Disclaimer: I do not own Dracula

I did this as a one-shot when I got a case of writer's block awhile ago and decided to post it to see what people thought.

Hope you all enjoy it.

Diary of Mina Murray, 22nd July 1897…

As I write these words I am beset with worries and anxiety that seems to grow with each passing moment.

Dear Lucy who has been so gravely ill, she seems to get weaker by the day and any sign of recovery is fleeting if it appears. The news about my dear sweet Jonathan is no less of a source of concern. There has been no word from him for weeks now and my efforts to find any news have been met with no real success.

No letters have arrived to either myself or his employers nor has any sign of his client been discovered in this country.

My heart aches for news but it is almost as if my beloved has disappeared off the face of the world.

And Lucy's sickness makes me wonder if I have offended God in some way, to take those who are the dearest to me in such a manner.

I only hope and pray each day that Lucy makes a recovery and that Johnathan is found and returned to us, but that hope is fleeting and difficult to hold on to in the face of such grim news and continued silence.

Westenra Residence, Whitby…23rd July 1897…

Mina went up to check on Lucy while the night darkened and outside now resembled a pitch-black abyss. She saw her dear friend struggle and it tore at her heart to see her suffer so especially when she was so loved by so many people and just hoped that Dr Jack Steward's mentor, Professor Van Helsing would arrive soon or Mina feared they would lose her forever.

As she tended to her friend Mina honestly felt a chill descend on the room, Mina was confused as the doors and windows remained firmly closed but she was certain that the room had become much colder despite the fire burning in the hearth nearby.

Mindful of Lucy's weakened health Mina tucked her bedding and blankets more securely around her so she would remain warm. She did not want her to risk getting any more ill when she was already in such dire condition but as she turned, she felt eyes upon her. She was not sure exactly how she knew but she could feel that there was someone else in the room.

She turned around and saw to her astonishment that a man in dark evening dress had appeared in the centre of the room. He looked almost like a gentleman in such clothes and his hair was finely crafted, his face aristocratic in its construction but his eyes…Mina felt that she was looking into the eyes of a beast at that moment.

His eyes were an inhuman red, the colour was unsettling enough but the wildness, the almost animalistic in their intensity.

He was no man Mina realised to her horror.

"Who are you?" Mina called out, her fear rising as she realised, she was now alone with a stranger who had shown ill intentions by entering their room without permission, she was unarmed and Lucy's sole protector. She knew that Arthur, Quincey and Doctor Jack were all downstairs, all she had to do was scream and they would come but there was something about this creature that froze the air in her lungs and sent a shiver down her spine.

The beast who appeared as a man looked deeply at her and then frowned before admitting in excellent if strangely toned English.

"I am Dracula, you are Miss Mina Murray. The good friend of Miss Westenra." He said with a cruel smirk on his face.

"Why are you here?" Mina asked desperately trying to rally her courage and moved towards the bedside where a vase containing fresh flowers was in hopes of throwing it at him should the need arise. Dracula seemed amused as if he felt such things were no threat but answered her question.

"I am here to partake of dear Lucy's blood as I have for some nights now. Her fresh blood is like fine wine to one such as I." He said with curious eyes as he studied her. His answer only filled Mina with more fear as she realised that he was the one that was making Lucy so ill. He was draining her of her very essence and life blood, enriching himself while cutting her time on this earth short.

This awakened a fury in Mina as she realised this fiend was the cause of her dear friend's ill-health and the mention of Dracula reminded her of the name of the client her sweet Jonathan had gone to do business with in Europe.

Her resolve strengthened she glared at him with all her built-up anger and he seemed amused by it which only enraged her more.

"Where is my Jonathan? I know he went to your castle and sold you properties in this country." She demanded of him and he thought for a moment before recalling.

"Oh, I remember now. He carried a likeness of you with him. I must say you are more beautiful in person than I had guessed you would be." Dracula said with a chuckle. "He will be long dead by now, I gave him to my women who will have dried him as I have been doing of Lucy. Their appetite is voracious without me there to restrain them. When you are such as I the need for blood is insatiable."

The news that her beloved was dead at the hands of creatures such as this beast before her shattered Mina's already worried heart. Her Jonathan's handsome and caring face appearing in her mind as clearly as if he was standing before her right now but that was only a brief fantasy on her part as she realised that he was now only in the Kingdom of God and in her memory. Her grief was so sharp it felt as if a thousand knives were being stabbed into her heart. She resolved to do something and threw the vase at him but with inhuman speed he caught it and before her wide shocked eyes poured the water on the floor and throwing the vase and flowers away into the corner of the room where it did break.

In her shocked state Mina just grabbed the next thing she had to hand, the books she would read when sitting with Lucy at night. She threw copies at him but he easily just batted them away, smirking all the time as if he was playing with her but then when she threw a small brown covered book at him, he howled as if touching it had hurt him.

Mina was stunned and saw the book when it fell, it was bible. The holy book had hurt him she realised and quickly reached for the small crucifix that Jonathan had given to her on her last birthday. It was gold and small but the sight of it wiped that smirk from his face which made her feel much better about the situation as she held it in front of him. He snarled at it and she asked him.

"What manner of creature are you?" Mina demanded and he sneered at her.

"A creature that will live far beyond your miserable allotted span. You will perish but I have centuries before me. Feasting on the blood of the living with greater strength and abilities you can scarcely imagine. She will be one of us when I have taken all of her, she will live for centuries as mine and mine alone." Dracula said with a look of pride on his face. "Why? Do wish her for yourself?"

Mina was not going to dignify that comment with an answer but she was now becoming worried for Lucy's soul. She was so young and vibrant, the idea of her being chained to this creature in unending servitude was more than she could take.

"I know now." Mina said with assurance. "I know now how to stop you; I know you goal and I can tell others." She said thinking of Arthur, Quincey and Jack but Dracula laughed at her statement.

"This is an age of reason and science Miss Murray. Mysticism and beings such as me do not exist in logic and reason. Others would never believe you and you cannot be with her all the time. Eventually, I would find a way to separate you and then she is mine." Dracula said with complete confidence and Mina felt her spirits fall.

He was right she realised, all those she could tell were too grounded to ever believe her without proof which she knew wouldn't be available. He would stay away as long as he needed to while taking other victims to fulfil his thirst until an opportunity came to take Lucy for himself.

Mina was feeling powerless, she had lost the man she loved due to this monster. She would not lose her best friend too and realised there was no way she could protect her. She wanted to help her but her mind as it spun with ideas made her realise that she had but one option that might work and as she had little left to lose herself it was worth trying.

"If you gave me your word? Would you keep it?" Mina asked him, suddenly using her self-assurance and appearing calm if resigned. Dracula seemed surprised by the question as if he not anticipated such a question which made Mina feel slightly better.

"I would, if it would amuse me to do so. Why?" He said with curiosity and she with a heavy heart and a great amount of fear, made her offer.

"Take me in her place."

Dracula seemed shocked at the deal she was suggesting to him. It was unusual to find anyone who would even speak of such a thing. He became intrigued by Mina and asked her.

"Why would I accept such a thing when I have one who is so close to becoming mine already? Why would you give yourself over to me in her place?"

Mina took a breath to steady her rising nerves before answering his question.

"I have no mother or father, no brothers and sisters. My fiancé and best friend are the only family I have. No one else would miss me. You claim my Jonathan is gone; this means Lucy is all I have left. What would you not give to save your family?" She asked him before saying more to ease his acceptance of the deal. "I am healthy, I have all my blood and I am strong. You can take more from me than you can from Lucy now. Would it not be quicker for you to take one who is willing than one who would fight you?" Mina said with dreadful feelings of revulsion of giving herself over to this but it may be the only way she had to save Lucy. Besides if she became as he, then she would have his abilities that she could turn against him if he broke his word.

Dracula looked at her, impressed at her fortitude and determination, he knew one who did not fight the change would turn more quickly and he needed someone who knew this land and its customs to aid his assimilation into it.

Looking at her he was also struck by her beauty; Mina was not the sort of woman that would be noticed first when compared to Lucy but that was only because she did not put as much effort into such things. Her face was elegant as was her body, her face pale but not unhealthily so and her will was strong. He had tried to hypnotise her and she had fought him.

He was unwillingly impressed and smirked as he knew he had trapped a new bride, bringing her willingly into his fold and when appropriately attired and moulded would be a true prize to take for himself.

"Very well, I accept. I will spare Miss Lucy and never trouble her again; with time she shall recover. But you must surrender the cross and walk into my arms before I will leave this place." Dracula said, opening them to her like one would do to a disciple.

Mina felt her heart grow heavy and turned to Lucy who was still asleep to all the world, knowing she had to do this Mina took her small cross and placed it around Lucy's neck to ensure her protection in case he did not keep his word and kissed her gently on the forehead in goodbye before with a growing sense of dread, she turned to Dracula and took a breath, perhaps her final one and walked towards him.

Each step was a feat in itself, she was walking willingly to her own demise and his smile was like looking at the devil himself.

She only hoped God would have mercy on her soul, Mina thought with dread as she finally reached Dracula who wrapped his arms around her like chains you attach to a prisoner which was very much how she felt. He moved her head to one side and left her neck open to his mouth and as his teeth descended towards her, she said one last prayer to herself and to God before he bit down and began to take from her.

The pain was sharp and awful, Mina grimacing and he held her mouth closed so she could not scream. It was horrible she thought as tears ran down her face but she would not let him have the satisfaction of her screaming! She thought as she began to feel heavy as he took her lifeblood from her and she sagged in his arms.

He pulled his mouth away, now red with her blood and sighed in satisfaction before picking her up as if she were his bride and he was carrying her over the foothold. He carried her out of the room and into the night to return to his resting place where he would complete her transformation into his bride.

Westenra Residence, 12th August 1897…

"Quite frankly, I cannot see how Miss Lucy has made such a fast recovery." Professor Van Helsing said as he examined her again. The young lady was looking far better than she had only three weeks ago, she smiled as he checked her heart which now beat strongly in her chest. But the smile was dimmer than it had been before her illness, as if it had stolen something she had yet to recover.

"There has been no word of Mina?" Lucy asked with concern, Arthur who shook his head answered her.

"As far as I can uncover Miss Murray has simply vanished off the face of the world." Arthur told her regretfully and Quincey who was standing there with his large brimmed hat on said.

"I still canna believe it. Miss Murray, she seemed so loyal to Miss Lucy. Why would she just up and go like that?" He asked and the Professor told him as he packed away his instruments.

"I am not sure she did Mr Morris. She took no clothes, no items of value or sentiment with her. In fact, she left what mattered most to her around Miss Lucy's neck." He commented, referring to the small golden cross that was still hanging around Lucy's neck. Lucy's hand went to it instinctively and her face portrayed how worried she was by her friend's disappearance.

"Miss Murray in your opinion did not leave willingly." Jack said, stating fact and not asking a question.

"Indeed, she left no note, she took nothing and there were things you say were thrown in the room ya? I think she was taken against her will." The Professor said clearly as he considered something he had observed about Miss Lucy when he had first arrived the night after Miss Murray had vanished. The two small puncture marks on her neck which had since healed.

He knew of such marks, although he had never seen them first hand. It was a story and folklore more than science and seemed impossible but he knew in his heart that it must be. There had been no blood pooling around Miss Lucy when she had been getting steadily worse, and then she recovers like a miracle with no new marks.

He knew what this sounded like but they were not known to let their victims go he thought and wondered just how Miss Murray's disappearance might play into this. He pondered deeply and feared for the young lady if what he thought might have occurred happened.

"Miss Westenra." The Butler came in with a letter on a silver tray. They all turned to look at the older man who had been serving since before Lucy had been born. "A letter has arrived for Miss Murray. I am unsure of what to do with it."

"Bring it." Lucy commanded, hoping that the letter might contain some clue as to the reason for her disappearance. She didn't know why but she was sure something awful had happened to Mina; she could remember nothing of what had occurred in that room and it terrified her. For all she knew Mina had been murdered while she lay there helpless and she would never know.

"Are you sure you should?" Jack said ever the polite one. "It is her letter after all."

"If it gives me some idea of what happened to her then it is a move that I will make a thousand times Jack." Lucy told him sternly which made the doctor fall silent. The others watched as Lucy opened the letter and read it silently, her eyes widening.

"It is from a convent in Transylvania, Jonathan, Mina's fiancé has been found. He is very sick and is desperate to see Mina, it says he believes her life to be in danger." Lucy said with distress as to what had befallen sweet Jonathan, he was such a good man and devoted to Mina. Worse she could not help but feel whatever worries his fevered mind had produced had come to pass.

"Quincey. Jack. I know this is asking much of you but would you go to retrieve him?" Lucy asked them and both men looked at her in surprise. "He has no other family and Mina is gone. I cannot help feel we need to bring him home. That he knows something important to this." She begged them and the two men shared a look before Quincey nodded reluctantly.

"Okay little lady. Me and Jack will go and return quickly with your friend's sick man." Quincey told her with a frown but Lucy smiled brightly at him and they all flushed a little.

"Oh, thank you both from the bottom of my heart." Lucy said brightly. Professor Van Helsing nodded and told them.

"I will accompany you. I cannot help but agree with Miss Lucy that the apparent fears of Mr Harker and the disappearance of Miss Murray are connected somehow." Van Helsing said with his suspicions aroused. He knew that land had been the source of many of the creatures he knew could make such marks as had been on Miss Lucy.

For once in his life though, he hoped he was wrong as if he was correct in what he thought had been attacking Miss Lucy then what had occurred to Miss Mina was worse than any fate he could curse on anyone.

House in London, Britain…23rd of August…

Mina looked up at the night sky, amazed at how many stars there were that she could now see, her eyes now no longer human could see so much more and that growth was not limited to her eyes. She could hear the hooves of horses and the footsteps of others in the next street.

The world for her had become much darker but also larger as she considered just how much things had changed for her since her transformation into a vampire.

She ran her tongue over her new and sharper teeth and felt the thirst for blood rising within her. She had done as she bargained with Dracula and accepted him as her master but she would not be his slave she thought determined to herself.

If this accursed half-life was to be her fate for the rest of eternity, if she was condemned to drain the blood of the living then she would not become a beast Mina thought to herself with anger at her situation. She had surrendered herself to this to save Lucy and she would never second guess that decision, nor would she waste her seemingly endless time with wishing for what could now never be.

She would do something with her days, make something of herself Mina decided with determination.

Dracula was a warlord but one still firmly stuck in the Middle Ages, maybe the fifteenth century at best. He was a fairly intelligent man if almost childish in his maturity and had little understanding of modern systems, of how power could be affected in this time.

She on the other hand did.

Mina had for a start moved the crates containing his earth to a new residence in London and replaced those he had purchased before coming here. It was not a wise move to stay where your possible opponent could find you by following a paper trail, she thought and had replaced the boxes there with normal earth just in case.

That was a move he had approved of she thought with disgust at her maker.

But she had plotted out the structure of the city and in this modern age money was as much king as it had been in days passed and would likely remain in the days ahead. She found the best opportunities for investment especially with all the advances in technology and techniques sometimes using her intelligence and sometimes using her new abilities, she would continue to do so, keeping them from becoming outdated. Steel, mining, banks, guns/munitions, shipbuilding, gambling dens, shipping, motor vehicles, soap making and tea. Also, more property around London that would earn them good money.

But she had also purchased shops and pubs around the city to give them places to hide and acquire information if needed.

She had found the best ways to make money in this city and the empire and world beyond, many accounts in the banks were being filled with their money. She had acquired aliases for them both and at least unlike him had realised that people would take notice in this day and age if they did not appear to be aging. They would need to change names every now and again so she was working on that.

Dracula also intended to make more of them, she had advised though to be more selective in those they changed. Finding those that would not only accept it or at least add something useful to them, skills, talents, ambition.

People who would make the most of eternity and help with useful abilities.

Looking into reports she saw Professor Van Helsing was beginning to look into recent victims found drained of blood, he knew too much she thought with dismay at such a talented mind becoming a threat. An intellect such as his would have done well given a vastly extended lifespan to develop more but she would not risk a stake through the heart or him chopping off her head should he discover them Mina thought coldly.

Dracula had wanted to deal with him personally but she had made him see sense and they had just paid for a gang of street thugs to kill him instead, with nothing to lead it back to them.

Why risk exposure when it wasn't necessary, she thought? She even had a deal with some local villains to remove corpses of their victims and dispose of them to prevent anyone else from discovering their existence.

Dracula might be the king of all vampires, few of them though there were, but she would take them into the twentieth century she thought with determination. He already referred to her as his Queen, the chief among his brides and while Mina was too humble even as she was to ever call herself a queen, she would be his for her own reasons.

There you are, hope you enjoy the quick story. Please review and let me know what you thought.