Blood and Apples

Chapter 12

Count Dracula sat quietly at the side of the large bed where Snow white's body laid peacefully still.
He ran his finger across her cheek, hoping she would just suddenly wake up. But there she stayed.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there princess" he spoke low to himself.
It had been a couples of days since the now deceased queen place this curse on Snow White, Dracula even searched her castle himself before finding the specific spell book from which the curse came from.
In the end not even that was any help "spell can only be done by true loves kiss" the book has said.
One can not live without a soul, and Dracula did not have a soul.
So now he just sat their wallowing in pity and his failed attempt to keep snow, his princess safe.
He rested his head on her stomach hearing the ever fading beat of her heart, if she stayed in this condition any longer she'd surely perish.

"Is there anything you would like master?" The servant asked standing at the door frame.

"I'd like to be left alone"

"Of course master"

"Wait-" Dracula suddenly called slightly lifting his head.

"Bring me something alive to eat, I'm actually feeling famished"

"Of course master anything in particular?"

"A villager or something I don't care I just need blood-" the count paused. The room fell silent as Dracula looked back towards Snow.

"Master"

"Leave"

"Master I don't think-"

"You're not hear to think, now leave before I kill you" Dracula growled eyes glowing. The servant merely bowed before rushing out of the room.
With a deep calm breath Dracula turned to Snow gently rising her head from the pillow. Part of him was hesitant as he held her close.

"I hope one day you'd forgive me" he whispered to her before baring his fangs and sinking them into her neck. He bit her.
Once he unlocked his jaw from Snow's neck he let out a gasp wiping the blood that dropped from his mouth. Dracula's eyes were did not leave Snow, waiting for a change more even slight movement.

"Princess?" He whispered desperately.
Suddenly the slightest sound escaped from Snow's lips, a gasp of air. Her eyes slowly fluttered open, they looked around her surroundings before landing on Dracula. They glistened red.

"C-count?" She mumbled with a dry throat. Dracula brushed the hair from her face watching Snow's mind began to turn.

"T-the queen s-she-"

"Be still princess, everything is okay" Dracula soothed.

"I have taken care of everything" he added, Snow slowly started to steady her breath before realising something strange. She had no breath, her body felt cold and empty. Her eyes burned back to Dracula even more confused.

"W-what happened?" She asked, what had the queen manage to do to her she thought of the forest, the mysterious old hag and the apple she was given more her memories fade to black.

"What has she done to me?" Snow asked, her voiced filled with fear. She roamed her hands over herself to her through where she left a sudden sharp sting. She hissed at the pain before Dracula gripped her wrists pulling them away.

"Careful princess, you're still tender there"

"What do you mean? What happened?" She asked again. She looked up into Dracula's eyes confused and fearful. With a deep sigh Dracula pulled Snow closer again into his grip, placing a gentle kiss on the top of her head.

"It's best if I just show you" he said in a low tone before moving off the bed with Snow White still in his arms. Dracula didn't bother to move fast as he walked down the darkened halls of his castle, he wanted to prolong this moment just a little longer.
Eventually Dracula reached the large door of the large flight of stairs that somehow Snow White had never seen before.

"Where are we?" She asked gripping into Dracula's shirt as she lifted his hand in front of the door causing it to suddenly open.

"My room dearest" he answered taking a step forward. It felt cold inside despite being filled with dimly lit candles, he had a large portrait of what Snow could assume was himself parallel to a large beg covered in dark furs. There were chests willed with gold and jewels all around and piles of books with old withering covers that caught Snow's attention.
The two stopped in front of something large covered by a dark cloak.

Dracula gently placed Snow back on her feet in front of the mysterious object before moving towards the cloak with his hand. He hesitated for a second taking one last glance at Snow, her confused eyes looking at him. It would most likely be the last time he'd ever see her again.

"I hope one day you might forgive me" she said.

"Dracula... you're scaring me" she whimpered before he turned away ripping the large cloak off the object.
Snow lightly jumped back before seeing the mysterious object, it was large and round and shiny, revealing an image of a room almost exactly the same as the one Snow and Dracula were in. She looked at his confused gentle placing her hand upon its surface until suddenly she realised what it was. A mirror... with no reflection of herself.

Snow's eye suddenly grew larger as everything became clear, her whole world and crashing within her mind as she started to step black from the mirror, her hands reached her mouth then moved to her neck where the sharp pain struck again.
She turned to look at Dracula but he couldn't bare to look back.

"Wh-what-what have you done!?" The feeling of her heart pounding was absent from her body.

"I did what I had to... to bring you back to me"

"I'm dead!" Snow screamed suddenly filling from drip down her cheek. She touched her cheek showing little droplets of blood from her eyes where tears should've been.
Finally Dracula took a step forward watching as she trembled, staring fearfully at her blood stained hands.

"Be calm Snow, I know this is a shock-"

"I'm dead!" She cried again.

"No, no Snow please listen to me-" he reached for arms but in the blink of on eyes she moved back until ramming herself into the wall behind her.

"Snow! Please be still! This is all new, You can get hurt-" Dracula tried to explain but Snow quickly was back at her feet and ran out of the room.
He stood there for a moment sighing heavily, what had he done to her.