THE WAVES LASHES against the sides of the ship as everyone stood around the main deck, staring at the dripping crimson blood falling from the steps.

Arabella wrapped her coat tighter around her chest as she sat next to Lord Ruthven. Although she saw right through his facade the night prior, his face that dull morning conveyed only distress, shock and sadness. She rubbed her hand on his arm after seeing a thin layer of tears gloss over his eyes.

"She said she was too warm. I told her to be careful," the Russian sailor stirring the ship that night spoke with remorse. 

"And you saw nothing?" Yuri asked, his arms crossed over his chest.

"No, sir, nothing from where I was standing,"

Lord Ruthven seemed to snap from his thoughts once he turned to the captain and the sailor. "This is preposterous. Where is she? Mm? What has happened to my wife?!" Ruthven stood from his position on the floor, walking past Arabella, almost pushing her from her kneeling position. Sacha aided Arabella to her feet, holding her by his side.

-----

In the lounge, all the remaining passengers sat around the sofas as the shipmates stood in front of them. Arabella sat next to Sacha and Yamini at the long table, the distraught Lord Ruthven on her other side. Dracula stood behind her, his hand resting on the back of her chair. Adisa stood on the other side of the room.

Ofgaren, the one-handed cook, spoke up pointing to the map. "What about Lisbon?"

"Lisbon's two days away," Another sailor commented. 

"We go on to England, and double the watch," Yuri announced. "No-one is to walk the decks alone, understood?" The sailors around the lounge nodded. "We are forced to assume that there is a murderer on board," Arabella quickly shot Dracula a look, knowing everything was his doing. "We can, I fear, place no trust anywhere."

Dracula knelt Yamini. "Now, young lady, you seem particularly upset," he raised his brows, staring into Yamini's eyes as he rested his hand on her arm.  "Did you see something which alarmed you?"

"She can't understand you, Dracula. She is deaf," Arabella spoke. "Here," she moved his arm from Yamini's so she could scoot closer. Arabella's hands moved quickly yet carefully as she communicated with the deaf girl, repeating Dracula's words. She felt both Dracula's and Sacha's gaze fixed on Arabella. Yamini's eyes stayed wide, her eyes flickering towards Dracula. Although it was clear to Arabella that Yamini had seen Dracula kill Dorabella the night before, but the young girl still shook her head. Dracula stood again, his hand resting on Arabella's shoulder once again.

Sacha's mouth hung open slightly as he stared at the young woman. "H-how do you know sign language?" He asked quietly, as he noticed the sailors talking again.

"I was an orphan. The children at my orphanage were - how can I put it? Rejected from their families. Unfair, really. There were a few deaf children there, so I learnt for them. The skill stuck," Arabella explained quietly, leaning across the table slightly to talk to him. Sacha smiled at her, her eyes flickering over her complexion. 

Dracula's brow furrowed at the sight of Arabella showing another man attention. She had always been so devoted and dedicated to him.

-----

The passengers and one of the sailors explored the cargo area of the vessel, while Yamini and Arabella explored the main deck with Piotr.

"Piotr," Arabella called, as the young timid man walked ahead of them, looking in every nook and cranny on the main deck. "What exactly are we looking for?" She asked, innocently.

"A-ah, well, anything that looks suspicious, I suppose," Piotr wrung his hands together. "It seems odd... for three people to go missing," Arabella nodded, craning her neck up to glance at the sky. Her arm was linked with the smaller one of Yaminin's.

"I suppose you and the sailors blame the women, don't you?" Arabella teased, quirking her brow. Confusion washed over at Yamini's face, not understanding what Arabella had said until Arabella quickly translated it for her in sign language.

"Pardon, Madam?" Piotr turned around, hardly looking the young woman in the eye.

"Well, it is a whole myth that women bring bad luck whilst at sea," Arabella spoke, whilst translating her words for Yamini, causing the young girl's eyes to widen. "And you did have four of them on board. That would be a lot of bad luck, surely?" She continued, a small smile resting on her lips, winking down at Yamini, causing her to suppress a laugh.

Piotr gulped. "I don't know if I believe in such myths, Madam,"

Arabella grinned, stepping closer to him. "Maybe you should, Piotr."

-----

Yuri rounded all the passengers and crewmates to the main deck that night. "Trust, once lost, cannot easily be restored, I know that. But we've all searched this ship from prow to stern - there's no sign of our missing friends. We're all agreed?"

Dracula raised his hand. "Which means only one thing," Dracula's gaze landed on Arabella who was practically attached to Sacha's arm, her hand resting on his bicep, as the other rested on Yamini's shoulder. 

"I'm afraid so," Yuri agreed. "It's one of us."

A silence fell amongst the passengers until Sacha spoke up. "It is clear what we must do. We must go on to England and we'll hand this matter over to the authorities. If we stick together and we're all careful if no-one is a -" Sacha was cut off by a loud bang. Arabella screamed in fright, gripping onto Sacha's arm tighter. Everyone turned to see the sailor - Abramoff - clutching his broken leg. All the sailors rushed to get him below deck. Arabella guided herself to stand in front of Yamini, so she wouldn't see the blood. 

"Step back, man. He's bleeding!" Yuri shouted. Arabella snapped her head at his exclamation, shooting Dracula a look. His jaw was tensed, his eyes bloodshot.

"Sacha, maybe you should take Yamini away," She called to the doctor. When he took Yamini in his arms, Arabella stepped over to Dracula. She wrapped her arm around his back, leaning her head up to his ear. "Now is not the time to expose yourself, dear," she whispered.