[NOTE: cover image is a cropped and rotated version of the photo "Don't Let Me Go" by Serbian photographer, Jovana Rikalo. Link to original in my profile. FAIR USE NOTICE: NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED. ALL RIGHTS BELONG TO ORIGINAL ARTIST.]

Well my lovelies, the day has finally come. It's been over a year since I finished la douleur exquise and started working on this story. It's also been six months since I last posted anything. I apologize for the horrendous wait, but I wanted to get this one right and before I go away so you can read, I need to do a couple of things first, so bear with me and this slightly lengthy author's note.

THANK YOUS: For starters, I have to give a HUGE public thank you to sleepy bibliophile, who, quite literally, came to my rescue in the eleventh hour to beta this story for me. She is a class act and I couldn't have done this without her. So my dear, thank you. Thank you a hundred times over.

DISCLAIMERS: This little ditty is the product of me biting off WAY more than I could chew. I got crazy ambitious and experimental and honestly, right now I'm just slightly terrified. I mean, don't get me wrong. Overall I'm rather pleased with how this turned out (all things considered), but I'm still so nervous. I just hope you all enjoy it and that it was worth the wait. And I'm warning you right now, most of these chapters are long. So strap in, my friends! You're in for quite the ride.

A REMINDER: Remember that one-shot I wrote like six months ago about Raynora, one of the bastard daughters of Boris Valerious, accidentally bringing Dracula back to life? Well, Raynora's fraternal twin sister, Verena (who was mentioned at the end of said one-shot) is a key character in this story. Many of you wanted to know what happened to her. So... now you get to find out. Not all at once, mind you, but yeah - answers!

THE MUSIC: Music plays an integral part in my writing process. Influences for this story include copious amounts of Russian opera(which bleeds into the story come chapter 11), Mozart and Verdi's individual renditions of the Requiem mass (particularly the Dies Irae movement for Verdi and Confutatis and Lacrimosa for Mozart), tons of Chopin, lots of religious themed acapella numbers (some of which will be mentioned specifically in later chapters), and an assortment of music composed by Thomas Bergersen (especially"Hadrian's Demon" from the Colin Frake soundtrack for a certain something which will come in chapter 26 if I remember correctly).

A NOTE ON RESURRECTIONS & REVAMPS: One final thing to mention before I toddle off to hide in a corner and have an anxiety attack (kidding) – for those that don't already know, there is a poll (and a more thorough explanation) in my profile that has to do with me resurrecting and revamping selections of my older work (pending on how well this story does). I'd love to hear your thoughts on the matter! And if your favorite story isn't listed in said poll, send me a PM or include it in your review. Poll will be up for a couple of weeks before it closes, so be sure to vote!

Okay, I'll shut up now so you can read the first chapter.

Forgive any errors I may have missed and enjoy the fan fiction. It's meant to amuse.

RATED "M" FOR: some language, sexual situations and dialogue, and violence

TIME FRAME: Post-film. Futuristic, post-apocalyptic universe (like early AD 2300s maybe. I never did decide on a proper year). Slight AU.

The Last of Us

"Old loves they die hard. Old lies they die harder."
Tuomas Holopainen of Nightwish
I Wish I Had an Angel

I

Over the last thousand years since his unanticipated resurrection in the summer of 1890, Count Dracula had managed to single-handedly influence four world wars, six society-crippling revolutions, and one genocide. Now that the age of mankind had transformed into an age of the vampire, his empire's roots were at long last impenetrable and everlasting.

He had become – in the most literal sense imaginable – indestructible.

Many had tried to overthrow him and all had failed. His power was too great, he had no definable weakness, and his revenge was pitiless and absolute. There was no crossing him, not without dire consequences.

And now, his newest bride – the last direct descendant of the Valerious bloodline – was with child, a living child on the verge of coming into the world, a child that would change everything.

The conception of Dracula's daughter had been foretold in a prophecy by a powerful witch he had become allied with just three years prior. A surviving Valerious, who would bear the name of one of her ancestors, would conceive his child – a child of untold power and destruction. His dead seed would come to life in the womb of this descendent, and the babe would be born under a blood moon, in the dead of winter, exactly six months, six days, and six hours from its conception.

The fateful evening had finally come and a pair of dark, royal-blue eyes watched the slumbering mother from the shadows of the room, this woman's presence unknown to the female vampire simply because she wished to remain imperceptible, and so it was.

It was dangerous, being in Dracula's palace, and on an evening as important as this one, but Lailah had always taken her responsibilities very seriously – especially where the children of the Valerious line were concerned.

She had had a figurative hand in every conception and delivery of each descendant, ever since Valerious the Elder had adopted and raised Vlad Dracul, the boy who would become the means of his step-father's destruction. It was Lailah that had kept the line alive, she that had kept an assortment of illegitimate children hidden away all those years ago. The line, which had nearly reached extinction the night the monster hunter known only as Van Helsing had accidentally killed Princess Anna Valerious, had flourished under Lailah's watchful eye. That is, until a few years ago, when the prophecy had been made and the truth had been revealed.

She continued to observe the child's mother, just a few feet away, the female vampire's dark brown eyes now open as she watched the snow fall outside her window. Lailah couldn't help but notice how much the woman resembled her namesake – Anna Valerious; although Anneke Val, or Ana as she was more commonly known, was only similar in appearance to her long-dead ancestor and nothing more. She had become Dracula's bride of her own volition, though it had been after months of manipulation and eventually blackmail.

And now she was carrying his child.

It was rare for a vampire and a human to create a living child – or damphir as they were more commonly known – but until now, it had been impossible for two vampires to accomplish such a feat. And yet, here we are – history in the making, Lailah mused silently to herself as the father entered the room, ordering the handful of heavily armed guards at the door to stay put.

Lailah's presence continued to go unnoticed as Dracula made his way over to the lavish bed, seating himself on its edge and gently caressing his bride's fair cheek – the action seemingly tender. The Count was a handsome man, with the frame of an ancient warrior, tall and immaculately fashioned – as if he had been carved from a block marble, constructed by a master sculpture. With chiseled cheekbones and a strong jaw, even the noblest of creatures couldn't deny his appeal.

"Is it time?" he asked Ana, the back of his fingers still resting against her cheek.

"Not quite yet, my lord," the young woman replied timidly, watching as the Count removed his hand from the side of her face and placed it on her swollen belly. The look in the man's eyes was one his bride had never seen before, though the unknown visitor recognized it and her cold, steely expression softened at the sight.

"I'm so close," he whispered, pressing his palm more firmly against Ana's belly so he could just barely feel the rounding of his daughter's head. "After so many years…"

He sighed heavily, looking suddenly weary. He had been fighting for this moment for the better part of his existence, and now he was just moments away from success.

"My lord?" Ana's voice pulled him out of whatever private thoughts he was having and he offered her a reassuring smile.

"Master?"

Dracula turned his attention to the door, finding his captain, a dark-skinned werewolf-vampire hybrid who went by the name Zane, standing in the hall outside.

"Yes, what is it?"

"She's requesting an audience with you, master."

The look of tenderness and affection that had softened his features disappeared as he sent the man a disapproving look.

"Surely it can wait."

"She was most insistent, your grace. Wanted me to tell you it was a matter of life and death."

Lailah watched the Count closely from the shadows, seeing the conflict in his eyes, but as it usually did, his bride came second and after placing a quick kiss on Ana's brow, he excused himself from the room, promising to return shortly.

The door was shut and guarded once again, Dracula's orders that no one was to enter the room until he was present echoing down the stone-laden corridor as the sound of his boot-clad footsteps eventually vanished into nothingness.

When the vampire king was gone, Lailah felt a change in the air and she glanced outside the window momentarily to find that the edge of the moon had taken on a reddish hue.

It was time.

As if on cue, Ana abruptly cried out as she felt the quickening in her womb, at first in surprise, and then in an astonishing amount of pain that temporarily knocked the wind out of her.

"Help! I need help!" Ana shouted as the door opened and a soldier peaked his head through.

"Is everything alright, my lady?"

"The baby is coming. The baby is coming NOW! Quick! Call the master back… at once!" the last word melting into a powerful scream, her fangs lengthening in her mouth as the pain overtook her in a violent and unanticipated wave.

Lailah continued to stand there in the shadows, watching Ana's suffering closely, yet remaining absolutely still as she did so. She wanted to help the woman – it was instinct, her nature, her calling – yet, she had explicit orders that she was not to intervene, and so she stood there, watching as Ana writhed in unspeakable pain all by herself. Lailah could smell the blood the instant it hit the air and it took everything in her to stay put and watch as Ana's nightgown turned scarlet red between her legs.

"Are you sure you want to be here alone for this?" a familiar voice said beside Lailah. She didn't have to turn to know who had joined her. Lailah took a deep breath and let it out slowly, holding her steely expression.

"I am certain, Raphael," she finally said, cringing just slightly at the sound of Ana's cries.

"You don't have to watch this," he assured her, and she could see out of the corner of her eye that he was studying her closely. "I know how much work you put into making sure that the Valerious line would survive. This can't be easy for you."

"No, it is not easy."

"The child will not survive its birth, Lailah."

"I know."

"If it did, only God knows what Dracula would use it for. It's bad enough that he's teamed up with that witch."

"She, Raphael. The baby is a she, not an it. I swear, if one of you archangels calls her an 'it' one more time… "

Ana let out another blood-curdling scream of agony and Lailah couldn't suppress the shudder that made its way visibly through her body.

"This is wrong, Raphael. Everything about this is wrong."

"We have our orders," he reminded her.

"I can't believe the council expects me to sit here and just do nothing while she suffers like this. The poor woman has endured enough!"

"Are you certain you can handle this, Lailah?"

"Yes, I'm fine," she shot agitatedly, deciding it was time for a change of subject. "Where's Ramiel?"

"Keeping an eye on the Count. He'll let us know if he starts heading this way."

"And the wolf?"

"He'll meet us just outside the wall as soon as you manage to get Ana out of here after the deed is done. We can't have Dracula trying to father another child like this. We'll get her and the wolf out of the city, as promised, the moment all of this is done."

Lailah let out a long sigh, raking her fingers through her golden wheat colored hair just once before folding her arms across her chest.

"Can you make sure he's ready?" she asked, continuing to watch Ana with a hint of sadness in her eyes. "It won't be much longer now." Raphael rested his hand on her shoulder and she glanced up at him. Though she bore it all rather beautifully, being a connoisseur of the many looks and moods of Lailah, he could see how much this was paining her. Lailah never could bear the suffering of women or children, having spent most of her time around them, witnessing the constant injustices that befell the innocent and fairer sex. He admired her forbearance however, and therefore respected her wishes.

"Of course," he said, gently pressing his hand against the back of her head and leaning forward to gently kiss her brow, the soft, reddish brown whiskers of his meticulously groomed beard tickling her fair skin. "It'll all be over soon," he promised her, and then he was gone.

Lailah watched Ana in silence as the vampire continued to scream, tears streaming down her face as the baby struggled to free itself of her mother, with no avail. Blood continued to pour from between Ana's thighs, the liquid darker than normal, thick and coagulated, and the stench intolerable.

Just when Lailah was certain she could endure the scene no longer, an unearthly roar shook the very walls of the palace.

The atmosphere had changed once again and Lailah noticed it immediately. Something was wrong, horribly so. The moment the thought crossed her mind, she was joined by another familiar face that appeared in a burst of heavenly light in the hall just outside the door, reducing the large handful of armed guards to ash before the light dissipated, revealing a tall, slender man with long dark hair and frightfully shaped facial features.

Lailah recognized him instantly as Ramiel, an archangel of lesser standing to Raphael, but a powerful being nonetheless. He entered the room with purpose, the door slamming shut behind him by the power of his will as he walked straight toward Lailah – though she remained invisible to Ana.

"We have a serious problem," he said, seemingly to the window, and Ana's brow furrowed in confusion.

"Who are you?" she called out between labored breaths, but her question fell on deaf ears.

"What is it?" Lailah asked.

"The witch – she's made another prophecy, and as you can imagine, the father of the child isn't taking the news very well." Lailah could still hear the vampire raging on the other side of the palace.

"What on earth did she say?"

"The gist of it? That child that is struggling to come into this world is destined to destroy her father."

"What?" Lailah's eyes went wide in disbelief.

"He's given order that the child is to be killed, should it make it out of the womb. We have maybe a few minutes before someone shows up." Ramiel was interrupted by a violent knock at the door. The two glanced over at the door and then at Ana almost simultaneously. "Okay, perhaps I was overly-optimistic."

"We don't have time for this," Lailah insisted.

"Who on earth are you talking to? Who are you? Answer me at once!" Ana shouted, her voice trailing off into another scream as yet another wave of pain made its way through her.

"There's more, Lailah," Ramiel added in softer tones so Ana wouldn't be able to hear him.

"It'll have to wait, Ramiel. If this child is the means of ending that demon's reign on earth, then I don't give a damn what the council says," and the moment she took a step forward, she became visible to Ana, who cried out, this time in surprise.

"Who are you people? How did you get in here?"

"Ramiel, I need you to keep that hallway clear. The second this baby is delivered, we're going to have to make a run for it."

"Lailah, this is a really bad idea!"

"I don't care, just do it!" she shouted, her eyes glowing in her anger before they returned to their normal state as she regained her composure. She took a deep breath and looked over at her friend who stood there, watching her. "Please Ramiel… we cannot let this baby die."

The angel nodded once and turned to exit the room, unsheathing his sword.

"Michael's not going to be very happy about this."

"We'll deal with him later," and with a wave of her hand, the door shut behind Ramiel after he exited the room, the sound of carnage following in his wake.

"Who are you? What are you doing here and who was that man?" Ana's panicked questions brought Lailah back into the present and she turned, attention fully on the exhausted mother.

"My name is Lailah, Ana. I'm here to help you," the blonde woman explained, the soothing lilt of her voice compelling Ana to relax. Ana's eyes fell over the woman in bewilderment as she brushed a few of the vampire's dark brown curls from her brow. The stranger was a beautiful creature, dressed in black business attire that was sharp, yet distinctly feminine, Ana thought idly to herself. Lailah pressed the palm of her hand to the vampire's belly and closed her eyes as though she were telepathically assessing the damage.

"We're just in time," Lailah sighed in relief, removing her hand and quickly going to work.

"I don't understand. My baby – she isn't coming out. Why isn't she coming out?"

"You're a vampire, Miss Val, as is your child. Your natural instinct is to heal automatically, which means every time you try to push her out, your body stitches itself back up, making it impossible for the little one to get free, so she's started clawing at your insides. But in her panic, she has also managed to harm herself in the process. If we don't get her out now, she'll tear you and herself to pieces."

"So that's what that sharp pain is?" Ana asked weakly with a surprising amount of humor.

"She's a fighter, this one," Lailah said with the faintest of smiles.

Relieved to no longer be alone and finding it inexplicably easy to trust this stranger, Ana leaned back into the pillows as Lailah's hand rested on her belly, the woman's touch comforting the mother and soothing the child that was desperate to get out.

"I don't know if I can do this, Lailah," the vampire said suddenly, a single tear leaking from the corner of her eye as the realization of what was happening overcame her.

"Don't know if you can what?"

"I don't know if I can be a mom. If I can even be the mother she needs."

"You can and you must, Ana, because the second your little girl comes out, she's going to need someone to protect her."

"Protect her? Whatever for? Dracula is the most powerful man on earth."

"And the witch he keeps in the tower on the other side of the palace just told him that your daughter will be the means of his destruction."

A look of utter dread washed over Ana's face as she shook her head in disbelief.

"No… no it can't be!"

"I am sorry, Ana, but you and your daughter are no longer safe here. The instant this baby is delivered, I'm getting you out of here."

"We'll never get out alive," she insisted, weeping softly, a whirl of conflicting emotions.

"Yes we will."

"You don't know that. You don't know him like I do. When Dracula finds out that my baby is alive, that I've gone missing, he'll tear this city apart with his bare hands just to find us."

Lailah paused for a moment and glanced up at Ana to find more tears streaming down the woman's face. She looked exhausted and without hope and it pained Lailah to see it.

"Ana, look at me." She grabbed the vampire's hand and squeezed it affectionately. "I swear to you, I will get you and your baby out of this palace alive and no one, not heaven or earth or hell itself will stop me. Do you trust me?" Ana thought on it for a moment before nodding her head as another round of pain washed over her. Anything was better than being locked away in this palace with a womanizing sadist for a husband. "Good. Because David is just outside the wall waiting to take both of you home."

Ana's expression softened considerably at the sound of her lover's name, the very name of the man she hadn't seen in what felt like a lifetime giving her a much needed burst of energy.

"David? He's here?"

"Yes, but before you can go see him, you need to deliver this baby."

Ana nodded and leaned her head back once more, staring up at the ceiling and doing her best to keep from crying out, while Lailah carefully rested her hand on the vampire's lower belly. Using a magic that was more miraculous than anything else, Lailah focused all of her energy on the child nestled in the lower part of her mother's womb, but then became very still, her eyes fixed on Ana's stretched skin and full of an indescribable expression. The vampire could have sworn that this strange woman could see straight into her womb, and though the wave of each contraction was excruciating, she continued to watch closely, puzzled by the look in this Lailah's eyes and the single tear that was running down her cheek.

"What is it?" Ana asked, but the blonde-haired woman never looked at her.

She was frozen in place, staring almost blankly at Ana's stomach.

She felt so far away.

Lailah felt an intense amount of darkness and sadness swiftly wash over her. It was cold and frightening. In that instant, she could feel how much was at stake. In that single moment, it was as though she could see what would happen if the child didn't last the night, and, even more importantly, what would happen if she did. If she stuck with the original plan and the child's innocent soul was taken back to heaven, Dracula's power would remain unchecked.

But if she delivered that baby now…

This was so much bigger than she had anticipated, and for the first time in a long time, Lailah was afraid.

But she never showed it.

She did what she always did. Lailah buried it deep and kept moving forward.

Briskly wiping away the single tear she had unconsciously shed, she tucked a loose lock of hair behind her ear with her clean hand. She could hear Ramiel entering the room and felt his gaze on her. When he said her name she turned her head and they locked eyes. There was a silent conversation that passed between the mysterious woman and the archangel – a conversation Ana could not understand but could feel the gravity of. Ramiel looked guilty – guilty and torn and pained. He said Lailah's name once more, with so much feeling and even a hint of begging, Ana wondered what on earth could have passed between the two, but Lailah stood there, firm and resolute.

"Swear to me, Ramiel. Swear to me right now."

The archangel flinched as if struggling with something internally, but at last his shoulders relaxed and his head fell a little.

"I swear it."

"Lailah, what is it? What's going on? What's wrong?" Ana asked, bewildered and deeply concerned. Lailah spoke to Ramiel before returning her attention to the vampire.

"We'll be ready in ten minutes."

"I'll have a path ready for you," Ramiel promised, and he was out the door once more.

Ana asked Lailah what was going on once again, but the woman merely smiled a sweet, almost sad smile.

"Everything is going to be fine, Ana. Now let's deliver this baby," and Ana winced when she felt Lailah's fingers stretch her insides, forcing the birthing canal to stay expanded.

Lailah instructed Ana in every particular, and the vampire obeyed to the best of her abilities.

The agony was certainly unlike anything Ana had ever felt before. She could feel the muscles and flesh between her legs tearing as she pushed the baby down, Lailah's hands inside of her to keep her body from healing itself.

But the Count's youngest bride was brave and with the right encouragement and after several strong pushes, at long last, a tiny little body slipped out from between Ana's trembling thighs and relief washed over her as she broke out into silent sobs. Lailah, her hands covered in Ana's blood, took the child over to the nightstand beside the bed where she had prepared a small basin of warm water and she washed the child with quick efficiency, though there was a tenderness in her touch that intrigued the mother.

"Why are you helping me?" Ana asked after Lailah wrapped the newborn infant into a soft blanket before handing her to the vampire.

"I have been delivering Valerious' into this world for almost two millennia now," Lailah explained with a smile. "And besides, this is the first vampire baby to be born the 'natural' way. Did you really think I would miss out on an opportunity like this?" She sent Ana a smirk and the vampire laughed as she looked down at the little bundle in her arms.

"There is nothing natural about this baby," she said weakly, tears of relief streaming down her face. "If the Count wants her dead, she must be important."

Lailah caressed the child's soft, dark hair with the back of her finger.

"She's going to change the world," she said with notable reverence.

Ana finally pulled the blanket back a bit so she could get a better look at her newborn daughter's face when she suddenly realized that the child's wide eyes looked alarmingly like her father's – beautiful, hypnotic, and electric blue. A wave of uneasiness washed over Ana, replacing the motherly affection she had felt just moments ago with an unnerving sense of fear and apprehension. Lailah noticed this, but said nothing on the subject.

"Can you heal yourself?" the woman asked the vampire. "We need to go."

"It appears to be moving along a little slower than usual. I need blood," and she motioned to a crystal glass that was half-drunk on a small table near one of the windows. Lailah handed it to her and offered to take the baby that was starting to fuss. While Ana began to heal herself, Lailah, awash in curious fascination, began to examine the child's features – particularly her mouth. The babe had no teeth to speak of upon first glance. Just the usual pink gums hidden behind tiny little lips. Intuition told her to stick her finger in the child's mouth to study further and when she did, she discovered, quite by accident, tiny retractable fangs. They pierced the flesh of her finger, allowing the tiniest of drop of blood to disappear on the baby's palette. At first, she thought nothing of it, until Ana's eyes shot up as if surprised.

"What did you just do?" the mother demanded.

"What is it?"

"I could sense her so clearly just a moment ago, but it's like… I don't know… it's fainter for some reason. Did you give her something?" the vampire inquired thoughtfully, climbing off the bed to stand beside Lailah.

"She bit me. She may have ingested some of my blood. Nothing serious. Just a tiny drop."

Ana studied her now wide-eyed baby girl, who seemed very much enthralled with Lailah's finger now hovering over her mouth.

"I know this sounds strange, but can you do that again?"

Lailah looked hesitant, but Ana was already being so trusting of her, she couldn't help but return the favor by having faith in the vampire's instincts. So she placed her finger in the baby's mouth and barely flinched when the razor-sharp fangs broke through the skin of her finger again. Instead of removing the digit like before, she left it, watching the child with deep curiosity as it latched on to the finger and sucked. Within moments, Lailah felt something strange emanating from the baby that hadn't been there before – an unexplainable kind of connection that both confused and captivated her. The infant's eyes locked onto hers, gazing up at the woman as though she knew her.

"I can't sense her anymore," Ana said after several moments, caressing the soft, dark brown hair on her daughter's head. Her words weren't full of the panic that Lailah had anticipated. If anything, they were filled with a strange kind of relief. It took her a moment to figure out why, but when she did, the oddness of the situation quickly disappeared.

If the mother couldn't sense the presence of her own child – neither could the father.

Perhaps they could make it out of here undetected after all.

"What are you?" Ana asked with wonder, but Lailah never had a moment to reply.

"If we're going to get out of here unnoticed, now would be the time to do it," Ramiel interrupted, appearing in the doorway. Lailah removed her finger from the child's mouth, the baby whining in protest as she was handed back to Ana. When the infant was secure in her mother's arms, Lailah turned to the archangel and nodded.

"Let's go."

Thick hessian boots stormed at a brisk pace through a stone corridor, each step more violent than the last. A dark rage emanated from him like a pulsating aura as he turned one corner and then another, quickly picking up on the stench of blood and ash coming from the direction of Ana's bedchambers.

He was an array of intense emotions, ranging from unquenchable wrath to a bitter discontent that seemed to both crush his lungs and poison his veins. Though internally beside himself, he channeled it all into rage. Yes – anger was the easiest emotion to feel, so much less painful than the sense of loss and disappointment that currently plagued him.

After all he had done, after everything he had sacrificed, after countless centuries of fighting and building and rebuilding and conquering – just when the world and everything it had to offer was his, Dracula was once again denied the single thing he wanted more than anything, the one thing he had lost so many years ago and had been fighting to reclaim – a family.

So many had told him through the years to just be satisfied with what he had, but it wasn't in the nature of Count Vladislaus Dracula to settle.

He wanted it all, and "almost everything" had never been an option.

The witch's prophecy was pounding in his head like a war drum. Why did it have to be this way? Where had he gone wrong? The Count had done everything the first prophecy had asked of him. He hunted down the last Valerious, he wooed her, showered her with everything she desired, made certain that their coupling was of her own will; he protected her when his other lovers became jealous, shielded her from any form of harm – but it was all for naught and he cursed the universe for thwarting him once again, for taking from him what was most precious.

The stench of death was stronger now and he immediately recognized the scent of Ana's blood, part of him groaning inwardly. He didn't want to see the inevitable disappointment in the eyes of his young bride, nor did he wish to see the corpse of their child, but he had to be certain for himself that the deed was done. But when he turned the final corner toward the hall that led to Ana's bedchambers, he stopped mid step when his eyes fell upon the carnage outside her open door.

There was blood and the ash-ridden skeletal remains of his guards everywhere, smeared on the floor and burned to a crisp on the walls, as if they had been torched by a massive ball of fire. He entered Ana's room to find it empty. Her blood, which he had smelled, soaked the center of the bed and there was no sign of her or the corpse of the baby anywhere.

The cool night air blew into the room through an open window, the freshly falling snow starting to pile-up on the sill. It helped to cool his anger so he could focus and he closed his eyes, taking a deep breath and letting it out nice and slow, his mind reaching out for his missing bride.

Dracula could sense her, though just barely. She was still in the palace, yet her exact location was being hidden from him somehow with a magic he was unfamiliar with. He reached out even farther to see if he could find some signs of his child, but he could sense no such thing.

He could feel the heart he had so many times denied having breaking in his chest.

His child – the daughter he never got the chance to see – was already gone. But Ana was still alive, and it gave him a strange kind of hope. If he could just find her, they could start again, perhaps conceive another. Refocusing his energies on Ana, he managed to determine the general vicinity of where she was, soon able to deduce where she was headed.

With a sharp turn of his heel he exited the room, his body disappearing into a black mist that floated rapidly down the hall, leaving the slightest stench of sulfur in its wake.

They had finally reached the courtyard after what felt like an age of winding staircases and narrow, disused passageways, having only been spotted once. Ramiel's silencing methods had always been most efficient, and this time had been no exception. But if there was one thing Lailah trusted most in this world, it was her instincts, and they were screaming at her to move faster before their good fortune ran out.

A figure emerged from the shadows upon their entry into the moonlit courtyard and Lailah felt a wave of relief wash over her when she recognized Raphael in the distance, who was shortly joined by another individual. The small gasp of recognition that caught in Ana's throat not a moment later confirmed what Lailah had already anticipated, but it was the reverent utterance of Ana's name from the man standing beside Raphael that confirmed – it was David.

The two lovers closed in on the distance that existed between them, neither saying a word, as if there was an unspoken moment of hesitance. Ana's richly colored eyes fell on her old lover with sudden remembrance, taking in the welcome sight of his tousled light brown hair, the familiarity of his unshaven face, and the gorgeous teal eyes with the gold rings around his pupils – the sign of the werewolf. That moment of timidity was gone as quickly as it came and the two embraced fervently, as if the world around them and the urgency of the situation had vanished.

"I thought I'd never see you again," David exclaimed, holding her close, breathing her in deep and relishing in her familiar scent.

"I can't believe it's been a year. How your eyes have aged," Ana said, tenderly touching his face. David did his best to hold back the emotions that were now getting caught in his throat, but the scent of something that was not Ana stole his attention and the company noticed his look of confusion.

As if to answer his unasked query, Ana revealed a small bundle clutched to her person. She pulled back the soft blanket to reveal the baby that had been born just over a half-hour ago. The infant's gaze pierced right through David and an involuntary chill ran down his spine. He immediately looked to Raphael who was staring incredulously at Lailah.

"What have you done?" Raphael demanded quietly, the shock in his voice evident.

"The situation has changed," Lailah began, but Raphael interrupted her.

"Do you have any idea what Michael is going to do when he finds out that this baby is still alive?"

"We don't have time for this Raphael."

"What were you thinking, Lailah?"

"The witch prophesied that the child would usher in Dracula's destruction," Ramiel chimed in before Raphael could get too upset. The news was surprising to the otherwise ignorant parties and all eyes turned to the archangel. "She could be our only hope of ridding the world of the vampire once and for all."

"Is this true?" Raphael asked, turning to Lailah once again. The woman looked over at the slumbering child in Ana's arms, recalling the things she had seen and the visions she had had just before the child's birth. She nodded.

"Yes, it is true. I have seen it."

"Is that all the prophecy mentioned?" Raphael inquired, looking back over at Ramiel who in turn glanced over at Lailah. The dark-haired angel nodded, albeit a tad hesitantly, before looking back at his superior.

"The prophecy mentioned nothing else," Ramiel lied and Lailah thanked him with her eyes when Raphael wasn't looking. The archangel looked down at the infant with an unsure expression, but after a moment's thought, he seemed to make up his mind of something and he looked to Lailah.

"Does the Count know that his child still lives?"

"For now, no. But when he realizes Ana's missing and there's no body to confirm anything, he'll be suspicious. We need to leave now."

"Agreed."

David grabbed Ana's hand and prepared to lead the company over the wall when he and his vampire lover noticed the other three exchanging very ominous looks, as though they could sense something that they could not.

"What is it?" David asked, wary of what answer they would give.

"You don't feel that?" Ramiel asked in surprise.

David and Ana both shook their heads, but it was Lailah turning slowly to look into the shadows of the great palace behind them that made them uneasy.

"He's coming," Lailah whispered, the words drenched in an irrefutable sense of foreboding.

After a few moments of allowing her gaze to linger in the shadows, she suddenly moved out of the way as if to dodge something and a long object whizzed past her head at great velocity, heading in the direction of David's chest. With her free hand, Ana caught the object just before it could find a home in his flesh, revealing a steel arrow with a deadly silver tip.

"More like, he's here," Raphael corrected, unsheathing a gorgeous blade, ready to fight. Ramiel followed suit, but Lailah quickly turned to the two angels, motioning with her hand for them to put away their weapons.

"There's no time for that," she insisted. "You have to run. Make sure they get to the rendezvous point and I'll be with you shortly. I'll hold them off."

"Lailah, don't be ridiculous!" Raphael exclaimed. "You can't hold off Count Dracula."

"With all due respect, I just delivered the daughter of that demon and he had the gall to send a small group of soldiers to murder a defenseless child. I have a great deal of frustration I need to let out on something, Raphael, and unless you want me taking it out on you, I highly suggest we end this silly disagreement, and you get them out of here now. I can handle myself."

The way she spoke was steady and controlled, but Raphael could tell she was on edge – though part of him doubted it was all owed to Dracula wanting to kill his own child. He clearly didn't approve of her staying behind. The look he gave her spoke volumes on that front. However, as much as he hated it, she was right. Now was not the time to argue, and if anyone had earned the right to use Dracula as an undead punching-bag, it was Lailah. Being a person of action, it had always been difficult for Lailah to follow orders she didn't agree with and the council had crossed a line, ordering her to not only make sure Ana hadn't delivered the child, but to watch.

And after everything she had gone through to make sure the Valerious bloodline survived Dracula's personal vendetta.

Against his better judgment, Raphael ceded, ordering Ramiel to take the front as they moved out. But before leaving to follow after them, he looked directly into Lailah's eyes. A look of understanding passed between the two of them, and she nodded to him in silent gratitude.

"Don't get carried away," he urged her, and in a flash of light he was gone, leaving her alone in the courtyard.

"I'm not making any promises I can't keep."

The moment she saw them scale over the massive wall and out of immediate danger, she turned to face the enormous staircase that led to the main entry of the palace. Lailah noticed three hybrid centurion guards – members of Dracula's elite army – descending down the staircase towards her. She soon recognized Zane leading the other two guards and her eyes narrowed in on him as he continued to make his way down. He was a giant of a man – tall, strongly built, with beautiful dark skin that stretched over meticulously-sculpted muscles, his eyes appearing to be jet black.

"Come gentlemen," Lailah taunted, removing the coat she had been wearing and shrugging it off her shoulders. She extended her arms in dramatic welcome. "Your angel of death awaits."

The two hybrids on either side of Zane lunged forward to attack, flying down the remaining steps with inhuman speed.

With movements that were like lightning to the naked eye, Lailah unsheathed a small blade that had been hidden on her person and with two clean flicks of her wrist, the battle-cries of the hybrids fell immediately silent.

Zane watched as the heads of his two centurions slid cleanly off their shoulders, hitting the ground in unison. His eyes found Lailah's dark gaze and she noted the faintest hint of fear in his expression.

"Who are you?" he asked after carefully unsheathing his sword.

The mysterious blade she held in her hand began to glow, that light embedding itself beneath her skin and spreading through her veins like a white-hot fire until her entire person was radiating with heavenly light.

"Come and find out, soldier," she replied, her eyes provoking him.

He materialized in front of her, the blade of his sword falling down on her with brute force. She blocked his attack with her arm and pushed it away. The sharp steel never managed to pierce her skin, but when it came in contact with her arm, the captain had noticed the appearance a strange gold pattern, rippling through her flesh and then vanishing, as if her skin was protected by some kind of magic.

He raised his blade to hit her again, but she vanished before his eyes. She reappeared behind him with her blade, and he swiftly blocked her oncoming attack. Their fight went on for several moments, their movements prompt and calculated. Just before Lailah could finish him with a blow to the chest, a voice called out, interrupting their duel.

"Enough!"

The fighting came to a grinding halt as Lailah held the tip of her sword over the captain's heart, appearing to stare into his eyes, though in truth, she was looking right past him, as if trying to decide whether to just kill him or not. She never really had the chance to decide, because with a wave of the newcomer's hand, Zane disappeared beneath her. Lailah closed her eyes, clenching the hilt of her blade as she did her best to calm the storm raging inside of her before opening her eyes again and standing slowly.

Twirling the weapon once in her hand, it vanished into thin air and she raised her head to meet the glacial gaze of Count Dracula who was staring down at her.

"I recognize your presence, angel, but not your face," he said, his eyes filled with curiosity. "Who are you?"

"I do not have to give you my name, Dracul," she answered with a great deal of steadiness, control, and just a hint of self-righteous indignation.

His charming smile was unnerving.

"But that puts you at a clear advantage over me, my dear, and though I'll be the first to admit my weakness for strong and beautiful women, it's been one hell of an evening and my patience has worn dangerously thin," he explained as he finished his descent, his words laced with an iciness that was hard to miss.

"I'd offer my condolences, but I am a firm believer in the phrase 'you reap what you sow.'" The smug grin that tugged at the corners of her mouth irritated him. "Kind of ironic really," she continued. "The father of an entire species, playing the role of reaper to a child born of his own seed. Though I suppose not wholly unexpected, as your own sense of self-preservation has always out-weighed the well-being of your own flesh and blood."

Her insult infuriated him and he appeared suddenly in front of her, the action meant to frighten or at least startle her, but she wasn't the least bit intimidated. This perturbed him, but he hid it well.

"Where are the remains of my child?" he demanded. "And what have you done with my wife?"

"Ana is not your wife, Dracula, nor will she remain your prisoner any longer. As for your daughter, the child is in God's hands."

Her response did not have their intended effect. Instead of becoming more angered, he started to laugh. Yet, centuries of study allowed her to see the faintest hint of pain in his eyes, though it was well concealed behind the maniacal laughter.

"Then I suppose you haven't heard, have you?" he replied, his bearing taking on that of a predator that had the upper-hand. Circling her slowly, he continued. "That child was to be my undoing. I thought God and His angels would have welcomed such a savior?"

"Your undoing?" she repeated, careful to do so with surprise, though the generality of this news was old to her. He appeared pleased by her apparent lack of knowledge and continued.

"An infant of the blood, conceived at a terrible price. Child of the darkness, born 'midst fire and ice."

"Your witch prophesies in verse? How innovative of her."

"Before the blood moon rose, it was snowing outside," he explained while motioning to the sky, ignoring her snide comment. "And from the looks of the hallway outside Ana's bedchambers, you and your accomplices set fire to my men."

"A most astute deduction, your grace," and she exhaled with an overtly dramatized bow of her head. "But I assume that isn't all?"

"Subject to a father's curse, and the calling of the mother…"

"She's your daughter, so that would have made her a vampire… and the calling of the mother?"

"The Valerious line is my sworn enemy. They are destined to destroy me."

"Makes sense. Is that all?"

"No, there's more – Destined to wear a blood-soaked crown, the only heir of the father."

"So she was destined to take your place after all? How intriguing."

"Not nearly as intriguing as the last bit," he assured her, reciting the final part of the prophecy. "So return to love once lost, and dim her heavenly light – for the daughter's power can only be realized, when comes the angel of the night. I can't help but wonder what that last bit means. Makes no sense to me, for I cannot love – though I guess it doesn't matter since the child is dead. I should thank you for doing my dirty work for me. I wasn't exactly looking forward to murdering my own offspring, but then again…" He paused mid-sentence when he noticed the expression Lailah's face.

When he had completed reciting the prophecy, a horrible chill had run down her spine as her eyes widened in a shock she could not mask. The vision she had had just before delivering Ana's baby into the world – a vision that had been like a puzzle in disarray with pieces missing – was starting to make more and more sense. It wasn't just some prophecy, she realized, but a riddle as well. Ramiel – he had tried to tell her that she, Lailah, had been mentioned in the prophecy, though merely in title only. The warning in the last few stanzas made her uneasy, but with that warning also came hope, and the faintest of smiles started to creep onto her face as she realized she had made the right choice is saving Ana's baby.

If they could just get Ana and her infant daughter out of the city, they could prepare the child for that destined confrontation with the Count, ending his reign of horror and darkness once and for all.

Unfortunately, her moment of distraction had allowed the Count to note the victorious and relieved smile that suddenly curled her lips.

"My daughter isn't dead, is she?" he asked, bringing her back into the present.

Lailah couldn't help herself.

At last, she had him in her grasp! She finally had the upper hand that no one had managed to obtain in over a thousand years.

She couldn't help herself.

She grinned wildly.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she taunted.

"Where is she? Where is my daughter?!" he demanded, possessed with a violent anger and he towered over her like an ominous shadow, but she boldly laughed in his face.

"Far beyond your reach," she replied – which was technically a lie, as they were still in the city, but they wouldn't be for long. With an arrogance that he found strangely suited her, she stepped forward so she was standing beside him and she leaned forward to whisper in his ear.

The game was hers; she could feel it.

"Check."

Her moment of triumph was short-lived, however, as a disembodied voice shouted "liar", the word hanging in the air like a final judgment. "The angel lies, my master," the female voice continued as Lailah's eyes shot about briefly, trying to locate the origin of the voice. "The child lives and is still within the walls of the city."

Dracula looked up at the tallest tower of the palace where the windows were glowing with a menacing red light and he bowed slightly to it.

"Thank you, my dear," he crooned as if the woman were standing before him. "Where is she located?"

"I cannot make out her location, master. I can barely sense her – she is being guarded from my sight with magic I do not yet understand. But she is there. I can hear your blood in her veins."

"Even if that were true," Lailah countered, "you'd never find her!"

The red light from the tower intensified as a beam of it shot down into the courtyard, erupting in flames as the figure of a slender woman emerged.

It was the witch.

She was about Lailah's height, with dark brown hair and even darker eyes.

"You are no match for me, Lailah!" the witch spat venomously.

The fact that the witch had identified her – or at least knew her name – unnerved the angel and she did her best to hold her ground, though the dark power that was emanating off the witch was terrifying to behold. It had been an age since the angel had beheld such awful power – no creature should have been able to possess it, yet there the witch stood, her feet consumed in hellfire, yet unfazed by the unforgiving burn.

"I think you have me confused with someone else," Lailah insisted.

"Where is the child?" the witch demanded, having none of this nonsense.

Lailah rolled her eyes.

"Like I'd tell you."

The witch let out a hellish scream that resembled that of a host of demons and it sent a violent shiver through Lailah, but she remained stoic and silent. Seeing that her heavenly counterpart would not budge on the matter, the witch relented.

"Fine. But I promise you this – I will find her, angel. The question now is how long can you last out of heaven's reach?"

She started a low chant in a language that Lailah recognized as Enochian – a language reserved for those of heaven and a select few in hell.

The witch's chanting continued, though her voice was no longer her own – the words that poured out of her mouth were spoken by not one creature, but hundreds, maybe even thousands, and soon the veins beneath her skin were visible to the naked eye. Lailah watched in both dread and a morbid kind of fascination as the witch's body was suddenly engulfed in flames as a blinding red light radiated off her before shooting up into the air.

The witch was cursing the city so that nothing – living or otherwise – could get out. And to make matters even more complicated, the spell would also bind heaven's lesser angels – angels like Lailah – to the earth, and there was nothing she could do to stop it.

"If you were planning on getting Ana and the baby out of the city, you might want to do that now," Dracula taunted, a malevolent grin spreading wide across his features. "In a few minutes, no one will be leaving this city until I find that child – not even you, angel."

"You underestimate me."

"I'm just following your bad example," he mused as a red force-field began to appear high up in the sky, slowly descending on the city like a wave of dark, crimson blood. "You better run, my dear. Look, I'll even give you a head start," and he stepped out of her way, motioning with his hand towards the exit as he bowed, mocking her.

Caught between fury and panic, Lailah made a movement to depart when he caught her arm in his hand, stopping her.

"She said your name was Lailah, right? Why does that sounds so familiar?"

Lailah shrugged her arm roughly out of his hold without saying a word and vanished into thin air, taking off into the city as the red curse continued its descent.

"Oh, and one more thing!" he shouted triumphantly at the wall. "Checkmate!"

After savoring his moment of triumph, Dracula shouted Zane's name and the captain appeared at the top of the stairs.

"Your grace?"

"We can't follow the angel on foot, but we can weed her out as soon as my queen has completed her curse."

"Your queen, sir?" the man replied, obviously confused.

"It's a chess reference, Zane. Do try to keep up," Dracula replied with a degree of agitation. "Prepare the brutes. I want every square inch of the city searched. I want that child and its mother within the walls of this palace before sundown tomorrow, understood?"

"Yes, master."

"And Zane? After you have given the order, tell Verena that I wish to see her. I need to pick her brain on this Lailah."

"If it pleases you, master."

Zane excused himself, leaving the Count standing alone at the foot of the stairs, staring up into the sky as his witch's spell gradually fell upon the city. He could hear the panic rise beyond the wall that surrounded the palace as the sirens shattered what had been an evening of relative peace, warning of the oncoming troops that soon after descended upon the metropolis in a swarm, the armor clad men and women of Dracula's private army pouring into the streets.

Thank you for stopping by, and as always – reviews are most welcome and always appreciated. Whether it be feedback, reactions, demands, suggestions, questions (though at this point, you should have lots of those), scathing critiques that you just can't hold inside – send them my way.

The muse feeds off of them, and quite frankly, his nibs is starving. The poor dear.

Happy All Hallows Eve!