Chapter 3: Chemicals React

The cold air whipped the brides outfits about their feet, they lined up in a row with Dracula in front of them. As they flew through the air birds dodged them as they flew, even the air seemed reluctant to pass them. They landed on the ground without making a sound, it was almost sunrise and they had about an hour left,

"We have to make this quick, if we can't get him today they we shall get him tomorrow,"

Dracula told his brides looking around; there was a movement in the shadows,

That's him,

He thought. He nodded at Nshina and she appeared behind him, swiping his legs out from underneath him. She picked up one of his legs and dragged him along the ground to where her Master was standing, the man didn't even struggle, It was like he was expecting it. When she reached Dracula she dropped the man in front of him and stood back,

"Hello sir,"

Dracula said, bending down. The man looked up at him and flashed a smile; he had perfectly white teeth and short brown hair,

"Good evening, or should I say, Good Morning Count,"

Dracula smiled

"Well, you know my name so it is only fair that I know yours,"

The man looked at the brides then back at Dracula,

"I would gladly tell you my name, but first can you tell the four women over there to look at me a little nicer,"

Dracula looked around and saw that his brides were glaring at him, he just laughed,

"Don't worry; they are like that when they meet someone new,"

"Alright then, my name is William,"

Dracula nodded at William,

"I am just going to be short with you, there are rumours that you are a werewolf, are they true?"

William stood up and laughed,

"Well you are very to the point aren't you Count? Why do you want to know is I am a werewolf?"

"Because I have come to offer you a job,"

William stopped smiling and folded his arms; it was his turn to glare at Dracula

"And what if I refuse?"

Verona growled,

"Then you will die,"

William looked at Verona; he started to walk over to her and stopped right in front of her,

"Who says to will even get that close to me my dear?"

He started to put a hand on Verona's face but she stepped back, Nshina hissed at him, her muscles tightening and showing her deathly fangs,

"You will not touch her,"

Williams head flicked to look at Nshina; he smiled at her then walked back over to Dracula,

"Alright then, I shall take up your offer. How will we get back to your castle? The villagers told me it was a while away and the sun is almost rising,"

Marishka grinned at him,

"We fly of course,"

In the blink of an eye she changed into her bat form and had picked him up by the waist, carrying him high into the air. The others followed her as they raced back to the castle, narrowly missing sunrise. Marishka dropped him on the floor and smiled down at him,

"Sorry for the rough journey, I don't really want to be burned,"

Aleera and Nshina sauntered past them. As they walked they swung their hips and had a hand on their hips, Nshina looked back at him and raised an eyebrow,

"You don't need to apologise Marishka, he should be lucky he's here at all,"

They both walked up the stairs muttering furiously, Marishka rolled her eyes and offered him a hand,

"Don't mind them,"

William smiled and looked back at Dracula who was watching Aleera and Nshina walk up the stairs. Verona landed beside him and sighed as he looked at her,

"Nshina is changing again. Aleera I can understand, she is becoming jealous again but Nshina, no. We shall have to find another food source for her; we cannot feed the villagers to her until this is sorted,"

William frowned,

"Which one is Nshina?"

Verona looked at him innocently,

"The one in red is Nshina, the one in pink is Aleera, I'm Verona and she is Marishka,"

Verona said, pointing to each of them as she said their names. Igor came walking out of a little side room, as soon as he saw Dracula he bowed,

"Master, everything is ready for you,"

"Thank you Igor. William I am terribly sorry but because the sun has risen we need some rest, my servants will show you around and make you comfortable. Good night sir William,"

William bowed and Dracula took Marishka's and Verona's hands and they walked up the stairs and into their room. Aleera and Nshina were already asleep in their coffins when they entered the room, Dracula sighed and shook his head as he looked down at Nshina. He lie in his coffin and fell into darkness, sleep overcoming him.

Nshina's eyes flicked open even though she was still covered is ice. Someone was moving around outside her coffin, she looked up and saw William looking down on her. She snarled and ripped her way out of the coffin, William backed off with a terrified look on his face,

"What are you doing in here?! You do not enter unless Master says you can!"

William frowned as he looked at her,

"I'm sorry I didn't know that! Don't start an argument!"

"Well you shouldn't have annoyed me then!"

Dracula awoke and heard Nshina screaming at someone,

Oh no,

He rose out of his coffin and saw that Nshina was screaming at William, he materialized next to her and put his hands on her shoulders. She stopped in mid sentence and looked at him, growling,

"Count, I came looking for you then Nshina woke up and started to have a go at me! I honestly don't see what I did wrong,"

Nshina was about to retaliate but Dracula put a hand over her mouth and whispered in her ear

"Now is not the time my love, please just leave it be,"

Nshina closed her mouth and folded her arms, Dracula took his hand away from her mouth and smiled, wrapping his arms around her waist,

"Please excuse Nshina's reaction to you; she is going through something right now,"

"It's quite alright,"

William smiled at Dracula. Without any warning Aleera, Marishka and Verona was suddenly standing beside Dracula smiling. Marishka saw that Nshina looked angry and that her Master had his arms around her waist and guessed that she had started another argument,

"Nshina you really need to stop this now,"

Nshina shot Marishka a hurt look and pulled out of Dracula's embrace, she started to walk out of the room but Verona stood in her way,

"Nshina dear where are you going,"

"I'm hungry,"

Verona looked at Dracula, who had suddenly looked at Nshina,

"My dear we cannot let you out, it's for your own good,"

But Nshina wasn't listening. She pushed past Verona and took flight; she flew to the ceiling and then shot out of a window. Marishka was just about to take off after her but Aleera stepped in front of her,

"I think I should go,"

Dracula nodded at let Aleera fly after her, Marishka looked confused,

"What did I say?"

Verona rolled her eyes,

"Marishka, why don't you take William out?"

That was good enough for her, Marishka loved spending time with werewolves, and she couldn't understand why Nshina didn't. As soon as they had left to the room Aleera and Nshina came back in. Aleera was saying something to Nshina and she grinned,

"I agree,"

They landed beside Verona who looked at Nshina

"Please say you didn't get anyone?"

"No I didn't. Aleera stopped me just before I caught the mayor,"

Dracula took Nshina's hand

"My dear please listen, try and be nice to William ok? I know that it is hard for you but just try,"

Nshina nodded and he smiled. They walked out of the room and looked down on Marishka and William. He had obviously said something to Marishka because she was laughing, Nshina folded her arms,

"She's being pathetic,"

Dracula, Aleera and Verona looked at her, they were shocked. They had both been acting really strange; Marishka had seemed too had lost patience with Nshina. Marishka looked up because she had heard Nshina's voice; she flew up to them and smiled,

"William wants to know if we can go out. He wants to see the surrounding area and watch us while we hunt,"

Nshina looked at her and growled,

"What? So you are going to go off and leave me here? You know I am not allowed out Marishka! So why go and rub it in my face,"

Marishka looked at her,

"Well I'm sorry but the rest of us do need to eat, were not the ones being targeted by someone! Not everything is about you Nshina! You're being so childish!"

What happened next no one could have thought would ever happen. Before anyone could stop her Nshina flew at Marishka and they began to fight. They scratched and bit each other. Nshina had gauged a hole into Marishka's leg and pulled her down to the floor, just as she was going down to start fighting again Dracula caught her leg and pulled her back up to him. William rushed over to Marishka who was lying on the floor glaring up at Nshina who was standing on the balcony. Dracula looked at them both with horror on his face,

"Nshina, what on earth…"

But she cut him off

"Yes that right! Take her side! Go on all of you TAKE HER SIDE! YOU SEEM TO THINK SHE IS THE BETTER ONE OUT OF THE BOTH OF US!"

Nshina screamed at the top of her lungs, she flew out of a nearby window and didn't look back.

Aleera, Verona and Dracula bent down beside Marishka and looked down at her. William looked at the window Nshina had flown out of,

"She isn't very happy is she?"

Dracula sighed

"I don't know anymore,"

He couldn't feel Nshina anymore, she had blocked him from her mind and this annoyed him. He felt like he should give up on her, she wasn't letting anyone help her and she had turned on the ones she loved. He didn't think there was no way back from that. Suddenly he felt something from Nshina, power. New life was rushing through her and into him, but by every second she was becoming angrier and angrier. He looked at his remaining brides with horror,

"She is feeding,"

Verona put her hand son her head,

"Do you know how many,"

Dracula sat down, his hands started to shake,

"She has drained fully dry at least 20 strong,"

Marishka sat up, her leg had healed,

"Well, the chemicals are reacting then,"

Aleera was standing up and looking at the door, she sighed sadly fear overcoming her mind,

"Oh Nshina, what are you doing to yourself?"