Chapter 4: Khoon, Khwaab Aur Qabza

Mina ko neend nahi aa rahi thi।

Kamra shaant tha, lekin uske andar kuchh toot raha tha।

Har saans ke saath use apni gardan par ek ajeeb si jalan mehsoos hoti—

jaise koi uske khoon ko bula raha ho।

Sheeshe ke saamne khade hone se wo darti thi,

kyunki ab aksar use lagta

ki uski aankhon me uski apni parchai nahi hoti—

kisi aur ki hoti hai।

Jonathan paas hi so raha tha,

lekin Mina use jagana nahi chahti thi।

Wo jaanti thi—

agar usne apna dar bol diya,

to Jonathan ka zakhm phir se hara ho jaayega।

Raat ke teesre pehar

kamre me thand badhne lagi।

Khidki band thi,

lekin hawa chal rahi thi।

Aur tab—

andhera gahra ho gaya।

Ek dhund si kamre me faili,

bilkul waise hi jaise Lucy ke saath hua tha।

Mina ka sharir jam sa gaya।

Wo use mehsoos kar sakti thi

bina dekhe hi।

“Tum mujhe bula rahi ho, Mina,”

ek awaaz uske kaano me goonji—

geheri, shaant,

aur khatarnaak roop se apni si।

“Main… main tumhe nahi chahti,”

Mina ne kaanpte hue kaha,

lekin uski awaaz me poori taqat nahi thi।

Dhund ghaneri hoti gayi

aur dheere-dheere

ek aakar lene lagi।

Count Dracula saamne khada tha—

kaale kapdon me,

aankhon me laal chamak,

lekin chehra hairaan kar dene wali shaanti se bhara hua।

“Tum jhooth bol rahi ho,”

usne kaha।

“Tumhara khoon mujhe pehchaan chuka hai।”

Mina peeche hatti,

lekin uske pair jaise zameen se chipak gaye the।

“Lucy ne bhi aise hi kaha tha,”

Dracula ne dheere se muskurate hue bola,

“aur dekho…

use kitni shaanti mili.”

Mina ki aankhon se aansu beh nikle।

“Tumne use maar diya,”

wo phusphusayi।

“Nahi,”

Dracula ne jawab diya,

“maine use badla।

Insaan hone ke bojh se azaad kiya।”

Wo paas aaya—

bahut paas।

Mina ko mehsoos hua

jaise uska dil uski pasand se tez dhadak raha ho।

“Tum dar rahi ho,”

Dracula ne kaha,

“lekin is dar me bhi tum mujhe mehsoos kar rahi ho।”

Usne apni ungli Mina ki gardan par rakhi—

bilkul wahi

jahan do chhote nishaan the।

Mina ki aankhen band ho gayin।

Us pal

use apni maa ki yaad aayi,

Jonathan ki aankhen yaad aayi,

aur Lucy ki hansi—

jo ab kabhi laut kar nahi aane wali thi।

“Main tumse ladungi,”

Mina ne kaha,

iss baar thodi himmat ke saath।

Dracula hans pada—

ek thandi, bejaan hansi।

“Tum ladogi,”

usne kaha,

“kyunki main tumhe chhodna nahi chahta।

Tum meri sabse khoobsurat jung ho, Mina।”

Usne apni kalai kaat di।

Khoon behne laga—

gahana, laal, aur zinda।

“Piyo,”

usne hukm diya,

“yeh bandhan hai—

jise todna aasaan nahi.”

Mina ne chehra ghuma liya,

lekin uski saansein ulajh rahi thi।

Uske andar do awaazein thi—

ek keh rahi thi nahi,

doosri… chupchaap us khoon ko mehsoos kar rahi thi।

Isi pal

kamre ka darwaza zor se khula।

“MINA!”

Jonathan jaag chuka tha।

Van Helsing aur baaki sab bhi aa gaye—

haathon me cross,

aankhon me gussa aur dar।

Dracula peeche hata,

lekin uski muskaan ab bhi zinda thi।

“Der ho chuki hai,”

usne kaha,

“wo ab meri hai…

poori tarah nahi,

lekin kaafi had tak.”

Ek tez hawa ke saath

wo gaayab ho gaya।

Mina zameen par gir padi।

Van Helsing ne use sambhala

aur uski gardan dekhi।

Unka chehra safed pad gaya।

“Bandhan ban chuka hai,”

unhone gambhir swar me kaha।

“Ab Dracula aur Mina ke beech

ek raasta hai—

jise sirf himmat aur balidaan se hi toda ja sakta hai।”

Jonathan ne Mina ka haath pakad liya।

“Chahe jo ho,”

usne kaha,

“main tumhe nahi chhodunga।”

Mina ne aankhen kholi—

unme aansu the,

lekin saath hi ek naya sankalp bhi।

“Agar us andhere ka raasta

mujh se hokar jaata hai,”

usne dheere se kaha,

“to main hi use wahin khatam karungi।”

Door kahin,

raat ke seene par

Count Dracula khada tha।

Usne apni chhaya ko dekha

aur phusphusaya—

“Tum meri ho, Mina…

chahe tum maan-na chaho ya nahi।”

Lekin pehli baar,

uski awaaz me

thodi si bechaini bhi thi।

Kyuki andhere ko pehli baar

roshni ne chunauti di thi।

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