Paradise Found

Sorry for the wait!! I feel so guilty. Life has been so busy for me lately.

Thanks to everyone sending reviews! I read and cherish every one of them. They really brighten my day.

Thank you to Michelle for being such a wonderful Beta!

Enjoy!


Once Bitten


“What’s going on?” Hermione asked, frightened, as she backed away from the two vampires.

The female snarled at her, exposing her fangs menacingly.

Count Baranov looked at her in anger. “You do not have to frighten her like this!”

“But I want to,” the woman replied, slyly. “The blood tastes so much better with a touch of fear.”

Hermione looked towards the window, as her way to the door was blocked. She was cornered, her heart beating like an animal about to be devoured. “Please…, don’t do this,” she stammered. “Why are you doing this?”

Count Baranov appeared regretful, seeming very uncomfortable with the situation. “It is your blood, my Lady, the precious blood of Marlston that we need. I’m sorry. I don’t have any choice.”

“Why? Why do you need it?” Hermione asked, alarmed. What did these vampires know of Marlston?

The female laughed shrilly. “Don’t you know? Marlston vaults will only open for the blood of a Marlston. With your blood flowing in my veins, I will drain your vaults at Gringotts and move your treasures to a place that only I know of. I will not have to worry about money for many centuries to come! I will live like a queen.”

“Money?” Hermione said, stunned. This was about money? Nothing else? “I can give you all you need if you let me live.”

The woman laughed. “Do you think I’m a fool? This is my one and only chance. If your Dark Lord finds out about us, we’ll be finished. Therefore, the only way to assure he will not find out, is to get rid of the one who would tell him – you.”

“Do you have to be so cruel?” Demetrius scowled.

“Ah, my softhearted youngling,” the woman answered. “You have not been one of us long enough to lose your emotions yet.”

Hermione looked to the Count, pleading with her eyes. “Please, help me. Don’t do this.”

“I think, Demetrius, you should have the honor,” the female vampire said, smiling.

Demetrius looked at Hermione, knowing that Sybilla would not be humane in taking the young woman’s blood. She got off on pain and fear. He nodded, approaching.

“I’m truly sorry, my Lady,” he said, using his voice and eyes to cast a mesmerizing spell. “I shall make this as comfortable for you as possible.”

Hermione opened her mouth to scream, but she had made the mistake of looking into Count Baranov’s eyes and was now caught under his spell. She was breathing hard as he approached, his whole being sending waves of seductive energy. Her knees felt weak and she almost swooned as he took hold of her with his strong arms, wrapping them around her waist to support her.

Hermione moaned, flushed with strange excitement when he touched her, his breath fanning the bare expanse of her shoulder. He kept eye contact with her as he took the strap of her dress and yanked it down, leaving the bodice gaping and her creamy breast visible.

Hermione whimpered with need, entirely caught in the Count’s spell. She felt she had no will to fight him. She only wanted to give. She felt arousal, completely forgetting the danger she was in.

Sybilla laughed softly, making her way to where they stood embracing. She soft ran her fingers over Hermione’s exposed breast. “Very pretty,” she said. She moved her forefinger around the nipple, making Hermione’s bud harden. “Isn’t she a sweet treat, Demetrius?”

Hermione leaned forward, straddling one of Demetrius’ legs, her pussy weeping with need. She closed her eyes, her breath rushing out, as Demetrius began running his lips softly over her shoulder and neck, sending chills of pleasure through her body.

Sybilla laughed again, stepping behind Hermione and pulling up her gown. Her hands roamed over Hermione’s rear as Demetrius kissed her neck, licking at the soft skin.

Sybilla’s hand slid down between Hermione’s legs, finding her knickerless and soaking. “Mmmmm… nice…” Sybilla purred, moving her fingers over Hermione’s quivering, wet flesh.

Hermione moaned louder, her head falling to the side. Demetrius saw her throbbing vein exposed to him and could no longer resist his hunger. He bit down, hearing her gasp as his teeth broke her skin.

Oh the blood, so very rich and powerful! He could feel it filling his body he was throbbing with it. It was times like this when he was reminded that he was no longer a man. He was now a monster, a voracious monster with a beautiful woman in his arms. He remembered mortal sex, the intoxicating feel of orgasm. This was the same feeling, the same high.

He drank and drank, his eyes closed to any other sensation. He felt her going limp in his arms, but he didn’t care. He sucked harder, greedily, until he felt a hand on his head, pushing him off of his prey.

“Do not take the last drop!” Sybilla hissed.

Demetrius let go of Lady Marlston, watching her body crumple to the floor. He was so caught in the moment that he had almost drained her completely, dooming himself in the process. He hated this! He hated who he was. But he could see no other way to protect his sister.

Until he could figure out a way to be free from Sybilla forever, he was stuck doing her bidding. She was old and powerful, wise in the ways of deception. Demetrius was newly turned. He needed to learn all he could from her and then one day… turn it against her.

He glared at her now, filled with hatred. “Are you satisfied now?”

Sybilla smiled. “Not yet. We must kill her or she will tell all when she recovers.”

Hermione lay pale, her lungs struggling for breath in her too weak body. She did not have the strength left to move or even open her eyes.

Sybilla took a pillow from the sofa and held it out to Demetrius. “Smother her, quickly!”

“No! You do it,” Demetrius snapped. “I’ve done enough.”

A loud groan from above startled them and drew their attention to the ceiling. Loud cracks and snaps, the sound of wood heavily scraping together like a rocking ship on a rough sea reverberated throughout the room.

The two vampires looked startled, feeling the unmistakable power living in the very materials of Marlston.

Demetrius grabbed the pillow and threw it across the room. “You fool! The house is alive. It has seen what we have done. If we kill her, we’ll never get out of here.”

Sybilla’s eyes were wide as she contemplated this. Then she hissed angrily. “Then we must leave now for Gringotts! We must take the treasures before she can recover.”

They ran from the library, finding that the ceiling and walls in the rest of the house were moving and groaning, upset that its Mistress was so close to death.

“I will not leave without my sister,” Demetrius said as they ran.

OOOOOOO

Ginny tried to scream but Blaise held his hand over her mouth while he dragged her with him towards the side of the manor house.

“Quiet girl. Cease your struggles and you’ll fare much better,” Blaise hissed.

Ginny couldn’t understand what was happening. One moment they were having such a wonderful time, the next moment Blaise had changed into some sort of alternate personality. She believed that he must have snapped and gone mad. She was very frightened as she struggled in his arms, wondering what his intentions were.

Blaise found a wand in his robe pocket and smiled. Pulling it out, he pointed it at Ginny’s heart and said, “Imperio.” Then he commanded, “You will cease struggling and be quiet and docile.”

Ginny stopped her struggles and stood still, her eyes wide and glazed as if stunned. Blaise let go of her and stepped away.

“Very good,” he said. She would definitely be good insurance from anyone trying to stop him from his goal.

Yes, he’d take her with him to his ice prison. If anyone should try to stop them, he would simply threaten Ginny’s life. None of those fools would want to see poor, sweet, little Ginny Weasley hurt.

He looked down at his body. It was a good, strong young body. Yes, together they could free his real body and perhaps free someone else as well.

The house groaned and cracked, drawing his attention. Something was happening.

Good – a distraction.

He grabbed Ginny’s wrist and pulled her behind him. “Come along, girl.”

OOOOOO


Lucius Malfoy stood near the entrance of the ballroom, taking a breather from the dancing. His attention was draw to the swift movement of Count Baranov entering the ballroom and making a quick line towards the place in which his sister stood. As the music died down, the crowd looked startled at the sounds coming from the ceilings and walls. It was an eerie sound, as if the house was preparing to collapse around them.

Many people looked around the ballroom for their hosts and hostess, but found none. Dumbledore stepped into the center of the room and gazed upward, trying to discern the trouble.

Lucius’ sharp gaze remained on the Baranovs. Something was not normal. Why wasn’t the Count as surprised as everyone else? His suspicions deepened as Demetrius Baranov took his sister’s hand and began leading her towards the front of the ballroom, where Lucius stood.

The Count nodded in greeting at Lucius as he passed through the door of the ballroom and toward the front foyer of the manor. Lucius turned and followed behind them, curious.

When the foyer became visible, Lucius notice that their mother was already there, instructing a house elf attendant that they wished a carriage, immediately.

“Leaving so soon?” Lucius asked, startling them and confirming his suspicion. His hand inched toward the wand in his pocket.

Demetrius thought quickly. “My mother isn’t feeling well. Please send our regrets to Lady Marlston.”

The house moaned louder and the cracking increasing. All four of them looked at the ceiling as if it might fall at any moment. Suddenly the front door slammed shut, heavy metal bars breaking from the floor, which slid up to block any escape.

The Baranovs gasped, observing the same metal bars coming from the sills of the windows, preventing any escape from there as well.

Screams could be heard coming from the ballroom, and Lucius knew the same must be happening everywhere in the house.

“It seems you are staying after all,” Lucius replied, coolly.

Sybilla bared her fangs and hissed, leaping towards Lucius. She was so quick that Lucius could not pull his wand out of his pocket in time. She grabbed him by the arms and tossed him hard against a wall, knocking him unconscious.

“We have to get out of here,” she screeched.

Katrina began weeping. “They will kill us. Oh, Gods! Demetrius, what are we to do?”

Demetrius tugged at the bars, but even with his preternatural strength, he couldn’t budge them.

“Hurry, we must find another way,” Sybilla said, running toward the grand staircase with Demetrius and Katrina behind her.

OOOOOOO

Draco licked every last drop of Harry’s release, surprised at the groans the house was making as Harry groaned as well. He lifted his head and smiled. “Damn, Harry. You are so powerful that you made the walls excited too.”

But Harry had a strange look on his face as he listened to the noises. “I don’t think I’m responsible for that.”

The lights began to flicker on and off and they began to hear the sounds of panic and fear coming from the direction of the ballroom as the cracking grew louder.

Both young men jumped to their feet, quickly adjusting their clothing. In the process, Harry called out, “Bugger!”

Bugger always appeared immediately when he was called. Their alarm grew when the loyal servant did not answer the call.

“Fuck! What the hell…?” Harry swore, heading for the door. He threw it open and stood looking about at the guests. Everyone was gathered in small groups, huddled together for safety. No one seemed to know what was happening as the groaning of the house continued and the lights flickered.

Harry and Draco starred at the iron bars over the windows and doors.

“Do you think it was Snape?” Draco asked from behind his shoulder.

“I don’t know,” Harry mumbled. “But I intend to find out.”

As they came out of the room the guests looked to them for answers, calling out, “What is happening, Harry?” and “My Lord, something is wrong.”

Dumbledore approached them, looking very disturbed. He examined Harry. “It’s not you, then.”

“What?” Harry asked.

“I thought perhaps you were angry and that this was the result of your temper,” Dumbledore answered.

“No, it’s not me,” Harry replied. He looked about the room at the panicked faces. “Everyone remain calm. I’m going to straighten this out. Where is Lady Marlston?”

People looked around, baffled and nervous, shaking their heads. It was obvious that Hermione was not in the room.

“She left the ballroom awhile ago with your servant, Bugger, I believe his name was,” Dumbledore replied.

“Harry,” Draco said, fearfully. “We’ve got to find her!”

Harry felt the same fear in his chest. Bugger did not come when called. The house was acting up and Hermione was missing.

“Come on,” Harry said, striding across the ballroom. The guests moved out of the way as Harry, Draco and Dumbledore headed towards the exit. Many of Harry’s followers also trailed behind, determined to be of service to their Lord.

When they reached the entrance hall, they spotted Lucius Malfoy lying against the wall. Draco and Dumbledore hurried to his side.

“Father!” Draco called out, shaking him. Dumbledore felt for his pulse. Narcissa came rushing through the crowd of on lookers.

“Lucius!” she cried. “Is he…?”

“No,” Dumbledore answered. “He is alive.” He pulled out his wand. “Ennervate.”

Lucius regain consciousness, wincing at the tremendous pain where his head had hit the wall.

Harry stepped forward. “Speak, Lucius. What has happened here?”

“My Lord,” Lucius replied, “it was the Baranovs. They were trying to leave the house, but the house wouldn’t let them. They appeared… guilty, my Lord.”

“Where are they now?” Harry demanded.

“I don’t know. The mother… she’s not normal. She is extremely strong. She attacked me.”

“Shall we search for them, my Lord?” Adrian Pucey asked from among the crowd of followers.

Harry wanted to say yes, but he knew they wouldn’t get far. Bugger had set many magical barriers, blocking off many portions of the house. That hopefully meant that the Baranovs wouldn’t get far as well. Unless…

Draco looked at Harry, reading his thoughts. Had the Baranovs done something to Hermione and Bugger in order to get to Merlin?

Their thoughts were interrupted, however, by the sound of house elves crying at the top of their lungs. The wailing was coming from down a hallway toward the library.

They rushed toward the sound, leaving Narcissa to tend to Lucius.

It seemed that all eighty of their house elves were crowded into the library, sobbing brokenly. They turned their big, wet, sad eyes toward the entrance when Harry appeared.

Harry thought perhaps they were afraid of the house noise and flashing lights, and had gathered to console one another, until they moved out of his way, revealing the cause of their grief.

Harry froze for a second, not wanting to believe what he saw. There his beloved lay on the floor, pale and weak. Then he ran to her, and knelt over her. “Hermione!”

Draco pushed people out of the way and ran to the other side of her. “Oh, Gods! No!”

Dumbledore came in the room behind them, watching as the two young men sat her torso upright and held her, shaking with fear for her life. Her eyes fluttered a bit and she wheezed as she tried to draw breath into her lungs. She was fighting for her life, yet she was so weak!

While Draco and Harry carried her to the sofa, Dumbledore noticed the missing servant, Bugger, was also lying on the ground a few feet away from where they found Hermione.

Dumbledore knew Madam Pomfrey was one of the guests. He turned to one of the many astonished followers at the door. “Get Poppy Pomfrey, immediately!”

A few people at the rear of the crowd ran off to find the mediwitch.

Then Dumbledore joined Harry and Draco as they hovered around Hermione on the sofa, looking for injuries.

“Her neck, Harry!” Draco gasped.

Harry’s fingers touched the two puncture wounds and his suspicions were confirmed. Vampires! The Baranovs were vampires! Why hadn’t he sensed it? They stood before him and made their vows of loyalty, yet he hadn’t sensed it! They must have fed, gorged themselves on blood before coming tonight. Vampires appeared quite human after a feed.

And now, they had fed on Hermione! How dare they! Harry could feel the red, hot rage burning inside him. How dare they!!

Madam Pomfrey rushed into the room, going immediately to Hermione. Draco showed her the wounds on her neck.

“Vampire bite!” Poppy exclaimed. “Oh my!” She examined Hermione further, checking her vital signs. “She’s very weak, but she has a strong will to live.”

“She needs blood! Take mine!” Draco insisted, panicked.

“I need the right equipment for that procedure, Mr. Malfoy. And we must determine whether you have the right blood type…”

Madam Pomfrey’s voice was cut off when they were all startled by Bugger suddenly sitting up, his eyes wide and wild. His jaw fell open and began moving as if he were a controlled puppet. A strange sound came from his mouth before there were words they could understand.

“No…” Bugger said, eerily, “you must not give her blood. Only Marlston blood must flow within her. Only Marlston….” Bugger’s eyes rolled to the back of his head and he fell over unconscious once again.

“Perhaps a blood restorative potion,” Dumbledore suggested.

“Yes, that would help,” Madam Pomfrey answered. “I need my apothecary, but it appears we cannot leave the house.”

“We have a laboratory in the dungeons,” Draco responded. “There are many ingredients down there.” He turned to the house elves. “Take her to the potions laboratory. Give her whatever she needs. Let nothing get in her way.”

“Yes, Master,” a group of elves replied, gathering around Madam Pomfrey and Apparating her to the laboratory in the dungeon.

“Wait a moment,” Dumbledore said. “The elves can Apparate without the key to Marlston?”

“Only within the walls, Sir,” Draco replied. “They cannot Apparate onto the grounds outside. Only Bugger can do that.”

Dumbledore looked at Bugger. “It seems that strange creature is very valuable indeed.” And just what or who had possessed Bugger a moment ago, warning them against giving Hermione blood? Quite mysterious.

He looked at Harry, who had been very quiet for a while, noticing for the first time the battle that was raging in the young man’s heart. Dumbledore had seen Harry fight this battle before – rage against reason.

“Harry?” Dumbledore said. Black eyes turned towards the old wizard - black, deadly eyes. Dumbledore swallowed. “Harry, you must be rational. Vampires can be tricky to deal with. I suggest….”

“Deal with?” Harry hissed. “I will destroy them, slowly, painfully, for what they have done. There will be no deals.”

The house creaked and groaned over their heads, rattling and trembling. Harry’s followers looked towards the ceiling, feeling as if the house were to fall at any moment.

“Harry,” Dumbledore continued. “The house is connected to Hermione. Can you see this? She is the last Marlston. If she dies, the house will go down and we will all die with her. Our efforts should be focused on saving her. She needs you to be there for her, Harry. She needs your love to keep her will strong.”

Dumbledore could see the effect his words were having as Harry’s eyes wavered between green and black. Yes, love was the key…

“I’ll stay with Hermione,” Draco interrupted. He turned towards Harry, undoing any influence Dumbledore’s words had had. “You fucking get them, Harry. Capture them so we can torture the fuck out of them. Just let me have my turn at them….”

“Mr. Malfoy!” Dumbledore said, trying to stop the rising tide of hate and anger.

“No!” Harry said. “He’s right. No one will hurt Hermione and get away with it.”

Dumbledore watched, dismayed, as Harry’s eyes blackened once more, his skin burning with rage, his power growing to pulsating proportions. Even Harry’s followers backed away from the door, unwilling and unable to block the wrath of their Lord.

OOOOOOO

The soul of Severus Snape, inside of Blaise Zabini, held on to the girl as he slid into the house at the last moment before the heavy iron bar sealed off the west door of Marlston. He was breathing heavily, relieved that they had made it back inside.

He looked about and listened as the house made strange noises and the lights flickered. What was happening? He loosened his grip on the mesmerized girl and she obediently stood in one spot as he tried to figure out where they were in the house.

He needed to get to the Hall of Portraits, but it seemed as though they were in a closed room with no exit. It must be some sort of magical barrier, he pondered. When he was in spirit form, he simply walked through walls and flew through ceilings and floors. But now that he occupied Blaise’s body, he could no longer do so.

“Blast it!” he cursed.

Suddenly he heard a deep sigh as a gust of wind came from nowhere, practically blowing them over. He caught Ginny before she fell and looked about. The wind seemed to be dissolving the magical barrier.

Further more there was something strange about that wind – a power he had felt once before. A power he had felt when he was in the ice prison…

The wall wavered and dissolved before his eyes, revealing a hallway before him.

Could it be?

Merlin.

Merlin was helping him? Of course! Because he knew where Snape was headed and he knew what his intention was.

Snape looked about for the wind. “Oh, great Merlin, show me the way to the Hall of Portraits. Soon we shall both be free.”

OOOOO

A/N Well, it’s Dark Harry time! Things may get violent – I’ll warn you beforehand. There’s just no getting around it with this plotline.

Please keep writing to me. I love hearing from you! Til next time…