Chapter 7: Beware Of The Dog

The sun was still up when Dracula finally awoke. It was just minutes before dusk but he didn't know why he had awoken so early, he fluttered down from the ceiling and sat down. Last night was the last full moon so for another month William would be human; they desperately needed to find out what was happening with them all because even Dracula could see the tears appearing in his family. He desperately wanted Nshina and Marishka to start getting on again, everything was so much easier when they loved each other but in Nshina's state it was impossible for her to love, she couldn't even feel the simulated emotions that he felt. It frustrated him so much to see them all fight but he couldn't help it, when ever his brides started to fight he felt like he had to join in but he knew deep down he didn't. It was like a sudden urge just to argue all the time.

Maybe I should talk to Nshina about it, she was the one to feel it first, she might help me if I can get her on her own for long enough,

Dracula thought to himself. He could feel one of his brides stirring, he looked around and saw Nshina's big eyes looking down on him, he motioned for her to join him and she did so. Nshina landed beside him, he kissed her cheek and smiled,

Now is my chance,

"Nshina my dear, do you remember before when you could feel your emotions,"

She blinked innocently and nodded,

"I…Well…How did you cope with them all, before you lost them I mean, when you were under the influence of the liquid,"

She lowered her eyes and thought for a moment,

"I don't know, I think I just tried not to say much in case I started an argument. Also I found that keeping out of everyone's way helped a lot. I can't really remember,"

That makes sense,

Dracula thought to himself,

"Thank you my dear, you have been most helpful,"

Nshina just smiled. She wondered why her master wanted to know that, could it help with their findings. Just then she remembered what Igor and herself and been talking about last night, and she felt that now was the time to talk about it with her master while it was just the two of them,

"Master, what do you think of William?"

Dracula raised an eyebrow, he hadn't really thought about that before,

"I'm not sure, he's alright I suppose. Why do you ask?"

"I was just wondering. I don't like him,"

The bluntness of her statement made Dracula laugh,

"Well that may be your opinion but he has been a great asset to us,"

Nshina rolled her eyes, he wasn't getting what she was trying to hint towards, and she would have to be completely honest,

"That is your opinion yes, but I don't trust him. It's a coincidence that as soon as we find something out he turns up, then when we brought him to our castle we found the vial in our laboratory. We don't know what he does during the day because we are not there, we can't be there and he knows that,"

All of this was confusing Dracula,

"Have you spoken to anyone else about this Nshina?"

She nodded,

"Yes, Igor and I spoke about it last night. That is why Igor was sitting on the stairs instead of doing his job, William had kicked him out of the laboratory and wouldn't let anyone back in,"

But Dracula had come to trust William; he did not want to believe what his youngest bride was saying,

"Nshina, I know that having someone new around the castle is strange, but my brides managed to deal with it when each of you came here! Why can't you just accept William?"

Nshina started to become very frustrated,

Why can't he see what I'm saying is true?

"Does Igor have the same opinion as you?"

"Yes he does, "

Dracula scowled at her,

How dare she consult someone else before me! Especially if it is about someone that I trust! I should be the first person she talks too,

By this point Aleera, Marishka and Verona had woken up. They could hear their Master's and fellow bride's voices and could feel Dracula's frustration and anger about Nshina, but, as always, they could feel nothing from Nshina. She truly was dead inside,

"Good morning Master, is everything alright?"

Aleera asked him resting her head on his shoulder. He looked over at Nshina then back at Aleera,

"Yes, everything is fine my love,"

Even though he had convinced Marishka and Aleera, Verona knew that something was wrong between them,

"Have you two had another argument?"

She sighed. Nshina's eyes flicked over to Verona,

"No, just a discussion that's all,"

But she still wasn't convincing Verona. But now Marishka could see it too, the way Dracula was looking at Nshina, it was unmistakeable. She had said something wrong to him,

"Nshina what have you said to Master?"

But Nshina just laughed,

"Nothing but the truth my dear sister,"

Dracula snorted and folded his arms,

"It is not truth Nshina, none of what you have just said it. It is all coincidence, nothing more,"

This statement provided Nshina with the perfect way to end the conversation; she would do what annoyed Dracula the most,

"That is your opinion yes,"

She had twisted his words around to suit her argument. As she turned around and walked away from them she heard Aleera's feet running after her,

"What was that about Nshina?"

When they were out of the door Nshina turned around to face Aleera,

"Will you come with me to see Igor?"

Nshina didn't wait for a reply from Aleera she just took her hand and led her down the stairs. They found Igor down in the dungeons, there were some humans down there that Dracula had kidnapped, and Igor was down there torturing them,

"Good evening Igor,"

"Good evening Princess, did you sleep well?"

Nshina smirked,

"Like the dead. Igor, I tried to talk to Master this morning but it did not work, can you help me try and explain it to Aleera?"

They both turned around to face Aleera who was smiling,

"Explain what?"

"Why William cannot be trusted,"

Aleera rolled her eyes and was about o say something but Igor cut her off,

"My Mistress, I know that you all trust him but please listen to what we have to say,"

Nshina smiled at him then turned back to Aleera,

"Basically we do not trust him; we believe that it is him that has been poisoning us. Think about it sister! Everything that we have found out recently had been a result of him, or with him around. There is no coincidence about it all, please Aleera, just contemplate what has happened,"

Aleera decided to give it a try; she could see the determination on Nshina's face. If it was true then they would be closer to having things back the way they should be. Aleera began to remember everything that had happened like their Master had done, but she did something he did not. She started to link the events with Williams's appearance together, and to her dismay, what Nshina and Igor were saying began to make sense to her. Anger swelled up inside her, it took a lot of self control to keep it in,

"But why would he do it?!"

Nshina sighed,

"We don't know. He just is but that is what we need to figure out. It is clear that Master and Marishka will not see as we do because they trust him so we have to try and convince Verona. IS she trusts us then Master may begin to, he seems to trust Verona's judgement more than ours,"

Aleera nodded. She didn't want to believe it all but she had to choice, it all mad sense. She looked at Nshina and then at Igor,

"Do you trust Nshina, Igor?"

He looked at the both of them,

"Yes I do, I want things back to normal and this is the only good explanation we have so far."

Aleera nodded, she wanted to make sure that what she was going to do was right. Defying her Master was against everything she believed in, but she understood how Nshina could because she didn't believe in anything anymore. Igor bowed low to them,

"I will leave the two of you too think about things for I have some work that I must do,"

Nshina nodded in approval and he walked off. She turned to Aleera and put a hand on her arm,

"Are you sure about this Aleera? You can change your mind if you wish,"

Aleera smiled,

"I trust you Nshina,"

Nshina pulled her into a hug and closed her eyes,

"I love you Aleera,"

Aleera wanted to believe that Nshina meant that so much, but she knew that she didn't. It was empty words floating out of her mouth,

"Be carful Nshina, you almost sounded like you meant it then,"

Nshina sighed,

"I wish I did,"

Dracula called down the stairs to Aleera; he needed to talk to her about something. But Nshina didn't hear her name; she guessed that her Master was still mad at her for what she had tried to tell him,

"I shall go and see what Master wants then I will come back, what should I do if William if there?"

Nshina just shrugged, she hadn't quite got that far,

"Just be wary of him, I don't want one of the only ones who believe me to get hurt,"

Aleera smiled and turned around. She began to walk up the stairs but Nshina called one last thing up to her,

"Aleera remember, beware of the dog,"

Aleera laughed and shook her head. She continued to walk up the stairs until she reached the room her Master was in. There, standing beside her sisters and Master was William, she didn't know how to react to him, but she remembered Nshina's advice and smiled to herself,

Beware of the dog…