It was Zillah who picked up on the anger and destruction emanating from Dracula's curtained chamber in the great hall. Once alerted to it Ruthven was amazed he hadn't felt it too. The ripple of emotion spreading out from the centre was almost stifling. He began to feel his hackles rise, his whole body wanting to pick a fight with someone, anyone. He looked at Zillah, his eyes were narrowed to slits and his nostrils flared, he felt it too. Ruthven fought the anger which he knew was not his and reached out to touch Zillah's hand lightly. Zillah's face turned towards him sharply, his hands curving into claws, then he relaxed. Ruthven watched with admiration as Zillah smoothed his features and relaxed his muscles, visibly giving up the black waves of emotion washing over them. In the far corner a fight broke out between two vampires. Spitting and hissing they whirled, their teeth snapping and their clothes blurring around them with the supernatural speed of their fight. Ruthven could understand why they were fighting. There was enough animosity in the room to start another world war. This must be Dracula.
'Harry and Edward,' whispered Zillah. Then when Ruthven shook his head to show his lack of comprehension he continued, 'they must have done something to anger the Count. Can't you feel this anger is flavoured with something of their... essence?' Ruthven paused soaking up the raw emotion flowing around him. He fought the urge to scream as the black feelings pulsed in his body, suffocating clear thinking. Then he felt it, something slightly shimmering underneath the raven darkness. Something he had felt before that night after they had met Mina. He nodded to Zillah, his eyes shining.
'That's our boys!' Ruthven was glad that something was happening, he'd been waiting around for too long and it was making him nervous. He looked again to Zillah. He seemed to be scanning the room with his bright, sharp eyes. 'What?' asked Ruthven frowning.
'They're not here,' said Zillah his mouth hardly moving as he whispered. 'I thought they'd be here by now.'
'Have you got a plan?' Ruthven was excited now; travelling with Zillah was always fun of some sort. He just hoped this wasn't the sort that got them killed. Zillah nodded imperceptibly. Then, in one fluid motion he stood up. He looked down to Ruthven.
'Stay here. I'm going to find them.' Ruthven pouted, this wasn't fun and it might be dangerous. Zillah saw the expression on Ruthven's face and smiled. 'I'll be back soon with the boys, then we'll see what we can stir up!' his smile became a wicked wide grin, showing all his teeth. Ruthven smiled back, suddenly having more understanding into why Zillah was quite a terrifying vampire.
Zillah merged with the darkness like he'd never even existed. Moments after a pale figure crept from the curtained dais and exited the hall. Ruthven watched them go, wishing he could warn Zillah.
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Spike, Mitchell and Sir Francis stalked the tunnels leading up to the great hall. They'd had no more encounters with any guards and the silence was making Spike anxious.
'So, what do you reckon's with all the different vamps?' he asked Mitchell who was taking the lead. The Irishman shook his head. 'No idea mate,' he whispered back to Spike, 'but you can bet that it's not going to be good for us if Dracula works it out first. Do you think Harry and Edward will be able to figure out what's going on?' It was Spike's turn to shake his head now.
'That Edward's a smart bloke and Harry's a pretty powerful wizard from what I can gather, but I don't know if they're going to have time to think about it if the Count's on to them.' He sighed, 'I just wanted to come to Rome, find Buffy and have some fun.' Mitchell smiled in the darkness as he rounded the corner and saw the torch lights of the great hall flickering ahead.
'You might not have found your girl but you might just be in just the right place for the fun, pal,' he whispered.
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Edward's mind was still reeling from the impact of Harry's blood. He could still feel the boy wizard's power in his veins, small pulses of magic sparkled on the outskirts of his vision. He felt invigorated, alive. He knew that he was stronger than he'd ever been from drinking animal blood and he suspected that drinking wizard's blood was giving him more than ordinary human blood ever could have done. He flexed his fingers, feeling the muscles clench powerfully in his fore arms. The implications of Harry's discovery were slowly sinking in. The ramifications were immense, Edward knew he had to work out how to overcome his limitations before Dracula found out and tried for himself. He felt certain that where he had failed the Count would succeed. Dracula had no qualms about releasing his inner demons.
His heightened senses made him acutely aware of Harry treading quietly behind him; Edward could almost hear the thoughts zipping around Harry's brain as they walked slowly, silently upwards through the dark tunnels.
Harker hadn't said a word when they'd woken him. He had smiled and picked up his jacket. Edward had noticed the dark rings around his eyes. He wondered about Harker's age; every once in a while the glamour surrounding the aging wizard would flicker and behind the youthful mask Edward had glimpsed a weary face, lined with pain and many years of anguish. This image was burned into his mind. He would not let this happen to Harry, at any cost.
A noise behind him made him pause and look back over his shoulder. Harker was leaning forward, keenly peering into the darkness ahead of them. Edward heard a noise, a soft rustle of clothing, a muted footstep. He crouched ready to spring forward into attack. Harker's hand reached and grasped Edward's arm in a surprisingly tight grip. Edward stepped back as Harker pushed passed him, scraping the jagged rock with his shoulder; from the darkness stepped Mina Harker.
She was dressed in what appeared to be an almost transparent white nightdress. It fell from one of her shoulders revealing a milk pale collar bone and her delicate throat where her black hair fell in a heavy curtain. One hand held the gown to her chest, gathered up so that it did not trail on the floor. Edward noticed that the gown was torn and as Harker rushed to embrace his wife he also glimpsed the side of her neck where a livid crescent scar marred and puckered the smooth skin. The image of Dracula's mouth on Mina's neck rose unbidden in Edward's mind, filling him with a strange arousal. He couldn't take his eyes off the scar. Mina looked up from Harker's shoulder where she had buried her head and met Edward's eyes, she nodded.
'Yes Edward, he has me too.' Her voice was soft but even so Edward could hear the pained longing and sadness in her tone. He looked away. Harry stepped forward to speak.
'What do you mean Mina? Who has you? And Edward?' his voice sounded rough and Edward turned to look at the confusion and rising anger in Harry's face. He put out a hand but Harry pulled away. Mina bowed her head, giving Edward a glance of apology.
'Dracula has bitten me Harry.' Edward tried to make Harry look into his eyes but the boy was looking at the floor, his raven hair falling over his glasses so that all Edward could see was his mouth, pulled into an angry straight line. It looked like he was trying not to cry. Edward tilted Harry's chin to meet those green eyes filled with hurt.
'I couldn't stop him, I tried but...' Edward's voice was so raw, Harry had to look at him, had to see what emotion was burning in Edward's eyes. 'I couldn't. He bit me, here.' Edward took Harry's hand and placed it on his cold throat. Harry's fingers traced the silver scar like a half moon. He felt Edward shudder under his touch.
'Did you like it?' even to himself Harry's voice sounded cold. Edward moved away stung by his tone and Mina Harker stepped between them as Harry's magic began to flow from his fingertips. She touched him lightly on the chest, a whisper of a caress. Harry looked up at her.
'Dracula's bite is full of power Harry.' Her voice was musical and he could hear that she was not only explaining this to Harry but to Jonathan too. Suddenly Harry realised what these two had been through together for years and years as Dracula toyed with them, with their emotions and their bodies. 'It brings forth the monster we try to hide. It summons the beast from our stolen blood and the creature fawns for his touch. Do you understand Harry?' He knew she wasn't just asking for his understanding. 'Not even the most powerful of us can resist him. I have seen others try and fail.'
Harry looked at Mina's anguished expression and down to where Harker held her hand tightly in his. They were still together despite all that Dracula had done to them; their love was still strong, maybe even stronger because it had survived the abuse. He looked to Edward; he had never seemed more beautiful than he did now. Shame and anger stood out on his finely carved features, the dark brows knitted together and his sharp teeth biting at his lower lip. Harry reached out to him and pulled him into a tight embrace. He grabbed the thick tawny hair and kissed Edward, feeling the hot salty tears pouring down his face as he let go of his fear and mistrust. Edward's white hands reached up and wiped them away and his cold lips kissed Harry fiercely, possessively.
'I'm still yours,' he whispered into the kiss, 'only yours Harry.' Harry felt relief and desire washing through him, weakening his knees and making his head swim. Edward pulled away, trailing his hands down until they held Harry's hands. Mina was smiling, a soft motherly smile contrasting with her wickedly sharp teeth. She stepped forward and held their hands with her own, Harry felt the strength in the deceptively bird like bones. Harker stepped forward and placed his own large, warm hands on theirs.
'You can't let him beat you.' Harker's voice shook with emotion. 'He can't have you as he has had us,' his eyes flashing with anger briefly met Mina's, 'we must take this chance to stop him!'
They stood, each looking at the other, determination and strength in their expressions. Mina was the first to break the spell.
'This way is Dracula's great chamber,' she spoke firmly with a leader's voice. 'We have to go this way to get out of the tunnels; it's the only way out.' She turned, her robe drifting around her like a ghost. She stepped out into the flickering torchlight, a small pebble skittered across the floor dislodged by her foot. There was a grating noise of stone on stone and the roof of the cavern in front of them pulled back to reveal the night sky, twinkling with diamond stars. As one they all looked up, feeling the fresh night air on their faces. Behind and in front of them heavy iron doors slammed to the ground, sealing them off from the way they had come and barring the way ahead.
As they looked at each other the light began to change, the night sky beginning to pale and a golden tinge touching the edges of the square of sky above them. Dawn was coming. The sun was rising.