Lucy snarled as she threw herself at Drake. Her teeth snapped at him, claws sharp as she swiped at the air.  Drake was certain if she could get free of her shackles, she would attempt to render his flesh from bone.

He sat down in the chair, crossed his arms, and lifted an eyebrow. “Are you done?”

Lucy growled at him, jerking against her bonds.

“Normally, I would let you work this tantrum out of your system.” Drake shook his head. “Unfortunately, we don’t have time for that.”

“Stop,” Drake ordered, every bit of his vampiric power behind it.  Lucy whimpered and scrambled away from him.  He waited impatiently for her senses to come back to her.  This was why fledglings had to be closely watched. His own sire should have been killed for leaving Drake like he had, but there had been no Vampyrium then and no laws.

Fledglings had no control over their instincts or their change.  And for vampires to thrive in this increasingly technological world, discretion was more important than ever.

“Y-you,” Lucy started, her voice rough and scratchy. “Are a goddamn bastard.”

Drake declared, “Both literally and figuratively. I am a bastard.” And for the first twelve years of his life, his mother and their master had been his entire world.

Drake shook his head. “Now that we are done with your tantrum, I think we should get to the point.”

“And that is?”

“Your beau was found dead in a ditch this morning,” Drake tsked. “Unfortunately, but necessary, and since you were the last person seen with him, people are already talking.”

Renfield had been quick to give him the news.  With his average looks, it was easy for his servant to stay in the background and observe.  This had been extremely helpful when he had been Dracula.

Lucy snorted. “I’m not surprised. This is a small town, and Arthur is a Holmwood.”

Drake crossed his arms. “With some diligent use of compulsion, Renfield has managed to spread the rumor that you are so distraught over your dear Arthur’s death that you haven’t left your room.” He shook his head. “That is not going to last for long, though.”

Lucy flipped her long blonde hair over her shoulder and glared back at him. “So what is your solution, then?”

“You will have to go to Arthur’s funeral.”

“That is a ridiculous idea,” Lucy said. “Even if I don’t burst into flames at the first hint of sunlight, going on to the holy ground—”

Drake shook his head. “That is all Christian malarkey. Vampires existed centuries before religion was created. We can go on the holy ground just fine. Hell, there are a few vampires who are priests.”

Lucy blinked at him for a long moment. “Well, okay.  What about the fact that I just tried to rip your head off your shoulders? You are really going to trust me around a bunch of innocent people?”

Drake rubbed his head, and that headache he’d had earlier returned with a vengeance.  “Well, I have an idea about that…”

***

Time seemed to stretch out into something that Jonathan despised. Everyone was talking about Arthur’s death. It was to be expected, with the Holmwoods being an old and prominent family. It was all over social media, in the newspaper, and at work, people clustered together in solemn circles muttering ‘Poor Arthur’ as if he hadn’t been a bully.

Jonathan would never admit it out loud, but he was relieved that he didn’t have to see Arthur ever again. He would never have to turn a corner and see him with that taunting smirk on his lips, never feel his fists hit his skin.  The only person Jonathan was worried about was Lucy.  His lover may have insisted that she was over Arthur, but the way she had easily given in to Arthur the night of the party made him doubt it.

Jonathan may have assumed at the time that she had been trying to avoid a public spectacle, but the way Lucy had withdrawn into herself since his death worried both Jonathan and Mina.

As if things couldn’t get worse, there had been rumors.  Everyone had noticed Lucy and Arthur’s interaction at the party and assumed that Lucy was the last person to see him alive. And just a few days after Arthur’s death, [couple name] had seen her and Drake kissing in the forest.  Besides, the other few times people had spotted Lucy, she was practically glued to Drake Alucard’s hip.

People always had something to say about Lucy’s promiscuous ways, but because she was rich and a Westenra, most of them couldn’t afford to piss her off. But it seemed those whispers that always followed Lucy had gotten harsher and cut deeper.  They called her a coldhearted bitch for moving on to Drake so soon, and some people even accused her of being responsible for Arthur’s death.

Mina and Jonathan both tried to talk to Lucy about it.  However, Lucy was never at home these days, and she rarely called or texted.

“Something is wrong,” Mina said. “I don’t like the sound of her voice. It is…off.”

Jonathan pulled her close and tried to console her.  “She’s just grieving in her own way.”

Mina gave a bitter laugh. “By shutting us out and by fucking Drake Alucard.” Jonathan stepped back and looked at her. “You’re jealous.”

Mina threw up her hands. “I’m…confused.  I don’t mind if she fucks other people.  What bothers me is that she is shutting us out.”  And seemingly replacing us with Drake. The rest of it went unsaid. Jonathan’s own emotions about the entire situation were a jumbled-up mess. He felt the same way as Mina about Lucy’s recent behavior, but he could also admit (again only to himself) that he was jealous of Lucy.

He wanted to have Drake’s attention all to himself. It was ridiculous! Jonathan was just his attorney, working diligently on Amaranthine Financial Group acquisitions, but the way Drake looked at him like he was special and wanted to devour him made Jonathan ache with longing. But Jonathan was nowhere near Lucy’s league, and Lucy was a wonderful person.

She was bold and outspoken and thoughtful, kind, and loyal.  If Drake was to fall for anyone, he could find no one better.

“What are we going to do?” Mina asked him as he held her one night.  And Jonathan didn’t know the answer to that.