Chapter 22

"Greetings, my lady," the werewolf said with a bow. "I have seen the master putting spells in your mind but I have never had the pleasure of speaking to you."

"Who are you?" Anna whispered as she backed away. "And what have you done with Dracula?" The werewolf smiled and licked his lips.

"Miguel is my name," he said. "I am Dracula's werewolf servant. He asked me to lure you back to him. Apparently it worked. But since he is temporarily out of order I don't think it will hurt to eat you."

Anna turned around and ran back to the end of the maze. 'Just my luck to find Dracula hurt and then get eaten by a werewolf!' she thought miserably. Miguel jumped in front of the frightened princess.

"Oh please don't run away," he said. "Fast food makes my stomach hurt."

Anna kicked Miguel in the shin and ran on. It wasn't long before the gypsy girl was trapped. She pressed herself against the wall half hoping that the werewolf wouldn't see her, but in her whitish blue dress she was easy to spot, even in the darkest night. Miguel smiled.

"Do not fear, my lady," he whispered. "The pain will be so horrible that you will be pleading to die." Anna's eyes were wide and frightened. She felt ready to just beg for a quick death, but she didn't have too.

To the gypsy girl's surprise DRACULA fly over and pounced on the werewolf. They wrestled for a bit until Dracula pinned down the great beast. There was fire in his eyes.

"I don't remember saying that you could eat her, Miguel," he hissed. "Looks like I'll have to punish you."

Anna shut her eyes, she the heard the sound of something being cut and bones being broken. She didn't dare open her eyes even when there was silence. Cold fingers ran through her hair. More cold fingers lifted her chin. Dracula gently pulled her hands away from her eyes.

"Miguel is dead, my princess," he whispered. "Do not be afraid of him anymore." Anna gave him a sharp look.

"So why shouldn't I be afraid of YOU?" cried the princess. "When I saw you on the ground like that I thought you were dead! You had me worried sick!" Dracula's eyes grew wide in amusement.

"You were WORRIED about me, Anna?" he asked. "Why pray tell would that be? The wound was fake." Anna's face turned red.

"You just scared me," she said. Dracula clicked his tongue.

"You were afraid that I was dead," he said. "That is what you thought. And it won't do you any good to tell me otherwise. It is all in your eyes."

With out warning Dracula grabbed Anna and turned her around so that her back was pressed against him. He held her tightly, making it impossible for her to struggle.

"What's this?" Anna hissed. "Another game?" Dracula brushed her hair away from her throat.

"Yes," he whispered. "But not the kind where you have to run." He brushed her hair away from her throat and caressed her neck. He inhaled the scent of her skin and sighed.

"Your heart is slowly becoming mine, Princess. Even now I can feel it beating in rebellion against me. But it is weakening, slowly, but still weakening. Eventually it will stop, and then you will have to give it to me. You are much more to me than just a plaything, Anna." The princess sighed, feeling sleepy from her adventures and from his spell that was taking over her.