The Crimson Project

-9-

3.30 am

His eyes, he stared into mine and I felt the world around me  disappearing. 

I couldn't feel my body, like I was outside of myself.

And the walls of the white room surrounding me slowly painted in a light grey, I could see him, right in front of me, on the other side of the aisle, only him and a man right behind him.

I couldn't recognize the third one, but the man on the red suit, with the long black raven hair falling to his shoulders, I did recognize him...

He was Dracula... or

Vlad, I knew his real name the second I stared into his green eyes.

Not the ones that are looking at me, back at the facility, no, those are full of rage, pain, hate and sorrow, I can see it, I can taste it and those eyes are red, like the blood...like my eyes.

I shook my head when Kiara touched my shoulder and I breathed quickly, I then noticed that I was holding my breath.

It wasn't a vision, it was my past.

The count grinned and I looked away, incapable of holding his look one more second, aware that he had already seen everything that had passed my mind.

-We are here to free you-Kiara finally said breaking the silence.- We are running out of time and the panel's light are all green, we have to go now...

-I understand, but although you are completely able to let me go, you haven't yet, so I imagine there must be something else you two want to clarify before conceding me my freedom.-He said calmly and as he stood up, I could see he didn't had any other chain, golden thread or necklace to keep him in the cell.

-Why aren't you tied? - I asked and kept looking around the white empty cell around him.

-I believe you would like me to be more like a slave, don't you, Irina?-The count said and he mockingly pronounced my name.

-No, I just can't understand why you aren't tied or wearing the collar they made me wear...-I replied and Kiara looked behind her back.

-Rina, we have to hurry up, why you don't ask that later?-She said and started to introduce the code in the panel.

-You believe I am a monster...but I'm not the one you know... I have changed yes, but you have as well...Mina...-Dracula claimed and the invisible wall between us faded to white again, revealing a door in the center.

Kiara moved her index finger to her forearm and her golden arrow turned into a key, she winked at me and pulled it out of her skin. Making a nasty noise.

The red headed held the key and placed it into the keyhole, turning it left until we heard a soft click.

-One of the few good things the Projectors put on me and my brother, we are also like some kind of Swiss knife, we always have some useful tool under our sleeve...or skin- she explained to me while the door opened and the count came walking towards ourselves.

-Kiara am I right?-he said and bowed respectfully. She nodded, in distrust. He then glanced in my direction, turning to me and held my hand faster than I realized. He placed a kiss on my skin and a fire burning inside of me turned on. It wasn't me actually, it was Mina... I needed answers and as soon as possible. – Mina... Irina... it doesn't matter now that we are reunited together.

-That is not why we set you free, Dracula- I replied full of fear, of my past and of the effect he had on me. I took my hand from his. – You're only free because other way, at sunrise you would be dead and all of us would be Van Helsing's slaves.