"Lucy, I don't know why you thought to invite me." Mina Harker pulled self-consciously on her sleeve. "I'm a married woman and my husband wasn't able to attend the ball; I'm going to be a walking scandal!" The ginger-haired beauty at her side choked back a scoff. Flicking her fan open, she made a face at her best friend under its fluttering cover.

"Don't worry, darling! No one would dare talk about the best friend of Lady Westenra. You just keep your mind on the mingling." She tittered. "Mingling, mingling; that's the way to move up in society, don't you know?" Mina looked at her and frowned, hiding it as a yawn behind her gloved hand.

"You wouldn't know, Luce. You're not even a lady and you know it, so stop putting on airs." She always hated it when her friend acted as if being wealthy automatically gave her a place in line for the throne. It made her feel even worse about her own meager position in society. She wouldn't even be able to go to balls if it weren't for her friendship with Lucy and her family.

"Oh, don't be so glum Mina, darling. Enjoy the night! I assure you, I'll personally make sure your Johnathon can attend the next one. That way you'll have someone to dance with. Although I'm sure Jack wouldn't mind going a few rounds with you," Lucy purred with a sly wink. Mina blushed and turned her head away, staring out over the waltzing couples.

"Lucy Westenra, you couldn't be more corrupt even if you were royalty. Mr. Seward wouldn't dare put me in such a situation." She looked over man in question.

John Seward wasn't a comely sort of man, with his big nose and slightly crooked teeth. But what he lacked in looks he more than made up for in kindness, and everyone around knew that he was gentle and caring towards the poor lunatics that he worked with each day at Carfax Asylum. Of course, those who claimed close acquaintance with him (and gained the privilege to call him "Jack") also knew he was ambitious and single-minded when the fancy struck him, often to the point of obsession.

Mina was pulled from her thoughts by the arrival of Sir Arthur Holmwood. Sir Holmwood was always hanging around the Westenra house for one reason or another (it was really in order to see Lucy, but everyone pretended that they didn't know of his love for her). Since Mina was often there too, they had become good friends, and Mina secretly hoped that Lucy would choose him as her husband when she finally decided to settle down.

"Miss Lucy, your ball is simply delightful, as always." He bent down and kissed her hand, his blue eyes twinkling as he took in the ginger's form. Turning to Mina, he repeated the action, but didn't linger as long on her hand. "Mrs. Harker, it's wonderful to see that I'll be able to share your company tonight as well." He looked around at the guests. "Is Johnathon here? I hadn't seen him, and I'd hate to miss out on the latest news," he trailed off. Mina shook her head.

"No, I'm afraid he was busy at the office tonight. He sends his regards and promises to be at the next ball." Lucy butted in, pointing her fan at the pair.

"I insist that he'll be here. If I have to invite the whole office, I'll do it." A deep laugh accompanied this statement and they all turned to see a familiar face heading their direction. Lucy squealed and flounced over unashamedly to her newest arrival. "Quincey! All the way from the States, are you back so soon? I sent the invitation but I had no idea if you'd even be here or not!" She flung her arms around him, ignoring Mina's reproachful glare. The Texan, who didn't seem at all abashed by the "attack", hugged her briefly before setting her down and greeting her properly.

"I went back to Texas briefly, but of course I couldn't stay away from England; not with all these beautiful young ladies in need of a true gentleman's company," he said with a grin. "I couldn't help but overhear your conversation; so Harker can't make it to a single ball anymore? Are you sure he's not avoiding them?" he guffawed. Mina blushed slightly.

"I assure you that's not the case. Johnathon knows that balls are an important part of…." She bit her lip and didn't finish. Perhaps that was the case. Johnathon wasn't used to balls and galas and social events. Maybe she was pressing him too hard?

"In any case, I came back to England to ask something of you, Miss Lucy. Will you…" Quincey broke off for a moment before continuing with renewed vigor. "Will you marry me?" he asked bluntly. Lucy's jaw dropped and hung there for a minute before the fan snapped and she began to fan away her blush.

"My goodness, Quincey. How completely unexpected," she cooed. Mina bit back a growl. You're a liar, Luce. She'd been stringing a whole line of men along for the longest time, and only Mina knew about it. At that moment, Sir Holmwood cut in.

"Well, to tell you the truth, I was hoping to ask Miss Westenra for her hand in marriage," he said with all the firmness and politeness a well-bred gentlemen could muster in such a situation. Mina stared at him as Lucy turned a different shade of red and began to praise them both with stuttering and lots of fanning. Suddenly, Mr. Seward was in their midst, his face pale.

"Miss Lucy, may I have a word with you in private?" he asked, eyes watery. Lucy turned and stared aghast at him.

"Why Jack! Is it an offer of marriage from you too?" she asked boldly. Mina swore her eyes were about to pop out of her head if they got any wider. To her surprise, Mr. Seward paled until he looked a sickly green.

"H-how did you know?" he practically whimpered. "I kept it the utmost secret." He closed his eyes, coughing quietly before opening them again. "I would be honored for you to be my bride, Miss Lucy," he declared with a forced brashness that didn't become him. Lucy turned a shade darker than her hair, her cheeks bordering on purple with the blood flowing through them. Mina couldn't help but feel a disgusting bit of satisfaction. That's what you get for playing them all, Lucy. Now you're in the middle of three men, and you have no choice but to break two of their hearts.

"Oh, oh—oh my. I'm so… this is all so sudden, gentlemen." She fluttered for a moment before coming to a sort of internal decision. "Please give me a few days to think it over, alright? For tonight, let's all just enjoy the party."

"Master, that wasn't very nice of her." Seras frowned. Alucard laughed loudly, his voice echoing in the empty room. "Did Mina tell you all this as well?" she added with a growl.

"Well, I suppose her blood did. I have her memory of it tucked away with the memories of everyone else I've partook of." He caught her curious gaze. "Yes, even you. You have the Frenchman's memories, don't you?" Seras didn't answer, but her face became pensive as she thought about it. "It's the same thing."

"I guess you're right. Well, where do you come into all of this?" she asked after a long silence. Alucard suddenly reached under her arms and hauled her into his lap. She squeaked, but settled herself after a moment with her legs sprawled across his and her head on his chest, listening to the echo in his torso as he spoke.

"We'd traced Mina there after a night of searching, and so…"

The Count pulled his hand away from his smaller companion, nodding in satisfaction. Now, instead of her traveling cloak and dress, she was dressed the part of a tiny noble, glittering in gold and white. Her pale locks were braided onto her head, flowers and ribbons woven into the plaited strands. Her dress was whiter than snow, golden ribbon and a fur shawl accenting the designs. Her pale skin was put into starker contrast by the light-colored clothing but it looked stunning, as though she were a fairy.

While she stared at her reflection in the windowpane, bringing a hand up to rub her tightly-wound hair, he concentrated and dressed himself to resemble the gentlemen inside the room. He shortened his hair and ran a hand through it, slicking it back nicely. When he was finished, they both were easily able to pass for humans, if it weren't for their strangely-colored eyes.

"Alright, let's go inside," he said to her, and the Countess nodded before slipping ahead of him out of the bushes and up the stairs. He watched her carefully, noting with surprise that she acted as if she were born nobility, walking and behaving as though she'd break at the slightest touch.

"Ahem," she cleared her throat daintily at the attendant. He turned and looked around before spying her and stared open-mouthed for a moment. Before he could say a word, the Count breezed by and paused, holding a single finger up between the attendant's eyes. The man went glassy-eyed and slack-jawed before blinking and standing straight.

"Of course, my lord. Follow me." He turned on his heel and the Count and Countess began to follow him through the draperied hallways towards the party.

"What did you do?" she asked him in a loud whisper. He held a finger to his lips.

"I made things a bit easier for us," he replied impatiently as she scrunched her face up, about to throw a tantrum. She made an "ohh" sound and promptly ran into his legs as he stopped, the attendant throwing out a hand. The attendant made a "wait here" gesture and stepped into the party. The people stopped and looked around at him as he cleared his throat.

"Count Dracula and the Countess Karnstein!" he proclaimed before stepping aside. The Count pushed the child ahead of him and they both stood at the center of attention for a long, quiet moment. Suddenly the room erupted into whispers and a woman with strikingly red hair stepped forward, the fan in her hand fluttering at an alarming rate.

"Why, hello!" she said politely, offering a curtsy to the Count, and smiling prettily at the young girl. "Count… Dracula?" she tried, practically botching the name. The Count offered her a stiff smile and corrected her, but the Countess simply stared up at her before grabbing the Count's sleeve and tugging hard. The Count ignored her as the woman continued.

"I'm Lucy Westenra," she said, offering her hand. The Count kissed it, but the Countess saw the extremely fast roll of his eyes and hid a giggle behind one hand, the other still tugging at his sleeve incessantly. "I'm so glad you could make it," she gushed, as if they're arrival wasn't a surprise at all. "Please, let me introduce you to some people."

The Countess almost fell as the sleeve was pulled out of her hand as Lucy yanked the Count in the direction she'd come from. After a moment of shock the Countess ran after the two adults, picking up her skirts like the farmer's child she was, all pretense of nobility forgotten.

"And this is John Seward," she was finishing by the time the girl caught up. Everyone was bowing and caught up in the various polite necessities, but the Countess sniffed and turned to the man that Lucy had pointed at.

"Hello, Mr. Seward," she said with every air of geniality. The man's eyes widened in surprise, and Lucy seemed to finally notice the child.

"Oh, and this is the Countess Karnstein," she said with perfect accent, making both vampires wonder if she'd messed the Count's name up on purpose. "She's German or…." Lucy paused.

"Hungarian," she corrected. Mr. Seward smiled and returned her hello, only to get the child's undivided attention. After a moment of her chattering, Jack Seward found himself strangely captivated with the young thing and led her take his hand, wandering off by themselves. The Count ignored the redhead's chattering in his ear, instead focusing on his target.

The young Mrs. Murray had been introduced as Harker, which made him wonder if he was too late. Anger bubbled in his chest at the thought, but he kept it carefully hidden as he watched the girl. She was looking out of place among the laughing nobility, instead staying close to the annoyance of a hostess and alternating between watching them converse and staring into the distance.

I must get her alone, he thought to himself, and subtly moved closer to the babbling ginger. He managed to get a single hand on her waist and before she made a sound, he stared into her eyes. She paused, and in a fraction of a second he had an idea planted into her mind.

"Mina," she said suddenly. "Could you entertain the Count for me? I have something… urgent I need to attend to." The wan young lady looked startled, but gave her consent to be left alone with the man, albeit hesitantly. He stared at her and she colored a faint pink before clearing her throat.

"So you and the young Countess are traveling together, you say?" she asked softly. He nodded and held out a hand. She looked him in the eyes and he read the uncertainty and small sliver of fear. "Wh-what is it, sir?"

"Come with me," he said lowly, so the others close by couldn't overhear. "Don't be frightened. You and I only have business to discuss." Her eyes glazed and she nodded dumbly, allowing him to thread his elbow through hers and walk her towards the dance floor. They passed by the Countess and John on an upholstered couch. He wondered if she even knew that she was using her powers to keep him interested in her.

"You must allow me to visit your asylum before I leave the country!" she was saying. "That man sounds terribly interesting." Her eyes met his and he saw that she was practically bursting with excitement. He gave her a "settle down" look and moved onwards, ducking into a room before they reached the dance floor. He pulled his mind out of hers and Mina came too with a soft gasp.

"Now, my dear, you and I will go about our business. Your family owes me a debt, and I intend to collect."