Well, well, well, look who's back by popular demand. XD Kidding! Seriously though, some of you asked really nicely for me to update soon, and since this is one of my favorite chapters, I'm going to comply!!! This also happens to be the longest chapter I've posted (not written) yet. Oh! And as a forewarning, no one like freak out or anything, I don't go over the rating in this chapter… heh heh…

Without further ado…

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"Just smile and mind your mouth – you don't want to be saying anything you might regret tomorrow," said Mary, taking long strides down a hall on the north side of the castle.

Sophia took mental notes from the servant, more experienced in the ways of the court than she could ever be at this point, as she fidgeted with her dress… the one that the Prince supposedly 'requested' she wear. The top had a low, scoop neckline and the corset she was wearing under everything (which she still had not gotten used to and hated) was pushing more cleavage up than she was comfortable showing. The material was white Egyptian cotton that looked somewhat crinkled. It fit her loose and flowing but was thin, and in the right lighting, one could clearly see the shadowy outline of her form. She felt with the softness and sheerness of the fabric that she wasn't wearing anything. The dress was every bit gorgeous on her.

And she hated it.

Why did the Prince want her to wear this? Exactly, what sort of dinner was it that called for her to wear this to? She was soon to find out when she and Mary stopped before a door.

"As long as you remember what I said, you'll be fine," Mary said, her voice low. "Everyone will love you. Don't worry."

"Thank you," Sophia said, giving her a sincere smile of appreciation. "I wouldn't know what to do without you."

"You're welcome Miss, but I'm your servant now. It's my job to be as helpful to you as I can be," Mary said, then she curtsied and excused herself.

Sophia stood alone and facing the door. She knew she had to enter the room but couldn't bring her feet to move; she almost thought it would be easier if someone just forced her to enter, rather than having to do it on her own. A round of loud, almost boisterous, laughter came from inside the room, making her almost jump. Oh, how she didn't want to do this!

One deep breath and then you are going to move, she told herself.

She inhaled then stepped forward, taking the brass handle in her hand, and entered.

Stepping in, she was thankful she had taken that deep breath of air because when all eyes turned on her, she swore she couldn't breathe. There had to be at least fifteen nobles in that room and all of them were men. It felt as if she was the pun of a dreadfully dirty joke.

She found herself scanning the crowd, all the faces, for one she knew – Prince Dracula. But she couldn't see him and she mentally began to panic just a foot into the room with the door closed behind her.

"There you are," cooed a familiar voice, and she looked to her side to see the Prince moving towards her, around a few other men. He was wearing his usual attire, only lacking the coat, which left him in a black silk shirt with the collar well open. His mannerisms were exceptionally casual. "Just in time."

She could have sighed in a strange sense of relief.

"You look… positively breathtaking," he said, coming up to her, grasping her chin gently between his thumb and index finger and placing a somewhat rough kiss on her lips. He then moved beside her while his free hand snaked around her waist and he pulled her in, her hip crashing into his… this action nearly making Sophia squeak with surprise. "Come along, I would like to introduce you to some very important people…" With a dominant manner and without giving her any chance to speak a word, he pulled her by his side to meet the few noblemen (and some others) that were lucky enough to be considered his 'friends'.

Sophia kept a charming smile plastered on her face the entire time, speaking sweetly when spoken to, while trying hard to control her raging inner emotions. It was blatant to her that this was not a formal gathering but the complete opposite – from the fairly rowdiness of the men, the alcohol present (mostly ale), and the general conversations. She couldn't help feeling as if the Prince was dangling her, like a toy, in front of everyone there. And it would seem that the lighting in the room was oh so perfect for the nearly sheer dress she was wearing.

Now she understood why he had wanted her to wear it!

There were constant casually vulgar remarks about pretty much every womanly part of her that she didn'tneed or want anyone else thinking about, but none of those were as bad as when someone would be audacious enough to ask the Prince how well she was 'in bed'. She could feel her cheeks burn every time as he chuckled off the question, gracefully changing the subject to anything from the weather to another foul joke, or worse, when he answered with, "in time… in time". Making things worse for her, while these degrading little chats were going on, his death-grip on her waist had begun to relax up and his hand began to slip lower and lower. She couldn't tell if he was doing it on purpose or not.

When Sophia thought that she would vomit if she heard another comment about her breasts, the Prince pulled her away to a tall-backed chair against a wall. He released his hold on her hip and sat down, staring up at her as she stood squarely before him. She glanced to both sides of his chair, only to find nothing for her to sit in.

Am I supposed to stand beside him the whole time? she thought innocently, then her eyes fell on his face.

His lips were pressed together in the wickedest smirk and his deep pools of blue for eyes had a mischievously wolfish look in them. He patted his right thigh.

No, he couldn't possibly want her to…

"Sit," he commanded playfully.

He could.

She stood there for a spilt second, unsure how to handle the situation then realized – there was nothing for her to do. So she turned and reluctantly sat on his strong leg and he leisurely wrapped his arms around her waist again, pulling her back into his chest. Her head rested on his shoulder and she sat there for a moment, in the most uncomfortable position, before shifting subtly… then shifting again… and again, then finally stopping.

"Comfortable?" he teased.

She mentally groaned.

He reached up, stroking her honey waves of hair, enjoying the fine strands that ran through his long fingers like water, though his attentions were only partially on her, the other half being on a loud game of knife throwing at the other end of the room.

"How was your day?" he asked, rather disengaged.

"Fine," she answered softly, almost lost in the volume level in the room.

"What did you do?"

"Um, I suppose you can say I explored some of the east wing, but I didn't get far when I found the courtyard," she said.

"You like the outdoors?" He glanced over to see her face but she was looking straight ahead… and had been the whole time.

"Yes, it is so beautiful outside. The colors… the smells… its all so, so… wonderful!"

He looked genuinely surprised. "Most women don't like the outdoors… then again," his tone turned intimate, "you have more than proven yourself to be unlike most women."

Sophia turned, looking him in the eyes, their frosty gleam causing her skin to warm up and her palms to get hot. In a nervous habit of hers, she could feel her toes come together and the sole of her shoe sliding over the top of her other foot. She couldn't shake herself from this enchantment of his that she was under.

Dracula's gaze was unyielding, his eyes traveling all over the beautiful arches and contours of her face. The smooth strands of hair that hung in front of her caramel eyes, the crimson apples of her cheeks, the delicate curve of her nose, but what he was finding he loved the most about her, were her lips. They were the perfect size, not too full, not too thin, always of a fair pink tint and looked delicately soft. They were slightly parted and he could tell she was gently breathing through her mouth. He wanted so badly to tenderly take her face in both hands and to run his fingers over her lips, to feel her hot breath on his skin and the tip of her moist tongue on his thumb…

A loud cheer from the men in the room broke their moment, causing Sophia to look away quickly. Leaving the two of them in such wonder at what just happened.

Sophia closed her eyes as a chill ran up her spine; she honestly had no clue what the feelings were in her head, chest, and abdomen. They were foreign to her. They didn't they fit the descriptions she had heard of for either love or lust, only serving to confuse her more.

On the other hand, the Prince wasn't completely convinced it wasn't lust, although if it was lust in its entirety, it was strange indeed.

Silence fell over the both of them before Dracula calmly managed, as if nothing happened, "Did you do anything else?"

"No," she said, ahead of thinking, while her mind was still cloudy, then things started coming back to her. "Well, I did meet… um," she fished for the name in her head, "Nedezda?"

This caught Dracula's attention. "And what did you think about her?"

"She seemed nice, I suppose," answered Sophia.

"She was?" he asked skeptically and she nodded a 'yes.' "That is… good," he said, but his thoughts were different. His eyes narrowed, wondering what would posses Nedezda to be cordial to someone she had pitched such a fit over. He could still hear her typically pleasant-sounding voice, loud and shrill in his head from that morning; she had been furious when she learned that Sophia, his newest interest, would be taking her place at the dinner. But a few threatening words had silenced her abruptly. His smile turned dark; he had to admit that he enjoyed that power.

Sophia was easily distracted from her light conversation with the Prince (who now appeared to be thinking) to watching the interactions transpiring in the room. She almost found it comical seeing the faces as of the men telling over exaggerated stories without knowing what they were saying. Her eyes scanned the room before falling on someone she had not been introduced to yet. He sat in a corner, slouching in a chair with his feet crossed and propped up on another before him, he wore dark colored clothes and his shaggy head of hair was a dark, deep shade of brown. Although he looked disinterested in most of what was going on around him, Sophia could tell he was still watching.

"My lord," she said, getting Prince Dracula's attention. "Did I meet him?" she asked, gesturing slightly with her eyes and head, yet unsure why she cared.

"No, I'm afraid you haven't had that honor," he said, chuckling to himself, then leaning around her and calling over the noise, "Gabriel! Come here!"

The man named Gabriel, removed his feet from the chair, stood up then strode over to them as if he might as well owned the place.

"Yes?" he asked, a curious smile forming over his rugged features.

"Sophia wanted to meet you," Dracula said, then added, "…well, that I thought it high time you to get off your ass."

Gabriel openly rolled his eyes and almost instantly, Sophia knew they were close friends.

He tipped his head briefly to her. "The name's Gabriel Van Helsing. It is an honor to meet you lady," he said in Romanian but his accent was something she was not familiar with. "If ever need be, I place my services in your hands."

Sophia's smiled wide. This was a man who should be a Prince!

"Thank you." She nodded back to him. "Hopefully, that will never be the case."

"I only hope not," he said.

Dracula looked at Sophia, slightly more serious and said in a matter-of-fact tone, "Gabriel and I have quite a bit of history together; we have known each other since we were in our early adult years. We've done almost everything together. I don't know how many battles I've won with his help… and how many I would have lost without it. His expertise is in knife throwing…"

"Which is why I am not participating," Gabriel interjected.

"He is even better than me," said Dracula, in a jokingly arrogant way.

"And that is saying something?" Gabriel smirked, his dark eyes gleaming as he pulled up a chair to sit in.

"Very funny, Gabriel," said the Prince, shooting him a look.

Sophia beamed, entertained by the two of them as they bickered and chatted about meaningless things. She sort of liked this Gabriel Van Helsing character; he seemed like a gentleman, and despite the first outer appearance of keeping to himself and being all mysterious, she watched him open up to his long time friend. She noticed he made himself out to be a fighter, a warrior, but she could tell he was deeper than that. From what she learned, he was extremely well traveled, God fearing, and a good bit of a thinker, yet, there was something lacking. Maybe it was her sensitive nature that she knew there was a missing piece to him, even through his lighthearted jokes, but what ever was missing she couldn't place. Another thing that frustrated her a little was she didn't know where he was from – his accent seemed a mixture. Either way, he was someone she didn't mind listening to or being around.

However, Prince Dracula was taking an interesting turn in Sophia's heart. It seemed there might just be more behind those good looks rather than arrogance, shallowness, and the need for a rotation of women. He was more forwardly intellectual than Gabriel and the stories she was hearing from both of them was proving to her that he was also truly the military strategist and commander that she had heard so many tales of. She noticed the charming aura he possessed, the one that she thought was feigned with her, did not change… even when he was obviously too relaxed to worry about her being there. In fact, she found him even more charming when he wasn't focused on her, it gave her a chance to see who he really was, which didn't seem bad in any way. She quickly fell in love with his laugh though – the way he would smile, tilting his head back slightly, the sound deep, like it had reverberated inside his chest before escaping his lips; she could even feel it too because her back still rested against him. Still, those strange sensations in her body didn't go away… just grew stronger.

Time passed quickly, a few 'guests' excusing themselves each hour, until finally it was the three of them alone and laughing in the great room. None of them had yet to realize it was well past midnight.

"You should have seen the Pope's face," Dracula told Sophia, snickering.

Her face was bright red with laughing as she held her stomach, nearly doubled over. "Oooh, Gabriel I can't believe you actually did that," she gasped out between laughing fits.

"I wouldn't have done it if it weren't for Vlad here," he said, tipping his mug of ale to his friend before taking another sip. He was clearly enjoying the young woman's lively ambiance.

"Now, that my dear friend, is not true and you know this!" Dracula snapped back.

"Oh, yes it is." Gabriel pointed an accusing finger at him.

The Prince rolled his eyes in a very undignified manner. "Be that as it may, I didn't force you to do it, therefore you are the one who is going to spend a week in hell… not me." He took a sip of his own ale.

Gabriel grumbled and shook his head while Sophia calmed down from laughing then yawned like a little child, covering her mouth hastily.

"It's getting late," said Dracula, noting the time from her actions and he stood Sophia up and rose as well. "I think it's time we take our leave."

Gabriel nodded in understanding. "Well, goodnight," he directed to Sophia. "We will see each other again."

"That would be nice," she said, her eyes sparkling. The Prince put a hand on her lower back and urged her to the door but she wasn't alarmed by the action. "Goodnight," she called back to Gabriel.

He offered her a warm smile and a slight wave as she and Dracula left the room.

Sophia not in the least bit worried or nervous while being led back to her room; she was on to much of a high from the laughter and stories. Maybe the Prince wasn't as bad as she had originally thought. Maybe he was someone she could get to know. Maybe even grow to…love? She quickly shook the thought from her mind. It was too soon for those ideas.

They stopped in front of her door and he turned, facing her. She looked up at him, their eyes connecting to form a trance like mixture of cool and warm. Her toes curled in her shoes, that horrible nervous habit she had, as she waited for him to make a movement… a certain movement… one she was sure he would do next… which was all she wanted him to do in that moment.

Slowly, he bent his head over hers and her heart leapt.

This was what she wanted!

His face inched closer and closer before she could feel the warmth of his breath mingle with her own. Their noses touched and lips brushed, her eyes fluttering until closing, right as his mouth fell over hers. He was surprisingly gentle, which caught her off guard but not in a bad way for she was completely new and nervous in the territory. Actually, she was so unsure in what to do, she just parted her lips, barely moving them while he did most of the work.

He took notice to this and, even though he found it somewhat cute, he was always one to push the limits – this being no exception. So, he tenderly took her chin in both his large hands and with little force on her already relaxed jaw, he got her to part her lips even more. Then without warning, he thrust his tongue into her mouth.

She nearly jerked away, startled that he would try something like that but quickly adjusted to his probing and exploring, rather enjoying it… even though her conscience screamed at her that it was too soon for these things and that it was wrong. However, she ignored her head and found herself becoming more confident and comfortable with him, so much so, she began kissing him back… carefully, of course. There was a flavor on his curious tongue, that of ale, it wasn't strong, but there. She kind of enjoyed it.

While his passions continued to taint her pure mind, his hands fell from her jaw and moved down her arms, sending her skin crawling with delight, before moving to the sides of her waist then pushing her – a little too roughly – into the door behind. She faintly gasped, her body tensing at being pinned by his larger and stronger form but he continued to ravish her mouth. She could hear the jiggling sound of the brass knob at her side as he turned it and her heart began to race.

Before she knew it, the door was open and she was being walked backwards into the room. He then kicked the door closed, shutting out the dim lights of the hall, leaving them in just the pitch-black room.

Sophia wanted to pull away from him now. Though delightful his kisses were… they were no longer worth the risk. It had gone too far. It was going too far.

Even so, she kept being backed up, until she felt her calves and the back of her legs hit something and her heart skipped a few beats realizing what it was – the edge of the bed. Her head spun as his mouth still devoured hers, his arms wrapping tighter around her, his weight bearing down on her, and at last, she couldn't hold herself up anymore. She fell back, her hands falling, palms up beside her head, sinking into the softness that seemed like it wanted to swallow her whole, and Dracula coming crashing down on top of her.

His broad, firm chest was heavy, making her feel the need to gasp for any air when she could not inhale for it. In some way, they both had landed rather strangely, with her knees almost on either side of him and he was just about lying between her legs. She felt something large and rigid graze her inner thigh and her chaste mind didn't grasp what it was initially… but when she did, her eyes grew wide and she withheld a squeak of fearfulness while trying to buck away from him, though not really getting far because of his weight.

He heard her whimper and felt her shift beneath him but chose to ignore it, she would find pleasure soon enough, this he knew from experience with women. Plus, he was enjoying her squirming – the more she did, the more her breasts would brush against his chest and the further apart her legs were going. He would have smirked had his lips not been preoccupied by the short, yet rousing, journey from her mouth to her chin, rapidly working their way down the front of her neck, eager to explore what lay below and beyond. Uncharted realms had always been something he took pleasure in.

Alternatively, Sophia was in panic mode and her mind couldn't take it anymore. She had to pull herself to say something. She had to. If she didn't, she would never forgive herself.

"No…" she whispered, so nervous, it was barely audible.

He was near taken back when she openly – though timidly – denied him… but she would snap… he was very sure of it. He just had to find her weakness.

"Shhh," he offered, sliding his fingers over her lips.

She silenced, her lip quivering and eyes filling with tears while he kept moving down her front, his smooth face soon burying between her breasts. Her senses were enjoying his touch but she was struggling in her mind as her conscience fought with dark desires she never even knew she possessed – it felt like she was being torn in two. Little did she know, Dracula was about to take things up a notch.

His idle hands slipped leisurely over her cleavage, across her flat stomach, over the curve of her hips, and down the front of her thighs. He squeezed playfully when he reached just above her knees and bent one of her legs up, resting her foot on the bed, and then he slid his hand slowly down her shin still covered by the fabric of her dress. What he did next, Sophia found relief in….

He eased off her a little.

But she was quickly in dismay and slight wonder when he took one small foot in hand and removed her shoe. It almost seemed gentle and sweet… until he bent her leg up, bringing it to his face and pressing his sweltering mouth to her ankle. A shudder ran up her spine, watching in shock as he began moving up her calf, leaving her skin moist everywhere his lips touched. He lifted her foot higher and she had to struggle to hold her dress in place so it wouldn't fall, exposing her. Her vision was getting blurry by her own tears as he reached the bend in her leg and she worried about how much further he was going to go. Everything screamed at her that he wouldn't stop until there was nothing left untouched.

"Ple-please…no…" she muttered again, blinking and the tears rolled down the side of her face.

"I promise, you'll enjoy this," he breathed into the middle, inner part of her thigh, having not even looked up.

"Please," she choked out once more. It took all her courage and strength to refuse him, on fear of him being the Prince.

He lifted his head, his blue orbs falling on her flustered face and eyes filled to the brim with unshed tears. He let her leg drop to the bed and stood up, staring down at the poor beauty that returned his gaze with more terror than he had seen even in men's faces before death. He watched as she bit her bottom lip, chest rising, choking back emotion until finally her eyelids closed and she broke into a heart-wrenching sob.

She had held it in so long. She was so horrified… so scared… it had to come out. There was nowhere else for it to go.

Her body racked and fat tears rolling down her cheeks and the side of her face, but still she didn't try to cover her face like most would, she was too scared to move.

Dracula stepped back. He didn't know what to do. He didn't know how to fix it, to apologize for it, to do anything to make it better. This was not how it was supposed to happen! He couldn't stand there and watch her cry, so he did the best thing he knew at the time. Without a word, he turned and left her room.

Sophia felt so tainted, so used, like her trust had been given away then broken. She rolled onto her side and just cried, filling the dark and silence of the room.

Eventually, she fell asleep to the sad, sick lullaby of her own weeping.

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Mwahahahahah! I LOVE that chapter!!! I laughed writing the part when Dracula asked Sophia "Comfortable?"... and Gabriel shows up for a time (I bet some of you got excited)... and then Dracula tries 'putting the moves on' Sophia (lol) and she definitely doesn't take too well to that. Yeah. I feel bad for her, but at the same time it was kinda hot. So I'm torn. -is an evil authoress-

dancinglemur: You didn't sign in! lol It's okay. But hey! Nedezda is totally nasty, isn't she? Well, you haven't seen the last of her… not by a long shot. Haha. Thanks!

cinafran: Ah! You reviewed again! Yay! I totally love both movies! And thank you so much, I'm glad you love my story. I hope you'll stick with it, as it's just starting to get good.

Pirategirl: Hi! Thanks for reviewing and sharing your idea! Me likey! As I said above, the story is just getting started, so you never know what is going to happen next. I think next chapter will prove that. I got a ten out of ten?! Wow! Awesome!

Alright, as usual, I would love reviews, and getting reviews for this specific update (being that it was sooner than I planned on updating – which was Monday or Tuesday – and one of my favorite chapters), would make me so, so, so excited! Long ones make me especially giddy (ForeverACharmedOne, you owe me! lol jkjk), but I don't care how you want to review! It's all up to you! Btw, just wondering, since you all are the readers and reviewers… it seems, by the reviews per chapter, that you guys like the ones with only Sophia and no Dracula... why is that? I mean, if you guys don't like Dracula that much, I can just take him out. :P Haha. Yeah, I wouldn't have much of a story then, would I?

REVIEW!