Hello all! My time has been limited this week, but I wanted to get this chapter up before the weekend. Thank you for taking the time to read. Would appreciate your reviews so I know what you think. Feedback is always welcome.
Enjoy!
Chapter 6: Sealed With Blood
Finding her way back to Vaseria and the Valerious manor was much easier than Afina had expected. In actuality, the cave she and the Count had been living in for the last month or so was hidden in one of the peaks that overlooked the small town in the hidden valley of the mountains. She landed on the outskirts of the village, not wishing to attract any attention to her presence. Using the techniques the Count had taught her, she made her way through the village silent and unnoticed. The Valerious manor was empty. Only the housekeeper remained and she was stowed away in the kitchens below, leaving the entire house free for Afina to roam.
It was strange being back within these walls, especially with the majority of her memories now intact. Her boot-clad steps made no noise as she walked down the halls, reliving moments of her last week as a human in her head. There were moments when she could almost hear the echoes of her memories as she continued to wander the halls, half conscious that she was making her way toward one room in particular.
The study.
When she opened the door to the Count's study, it was like a wave or force of some kind of invisible energy that washed over her, pulling her inside and shutting the door quietly behind her. Soon she was standing in the heart of the room, listening to the voices of the past as the remainder of her memories came flowing back, playing out before her like specters, lost forever to replay a single scene over and over again for all eternity: that final night before the last day of her life – her evening with Count Dracula.
At last, she could remember it… she remembered it all.
After hearing the Count explain not only who he was, but who she truly was as well, Afina sat back in her seat and let out a heavy sigh as it all sank in. "Good God," she exclaimed, her fingers just barely covering her mouth. "But if my father, my biological father was truly a vampire, that would make me a… a… "
"A damphir," he finished gently, offering her a glass of wine. "Here, drink this. It may help ease your nerves."
She accepted his offer graciously and took a long drink. The wine here may have tasted differently from what she was accustomed to, but the alcohol still managed to soothe her nerves almost immediately and she apologized for her lack of manners in the way she drank. He smiled, assuring her that he was unbothered by it.
"I'm actually quite impressed with how well you're taking all of this," he confessed, taking the seat across from her once again. The two were seated in separate, high-backed chairs upholstered in an almost velvety fabric before a large fire. The fire and just a couple of candles were the only source of light in the room, offering an atmosphere that was both mysterious and intimate. "Usually, when someone finds out what I am, fear is the primary emotion. It's strange that your heartbeat is so steady."
"You – you can hear my heart beat?"
"And your husband and his lover arguing quietly, the servants in the kitchen, the wolf in the forest, even the snow landing on the ground. But I can also block all of these things out, if I choose."
"That's incredible!"
"Yes, though it's also a gift that strikes fear into the hearts of many men – they fear what they themselves do not understand. A common fault in humanity."
"I have no reason to wish harm on you, Count Dracula," she insisted, taking another drink.
"Vlad," he corrected.
"Vlad. And I think it's safe to say that I am no threat to you."
"But you work for the Order," he reminded her. "If they found out that I still live, even after the great Van Helsing supposedly destroyed me, they would send every hunter they had into these mountains."
"They wouldn't succeed."
"And what makes you so confident?" he asked with a smile.
"You're the most powerful vampire in all of history," she replied matter-of-factly. "And arguably the most powerful man I've ever met."
"I'm flattered."
"It's true," Afina insisted, placing her empty wine glass on the small table beside her chair. "My mother always spoke so highly of you, Vlad. Of how few men other than my biological father were true forces to be reckoned with. I grew up hearing the tales coming out of the eastern part of Europe. This continent used to be swarming with vampires – most vampires living alongside humans in a strange, twisted kind of harmony. Vampires that all called you master. You were worshipped, adored, feared by your bloodline, by all bloodlines – human and vampire. You were like the capstone that held an entire species together. You were a legend."
"The operative word being were, my dear," he said with an almost reminiscent sigh, but her words had pleased him immensely.
"That doesn't mean you can't rise again," she insisted, leaning forward in her seat. "The Order is not what it once was. The church has become weak, corrupted by those in power. The rumor is that within the first decade or two of the new millennium, countries will be at war, a war that some say will envelope the entire world."
"I've always liked war," he confessed. "Vampires thrive off of the wars of humans. It's easier to live among you. To indulge in our basic natures without fear of discovery. But a world war – in many ways that almost threatens the vampire's very existence. With the annihilation of the human race, our own species would eventually cease to exist, unless we found some other means of sustenance. But I fear we are beyond that technology at present."
"Can I ask you a question, Vladislaus?"
He liked the sound of his full name on her lips.
"You can ask anything of me, my dear. I am your humble servant."
"You've been back for almost five years now. Why do you insist on remaining hidden?"
"At first it was because I needed to gather my strength –resurrection isn't as easy as it sounds," he offered with a smirk. "No, with you I must be completely open. To be truthful, Afina, I've felt so directionless since my return. The empire I had dedicated four centuries to building vanished overnight with my death. My children, my brides, my progeny – all of it. Van Helsing, once again, has taken everything from me. I feel…" He paused for a moment, as if searching for the words. "Have you ever been to the sea?"
"Yes. Many times, when I was younger."
"I feel like I'm in the middle of the ocean, floating aimlessly, surrounded by nothing except water and endless horizons in all directions," he explained, leaning towards her slightly in his chair. She, too, was still leaning forward, listening intently to every word he uttered. "All I truly want is revenge, Afina," he whispered. "I want to not only destroy Gabriel Van Helsing; I want to destroy his precious Holy Order. I want to take everything away from them, just as everything has been taken from me, not once, but twice."
"Revenge will only give you direction for so long," she sympathized, taking his folded hands in hers in consolation. "When your revenge is complete, it will leave you empty, hollow."
"I am hollow."
"I don't believe that. The man I've come to know in the last few days is not wholly without feeling. It is just easier to feel nothing than to feel everything – lifetimes of everything."
"I have no use for emotions. I am a creature, consumed by sin, controlled by my basest needs, a hunter, a predator. Dwelling on emotions inhibits survival."
She released his chilled hands and leaned back.
"Do you really believe that?"
"I do," he answered.
Afina felt a disappointment swell in her breast. She couldn't understand why his response left her feeling thus. What had she expected from him? He was a vampire – driven by one thing and one thing only – hunger. The man – or whatever was left of the man in him – had lost everything. He had no motivation to rebuild again. No reason to. Nothing to live for. Had she expected something?
Yes – she had. As much as Afina loved her husband, there was a connection between herself and the Count, something deep that she could not explain. A secret part of her had hoped that she could be his motivation, that she could be his reason to rebuild his empire, to restore power to the vampire race – a species she had always felt a strange empathy for but couldn't explain until tonight.
She wanted to help him, not just because she felt this strange bond to him, but she wanted to do it for her father, the father she never got to know, the father who had worked as hard as Count Dracula to give a sense of power and pride to a people that spent their entire existences in the shadows. She had hoped that her very presence and even her lineage would give the notorious vampire reason to be great again.
But it was foolishly romantic, she realized, and she mentally kicked herself for getting so caught up in it all – in the legends, the mystery, this foreign land with its history, and its Count. She had no idea why she had assumed that she could spark some kind of feeling or desire in this great man. She was almost embarrassed by those feelings now and she resolved to bury them forever as soon as she and Henric left when their stay was over.
"Well," she began after several moments of silence passed between them, "I should get back to bed. Forgive me again for intruding on your privacy and thank you for indulging my questions. I do appreciate your time." She stood and offered a small curtsy before turning to leave. Before she could even reach the door, he was in front of her.
He said nothing, but a silent conversation passed between them as they looked at one another, almost getting lost in each other's blue eyes.
"Your husband is a fool," he said suddenly, the confession taking her aback. "Why he would want any other woman when he has you baffles me. You are exquisite."
She blushed, unsure of how to respond to the compliment. She had never really been susceptible to flattery, nor had she received so many compliments in her life as she had in the last few days, but when he said it, she felt like a young girl at her first ball. She was too embarrassed to admit it, but she couldn't help but believe every word he said. She wanted to believe him.
"You are too kind."
"He is a fool," he repeated. "He is so unworthy of you. You deserve a man who worships the ground you walk on, who treats you with courtesy and respect; who takes care of you, but still allows you to flourish independently." He took her hand in his and kissed it without invitation, the act taking her by surprise, but it was not unwelcome. When his lips left her knuckles, he caressed her hand, almost reverently, with his thumb. "You have the blood of a warrior queen, my bellator. You deserve a king."
"My father – the man who raised me – he chose Henric for me. I belong to my husband. I am his."
"Your loyalty is commendable, but you should belong to no man unless you give yourself to him openly and freely and without restraint."
"And where do you suggest I find such a man?" she asked him. "Where would I find this king you say I deserve? I know of no such man, living or otherwise."
The look he gave her made her feel weak, even mildly light-headed, but not in an unpleasant way. He looked at her the way all women want to be looked at by a man, in the way Henric used to look at her, but hadn't in so long. Not with this kind of intensity. Not with this kind of restrained passion.
"If you were free and willing, I would take you, right here, right now in this room. Do you think your inner she-wolf would approve?"
Gods, would she! Afina thought to herself. And she almost agreed to it. The way he carried himself practically confirmed the tales she had heard regarding his sexual prowess. But she would not sink to her husband's level of debauchery, even though the thought sent violent pulsations between her legs.
"I can't," she said breathlessly. "Though sorely I am tempted."
"Oh, if all wives were as faithful as you. But before I let you go, and bid you goodnight, allow me one final temptation." She looked at him expectantly. "Kiss me," he said. "Pretend I'm your undeserving husband and kiss me like you're going to die tomorrow, like this is your last chance to convince him that you're worth fifty Isabella's."
She stood there, motionless for several long seconds before abandoning propriety and taking a step towards him. He met her half way and took her face in his hands, kissing her long and hard.
Kissing the Count was nothing like kissing Henric. The Count's mouth moved with an expertise that was foreign to her. He knew just how to caress her mouth, how to tease her with his tongue, and how to playfully bite the bottom of her lip in such a way that nearly drove her mad. No kiss had ever fashioned such intense pleasure in her before. He kissed her with a wanton abandon that left her breathless, made her feel like the royalty he said she was.
With his fingers in her hair and his body rubbing against hers with her back to the door, it was difficult for Afina to finally push him gently away. She held him at arm's length, gripping the lapels of his coat tightly as she struggled to find her bearings. Her mouth was still pulsating from his kisses and the she-wolf begged her to abandon propriety and morality. It was like reaching for something with one's fingertips, but when Afina caught hold of her resolve, she held it desperately. She half expected him to seduce her into submission, but he respected her wishes and released her, taking a step back after she unclenched the fabric of his collar.
He bid her goodnight with a deep bow and a wish for pleasant dreams and she left him in the study.
When the memory had finished playing out in Afina's mind, she had to grip the edge of the desk to stay on her feet. It took several long minutes, but she finally managed to regain her composure.
With her memories now fully intact, Afina wasn't quite sure how to proceed. She took a seat in the high-backed velvety chair she had sat in on that night over a month ago, allowing herself to sink into the cushion, resting her arms on the armrests almost methodically.
She sat there for several hours in complete silence, watching as the light of the sun moved across the floor with each passing hour until it had set and the light was gone. Her mind was everywhere and nowhere all at once. She wasn't sure what to make of this memory. It still didn't explain why Count Dracula was so keen on taking her under his wing. Had he done so in an effort to prove to her that she had indeed affected him so? Had she truly inspired him to reclaim his footing in the world? Or was he just lonely? Would he still take revenge on Van Helsing?
Afina had an inclination to; that was for certain. Isabella's memory of the letter from the infamous vampire hunter ordering Afina's murder didn't sit well with her. It was unlike Gabriel to be so cold – at least to her. Van Helsing had always been nothing but kind to her. In a way, she had always been able to relate to him, in that she had never truly understood her lineage – at least until the Count had explained it to her. And how had Van Helsing discovered her true parentage? Her mother took that secret to the grave, only speaking of it to Afina before she had died.
It didn't make sense. She had questions and she wanted answers and knew the only way to get them would be to return to Rome and get them herself. But she was a vampire now, and Gabriel was clever enough – he'd figure out what she was not long after she returned.
But then she had to ask the question – did it really matter? She had told the Count that revenge always led to a sense of being without direction when it was through. She had a new life in front of her. She had gotten her revenge on Raphael and Isabella for their betrayal and she really only wanted revenge on one last person – the vampire that had killed her. Was going after Van Helsing, too, really worth her time? Was it wise?
She could not decide. So in the meantime, she would content herself with dealing with the Agnar coven, and if Count Dracula still wanted her around, she'd stay with him, perhaps help him rebuild his reputation in the world. She had nothing else to do and all of eternity to do it.
As if on cue, the Count entered the unlit study, taking his seat in front of her in the opposite chair.
"Did you take care of Isabella?" she asked him.
He nodded.
"Do I want to know the details?"
"Probably not."
She could live with that.
"I'm assuming your memory has been completely restored, then?" he asked.
"Yes, it has."
"And what are you going to do with this knowledge?"
"I'd like to pay a visit to the Agnar coven, for starters," she said after several long moments.
"I had assumed as much. And what will you do afterwards?"
"I'm not sure."
"I'll accompany you to the Agnar's, as my last act as your sire. I've taken the words you spoke to me last month into consideration and I've decided to reclaim my position and rebuild. I would be honored if you remained with me," he offered. "But should you choose not to, I will, of course, respect your decision and we will part ways in Budapest when you have achieved your revenge."
"I'd like to stay with you," she replied.
"I'm pleased to hear it."
"But I have one condition."
He hadn't expected that.
"I am not to be treated as your pet or your bride, nor will I be some strumpet you can seduce and ravish whenever your prick has an itch. I understand that you may feel that I am not your equal, but my only request is that you treat me like I am."
She saw that he was deeply amused by this, but she remained steadfast.
"And what if you have a change of heart?" he asked. "What then?"
"The condition remains the same. I am to be treated with the respect and consideration of an equal. Which means if I say no, you will respect my wishes. I do not wish to be treated as your inferior to be walked on or controlled for all eternity. I hope you understand."
"And I do. I accept your condition." He bit into his hand and extended it to her. "I give you my word."
She hesitated for the briefest of moments, instinct telling her that once she made this pact with him, she would be unable to undo it. He had offered her freedom and instead she was choosing to remain tied to him – perhaps as an equal, but tied nonetheless.
Committing to her decision, she bit into her hand and shook his, their blood mingling just before their wounds could heal, symbolic of the binding and permanent nature of their bond.
When it was done, they lingered in the quiet of the evening for some time until Dracula stood.
"Well then… we better get started."
"Started? With what?"
"What, did you think we were going to just fly into Budapest, waltz into the heart of the Agnar coven unarmed and unprepared, locate your killer and drive a stake through his heart?"
"Well…"
"Or, to make it even better – we'll wait until the masquerade ball during the fall equinox in Budapest and we'll do it there for all the vampire world to see!"
Afina thought about it for a moment.
She knew he was being sarcastic, but with some adjustments and maybe some additional drama, that actually sounded like an excellent plan. A devious smile began to spread across her face.
He noted it immediately and began to protest.
"No… no, no, that is a terrible plan! It was a joke."
"But it would be so much fun!" she insisted upon standing. "Can't you imagine? It would be the perfect way to display your power. You were just saying that you wanted to make a come-back. What more perfect way to start than with a warning? And if they refuse to comply, we could turn it into a bloodbath!"
"Your enthusiasm is starting to disturb me," he teased.
"I'm serious! It's an excellent plan! No vampire in their right mind is going to want to challenge you! You literally cannot die, and neither can I!"
"We haven't fully tested that theory yet," he muttered under his breath. "And besides, do you really think they're going to let you anywhere near your murderer when he realizes who you are? Your desire for revenge is going to be so blatantly obvious from the moment you cross the threshold."
"I can hide it," she said defensively.
He laughed, struggling to regain his composure when he noticed the expression on her face.
"No, my dear, you can't. Not well enough to fool an entire coven that has been around for centuries."
"You can teach me."
"We don't have that kind of time."
"How long would it take, do you think, before I was ready?"
"A couple of months of planning, at the very least. Not only to prepare you, but to come up with a feasible plan. We'd have to know every inch of where we were staying, we'd need to know who would be staying there, what events are taking place…"
"Then let's do it!"
He paused for a moment, studying her closely.
"What is it?" she asked, taking note of the strange look he was suddenly giving her. He looked her over a couple of times before explaining.
"You know what we could do," he began, "we could completely recreate you." She watched as his expression became slightly more devious, calculating, even. "You have a wonderful opportunity before you, Afina. As far as the world is concerned, you're dead. You no longer exist. You now know who you once were before you became a vampire, but with the loss of your memories, you were given this wonderful and rare opportunity – to catch a glimpse of what you could truly be." He began to circle her very slowly as he continued.
"I've seen the possibilities in you, Afina. You have your father's blood in your veins, the potential for greatness – a greatness few vampires ever truly achieve. It would take an additional amount of time, but I could help you, teach you how to become great. You know how to hunt effectively, yes. But there is so much more to being a vampire, a truly powerful vampire. I can teach you how to dress, how to dance, how to talk. I can teach you how to manipulate and seduce not just humans, but the most powerful of vampires – male and female alike. I can teach you how to hold yourself with an air that is worthy of your noble lineage. I can teach you how to torture and maim; how to fight like the best of them."
"But?"
"But if you truly want to be the best, you have to surrender to your true nature completely. You must to let go of your humanity, that pious sense of morality a part of you still clings to. And you must obey me in every regard."
"I will not be your slave, Vlad," she reminded him.
"I'm not asking for that. We are equals, remember?" he smirked. "I assure you, Afina, I will not break our bond. If you say 'no' to something, I will respect your wishes, but I will not be silent if it is something I feel you must do. But if I am anything, I am a man of my word. However, until I decide that you are ready, I will be your master, and you shall be the student. This means if you disobey, I will not be easy on you. You will be punished for disobedience."
She could tell by the look in his eyes that he was being completely serious.
"I am not an easy man to please, my bellator," he explained, tenderly taking her face in his hands as he looked into her eyes. "And I can be the hardest of masters. I will accept nothing but perfection out of you because I know you are capable of it. It will take time. You will have to wait an entire year at the very least for your revenge, but I can make it worth your while."
"What's in it for you?" she asked him, gently removing his hands from her face.
"The opportunity to transform you into a weapon the world will never see coming."
Afina smirked. "Yes, a weapon created in your very likeness," she teased. "But I'm in earnest, Vladislaus. Why are you offering to do this for me? If history has proven anything, it is that your 'charity' always comes at a cost."
He made his way over to the desk, removing a single match from one of the drawers and he began to light some of the candles.
"You're right, I do want something from you," he said, taking a seat behind the desk, his elbows resting on the arms of the chair, his steepled fingers resting at his lips. "When you have had your revenge and my empire has been restored, I want your help in destroying Van Helsing."
She felt her stomach drop. She should have seen that coming.
"But you can't kill an angel, let alone an archangel."
"You mentioned that his memories are still missing?"
"Yes, but I don't see what that has to do with anything."
"He is being punished for past sins, Afina. He probably violated a code of the archangels – or several – and as punishment, he was made mortal. From what I heard, his first memories were of him on the steps of the Vatican, near dead with no knowledge of his past, just his name. If this is indeed true, if we can destroy him in his mortal state, yes Gabriel the archangel will live on in the heavens, but we will have destroyed his mortal carnation."
"Won't he come back?"
"Of course he will. But we'll be angel free for the time in between. He probably won't return until Armageddon and the last days. But we'll cross that bridge when we get to it. It will be much easier to sustain an empire with him out of the way."
"And what happens if we can't?"
"Can't what?"
"Destroy him?"
"Then he and I will have to agree to a stalemate. But I'd much rather try than just sit here and run the risk of him taking everything from me again!"
By this point in the conversation, Afina had moved over to the window and she was watching as the early spring rain showered the town. The idea of going after Van Helsing did not sit well with her. Although his letter ordering her murder was disturbing, she wasn't entirely certain going after an archangel was entirely prudent.
But what choice did she have?
She could leave the Count, after all. She still had that opportunity. She could decline his offer, follow through with her revenge, and then she could leave with their original pact fulfilled. But something in her – something she still could not understand – did not want to leave Count Dracula. Something was keeping her bound to him, that connection she had experienced when she had been alive felt stronger now that she was a vampire. She didn't understand it, but she couldn't ignore it.
She had nothing left in this world. Her parents were dead, along with her husband and the woman who had been her best friend. And the few friends or acquaintances she had left would certainly shun her the moment they found out what she was.
He was right – she had had the rare opportunity to see what she could become without who she had been clouding her judgment. She loved that feeling of power, of greatness. And if anyone could teach her how to become the best, it was him – the most notorious vampire in existence.
"Well?"
She turned to face him.
"I'll do it."
"Are you certain this is the path you wish to take?" he said, slightly wary. "Once we start, there is no going back. And if you betray me, I will spend all of eternity hunting you down and making your very existence a living nightmare."
His warning made her even more uneasy. Her conscience screamed, begging her to sever ties with this madman now before it was too late. But that connection she felt with him was stronger and her lust for power even greater. This time she bit into her hand and offered it to him.
"I am certain," she answered.
He returned the gesture and they shook hands once again. He smiled when the deed was done and began to make his way to the door, motioning for her to follow with the curling of his finger.
"Then we better get started."
So there's chapter 6! Please let me know what you thought!
Special thanks to the following for their recent reviews: FallinAngelGirl, invisible reader, Riona Winters, ZabuzasGirl, ForeverACharmedOne, and Anna.
Musical Influences:
[1] In Full Bloom, by Clint Mansell, "Stoker" OST
[2] Stay, by Marco Beltrami, "Underworld: Evolution" score
[3] The Phoenix, by Fall Out Boy, "Save Rock And Roll"
To be honest, I can't really explain the last bit of musical influence there. I was just listening to that song a great deal when I wrote this chapter and the lines "I'm going to change you like a remix, then I'll raise you like a phoenix" for some reason made me think of Dracula recreating Afina. I guess that's why I considered it a "musical influence."
I recently completed the next three chapters (averaging at about 9 or 10 pages a piece) and am currently in the process of revisions. I also managed to crank out a few outlines for some additional chapters so I have a better idea of where this story is going and I feel really good about it so far. Hope nothing gets lost in translation!
Until next time!
-T