Princes of the Undead

Part 40

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Once upon a time Count Dracula would have relished this type of social gathering, the famous and the powerful of the vampire world, even the infamous, all coming together to barter and pick each other over. Part of him still did enjoy the cut and thrust of politics, who was aligned with who, which vampire had insulted another, which power block was making shifts. Yet there was something decidedly stagnant about the very elite of vampire society, in that the players barely ever changed, they simply reset the board. Eventually it would all become so dreadfully predictable; once you knew all the players, knew how they would react, you could predict them and block them, and thus an endless stalemate.

"Count Dracula such a delight to finally meet you? I have heard so many wonderful things about you, but they really do not do you justice...in the flesh so to speak."

Bowing over the hand that was offered, Dracula smiled politely but chose to ignore the flirtation or the expectation he would kiss it. "Madam?"

"Veronica Franco. But please do call me Veronica, every does you know." The dark eyed Italian beauty fluttered her lashes at him, a flicker of annoyance in her gaze as Dracula remained politely aloof.

"Veronica I'm honoured." Dracula countered, unable to keep the sarcasm out of his tone entirely.

It would take more than a sixteenth century courtesan to sway him, even if as a younger man he might have been enticed. He had a particular weakness for intelligent women, and with her notorious talents in the bedroom, Veronica was someone that would have once held his interest; if she wasn't also known for spending her way through other people's fortunes.

"Ah Count you have the look of a man who would rather be somewhere else?"

"Well when in Rome..."

"And in love, or so the rumours would have it. I have heard that congratulations might soon be owed..." Veronica fished, aware that although the rich Count might not be swayed to warm her bed and line her coffers, he might be good for some gossip.

"Really and just who did you hear that from?" Dracula replied, his tone all politeness but just the wider smile, with a hint of fang, was warning enough. Let them call him uncivilised, a warlord, Dracula didn't care, society was only a veneer and a thin one at that.

"Just around." Veronica's answer was a little flustered, as there was no hiding the way she both stepped backwards and leant forward at the same time, gifting Dracula with an eyeful of her décolletage, her instincts clearly warring inside her.

It was a reaction the Count was used to, mainly from his victims, all their instincts warning them that here was a predator they should be fleeing from, and yet they were magnetically attracted as well, for all the wrong reasons. Well Dracula had no interest in taking a bite, or anything else for that matter, from Veronica Franco.

"The trouble with gossip, it is such a vapid thing, the false kind leads to such trouble, and the true loses all its value when confirmed." Dracula teased, catching Mycroft's eye from across the room. "Now please do excuse me, my counsel wishes to speak to me."

"Of course, Count, perhaps we might continue our discussion later? Feel free to bring your 'gossip' with you, I'm quite broad minded you know, and an intelligent woman is such a rarity in our society."

Waiting until he was safely out of even a vampire's ear shot, Dracula muttered something about over his resurrected corpse. If it weren't impossible to avoid it, Dracula would rather never introduce Agatha to any of these vampires. They were indolent and lazy, sat on the very pinnacle of society for so long, they had forgotten what it was like to achieve anything. His chosen bride was their very antithesis, and Dracula adored her for it, and right now the feeling of missing her was so acute Dracula could almost taste it.