What Lurks Beneath ✓ (Jonathan x Dracula)

Chapter One

It's been years since that awful fate with the Dracula—from time to time do I see Mina burying in her sleep, recounting the nightmares she'd succumbed to that night with the Dracula.

I laid down next to her, my fingers lightly scraping against her skin as I saw the tweak in her pink lips, "Oh, Jonathan."

"Mina," I spoke, slightly breathless, "How'd you slumber?"

Tonight was different; Mina wasn't as restless as she usually was. She was well-rested and content, which made me sigh in relief. It was rather painful watching her suffer like this.

She stretched out on our slumber, like a cat who had just awoken and gave me a sweet kiss, "Oh, if only I could forget that night. Forget that god awful sadistic monster."

"You haven't to worry about him anymore," I assured her, "He's gone. We drove a stick through his heart and cut off his head. He's as good as gone."

She nodded, softly whimpering, "Yes, I'm aware. But... what if, by any chance, he comes back? Stronger than ever?"

I gently nudged her head towards my bosom as she rested her head there. I kept silent for a while—what if he did return? However, I didn't want to worry her any further, she's been through hell and back already. "He won't. I promise you that."

"Oh, my poor Lucy," Mina whimpered, "How I miss you everyday."

There was no way he was going to come back, was he? Not in a million years—he was dead. We made sure of that, Van Helsing made sure of that.

ততততত

"Ah, isn't it well to see you again, Jonathan?" The driver smiled at me with his pearly white teeth, "How's your wife Mina?"

"She's well, thank you," I nodded at him as I entered the carriage with the horses. The night sky was as pristine as twilight, as I could only see a figment of his face through the natural light of the moon.

His eyes were a faint red, however I couldn't tell if it was just a reflection from the street lamp just across us. He continued smiling as my baggage was gently placed at the back of the carriage, the horses making a huffed sound, "Very well, then. Just remember to treat yourself with our finest rum below the carriage deck."

I searched, an aching feeling suddenly arising in my gut—this felt familiar. Eerily familiar. I hadn't noticed I was anxiously rocking my leg until I had caught the attention of the locals; their eyes scanning me in a peculiar way. It was as if my every move was being analysed.

Suddenly, I could hear the sound of wolves howling from the mountains, the moon glowing a flashy red. The howling of the wolves began a panic in the horses as they began to neigh loudly, the driver pulling out his whip in an attempt to settle them down.

"Ay, these horses have a mind of their own," He chuckled, resting his gaze upon me, "Ah, you look rather pale, Jonathan."

I shook my head, "No, no, I've just haven't had sleep that's all."

"Very well." He said, turning his gaze away from me and back onto the concrete pavement.

Unexpectedly, a bright white flash emitted from the sky, as I saw a figure emerge from the shadows, a few metres away from the carriage.

There stood a tall man with a black long coat and sharp facial features. I saw in his eyes a red lustful evil as he looked at me, his ivory white sharp teeth displaying themselves in a hauntingly beautiful manner.

However, before I could blink, he was gone. I didn't have enough time to determine whether what I saw was real—and I pray to god it wasn't.

I turned my sight back to the driver, the corner of his lips crooked into a sinister smile before quickly returning his gaze back to the front.

This couldn't be—the return of Dracula. But how? He was dead. I recall the memory; I saw as Van Helsing drew the stick into his heart and beheaded him, filled his coffin with garlic and sealed it with a crucifix.

It must've been a hallucination; I was lacking sleep, and Mina was still having nightmares about the Dracula. It must've been my mind playing with me.

I drank the rum underneath the carriage deck as I sat there uncomfortably, hoping for the journey to be over soon.