Chapter 42
Lara knew Dracula was controlling her. She couldn´t move her body one single inch but she could still control her mind. And she felt the fear that wouldn´t go away. Suddenly her mother started to scream. She didn´t know why but it could only be from pain. Lara had to watch in horror how Anna was being tormented.
Again it was a spell he had put on the chains this time. With his thoughts he could control how tight they got. And he wanted them as tight as possible.
Anna had at first tried to press her lips togther but she couldn´t. The pain was too much. The cold metal now already cut deeply into her flesh. Tears streamed down her face. Even as Dracula stopped the tightening for a moment it hurt too much.
Opening her eyes Anna saw Lara standing a few feet away from her. Tears were in her eyes as well but no other reaction could be seen.
The vampire tightened the chains to the fullest now. The air was once again filled with screams until it mixed with another sound.
With a loud cracking sound her wrists broke. In an instant the spell broke from Lara and she regained the control of her body. Wriggling out of the vampire´s grip she raced over to her mother. She sank to the ground beside the now unconscious gypsy princess.
"Mommy, wake up! Please, you must wake up! Mommy!", she cried. Lara sobbed uncontrollably and didn´t notice Dracula approaching from behind. He pulled her to her feet rather harshly. The girl grabbed her doll, which had slid to the floor as well and let him pull her out of the dungeon.
"Please, Dracula, you have to help my Mommy!", she pleaded with him.
"No!"
"But you must! I love my Mommy and you hurt her!", Lara cried. "What did she ever do to you?"
Realizing that it was of no use to argue with this child he transported himslf and her into a room seperated from the entrance hall. He pushed her onto the bed and then left after locking the door properly. Of course he heard her get up and race to the door. "Let me out! Help!" She pounded her small fists on the wooden door.
Lara kept screaming for help for almost half an hour. Then, too exhaused to stand anymore, she sank down on the bed.
Her arms were wrapped tightly around Belle´s neck. She kept whispering "Mommy..." over and over, not knowing that she would spend the night alone.
The count walked over to his prisoner and unlocked the chains. He then examined her wrists. The cold wind blew his hair into his face. In the dungeons of Castle Dracula it was always cold, except of a few rooms where even mortals would feel comfortable.
Carefully wiped away the blood that oozed out of the wounds. Anna´s hands hung losely on her arms. No doubt she had been in great pain.
Being assured that she would have learned her lesson he connected her broken bones and closed the large gashes around them. She would remember the pain the next morning. 'How fortunate for me', he thought before cradling her into his arms.
He lifted her up with ease and carried her into a bedroom that was connected with Lara´s. She would be able to visit her at anytime. But the doors that led out of these two chambers he left locked.
From a closet he fetched a blanket and tucked Anna under it. Dracula put her into a light sleep that would last until the morning.
He did the same to Lara as he found her asleep in her room. She still held her doll clutched in her arms. Right as he turned to leave he could sense a movement from the awaking girl behind him.