Aleria soared into the grand hallway of Dracula's castle, laughing her high pitched cackle, announcing her presence to the surrounding area. Stepping lightly onto the stone entryway, the flowing fabric of her skimpy attire dragged on the floor. Like the other vampires, she could have chosen any appearance she wanted. Any clothing she desired. True to form, she always managed to look like a two bit floozy from some deranged maharajah's harem.

Glancing around the empty hall and seeing none, Aleria moved further inside. She had returned to the castle impulsively. Her presence would be unexpected, yes, but that did not explain the sudden uneasiness she felt.

A soft whisper of wine flowing past her cheek was the only indication she received that her Master had come. He had moved to quickly for even her eyes to see. She turned to face him, extending her arms in supplication.

"Vlad, my love," she simpered. Aleria started to run to him. Something in his face held her back. Unveiled fury had turned his mahogany eyes from brown to almost pure black. He clasped his hands behind his back, walking slowly and deliberately towards her. Despite his constant reassurances to never fear him, Aleria couldn't help be begin to tremble. She had never seen him so furious in all of her life.

"I'm assuming by your appearance, Aleria, that my boat has safely arrived in harbor? I pray for your sake this is so however much I doubt its veracity. The last time I spoke with the boat master, he assured me it would take at least two days time to sail here safely. Please tell me that he was mistaken. Tell me you did not abandon the ship despite my orders" His eyes bore into her own, threatening to scorch her with the fire that burned within him. His fury was palpable.

Aleria bit her lip nervously. Not only was she not the brightest of his wives, bravery was never her strong point either. It finally dawned on her that her unexpected arrival might not be welcome.

"Master, I..."

"Shh..." he raised a finger to her lips, silencing her excuses. His voice dropped lower, caressing her ears like a lover's touch. But the fury never left his dark eyes. "I can see your thoughts before me like a picture. My ship is far from safety, is it not? It's far from my shore."

"Please, let me explain."

He cupped her chin with his hand. "Explain? Did I not order you to stay with the ship? To guard it with your very life? Did I somehow not make myself clear when I described the importance of the cargo?" His voice was rising now, building with intensity. His fingers dug into her tender flesh, squeezing her chin painfully. Aleria cried out in shocked pain. Tears welled up behind her pretty eyes. He had never treated her so roughly before. So hatefully. Fear seized her. Perhaps he had grown weary of her as his wife.

Vlad ignored the wounded accusations in her eyes. He was much to infuriated to care at the moment. Giving her chin a good shake, he released it. He had been much to easy of a master with her in the past. Whatever her shortcomings where, the fault was in part his own. He had never cared for the simpering Aleria like his other brides. While pretty and fetching, she had attracted his eye one cursed night. He was of a much too impulsive nature to consider the responsibility of undertaking such self serving baggage as this.

Regardless of his current lack of interest with Aleria, she had her uses and right now he needed her on that ship.

Closing his eyes, he swallowed back his anger. When they reopened, his eyes returned to a less threatening shade. Opening his arms wide, he beckoned her to his chest. Aleria was only too happy to wrap herself in the circle of his arms. She rested her head on his chest, quietly whimpering. When Dracula spoke, his voice was calm, comforting, but he couldn't keep the irritation from popping back into his face.

"There, there, my sweet little dove. I'm not angry, only disappointed. I trusted you to remain with the ship. It distressed me to see that you disobeyed."

She sniffled. "Igor was cruel to me again. He's always threatening me, trying to poke me with that damned electric cow prod of his. Why did you give him that, Master? What possible purpose could it serve?"

It took all the force of his will to keep from losing the precarious hold on his temper. The tiny muscles of his jaw twitched slightly, the only indication of his growing impatience. Only by sheer force of will did he keep his tone under control. "I will speak to him as soon as the ship returns. For now, I command you to go back and guard the ship. My original order still stands. Now be a good child and do as I ask." His voice remained gentle, yet it gave no room for argument.

Unfortunately for Aleria, his momentary kindness gave her the impression that all was well. She pouted petulantly. Crossing her arms, she opened her mouth to speak but stopped short. The smell of fresh blood was so faint it had almost escaped her notice. If it wasn't for her own hunger, she might have missed it entirely. Yet no matter how faint the smell was, she knew that scent and she had a pretty good idea of who it belonged to. Backing away, she raised one accusing finger.

"I see now why you wish to keep me away from here."

Vlad's face retained it's placid mask even as his eyes slowly shifted from brown to black. Aleria never noticed. She was far to caught up in her own concerns at the moment.

"You've brought your precious princes here," she accused. "With all of your wives gone now but me, you wish to make another." She stomped her foot on the flagstones. "I won't have it, I tell you. I won't have it."

Faster than a blinking eye, Dracula's cold fingers encircled her neck, lifting her off the ground. The controlled anger she encountered earlier was nothing compared to the pure, unadulterated fury she saw now. His lips pulled back into a horrifying grimace, revealing razor sharp teeth. Aleria would have screamed in terror if not for the iron fingers squeezing her neck.

"I've had enough of your insolence. You will obey me or I shall end your miserable existence here and now." He threw her backwards, slamming her into the wall. Whimpering, Aleria picked herself up off the floor, her eyes wide with fear if not hurt.

"I hear and obey," she whispered, crawling towards the exit. Once she put some distance between herself and her silently smoldering master, she stood. Taking to the air, she flew as fast as she could to the ocean.

For several long moments, he stood there watching her slowly disappearing form, struggling to regain control of his wildly raging temper. He had not intentions of displaying the more baser of emotions before his new companion, no matter how far his minions stretched his temper. When he felt he had regained his composure, Vlad returned to the dining room.

What he saw when he got there made him howl in fury.

A window set against the far wall was left wide open. Anna was nowhere to be found.

XX

As soon as Dracula left the dining room, all of the doors slammed shut behind him. Anna didn't waste any time. Leaping up, she ran to each door, hoping against hope that one would be left unbarred. It wasn't just that the doors themselves were locked. Some unseen force kept them firmly closed against her, effectively sealing her inside. A simple lock pick she could handle. Magic doors were another matter.

Frustrated, her eyes scanned the room searching for some way to escape. Set against the far wall was a row of curtained windows. Hope leaped in her chest. Wasting no time, she ran to them. The first two where firmly locked shut, but the third swung easily open. It was snowing furiously outside. Already, she could feel a chill set into her bones. It would be all to easy to freeze out there. Shaking her head, she decided. It would be better to freeze out there on her own terms than to die by Dracula's hands.

There were worse things than dying, too…

This thought catalyzed her into action. Sticking her head out the window, she sucked in her breath. The castle was set on a large mountainous outcropping that overlooked a deep chasm. Only a narrow stone bridge connected the castle to the forest beyond. She would have to make it to the bridge to make her escape. Right outside the window was a narrow ledge that followed the castle wall around to the bridge. If she was careful, it was possible to reach it but it would mean a dangerous walk around the ledge hugging the castle wall. Any mistake would send her hurtling into the chasm below. Freezing wouldn't be her only concern it would seem. Taking a deep breath, she carefully crawled outside.

Dizziness and vertigo immediately washed over her almost obliterating her will to escape. Closing her eyes, she waited for the feeling to disappear. She was a child of gypsies, trained in acrobatics. Heights had never bothered her before, but then again this was her first experience with frantic escapes over bottomless abysses.

Pushing away her fear, Anna inched her way across the ledge. After what felt like an eternity, she reached a corner. Once this task was carefully negotiated, she noticed a set of tall windows up ahead. The sound of raised voices filtered through, barely audible from outside. She knew it would be dangerous to stay here for many reasons, the risk of being caught only one. Curiosity got the better of her. Feeling almost guilty, she peered inside. Dracula stood with his back to her, speaking too softly for her to hear. Just beyond his shoulder, she could make out his vampire bride, Aleria. No real surprise there. Anna knew that shriek quite well.

Suddenly, Aleria backed away from the count, her face angry, hurt. Whatever she said must have infuriated Dracula. He grabbed her by the neck, slamming her into the wall. Anna's lip curled in derision. She herself had no love for the simpering vampiress, but she was still a woman. Not only was he a murderer, he was also a brute.

She had seen enough. The chill wind was biting through her thin clothing. It was much to cold to remain exposed any longer than necessary. Continuing on, she crawled her way slowly along the wall. When Aleria flew past her, she shrinked back against the wall, her heart pounding in her chest. Anna could only hope the vampire didn't see her. From what she could see, Aleria was flying away as quickly as she could.

"It would be nice to have wings, but I'm not willing to kiss the devil to gain 'em" she muttered before moving on. She had almost reached the bridge when a horrible scream echoed through the castle, startling her terribly. Dracula must have discovered her missing. Feeling desperate, she hurried towards the bridge, trying with all her might to reach safety before he could find her. Just when she almost made it, her foot slipped on a patch of ice. Her mouth opened in a silent scream as she felt herself falling. Using all of her training, she threw her arms out, catching hold of the ledge at the last minute. Anna had to bite her lip hard to keep from crying out in a mix of fear and anger. She had almost made it, damn it.

Her legs dangled precariously over nothing but endless space. The idea was terrifying. Forcing herself to remain calm, she tried to pull herself back up onto the ledge. It was useless. Her arms were just too weak. The ledge was too narrow to maneuver.

Wind screamed past her, freezing her fingers as they gripped the cold stone. "Damn it," she growled again. It disgusted her to think of dying in such a ignoble fashion. Her numb fingers were slipping. Despite her years of training. Despite her strength, her determination. Despite it all, Anna was going to die. She simply couldn't hold on any longer.

"Amusing yourself kislány?" Dracula's voice drifted to her from above. Anna jerked her head up to see him standing horizontally on the wall, arms crossed and managing to look idly bored. He held out one long fingered hand. "Take it Anna. I would not want you to fall."

Frankly, Anna didn't know if it was relief she felt or irritation. What she did know was that she had no intention of dying this way. Using the last of her strength, she grabbed his hand. Relief flooded through her when she felt his strong hands encircling her own. In one smooth motion, he brought her up into the safety of his arms, at the same time taking flight.

"Where did you think you were going, Anna?" His voice resonated above the wind. Snow came at them from all sides. Feeling her shivering, he wrapped his cloak around her slender body, shielding her from the wind.

"Just out for a bit of air," she said without a hint of sarcasm. Looking beyond his shoulder, she could see the castle growing far away. "Where are you taking me?"

"There is something you need to see," he answered cryptically. He shifted her slightly in his arms so that he could point with one hand. "Look Anna. See for yourself, my prison."

Reluctantly, Anna turned her head to follow his gaze. She blinked her eyes several times, fearing that her eyes were deceiving her. Beyond the castle gate was a vast forest barely visible behind what appeared to be a giant wall of ice. The ice encircled everything, blocking access to the forest beyond.

"There is no way to escape me, kislány. My kingdom is bound in ice, locked away from the world. Only I know the secret exits. To leave the safety of my castle would mean only death for you, Anna. You must trust me in this."

"I trust you in nothing," she spat back, feeling trapped and defeated. Her eyes searched the desolate landscape. Dracula was right. Unless she could discover the secret, that wall of ice would hold her imprisoned.

"Then you are a fool," he said bitterly. "Your family has hated my existence for so long it has clouded your mind from reason. Know this, kislány. If you leave the safety of my castle again, I might not be able to save you."

Anna glanced up, meeting his gaze. He was watching her now, staring at her with his dark eyes. Her heart leaped in her chest. He was serious about this, she knew, but that wasn't what made her heart beat so strangely. His arms tightened imperceptibly, gripping her possessively. She was safe with him, as strange as that might sound.

Vlad could feel her trembling in his arms, mostly from the cold. It was too much to hope that she would tremble for him. He himself felt neither ice nor fire, but she did. To keep her exposed for much longer would be dangerous. He had made his point, he could sense that.

Turning, he flew back to the castle, using his own body to shield her from the wind. By the time he reached it, Anna was shivering violently, her teeth chattering in her head. A moment's regret coursed through his mind. He had no warmth to give her, something even the basest human could provide. At least he could give her fire.

Stepping lightly onto the stone balcony, he opened up the delicate glass doorway ushering Anna inside. To cold to fight, she moved as fast as her body would let her, shaking uncontrollably. The doors opened into a dark room shrouded in shadow. Set against the far wall was exactly what she needed - a roaring fireplace, the only source of light in the room. Anna hurried towards it, holding her numb fingers out to the warmth. Moving silently from behind, Vlad wrapped a heavy blanket over her shoulders and began to rub the skin of her upper arms desperate to bring some warmth to her half frozen body.

Feeling his touch, she immediately stiffened. She turned to face him, her eyes glaring in outrage. "Thank you fro the blanket. I'm certain I can warm myself now."

His lips curled in a mixture of quick anger and derision. He should have known better than to touch her uninvited no matter how noble his intentions were. Apparently it was just about time he changed the nature of his invitation. For now, he moved a step away watching her in the dim firelight.

Anna's eyes flitted nervously about the room, growing accustomed to the darkness. She could make out a writing desk, a tall wardrobe, leather furniture - all things designed to suit male tastes. And still further away, raised up on dais stood an enormous four poster bed surrounded by a curtain.

He had brought her to his room...

Fury blazed in her eyes. Spinning around, she threw the blanket to the floor.

Vlad must have sensed her sudden understanding. His hands flew up in innocence. "Patience kislány. I did not mean to take advantage of you by bringing you to this room. I know how cold you are, Anna. Without the warmth of a fire you could easily fall ill. But because I myself feel neither heat nor cold, this is the only room in my castle where the flames always stay lit." His voice was low and soothing, almost hypnotic in nature like liquid silk. There was a soothing quality to his voice that made her relax despite her efforts to stay angry.

Anna could see the logic after all. Perhaps she was being unreasonable. She turned her head slightly, watching the vampire out of the corner of her eye. She was surprised to see that he was no longer standing by her side but had moved to a nearby table. He poured something from a crystal decanter into a small glass.

"Drink this," he murmured, handing her the glass. "It will help warm you from the inside out."

Anna slipped the whisky slowly, watching him warily from the rim of her glass. He was right about the warming. After only a few tentative sips, a fire was building in her belly.

Vlad smiled in satisfaction. She was such an engima. Delicate beauty, fierce courage, undying hatred... So very different from the brides he had chosen. This was a woman of passion, not a simpering chit. This was someone with whom the endless ages might become more bearable. This was also a woman who had made it her life's work to see him dead.

"Why do you keep calling me that?"

Anna's voice brought him out of his reverie. Vlad looked up, meeting her gaze.

"Kislány," she prompted. "You keep calling me that."

H lowered his head, a small smile touching his lips. Anna tried not to notice how the firelight set the gold flecks in his eyes ablaze. They had turned a rich, deep shade of mahogany - like polished wood. Standing the way he was now, a secret smile playing at his lips, he was irresistibly handsome.

Anna gave herself a good mental slap. How could she even think something like that?

"It comes from the old tongue, my dear. I suppose the closest translation would be little warrior."

"So you are making fun," she hissed.

His eyes flew to hers in confusion, reading the defensiveness in her eyes. Vlad took a step towards her then another. "It is no jest, Anna. I have always respected my adversaries. Never in my life have I seen one braver."

He was standing so close to her now. Nervous fear raced through her, threatening to overtake her will. She was gripping the glass too tightly. If she wasn't careful it would break in her hand. Forcing herself to remain calm, she finished the whisky, holding the now empty glass out to the vampire. Wordlessly he took it from, his fingers grazing past her own as he did.

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.......I hate to leave it here, but I'm going to.....

More to come, I swear : )