Chapter 9: Snow White Queen

"Are you alright, miss?"

She looked up at the man who had just saved her life and the of her friend, Sonja. The teenager looked up at the man, amazed. To her, everything that had just happened was all just fun.

Nathalia looked directly inot the man's eyes, recognizing them immediately. She gave a small gasp. "Wha-? How could this be?" she whispered to herself. He did not hear her and she pulled Sonja closer to her.

"I won't hurt you." he assured them both.

"I could've handle it all myself, thank you." Nathalia said, putting her sword back. "Thalia, you were nearly killed." Sonja whispered beside her. "If it weren't for him, we would've been lunch!" she squealed. Nathalia stared at the young girl, mad at how she had reminded her how the Daemon had them cornered.

Sonja looked at the man, her eyes shining bright. "I would like to thank you, good sir." she said. "My friend here is just too... tough to admit you, a man, saved her life."

Nathalia sighed. "She doesn't need to. I'll understand if she doesn't." he said, looking at her. She looked back. "May I have my hat back?" he asked her. Nahtlia looked at her hands to see that, indeed, she had his hat. "Oh." she said, handing it to him.

"Thank you." he said, putting it back on. "Are you the legendary, Van Helsing?" Sonja asked. Like any young adult would, with curiosity. He sighed inwardly. "Yes. Yes I'am." he said. His attention from Sonja was brought back to Nathalia. "Have- Have we met?" he asked her.

Nathalia shrunk and took Sonja's hand. "Come, Sonja. We must go." she said, pulling her. Sonja seemed to protest, but she let herself go. "Again, thank oyu for your help, but we must go." Nathalia said hopelessly. Turning around, she ahd to fight back tears. She wasn't ready to meet back with past ghosts...

--

He finished reading her mind, having seen enough. Dracula was not pleased to know that Gabriel and Nathalia had alreday met before and she remembered him. If she remembered him, then that would mean she would know about what went on between him and, of course, himself. Who he really was to Nathalia.

"Why is she here?" Verona asked behind him, her voice angered.

"She betrayed us. And she let Marishka get killed!" Aleera hissed angrily.

Dracula smiled. His brides were both boiling with rage and jealousy. "My brides, she may the answer to our problems." he said. They had all returned to Castle Dracula and were in one of the many rooms that Nathalia had once occupied. Frosen, literally, by time the room had stayed the way she had left it. And he made sure of that.

She layed inside a stone coffin, ice covering her like some sort of blanket. she slumbered peacefully. He marveled her beauty; her long, luscious hair spread beneath her, lips full and rosy and the serene look of an angel.

"We should kill her while we still can!" Varona snapped, jealousy raging inside her fiercely. Being the eldest of his three brides, Dracula had always expected her to be more mature, but it would seem he was wrong.

"Why should we when we can easily control her." he said, looking at hboth women. "Turn her against two special someone's."

Aleera's face brightened. "You mean to say... the bearrier is gone?" she asked.

Dracula chuckled. "Yas. And thanks to a special someone." he looked back at the sleeping Nathalia. "Leave us." he commanded them. He wanted to be left alone with his beauty.

"As you wish, Master." Aleera said. Verona left with much regret and anger. She left without another word.

"You now belong to me," he whispered to her, "my snow white queen." He began to fill her mind with his own story, lies and betrayal. "Soon, I know you'll see," he continued, "you're just like me."

She began to twitch and moan as the ice slowly took her form. It was as though she were having a nightmare, reliving her nightmare as she began to move violently. He walked beside her and waited until she reached the end. The end of that horrible night which costed her son's life and her salvation.

She gave and agonizing, echoing scream as the ice broke inot millions of pieces and she sat up abruptly. He caught her almost immediately, soothing her like a mother would to her child when having a nightmare. "Don't scream anymore, my love," he soothed the shaky Nathalia. She clung onto him, crying and shuddering violently, "because all I want is you."

Author's Note: Another song-inspired chapter. Evanescence again from the album 'The Open Door'. The song is, obviously, Snow White Queen. Oh, and the last few lines Dracula siad aren't actually mine. They're lyrics from the song, the Chorus, anyway. I thought they were... powerful. Well, the plot will thicken later on. Hate to leave the chapter this way. Bye everyone!

With Love,

Luna