A little bit of angst- maybe?

Enjoy.

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Chapter 8: Almost Dead

The apartment was cold as Terra pulled on a pair of her loosest sweatpants. Quite by coincidence, she slipped on her early-teen year sleeveless stretchy top. With all the latest activity, she left her bra on.

God knew she needed at least two layers between herself and said lustful vampire.

She sighed, twisting her red hair up into a careless knot, slipping a band around it as she pulled on a pair of fluffy socks, Sita's gift on her last birthday, when she'd turned twenty-two.

She smiled wryly. She got told all the time that she looked younger than her age. Most people took her for a highschool washout, about seventeen years old.

Terra slipped into her kitchen, throwing a bag of popcorn into the microwave as she went to her sitting room. The TV there was what Terra called, the Monster, as it was about the same size across as her arms spread fully across.

She'd treated herself to that one, though. Her ancient collection of DVDs and VHSs were all crammed into the cupboards beneath the television and she sat down in front of them, crossing her legs as the sounds of vibrant popping came from the kitchen.

Sometimes it was great to just have a night to herself.

Mindlessly, she sorted through the movies, picking through them. She couldn't seem to find any to watch. Finally, she settled on one, popping open the case.

She slipped the disc into the player, and the menu screen popped up, displaying the title, "Ever After."

She tossed the remotes on the coffee table in front of her wide, comfy couch- which was in actuality a futon.

She marched to the kitchen, pulling the bag out of the oven, pouring all of the stuff into a big bowl, then going mad with salt. Sita always smacked her when she did that.

-You want to destroy your kidneys?!- She recalled, smiling.

She sank into the futon, dragging the table closer and sliding the bowl onto it, the pressed play.

An while later, she was watching intently, her apartment dark but for the screen as she clutched the pillow tighter to her chest.

"What love is there without trust?" The prince questioned.

The older man, Da Vinci, began to answer, but she was already blocking them out as she pondered that.

It was true. She didn't trust the Count at all. She was too afraid he would rip her throat open or something else freaky.

Once the movie ended, she shut everything off, staggered to her room, and landed with a rustle on her bed.

"Aghh..." she groaned. "Too much popcorn."

Her groans gradually died off, and she slept, her breathing deep and even.

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A dark form flitted through the night, stalking through the apartment building.

The vampire's eyes were glazed over, his breathing harsh and broken as he poured the foul-smelling liquid all over the hall's carpet, focusing on one spot.

He tucked the case under his arms as he reached for a match.

Striking the fuse, he dropped it into the gasoline, letting out a shriek of fear as he stumbled back from the rapidly growing flames, then disappeared.

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Terra groaned in her sleep, then suddenly lunged awake. She smacked her head on the wall, cursing and rubbing it through her curls.

Then she looked at the door to her room. It was closed, as it usually was, but- it was almost like there was, fog pouring around the edges into her bedroom.

Her heart leapt as she sniffed the air. The acrid scent of gasoline hung in the smoke, and she coughed as the clouds roiled around the room, stifling her.

She struggled with her sheets, she toppled to the floor. Her movements were sluggish, and she felt like her brain was swimming in mud as she reached for the phone.

Her hand dropped as another wave of smoke assaulted her, and she slumped against the bed.

Her eyes closed as she murmured, too weak to scream. "Count- help me.."

The smoke closed around her- the embrace of death.

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Dracula's head snapped up as he felt unease slip through his dead body.

He sniffed the air. He wasn't too far from Terra's apartment. He'd planned on visiting her.

Horror filled his eyes as he reached her complex, watching the crowd of residents in their nightclothes gathered outside, watching the flames bursting from the windows, the building black and scorched.

He scanned the crowd, and felt his heart wrench as he saw that Terra was not there.

She was still inside.

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Dracula raced up the stairs, finding it impossible to focus his materializing skills then.

He felt for a heartbeat, anything. Feeling for mortal heat was worthless in here, the walls and paint peeled, the flames leaped around the doorways, and the stairs behind him collapsed.

"Terra!" He yelled, throat hoarse from the smoke.

He looked for her door, finding it completely engulfed in flames, the raging heat emanated from her apartment.

Heedless of the pain, he plunged through the door way, stumbling into the room that had once been her sitting room.

The couch was gone, the flames dancing over the floor. The small hallway to her room was directly beside the kitchen, and he called out her name again. "TERRA!"

He raced down the hall, the door was closed. Flames sprouted around the frame as he kicked the door aside.

His throat was constricted, and his eyes turned black as he searched through the room's heat, the flames confusing him.

A small, dark bundle slumped against the burning bed caught his attention, and he scooped it into his arms.

Terra's body, limp in his arms, was burned terribly, her skin a mixture of dark reds and blacks.

Her beautiful red hair was almost totally gone, her scalp seared.

A tremendous crashing sound caught his attention, and he pulled Terra closer to him, shattering the window as he soared into the night.

Sirens faded beneath him as he flew, the chateaux in the distance growing larger as he sped up in flight.

He lay Terra on the ground, wrapping his body around hers. His eyes closed, and he poured healing into her.

Her body, burned beyond recognition, gradually began to heal. The horrific burns covering her legs, arms, face and torso sealed up, the edges inflamed for a minute, then disappearing as he nudged with his power again.

He touched her head, wincing as he looked at the remnants of her fiery hair. He would try his best to give it back to her, but hair was not exactly specified as healing.

Her burns healed, and the follicles in her scalp, which would have remained dead in mortal care, grew alive. He sighed in slight relief as about another arm's length of hair coursed over his hands.

Her body was still motionless as she lay there, and he realized she was naked. He felt no embarassment, but he knew that she would. He lifted her body, slipping his coat around her form.

Then her body twitched. He backed away slightly, watching as her eyes snapped open, her mouth parted and she heaved.

Terra rolled over, retching. Her back shook as she began to sob.

He touched her back, unsure what to do.

He fell back on the gravel driveway, clutching at Terra as she sobbed into his chest. He ran his hand over her hair, crooning to her as she sat in his embrace. Her legs, bare and pale, were draped over his left thigh, and he noticed that she was sitting right where... well.

He stood, her arms tightening around his neck as he carried her into the chateaux.

"It's alright Terra. I'm here."

Earlier, that would have made her laugh, but now she buried her face into his cold flesh, trembling as he pressed her close.

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WHY?!!! why am I so cruel -sobs-

Dracula: -stands there ackwardly-

Hadasah: Damn, stupid.. flipping arsonists...

Dracula: Do I know this person?

Hadasah: You will.

Review my pretties.

Sorry about the no warning on slightly nasty content.

BYEEE!