Princes of the Undead

Part 20

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"Well isn't this lovely, the three of us all together again..." Mycroft's attempt at levity fell decidedly flat.

In fact, neither of his guests so much as glanced in his direction. No, they only had eyes for each other. Which was interesting...

They hadn't seen each other in two years, and yet the emotions between them had not cooled to disinterest, or lingering resentment like Mycroft had expected. Oh, there was a decidedly more dangerous feel to the exchange of gazes; Mycroft didn't need to be an empath to pick that up. Yet there was subtext too, and although feeling emotions was not something Mycroft was particularly good at, unpicking them in others was a particular talent...and there was something here he might still be able to use.

Perhaps an attempt at pushing them together might still bear fruit, either that or it could blow up in his face again. Perhaps it simply wasn't worth the risk, now Plan B was so well advanced, only Mycroft wasn't one to give up on an idea simply because it was difficult.

"Well?" Dracula eventually grew bored enough of their glaring contest to break the awkward silence.

Agatha looked well, no she looked more than just well. She had that swagger back, he had seen it once at the convent, then again on The Demeter when she had Captain Sokolov and his little band of misfits to boss about. It was a type of smug arrogance that had Dracula, torn between strangling her, or kissing her senseless; only right now he wasn't sure which impulse would win out. It had been far easier, to hang on to his resolution to cut Agatha Van Helsing out of his life, when she wasn't seated across a desk from him.

Leaning back in her seat Agatha waited longer still, waiting until Dracula seemed to be on the point of bubbling over before... "I want to tell you a story."

Of all the things Dracula might have expected her to start with, that opening had not been anticipated, even if it was instantly familiar. And he just couldn't help it, the burst of laughter was ripped from him, most unwillingly.

"Are you trying to be funny Agatha."

"No, I am trying to get you to listen to me." Agatha answered with a sigh. How many times had they been in this situation, how many times would they be again? "I know it may seem strange to say this considering the circumstances, but I don't want to be at odds with you, none of us do, despite what you might prefer to believe..."

"What, that this is some pathetic form of revenge? That you have whipped up the others, in an attempt to lash out at me?"

"Why would I want or need revenge?" Agatha backhanded, amusing herself by feigning confusion, before smiling brightly and brittlely. "Oh, you mean for forcing me to give up a job I was good at, whilst you swanned around the world 'recruiting'?"

"By requiring you to do your duty and care for the clan." Dracula corrected her, part of him wanting her to show even a flicker of jealousy. These fake smiles, this nonchalance of hers was irritating. Though her turn of phrase was as ever on point.

"Why would caring for my sisters be a chore? Why would I resent that; oh unless you meant it to be an insult?"

Biting his lip, knowing that there was no response there that could throw him in a good light, and surprising himself by the fact that that did still matter, Dracula feigned a closed smile. "Your story then."

"Well there once was a King of England called John..."

"Oh, I didn't realise we were getting a history lesson..."

"Now he was unpopular among his own nobles because he kept infringing on what they considered to be their basic rights and freedoms. Eventually those same nobles decided enough was enough, and they got together to draw up a charter; something that set out what they considered to be their inalienable rights."