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lostbetweenvampiresandmusic · 2 months

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Oceans of time

One night, Laddie asks David how he became a vampire. The tale that he tells is one of love and betrayal and a hurt he could never quite overcome.

A Dracula A/U

Part 2 Part 3

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"How did you become a vampire?"

Laddie laid in his bed, his old stuffed teddybear held tightly in his arms. David looked up from where he was sitting, not responding. The cave was silent. Dwayne, Marko, and Paul had gone out to feed, leaving David with what he called 'baby-sitting duties'. Not that he truly minded it, no. Laddie was - as far as kids go - a good one. He listened, he didn't lie, and he obeyed the rules. Now, however, Laddie had decided not to. Maybe it was because of the warmth of the cave, the summer-heat still caught in its walls. Maybe it was because he had too much sugar that evening, or maybe it was because he was just not tired. No matter the why, David needed to answer, or else the kid might never shut up.

"Why do you ask?"

Laddie shrugged. "I'm just curious."

David couldn't help but grin, shaking his head. "You need to sleep."

"I won't be able to until you tell me. Please, David? Please!"

David sighed, looking at the kid. "Fine. But don't expect a happy story. It isn't."

Still, Laddie smiled. He moved over, laying closer to the wall so there was enough space for David to sit comfortably. "If it gets too sad, Mr. Teddy will cheer you up. He always cheers me up when I'm sad."

"No need," David looked at the stuffed animal - or what was left of it. He supposed the bear was once a light brown colour, but now it was closer to grey. He really had no desire to come close to that thing. "It was a long time ago. There were six of us."

"Who are the other two?"

"Don't interrupt me, or I won't tell you a thing."

Laddie nodded, zipping his mouth close.

July 1897, Santa Carla

"Will you be careful out there?" The young girl asked, sitting next to a phonograph. The song - well, it was hardly that, it was more white noise than music - played quietly. David looked at the girl. Her glasses lay on the table, and just by the way she held her head in her arms, he could tell she was dealing with yet another headache.

"You know I will be. I've got a reason to come back. You wouldn't last a day without me."

A small smile played on the girls lips. "It's not my fault that we can't afford the right glasses."

"Nor is it mine. I'll try and bring some fruit with me today, alright? And if possibke ill try and get some new glasses to try. Maybe we'll be lucky this time. "

"David? Please tell your boys to be careful too - and tell them to come home? I do miss their company."

He sighed, giving his sister a soft kiss on her forehead. What she called home was nothing more than a small kitchen, an even smaller bathroom, and just a single bedroom. There was hardly enough space for the two of them, but somehow, she swore she could make it work for their little makeshift family.

"No need to worry about that, Mia. I'll be back before dark."

With those words, David left the house. The sun was still rising. He knew it would be a long day. His - no matter if you called them friends, gang, crew or something else, it never felt quite right - brothers and he had taken to a life of petty crime. Sure, a couple years back, they had tried to do honest work, working in the factory or the coal mines, but eventually, they all realised that they did shitty work for even shittier pay. So now they stole, gambled a bit here and there. They had a benefactor, a man willing to pay them for their crimes. Steal some papers from the governor, plant some evidence at the pub - whatever Mr. Max demanded, they'd do. He paid well, and that's exactly what they needed. They did what they could to survive, and this definitely helped.

They were good at that, surviving. Quick on their feet, changing plans on the spot, being able to predict outcomes - they were good. They'd managed to stay out of the hands of law enforcement, and the one time they did end up in jail, their good friend Lucinda was quick to break them out. She called it paying bail, but they didn't really care about the technicalities,

"Have you heard? There's a shipwreck down by the beach. If we're quick, we can see if there's some loot." Paul grinned as he showed that mornings newspaper. They'd met up down the harbour. Marko had stolen some bread and shared it with the boys. David sat on one of the crates while Dwayne scanned the crowds. Early mornings meant drunk people stumbling over the docks, trying to make their way home. They were easy targets and often wouldn't even remember what they'd been robbed off.

"What kind of ship?" Marko took the paper, looking at the photograph. "Seems quite big. Could be something." He showed the picture to the others, not bothering with the specifics of the article.

"Won't any survivors come knocking?" Dwayne looked at Paul, who just grinned. "Nope! There were no survivors. That's what they say anyway. Only a dog that ran off, the second the ship stranded."

"We should check it out," David nodded, following Paul to the beach. It wasn't often that a shipwreck ended up on their beach. Ships like these would carry cargo, and possibly something that was worth a fortune.

As promised, there was a shipwreck on the beach. The whole thing was broken apart, as if something unnatural had ripped the wooden boards away from each other. If they hadn't been told that it had been a ship, David was certain they would not have recognised it as such. As they moved through the ship, exploring what was left of the now empty rooms, they came to two conclusions.

One: There was nothing to loot. Two: There were some very strange marks on the doors and walls. As if someone had tried to fight something off.

"There's nothing here," Marko spoke up after they sweeped the place. "We should go, maybe Max has something for us."

With the uneasiness they felt on the ship, none of the boys were too saddened to leave. There was something off with this place, and none of them wanted to find out what it was exactly.

As they met up with Max, outside the hospital, David realised that this was indeed going to be a long day.

"Sorry boys, nothing new today." Max was about to turn around, entering the hospital again, when David spoke up.

"Seriously? It's been six days. We need some fucking money."

"You better watch your tone," the man gave him a stern look, "there many that would kill to work for me."

Knowing this would get them nowhere, they decided to try their luck on the streets. That's how they spent their day, trying to figure out who they could steel from and, most often, succeeding. At the end of the day, they had made three pounds stealing from the rich. It was enough to pay rent for another week and to buy food for the next couple of days. David grinned - Mia would be happy.

"Oh, I'm so glad you're here!" Mia opened the door, noticing that her brother had brought home the others. "I've got so much to tell you!"

"What happened?" Dwayne sat down at the kitchen table, opening a bottle of gin. Marko had grabbed five glasses, while Paul helped Mia to a chair. She was still not wearing her glasses and had in the five steps it took to get from the front door to the kitchen already bumped into something twice.

"Lucinda stepped by today. She's back in town," Mia explained. Lucinda had always been a friend to the boys. They had met a long time ago when she had saved them from a prison sentence. Ever since they had been close, even if she was richer than they could ever dream of being. "She said that a European doctor had arrived and that he's trained in anything to do with the eyes."

"Mi, love, we can't afford new glasses." Paul ran his hand through her hair.

"I know - but that's not the point! She is engaged to him, and she's going to ask him to see if he can do something about my eyes as a favour. Isn't that just great?"

"It sounds too good to be true," Marko said, and Mia noticed his tone immediately. She quieted down a bit.

"You think it's a scam?"

"Dangerous, at least. I wouldn't trust him."

"Lucy also offered to talk to him about maybe getting eye surgery, if that's possible in my case." She said it softly, already guessing how her brothers would react.

"That'd be experimental then, right?" Dwayne looked at her as she nodded.

"Absolutely not!" David slammed his cup down on the table. "You will not get fucking surgery of we already think this whole thing is sketchy in the first place."

Mia sighed. "I know. It would just be nice to also help out, you know? Before I got fired-"

"You were hurt every single day by your boss. Don't worry about it," Paul pulled her close, letting her lean against him.

David looked at his sister. "Sorry, kid." He grabbed the money they'd collected today out of his pocket. "We can afford some food the next couple of days, though."

And with that, the whole conversation was forgotten. Mia and the boys made plans for dinner, and David went off to pay the rent.

1987, Santa Carla

"Where's Mia now?"

Laddie looked at David, who sighed as he lit a cigarette. "She's gone."

"Oh. Why did she want that eye surgery? It sounds scary."

"It is, especially back then, She was nearsighted. She couldn't see for shit. The glasses she had weren't right, and we couldn't afford better ones. She got headaches, so she never wore them. She was always bumping into things," he smiled at the memory, "So, after a while, she began looking into other things that could help restore her sight."

"Could they?"

"God no. Glasses were what she needed. We stole them quite often, but none of them were right for her."

"What happened next?"

"Lucinda stepped by. And then both she and Mia got sick."

August 1897, Santa Carla

"He is so perfect," Lucinda giggled as she poured Mia some tea. They were sitting in the garden of Lucinda's estate. Well, her parents' estate. "Just last night, he said he'd be with me forever. Isn't that romantic?"

"Quite so!" Mia smiled. "When will you get married? Will you get married? You also had an offer from the governors son, did you not?"

"In a fortnight, obviously you and your brothers will have to be there - I simply won't get married without them there. And yes, I did - but honestly, Wolfram is an idiot. He wouldn't know how to open a letter if I didn't instruct him. So, I have decided that Doctor Holmwood was the best match."

"Why? So you can show how much richer you're getting?" Dwayne walked in, a teasing grin on his face. He grabbed a chair and moved to sit at the table.

"Absolutely!" She smiled. "It is weird, though.."

"What is?" Mia reached for her teacup, cursing under her breath as some hot tea spilt over her fingers when she hit the cup too hard. She knew she should have worn her glasses - things would still be fuzzy, but not as much as they were now. But then she had to deal with headaches - and those were worse.

"Ever since I got engaged to him, I have been having nightmares. The strangest dreams, really."

"Aren't you just worried about the wedding?" Mia offered, while Dwayne asked what the dreams were about.

"I'm always sleep walking, all the way to the cemetery. And once there, I'm being haunted and hunted, taunted. It's horrifying. And just yesterday, I had the exact same dream, but this time, some monster grabbed me by the throat and actually bit me."

They were silent for a moment. "When did they start?"

"When we arrived in London, I think. I just hoped they'd stop once we were back home."

"How about you sleep at our place tonight?" Dwayne looked at Lucinda. "Maybe it will stop the nightmares."

"That would be lovely." Lucinda smiled brightly. "I'll go home and grab some stuff, and I'll be there before dinner." She smiled at Mia, taking her hand as she was about to speak up. "I'll make sure to bring some food along, don't worry."

That night, after dinner, Mia and Lucinda went off to bed. They'd listened to the stories the boys told, about running from the cops and getting a new assignment from Max - apparently there was a new Lord in town, and they needed to figure out who he was. The girls stepped into the bed, after making sure that the boys would be alright.

"We'll manage," David looked at Mapia. "Just make sure the two of you get some sleep, alright?"

Mia nodded, and after chatting for a bit, both girls fell asleep quickly. Only a few hojrs later, the boys did the same. The house was quiet. No one moved. No one spoke.

So, they didn't notice that they'd forgotten to lock the window. They didn't notice how it slammed open, a dark figure standing on the windowsill. They didn't notice how that same dark figure moved forward, bending over both girls. They didn't notice that the dark figure only had eyes for Mia, longingly stroking her arm, but deciding to leave her untouched for now. He could always claim her later. Now, it was time for his first conquest. It was time for her to join him.

It wasn't until early morning that Mia awoke. "Luce?" She asked sleepily as she felt a heavy weight on her stomach. She blinked, sitting up. As she moved closer, she couldn't help but scream. The body next to her was ice cold. The throat was ripped open. The whole bed was covered in blood. Lucinda had been killed. Brutally murdered. And she just slept through it, not able to help one of her dearest friends.

"Mia, what -" David pulled his sister away from the bed, holding her tight as she cried, upon seeing the massacre on the sheets. The other boys entered the room just as quickly, immediately moving to see if they could figure out who had entered the room. They needed to know who had done this.

"You're alright, love," David led Mia to the small bathroom, making sure that all the blood was washed off of her body.

"Is she - is she dead?"

David nodded. Mia closed her eyes, sitting down on the edge of the bathtub, trying to even her breathing. "How did I - how could I sleep through that? She - "

"Mia, look at me," David kneeled down so he was at eye level with her. "There was nothing you could have done."

Mia nodded quietly. He knew she didn't believe him, but he'd repeat it over and over until it got through.

The rest of the day was chaos. They had to call the police, Lucinda's family, her fiancé. People came and went. Pictures were taken of the crime scene, and every one of them was questioned. At the end of the day, Mia had no tears left to cry, and the boys felt just the same. That night, the house was quiet, them softly talking about their times with Lucinda. How she helped them out when they got in trouble with the law. How she was the first and only person to ever catch them red-handed - they had tried to pickpocket from her after all, even after she had saved them from jail. She had smiled and just given them some money. She had always been like an older sister to them, taking care of them when needed and always being there for both the good and the bad. She had brought humour, charm, and insights into how to best steal from the rich - and now she was gone.

1987, Santa Carla

"So, was she killed by a vampire?"

"Yeah."

"Why?"

"That's how he changed her. We just didn't know that at the time. We also didn't know what we would become eventually, or we would have never done what we had done."

"What did you do?"

David shook his head. His cigarette had turned into ashes, and he heard the other boys returning. "I'll tell you tomorrow. You need to go to sleep now."

#the lost boys #marko #david #paul #tlb #dwayne #the lost boys 1987 #tlb 1987 #the lost boys x reader #lost boys #dracula au

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aftout · 1 year

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mina harker u absolute train fiend

#I feel like my posts are getting way less traction than they usually do help #so sad!!!#anyways she is so fun #my art #Juliette's draft #mina harker #gothic lit au #Dracula #dracula au

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youuuuegg · 14 days

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#gf aupocalypse 2024 #Dracula au #britchell #john mitchell #anders johnson

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becauseicantthinkwritings · 1 year

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Venomous

Part 5 of my Dracula x Reader

Part 1// Part 2// Part 3// Part 4

Warnings: Angst, kidnapping, threats of murder, mentions of murder, vampire stuff, vampire compulsion.

The way he'd made you feel couldn't be described in simple words. He was the feeling of eating something sweet after a long week, like dropping into your bed when things were just too much. He was like being wrapped in your favourite coat, or your softest blanket, while the world stood frozen around you.

That's what he'd become.

Your safety, your warmth, your peace. A hand, holding you steady when you felt the earth shifting beneath your feet.

It was shifting right now.

Like an earthquake that just shook harder the longer in went on, you could only scramble as everything trembled around you, threatening to fall and crush you, or splinter at your feet.

You only see in blurry flashes. Slamming your front door shut, your hand on the wall as you use it to support yourself. You can hear people around, but none in immediate observance of you. Why was your vision so shaky? Why could you hear this loud thundering in your ears?

You almost trip on the first step, but you catch yourself in time, your ankle bouncing harmlessly against the edge.

Where was your anchor? Where had he gone? Why'd he leave you untethered like this? You felt like you would float away if you didn't hold on to something.

You make it to your room, a few more steps before you crash into your bed.

A bitter taste in your mouth, a swollen feeling in your throat.

Your first sound of pain is a pathetic little sound, so pitiful that you can do nothing more that open your mouth to let out a proper sob.

There was so many emotions careening through your mind, your body shakes as you begin to cry.

There's no thoughts except the feeling of some great big unimaginable loss. You feel completely unattached from everything and everyone. It makes you yearn for him, your sire, and then you feel disgruntled for wanting him, because maybe you shouldn't... but maybe you should.

The argument is too complex to work through in your head. You keep asking yourself why? Why would he do this? Why did you have to be this way?

It's annoying how easily your head can supply answers. A defense of him mounted so simply, it could make you scream.

You sort of knew that your accusations were unfair, but then you remembered the pain you'd be forced to inflict on your family, and you got angry all over again.

It was unfair to get angry with him, and that was the worst thought of all. Because then, if he didn't deserve it... then why did you do it?

Why did you pick a fight with the one man holding you to the Earth? Didn't you deserve to float away then?

You sob and sob until your body feels as if it's run out of moisture, your skin remains cold, your tears too, and you lie awake for a long while, staring off into space, curled up on your bed, until you don't remember falling asleep.

Two days pass in a heavy blur. You don't know where you're going, and you can't remember where you've been. Everyone dodges you, because they know you by now. They know you prefer solitude to comfort... but not even that is entirely true.

Sure, it may have been true before you left home. Now, there was one person that you would accept comfort from if you ever saw his face again.

The prospect of seeing him was getting more and more bleak with each passing hour. He wasn't coming back... you'd pushed too hard this time.

You were stuck like this. In this new body, in a new life, and you were floating away.

Where was he now? Was he sitting somewhere, curled up like you were? Was he safe and well fed?

The thought of him being well fed reminds you of the way his teeth felt on your skin, and you have the irrational fear that he could have already replaced you.

There's no way though. Even after the scary things he suggested, you know that his words are true. That he didn't turn you because he was lonely. Maybe that was a partial reason, but definitely not his only one.

Perhaps there was something in you that had been worth saving. Maybe the world could be a little better place with you in it.

It makes you cry.

Tears spring to your eyes and you don't fight it because how could you have pushed away one of the only people that believed in you so much? Who saw the good in you when you thought you were a monster.

The tears don't stop.

You miss him. The way he laughs and the way he kisses and the way he rolls his eyes when you make a stupid joke.

What power adoration holds, what a grip love has on you-

Your thoughts are interrupted by a pebble softly hitting your bedroom window. You raise your head.

The first thing you do is check the time... 2am.

Had he come back? Was he there? You sprint to the window to look out.

No. It was some scrawny kid, standing outside your window. He's wearing all black, hanging on to a little black lunchbag as well.

You frown, deep in thought, when the boy, who cannot be any more that eighteen notices you, he waves.

You swear a couple of times in your head, before turning away from your window and racing down the stairs.

If he's surprised by the speed that you get to your door, he doesn't say anything.

Instead, all he says is that he has a delivery for you, confirming your name before he extends the lunchbag.

You take it quietly, a million questions in your head, moving too fast for your mouth to catch one.

"My number's in there, if you need more." The boy says, and you finally look up at him.

"He sent you? Did he- did he say anything about me?" You ask.

"Not really, just to make sure you got the best."

Your lip wobbles, you thank him, turning away before you can cry in front of this stranger.

You're not completely sure what's in the insulated bag, but you can make an educated guess based on the circumstances. Drac had never really taught you how to hunt, or even the skill of compulsion that would definitely make it easier. You were really still just a fledgling, and though he wasn't around, here he was, still taking care of you.

It's enough to make you cry again, curl up in bed clutching the little black bag, wishing he would come back, so you could apologise for acting so irrationally towards him.

You can't even eat, staying awake till the sun rises, and then finally falling asleep from all the exhaustion.

When you wake up later in the evening, your stomach finally gives a pain of protest. The last time you fed was on him, and your body demands sustenance.

You take your time, unzipping the lunchbag, finding two bags of blood, one labelled O posive and the other labelled AB negative.

You find that you can't do it. You hate the impersonality of it all. It's a waste of your venom, drinking from a lifeless bag, where you once had soft skin and caring hands.

You push the bag away from you, standing, and opting for a glass of water instead.

It takes you a minute in the kitchen before you're ambushed.

"You have to talk to me. This is getting ridiculous." Your mother pushes, cutting straight to the chase.

You take a deep breath, putting down your glass of water.

"I don't want to talk about it." you try, but you knew better than to hope that would work.

"I figured you probably had a fight about something. Did you two break up?"

"We're not-" you start to say, but in reality, you didn't actually know. You frown, was this the end of your relationship with him?

"I really don't want to talk about this." You try again, moving around the kitchen island in an attempt to escape.

"Maybe it's for the best? You can get someone who's not at least twice your age now."

You almost laugh, if only she knew how far in age you really were from each other.

"All I'm saying is," she continues, following you into the other room, "what could a man his age have to really talk about with someone as young as you?"

Anger burns in you, you're not sure if her implication is that he's too mature, or that you're too juvenile to hold a conversation with him.

"I thought you liked him." you say, feeling a little betrayed.

"As a person, yes, as partner for my youngest daughter? Hell no."

You stop short, trying to fight the tears that threaten to spill, raising your hands to hide your face.

"He saved my life." you try to argue.

"And I'm thankful, but is that the only reason you like him, because he saved you?"

"NO!"

"Is it his money? Or the way he babies you? What are you going to do when he gets old and sick? I don't want you to waste the rest of your life your life caring for him!"

It's too much, and before you can resist, the anger bursts from you blindingly.

"STOP." You hiss, making youself look as menacing as possible and drawing satisfaction from her horrified face.

It's her heart hammering in her chest that's told you what you've done, and you don't need a mirror to realise that you've bared your fangs and flashed your red eyes at her.

"What the hell happened to you?" She asks in whispered horror.

"Mom-" You try, voice freezing as she takes a shaky step back.

An ache in your chest, as you feel like the monster you knows she sees now when she looks at you.

You eyes fill with tears, your lower lip trembles.

Before she can spit another word of hate at you, you turn, and get out of the house as fast as humanly possible.

You're far from home when the black car pulls up alongside you.

You pause, sniffling as the rear glass rolls down.

The first thing you see is blonde hair, and a woman who barely spares you a glance, her eyes trailing up and down before raising an eyebrow and turning away.

"Get in, and I'll take you to him." she says simply, and you swallow, finally turning to the car. You can tell that she's a vampire, and going on the lack of heartbeats in the car, the driver is undead too.

"He sent you?" You ask hopefully, and the corner of her mouth twitches upward.

"No, but he needs your help."

You don't hesitate, pulling open the door and getting into the space beside her. She finally turns to you again, gives you another distasteful look. You feel grubby under her judgemental eyes, observing her designer white dress and sharp heels.

"You'll definitely need to change before we go to see him."

You look down at your aged t-shirt and sweats in betrayal.

She taps one sharp nail against the door twice, and the car takes off into the night, the glass rolling up.

"Who are you?" You ask shyly, unwilling to have this woman look at you for longer than absolutely necessary.

"He's never spoken about me?"

You don't respond, giving her a confused look instead.

"I'm Sophia, the only other person he's ever turned."

You stiffen, remembering everything he's said about her. That they ended things because she'd become something unrecognizeable to him.

"Stop the car." You say firmly.

She gives you a toothy grin.

"So you have heard of me then." She says.

"I won't ask again." You warn.

She gives you a tilt of her head, her blue eyes piercing into you.

After a moment of quiet stares, she taps twice on the car door.

The car slows to a stop. You reach to unlock the door, grabbing the handle.

"If you leave, I'll have your family killed." She says softly, her voice stopping you in your tracks.

You turn back to her in shock, her tone is so casual that for a moment you think she's joking.

Something ugly, Drac had said, and now you understand.

"If you hurt them-"

"You're not really in the best position to be making threats now are you?" She says, raising her hands to study her pristine claws.

"So come with me, do as I say, and I'll think about letting them live."

You grit your teeth, leaning back against the seat in compliance.

A smile, and another two taps, and the car is moving again.

"To be clear, I will be killing you tonight. Not him, just you, I don't like sharing my sire."

You blink, swallowing, fear and anxiety making its way through you.

You can't figure out what to do. If you leave, your family dies, if you stay, you'll inevitably die...unless Dracula manages to have something up his sleeve.

You were fucked.

She'd taken you back to her hotel, where she'd instructed you to take a shower, pointing out your own grimy skin to you in disgust. You'd listened begrudgingly, willing yourself into some kind of acceptance of your fate.

When you were clean, she'd let in a small team of stylists to offer up some dress designs. You note that they were mostly casual dresses, with form fitting material and an expensive design.

She makes you try all of them on for her, and you oblige with gritted teeth. She's mean in the way she gives her opinion, needling at every flaw in your body.

"You're definitely not his usual type." Sophia says, tapping her fingernail to her chin, deep in thought, and you let out a sigh of annoyance, tired of hearing people comment on your body.

"How did you two meet?" She continues to ask.

You almost don't want to tell her, wanting to keep it a secret, something sacred between you and your sire. You feel your heart make a great tug. You wanted your daddy.

"I was dying. Swerved from hitting a deer. She was standing in the middle of the road trying to coax her baby onto the asphalt so they could cross. I was going around a bend... couldn't stop in time. My car flipped." You find that you struggle to continue speaking.

"He saved you." Sophia says.

You blink, looking at her, her eyes reading into you.

"Yeah," You say softly, "No idea why."

After a few moments, you have more courage to speak.

"What about you?"

She gives you a delighted smile.

"We met in Athens, about two hundred years after his supposed death. He'd been living on one of the nearby islands, contemplating the horrible things he'd done. One of the humans under his care had gotten sick, and he came to the city for medicine."

Her face is alight with nostalgic bliss.

"I was a healer, insistent that I treat his 'friend' myself. He admired the way I cared, the way I fought for the people I treated to give them the best. We fell in love."

Your chest burns at the thought.

"It was more than I could have ever imagined. He became a healer to help me, he showed me who he was, he cared for me and protected me. He changed me the night we got married."

Her smile turns bitter.

"But he wanted my obedience, wanted me on a leash like a pet when I'd become a God. How could he expect me to keep healing people, living such a humble, pathetic life when I could rule the same people that once looked down on me? He gave me power and grew upset when I wanted to use it."

"The hypocrite." She scoffs.

"When we broke up, I burned a village to ash." She says, hints of satisfaction and awe in her voice. The sound terrifies you.

"We tried to kill each other. We barely made it out alive. I went searching for a weapon to kill him, I got trapped in a tomb of my own making."

"After all of that, I still love him. And then I find out about you."

You try not to shudder at the way her red eyes meet yours.

"He doesn't love you." She says.

"I know." Is your reply.

What amazing, and painful history they have, you can't help but compare it to the few months you've known him. Sophia has loved him for lifetimes, in her own twisted way, where you've barely begun.

Your heart sinks in your chest.

Maybe this was their story, and you'd just been getting in the way.

"Do you think I could get him back?" She asks.

You swallow. What did you know about the lives of immortals that could make you answer that question accurately?

"I'm sure you can try." You suggest.

It's enough to get her smiling. She stands, reaching for the zipper on the back of her dress, you hold her gaze as she takes her dress off, you can tell she's once again trying to intimidate you by flaunting her small stature. You're over it at this point.

She picks a loose flowing, flowery dress, it makes her look beautiful and somewhat innocent, and you figure you know what angle she's going to play for Dracula when she sees him later.

Having been doused in her products, you no longer smell like yourself, and you figure she does this to conceal you from him for as long as possible.

She wants you to witness it, you can tell. She wasn't subtle about her intentions, and you knew it was all an act to make you as insecure about your relationship with Dracula as much as possible.

Honestly, it had worked a little. Their history had taken root inside of you, made you wonder how you could ever hope to compete with not only his ex-lover, but his ex-wife too. A woman he'd chosen, where you were just someone he stumbled upon by accident.

You still didn't know what her overall plan was. You knew she had a weapon that could kill you, that she was intending to after she got what she wanted, and though she made it seem that reconciliation was her aim, you knew better.

The club she takes you to is dimly lit with a neon blue hue to everything. The music is soft, and there's the use of mirrors behind the bar to make the room seem much bigger than it is.

Overall, it's beautiful, blue crystals protrude from the walls, giving the room a lovely geode effect, the soft lights catching and reflecting off the crystals occasionally. The room was almost like a living organism, pulsing and breathing, where its patrons were not.

Sophia had instructed you not to speak beforehand. She'd shown you a picture of your sister, standing in the kitchen window, warning you that if she doesn't check in every thirty minutes, that the vampire she'd stationed outside your house would go in and slaughter them all.

It had been enough to scare you straight, and she'd assigned two large, burly vampires to sit on either side of you in one of the booths in the corner of the room. The club is filled with a moderate amount of people, all vampires, there's only a few stray heartbeats here and there.

While most of the patrons of the club look human, you can't help notice that some of them have non-human attributes.

You remember Drac explaining that there were different races, and you try not to stare in facination at some of the vampires that have glistening silver teeth, and others with pointed ears and pink skin.

It's beautiful, they all are, they move with the grace of ancient beings, perhaps even sacred idols at one point.

And when you finally spot him, your sire, sitting in a darkened seat at the edge of the bar, your heart gives one big squeeze.

Sophia, looking like the heart of innocence, slides right up beside him, and you realise that you have a mostly uninhibited view of them.

"Hello, sire." You hear Sophia say.

Drac turns slowly to look into her eyes. He blinks for a moment, raises a hand to carefully cup her cheek. You let out a slow breath, trying to ease the pain in your chest at the sight. The nostalgia between them.

"Sophia." he says casually, "I thought you were dead."

"I thought the same of you, love. When I finally escaped from the tomb I'd been trapped in, you'd become nothing more than a myth."

"Why are you here?" he asks, his thumb sliding along her cheek. Her eyelids flutter closed for a second.

"I came for your forgiveness. To say I'm sorry for all the things I've done. I realise now that it was wrong. If you would consider rekindling what we once had." She whispers, looking right at him with her most alluring eyes.

There's a long silence between them, and he drops his hand from her face, turning away.

"I've done a lot of bad things too, and I've spent lifetimes trying to atone. If you would like my help, I won't deny you. But... I don't think we can be together like we were before. Things change. They have to." He replies.

Your lip wobbles, remembering the first time you'd said that to him. Your eyes fill with tears at the idea that you might have said something to him that could stick with him like that. You squeeze your hand into fists, fighting to urge to go to him, hold him.

"Are you sure? We could just try. You loved me once. Don't you remember? Lying beneath the stars the first time I gave myself to you?"

You watch his shoulders drop.

Her words made you angry, the manipulation she was trying to pull on him when you knew it was all for show. You wanted to tear her blonde tresses out of her head for trying to hurt your sire this way.

Drac shakes his head.

"Whatever love I once had for you, it burned up when you set our house on fire with our friends still inside." he finally says.

His words hurt you. You want to go to him, you realise how selfish your accusations had been the nights before. He'd been hurt so badly, and you'd only made it worse.

"A shame, really." Sophia says, dropping all the pretense in her voice.

"I can't imagine that you would choose her over me." She says, and Drac raises his head to look back at her, in what you assume is confusion.

The man beside you takes it as his cue, grabbing you by the upper arm and hauling you up. You let out a little grunt as he grips you too tightly, and you try to move with him.

When he hears more footsteps approaching, Dracula turns to face the sound.

He freezes when he sees you, and you try to show him how sorry you are with the look in your eyes.

He stands angrily, but before he can make another step, a knife is brought to your chest. It glints in the light. The entire blade is made of some type of crystal, looking teal or magenta depending on the way the light hits it.

When the knife is pulled, the entire club freezes. All eyes turn to the spectacle happening near the edge of the bar.

"Now maybe you can stop him from killing her, or maybe you can stop me from sending the order to kill her family, but you definitely can't do both, Dracula."

The crowd erupts into murmurs, no one's apparently seen the infamous vampire in centuries.

"And if you use your compulsion, I'll kill her family."

While Sophia has been dealing her threats, Drac's eyes have been fixed on you. He looks a little worn, slightly pale, as if he hasn't fed in the same amount of time as you.

You want to tell him how sorry you are. That you said all those shitty things to him. He didn't deserve a single word of it.

You want so much in that moment, to throw yourself into his arms, to ask him why he didn't come back, to demand he stay, and not think about leaving you ever again.

He looks pained too, and you're almost glad to see it. Hoping that he missed each minute he was away from you.

He takes a step forward, and you gasp as the knife breaks your skin.

The man holds it there, your skin trying to heal and unable to with the foreign object blocking its path.

"Let. Her. Go." He says with red eyes and gritted teeth.

"No. I need her to keep you in check. Because I want you to make a vampire for me."

That gets both of your attention.

She looks calm at the reveal, as if it's the most obvious thing in the world.

"What?" He says in disbelief.

Sophia shakes her head.

"You're so annoying, love. You've had centuries to make a line of vampires capable of compulsion, to set up comfortable lives for all vampire kind, and instead you've squandered your gift. Hidden it away like the coward you've grown to be."

He looks at her in shocked silence for a moment, before letting out a little huff, and a shake of his head.

"I figured you were lying to me. There's just no empathy in there anymore, is there?

"Is that what you like about her? Her empathy? Disgusting."

His eyes meet yours. Warm and reassuring.

"I like everything about her."

You can't help the happy smile you give him. Despite the situation, his clear display of affection makes you happier that ever.

"Anyways," She pulls her phone from her pocket and sends a text. The man behind you keeps the dagger in your skin, the pain of it holds you in place.

All you can do is look at him, and yearn for him.

"I'll do anything you ask if you let her and her family go." He tries to bargain.

Sophia laughs, still looking at her phone.

"You'll do what I ask anyway, because if you don't, she's dead."

You wanted to tell him that you were dead anyway, that she'd all but guaranteed it to you in the car.

You don't get a chance to speak, before a vampire is moving up to the group of you. He's dressed neatly, a dark blue suit with golden embellishments. His teeth glint like silver when he speaks.

"This club has a no violence policy. Please leave, and do your business elsewhere." He says to Sophia.

The blonde simply laughs.

"I will do what I want, when I want." She simply says, and when she speaks next, you hear the power in her voice.

"Leave, and do not bother me again."

The sound doesn't vibrate your eardrums as much as Drac's does, and you figure it's because she's not as powerful as he is.

Her voice does it's job though, and before the man can protest, he's turning and walking away, his movements stiff in an effort to fight back.

After her display of power, some of the other vampires take their leave easily, and you can't really blame them.

Some remain though, too curious about the spectacle to go.

"Why do you need me?" Dracula finally asks, "Why can't you turn someone yourself?"

She checks her phone again before sighing.

"I want a coven with the strongest capability of compulsion possible. The last child I birthed was weaker than me because I mixed the races. The only way to get someone stronger is to mate with a vampire of the same kind."

What the fuck was she talking about?

Birthed? Mate? Your mind was spinning.

"What?" You say, distracting both of them. The man who's holding you tightens his grip.

"What do you mean birth?"

Sophia turns to Dracula.

"You haven't told her?"

"She's only a few months old." He answers, as if this is some type of reasonable explaination.

"Oh, I'm gonna enjoy this." She says decisively, turning fully to you.

"Haven't you noticed by now that there are somethings not quite vampire about you? The fact that you get sleepy for example. Other vampires don't need sleep."

You glance at Dracula, he's got his eyes on you.

"They don't?" You ask.

"Nope. We're something different, something very special. We can sleep, we can dream, we can get pregnant." Sophia answers.

You swallow.

"We can?" You say in disbelief.

Dracula's eyes hold no denial.

Something blooms in your chest.

You could actually have babies if you wanted?

"Why didn't you tell me?" You ask him softly.

He gives you a sad smile.

"It's a lot to put on you. The mating cycle can be very intense. You're still learning how to control your thirst."

You think you understand.

Sophia approaches, cups your cheek and turns your head to hers, breaking your eye contact with your sire.

"The mating cycle happens once in about five years. Your body burns and it aches and if you're alone you wish you were dead. He could never understand what you go through. Are you sure this is the life you really want? Wouldn't death be a blessing?" She taunts.

You sigh in defeat, and then the back door to the club swings open.

"Finally," She says with a toss of her golden hair, "You're late."

Two men enter, and you take in as much information as you can.

One is old, with a lanky stature and a bald head. He's dressed in a three piece suit, wearing a large amount of gold jewellery.

Even his ears are pierced, lined with gold hoops and you get the idea, based on his movements and mannerisms, that he's some type of old royalty.

The other man is human, dressed casually, the sound of his heartbeat echoes in your head. It reminds you of how long you've gone without feeding.

"Apologies for the delay." The older man says, "But I am here now, and ready to witness history. Oh, hello Dracula."

Drac's fangs are bared in distaste.

"Tepes, I thought I killed you."

"Yes, well... no." The man answers dismissively, with a wave of his hand and as you watch them carefully, you can see something of a resemblance.

The amount of history in the room is spinning in your head. The amount of things you've just learnt disorient you. You just want everyone and everything to stop.

Sophia throws her arms around the human, giving him a very inappropriate kiss that she subjects everyone to the room to observing and you let out an annoyed breath, jerking in place in an attempt to move.

The man behind you takes it as disobedience, and you cry out as the knife gets deeper.

It's right on your sternum now, and tears spill from your cheeks at the amount of pain you're in.

All eyes turn to you, but your vision has become too blurry to focus.

You can almost feel Dracula's anger, filling the room, making the air thick with his power. It somehow manages to make you more antsy, his irritation is yours.

"So this is the little vampire that's made everything possible." The old man says, and you raise your head to observe him wearily as he approaches.

"Very pretty, I bet she takes orders very well." The man raises his hand slowly, preparing to trace the tips of his fingers over your cheek.

"You'd make an excellent addition to my collection."

"Don't touch her." Dracula compels, and the man's hand freezes right before your face.

Sophia spins, pulling her phone out.

"Compulsion gets her family killed." She says decisively, moving to send a message.

Dracula takes a step toward her, and the knife goes deeper into you chest.

"Say goodbye." She taunts, and it's all too much, there's a great rushing in your head, a pressure that builds until it bursts, one word escaping you.

"STOP."

You hear it, the vibration in your own voice, you feel something shift in the room as the power of your one word settles over everyone that hears it.

The entire room goes still.

You raise a hand, carefully pulling the knife from your chest, and taking it from the man before extracting yourself from his grip.

You let out a low gasp, bending over, rubbing the space over your heart, sighing in relief as the wound begins to heal.

You gasp in surprise as someone puts a hand on your shoulder. Jerking upright, you realise that it's him, the only person immune to your compulsion, your sire.

"Drac" you gasp, throwing your body into his arms forcefully, ignoring the sharp sting in your chest from your healing wound.

"I'm here baby, I'm right here." He soothes, a gentle hand over your back.

"I'm not done yet." You gasp, pulling away and turning to Sophia.

Her hands are frozen on her phone, her mouth parted in surprise as she looks at you.

You can see the appeal of her beauty, the innocent way she looks, and you can also see the serpent beneath.

"You will never, harm me or my family, directly or indirectly ever again." The words leave you easily, you watch her register the compulsion, the terrified look in her eyes as she comes to terms with the power you hold.

"You will never act against me, or my sire." You finish, turning to the older man, behind you.

When you're done, you turn back to Dracula for approval. He lets out a harsh breath, takes two long strides to stand before you, cups your cheeks and drops his head to kiss you deeply.

Sweet bliss.

Pleasure explodes in every cell of your body. You toss your hands over his shoulders and sink your fingers into the hair at the back of his head, one hand still gripping the dangerous blade.

He groans, arms wrapped around you, he lifts you until you're just barely on the very tips of your toes.

Like coming home, the smell of him, the taste of his tongue, every easy motion he makes to pull you even closer to him. Overwhelming in the very best way.

"I'm so fucking proud of you." He says between kisses, and it reminds you that you're not alone, that you have an entire room frozen, being forced to listen to you kiss him.

You giggle into his mouth, pulling away.

"I'm sorry, for what I said- I didn't mean a single word of it-"

"I know- I forgive you. I know. I just wanted to give you some space."

You grip his shirt, burying your face in his chest.

"I hate space. I don't want it. I want you, Dracula." You raise your head shyly to look into his eyes, you don't think you could go another breath without him at your side.

"If you would have me." You whisper meekly.

He cups your cheeks, studying you.

"I should be asking you. I've wanted you from the moment you looked at me. From the minute you said my name. I've wanted nothing more since."

Tears spill from the corners of your eyes, happiness so potent you couldn't contain it. You let out little happy sobs, and he holds you through it.

When things finally settle, he guides you through freeing the club from your compulsion. You apologise for your actions, watching the rest of the club leave quickly, throwing you dirty looks, until only Sophia, and the two other men remain.

Defeated, she looks at you angrily, calling off her men from around your family home.

"How?" She whispers in disbelief, and you know she's wondering how exactly you managed to compel not only other vampires, but her as well. You suspect it has something to do with the connection, or lack thereof between you and Sophia, but you're not totally sure.

Drac huffs in amusement as if he knows the answer, and you turn to him for an explanation.

"She only drinks from me." He murmurs, looking at you with affection, one hand cupping your face, leaning in to kiss you easily, in front of his ex-lover, his ex-wife... whatever.

"A nice, steady diet of power will do that." He says, giving you a sharp grin, "Though compulsion at only a few months old? That was all you."

You smile, turning to look at Sophia, satisfied with the sour expression on her face.

That's right, bitch, you think easily in her direction.

You pass the knife over to him, and you watch as he tucks it into the waistband of his pants for safekeeping.

He wraps a hand around your shoulders next, and you lean into him as he guides you out of the club.

"Did you drink the blood I sent you?" He asks, looking down at you.

"Uuummmmm....."

"Oh baby," he says with disappointment in his tone, "You must be so hungry, you're lucky your control didn't slip."

You swallow, remembering the actions that happened right before you left your house.

"So about that..." You mumble, acknowledging that you still had loose ends to tie up.

The night wasn't over yet.

A/N: WHO'S OUT HERE CHOPPING ONIONSSSSSSSS 🧅

#venomous #dracula au #modern dracula #dracula x reader #dracula #vampire au #my writings #vampire fiction

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scaly-freaks · 25 days

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thinking about a dracula!aegon au but like true horror (he's got bat wings, and he's all gross and grey and shrivelled up because he's been packed up in that coffin of romanian soil for so long). and it's a situation where he's stalking humans in the local english village night after night, and by the time he's returned to his original form, he finally finds amara and decides ah, this one i'm going to kidnap as a new bride. and then the horror truly begins because he courts her like an undead creature who is centuries old, not a gentleman from her current century. cue just pure fear on her part, and him thinking he's doing something by bringing her decapitated heads and shaking her to stop her crying.

#aegon x amara #aegon ii targaryen #aegon ii x oc #dracula au

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0nelittlebirdtoldme · 1 year

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Ferocious

Spend the day winding down and drawing my king, queen and bride, the one and only, Jonathan Harker

#my fic fanart #dracula au #dracula #dracula daily #jonathan harker #we are also not talking about how i spend hours on the colored version #only to realize that the linework on the red background looks way better

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lena-in-a-red-dress · 5 months

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Dracula AU - some more thoughts

You know how in the book Mina has a bit of a telepathic bond with Dracula? Well, in this AU, it's the other way around, at first. When Dracula realizes that he no longer has unfettered access to Lena, he starts messing with her mind a little bit.

Lena starts seeing him looming in corners, from the corner of her eye, making her continuously on edge. Eventually, she starts zoning out more and more often, until one day Kara comes to visit her in the lab to find Lena with her eyes half closed and her hand scratching back and forth in sharp jagged lines across her notebook, with such pressure that that the tip of her pen nearly tears the page.

On that day, when Kara tries to gently snap Lena out of it, Lena turns and in one fluid motion drives the pen deep into Kara's shoulder. Against Kara's invulnerability the pen does nothing but burst into a splotch of ink on her shirt, but when Kara reacts by trapping Lena's arms against her in a restraining bear hug, Lena thrashes with the frenzy of a trapped animal, growling and bellowing in protest.

Kara wrestles Lena into the same cell they'd once used to trap a phantom, and as the door hisses closed Kara's heart breaks. She can't bring herself to leave the room. She waits as Lena paces darkly, until hours later Lena finally falls abruptly still, blinks twice, and then lifts her head in confusion.

Her eyes meet Kara's.

"What happened?"

#supercorp #dracula au #the piece thats been living in my drafts for two weeks #finally finished it #sorry for the delay #life has been crazy #might have some more thoughts in me

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scribes-archives · 2 months

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Girls Night!!

[image description: a cartoon-style marker drawing of RM Renfield and Lucy Westenra from Dracula. They are both drawn from the waist up, with Renfield on the left and Lucy on the right. Renfield is tall with short brown-and-grey hair, purple antennae and black-and-green moth wings. He is wearing a purple sweater with black vertical stripes, orange dragonfly earrings, and jeans, with one hand in his pocket and the other holding a green milkshake, which he is drinking from. Lucy is short with split dye blonde-and-black hair. She is wearing a white crop top with short pink sleeves and there is a pink bow in her hair. She is drinking from a blood bag through a straw. They are both smiling at each other. There is a dark blue background behind them with silver dots representing stars./End image description.]

#scribes art #unfamiliar #rm renfield #lucy westenra #Dracula au

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rocicrew · 5 months

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I suppose it is thus that in old times one vampire meant many; just as their hideous bodies could only rest in sacred earth, so the holiest love was the recruiting sergeant for their ghastly ranks.

“You are the central fact of my life,” he said.

#mine : art.#the harker- sorry the holden-nagatas #technically it's both #it started as brr brr there goes both of my brain rots mashed into one #what do I even tag this #nolden #dracula au #ig #okay I will attempt to make my interpretation of jonmina one day #but if you wanna claim them as much feel free #this is just vibes #if anyone wants the full glitchy version I have that as well

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fantasyandromancelover · 5 months

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Dracula AU

Dracula - Alastor

Johnathan Harker - Moxxie

Abraham Van Helsing - Husk

Mina Murray - Millie

Lucy Westenra - Charlie

Arthur Holmwood - Blitzo

Dr. John Seward - Vaggie

R.M Renfield - Angel

In the 1400's, during the time when the Ottoman Empire destroyed Constantinople and threatened Europe, Alastor a knight of the church, joined the Order of The Dragon to defend his home country and his people. In battle he was victorious, successfully slayed his enemies, and managed to rescue many prisoners of the Turks including a beautiful Byzantine princess. They fall in love and marry after the war but unfortunately, a life of wedded bliss was not to be.

The Order of the Dragon, had become corrupt after their leader chose to renounce God, sell his soul to Satan, and become the world's first vampire. The order's new plan to infect the world with this plague and create a vampire coven. Horrified, Alastor left the order and intended to flee to another country with his wife where they could live together peacefully. Tragically the order was insulted by his refusal to join their cause and decided to punish him. The order abducted Alastor's wife and burned her at the stake then he was forcibly changed into a vampire.

Driven insane by the loss of his wife and the torture of being transformed into nosferatu, Alastor terrorized Eastern Europe. Possessed by an uncontrollable blood lust, he killed many lives as did the Order, but he was merciful enough to ensure none of his victims became vampires themselves as opposed to the Order. And he swears vengeance against the order, intending to destroy it and then take his own life.

Centuries later, in the 1800's, an English solicitor Maximus (Moxxie) has become engaged to the lovely and devoted school mistress Mildred (Millie). He loves her more than anything in the world but feels that he is too poor to marry her so he desperately seeks any method to change his fortune. An opportunity for such arises when his employer assigns him to an extremely wealthy client in Transylvania though it requires him to travel to said country and stay there for a few days. Mildred wishes to marry before he leaves, insisting that she doesn't care about money and that his love is all she needs. But Maximus wants to wait til after he returns so he can afford to give her the wedding of her dreams and so much more.

While he's away, Mildred stays with her aristocratic but beautiful and innocent best friend Charlotte who has also become engaged. She has been arranged to marry Baldwin (Blitzo) a young lord who is believed to be of noble birth and dreadfully wealthy. However unlike Maximus and Mildred, Baldwin and Charlotte are not in love, though she tries to love him and he is good to her, he often neglects her for business and leaves her alone with his hateful sister Barbara (Barbie).

Upon arriving in Transylvania, Maximus is welcomed graciously by his client who happens to be Alastor and his servant Anthony, a young man who he rescued from being a sex slave. Alastor desires to secure an estate in London under the claim that he has established a new business over there but in actuality, he wishes to move there because that's where the order has traveled to. Maximus is suspicious of Alastor's intentions at first, especially when he hears and sees so many strange things during his stay. But he ends up complying with Alastor's request after seeing the man's incredible collection of treasure. In a few days, Maximus, Alastor, and Anthony go to London and he moves into the estate next door to Baldwin's.

One night Alastor catches a glimpse of Charlotte and is stunned to discover that she looks identical to his late wife. Desperate to meet her, he throws an engagement gala for Maximus and Mildred "To show his gratitude to him." At the event he and Charlotte fall in love at first sight and he suspects her to be the reincarnation of his lost love.

Meanwhile unknown to everyone else, Baldwin and Barbara have lost their fortune and their place in society due to their father going into debt and have secretly joined the order to recover what they've lost. Although Baldwin is completely unaware of the evil taking place within the cult. So while Baldwin is busy running errands and making secret deliveries for the order, Alastor begins tracking down and killing members of the cult one by one. One night his killing is witnessed by Maximus who also discovers the painted portrait of Alastor's wife and her resemblance to Charlotte. He flees to warn the others but Anthony intercepts him, they fight and both men knock each other into the river.

Luckily Anthony is found and taken to the hospital while Maximus is discovered by a nun and whisked away to a convent where he suffers from a brain fever. Mildred travels to said convent to marry him, leaving Charlotte completely alone in the house with Barbara. But at night Alastor begins to invite Charlotte to one romantic evening after another, causing their love to grow stronger. During one of these outings Alastor professes his love to her and they share a passionate kiss but Charlotte quickly regrets it, telling Alastor that she wishes to remain faithful to Baldwin, and cannot see him anymore. Though heartbroken, Alastor accepts her decision.

Word of the mysterious way Alastor's victims died soon reaches Dr. Harlin Talanov (Husk) a professional in the medical field and in vampire hunting, having slain the very vampire who turned Alastor. He suspects vampirism is plaguing London and travels there with his headstrong apprentice Vagatha to investigate. They set up their research at the hospital with Harlin studying the dead bodies and Vagatha taking care of the living patients, thus leading her to meet and form a bond with Anthony. It isn't long before Harlin begins to suspect Anthony is a vampire's minion and he convinces Vagatha to get answers from him.

Back at Whitbay, Charlotte suddenly becomes ill but Barbara refuses to let Baldwin call a physician but when Mildred visits, she becomes suspicious and sends for Vagatha. The three women strike up a friendship and Charlotte confides in them about her friendship with Alastor, and Vagatha can't help noticing the similarities between him and Anthony's "master." Later Barbara lies to Baldwin that Charlotte's ailment is really a cover for an affair she's been having with Alastor. Charlotte pleads with Baldwin that she has been faithful and still retains her virtue but he does not believe her and furiously has her confined to her room until the wedding.

When she over hears Barbara trying to convince Baldwin to send her to an asylum, she cries herself to sleep. Alastor hears her cries and later sneaks into her bedroom. When she wakes, she reveals that she remembers her past life as his wife and confesses that she still loves him despite the fact that he's a vampire. She offers herself to him as his bride and they make love. Shortly after, Charlotte's illness increases and she takes a turn for the worst. Unable to lose her, Alastor turns her into a vampire and carries her off to his estate.

Meanwhile Maximus finally recovers from his fever and reveals Alastor's identity as a vampire. He, Baldwin, Harlin, and Vagatha then go to Alastor's state to stake him but are mortified to find him and a vampirized Charlotte sleeping together in a coffin. Charlotte then denounces her engagement to Baldwin and declares that she is now Alastor's wife, and wishes to be with him forever. Baldwin unable to accept this, tries to take her by force but Alastor attacks him and the others, only agreeing to spare them on Charlotte's behalf. The couple then choose to flee back to Transylvania.

That same night, Mildred is attacked and bitten, now in the process of becoming a vampire herself. The group believes Alastor is responsible and sets out to destroy him in order to save Mildred. The order of the dragon offers to help but Harlin does not trust them and advises the others to avoid the cult. Unfortunately Barbara persuades Baldwin to bring them along. As Mildred slowly transforms, she develops a psychic connection to Charlotte due to them making a blood sister pact sometime ago and reads her mind in order to locate her and Alastor.

They take a train to Transylvania to pursue them and during the trip Maximus, Harlin, and Vagatha can’t help noticing how uncomfortable Mildred acts around Barbara, and Harlin keeps picking up a peculiar yet familiar scent on her. When the group splits up, Maximus and Harlin search her bag, discovering a rare but very fatal poison that has no known cure. When they confront Barbara about it she reveals to them that Charlotte’s illness had been a result of her secretly poisoning her so she and Baldwin could inherit her fortune and use it to benefit the order. She also reveals that the order had transformed her into a vampire and that it was she who attacked Mildred.

She and cult then capture them, and try to force Mildred to feed on them. She almost succumbs to their influence and bites Maximus but her love for him allows her to resist long enough for Harlin to place a communion wafer on her head to slow down the transformation. Mildred helps them escape and the flee to warn Baldwin and the others.

Baldwin’s group manages to catch Alastor and Charlotte before they reach the castle, and a fight breaks out. During the battle Barbara attacks Charlotte revealing her vampire form and true nature to her brother. As she prepares to stake Charlotte, Alastor desperately throws himself on to his wife and takes the blow for her. Finally recognizing the evil of the order and his sister, Baldwin turns on them and fights back along with Maximus and the others upon reuniting with them. In the end, all the cult members are killed, the Order of The Dragon is finally destroyed, and Baldwin is forced to stake and decapitate Barbara thus saving Mildred from becoming a vampire herself.

A tearful Charlotte then takes the dying Alastor into the chapel where he was cursed and prays to God to let him live, while he repents for his sins and agrees to face death and damnation with dignity but pleads that Charlotte be spared. Heaven is moved by their love and by Alastor’s sacrifice, so through a miracle not only is Alastor saved but both he and Charlotte are reverted to their human forms, free to live a happy life together at last.

22 notes · View notes