27I don't own OUAT. This is the slightest bit cracky, in the middle. Just a warning ;)
Regina entered the graveyard, marching towards her vault. Now that her evil half was back, she wanted to be sure that she couldn't take any more items from Regina's vault. The spell at the town line was bad enough, she didn't need the evil queen doing anything worse, like casting another curse.
Regina was so lost in thoughts –I had to- I didn't have a choice, did I? - and worries – what if she uses the – that she didn't notice the shadows behind her moving. Or the fact that her skin suddenly goose bumped.. or the fog that was slowly closing in on her- trapping her.
It was only when a cold hand grabbed her and pulled her back that Regina noted any of this. She lighted her hand on fire, but-
Those eyes. Like -
She tried to pull the man (?) away from her, but suddenly her limbs weren't obeying her, thinking was more difficult and the fireball that had just been ready to stop her attacker slowly died.
" Get- " off why can't I talk? What's going –
Regina saw white fangs, red eyes and then only remembered darkness.
When Regina opened her eyes again, the darkness around her was almost gone. She was lying against a tombstone, her head covering the fading letters. She blinked her eyes as she tried to remember what happened.
I was walking towards my vault when –
Regina hissed when she moved her head and a sharp pain in her neck was the result. At first, she thought she just had a stiff neck but when she brought her hand towards it, she was surprised to feel something wet-
Blood?
Regina stared at the red droplets clinging to her fingers. She used her free hand to pull herself up, then started walking towards the vault. I still need to protect it against the Evil Queen. Also, I need a mirror.
After casting another spell –definitely not blood magic this time- Regina grabbed one of the many mirrors in her vault and used to look at her neck. The blood apparently came from two tiny red marks on her throat.
Regina frowned, trying really hard to remember. Not again! Anything with 'forgetting' in it is really becoming a cliché in this town. Still, that didn't change the truth: Regina remembered little but confusing flashes from last night. Coldness. The color red. And a sensation not unlike a needle piercing her skin.
She looked at the tiny marks one more time, then threw the mirror away with enough force that it shattered against the wall. Her fingers hovered above the marks, purple magic at their tips. Two seconds later, and the bite marks had completely disappeared.
She walks to the back of her vault, where she keeps her books. True, most of them are about magic but they should have something on the creature that's apparently targeting her. It's only after hours of basically fruitless research that Regina gives up and stumbles back to her car. When she gets home, she immediately changes her clothes and crawls into bed.
Red. Glowing eyes and a deep, seductive voice that seems to sink into her skin and freeze all her muscles. 'come , little queen, come' it echoes and Regina's legs are moving without her permission. In the back of her mind, she is aware that she should fight but the haze over her mind makes everything feel right. The red eyes disappear and instead there's fog all around her, goose bumping the skin that isn't covered by her pajamas. She shivers, and stalls for a moment. She moves her hand (it's so heavy, like there are weights hanging on it) and the fireball she tries to light trembles and disappears. The fog vanishes too, replaced by a large dog with eyes that make her freeze again. Except, this time she is aware that what is happening is wrong. This time, her heartbeat speeds as panic settles on her and there are clouds formed by her harsh breath around her. She can't speak. She can't move her hands enough to teleport herself or use even the tiniest bit of magic. She can only move forward, towards that same tombstone she woke up on, the dog bouncing ahead of her. She feels like a puppet on strings and for a moment, they break and she is free. Then the dog looks at her again and she is compelled to move forward. She can fight a little, enough to walk slower than the force driving her wants to but eventually.. eventually she is resting with her back against the tombstone and watching with panicked eyes as the dog's form changes. She can only see his eyes and the white of those fangs. She feels needles piercing her skin, then only darkness.
Regina wakes up feeling weak like a newborn kitten and gasping for breath. She can't remember what she dreamed, just flashes of a fog-plagued graveyard and red.. something. She pushes herself up with difficulty, every action feeling like it's a thousand times more difficult than normally. All her body seems to want is sleep, but she won't let it.
A cup of coffee will surely make me feel invigorated.
Or so she tries to convince herself as she drags herself out of bed, struggles to put on clothing and transports herself ( she can't walk, not even the short distance to her car) to Granny's.
She is dizzy so when she actually finds herself at Granny's , she stumbles and it is only the fast reflexes of a famiar blonde exiting the booth that keep her from falling.
" Wow, Regina are you ok- are those fucking bite marks" Emma's concerned tone changed into incredulity upon noting the two tiny marks on Regina's neck.
" Don't curse in front of our son" Regina says, glancing at the booth were Henry already had hot chocolate with cinnamon in front of him. Apparently the two of them were having breakfast, because there is a plate with pancakes across Henry and Henry himself is happily eating his own pile.
"Regina? Are those bite marks?" Emma repeats her question and Regina touches her neck, cursing in her head when her fingers once again encounter something wet and warm. Blood.
" Apparently " she sighs. Now she will have to tell what happened. She had hoped that she could solve this problem herself, already feeling like a burden now that the evil queen is running around, wreaking havoc.
Emma gently starts to guide Regina towards the booth, rolling her eyes when Regina weakly glares at her. Obviously, 'her majesty' didn't like being helped. Only when Regina is seated, does Emma scoot in herself.
" What happened?".
" I went to my vault to protect it against - " she glances at Henry, who smiles at her. He already looks worried, so should she-
" And-" Emma prompts.
" And before I arrived at the entrance, someone or something grabbed me".
Emma's eyes darken with fury. Across from her, Henry looks just as mad. If slightly less inclined to do bodily harm.
" Who?".
" A vampire" the confident reply makes both his mothers look at Henry. He shruggs. " Come on, bite marks? Vampire, obviously".
" I don't know about that kid, it could be something else".
"Mom. What can you remember about the attack ? "he asks gently.
" Not much, but I remember that there was suddenly fog around me. And red. The color red. And then I woke up and my neck hurt".
" Dracula can turn into fog. And his eyes glow red, so you might have seen that" Henry says, nodding. He looks worried, but also slightly excited.
Emma leans back and groans. "seriously? Do I have to get Van Helsing or something? ".
" You could just stake him yourself" Henry says, shrugging.
" You have read Dracula?" Regina asks Emma, eyebrows raised and skepticism written over her face.
" Why would that surprise you? I read".
" It would surprise me , because I wouldn't think the genre or language used is something you would like".
" It is actually pretty good. I like-".
" Moms" henry exclaims, rolling his eyes ala Regina.
" yes dear?" " What is it kid?".
" Mom is bitten by a vampire? If it's Dracula, she is in a lot of trouble? He might come back for more?".
Emma smiles sheepishly. " You're right".
" I still can't believe this is happening" Regina mutters.
" So vampires weren't a thing in the enchanted forest?" Emma asks.
" They did exist, they were just rare. And I definitely never met one". Regina snorts. " Unless you want to count your mother".
" Uh what?".
" Skin as white as snow.. lips red as blood.. hair as black as ebony.." Regina cites. " It sounds more like a vampire than a bird-adoring princess".
" It would've been so cool if grandma had been a vampire" Henry exclaims.
" I don't know about that kid. Bats are kinda creepy".
" Bats are actually crucial. Thanks to their eating habits, the insect population is diminished. So unless you like clouds of insects, destroying all crops and such, I would be glad that bats exist if I were you". Regina remarks.
" Still. Creepy"
" I think bats are cute, but what are we going to do about the vampire? " Henry asks, glancing at the tiny marks on Regina's neck.
" We will need stakes" Emma decides, still that same 'is this my fucking life now' look in her eyes that she always gets when another 'fairy tale thing' happens. " Where do you get those?".
" You have magic, dear" Regina reminds her, rolling her eyes.
" Oh right".
" We might also need holy water, garlic and be careful about who you invite into the house".
Emma snickers. " How are we getting the holy water? Asking Blue to bless water for us?".
" I don't think that will work.. she is a nun, not a priest".
"Well maybe- ".
Regina turns to the waitress that has just arrived, ordering a coffee and salad and two more hot chocolate with cinnamon, then turns back to her son and Emma. " She is not actually a nun , she is a fairy. And we don't even need her help because I have holy water in my vault" she cuts into the conversation.
Both Emma and Henry stare at her. " Why? ".
"Because I like to be prepared".
" Okay cool, so we just need garlic then. And Emma can go get the holy water".
"Why me?".
" Because mom has already been bitten so we can't just let her out of our sight".
" What if I get bitten?".
" It's daytime" .
"So? Like any fairy tale character ever behaves exactly like you want them to. I mean, there is nothing in Snow White and The Seven Dwarves about 'and then the princess hit the prince with a goddamn rock' . What if this Dracula actually isn't bothered by daylight?".
" Then you might get bitten".
" Thanks for the concern, nice to know that I have such a loving, considerate son".
" Mom's cooking is a lot better than yours. Besides, I don't think he needs more blood already. So you're probably safe".
" Probably. That's so reassuring, probably".
Regina pushes herself out of the booth. " Miss Swan, I can-".
" No way Regina, what if that thing attacks again? I am not going to have it turn you into a vampire. Where on earth would we get the blood necessary to feed you?"
Before Regina can point out that they would probably have to kill her, Emma says something that makes her a little breathless. " I mean, you could drink my blood, but I don't have enough of it to make sure you're fed for the rest of your vampire-life".
"You would let me drink your blood? ".
" Well yeah".
Emma and Regina stare at each other, Regina incredulous but also with eyes that are impossibly soft and Emma determined but also a little shy. The moment is finally interrupted by Henry, who decides he can't allow the two to just stare at each other for eternity.
" So that's settled".
Very slowly, Emma drags her eyes away from Regina to look at Henry. " What is settled?".
" You will get the Holy water while mom and I go to the story to get garlic".
Emma sighs. " Fine. But if I get bitten by a vampire and can never enjoy another bear claw again, then you're officially a bad son".
Henry rolls his eyes. "Okay ma".
" Can you believe this? He isn't even worried ".
" It is daylight dear. And I am sure there are worse things than never being able to taste something that unhealthy".
" Stop ganging up on me!".
Both Regina and Henry smirk. Emma scoffs and starts stuffing her face with pancakes. "You- " mouthful of pancake – " Are so- " another mouthful of pancake - "mean!".
Regina offers Emma a napkin. " I am sure we are, dear" .
Emma ignores the offered napkin. " And don't pretend like you wouldn't be upset if you could never eat apples again or something".
" I wouldn't whine like an eight-year-old, no".
" Sure you wouldn't miss 'the honey crisp tree is the most vigorous and hardy of all' You're obsessed with apples Regina".
"I am hardly obsessed".
Emma starts to tick off on her fingers. " You make apple cider and apple turnovers. You have an apple tree that you've had since forever and you have apples in your study".
" I still don't see how this makes me obsessed".
Emma looks at Henry. " Kid? Are you going to gang up again or are you going to pick my side".
" You might be a bit obsessed, mom".
Emma slams the table triumphantly. " Boom! See? You're totally obsessed".
" Does this inane conversation have a point".
" Well yeah, you would dislike not being able to eat apples as much as I would miss my bear claws".
Regina rolls her eyes, but she is smiling at the same time. Emma might often act a bit idiotic, but she is a charming idiot. And somehow, most of her idiotic moments are more amusing/heart-warming than truly annoying.
" You seem to have inherited the idiocy genes that run rampant in the Charming family".
" Whatever your majesty, I know you don't think I am that much of an idiot".
" You can still be quite idiotic".
They bicker back and forth and Henry watches, rolling his eyes. His moms really can't help but constantly tease and taunt each other, like they're paid to do that. They're so obvious. Hopefully, during this vampire hunt they will finally see what's obvious to anyone with working ears or eyes; they totally like each other.
He isn't even that worried about his mom, because Emma would never let anyone hurt Regina.
Besides, their magic was stronger than a God's . Like any vampire could ever beat them if they work together.