Virgin Sacrifice - Van Helsing Fanfiction

5 - Captivation

It was nearly impossible to guess at what time they arrived at their clandestine destination, but Marseille hazarded a guess of about three hours from the stiffness in her joints and the weakness in her stomach. It was the facade of an ancient fortress with high, imposing walls and intimidating turrets of stone. A fortified gatehouse leered like a beast's snarl from amid the grey perimeter defensive walls and barracks. The dying sun was sinking with an undisturbed silence like a coffin being lowered into the ground. 

Marseille had passed out - though the cause of her fainting was uncertain. The scholar knew the incredible alacrity and speed capable of the vampire wives, had spent thousands of hours dabbling in their physiognomy and marvelling at their splendid adaptations - so the woman knew that it was with hatred and torment that the wives had made their journey gradual, often tossing her from bride to bride and making vain attempts at catching her, pulling mischievous faces at one another as if challenging them to catch her at the last possible second. Whether it had been the terror of her near-death that had finally caused her to lapse into merciful unconsciousness or the chilled, oxygen-starved altitude, she could not tell. 

Marseille was brought to consciousness by the sharp, remorseless sting of stone slicing into her face. Winded, the woman scraped herself to her feet and forced the breath back into her lungs. The vampire brides had changed back into their original forms. (Y/n) found them all the more unnerving as she stared at their true faces. Their beauty was unparalleled by anything other she had ever seen and each had a beauty unique to themselves. 

Mariska appeared to be the youngest of the trio, but Marseille knew that age was nothing but a concept to them. The woman shimmered like a flame. Her body all voluptuous curve. Golden hair curled down her back, flicking like the licks of flame. Her lips were red and sensuous, a teasing smile pressed on her dainty face. She could have been likened to a succubus for her taunting, high-kicked steps when she paced around the human. 

Verona was not as playful. A lingering sensation of the icy grips of death seemed to come from her breath, her dark ebony hair falling like shards of obsidian down the wan pallor of her face. Her features were hardened and serious, sculpted as if from opal. Her eyes were cavernous depths that seemed to draw one in and entrap them. 

Aleera was impatient, her red streaks pooling from her scalp as if they were streams of lava. Eyes deceptively blue, Marseille could feel the predatory measurements that the vampire was taking - measuring her heart rate. Suddenly, the vampire wife launched forwards, jaw unhinged with her grotesque overbite. 

"No!" Verona hissed, "We do not have time to nibble!" 

Aleera keened, "Oh, please, sister! I would not take much - just a small morsel." 

"Since you have proven yourself untrustworthy in the presence of the mortal," Verona spoke coldly, "You and I shall awaken the Master." 

Marseille's heart pounded fitfully - though she willed it not - and the vampires instantly snapped up and glanced at her interestedly with glazed looks in their eyes. 

"You should be afraid," Verona intoned, "You should be very afraid of our Master." 

Taking her sister roughly by the arm, they began their descent down the rocky steps. Everywhere, Dracula's underlings moved through the castle, chittering like locusts as they perceived them blankly. Marseille had hoped that she never had to meet them - the demons that had been raised to serve as Dracula's eternal servants. Marishka skirted around the human tauntingly, her steps playful and pragmatic as if she was a bashful courtier being wooed. 

"Did you know," Marishka's voice was eerily high-pitched, a songbird's fearful trumpet, "that you have a very irregular heartbeat. It is very distracting."