Mina and the Count: Episode 5

Another two years seemed to fly past for both the Count and Mina. Mina was now fifteen, her blood was thickening and it became that much harder for the Count to resist, but he had managed to hold himself back with ease so far, he would not give up now.
A new night had fallen but to the human and the vampire it was like many others. The Count thought he would change what they did together that night. With a smile upon his lips he quickly kicked Igor to start the CD player, which started to play 'It will be me' by Melissa Etheridge.
They danced together; he had already taught her several different dances from the tango to the traditional Transylvanian ball dancing. "You really have brightened up this gloomy place, Mina".
She smiled, "you've changed my life Count." He looked at her as he spun her in a slow circle towards him. "For the better."
As they danced, her reddish brown hair brushed her shoulders, sensually sweeping past her neck. His cape almost enclosed them both as he got closer to her. Their movements were all grace as their eyes never left each others.
The Count had only just recently realised the danger he was putting her in by getting so close to her, but after a while of warring with himself he decided he didn't care. He would never leave her. Mina had also been having such thoughts; she noticed the difference in the Count when she got close too him. His expression would change from natural to slightly strained as he held back the hunger clawing inside of him. She had thought about leaving him and saving him the pain of restraint but could not bring herself to do it. The bond she had with him was deeper than love. She had grown up with him and he had always been there for her when she needed him most. She trusted him never to leave her and she trusted him never to hurt her.

As Igor watched, he grew more disgusted with his master. How could he fall in love with a creature he was supposed to feed on and kill. It was like watching a lion gazing at a gazelle luridly whilst dismissing his own nature. Igor feared the eventual consequences of him getting too close to her.
The ugly hunchback hobbled over to the pantry in deep thought until he looked up at the calendar. That night had been circled in bright red pen. 'Hunting Night'. He was in such shock that the knock at the castle doors almost escaped him.
The Count turned his head towards the door but did not stop dancing. "I vander who that could be".
"Master!" Igor cried. Limping towards him and waving his arms wildly. "It's Hunting Night."
"Vhat?!" the Count's eyes widened. He let Mina's hands slip from his as he thought quickly of how best to deal with the situation. Igor shut off the music.
Luckily Mina had not heard Igor mention 'hunting night' over the music and her own flowing emotions.  
If his companions found her the result would look worse than a Halloween special. He had no choice but to hide her, however, Mina was no longer a child and was clever enough to know something was wrong. The vampire looked about him thinking hard. Then it came to him.
"Mina, vhy don't you look in the pantry to see if you can find something for us both to drink." He hurried her along as Igor went to open the door.
As usual, Lake Monster, Mummy and Frankie's Monster came to join him for hunting night. It only happened once every year, when they would hunt for human blood, flesh and brains alike together. "Vlad, did I hear music?" asked Lake Monster as they stepped into the main hall.
The Count shrugged. "Vhat can I say? I like this new vorld music." Mummy frowned, or as well as he could under all the wrapping.
"You usually leap out at the first sight of us Vlad. Is there something wrong?" he asked suspiciously. The Count swallowed his building fear.
"Wrong?" the Count shook his head. "Not wrong no, just...distracted". At that moment Mina walked in with what looked like two blood shakes, accompanied by straws and little umbrellas. "I couldn't find any snacks to go with them so...oh."
Mina paused at the sight of them. She wasn't entirely shocked as the Count had told her about other monsters. He would have been better off warning her instead, they would not be merciful.
Hunger flooded three pairs of eyes. "I see you've been keeping a stockpile" Mummy laughed as Lake monster licked his lips and launched himself at Mina.
Mina's eyes grew wide as the incoming slimy creature knocked her over. Serrated teeth were three inches away from her throat when the Count barrelled into him, knocking him clear of her.  "Leave her!" The Count lifted her to her feet and pulled her behind him so she was shielded from any further advances.
Mina was so confused. "Don't be selfish Vlad" Mummy snapped.  
"I said leave her, she is not food". His fangs were bared with such malice the three monsters looked at each other in astonishment. No monster would treat a human with such delicacy unless they were about to be served up.
Lake monster recovered and growled at the vampire. "What are you doing with this human girl?" at this Mina stepped forwards in plain sight. The Count caught her shoulder to stop her going any further. She did stop moving, unfortunately the same could not be said with her mouth.
"We've done lots of things over the years. He's taught me a lot, dancing and violin being two. We've spent lots of time together and I've loved every second of it" Mina said proudly. The Count was awash with opposing emotions. On one hand he was proud of Mina and glad that she had enjoyed his company so much and on the other, he was annoyed with her for not being quiet. This could land them both in trouble.
"Does this girl speak the truth?" Mummy hissed. "Are you engaged in a loving relationship with a human?" the Count nodded solemnly. "What kind of monster are you?!"
Lake monster sneered and folded his scaly arms. "This is criminal enough to be taken to the ghoul's tribunal". Master and servant looked terrified at this threat. Mina however could not fully understand what was so wrong with the Count liking her.
"See you there traitor!" Lake monster yelled as the door slammed behind them. The Count did not speak to Mina more that evening. He waved her away cruelly and Igor showed her the door. As it turned out the following night would be the night of the Tribunal so Mina thought it best to not persist and leave the Count for a while. Inside her heart bled for him.
The Count sat upright in his coffin, head in hands. After all he'd been through with her; he was going to lose her forever. His breath steadied as he heard his servant's footsteps echo down the hall. At least she would be safe; he would get Igor to protect her. Not his favourite idea but as he would soon not be able to do it himself he had no other choice. Once the monster's were done with him, she would be next, her knowledge of the monster world would be the death of her.
Before Igor had a chance to give his master his last drink for the night he slid into his coffin and shut the lid. He turned on his side and let a single bloody tear roll down his cool cheek.

The following night when Mina returned to the castle, she found the vampire had already left for the court. Igor was still there moping around, feeling terrible about his master's predicament. "We have to do something Igor." Mina was not about to let the Count get in trouble for her sake.
"There's nothing we can do, he only got into this mess because of you". Igor did not resent Mina, only her relationship with the Count that would no doubt soon cause his true death or eternal misery.
Mina grew angry. She grabbed Igor by his grubby shirt and slammed him against the stone wall. "I have an idea of how to help him. If you don't help me, the consequences will be yours." Igor had only previously been frightened of his Master, but now he saw the vampire's influence had given her something more than just a relationship. Her strengthening willpower was enough to shatter his confidence. He saw the Count in her eyes. He agreed to her plan.

He handed over the potion. "It will activate as soon as the moonlight hits you." He stopped her hand as she went to drink the silvery contents. "It may be irreversible; do you still want to do it?" Mina nodded.
"I would do anything for him. Right now he needs me and so I will be there." With that she lifted the vial to her lips and drank. It tasted like liquidated stone and felt just as cold as it slid down her throat. She dropped the vial and it shattered on the floor. "I will do my best with the antidote when we return" Igor mumbled.
They both then set off to stop the injustice.

The Count sat at his desk at the head of the court, under the heavy scrutiny of the jury. He knew he would receive no mercy from this court, especially with Dr. Freckyle as judge. "Order!" he screamed to the entire room so loudly, it blew most of them backwards. His monster form reverted back to normal when the room fell silent. It was only then that the judge began.
"The defendant stands accused of the sickening crime of conspiring with a known human." There was a great vibration around the room as the stands shared words of disgust at this news. The Judge continued. "How do you plead?"
In that room the Count was alone, no one would dare defend a traitor like him. He opened his mouth to admit to the crime when a voice penetrated the silence before him. The voice was very familiar and he hoped it wasn't who he thought it was.
"Not guilty!" Igor called as he led Mina in through the doors at the rear of the room. "I call my one and only witness." Mina looked slightly nervous and felt sick as the potion swilled inside of her. Igor had only just managed to get her out of the hearse without the moonlight touching her but she sensed the potion would not remain dormant for long. When they got to the judges pedestal he announced the obvious, "this is the so called human child."
The judge formed back into monster mode as he screamed in anger at Igor. "A human in this tribunal? This is an outrage!"
Mina did not sit in the witnesses box as she knew she would end up making a mess. "I beg the Court's patience." He motioned to the drape covering the hole in the side of the court wall. It rose on his command. "The full moon has just risen; let's see what you make of the human now."
As soon as the moon's rays fell on Mina, pain wracked her body unlike anything she'd ever felt. She screamed and clutched at her head as she felt herself change. Her bones rebuilt themselves, growing in length in some places and shortening in others.
New fangs pushed her flat teeth out of her gums and she almost swallowed them. She beat the floor as her skin burned, her clothes shed and fur took its place.
Through all this, the Count was gripping his seat so hard he was creating nail marks. He never felt so helpless in his unlife. Igor made sure his Master understood the consequences if he did anything rash. He stood in front of him at his desk so that he could stop him if he couldn't control himself.
Mina continued to grow and change until she was a seven foot werewolf. Her eyes shone golden brown as she stood on her hind legs, tail swishing as her transformation complete.  
She stared up at the judge and howled a noise so powerful; it went through everyone like a spear. Mina turned back to look at the Count, her eyes softened.
Igor continued his original point. "Clearly this child is a werewolf, and I think the jury would agree that although werewolves mostly appear normal, they are far from human". The matter was quickly resolved.
The jury agreed on the Count's innocence and so the court was dismissed. As the court drained of monsters, eventually only the three of them were left. "Vhat have you done?" The Count could barely contain himself.
Mina whined. The Count thrust Igor against the wall and growled into his face. "You've cursed her for life, you fool!" Mina put herself between Igor and the Count. Her meaning was that they should resolve it back at the castle rather than somewhere where they could be spied upon. The hurt she saw in the Count's eyes that night would shadow her for the rest of her life, however long or short it might be.

It took a while to return to the castle as Mina could no longer fit in the hearse. Without a moment's hesitation when they stopped, they all charged into the Igor's lab so he could get started on the antidote.
Meanwhile the Count tried to converse with Mina but he was having no such luck. Mina however thought of drawing into stone of the wall. So they began their question and answer session.
The Count started. "Whose idea vas this?" he frowned over at Igor until she carved her answer in the wall with her sharp claws.

Mine

He looked surprised at first then looked into her eyes, "did you know that it could be irreversible?" She simply nodded.
"Why would you curse yourself?" she turned to carve. In the wall she drew a heart around the word mine. She then whined, placing her paw on her chest and then to his. As their eyes met, he understood. She not only liked him, she loved him. She then continued to carve underneath the heart.

Never leave me

He saw the love in her eyes then. At that moment he made a promise. "I vill never leave you, Mina."
The loving moment was brought to an abrupt halt when Igor hobbled closer with what must have been the antidote. "Drink it all at once". As she could not grab the vial without shattering it the Count held it for her and poured it down her throat when she bent down.
The antidote was far different from the initial werewolf potion. This felt like molten iron burning its way through her flesh and blood. She howled in agony as her knees buckled. The effects were almost immediate. Her reddish brown fur receded back into her pallid skin and her bones reorganised themselves until she was human again.
An ordinary human. And. Naked. When the pain stopped and she realised, the Count was holding her naked in his arms, she squealed in embarrassment and fled the lab trying to cover herself up. The Count laughed as she ran but still felt the tingle her warm flesh gave him as he held her for that single moment.
He was glad she was back to normal and he owed her his life. She however may want to forget that night for all time. Not because of the transformation and the pains that it gave her but the fact that she was naked in front of the Count, not to mention she was in his arms at the time. She shivered from both the cold of the dawn and the memory.
Yes, the Count thought. Still too young.