disclaimer: the characters belong to their respective owners. the only thing i own is the story and Ana.
Prelude, pt. II
That girl had to be around here somewhere.
Harker had been highly indisposed when he abandoned the castle to travel across the dark waters to England, and he mentally reminded himself to kill the fool as soon as he returned to Transylvania.
But the girl, the one he was engaged to… Mina.
Something about her called to him; he wasn't sure what, exactly, though the fool had mentioned once or twice about her being 'pure-hearted' or something along those lines.
Purity in girls her age was rare.
Perhaps that's what drew him here, to London.
Sunlight should have burned him but it didn't; he had to once again be glad for his powers, the powers that kept him looking the cultured and eccentric Count that he had been once setting foot on English soil.
A trio of women passed by him on the busy streets; he tipped his hat down briefly in acknowledgement, hearing them giggle and then begin in hushed whispers to gossip about him once he was past them.
God he had almost forgotten how amusing humans were.
His humanity was still there, regrettably, tying down his conscious mind and keeping it sane, refusing to die even though each time he took life to sustain his unholy existence, it still chipped away like melting ice.
Vlad inwardly sighed.
There was a faint call playing on the edges of his psyche, calling to his mind; it had been calling to him for a few days now.
Actually, now that he thought on it… It wasn't so faint any more.
He inwardly tuned in to the call, half-closing his eyes; the voice, it was silvery, and warm, and it hummed with desperation.
The voice belonged to a woman.
A woman? Well that was helpful… Which one, though?
He mentally scanned the minds of the people around him, particularly the female population, though found nothing.
A wild goose chase?
'Vlad…' There it was. 'Vlad…! Vlad, where are you?' The voice was louder and continued at that same pitch even as he continued walking. 'I need you, Vlad… Why aren't you here? Why can't you hear me!?'
Darling, I can, he mentally quipped even though he knew the woman who was calling to him wouldn't hear it.
He froze, his feet coming to a halt, garnet eyes lifting from beneath his brow to stare straight ahead.
A girl was exiting a carriage on the next street corner, telling the driver she would be fine on foot, closing the door of the cab and turning to the left to wander as she and the carriage parted ways.
Two men, soot-stained, pick-pockets most likely, followed her departure carefully before sharing a look and starting to tail her.
Vlad growled in the back of his mind.
Bastards, how dare they?
He unglued his feet from the spot they'd been rooted to, turning the corner and tailing them.
The girl… She was the one.
She was calling to him.
::::::::d-b::::::::
Note to self; never go out alone… Least of all in London.
"Really now, gents…" She began even as she backed herself into a wall, using a hand to feel the surface was brick, and slightly grimy; she inwardly grimaced at the sensation and her current predicament.
Both of the two men who'd cornered her chuckled wryly amongst themselves at the caught noblewoman. "What's wrong, poppet? Think yer too good, don't ya?" The taller of the two drawled as best he could with that thick accent (from Liverpool, prolly, or Manchester… She couldn't tell which) on his tongue.
Damn if she didn't have her daggers on hand, otherwise these two wankers would be sliced deli-meat by now. All she had was her fists and her feet if she could move her leg up in this damn dress… Damn if she wasn't a Draculina again!
She silently swallowed a reflexive growl of annoyance at her state and sneered up at him, keeping his partner in her sights, "For the likes of you two wankers, you're damn right." She drawled back, narrowing her eyes, tilting her chin up.
The second one lashed out, pinning her to the wall by a firm hand, making her grimace slightly. "Now, now, yer a lady, sweet; dun think just because yer a pedigree tart you're too good for an average bloke like us…"
He saw stars in the next second as she head-butted him sharply; his hand released her shoulder, reeling back and rubbing his forehead gingerly, swearing.
She took the chance to make a run for it before the taller one's hand yanked on her right wrist, earning a slight yelp, as he sneered, chuckling. "B-bastard…" She growled, twisting about to slug him if he hadn't caught her free wrist in his grip, effectively rendering her powerless.
"Spunky one, ain't she? Yer going to be such fun…" He grinned down at the caught girl's blazing brown eyes.
A rough hand caught the back of his neck suddenly, surprising them both, pulling them apart as the hand slammed him against the wall she'd been cornered against, making him see stars for a second before he ground out a string of curses at being pinned, straining to see his attacker.
"Filth like you need a lesson in manners… I would rip your hapless brain out of your damn skull would it not frighten her." The low drawl sounded with all the warmth of the coldest winter in his tone, a thick accent on his tongue, as he spoke in a voice quiet enough the girl hadn't heard but loud enough for him to hear.
He wanted to tear this bastard's throat open and would've done it too, were it not for the girl's eyes fixated on the scene. So he conked his head against the wall, knocking him cold; he released his neck as the man dropped to the ground.
Vlad sneered down at the unconscious human, glancing to see the second one had fled (bloody coward, he mused grimly), preferably during his assault on his friend, leaving the only witness to be the girl; he turned slightly to her, gauging her wide-eyed stare. Her dark hair was slightly disheveled from the scuffle, sticking out in certain spots, there was dirt on her clothes and some on her pretty face, but aside from that she remained intact.
She was safe.
The girl named Mina jumped slightly when he moved from where he'd stood, looking up alertly to see he offered a gloved hand of aid to help her up; she took his hand, standing.
Good Lord, he was beautiful.
Alucard looked perfectly in his element in the charcoal-gray coat, deep red vest and gray necktie, and black breeches with brown riding boots, a dark black cape adorning his shoulders; her eyes regarded the mane of raven black hair on his head, the locks slightly tousled as they framed his chiseled pale face nicely, his crimson eyes a soft garnet that seemed to take in her visage.
Only then did she realize she looked like shit.
"I, um, I must look horrible…" She said wryly, looking down like a coward and keeping her gaze on the slight dirt on his boot toes.
A soft chuckle bubbled in his throat, escaping his lips as he smiled faintly at her comment; the first thing to come out of her mouth wasn't an introduction but a comment on her appearance. She was strange. "On the contrary, you do not. In fact, to my eyes, you look very lovely." He mentally prepared to hear something along the lines of 'I am an engaged woman, engaged to a lawyer, no less!'
She blushed prettily, raising a hand to tuck locks of dark hair behind her ears. "Um, thank you… They didn't hurt you, did they?" She asked shyly, daring a glance up at his garnet eyes.
Again she surprised him! This couldn't possibly be the same Mina that was engaged to that fool Harker, could it?
"No, they didn't. I was going to ask you the same, actually." He held her tentative and curious gaze gently, seeing the blush deepen in her cheeks.
She certainly was lovely when she blushed.
"Not much, actually… They weren't so much of a threat as they were a nuisance." She answered, mentally replaying her response to his question and chiding herself for sounding so much like a tomboy.
He arched a dark brow at her words, her tone that didn't sound like he had expected it to; he inwardly huffed, allowing a smile to twitch on his lips. So confident. "Then it appears my interference was not entirely needed, if they were so trivial to you." They should leave the alley soon; he could scent paranoia from a mile away.
She chuckled, feeling herself become more at ease with him as she had those first few nights after she'd been assigned his accomplice, in a different time… "It wasn't needed, but it wasn't like I didn't welcome it. Thank you for your help…" She paused for a name, even though she knew his name all ready.
In fact, she knew it by heart.
"Vlad. Prince Vlad." He inwardly chuckled at the title, even though it held truth from four-hundred years of conquest, of bloodshed, of damnation…
"Ana." She said her name softly, glad to once again call herself that instead of her name… That was the name she had been born with as a human, and it was the name she'd been reborn with as a vampire so many nights ago.
::::::::d-b::::::::
The dimly lit tea shop was quaint, even though he knew most eyes –particularly the female population's—were on him, the lanky eccentric noble that had escorted the dark-haired engaged girl for a spot of afternoon tea.
He never drank tea, anyway; never suited his palate, even when he was human.
She stirred her tea idly, the silver spoon clinking with the fragile china cup, mixing in the sugar with her Earl Grey; her eyes glanced to him from time to time, though she kept her gaze down.
Out of courtesy? Or was it because she felt the eyes on her as well?
Her name was Ana, though the British solicitor who'd met his fate in the wilds of the Carpathians said her name was Mina… Perhaps Mina was a name he affectionately referred to her as.
So it was his turn to break the proverbial ice. "I am surprised you didn't decline my invitation for tea." He mused, stirring her from her thoughts, watching her eyes dart up to his before dropping back down.
"I'm surprised you didn't ask for a private place to have tea; you seem to have garnered unwanted attention to yourself." She returned calmly, taking a generous sip from the cup.
Confidence again, even though normal girls would've felt threatened by having their escort be stared at like a slab of meat infront of dogs; he smirked, garnet eyes light. "Does it bother you?" He drawled softly.
Ana placed the cup down, a small glint of confidence shining in her brown eyes. "Why should it? You don't seem the type of womanizing bloke most men are, and you haven't stopped looking at me since we walked into the shop. There's nothing to worry over, Vlad." She smiled serenely.
A shiver raced through his body, touching his unbeating heart as he mentally replayed how well she pronounced his name, even if it was casually. "So confident," he murmured, smirking still.
She'd missed that smirk. "It doesn't displease you, obviously." She fiddled with the spoon, knowing it would've burned her if she was a vampire again; it probably would burn him as well, so she didn't dare ask why he wasn't drinking tea.
Vlad chuckled again, amused, leaning a bit on his elbows. "Not even! It's very becoming of a woman like you." He hummed.
Ana cocked a brow, feigning innocence, sipping at the tea. "'A woman like me', hm? Do tell." She didn't care at the moment about the fact that she was engaged to Harker; she didn't care if people gawked at her confidence and outright flirting jibes she gave him.
She longed to be at his side once more, now achingly so, with him so close to her, so close to stealing a kiss, even a bite…
"A woman that appears as brash as any man, a woman that exudes confidence with every word that passes her soft lips… a woman with the air of a queen." A queen of night, even, he said warmly, stirring her from her thoughts again.
She chuckled softly, brown eyes like chocolate, regarding him from beneath her brow. "Dearest Prince, are you flirting?" She purred softly, dropping her tone even though he could hear it, making it so noone else heard what she spoke to him and him alone.
He grinned slowly, her purring voice sending another round of shivers to his unbeating heart, dropping his tone as well. "And if I am, love?" He returned.
so yes, Ana (while in Mina's body) is flirting with disaster.. literally, in this case. what do you think happened? lol feel free to give some feedback, let me know if this story is kicking off well or if it's totally backfiring. thanks a mil~ (;
'til next chapter, ja ne!