Dracula: A Retelling ✔️

The Devil's Waltz (II)

"Already escaping the party?" I hear someone say from behind me

"Professor Van Helsing! You startled me!" I say moving a hand to my chest as if the motion would calm my heart.

"I apologize, that was not my intention." he says coming closer

"It's quite alright. You simply caught me unware."

"It's quite a party you have here" he says motioning the people inside.

"Thank you, but the credit isn't all mine. It took a lot of work and people to make it look this good."

"You know Miss Murray that is one of he things I like most about you." he confesses surprising me "You are a team player, you never take full credit for your accomplishments, you always share them with others. That can be a valuable trait but a bad one as well." he advises "It's always good to know when one must not allow others to take credit for something that is yours, and yours alone."

"I'll keep that in mind Professor." I tell him. I look inside and notice Mr. Grayson standing not too far from us staring at something on the other side of the room.

"Excuse me, Mr. Grayson?" I call him. He turns to me and smiles when he sees me making his way to where we were.

"I would like you to meet my mentor and my friend, Professor Van Helsing."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Professor Van Helsing." he says shaking hands with him.

"Honored to meet you." the Professor replies

"The Professor is a pioneer in his field." I inform him 

"Is that so?" he says intrigued

I watch them interact and soon they both start discussing the uses of science in technology. I watch amused as they bicker, joining in ocassionaly.

We are interrupted when we hear soemone call for the attention of the room. We go inside and when I notice it's my father who is going to speak I quickly make my way next to Lucy in the front.

"Ladies and gentlemen." he calls ou raising a glass "I would like to start by thanking all of you for coming tonight and for donating our hospital the funds it needed to keep one of it's wings open. The donations tonight have been nothing more than generous, and I am pleased to anounce that the funds collected already have already made it possible to keep the wing open and running for many more years."

Everyone claps at the news.

"I would also like to announce that this wing will now be baptized Rothcroft Wing for the Mentaly Ill." he says and everybody claps cheerful once more. Lord Rothcroft raises his glass in silent gratitude. 

"We could not be here tonight without the work of my beautiful daughter, Mina, who has always made me proud." he says raising his glass to me "Mina, I only wish your mother were here to witness the woman that you've become."

I blew him a kiss, sending him all my love.

"Mr. Grayson!" he calls out making everybody turn around so they could look at him "Tonight's festivities are nothing short of spectacular. Now I've thought long and hard about how best to express my gratitude to you, and in the end, decided that it's right for me to offer you what I consider most precious...The privilege of the first dance with my daughter."

I stop breathing for a moment. My father comes down the stairs and kisses my cheek lovingly. I smile at him in reflex. I turn around and notice that everybody had already made space for me and Alexander to dance.

Alexander stops in front of me and I have to remind myself to breathe. I had to calm down or all this nerves would only make me make a fool out of myself.

He bows to me.

And the music starts playing.

I pick up my dress with one hand and raise my right hand to fit in his. He places his other hand on my waist pulling us closer together.