Chapter 5 - England
Mina looked out at the Demeter, the ship coming into port that carried Johnathan and the mysterious count closer to English shores. She had been on the lookout since early that morning, anxious to see her friend again and excited to meet the Romanian man who might be able to answer some of her questions about one of their most infamous figures. Her green parasol fluttered in the sea breeze as the large ship came into port and began to make docking preparations. In her eagerness, she almost ran from the well-manicured streets above the harbor down to the dock.
With practiced ease, she caught sight of the frazzled mop of brown hair that belonged to one Johnathan Harker. As much as she was frustrated with his romantic advances, he was a friend and she had missed him. "Johnathan!" Mina shouted as she launched herself into his arms. He chuckled and hugged her back even though her attack caused him to lose hold of his luggage.
They were broken apart by a not so discrete cough. Mina let go and turned to take in the most handsome man she had ever seen. He had silky blond hair that she wanted to run her hand through and blue eyes that she could easily get lost in for hours. He was tall, almost six foot five inches compared to her measly five one standing. Surprisingly, his hands were calloused from hard labor, unusual for a high ranking nobleman in this day and age. The suit he was wearing was of the finest quality and up to the latest fashion standards. Others on the pier carefully moved around him, sensing the predatory, commanding aura that he wore like a second skin. While this made others nervous, Mina felt safe in his presence and wanted to curl up in his arms and never leave.
Johnathan broke through her trance with an introduction, "Mina, this is Count Dracula." She curtsied to the nobleman, standing up as Johnathan continued. "Count, this is Madam Mina Muray."
To her surprise, the count not only bowed but also grabbed her hand in his gloved one. "It is an honor, Miss Mina." After his words, he kissed the back of her hand.
Mina was shocked when a gentle electric current traveled up her arm from where his lips met her hand. It made her almost euphoric and increased her curiosity about the man who looked so much like her historical obsession.
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Vlad was at his wit's end. Being stuck with the ferret for several weeks was torture enough, but being trapped on a ship with him for over a month was agony. The only thing that kept the small man from being eviscerated was the need for near perpetual regeneration and the thought of his dragoste's disapproval. As soon as they docked at the port in London he was off the Demeter and waiting for Harker and Renfield to catch up.
Almost as soon as the two men had joined him, a heavenly scent rushed into his nose. Roses, lily, and cinnamon pervaded the air, alerting Vlad to his love's presence. He heard a cry of 'Johnathan' in the sweetest voice that he had ever heard. Turning to face the man in question his beast roared to life. Both Vlad and Dracula were pissed. Their dragoste was embracing another man. Instead of murdering the lawyer on the spot he did what any gentleman would do in this situation, coughed in order to remind the two that others were around.
As the two pulled apart, Dracula reseeded somewhat but was still aware of the other male's movements. Vlad turned toward his darling and was awestruck. While her picture had been lovely, it was nothing compared to Mina in the flesh. Her luscious brown hair was pulled up into a bun, which he desperately wanted to pull apart and run his fingers through the loose strands. Her eyes were as green as the mountain forests of his homeland. To his great displeasure, her clothes were second rate materials and cut, which he would be changing as soon as possible. Her heart was beating in a steady rhythm, though slightly faster than it probably should, which soothed the beast and returned him to his cage.
The ferret interrupted his perusal of his mate. "Mina, this is Count Dracula." She curtsied, which she should never do for she was far above others of this world. "Count, this is Madam Mina Muray." It did not escape Vlad's notice when Harker used the term Madam. It vexed him that the ferret thought he had a claim on Mina.
As he had been taught, Vlad took a hold of Mina's hand as he bowed. "It is an honor, Miss Mina," carefully emphasizing the word miss as she did not belong to anyone as of yet. Not able to wait any longer, he kissed the smooth skin on the back of her hand and shivered pleasurably at the electric current from skin to skin contact. Yes, she was most definently his mate.
