"Why should I trust you?" Dracula gave Egon a long skeptical look with both his eyes squinted.
"Because it's fact. I mean, why do you think the devil made it a forbidden place and doesn't allow us sirens and tritons, owners of the land to visit there?" Egon questioned, making a lot of sense. "Because he doesn't want anyone to get a hold of his weakness."
Dracula hummed, stroking his chin lightly and thinking deep about what Egon had just said.
"Think about how powerful you'll be if you get a hold of the Crystal. Give us Maris and we'd take you there." Egon tried to strike a deal, but Dracula shook his head in dismay.
"No, I'm not letting you have Maris just like that. What if you're lying?" Dracula's brows knitted into a frown as he pierced his eyes into that of Egon's.
"We'll take you there ourselves then." Egon offered and Dracula gave it a long thought before accepting.
They journeyed together again, chattering and cracking jokes with one another. Linda wasn't much of a talker, she kept to herself and only wore a look of irritation whenever Lucy and Dracula flirted.
Maris on the other hand yearned for Logan's touch and company so she slowly walked to his side, skin blotched as his lips were graced with a sweet smile at the sight of her.
"Hi," she said, mirroring his smile and brushing his arm with her shoulder. "Miss me?"
"Sure."
"You know when you ripped off your clothes, I was thinking you'd be naked when you switch back to human you, but here you are... Dressed in a–" Maris paused to scan him from head to toe. "–A check shirt and blue jeans."
"Does that make you feel disappointed?" He tilted his head, hands behind his back.
"Very much."
They shared a laugh and he shook his head, saying, "What a nymphomaniac."
"Hey, I'm not." She nudged him and he responded with a giggle.
"You know, I have this brush that vibrates." Logan stated, stealing a glimpse at her bright face. "I got it from a human store."
"Oh, that's really cool. You like it?" Maris showed off her teeth, the canine at the right hand side mirrored a mini vampire teeth, adding more to her beauty.
"Yes, but I don't mind giving it to you." A foxy smile crawled up his face and Maris' smile quickly disappeared, now replaced with a confused look.
"Why?"
"Because you can use it to please yourself... You know it vibrates and-"
"Logan!" Maris yelled in disapproval, not believing how dirty Logan was getting. She stopped to study him laughing his heart out. After shaking her head and sighing, she continued walking, saying, "And how am I supposed to charge it when it dies?"
Maris decided to play along with a smirk, loving every bit of what was happening.
"Oh, it uses batteries," Logan said then a sly smile tugged the sides of his lips, "Or you could charge it with your-"
"Logan!" Maris nudged him so hard he yelped, holding her in place as he tickled her ribs, sharing a joyous laugh with her.
"Maris, Egon would like to have a word with you." The woman who had told Maris about the cry for help announced and leaned to whisper into her ear, "Heads up, you're supposed to be his wife."
Maris' smile faded into a thin line as the walls of her throat dried up. Wife?
Her subconscious echoed, sucking her into a dark part of her head that thought marriage was a prison. She wasn't ready for that, not yet. Plus, she was Logan's consort not Egon's siren.
"Don't keep him waiting." She squeezed Maris' shoulder lightly and shoved her forward, but gently then started a conversation with Logan.
"Hi," Maris said to Egon just when she was an ace away behind him.
Egon spun his huge body, piercing his blue eyes into hers and it caused a shiver to run down her spine. She imagined being under him, doing her wifely duties and shuddered, he was mighty compared to her.
"Oh, hey..." Crinkles of delight appeared on both sides of his eyes and his dimples were in full display.
Maris' heart fluttered in admiration. She had a soft spot for dimples and this was the first time she was seeing him smile since the fight. Her lips involuntarily twitched into a one of her small smiles.
"I'm Egon." He extended his hand to her for a handshake.
"Maris." She tucked in her lips and shook her chained wrists in the air for him to see.
"Oh, we'd have to get you out of that." Egon mumbled then called for Dracula. "Get the chains off her, she's not a slave."
"So she'd run?" Dracula elevated a brow at Egon then laughed mockingly before saying, "I'll rather not take my chances."
Egon face palmed, "And not chaining her legs, but her wrist is going to keep her from running?"
Dracula's gaze snapped to her legs and a red color stained his face in embarrassment.
"Very smart." Egon clapped and Dracula snarled at him, passing a warning.
"C'mon, just get the chain off." Lucy rubbed on his neck and Dracula reluctantly ordered a vampire to set her feel.
Once the chains were out, Maris wiggled her fingers in excitement then rubbed her sore wrists. A low thank you rumbled from her throat and Egon nodded.
"What are you talking about?" Dracula slid in between them, pushing both of them so they both could be at arm's length from him. "Planning how to lead me to my Doom?"
Maris shrugged his hand off her and her irritated gaze slithered over him.
"Do you ever trust anyone?" Egon asked.
"Nope." Dracula muttered and they walked that way in silence.
"We need to hurry up, the sun would rise soon and I'm sure the curse still works very well on you." Egon stated, increasing his speed and so did the others that didn't want to get roasted by the upcoming scorching sun. "We're almost there I mean, my kingdom."
********
They arrived in front of a blue wide gate that had an inscription boldly written on it. Maris marvelled at the energy that pulled her from just the gates.
Her narrowed gaze was on the inscription that was clearly not in English. She averted her gaze to the symbol on the gate, obviously the same that was on her wrist. The gates flung open with two guards on each side of the gate.
Cold breeze caressed her face and she could smell how the water mixed with sand and she could hear the crashing of the ocean on the stones.
The moment the guards caught sight of Maris, they bent to the ground and bowed.
"Welcome, queen." They chorused and Maris was short of words.
They proceeded deeper into the kingdom and it was gracious with beautiful scenes like a house on a hill. She gaped at the flowers and song birds that welcomed them. The sweet scent of flowers took over her senses and she took a lungful of them.
The walking didn't end there... They kept moving forward till they reached the water which Maris had been perceiving, right from the gate.
Just when they were right in front of the ocean surrounded with rocks and tall trees, Egon spun with a loving gaze on Maris.
"Maris," Egon called, stretching his hand so she could take it. "Let me show you something."
From the corners of Maris' eyes, she saw Logan's jaw tick as he flashed scornful eyes at Egon who paid zero attention to him.
Maris placed her hand in his and they led the way. Something mesmerizing happened, the sea parted ways when she stepped a foot in it and Maris gaped at the scene.
Wherever she stepped her foot, the water showed her images of her young self and the life she lived.
*********
"This is it." Egon pointed in front of them, a big and round ancient door with eery inscriptions on the body.
They were under ground and no doubts, there were bats hanging down from above.
"Get it open, what are we waiting for?" Dracula shoved Egon from his front and narrowed his gaze at the door, trailing his finger on it. "Yup, has the devil all over it."
"Maris, only her can unlock the door." Egon stated.
Maris read the inscription on the gate out loud and placed her fingers in a part for it and that was it. The door clicked and opened noisily.
The place was dark and cold with a malicious feeling lingering in the air that made Maris' skin to creep. Whispers erupted, the ones only Maris could hear. The moment she lifted her leg and stepped a foot in, the place brightened up.