Please review!!
))))))))))))))))))))(((((((((((((((((((((
They parted ways agreeing to find each other if they escaped from Dracula's lair. Harry wasn't sure if they were all going committed to freeing Mina, but he knew that at least Spike and Mitchell would try their best. Lady Elizabeth indicated that she could feel the dawn approaching, this seemed to be a peculiar gift of hers. This meant that Dracula might be asleep soon. Technically, the Count could go about in the day, she explained, but he was weakened by the sun not destroyed by it like the lesser vampires of his making. At this comment she looked apologetically at Spike and Harker and Harry realised she was referring also to Mina.
The parting was uncomfortable and Harry got the impression from the lack of physical and eye contact that vampires were solitary creatures by nature. This was fitting in with a theory he was turning over in his brain. Edward strode ahead down the narrow stone corridor, confident of his ability to spot danger before it spotted them. Harry could see the frown on concentration on Edward's thick, dark brows as he peered out into the gloom. The corridor was lit by torches flickering along the walls at sporadic intervals. It was hard for him to see but Edward had his hand grasped firmly in his own cold grip. Harry was glad, it felt comforting to hold on to Edward like this, but he didn't say anything. Harker followed at a respectful but companionable distance. He did not speak but the light from his wand glowed softly with a magic more precise than Harry could have hoped to imagine. He must have been practising magic for years thought Harry as their quiet footsteps were given a rhythm by the two humans' breathing patterns. This pattern lulled Harry's brain to wander along the thoughts it had been toying with since he had met the other vampires. He wanted to be alone with Edward so they could talk. He had an idea.
'Muffiato,' he whispered. He knew that Harker would understand what was happening to him at once when he heard the buzzing in his ears but he hoped that the older wizard would grant him some privacy with Edward. He glanced behind him, Harker just smiled and nodded.
'Edward,' hissed Harry in a whisper. Edward turned to look back, in the light of the torch his hair, all tangled and standing up, shone around his face; he was breath taking thought Harry, for the moment lost in the image of Edward's face in the soft light. Edward's eyebrows were drawn together in a familiar look of questioning. 'Edward, who told you the rules about your type of vampire?' Edward looked puzzled for a moment.
'Carlisle, I guess,' he frowned again, 'yes, Carlisle when he turned me told me of the things that we can and cannot do.' Edward's face looked pained and Harry realised he was thinking of his family. Harry hurried on, not wanting to concern Edward more than he had to.
'Have you ever tired anything that Carlisle told you wasn't possible for your type of vampire?' he asked. Edward's thick eyebrows shot up at this. He shook his head.
'No, like what? I don't understand what you mean.' They had stopped walking now and Harry turned to check on Harker, was he lip reading the conversation? To his amusement Harker had taken a small leather bound book from one of the large pockets of his jacket and seemed to be reading in the dim light from his wand.
'Have you... tried to turn into a bat or a mist or anything that the other vampires can do?' Harry smiled at the look of amusement that crossed Edward's face and the endearing crooked grin that followed.
'No, why would I do that? I thought other vampire tales were all myths until this experience. I presumed we were the only real sort of vampire there was. Why Harry? What are you saying?' He looked back at Harker; the man was scanning the pages with a long finger. 'Can he hear us?' Edward whispered. Harry shook his hand and waved his wand to explain. Edward's mind turned back to the question Harry had been asking. His voice became more excited as he began to think along the lines Harry's mind had been pursuing. 'Are you saying that I might be able to do those things?' he shook his head in amazement. Harry leant forward, excited by his idea and excited to share it with Edward. He'd never met anyone with so quick a mind, even Hermione would be left behind when Edward's brain got going. He smiled again.
'I'm just thinking what if all vampires can do ALL the things the others can? You can go out in sunlight, so can Dracula. Your skin sparkles and his doesn't but Spike can't go out in the day at all. What if your skin doesn't HAVE to sparkle? What if Spike can go out during the day, he just THINKS he can't?' Edward's face was excited now but then he frowned.
'But didn't you say Mina's skin began to burn in the sun?' he began obviously still thinking, his speech slow as he thought through the extraordinary idea Harry had put to him.
'If she THINKS it will maybe it will!' whispered Harry, glancing back again at Harker who was still reading, his face blank.
'So, what you're saying is, what limits a vampire's abilities is what he or she was told they could do? What about those like Carlisle who were never taught anything? No one told him the rules Harry.' Harry had thought about this.
'No,' he leant in closer and Edward could feel his warmth breath on his face, 'but he already had a preconceived idea of what vampires could do from his father didn't he? His father hunted vampires! He must have told Carlisle the rules when he was still mortal. When Carlisle turned he still believed those ideas were true so he limited himself to what he had been told he could do!' Light shone in Harry's eyes, Edward recognised the implications of what Harry was saying. Breathlessly Harry went on.' What if vampire minds are incredible powerful? What if just thinking you can't do something, thinking you'll burn to a crisp in the sun means you will? and what if...' Edward finished the sentence for him.
'What if a vampire thinks he CAN do something then he will be able to?' He whistled a low sound of appreciation. 'That's huge, Harry. Really huge. I mean, does that mean our only limitations are what we believe?' Edward's eyebrows rose as the far reaching implications of this theory sank in. 'If Dracula finds that out...' Harry nodded grimly.
'it got me thinking when I realised how solitary you all are,' he explained, ' I mean, none of you had really known other types of vampire existed, you all keep to your own. And if Mina can go out in the moonlight...'
'Moonlight's only reflected sunlight!' Edward grabbed Harry's arm and Harry winced, Edward let go. 'Sorry, just, god Harry you might be right! I...' he struggled with the words to express this overwhelming feeling that Harry was right. 'All these years,' he sighed. Harry knew he was thinking of his time spent in Forks, hiding from the sun, knew he was thinking about Bella. He held Edward's hand and made the vampire look at him.
Edward,' he whispered gently,' Edward, don't regret the past. Think about our future if this is true!' Edward's troubled gaze met Harry's jade green eyes and the worry evaporated from his expression. He grabbed Harry to him in a crushing hug.
'You might just have freed us all!' he whispered fiercely. Slowly he let go of Harry and they both realised what that actually meant. Free ranging vampires who could become a mist, a bat, a swarm of rats, a great black dog. Vampires with great strength who could drink or bathe in human blood to gain their immortality. Vampires not bothered by crosses or Holy Water or silver, who didn't have to sleep or rest. The human race didn't stand a chance.
'Good god,' hissed Harry. Edward just looked back at him, his eyes reflecting the enormity of the concept. 'We have to try to be alone, so we can get you to try it out Edward.' He continued in the same hushed voice. Edward shook his head.
'Maybe I won't be able to... I've had nearly a hundred years of conditioning Harry.' His voice was full of self doubt. Harry clutched his arm.
'Edward, if any vampire can do this, then it's you. You've been in control of yourself so long; your mind is so powerful it has tamed that vampire spirit inside you!' Edward thought back to the desire he had felt for Dracula to release the beast within him. The almost sexual longing with which he had yearned for the Count's bite, the long hours in the dark where he had wrestled with that inner vampire spirit, finally taming it again beneath his civility. He shuddered. Harry misunderstanding, squeezed his had tightly in encouragement. 'We've got to lose Harker, just for a few hours. If I'm right Edward this could help us escape far more easily. Dracula won't be ready for this!' Edward nodded slowly still thinking of Dracula's bite. The place on his neck burned with a sweet tingling which was almost erotic. He felt the pull of Dracula's jaws on his blood, drawing the liquid through his veins until it poured down the Count's throat and spilled down his chin. He closed his eyes against the image. He felt Harry turn from him and whisper the charm which allowed Harker to hear them again.
The wizard looked up at them once and pocketed his book; he smiled at the two young solemn faces before him.
'Gentlemen, is there something you wish to say to me?' It was Edward who answered.
'Harker, I know that you and Harry don't need sleep as other mortals do,' Harker nodded gracefully. 'But I was wondering if it might not be beneficial for you both to rest before we move on. Inevitably ahead of us we will confront Dracula and I for one would prefer to do it with two powerful and refreshed wizards at my side' Edward's smile was dazzling and Harry wondered if he was using a glamour on Harker. Harker didn't seem to notice. 'I know you are keen to find and release your wife but I feel we might find that an easier task if we stop briefly to rest before we move on.' Harker nodded obviously relieved and Harry noticed for the first time the sagging posture of the wizard whose outward appearance was so young.
'Edward I think that is a most wise suggestion. Perhaps I could cast some kind of spell around us while we rest? You of course do not need to sleep and you will no doubt watch over us most efficiently but extra precautions would be useful.' Harry realised that the two men were being extremely polite to each other, neither wishing to offend the other's sensibilities. It must be a product of the times he thought to himself.
'Let's walk on until we find a suitable chamber which will keep us safe from attack,' suggested Harker gesturing for them to move on. Edward turned and continued along the corridor, his feet making no sound like the paws of a great cat. Harry followed trying to ignore the part of his brain which was realising, with a dawning horror, the impact of his theory. If Edward didn't need to sleep, neither did Dracula.