Dracula's Groom

CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE: Ding Dong The B*TCH IS BACK

Nathan

The truth of the matter was...I didn't know how to react in the face of the young woman who used to be my great Aunt Agnes. I mean, I was there at her funeral. I saw the urn, I signed the guest book. I even shook the hand of the priest for crying out loud. But I guess none of that really mattered now.

Standing at the top of the stairs, I watched as Agnes walked along the roses, humming a gentle tune. A tune I now recognize as a lullaby from when I was a child. I followed but remained a few steps behind as she floated down the stone pathway to a Gazebo with mystical writing inscribed into the wood.

"You must have so many questions," she began. "What would you like to know?"

"First, you can explain to me how it is you're alive and younger."

"Fine. The answer is simple. I faked my death."

"How?"

"I had the coroner write up a phony death certificate and bribed the funeral home to fill the urn with some ashes from the fireplace."

I shook my head. "You're crazy."

"As for the younger model. This is me, in my true form. I still age naturally up until a certain point than my old body burns and is reborn. Sort of like the Phoenix as it rises from the ashes."

"So it is true. You really are a witch."

"I am indeed."

My head started to hurt as I winced at the pain. "I don't think I can take much more."

Agnes put her arm around me and soothed my back. "Shh. There, there my child. You're safe now."

"You intend to kill Dracula, don't you?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"I told you why. He's a plague upon this earth that must be stopped."

"You're wrong. He only wants to take back what is rightfully his."

"His kingdom, I know. But he won't get very far without it."

"What do you mean?"

"I plan to destroy it. And to do that I need to kill him and acquire his blood."

"Please Aunt Agnes. Don't do this." I begged. "This isn't you."

"This is exactly who I am, Nathan." Her body froze as she whipped her head towards the house. "Why it appears that our guest has arrived. Excuse me dear while I greet him. And I think its best if you stay here where it's safe."

Lost for a moment in the pain that my head was causing. Agnes left the Gazebo as I tried to follow only to walk face-first into what felt like an invisible wall. I tried to punch my hand through it again and again but it was no use. I was trapped here until she came back or worse. Minutes passed as I paced around in a circle, staring at the writing on the floor. Confusion crinkled the lines in my forehead as the carvings somehow turned into something that even I could read.

It didn't take a genius to know that this was a boundary spell used to keep people locked up. Powered by the energy of the full moon. The spell can only be undone by the witch who cast it or by someone of the original bloodline. Well, I am a descendant of Aunt Agnes after all, so why not give it a shot? I mean, what's the worst that can happen?

I stood in the center facing the entrance with the moon to my back as I relaxed my body and my mind. The words poured from my mouth like liquid from a stream but nothing happened. Was that it? Had I done it right? Guess there was only one way to find out. Standing in front of the threshold, I heisted at first as I slowly put my hand forward until I felt no resistance only open air and freedom.

I ran back to the house as I rounded up the stairs only to hear the sound of fighting coming from the grand foyer. Pieces of wood and shards of glass littered the ground as I looked up and saw Dracula and Aunt Agnes lashing out at each other like old enemies. Their faces cut, their body's bruised and bloody amongst the chaos.

"You must stop!" I shouted.

Dracula's eyes looked down upon me in an instant as he leapt over the banister and dropped down beside me. "Nathan," he breathed. "Are you hurt?"

"No. I'm fine. Just get me out of here, please."

His arm snaked around my waist as he tried to hurry me out of the house. But it was Agnes that had the upper hand as she closed the double doors and locked them from the outside all with the snap of her fingers. Shielding me with his body, Dracula readied his weapon as Agnes came down the grand staircase.

"You're not going anywhere, nephew. No, you're going to stay right here with me."

"In your dreams, bitch." Dracula replied. "Nathan is mine."

"Nonsense. That's impossible."

"Oh, that's where you're wrong witch. You see it was Nathan's blood that awakened me from my eternal slumber a few weeks ago."

Agnes's eyes blazed with fury. "Is this true?" She looked at me.

"Yes." I said.

"No," she muttered. "No, no, no. This cannot happen."

"It has and it did," Dracula said coldly. "Now release us before I shave my sword down your throat."

A wild scream erupted from the lungs of my great Aunt Agnes as she lashed with her hand and threw me across the room like I was a rag-doll. I hit the ground hard with the side of my head smacking the marble floor with a hard thud that made the room spin. Through the haze I noticed a glint of light flash across the room as I slowly came to and saw the tip of a sword piercing the open mouth of what was once my Aunt Agnes in all her former glory.

His hands soon found my body as he lifted me up and carried me out of the house and into the front passenger seat of a black SUV presumably a Range Rover. I must've black out for a moment because the next thing I knew, I came to in the backseat of the same car that was stolen not long ago. With my head in his lap he stroked my cheek with his fingers but still kept one hand on the hilt of his sword that rested between his legs.

"Are you alright?" He asked.

"Yes. Are you?"

"I'll be fine."

That was a lie. "No you're not." I carefully sat up as I angled my neck and offered it to him. "Drink."

"No." he said firmly.

"Yes. We both know that you need your strength. Now drink."

"Nathan," he grunted. "Please stop."

I took his face in my hands. "Listen to me. You are not going to hurt me understand? Don't be afraid to take what you need. I can handle it."

Pale lips coiled back to reveal a set of razor fangs as I braced myself for the strike. His whole body lurched forward like a snake as I took me in his arms again and nuzzled his way into my neck. The bite was swift and gentle. I couldn't help but moan at first, the way his tongue lapped at the blood that flowed into his mouth with every drawing pull of my vein. I wasn't sure how long he was gone for but when he resurfaced, I could tell that he wanted more.

"Do you want me to stop?" He asked, as his fangs gleamed in the dark.

But I didn't answer. Instead, I raked my fingers through his thick dark hair and pulled him back to my throat as he resumed and drank his fill.

Author's Note: Hello my lovelies. Sorry for being absent! My mind somehow decided to go away on holiday and didn't even care to tell me. How rude! Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this little chapter. Sorry if it seems rushed. I'm hoping the next one will be better. :) Well, i'm off to bed. Gotta go to work at 10AM blah.