Bride?

Was he out of his vampire mind? Every creature living and dead knew that unions between vampires and Elves were forbidden. Heavy consequences had befallen those who had been foolish enough to ignore the prophecy. Some even ending up dead.

And that was only for normal people, for a princess it was unheard of. Erinna might not be well versed with the world but she knew her history and if he was looking for some pathetic elf to use and take advantage of then he was sadly mistaken.

Whatever the conniving vampire had in mind, Erinna could not let him succeed with his devious plans. She would not bring such disgrace upon her people. She was an elf princess, a future ruler; princesses did not go down without a fight.

Closing her eyes she tried to reach her father telepathically through their mind link. But the moment she tried to convey a thought and send a message, it backfired and an invisible energy force struck her and blocked the message.

A body-numbing, mind-freezing headache knocked her roughly off her feet onto the intricate marble floor. She screamed as she gracelessly landed on the ground, her fingers on her temples and her lungs working overtime in a struggle to take in more oxygen for her traumatised brain.

"Something wrong, my love?" The deep, enticing voice broke through her haze of pain.

"Wh...wh...What did you do to me?" she stammered, her head nearly splitting open with the very vibration of her own voice.

"Not me. You. You did it to yourself." Even as much as she wanted to hear the answer and his pleasant uniquely accented voice, the sound in her head was making her feel as if she was undergoing live surgery.

"Make it stop," she demanded, through gritted teeth, glaring up at him from her sprawled position on the floor.

The amused smile left his face as quickly as it had come and she found herself looking at a glaringly menacing face that made all nightmares pale in comparison. How such a beautiful face could look so scary was beyond her.

"Now you know what happens to those who defy me."

Dracula flicked his hand and relinquished the energy in the protection spell his sorcerers had casted. He expected to see gratitude or at the very least relief when his bride looked at him but the fury in her eyes when she turned her piercing gaze to him spoke volumes and nearly burned holes through his undead skull.

"Who are you?" She demanded.

Her rudeness did not go unnoticed because naturally no one spoke to him like that; not if they wished for their head to stay connected to their neck. But Erinna was his bride, he could make exceptions. For today anyway. After all, her strength and feistiness were some of her best qualities which attracted him to her.

"Count Dracula."

He waited for the violent reaction, the outrageous screams and the hysterics, a usual reaction after he introduced myself but none came. Instead Erinna laughed a beautiful wistful sound that warmed his dark heart to its cold depths, no matter how sarcastic it was.

"Very funny, now please tell me who you really are." It was a command, the smile now completely gone. He frowned, not particularly amused by her reaction.

"I just did."

She looked at him probably realising he was telling the truth.

"The man in my books."

He rolled his eyes; he hated the way humans portrayed and perceived him in their literature. They were not even accurate.

"No angel, I'm the real deal."

Erinna guessed she should have frozen, petrified with fear but the only thing she felt right then was shock at the unexpected discovery. But she believed him, there was no denying it. She did not even have to use her Elven abilities to verify the truth of his words.

The darkness that wrapped around him like a coat and followed like a faithful dog its master was enough evidence of his nature. He was really everything that mothers warned their daughters daily against. The creature that roamed the nights, stalking the shadows and forever married to darkness.

"And you think I'll marry you."

"I don't remember ever saying it was a suggestion."

"You are actually more insane than I initially thought you were."

He raised his eyebrows in a what-is-that-supposed-to-mean gesture so she decided to elaborate.

"Everyone knows that unions between vampires and Elves are forbidden."

Unless he wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed he also had to know that piece of prophecy passed down from generation to generation. And the Count didn't look particularly dumb. Not by a long shot.

"Your father didn't tell you?" he asked, looking baffled.

Her expression when she looked at him mirrored his own.

"Tell me what?"

"Didn't Mara at least tell you about your destiny?"

Now she was swimming in confusion.

Dracula could see that the perplexed expression on her face was not staged. She really had no idea. So his suspicions were right, Eric Ellington had really been trying to evade prophecy. Believing hiding the truth about his daughter from her and everyone else would change who she was, what her destiny was. The man was a fool if he thought he could alter prophecy.

"I don't know any Mara; the only people I've ever interacted with are my father and governess. Who is Mara? And what destiny are you talking about?"

Confusion was rolling off her in waves. The Count did not even know where to begin with the explanation.

"You have never met anyone your whole life except for your father and your governess?"

In some weird twisted way he was happy that he was the only man she had ever seen, except her father of course, but he didn't matter.

Erinna lifted her chin proudly and defiantly at his words.

"It was for my protection."

"Is that what your father told you?"

"Yes and he was right," she said, looking at him pointedly.

"Maybe but you don't escape prophecy. Did someone at least appraise you of your gifts?" He asked.

Somebody please tell him Eric Ellington did not raise her as a normal everyday princess, the Count thought with frustration. Not when she had so much potential.

"I have visions; that's how I saw you," she offered.

"They were not all visions. You have way more than visions, Erinna. But you will have to know the whole story. Will you join me for dinner?"

"I'd prefer it if you just explained now."

"And I'd prefer it if you joined me for dinner. My apologies if that came out like a request, Countess."

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Sassy