only you can bring her back to me. You can bring her back to me, can't you?" There was an air of desperation in his voice and Dracula knew that it would not be difficult to manipulate this one.
"Tell me about Mina and him."
"Well, not much to tell. After what had happened they moved to a fancy area in London. Harker has become a very successful solicitor running his own firm, Mina gave up her teaching and is a housewife."
"Is she… with child?"
"No, no news of children."
Dracula took a moment to take this information in. Mina, having been married to that fool for seven months now, is not with child? He remembered how strong-willed she was, how bold and daring his Mina was and yet, she gave up her passion to serve him? No, this didn't seem right at all. He smiled at the thought.
"This is what I propose, Doctor, and do not think that this is negotiable. You will bring Mina and Harker here, with no mention of me whatsoever. Mina will be reunited with me and Harker will be drained of every last drop of his blood. I need to regain my strength and refuse to be chained like some sort of beast- I will come and go of my own free will. In return, I will bring back your precious Lucy. If you betray me, or displease me in any way I will kill you."
Jack Seward gulped, then nodded. "Agreed."