Disclaimer: I do not own Dracula.

Here we are with part 3 of Dracula's Deal. Thank you to those that read the last chapter!

This covers the interwar years but next time it will take us into World War 2.

Dracula's Deal 3

Country Estate, Britain…1933…

"The English Summer, when the sun actually shines and the weather is warm…it is actually rather pleasant." Dracula said with a rather dismissive tone as he and Mina stood in a large garden where a party was being held.

The old myth of vampires being destroyed by sunlight was just that, a myth. They might not be as comfortable in the daytime as they were at night but they could easily tolerate the sun if they wanted too Mina thought as she and Dracula looked around the party. They avoided all drink and food; they could eat but it did not give them any nutrition and it provided no real taste to them.

Why did they come to these parties? Mina thought with a sigh of boredom before remembering the reason. It was the done thing to keep up social connections and it did occasionally provide some unique opportunities Mina thought as gossip sometimes did prove useful.

Dracula himself held her arm rather possessively, he was looking far better these days mores the pity Mina thought privately to herself. They had found blood baths had proven effective in his recovery and he now was much improved in appearance, perhaps due to the expensive suit he had from the premium tailor of Saville Row, Kingsman who dressed many of their men these days Mina thought with slight amusement at their decadence.

Looking up they heard and saw one of the massive airships pass overhead, while the other guests all marvelled at the large silvery grey coloured leviathan, Dracula and Mina looked at it impassively.

"Truly remarkable, there are truly no limits to science." Dracula remarked at the enormous machine but Mina looked at it with derision.

"It is too big and too fragile. It can't turn properly and if one of the gas bags leak it could spell the end for the entire ship. Airplanes are the way forward. They are easier to build and maintain not to mention far less susceptible to weather than an airship." Mina said with a cold assessment, those ridiculous contraptions had too many accidents to their name already, the R-101 springing immediately to mind, that had been a tragedy she thought with only one lucky survivor and forty-eight dead.

The sooner the world learned to do away with the wretched things the better she thought as she and Dracula made their way to their car, eager to leave as there was little to interest them here. Instead, they would spend some time at the moving picture cinema to see what new film was on, that was strangely one activity that they both enjoyed.

- x -

Vampire Coven, Britain…Later that Night…

The coven came truly alive in the night, apt for Vampires she supposed Mina thought as she walked through the halls of their home. Mina approached Adam who had asked to see her, he was busy pouring through different books on whatever subject had caught his fancy this month. Glancing at the covers of some of them she guessed it was Physics this time and she had no doubt he would be fit for a doctorate in it soon given the intensity with which he studied.

He looked up from his books and smiled briefly before he got straight to business.

"Our informants have discovered one of the remaining rogues in New York, but also, we have a lead on one of the remaining two brides. I will need to confirm it first but it looks promising." Adam told her and she nodded silently, knowing it looked like she was heading to New York.

She wished it was under better circumstances but it would be her first trip to the new world, she thought as a smile came to her face. Shad been to Europe several times especially as the coven had begun to spread its reach but never had she been to America before and she honestly felt some excitement about the coming trip.

She could have just sent David and his group to deal with it but she was keen to get some time away from Dracula and see more of the world. Given the threat of the rogues and the two remaining brides they had formed a small group of professional fighters to hunt and track them. Then once cornered, to destroy them she thought with satisfaction and so far, the thirty or so men who were all former soldiers from the last war had been extremely effective in their role under David's leadership.

She would never undermine David by taking command away from him, perish the thought, but Mina would sometimes accompany them on hunts especially in the early days when there had been more of the rogues around, stretching their numbers as they operated in small teams. They had been very busy in the early twenties she thought with her mind going back to those hectic days as they had rushed around hunting down all of Dracula's rogues and taking them out one by one, not to mention their own victims had to either be destroyed or integrated if they were fortunate. Mina had rarely been back in London longer than a few days before she had been forced to rush out again, travelling to all of the countries of Europe in their efforts to end the threat and it had been somewhat rewarding to mostly end the danger that the rogues posed despite her own worries that she was growing into a cold and cruel creature herself.

"Thank you, Adam." Mina said with genuine warmth at his long and hard efforts and left him to get back to his studies as she went to check on the rest of the coven.

Looking out at the garden as she passed, she saw Emma giving a lesson in different exercises to members of the coven, smiling at it as Emma had made some very intriguing discoveries over the years since the war. Key was that apparently exercises had a positive effect for vampires, giving them better reflexes and strength than vampires who did not.

But there was another perhaps more useful discovery that Emma had made. Not only had she identified that not all blood was the same, noting small differences that defined blood into different 'groups' but from studying how vampires reacted to each one, Emma had discovered that some blood was better for healing vampires from wounds or to nourish them for longer. The research was still ongoing but it was highly promising.

Mina felt nothing but admiration for Emma and her tireless work, already they were stronger as a people than they had been due to her efforts.

She saw another of their newest members in the parlour as she passed it with some of the others, Annabelle West, who had joined them when she had gotten pregnant which given her unmarried status would have ruined her career as a fashion designer but the coven had stepped in and helped her out of that situation given how some of the women in the coven had a particular liking for her designs. She had been turned after giving birth to her twins due to health problems but still cared for her two boys, she from what Mina understood intended to care for her sons and then their descendants as time went on. Mina wasn't sure that was a good idea but it was what she wanted and either way she had proven to be intelligent and creative, dealing with her cousin Charlie Wilder and his thug quite well when they had tried to drive her insane or kill her failing that to make sure they could take over Cyrus West's estate, which now Annabelle held control of.

Passing by another of the courtyards she saw that some of the painters and sculptors that they had brought into the fold were again hard at work, using their endless nights to carry on with their art whatever it might be, even sending some out into the world under new names. Writers and poets in the drawing room were also filling the air with the sound of desperate writing as they developed their craft. Engineers and scientists in labs and workshops that were in a building elsewhere on the grounds and would carry on with their experiments, providing them with useful equipment and technology from time to time.

Some of their new fighters had taken to these activities as they had more time on their hands now, others helped her and the others in expanding the coven's interests in both political and business worlds. She had been busy making sure they had connections in the governments of the world to ensure that information that might be useful or important came to them but also that they had the influence to make sure that they could shut down any potential danger to them.

She had also been working to establish a dossier of sorts, containing 'useful facts' that would be very good blackmail material if needed on many different figures that would be useful and on governments themselves should it been needed. It was a risky plan but having it there was an advantage that she wasn't going to pass up.

The Great Depression had set them back a step but they had recovered Mina thought with relief as it had taken her and the others many sleepless days and nights to get their interests through it but they had managed it. She saw Mr Shaw, the new banker of the coven and his wife Miranda, Mr Shaw had been in banking for many years before he joined them and knew all of the tricks to do with storing their money safely and securely.

Keeping up with rising technology had been something of a challenge especially in how it pertained to business, it was really a great task to keep up with it and also establishing new smaller covens in the different cities around the world. Already many capital cities in Europe had covens of their own which all reported to this one, spreading out their reach.

That of course meant acquiring new properties both at home and abroad, Mina had been working to find suitable buildings for a coven which was a considerable task in itself she thought with a sigh of exhaustion. But she had managed it and even found some other properties around the British Isles including a rather nice manor house on the coast that she liked to visit when she needed some time to herself.

But her thoughts became more grief stricken as she remembered a piece of news that had reached her, Jonathan was dead. She thought with her heart shattered by the news, dying of the Spanish Flu that had broken out around the end of the war like many others. The urge to go and help him had been so strong she had nearly broken but to help him would have meant turning him…and she could not condemn him to this she had thought sadly, however much she loved him she could not ever force him into this existence and to separate him from his family so she had been powerless to watch as he lost his life to the disease. It had been years now since he had died and it still hurt.

Lucy had fared much better though she thought, trying not to dwell on the grief she still felt. She had her children and now her first grandchild, that had managed to bring a small brief smile to Mina's face as she had seen pictures and the little girl was the spitting image of her old friend at that age. She had not been able to resist sending a gift albeit anomalously and wished her new family the very best.

But too soon she arrived at Dracula's room, his throne room as he preferred to think of it, she thought with disgust before steeling herself and entering his domain.

It was a testament of his vanity, she thought with disgust as she looked around to see the usual barely dressed beauties walking around the room, parading their bodies which was exactly why Dracula had taken them…for their beauty she thought with disgust at his vanity with only having women who he considered the most beautiful around him even if that same line of thought had brought many of the people that she considered friends into the coven.

The women did not meet her eyes, they were dismissive of her as she unlike them actually worked but knew better than to cross her, Dracula might rule the coven but she was the one who ran it and if push came to shove Dracula would choose her over any of them perhaps purely as she made his life much more comfortable and easier. The last one who had tried to interfere and put her down, well Mina thought with a small smirk well it hadn't gone down too well.

Dracula lounged on his throne, drinking blood from cut glass crystal and hardly acknowledged her as she approached but as she knelt, he finally turned to her and asked.

"Well, what is it?" Dracula asked absentmindedly and Mina wanted to roll her eyes in derision but kept up her control.

"Another of your former servants has been found in New York and a lead has been discovered on one of your former brides who it appears might also be in America but it has not been confirmed yet." She told him and Dracula suddenly became serious as she talked and spoke to her with cold command.

"Take a party to the New World and eliminate them both."

"As you command." Mina told him while she kept her calm and got to her feet before leaving, he quickly resumed his decedent leisure as if she had never been there which annoyed her but she walked away from him and his women. She had an expedition to plan and other business to attend too before she left, Mina thought with some tiredness creeping in. Did she ever have time to herself she thought with humour, no of course not there was no rest for the wicked.

- x -

Mina to make sure all was right before she left for America had called another meeting of her council as there was much to do and little time to do it.

"Our holdings in gas and oil trading are increasing in value." Paul told her as the use of both had drastically increased in recent years and did not show any sign of slowing down. They all nodded before Alice added.

"Our smuggling ring remains lucrative. The moving of prohibited items around has proven a good earner." Diana said as the smuggling ring that Mina had started to move Dracula's prizes from the war back to Britain had never really stopped, it had only expanded as they had found a use for it even with the war over. Moving goods around to places that they shouldn't, during Prohibition in the USA they had made a lot of money moving alcohol around and had even become a fence for stolen goods. Aiding in crime had seemed to be a great affront to their personal values but they could tolerate it as it not only paid well and allowed them access to the crime world which could prove useful in a number of ways. Alice now ran that side of their affairs and had learnt many of the tricks of the trade, enjoying the challenge of outthinking the authorities. But it had now also started to help people escape dangerous countries like the Jews in Germany.

That thought sobered Mina as she looked at the continent with the Nazis now coming to power and worried that in less than twenty years another war was brewing.

Eva thankfully brought some good news even if it was only a small thing.

"I have managed to acquire another Leonardo da Vinci painting for the archive along with some of his sketches, Maria is also on the trial of a rare first edition collection." Eva said trying to cheer them up, she had taken over with Maria in the care of their archive and collection. Joint curators of the vast number of books, documents, works of art and other important pieces that the coven had acquired. Taking it in turns to go and seek out new pieces to add to it from both legitimate and illegal sources.

With that now reported Mina turned to Thomas and asked him a question that she felt given the rising tensions on the continent was important.

"What is the feeling in government? Will war break out again?" She asked hoping that he would say no but Thomas reluctantly told her the exact opposite of what she wanted to hear.

"Yes." He told her sadly, knowing how many were likely to die this time. "Hitler and those like him are just waiting for the right moment to expand their borders and there will come a time when the governments of the world cannot ignore it any longer. Then war will come again." He told her knowing many sons were going to die and they could do little to stop it.

The announcement was hard and created a tense silence. Mina like Thomas knew they wouldn't be able to stop it since it could break out in a million different ways and told her new assistant Herbert.

"Make sure we are invested in industries that will benefit from the war." Mina told him before turning to the most important point of the meeting.

"Another rogue has been found in New York; Dracula has commanded us to eliminate him. Adam, is it confirmed? The other piece of business?" Mina asked and he nodded.

"She has established her own coven in a town called Astaroth, there are some strange tales coming out about that place." Adam warned her and she nodded before turning to David who was already guessing what she would say.

"I will need at least five of your best. Plus, two more ready to stay in New York to help establish our new coven there. Will you both be ready to go in a few days?" She said, turning to their two newest additions.

Alexander Graceson, a handsome man from the United States who looked much like Quincy Morris, a proud and strong Texan man but he was so much more than that. He was a highly successful business man and financier but one with a sad secret. He had maintained that he was a life long bachelor but his truth was more unfortunate, especially in this prejudiced world that they lived in.

He loved men, not women.

If this came out, he would be destroyed, his life and reputation both but among their kind he was accepted for who he really was and able to be with the man that had captured his heart who was also sitting at the table with them. Martin Roden, a stockbroker of good reputation who like Alexander was forced to hide his sexuality his entire life to have any sort of existence at all.

The perfect men to set up their new coven in New York and spread their influence across America.

"We sure are ma'am, I have to admit that I missed the good old US. Did you find us some good places to hang our hats little lady?" Alexander asked Sarah who as their lawyer had been in charge of acquiring properties there. Sarah did not like being called Little Lady but pushed past it to get to the point.

"Yes, there is are a number of properties now in your names. Here are the particulars." She said handing the documents over to Alexander who flicked through them and smiled broadly.

"I have booked passage to New York on the next ship. Best be packed and ready before tomorrow." Mina told him and David who nodded, he would have the people they needed before they left.

RMS Olympic, Atlantic Ocean…On Route to New York…Two Days Later…

Travelling on the sister ship to the Titanic across the same stretch of ocean where her sister had succumbed to her infamous fate was somewhat daunting, even for a vampire although despite what some believed, running water would not drown them or repel them. But the ocean was one force that even they would never master, Mina thought as she stared out across the vast Atlantic Ocean and felt so small it was good to be humbled so they did not grow too big for their boots she thought to herself.

David and Christina at her side looked out too while the four remaining members of their small team stood close by should they be needed which admittedly was unlikely but it was still good not to take risks. Two more where close to Alexander and Martin who were taking a strode around the deck.

"Will we see the Statue of Liberty?" Christina asked with some excitement at seeing the famous landmark. Mina smiled at her enthusiasm and told her.

"We should as we come in to dock. But remember we are here on business." Mina told her sternly and Christina pouted slightly before saying with an exaggerated sigh.

"Yes mum."

Mina just shook her head at her childish antics even if David smirked at them as he found them funny.

- x -

New York Harbour, Three Days Later…

The party assembled on deck as the ship came into port, the imposing sight of the Statue of Liberty and the tall buildings especially the Empire State Building that they could see on the city skyline was a welcome sight for them all after the voyage.

As the ship docked, they had gathered their belongings and disembarked with the rest of the passengers, the firm ground beneath their feet was a blessing but it also gave them a feeling of anticipation as their mission finally came into view.

A few cabs drove them to the house that would serve as their base in New York, it was a nice property that would give privacy and space, exactly what they needed and while Alexander and Martin settled in with the two that would be staying with them, Mina met with David and Christina to plan for the night's hunt.

"According to our information the rogue as well as a small number of followers are using the subway to move around the city and hunt covertly." David told them all as he reviewed the information Adam had uncovered. "Focusing their attacks on people who either alone or in very small groups."

"We don't know the location of their den though." Mina said, looking at a map of the system it was abundantly clear that the rogues had a connection to the subway system but no idea just were.

Christina who had been eagerly awaiting the hunt saw a bottle of perfume on the side table that they had brought with them. She wandered over and gently sniffed the scent before smirking.

"What if we dose one with a smell so strong that we can follow it, follow them back to the den without them even knowing we're there?" She said holding up the perfume and spraying it in the air so all of them could understand.

Being vampires they all had a very acute sense of smell, a strong odour was fairly easy for them to track especially if it was distinct enough. It was a good tactic and David nodded in approval.

"Find something strong but different enough for us to track. We'll set our trap tonight." David said decisively, Mina smiling as he did so but also at Christina's idea. They had really started coming into their own in the years since the war had ended and hopefully would continue to do so which was why she let them take the lead on this. She wanted to see them improve and grow, how else would they be all that they could be? She thought to herself.

That Night…

The platform of the subway was quiet, being the absolute dead of night. Few people were around and it was the perfect time for the rogue and his few followers to hunt.

One of them, dressed in ragged clothes came in through the tunnel and slung its way onto the platform. There was only one person there who looked like they had fallen asleep while sitting on the ground presumably having been waiting for a train. The rogue came slowly forward, checking the platform to make sure there was no-one else there before shrieking and charging at the prone figure. He went to grab them but to his shock it was not real person but a mannequin with some device attached that sprayed him with some extremely smelly substance that made him gag from the strength of it. He scrambled back and snarled at this, looking around to see just what was going on but he saw no-one around. So, with a last hiss of anger at the mannequin he turned before disappearing back down the tunnel that he had come from.

He didn't notice when the hunters, Mina and David and the rest of their small party made their way down the stairs and seeing that their trap had been sprung sniffed about and picked up the scent, and with concern as this was an active train line followed it back down the tunnel.

They were keenly using all their senses as they continued down the tunnel, a sudden rumbling in their ears and feet made all of them dodge to the sides of the tunnel and flattening themselves against it as much as possible…just in time to avoid being hit by the train as it came through. The noise of it was staggering and they all were momentarily dazzled before gathering their wits to continue on once it had passed.

They following the smell trace for some way until they came to what looked like an abandoned station, clearly it was not being maintained as the lights were out and metal drums filled with flames lit the area, not to mention the cobwebs were all over the place. Mina guessed that the station had been intended to be part of the system but had been abandoned for some reason. Sitting like a spider in the web of subway tunnels.

Good base she conceded before she and her party saw the half a dozen rough looking vampires skulking about on the platform. Mina turned to David who nodded and with a moment to brace themselves before leaping into action.

The hunters caught the rogues by surprise, using their guns first. Shotguns that fired stakes rather than bullets, each of them was a great marksman and hit four of the vampires quickly before firing their second shot and hitting another.

While the others dived forward, drawing more stakes or swords to end the ones they'd hit the first time, Mina and Christina dived for the two that remained who tried to run. They had clearly devolved to a more feral state living down here and snarled at them like animals but this didn't frighten them. Mina drew her sword and Christina using some of her throwing knives to wound the vampire she was facing before drawing a stake and empaling them through the chest.

Mina who was facing the rogue that had founded this little pack dodged as he lunged at her and kicked at his leg before with one single slash, severed his head from his shoulders.

The rogues must not feed very often as they had not proven to be much of a fight Mina considered and began to help douse the bodies in gasoline to burn them. Lighting matches they threw them on the soaked bodies and watched as they burned. They would comb the area to make sure there was no more of them in hiding but for the moment it looked like they had completed their mission.

- x -

A Few Days Later…

The day was noisy and bright as it was all the time in New York Mina thought as she looked out of her window and smiled, having had sometime to explore the city and enjoy its sights. She and the others had taken in a Broadway show, sailed around the bay, travelled up the Empire State Building and more. She and Christina had even been shopping around the city and even to Macy's having loved their small 'vacation' as the Americans called it Mina thought with a smile.

There had been no more signs of any rogue vampires and Alexander and Martin were setting up their new coven here, in truth they were waiting for more information from Adam who had been doing some more checking on whatever was going on in Astaroth. Wanting to not only confirm that it was true that a bride was there but also have some idea of just what was happening there.

After some time, David came in, he too had been enjoying New York especially their sports which he found interesting, he handed her the message from Adam she presumed and nodded with a sigh knowing it was time to move although she would make sure to take in more of the United States before heading back to London. Her earlier good mood spoiled as the letter confirmed what they had thought and so she told David.

"Get the others ready, we need to take a train southwest." She told him and he became sombre as he knew it was time to hunt the next of Dracula's former brides. Leaving her to gather the others while Mina made arrangements for their travel, taking another look at the New York skyline and wishing they could have had at least one more day before this business had come up, she turned and went to arrange for tickets on the railroads to get them as close as possible to Astaroth as no railway station existed there so they would need to arrange for other transportation to make the rest of the way.

California, United States…Two Days Later…

The train pulled into the station, Mina accompanied by David, Christina and the four other hunters disembarked on the quiet platform, carrying their cases with ease which given the size of them was enough to make them stand out but it seemed that no-one seemed to notice. They walked out of the station and went to see the vehicles that Mina had arranged for them. It was actually two cars to carry them all as trying to do it in one would be awkward, both sat there with a man who tried to speak to them but Mina just took the keys and threw one set to David who grabbed it before keeping the other for herself.

They continued to ignore the representative who gladly went away when Christina handed him some money for his trouble. After loading their cases they divided themselves into the two cars and Mina handed Christina a map before getting behind the wheel. She started the engine and as it came to life, she drove her car out of the station with Christina acting as her navigator while David in the second car followed them just a bit behind.

"Down the road for another seven miles, then turn right." Christina said with concentration as she studied the map.

"How long to get there?" Mina asked without really caring. Christina sighed as she looked at the map.

"We should be able to get there around midnight or the early morning, a few hours at least." Christina said with sigh as this was going to be a long drive.

They settled in as best that they could and continued on their way, the long silences were difficult and annoying but none of them really liked casual conversation in these moments. The scenery outside didn't help, it quickly turned into a dark and boring swamp like bog, the road itself barely wider than the cars.

Hours passed with agonising slowness as they continued on, not helped by the horrible smell that seemed to run strongly through the area. Finally, though as they approached the early hours of the AM…they found the first sign of civilisation.

A bus that had crashed into a tree, the windows were smashed and there were the remains of a male corpse not far away that looked like it had been savaged like it had been attacked by a pack of vicious animals.

Parking up they changed into their hunting gear and checked their equipment, the ground was firmer here and they seemed to be in the middle of the swamp. The smell had even eased off slightly and as they prepared their keen senses alerted them to a sound nearby.

Experience made them ready themselves, drawing their weapons and bracing in preparation for a fight. It came not long afterwards as snarling creatures ran out of the bushes straight at them.

They looked human, almost but their features were twisted and distorted not to mention the skin was as white as freshly fallen snow. They spat and hissed like animals and had no trace of humanity left, none of them had seen anything like this even in New York as those underground dwellers had at least some intelligence in how they hunted.

These creatures…they were mindless monsters!

They swiped and clawed at them but the training and experience gained from hunting more dangerous creatures than these gave them an edge. They used their modified guns to take down a few before drawing swords and stakes to deal with the rest. Ducking and dodging until they managed a hit to them in the heart.

Once the monsters had all been slain, they looked down at them with astonishment, what was going on here that it had done this? None of them had ever seen anything like it and with a worry at what else might be waiting here.

Making sure that they were ready to fight any more of these creatures they made their way forward, keeping themselves alert for any potential attack as the town came into view. It was an old-style settlement, not much out of the old west style with a few touches of modern life here and there but completely derelict. Not a sign of human habitation anywhere and that set them on edge, clearly if anyone had survived this place they must have fled or more likely been killed.

Or worse turned into monsters like they had faced in the woods.

They moved forward and saw a vehicle, around it was a few figures in black robes holding flaming torches and they despite being as pale of the monsters that they had found in the woods, they had no warping of their features and looked more like regular vampires with their fangs.

Mina and the rest of the party walked over to them and the other vampires looked at them eventually, having been distracted by whatever it was that they had been doing. They regarded them with confusion before taking their torches and what looked like stakes of their own and looked ready to charge at them.

David pulled out his gun and fired out of reflex, nailing one right in the heart while Mina and the others drew their swords and engaged themselves. Although more intelligent than the monstrous ones they had faced earlier they clearly had no real training in fighting, gesturing wildly with their torches as if to scare them but Mina and the others were not intimidated and with a few swift moves decapitated most of them quickly.

Looking at them once they were all defeated, Mina studied them closely. It had been observed that vampires who don't drink blood frequently became extremely pale. She wondered if that might be the case here but regardless of those observations, they continued on, hoping to find out just what was happening here.

They looked around the town and apart from an abandoned white car found only discovering isolated pockets of the pale vampires and a few more of those monsters. Coming to barn near the edge of town they discovered the one that they had come looking for and were in for a shock when they did.

The target was standing proudly over another female blonde-haired vampire who was feeding ferociously on a human man, she seemed to be so distracted by this that she didn't notice their approach until they were only twenty feet away.

She looked up, her face instantly transforming into a look of fear when she saw them.

"What? Did he send you?!" Lemora asked with fear on her face, clearly meaning Dracula who still clearly terrified her.

"He did." Mina said as she stepped forward and brandished her sword before the other blonde vampire looked up and met Mina's eyes which widened as she realised just what she was looking at. Her calm resolve quickly was replaced by anger as she saw what Lemora had done.

"A CHILD!" Mina snarled at Lemora who took a step back in fear at the fury in her eyes. "YOU TURNED A CHILD!"

"I'm thirteen. Who are you?" The blonde girl said with confusion now replacing her elation at feeding. She looked like a doll in her simple white nightdress and so fragile like fine porcelin. This only made Mina angrier.

"They are the fledglings of my maker; I ran from him." Lemora said with fear making her ready to run but in the blink of an eye Mina had closed the distance between them and pushed Lemora up against a wall with her sword at the other woman's throat.

"We don't turn children!" Mina told her with anger, pressing the blade against Lemora's throat. "That girl will never age! Remain a child forever! She can never become a woman. You trapped her in this state…permanently." Mina said with her blade now pressing deep enough to draw blood. Lemora was trying to press her way out of this lock but Mina was stronger than she was and refused to let her go.

David and Christina both looked at the girl now and frowned as they saw what had enraged Mina so much. With compassion Christina lowered her hood and scarf so she could face the girl and knelt before her. The girl was clearly terrified but she took Christina's offered hand.

"What's your name sweetheart?" Christina asked with a smile to reassure her. The girl looked at them confused but answered her question as she saw they had fangs too.

"Lila Lee." She said with a sweet and childish voice but that could never change. Frozen like a fly in amber she would never grow again. David offered her a smile before sheathing his own weapons which made her flush slightly but Mina who was still holding Lemora told them.

"Take her away, I don't want her to see this." Mina commanded and they instantly obeyed, Lila looking at them with confusion and worry for Lemora but given what she had done Mina was in no mood to be merciful and only delayed what she was aching to do so she could question just what was happening here. "What were those creatures? And why did the other vampires look different to us?"

Lemora still scared out of her mind by the threat of Dracula and the fact that this woman was holding a sword to her throat answered truthfully.

"I was experimenting, trying to make a stronger vampire but something went wrong and they began to degenerate into those…things." Lemora said, admitting that she had made an error in judgement. "There is also not much blood left here, so it leaves us looking pale and those I experimented on were more vulnerable to the sun."

Experiments, that made much more sense Mina thought with cold detachment. She might have questioned her more but her anger was too much and without wasting anymore time she pressed hard with her sword and took Lemora's head off.

She pulled her bloodied sword free of the wall as Lemora's headless body fell to the ground, she stared at it for a moment but regardless of whether she could have pressed her for more information she had crossed a line by turning Lila. That was one of the rules that she rigidly enforced of the covens, regardless of whatever reason…no child was to be turned. They had to be in their very late teens at the most before turning them would be permitted, then at least they could live the life they wanted to live.

Lila, would never get that chance Mina thought sadly for the girl. With some makeup and the right clothes, she could try to make herself look older but she would forever be thirteen. So many opportunities were now lost to her, it might be kinder just to stake her in some ways but Mina could not bring herself to do it. They would do their best to help her and be there for her but that was all they could do Mina realised with sadness.

After wiping her sword clean on Lemora's dress, Mina set her body on fire to dispose of it properly. She made sure it was good before leaving to rejoin the others. She saw Lila talking with Christina and David, making her smile slightly before coming over to her. She and the others all turned to face her before lowered her own hood and scarf so Lila would be less intimidated. Seeing she was not as scary as she had first thought Lila brightened up slightly before Mina told her.

"Well Lila, now Lemora is no more…I want you to return with us to London. There is a place for you in our coven if you want it." Mina offered her, not intending to leave the girl in any case but wanted her to feel like she had a little say in the situation.

Lila looked stunned for a moment as were the others but immediately saw why she was doing this; they could hardly leave Lila alone and it was better that they be there to guide her now Lemora was gone. Lila did look a little upset at that but not much as feelings of resentment towards all that Lemora had done came to her mind. She had hated Lemora, for not only what she had done to her father but also luring her into this trap and manipulating her. She was a smart girl and she was starting to realise just how much she had been treated.

"I'll go with you." Lila said in a rather timid voice as she was still somewhat scared by the older vampire, she had seen how easily she had overpowered Lemora.

"Good." David said, angry himself at what had been done to the girl but it was something that they would just have to make the most of as there was no way to return her to her human state and they didn't want to kill her. "Perhaps we could tour more of America before heading back? Try to make the best of the situation?" He asked and Mina managed a smile for him and told him gratefully.

"That is a very pleasant thought, David. We will take sometime to ourselves before heading back. By the way my dear, I am Mina." Mina said, introducing herself to Lila who smiled a little wider as they were about to embark on something of a trip around America. She had seen so little of the world and now she was going to see it all she swore to herself.

London Coven, United Kingdom…Six Weeks Later…

The large mansion and grounds impressed Lila but then again, so did a lot of things Mina thought with a small smile as she had eagerly taken in her surroundings.

She had certainly had a good time on their little vacation around the United States, they had gone to Los Angeles, then to San Francisco to see the bridge being built there and ride the trams, then on to Detroit and its impressive factories. After that it had been Chicago, then down to New Orleans and enjoyed the local culture before heading to Miami and then up the coast to Boston and then back to New York before heading home. That was not to say they hadn't found some interesting opportunities along the way for their American coven to take advantage of on their travels though and had passed that information on to Alexander and Martin before leaving.

It was both a good feeling and a bad one to be back Mina felt, she missed the thrill of traveling and seeing new places but at the same time the comforts of home were their own reward, even if they meant having to be in close proximity to…him again she thought with a grimace at being so close to Dracula.

She saw David and Christina take Lila off to meet the rest of their coven and to show her around while she had the regretful duty of reporting to their lord and master, she thought with dismay but steeled herself and walked forward to his room and passed more of the same harpies that he always surrounded himself with. She ignored them and went to him on the throne, kneeling before it and making her report.

"Master, the North America Coven is now in place and I have been investigating opportunities there for growth. And we managed to track down and end the second former bride." Mina said with a calm and measured voice. Dracula on his throne smirked in satisfaction at the news and told her.

"You have proven your value yet again. I approve and will expect the same skill and devotion when the final traitor is finally dragged out of hiding. She is the most dangerous and the most intelligent of all of the brides I have taken across the centuries…she will be the hardest to destroy." He told her and while the small dig at her was received, Mina did not allow her ego to force a reaction that would give Dracula any satisfaction…she remained humble and in control.

"Then all efforts will be made to find her, excuse me." Mina said before leaving the room with the cold and beast like eyes of Dracula on her back. He had wanted her to react like a child…with anger but she hadn't and he didn't like that she thought wondering just how long things could stay like this before something finally changed for better or for worse.

But there was one thing that stuck in her mind, for some reason Dracula seemed obsessed with tracking down his former brides, more so than the rogues and unwilling to face them directly as while he had been too weak the first time that they had confronted one, this time that had not been the case. Yet he had not been willing to face them himself she considered.

Could it be that they knew something or perhaps one of them did? Something that instilled a deep sense of fear in him? Alexandrine and Lemora had not but perhaps the third and final bride might Mina thought and her interest was now truly increased. She would dedicate all efforts to finding the third bride and see for herself just what she might know that would be so valuable that Dracula was determined to bring about her destruction.

Hope you all enjoyed the update. Please review and let me know what you thought.

Now although I did mention Kingsman that does not mean they are in the same universe; I just wanted a tailor's name that wasn't real and that was the first one to come to mind.

Mr Shaw and his new wife come from an episode of Poirot 'The Million Bond Robbery'. Featuring the RMS Queen Mary.

Annabelle West and her cousin Charlie Wilder come from 'The Cat and the Canary' in particular the 1978 film staring Honor Blackman, Carole Lynley and Peter McEnery.

Lemora and Lila Lee come from the 1973 film, Lemora a child's tale of the supernatural.