Hiya ppls! 4 reviews! Wahoo :)Hope u enjoy this chapter I didn't expect to finish it this quickly kuz my last one took me like 3 day but here it is! Enjoy

Anna woke up in a large, dark room which she had never seen before. She went to stand up but realised that she ached all ove and couldn't. So instead she looked around and tried to find something that would indicate where she was. In the room was the large bed she was lying in, it was covered in a black cover, she still had no idea how she had got into it. Her memory was blank, so she carried on. To her left was a large wardrobe made of a wood that looked like varnished oak. To the left of that was a chest of drawers made of the same material. Along with them was a makeup table with a large mirror and a large selection of colours of makeup, and a beautiful rug that must've taken ages. It was different shades of red with some sort of fiery pattern all over. And on the right wall was a large tapestry. She stared at it hard, it was of a battle of some sort. But what was really important was the insignia on the bottom left hand corner. A dragon - Dracula!

"Well it took you long enough!" Came a voice, Anna yelped in surprise. The voice laughed, and the voice was soon joined by a body. It was a young woman, with bright blounde hair, and a yellow dress, almost canary colour. But despite that, she looked quite good in it. She guessed it was one of Dracula's children.

"Are you Marishka's daughter?" She didn't see her coming, but her bruised cheek felt the girl's strong fist smack into her. She screamed and fell back onto the bad.

"How dare you confuse me with Larca! No, my mother was far better than Marishka, much stronger, more beautiful and a far better bride." She said full of pride. Anna sighed, that could only mean -

"I am Adriana. Just beacuse I am not red-haired like my mother and my sister does not mean I am related to that back-stabbing cow Marishka! To let my mother die and then pretend it wasn't her fault, the cheek!" Anna rubbed her cheek, it would be her luck she would get stuck with Aleera's daughter. But Aleerawas dead? When did this happen? It must've been when Van Helsing went out to get Dracula.- Wait! Van Helsing! Her mind filled with horrible thoughts, had he managed to get out alive? God knew killing a bride would be a death sentence for anyone else.

"Oh don't worry your murderous friend is fine!" Adriana spat, poision filling her voice. "He got out after killing my mother and hasn't come back since!"Anna sighed with relief. He got out safely. But looking relieved was the wrong thing to do. The girl threw herself at her again. But she couldn't do aything as the girl's fist tackled her face, she was too weak to even move too far in a short time. It looked as if the girl was going to strike again when -

"ADRIANA!" The girl's face filled with fear, she turned, releasing Anna from her firm and ferocious grip, and stood cowering, as if waiting for a beating.

"Y-yes m-master?" She stuttered. Master? Anna thought. Oh no! That could only mean-

"Please leave us, and in future I should prefer you not to harm Anna Valerious." He whispered

"Y-yes m-master i-i wont, i p-promise." She quickly shuffled out of the room and slammed the door behind her. Even from in here you could here her talking on the other side of the wall to herself.

"I do apologise Anna, sometimes she gets a bit carried away. And with losing her mother, it hasn't helped her temper much." Anna took a large intake of breath as the man walked out from the shadows - Count Dracula.

"Just because you are in my castle, Anna, doesn't mean you are a vampire. You still need to breathe." He said as he wandered over to her and sat on the edge of the bed. "Breathe, Anna." She did as she was told and soon felt a little calmer knowing that she still had to breathe - at least she wasn't a vampire. But she still had a big question to ask.

"What do you want count?" He placed a finger to her lips, but she inched away, afraid of touching his cool, pale skin. He smirked and walked over to the chest of drawers and pulled a vile out of the top drawer. It was a light purple liquid. He pulled out the cork and leaned over to Anna. She edged away, hurting herself in the process.

"Anna, calm down. I'm not going to hurt you." She snorted, his face looked more serious, but his voice was calm as ever. "It's a healing potion, you have a large bruise on your cheek, and Adriana has not helped it either. Please, just let me put the ointment on. I promise you will feel a lot better afterwards." He said, his voice deep with concern. Anna didn't know why, but she moved back towards him and tilted her head to him. She felt his cool fingers brush against her cheek. Then the sting of the ointment on her bruise. She winced, but it was over within seconds. She sat up and rubbed her cheek, it was completely healed.

"See, that wasn't so bad was it?" She had temporarily forgotten his presence.

"Thanks" she mumbled, looking away from him. She hated herself for thanking him. She just wanted to be as far away from him as possible. She would have to escape somehow.

"Escape is futile Anna, you should know that." She huffed "Plus it would be even more stupid to attempt escape with no energy and in your condition." Her eyes grew wide.

"I am quite capable of escaping whenever I want to thank you. You think that just because i'm a little tired i'm goig to give up and let you kill me? I don' think so!" He laughed.

"Anna, dear, I have no intention of killing you. But if you are indeed able enought to escape whenever," He looked towards the door, "Humour me." he grinned. She knew this was stupid but she wasn't going to let him win.

"Fine!" She huffed. Dracula got up and sat on the chair next to the bed. Anna threw back the covers and shifted over to the edge of the bed. Her common sense in her head fought with the pride in her heart. This is ridiculous! You know that you won't be able to do it, save yourself the embarrasment of falling on the bloke and give in! No! I won't, I can prove him wrong, I just have to embrace the pain. God knows i've been in worse situations than this before and been able to walk! She finally agreed with her pride, she could do this. But as she placed both feet on the floor and put her full weight on them she was proved wrong as her knees gave in and she fell. She waited for the impact of her body meeting the floor, but it never came. Dracula saved her from falling. As he pulled her back up she tried to break free of his strong arms, but he refused to let her go.

"Anna, I understand that trying to walk before was for your pride's sake, but trying again is plain idiotic and you know it as well as I do." She thought about it and knew she had no other alternative than to let him have it done his way. She stopped struggling against him and he in return slackened his grip on her slightly, but not enough to allow her to fall.

"Now then, now that we've learnt our lesson." He whispered in her ear, making her skin tingle. He lifted her into his arms and walked over to the bed. But she was off the ground and even though she wasn't that far off the ground she began to feel nauseous. Dracula saw this as he placed her down, and felt her forehead.

" Are you ok, Anna? You have a temperature." Anna knew why she was ill, but she couldn't tell him. "Anna? What aren't you telling me?" raising one eyebrow. She shook her head much too fast for her brain to keep up.

"No, I've nothing to tell you, i'm fine. It must be that i'mweak, that's all." But he shook his head at her.

"No, Anna, that's not it. When are you going to admit it to yourself, Anna? Let alone me?" He was scaring her now. What did he know?

"Admit what? I have nothing to hide." she stammered. But he tutted.

"When are you going to admit that that baby you carry in your womb, isn't Van Helsing's, but mine?"

--X--

Vladimir was getting worried about his father. Petra had told him in strict confidence about him taking another bride so soon, just earlier this evening. And now he had been in that Valerious's room for over an hour on their own. He had seen Adriana being dismissed from her room, and when he asked what was going on, she merely said that father had found a new taste to try. And then carried on talking to herself down the corridor. Now he was sitting in his sister's room on her black leather chair while she sat on he bed facing him.

"Do you think we should do something?" she asked "I mean, what if this guest turns up, we've got to get him then anyway. Why, of all the women, why bloody her?!" He went and sat next to her, rubbing her shoulders and trying to soothe her.

"Don't worry , Petra, we'll be fine. But for now we should leave him. If this mystery guest should happen to turn up then you will welcome him in by giving him a tour and keeping him occupied for as long as it takes. The castle is big enough. Then, while you're doing that, i'll fetch father from that bitch's room, ok?" She nodded, then gulped back a few tears.

"How are we going to tell mother about him and Anna?" He wanted to tell her, to tell her that he knew exactly the right way to do it. But he didn't , how were they going to tell their mother, the first and most loyal bride, that he was taking another wife so soon after the death of her sister.

"Oh don't worry about that, darlings. I already knew." They both turned to see their mother at the door. Petra ran over and hugged her tightly. She whispered softly in Petra's ear. "I knew as soon as he asked about her, when he asked for me to bring her back if I got the chance. Of course as you know I am the oldest bride, so I know how to handle this. And Marishka learnt after Aleera was sired. The only one we were worried about was Aleera, because she had never had to deal with the pain of being pushed aside before. But then she died, leaving Dracula free to have her as soon as possible." Vladimir listened carefully, then replied,

"But that would mean that he was planning on having another bride beforeauntie Aleera died, right?" His mother nodded.

"So that story he told me about replacing her was utter crap - he was trying to get her anyway the sleaze bag!" At that point Verona pushed Petra away but held onto her arms tightly.

"Ow mother! You're hurting -"

"Enough, Petra!" Vladimir flinched. Never in both his or his sister's life had their mother ever shouted or been unkind to either of them. Verona quickly seemed to come to her senses, and loosened her grip on Petra's arms, but leaving behind cuts in the skin where her nails had been. Petra didn't make a sound, but stepped away while healing her arms, fear glistening in her eyes.

"Oh i'm so sorry, Petra. I got carried away. But you must promise not to speak about your father like that again. He has taken you two as his favourite children and so you have the most pressureon you to be god and set a good example and show off your skills. I'm so glad you have been able to master your powers so easily and so quickly as well." Vladimir smiled. That was true, all of the siblings had been given a magical ability, one each. Vladimir could read minds, and act as a concience if he was close enough to them. Petra had telekinetic powers, she could move terribly large objects with her mind, and not even break a sweat. Larca has the power of premonition, she could see the future, but not at will without really straining herself as she had not fully mastered her power yet, but she wasn't far behind. Aleera's daughter's were also having trouble controlling their powers. Adelina had the power to control weather, but the last time she tried to stop it from raining she tried so hard that her ears bled. But the worst of all was Adriana. She had the powers of a siren, she could seduce any married man, but to anyone else, she was still just as bad a singer as she was before her powers revealed themselves. So father had her taking singing lessons, she was progressing, but at a painfully slow rate. She had been practicing since her powers came about, and her voice had only improved sightly to bearable. "I just don't want to see you two going down the path that Adriana is going and lose your father's favour. So please promise me you will never speak ill tounge of your father and that you will always do as you're told by him?" Petra nodded quickly and their mother quickly took her back into their hug from earlier. After a few minutes she let go and turned to Vladimir. "And what of you, Vlad? Will you promise me that you will do this, for me?"

"Of course mother, anything." She smiled and ran over to hug him. Not to sound like a mummy's boy, but he loved it when his mother hugged him. For when he was around his father he couldn't let his guard down for a moment, otherwise his father may see it as weakness. So he loved the fact that his mother would hug him anyway, despite his gender. When she finally relesed him from her grip he saw that she was crying. He sighed, women and their emotions...

--X--

Anna's mouth gaped open as she heard what the count said. How did he know about it?

"I-I , umph. I give up! You're only going to read my mind anyway! Fine, yes, i'm pregnant, but my baby isn't yours!" At that Dracula seemed to take offence, and for a moment it seemed like Anna had broken a barrier in Dracula's mind, but after the moment passed, it had rebuilt in his eyes. If she'd have blinked, she would have missed it.

"Now Anna, as you said, it is useless to lie to me. So why just tell me half the truth?" He almost sounded hurt, but her common sense told her something else entirely. He's just trying to get under your skin, he doesn't really care. Think about it, he has only just lost one bride, now he is pretending to care for you? Read between the lines! He wants to get laid! The thought made her shiver, and especially with a baby on the way.It made her almost retch, but she held it back.

"What is it you want count? Stop trying to poison my mind, oh yes I know how you work! You'll work on me until even I start to question who the father to my child is, and I start to believe that you are. Well don't try it and don't offend me by saying that I am not aware of who my child's father is!" she hissed venomously. But it didn't deter him at all.

"I'm not implying that you are unaware of who fathered your child, i'm merely implying that you wont accept it. I am not an idiot, Anna. I know for a fact that you are five months pregnant, and where were you five months ago?!" She knew full well where she was five months ago. Held by Dracula preparing to go to the masquerade where Van Helsing had saved her from a repeat of what she had had to endure once the night before. "Beacuse I seem to remember where you were..." He said while reaching to her. She flinched and pulled back, but she couldn't. She was too weak, so she shut her eyes tightly praying he wouldn't do what she thought he was going to do. But instead he merely reached for her abdomen and circled it with his hand. Anna was relieved, so she fell back lightly ont her pillow and relaxed. She didn't know how long they had both sat there, but the next thing she knew she was waking up from a long sleep. She remembered the events of before she slept and looked around for Dracula, but he'd left. She suddely felt something inside her body somersalt, making her breathless. She placed her hands on the living child inside her, on her living child. She prayed that it really was alive, that it was human.

--X--

Petra, Vladimir and Verona had just finished their conversation when there was a knock on the door.

"Enter." Petra shouted, to make sure they heard. Larca walked in, with a shy look on her face. "What is it, Larca?" she enquired.

"There is a man here, he said that he is here to see father, but i've no idea where he is. He says he is -"

"The source?" Verona asked, a certain edge in her voice that Petra didn't understand.

"Yes that's it. Is this the person we were meant to be expecting for dinner, Verona?" Larca asked, her shyness soon turning into inquisitiveness. But Petra suddely turned shock white. Oh no! What do we do? I can't entertain the source! What was I thinking? But Vladimir spoke first before she could show to Larca she was having a panic attack.

"Yes, I think so Larca. Would you kindly tell him that father is doing something of importance at the present time and we hope that he understands. But Petra will be down in a moment to keep him occupied until father is free." Larca looked at Petra and looked worried, but nevertheless she agreed.

"Um, o-ok then. I'll tell him." As soon as Larca had left the room Petra sopke.

"Keep, him, occupied? What do plan for me to do with him?!" She gasped, desperately trying to take in more air so her brain would function better than it was at the time.

"Just calm down, ok? You'll be fine. All you have to do is talk with him until father is done." Vladimir tried to calm her down. But she refused to do it.

"Oh that's it is it? What if father isn't done for ages? And what the bloody hell am i meant to talk to him about? He's the freakin source of all evil for crying out loud! He probably knows it flaming all anyway!" She paced, and then calmed down.

"You done? Or do I need to tell him that you'll be down later after your medication?" he joked

"Oh alright i'm going man!" She trudged towards the door but her mother stopped her before she could leave the room.

"Just remember, Petra, first impressions are everything. Please make a good impression, not just for your sake but for your father's. He's planning a treaty for them to work together, and if you make him feel welcome it could really help." Petra sighed.

"Well great! No pressure." But she walked out before her mother could reply. She walked briskly down the stairs, checking her make up and hair as she did, hoping she looked ok. As she enetered the entrance hall she saw a man that was quite tall, but his whole body was hidden by a large cloak. She walked over to welcome him.

"Hello, your dark sire." she made a low bow, "I am very pleased to welcome you to my father's castle. I am -" He cut her off.

"Petra of course, your father has told me about his favorite daughter." Petra blushed, hoping that her slightly dark skin would hide it a bit.

"Well, yes I am. And i'm flattered that you think that way." He laughed a very deep laugh.

"And modest? Well aren't we the brilliant one?" Petra blushed even more, trying to place her hands over her face subtly to cover the blushing. But decided to change the subject. But to what??

--X--

Vladimir was practically running towards the Valerious's room. When he got there he stood outside for a moment to compose himself, then knocked.

"Who is it?" came a voice from inside.

"It's Vladimir." he whispered into the door, but Draula's supersensitive hearing heard him easily.

"Enter, but be quiet please." Vladimir entered and slowly shut the door behind him without a sound. His father was sitting on the edge of the bed, his right hand on her abdomen, she, was fast asleep. "I'm sorry I didn't allow you in as soon as you kocked, but I had to be sure it wasn't Adelina. Now then, what is it you want?" He slid off the bed and walked over to his son.

"The source is here to see you." Dracula's face lifted slightly, then fell.

"You didn't just leave him, did you?"

"No, of course not father. Petra is downstairs with him keeping him occupied at the moment." Dracula's face turned back to the way it was before, excited.

"Oh, brilliant, Vladimir! I shall come down now to greet him. Would you gather everyone for dinner?" It was stange that they even called it dinner, Vladimir thought. Because they drank blood only once a month they didn't need nightly 'dinners'. It was more like a family meeting every evening to check that everyone was in check.

"Of course, father. I shall meet you in the dining hall in a few minutes." Dracula nodded, then left the room. Before leaving, Vladimir looked at the girl his father had fallen for. He had to agree, she was very prettey, but she was pregnant!

--X--

It's official! Petra thought, she was officially in hell! It's not that he wasn't a nice man, but he was too nice, and she had no reply to his constant niceness. Every time she would say something he would say something about how prettey or how smart or how modest she was! She had never had this much attention given to her - not even by her father. But it seemed she was going to be saved from the fire of hell and lifted. Her father was just round the corner, she could hear his light, brisk footsteps only seconds away from meeting them.

"Ah, father, i've just been showing him around the castle. BUt of course, we haven't gotten very far." She smiled, more like grimacing at her father. Either he wasn't paying attention or he took the hint and walked of with the source in tow. She breathed the cool air. Finally! Peace! But then her father turned to her. Oh crap not again! Please!

"Petra, would you go down tothe dining hall to sit with everyone else. We sha'nt be long." Petra realised she had stopped breathing again, so she let go of her breath. Thank God, the Devil, anyone that is listening thank you!

"Yes, father. Your dark sire." She bowed low and walked backwards until her father turned back to his conversation, at which point she ran for the safety of the dining hall.

(2 hours later)

"Dinner" had gone well. It was mostly her father and the source talking to themselves. But sometimes they would inculde her mother, Marishka, Vladimir and her. But the other three girls just chatted to themselves. Soon enough it was coming to an end, and the three girls were sent to bed for the day. They bowed to the source, then departed for sleep. Petra felt slightly awkward as she was aksed to stay for a little while longer by her father, which turned out to be another half an hour of talking to her brother and her aunt, while she could feel three pairs of eyes boring into her from beside her, but she decided to ingore them, knowing nothing witty to say in return. But then Vladimir and Petra were asked to go to bed. Petra was relieved and gracefully bowed to the source. But she had caught her mother's eye and the look in her eyes told her that she didn't want to go to sleep just yet. So when she got to her room she undid her hair, and took off her makeup. Then ran herself a bath, needing the warmth that the water could give her. Strangely she only sat in there for ten miuntes before wanting to get out, short compared to her normal half an hour at least in the bath. But she got out anyway, changed into her pyjamas, then blow dryed her hair. She sighed, what to do now? She still had to wait for her mother to talk to her. But when she turned around, there she was. Petra jumped, the shock made her use her powers unintentionally and the hair dryer collided with the opposite wall. Petra went to clean it up, but her mother held onto her pushing her towards the chair.

"Forget it, Petra, you can do it later. Right now, I don't know how long i have until they realise i'm in here." Verona whispered. Petra's whole body tensed.

"Mother, what is it? What's wrong?" Verona started to clam down, but only slightly.

"Okay, if I tell you this, you can't tell your father that I told you, understood?" Petra nodded, but now she was really scared. Mother had never hidden anything from father - ever! So this must be very important, she thought.

"Right, well. Your father and the source have been talking all night as you know. But they've been talking about you, Petra, not about business. Because the your father isn't the only looking for a new bride." Petra's face plummeted. No, no no no no! Please, this can't be happening. "And your father has suggested," Please don't say it mother!

"You."

Awww, poor Petra! What will she do? Dun dun dun!