Chapter 31
Pain that Anna couldn't describe engulfed her body. Her back itched like fire to the point where she felt as though she was being eaten alive. Blood poured from her wounds making her take a swim in red, her head throbbed and made her feel as though it would swell and burst. She screamed loudly trying to make the pain go away, but it wouldn't. In the midst of it all, Dracula circled her and chuckled at her screaming.
"Will you give up now, sweet Anna?" he cooed. "I can make you feel pain that is even worse than this. But if you do as I say then you will feel none."
Dracula waved his hand. The pain left her along with her wounds. Dried blood clung to her hair and tears stained her eyes. She jumped to her feet and grabbed her sword.
"Making me scream will not make me give in, Dracula!" hissed Anna. "If anything it will make me all the more rebellious!"
Dracula cocked his head. "Is that so?" he asked. "Then should I bite you and see if what you say is true?"
Anna took a step back. "I would cut your lips with my sword and throw what's left of them to the dogs!" she snapped. "But if you want to keep them there then mind your distance!"
Dracula took a step. "Ordering me around is not part of our deal," he whispered.
"We never had a deal!" hissed Anna.
"We will now," said Dracula. "Go ahead and start running, Princess. I'll chase you, and catch you, and kiss you. If you avoid that then you will make your family proud!"
Anna choked back tears. "From what you showed me in that dream they don't care!" she cried. "No one cares! And no one loves me! Not even you!"
Anna threw the sword into Dracula's heart like a spear and took off. The hallways and corridors were unfamiliar to her eyes but she refused to let that stop her. 'I hate him! I hate him! I hate him!' she thought with every step. 'I'll make him pay for doing this to me!'
The gypsy girl ran into a two story armory that had a stair case in between. Anna ran up the steps with out hesitation. She had barely taken ten steps before she heard footsteps behind her. She turned to see Dracula walking up.
"Perseverance is a very good virtue to live by," said Dracula. "But not when you're running from me. Come now, sweet Anna, stop denying me and let your body be consumed by your fatigue"
Anna shook herself roughly and kept going. She yanked two daggers off the wall and hid them in her bodice. Dracula slowly walked after her. The Princess' heart pounded.
"Leave me be!" she shouted as she threw one of the daggers at him. It hit a shield. "I have suffered enough by your hand, Count! Why do you continue to torture with these childish games?" She threw the other dagger, it pierced a candle.
Dracula raised an eyebrow. "I would hardly call them childish, my dear," he said as he ran his finger along one of the axes. "I for one believe that it is your behavior that is childish. You weep like an infant and fight like a warrior. And just when I'm ready to punish you and make you suffer the consequences, you weep and make me pity you, therefore getting you out of punishment. Don't you agree, my dear?"
Anna climbed the second staircase as fast she could. She tried to hold back her tears but they flowed freely. She looked down and watched as Dracula walked up after her. She was running out of room to run.
"YOU'RE the childish one for making me play these games and then punishing me for rebelling!" shouted Anna. Dracula climbed the last step. Anna backed away.
The Count smiled wickedly at her. "It is your choice on how you react to my games, fair Anna," cooed Dracula. "You're being silly with your fear and anger."
"I am not!" snapped Anna.
She ran up the balcony that circled the room. At the far end she was shocked to find that the balcony ended abruptly. If Anna hadn't stopped herself then she would have run off the edge and not realized it until she was falling. She turned and ran the other way. When she'd gone five feet she stopped, Dracula was four feet away from her.
"Still running?" asked the Count as he stepped forward.
Anna backed away. "No," she said. "I'm walking backwards!"
Dracula chuckled. "So I see," he said. He glanced behind her. "You're running out of room, Anna. You will fall unless you surrender."
Anna shook her head. "No!" she said. "I'm sick you thinking you can control me like this! I'm not giving up!"
"Since you insist…" Dracula snapped his fingers.
The balcony disappeared under Anna's feet. Dracula was floating in midair while Anna fell. At last second the Princess landed in the Count's arms. Anna punched him trying to make him let go but he held firmly.
Dracula clicked his tongue. "You're still rude even when I've rescued you, Princess?" he asked. "You really are childish."
Anna glared. "I may be childish but I've still got my strength!" she snapped.
She kicked him in between the legs and was released at once. The Princess ran out of the armory and back into the hallways. It seemed as though this game of chase would go on forever when there was a sound of a loud crack and a scream from Anna. She fell and felt her back burn before a liquid ran down her body. Anna turned to see Dracula glaring at her with a whip in his hand.