Chapter 15

(We wait)

Brock's point of view

We were almost to the cell area when I stopped and looked at Sasha. "I must warn you. Danielle was once very beautiful but her beauty is now gone." The blonde woman gave a small nod. "Please me and our master, Sasha, and you can everything that she could have had in time. Understand?"

"Yes," she replied. I nodded and taking her by the hand led her toward the cell that caged my master's pet.

We approached the bars to see Danielle sitting in the shadows in the back of her cell with her back to us. I felt Sasha tense but gave her hand a gentle squeeze.

"You aren't allowed to hurt me anymore, Brock," Danielle spat not bothering to look my way.

"I don't need to hurt you," I replied. "I have someone else now." I watched as she looked back at me over her shoulder. Her eyes went from me to the woman next to me.

"Don't trust him," Danielle warned my new lady.

"I never harmed you until you were brought back," I retorted. "When did I ever hurt you Danielle? When, during the time you were mine, did I hurt you?" I challenged. Danielle fell silent not saying a word. "You have nothing to say because you know you brought this on yourself," I said harshly.

"I don't deserve this!" She snarled at me as she suddenly seemed to find every ounce of her strength. "I do not deserve this!"

Danielle's point of view

I glared at him through the bars. "Nothing I did deserved this!" I snapped.

"Oh!" The blonde woman at Brock's side gasped before turning her head into Brock's chest. If there was any doubt in my mind of how people might react to the sight of me now I no longer doubted it.

I felt the sting of tears as the woman clung to my former lover as if she needed protection from me . "Let the girl go, Brock. She's barely more than a child," I sneered.

"You could have had it all once, Danielle," He told me putting his arms around the blonde woman. "I only regret in my anger at you I hurt such a beautiful woman," He said and looked down at the trembling girl. I rolled my eyes as he looked down at the blonde woman.

She looked up at him and I knew she was under his spell. Brock could be charming when he wanted to be. "Don't trust him!" I told her.

"How could you hurt him?" She said angrily toward me. Turning her eyes back to Brock she said, "I forgive you."

"You can't be that stupid," I told her.

"Do not speak to her that way!" Brock snarled. "You are just a pet! Sasha is far more," he added his voice becoming soft as he looked at the blonde woman. He reached down and gently kissed her. It made me think of when he used to kiss me. I glared at them both and then went back to where I had been in the shadows. I didn't wish to watch them.

"Come, Sasha, this is a place for animals, not you." I didn't watch as he walked away with his new playmate. Softly I began to cry as the sounds of their footsteps disappeared. While I would never openly admit it, part of me wished I'd never fled. I hated him but in truth he had been very good to me. As long as Sasha pleased him he would treat her like a princess and I knew it. I envied it.

Memphis' point of view

I felt very optimistic about meeting at the church and in broad daylight. Those that were loyal to Dracula did not normally spend time near a church. Especially not one that was openly supportive of slayers. We got off the bus and began walking toward the church from down the street.

"This way," Sonya said as we reached the back side of the church. "Anca said to enter through the back." I didn't argue and we followed behind the church. There was more than one door and the blonde women led us almost all the way to the other side of the back of the church. I couldn't help but wonder how big the church actually was. It appeared to be enormous. Not to mention there were several buildings behind it.

Sonya knocked and we waited. When no one answered after a few minutes we knocked again. I was about to walk over and knock when the door opened.

"Can I help you?" a tall gray haired man asked in a gruff voice."

"Anca told us to meet her here," Sonya told him.

"Come in, quickly." The door opened wider and we all entered the church. "Follow me," He said after closing and bolting the door shut. Dennis and I exchanged a look but didn't comment.

We followed the man down a narrow hallway and then a narrow wooden staircase. It was obvious we were heading into a basement as we had been on the first floor. He walked down a second narrow hallway before coming to a stop before a door. He knocked hard three times and entered the room. "They're here."

Parker's point of view

I felt almost relieved as we entered a large open room within the basement. I'd never admit it but I do not like narrow hallways. I'm not claustrophobic; I just always tend to hit my shoulders in narrow passages.

A woman with blonde hair cut close to her face just above her shoulders approached us. "I am Anca."

"Sonya," My friend replied. "This is my husband Dennis. This is Monica, Memphis, Parker and our newest slayer Danny."

Anca looked my way, "Parker. You are the one in a fight over this…Katie."

"She doesn't belong to him," I replied firmly.

The brown eyed woman smiled at me. "Yes, well, we all know Dracula takes what he wants." Her eyes went to Dennis next. "Your mother is his…"

"Yes," Dennis said before she could say the term Dracula had tagged his mother with. Anca nodded.

The woman gestured behind her and pointing to a short man with dark hair said, "This is Tibor. My sister Elga, her husband Vaclar, and Yakov, Ivano, and Hana." We nodded at them and they did at us. "He is in his castle as you suspected," Anca informed us.

"How do we get in?" I asked.

"Not the way you want," Vaclar replied. My blue eyes looked into his green ones waiting to see if he would say more. "You may want the girl back but entering the castle is suicidal. You'll have to wait till he brings her out."

"We have no way of knowing when that will be," I replied not hiding I hated the idea.

"She's to be his bride," Hana said gently; understanding my reaction. "Brides are made under a Harvest Moon at an alter within a cemetery outside of town but away from the castle."

"Are you sure?" Monica asked.

"Yes," A man with shoulder length brown hair named Yakov replied. "There will not be a lot of time and we will need to act quickly but it is the one time Dracula will be at his most vulnerable state."

"The creature can be killed and you can have your Katie back," Tibor told me.

Memphis' point of view

"Why will Dracula be more vulnerable then?" I asked. This was information I'd never heard before and wanted to understand it better. The more we understood the better our chances were.

"Brides are not normal vampires," Vaclar replied. "It takes more energy for him to make a bride as they are made more powerful in the beginning than a simple new vampire," Anca's brother- in-law explained.

"He'll also be completely out in the open. There will be nothing to protect him," Anca added. "I have contacted others. Three more groups of slayers will be arriving. We will attack him on all three sides at once. Cut off his head and he will be no more," The blonde woman said sounding very proud.

"Stake him and he's dead," Danny remarked.

"Not Dracula," Dennis corrected our newest member. Being a new slayer Danny knew how to handle young vampires but had no experience when it came to older vampires; especially not a vampire as old as Dracula.

"A simple stake won't kill him. I'm not even sure cutting his head will eliminate him," Danielle's son continued.

"Dracula can be killed by beheading but this is not easily done," Hana warned. She brushed a strand of brown hair behind her left ear. "On an average day he could turn into mist and avoid such an attack. That ability will be taken away from him while making a bride."

"Does holy water affect him?" Danny asked no longer sure what would and wouldn't work.

"No, I tried that and almost lost my life," Elga informed him. Her hazel eyes looked at her husband. "If not for Vaclar I'd be dead." The dark blonde woman didn't elaborate but the appreciation in her eyes told me there was probably quite a story to that incident.

"Fine! We cut the bastard's head off!" Parker said angrily.

"Don't miss," Ivano commented. Parker looked at him. "You won't get a second chance."

"Anca." We all looked to see a woman with shoulder length black hair enter the room. "We may have a problem."

"What is it, Jaenka?" Anca asked not hiding a sense of concern.

"Sedrick has been seen near the church."

"Then we…"

"Sasha still hasn't checked in," Jaenka cut in. I watched as the sandy blonde haired woman frowned.

"Who is Sasha?" Sonya inquired.

"She's from a family that supports our cause," Hana explained. "The girl managed to gain employment at the castle as a maid."

"Sasha has checked in at least once a week for a month. This is the first week she hasn't checked in. We've heard nothing," The woman said sounding both disappointed and concerned. "I fear she may have been revealed."

"Perhaps things have become more secure since Dracula arrived with Katie. It's possible she simply hasn't had an opportunity to slip away," I offered.

"I hope you're right," she replied.

"Wait… my mother," Dennis said concerned. "I still have to get into the castle."

"Once the creature is dead it will not be a problem to get into the castle," Tibor assured my concerned friend.

"It's also possible he'd bring her as well," Ivano informed us. "A human is often sacrificed in celebration of the making of a bride."

"For now we wait," Anca announced. "The others will be here tomorrow." Looking at our entire group she added, "Best you stay hidden until it's time. There are passageways that lead to rooms within the university behind the church. No one will know you are here. Come; I will show you." No one argued and we followed the blonde woman out of the room.

I looked over at Parker. He was being quiet but I knew this wasn't easy on him. Parker barely handled the plane ride. Having to just sit and wait hidden here was not going to be easy for him and I knew it.

Dracula's point of view

It was just before dawn when I entered Katie's room. I closed the door and made my way to her bed. I stood there listening to her breathing for several moments. I smiled. In her exhausted state, she'd neglected to blow out a candle by her bedside.

Katie lay on her right side turned away from the door. The comforter stopped just above her waist. The spaghetti strap of the white gown I'd provided her was hanging off her shoulder. I looked at her beautiful naked shoulder and a sense of arousal flowed through me once again. For a moment I considered leaving the room but didn't. There was no reason for me to leave. Katie belonged to me I every way.

Perhaps I didn't have her heart yet but her body craved me. I smiled at the memory of her calling out my name. Even more pleasing was when she'd pulled me back against her sheathing me deeper inside of her. Slowly I began to unbutton my white shirt while I watched her sleep. I may have already taken Katie more than once in the last 24 hours but it didn't matter. The second time I had taken my bride had caused her to surrender even quicker to the passion I created. I couldn't wait for the day that Katie would initiate our love making. Till then I would simply have to lure her into the dark side of passion.

With the rest of my clothes removed I slid into the bed behind my lady. The scent of her body aroused me even more. The scent of me on her was invigorating. The last time I'd taken her I'd worn her out so much she had succumbed to a night of sleep. If it was not for needing her now she'd sleep till later in the morning. Gently I placed a kiss on her shoulder.

My dark haired beauty sighed in her sleep and I was encouraged. I placed more kisses on her shoulders and then taking my lips to the left side of her neck I allowed my left hand to slide down her shoulder before reaching around and stroking her breast on the outside of her gown.

Katie gasped and I began to suck on her neck. Not hard but just enough to ignite passion in her. I slid the strap off her shoulder completely. She gasped again as my hand came into contact with the flesh of her breast.

"I cannot resist you," I told her. I removed my hand and began tugging the bottom of the gown up to feel what was beneath. I slid my hand up the backside of her thigh and felt her shift as she let out a whimper. "Could it be you already crave me?" I asked her.

Katie's point of view

My entire lower body tightened at the feel of his hand sliding up my leg. I couldn't prevent a whimper from escaping me as he continued to touch my skin while simultaneously positioning me on my stomach. I didn't want him to cause my body to betray me yet again. As his hand slipped further up my leg I knew there was no way of stopping it. My body was already responding to his touch. As much as I hated it, wetness had already begun between my legs.

I wanted to cry as the count spoke revealing he knew my body wanted him; craved him. I shifted and knew it was a mistake.

"Do you need my touch so quickly?" Dracula said in a husky voice. I had no time to react as his hand slid over my backside before slipping between my legs. I could feel a smile cross his face. "You do need me." He didn't ask for permission as I felt him slip a finger inside me and then almost instantly he removed it.

I felt my legs parted and then the count positioned himself between them. "We need each other," He said and thrust inside me completely in one thrust. A deep moan was out of my mouth before I could stop it.

'No, not again!' I screamed internally. 'No! No! No!' There was nothing I could do. I would suffer his attentions; hating it and loving it at the same time.

Dracula's point of view

I thrust into my bride over and over again. I loved the sounds of her screaming my name. Hearing her moan was nice but having her scream my name was even better. I silently wished my enemy had been alive and could witness this. He had made her moan but not scream in passion the way I was now. Katie was mine for all time. There would be no way for her to resist me now.

Katie was barely awake when I released one last time inside of her. Feeling exhausted I lay on top of her resting my head on her back. I didn't even remove myself from her. I just laid there allowing myself to recover.

As I began to quickly recover I noticed a faint smell in the air. I raised my body up from my bride and keeping still I allowed my sense of smell to focus. It took me a moment to realize where the smell was coming from. As it dawned on me, I looked down at my now sleeping bride.

I sat up sitting on my knees behind her and looked at her for a moment. 'What is…?' My eyes widened as I realized what it was I smelled in the air. A smile crossed my face as I couldn't help but feel pleased. I would have to wait to turn Katie but in this case it was acceptable. My beautiful dark haired, blue eyed, obsession was fertile. It would be at least a few days before I would know for sure but chances were good my lady would conceive.