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Clara	By : dancingsalome Category: G through L > The Historian Views: 3094 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own The Historian or Dracula. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

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It was the truth, Clara knew that. This was not a mad man, nor was it a joke, but still she couldn't stop herself. "You are not real, you cannot be."
The smile that had flickered so briefly before, returned to his face, but it didn't make his countenance kinder and it only fuelled Clara's fear. "Oh I was real long before there ever was a novel or some silly movies. They have borrowed my name for a figment of imagination. I have found it a useful distraction from unwanted attention, though,"
"What do you want from me?"
"I want you to come with me." He took a step closer to her and Clara shrank back involuntary. "I can give you everything you ever wanted. I can give you your heart's desire and I want you to invite me to make you mine."
He moved so quickly that his movements were hardly noticeable, but suddenly he stood just in front of her, much too close. He lifted his hand and she pressed herself harder into the wall to try to evade his touch, but he only outlined the contours of her face with a finger in the air.
"So, what is it that you want? Eternal youth, perhaps? You are so beautiful, so young. When I lived I would have taken you to my bed and hoped that you would bring me strong sons. I can gift you with loveliness that never ends. Your eyes will never lose their brilliance; your skin will remain as pure as it is today. No decay, no loss of beauty. Ever. Does that tempt you Clara?
Clara shuddered. "No. I- I don't care that I will grow old one day. That is what everyone does."
"Not everyone" He smiled his terrible smile again. "But you would have disappointed me if that had been enough. I think I can give you a better offer."
He paused, as if he had to think through what he could give her. "I can open every library, every archive for you. You can travel the world wherever you want, the locked and forgotten rooms will be opened for you. And you will be able to spend years, if you want, years in one single library as you look for what you want to find. Eternal knowledge and the keys to unlock those mysteries. That is what you want, is it not, Clara? I know that is true and that is what I want from you. In my youth I would only have seen your beauty, because that was all I thought women could possess. I have learned since and every test I have put you through, you shined in. I want your brilliance and hunger for knowledge. I want you to search for things that have eluded me. You will enjoy that, I am sure. If you say that this does not tempt you- then you are lying."
He was right, it did tempt her. She had wanted to be a scholar, but there had not been enough money, so to become a librarian had been the next best thing. It scared Clara that he knew better what she secretly longed for, when those who loved her did not.
"Yes, yes, it does tempt me. I love working in the library, but that is not everything I want. But there are so many other things I want from my life. Like love…"
"Love! What is love but a thinly veiled excuse for the need to possess? I have seen your young man and all he want is to own you, but not for what you are but for what he would like you to be. I see you and what you can become and you still think what he can offer you are better?"
Clara started to feel drowsy, his low voice seemed to wrap around her thoughts and making it difficult to think. There was more in life, of course there were, but she couldn't quite catch them and make them into words. It would be so easy to say yes, and for every minute of listening to him, it felt easier still. Clara shook her head to try to clear it and the movement made the thin chain around her neck tug at her skin.. Somehow that helped to clear her thoughts. If her words failed her, perhaps she could find help elsewhere. Her hands shock when she raised the small cross. It seemed so tiny but Dracula recoiled and fell silent and Clara stood a little straighter.
"No, I don't want what you offer. Go away!"
However, the respite the cross gave her was not to help her for long. Though Dracula clearly was repulsed by the cross, he regained his composure very quickly and snarled at her. "A very feeble attempt. Did you really think that could ward me off long enough?"
His hand shot out much too quickly, grabbing the chain as far away from the cross as possible. Clara could feel a burning pain when the chain snapped and it flew away over the room, bearing the cross with it. It tinkled faintly and then it was gone into the darkness, leaving her completely unprotected. He shook his hand as if even the brief moment he held the chain had pained him, but then his hand closed around her arm, without effort lifting her up so she was forced to stand on her toes. The other hand wound itself into her hair, forcing her head toward the side and back, exposing her neck. He leaned closer and the faint but awful smell Clara had felt before, crept into her nostrils. He was so close that she ought to have felt hot breath on her skin, but of course there was no breath, even when he spoke so close to her that his lips almost touched her skin.
"Did you think that I would leave you alone if you deny me? Oh no, I will take you, with or without your consent, but then I would be forced to punish you. You cannot imagine how much one can suffer when one can no longer die. Starvation that goes on forever, slowly driving you mad. Or take that cross you had. What do you think it would make to your lovely skin if it was pressed against it, over and over again."
His voice grew slower, thicker and Clara realized something. "And you would really like doing those things to me."
"Like? Clara, I would relish in doing those things to you. It would please me immensely to see you suffer."
He let go of her and Clara slowly slid to the floor. All strength had left her, she could feel tears well up in her eyes and fall, brought by exhaustion and fear than anything else.
"But I don't want to . I need you to serve me willingly, not as a broken slave." Dracula extended his hand toward her and his voice softened. "Take my hand and there is nothing to be afraid of. I am a fair master- obey me and you will have everything you want. I may punish disobedience harshly, but your loyalty will keep you safe."
Clara blinked away the tears and swallowed the sobs. If it had been a movie, then this was the moment where the door would burst open and her saviors would come to vanquish the monster, but this was real, this was her life and there was no hope, there was only a choice of how she was to meet her destiny. She wanted so badly to be brave and defy him, no matter the cost, but she couldn't. Slowly she stretched her hand toward him and he took it in his. His hand was smooth and cool and he pulled her up into his arms. Her legs still didn't obey her, but it didn't matter, he held her as easily as if she had weighed nothing.
"Don't be afraid, Clara. When you wake up again, you will have no doubts and no fear."
When his face changed, truly revealing the monster within, Clara closed her eyes. She felt like she was falling again and when she could feel his lips against her neck, her hands clenched against the fabric of his coat in a last effort to regain her balance, but her head spun faster and Clara fell and knew nothing more.
THE END
AN: Thank you for reading, I hope you have enjoyed my story! I am currently writing a sequel called Sophie and the first chapter will be up here soon. For those who has not read The Historian I can say that the only thing that really makes this a fanfic to that book is Dracula's passion about learning and history. Otherwise Kostova draws heavily on the myth of Dracula as well as the real Dracula, Vlad Tepec, who lived in the 15th century. She is not the first to make the literary and real person into the same person, but she makes very good use of it. On Youtube you can find a documentary from the 70's called In Search of Dracula which explores these themes with Christopher Lee as narrator as well av playing the parts of both Dracula and Vlad Tepes. It was my first introduction to vampires when I was about eleven.
For those who have read The Historian I can say that even if the time period is very vague in this fic, it was quite clear in my head. It's set in the late 1950's, some time after Paul and Helen's adventures.
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Clara