Lucius was consulting with his witch, Allasandra, about Bella's resurgence. He stormed angrily as he paced the castle's empty halls. "Everyone believes you've turned on me. All except my most loyal servants have either fled or pledged their allegiance to Dracula's daughter."

Allasandra looked at Lucius, carefully. "Then my plan is working. Beware Lucius, Una Bella Morte has a mate now. She'll grow strong. Then people will talk of the return Dracula's blood. In no time you'll be overthrown. Her father still has many loyal followers who will worship her heritage."

Lucius wasn't listening. He was gazing at the matching sister globe the witch had given Una Bella. He could see Dracula's daughter moving around in the crystal sphere. He was fixated by her terrible beauty, remotely watching her movements.  Allasandra observed him keenly with her inner eye for a few moments. In consternation she screamed, "By Thor's hammer you like her!
He did not deny it, "Yes, I find her attractive."
Lucius was silent while Allasandra continued lambasting him.

"Dracula was your sire. You cannot mate with his daughter, that's incest!"

"Incest be damned. I'm an interloper, a bastard."  He continued gazing at Una Bella.  "She's the true Princess of Darkness. She could make me legitimate."

Allasandra snatched the globe away from him wondering what kind of spell he was under.
"Are you insane?"
"She has mated with Von Schwarzenberg's blood line! They are invincible. Together they would torture you with glee before killing you!" Allasandra nearly spit the words out as she spoke.

Lucius responded with quiet desperation.

"Do you know what's it's like to exist without purpose. Without a true legacy? Years have bled into centuries of boredom while I eat and sleep. Screwing whores. My life never changes. That's torture! Four hundred years ago I had a cause. I destroyed Dracula after he made me immortal. I imprisoned his daughter. I took his place. Now the name of Dracula is forgotten and I'm an unknown. A failure."

Allasandra spat at him, "Yes it's called a mid life crisis!"

Refusing to be appeased, Lucius paced before her lik a caged beast. "I'm tired Allasandra. I want a change. I want a mate who challenges me. I want to have a partner."

The witch was done with raging. "I want, I want. You're a child looking for a mother. That's why you'll never be Dracula's equal. Come here."

She embraced him in her arms trying to make him forget about The Princess of Darkness.

Thank you for reading! 👻