𝐃𝐄𝐃𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 ★彡 ᶜ. ᵈʳᵃᶜᵘˡᵃ

𝖙𝖍𝖎𝖗𝖙𝖊𝖊𝖓

Captain Yuri entered the lounge, his hands wringing his hat. "A proper enquiry will, of course, be conducted once we reach England. I remain at you disposal at all times. Good afternoon," And as quick as he entered to explain how The Grand Duchess and the Portmann were missing, he left. 

"Thank you," Dr Sharma said. 

"Two people have gone in one night," Adisa commented as he inspected his glass. "Was the sea particularly rough?"

"I don't know. I am a heavy sleeper," Dr Sharma answered.

Dracula nodded from his spot. "And where's your wife, my lord? Is she not joining us?"

Lord Ruthven smirked. "Dorabella is quite... how shall I put it? She's quite exhausted, poor thing," he commented so everyone in the room could bask in his ego. 

Arabella glanced up at Dracula with raised brows and a teasing smile, one which Dracula returned eagerly. "Dorabella. What an enchanting name. Dorabella, hmm?" Dracula drawled out the younger girl's name, causing Arabella's smile to quickly fall. "It lingers on the tongue -"

Dracula was cut short when Lord Ruthven interjected. "Yes. But you could say the same for Miss Arabella, here."

Dracula raised a brow, his gaze falling to Arabella's burning glare. "Yes. You could say that." he agreed, his smile turned more mischievous as he spoke his next words. "But something about Dorabella flows more."

Arabella squinted her eyes, her temper becoming shorter and shorter as she shifted in her chair to face the Count fully. "I don't see how. Both our names are 4 syllables and both end with 'Bella'. The only difference being she has one extra letter to her name."

"One letter can make all the difference, Arabella," Dracula grinned. Arabella's glare hardened, clearly not enjoying his torment. "Anyway, my Lord, why would you spend your time up here when Dorabella lies below?"

Lord Ruthven coughed. "One can have too much of a good thing."

"Ah, on the contrary! I've always found that too much is exactly enough," Dracula disagreed with a laugh. Arabella silently fumed in her seat as he discussed Dorabella as if she were a sex object. The more Dracula laughed, the more the people around the room felt compelled to laugh. Dracula sank into the chair next to Arabella, leaning forward to Lord Ruthven. Arabella saw  Dracula's hand reach out to rest upon the Lord's upper thigh, his fingers digging in gently - enough to cause him to stir. Arabella felt her face grow red from anger as she watched the two men gaze at each other. 

Her thoughts travelled back to the night at the convent. She wondered if Johnathan and Mina were alive - but knowing Dracula, it was unlikely. The thoughts when moved to the nun - Agatha Van Helsing - and if she managed to escape Dracula's wrath. But then she realised that no matter how educated you think you are, Dracula will always be one step ahead. So Arabella's chances of seeing Agatha and Johnathan again were slim to none.