Dracula walked into his bedchambers where his bride had summoned him. He wanted to hope that she had had a change of heart and was willing to explore the connection between them but he didn't dare.

By the scared witless expression on the face of the guard she had sent to call him, she was probably ready to swallow coals and spit them in his face.

He could feel the anger pulsing through her even before he saw her and like some twisted bastard, he was looking forward to seeing his queen in a vengeful mood- who could blame him? Erinna was beautiful on an everyday basis but when she was angry...the very thought of it set him ablaze.

"You lied to me," she glared, green eyes burning with a fire that threatened to devour.

The wind that was blowing in from the open balcony doors intensified the effect of her anger, blowing her long hair so that she indeed looked like a vengeful goddess. Every part of her was vibrating in anger.

Her cheeks were flushed, plump lips trembling with anger and blood flow accelerated. His body turned to brick. Angry Erinna was not a far outcry from aroused Erinna, maybe that's why she was his favourite.

"You'd have to specify angel since you seem to believe I'm always lying to you," he said with a cold smile, trying to distract himself from the urge to lay her down and drink the dark essence flowing in her veins. In her anger, her blood was flowing so close to the surface.

What he would do to pierce that tender soft flesh with his fangs...

"You promised to forfeit the execution." It was more accusation than statement.

Agh, those stupid ten maids again? They were certainly being talked about in his household more than they deserved.

"Do you have reason to doubt my words?" he asked mildly, his mind on anything but what she was saying.

What would it take for her to let him have a taste of her blood? If it was half as good as her mouth.....

"I had a vision."

He grew more alert now. Though his bride had not learnt how to control her visions yet, they were the most powerful on the whole surface of the Earth and he would be damned if he didn't pay attention.

"Let me guess? Me holding a giant scissors and cutting your precious Angelica in half?" He smiled.

Well, that wasn't entirely a joke; he had considered it a couple of times.

"You are disgusting."

And her expression showed it all.

"But I haven't even told you about body saw yet," he pouted.

"The first time it was a dream and I ignored it. But today I had a vision."

"What did you see?"

"Bloodshed. At your hands," she glared.

He grinned; relieved it wasn't something as dramatic as her father trying to rescue her again because that fool was as tenacious as a tick. It was now certain relations with his father-in-law would always be less than amiable which was probably for the best because Dracula couldn't see himself licking anyone for approval. They either liked him or they didn't.

"But that's hardly news, angel. It's like predicting the sun will rise; it's a given."

"Are you killing Angelica?"

He was going to lose it if he heard that damned name one more time.

"I don't go back on my word."

At least to her.

"Then who are you killing?"

"Not that it's any of your business but all executions are on Friday, so you can stop worrying your pretty little heart. This is just routine."

Before she could reply him, her eyes turned from green to black and he was there to catch her before she fell. He remembered how her visions weakened her, depending on the intensity.

They needed to find a way to control them because the thought of her being at the edge of a balcony or in the bath and falling unconscious, left him cold.

"Erinna?"

"Alexander," she gasped.

What the hell?

She opened her eyes and he struggled to keep the anger out of his expression. He was holding her in his arms and she was thinking of Alexander?

He would be damned.

Her eyes were back to green when she opened them and the fear in them downright chilled him.

"Erinna, what is it?" he demanded urgently.

"It's Alexander. I just saw him. He was covered in blood. A lot of it."

There was a knock on the door before he could react. He gave his consent, noting the urgency of the man behind.

"My lord, it's the wolves. You need to come with me. They are attacking the border security"

There was a lot of noise in the castle after that. Dracula posted two guards outside Erinna's door.

She tried to find out what was going on but was locked alone in a room she couldn't escape. Minutes ticked by and then hours. It was close to dawn and Dracula and his men were not back. She twiddled her thumps, paced the room and looked out through the balcony yet the anxiety would not die away.

Not that she was worried or anything. She just hated violence.

And no matter how much she hated Dracula, she didn't wish for him or anyone for that matter to die at the hand of werewolves. They were rumoured to be ruthless flesh-eating beasts, not that vampires were much different themselves.

There was commotion outside the door and she leapt right off the bed because she felt Alexander's presence right then. She went to the doors but of course she failed to open them. Her anger built because she felt he was hurt and needed help. Was it as bad as her vision had showed?

Oh Lord please, no.

She couldn't lose him.

"No, you can't get in, the Count gave strict orders-" The guard outside was insisting.

"And who was with him a few minutes ago?" Alexander countered.

"No, he'll stake me if you're lying," the man refused.

"And if I'm not? What will he do then? What will he do when he discovers you accused his second in command of trickery and refused to follow his orders?" Alexander asked in his none forceful but persuasive tone.

The last threat seemed to be more frightening because the doors flung right open.

"Alexander!" Erinna gasped when she saw him.

His clothes were literally in shreds; torn on so many places that it seemed like he was wearing stings. And he was drenched in blood, his torso and arms bearing gushes that made her skin cold. She rushed to him, hugging him tight, just glad he was alive.

He hissed, "Careful tiger."

She cursed herself for her thoughtless action, but then she was just happy he was alive.

"I'm sorry, I'm just glad you're alive. Come, I'll clean you up," she said taking his hand and leading him to the bed. She pushed him until he was forced to sit.

She turned to go to the bathroom but he grabbed her arm, forcing her to turn back.

"I'm a vampire tiger, I will heal," he told her.

"I know," she said and proceeded to go to the bathroom to go get the medical supplies she had presumed Dracula had had put for her.

Alexander might have been a vampire but right then he was in pain and she wanted to make it better. It was the least she could do. If he healed later on using his vampire mujo, then that was it- she would have helped him when he had needed it.

First, she filled a bucket with warm water and brought it to him. She cut off the remains of his shirt, careful not to brush against his wounds.

She knelt before him and took a towel out of the water. After wringing it, she raised her arm to his chest.

"This is not right, you should never kneel before me," he said putting his hand on her wrist and tugging her up.

"Alexander," she protested.

"No, I'm serious Tiger; please stand up."

Rolling her eyes, Erinna stood up. She gently cleaned the blood off his torso, arms and face.

"You really don't have to do this," he said blushing as she carefully wiped the blood at the corner of his mouth. And what a beautiful mouth it was.

"I want to. Please."

He had been there for her so many times. Why was it wrong of her to want to return the favour?

He sighed and didn't argue no more.

"Where is he?" She asked the question that had been nagging at her ever since she saw Alexander wounded.

While it was almost impossible to imagine anything harming Dracula, she couldn't shake off the uneasiness and the feeling scared her. Was she beginning to like the person who had disrupted her whole life? No, it couldn't be.

"You know what, never mind. Tell me how this happened?" She said, hoping Alexander wouldn't pursue the subject.

"It's ok to care," he said simply.

"I don't," she insisted and even she could hear the hesitancy in her voice.

"No one will judge you for it little tiger. Admit it; that as twisted, evil and cruel my friend is... he has gotten under your skin."

"What kind of a princess would that make me?"

A stupid, spineless and weak one; her subconscious inserted. Yet the prophecy said she would kill him, regardless of her feelings, intentionally or unintentionally.

"An honest one. He is not the easiest person to love but he needs it. He needs you," his voice was just about a whisper yet sincerity rang in every word.

Why was he making this so difficult? It was easier to deal with Dracula when she pretended he didn't affect her, that she didn't feel the bond between them grow stronger every day and that she wasn't as pathetically drawn to him as a moth was to flame.

"Even if all that you say is true, we couldn't. It would be the downfall of both kingdoms. A curse affecting a royal spreads to their people."

Even Alexander couldn't argue with that. Whilst Dracula was prepared to put his people on the line for this, she wasn't.

Alexander put his hand on the wrist of her right hand and raised it. His thumb circled the marks that had been drawn there the day when Dracula had held her hand, careful not to touch the tattoo itself though .

She had tried all forms of scrubbing but the ink which seemed to be inside her skin had remained distinct as ever and the tattoo was warming up as Alexander touched its surrounding areas.

"This is the Recognition Mark. I am over three thousand years old and I have never seen anyone marked with it; it happens only in the strongest of mates. As much as you might deny it Erinna, there is something happening between the two of you. Do you think you would have been marked if you were as wrong for each other as you believe?"

She abandoned the nursing and sat on the bed.

"I don't know what to do; I'm so confused. My body, my soul, my heart recognises him but I don't think my mind can ever accept him."

"Since when do we let our minds decide matters of the heart?"

"I don't love him," she told him sternly before he got any ideas.

"Sure you don't."

"I don't," she pushed him a little.

"Of course," he agreed with a grin.

Oh he was so going to get it. He must have seen the mischievous glint in her eye because he ran to the other side of the room just as she took pillow and threw it at him.

"Hitting a patient? So naughty Nurse Nightingale," he laughed and just then the door opened.

"I thought when I sent you to my bride it was with the express instructions to protect her not to play house whilst I was out there risking my neck to protect our people?"

His eyes were deadly, still crimson from the blood thirst running in his veins. She knew if either of them said the wrong thing then it was goodbye for Alexander.

Strangely, she wasn't worried about her own life. She knew no matter how angry he got with her, Dracula would never actually kill her.

"You're back," she breathed.

He didn't cast a glance at her, his eyes remaining trained on Alexander debating whether or not just to do away with his friend of three thousand years.

"Alexander why are you naked?"

"I took off his shirt."

His eyes shifted to her then.

"You what?" His voice had reached those deceptively soft tones before the big blow up.

"He was wounded and I wanted to help him," she explained, trying to keep the tremor out of her voice.

"He's a bloody vampire for crying out loud! What helping did you think you could do? Fulfil his revery fantasy by giving yourself to him? Is that what you do now?" he yelled.

"My lord-," Alexander tried to interject.

"Get. The. Hell. Out. Of. My. sight."

Alexander cast her a worried glance inquiring if she would be fine. She nodded. He needed to get out before Dracula decided to use his blood to make ink. He left and it was just her and the jealous creature who she actually seemed to care for as odd as it was.

"Erinna I will kill you. You hear? I will kill you; don't ever pull something like that again."

And with that, he left too.

Wow.

😶😶😶😶😶😶😶

Dracula found Alexander waiting for him in the dungeon, his head in submission.

"What the hell is your problem? Didn't I tell you to stay away from her?" he growled pushing the other vampire.

Alexander didn't raise his head or even complain. That annoyed Dracula even more.

"So I'm talking alone now?"

"I have nothing to say; I stepped over line and will take any punishment you have for me."

Dracula thought about it, everything in him was screaming to make Alexander rue the day he had been born but he couldn't. They had more urgent matters to attend to so as much as he wanted to; Alexander was going to have to wait.

"Why are the wolves attacking my lands?" he asked instead.

It had been years since the wolves had attacked his people, in fact ever since he had woken up there had been no raid. They knew he was stronger now so why were they daring?

"Word travels fast my lord; I'm guessing they heard of the presence of a Pure Being in Transylvania," Alexander answered.

That made sense.

"Then we need to take precautions. Assemble all the older vampires and set up patrol teams. Fortify the gates too and make sure the humans are safe. I want the number of guards outside the Countess' chambers doubled. And try to stay out of my way; I still want to kill you."

"I know."

❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄

Erinna didn't know what to expect from Dracula when he knocked on her door way after midnight but a rose was the last thing she ever thought he would bring her.

Was he not supposed to be angry?

"Good morning," he smiled and her kidneys almost combusted.

That smile needed to come with warning signs and banners. It messed up her mind more than any attempt at reading Egyptian hieroglyphics had ever done.

"Good morning," she croaked; the retarded sound being her best attempt at normal conversation.

He held out the rose for her to take. She eyed it suspiciously, wondering just how much his powers were. Would the rose turn into a cobra at her touch and spit in her eyes?

"Why are you giving me a rose?" She asked, looking into his eyes which were looking a brilliant jet black that stole her breath away.

What was happening? She couldn't have been more confused if someone had taken her and thrust her into the ice age period that all history books spoke about.

"Peace offering."

She wrinkled her nose in further confusion. He never apologised; mostly because he thought he was always right. What was different that time?

"Why?"

"I might have jumped to conclusions earlier. Trust is not one of my strongest points. I know he's just your friend; I'll make an effort to understand that," he said.

Wow

She laughed, in both shock and surprise.

"Are you going to say something?" He asked shuffling his weight from the right foot to the left foot.

She smiled and took the rose.

Only Dracula would bring a black rose to apologize.

"The rose is beautiful," she said softly looking into his enticing eyes.

"Not as much as you," he replied his face serious and she blushed again.

She moved her hand down the stalk but gasped as a thorn pricked her finger. The pain was sharp and tears stung at the back of her eyes but she fought them. A growl escaped from Dracula's lips.

She looked up and it was only then that she realised her mistake.

His eyes had turned from black to an inky red that spoke of bloodlust. His fangs had extended and they were pricking his bottom lip. She took a step back, fear and self-preservation overriding fascination.

She knew he wanted her blood but the intensity with which he hungered for it scared her at that moment. Was this the end for the naive Elf Princess who thought she could save a bloodthirsty ageless and merciless murderer bound by a curse that he did not even want to be freed from?

"You don't bleed around vampires Erinna," he growled, his eyes still crimson. It made him look even less human than usual.

"It was a mistake."

"I know; my mistake. I thought I had removed all the thorns."

She nodded because what else could she say?

He took deep ragged breaths and closed his eyes. When he opened them, they had gone back to black and his teeth seemed normal again; as far as she could tell anyway. He looked nothing like the vampire that had been ready to devour her a few minutes back.

"Is your finger alright?" He finally asked.

"I'll be fine," she assured him. He had made an honest mistake; she couldn't begrudge him for it.

"So you see? That was my sad attempt at being romantic. I'm not a romantic vampire, " he smiled in self pity.

"Is that what we are doing now, romance?" she asked.

"You tell me."

"Nothing has changed. I'm just here to help you break your curse; do not read too much into it."

Before he could answer, Alexander shot down the hallway in front of her bedroom screaming at the top of his lungs and running at vampire speed with something behind him. Erinna's heart picked up and fear jerked her into motion.

She stepped out of the room and turned back to Vlad to tell him to save his friend but the only one who seemed to be concerned was her because right then Vlad was just watching the whole scene with an amused look in his gorgeous eyes.

Erinna moved out of the way just in time as Alexander shot past her, followed by a...lion?

He kept screaming at the top of his lungs and asking Vlad to help him but The Count was acting like this was the most amusing thing in history. His lip was lifted at one corner, displaying the dimple that was going to be the death of her.

"Vlad he's going to be hurt, do something!" She screamed at him, unable to believe he was about to let his friend become dinner to some rabid, unusually fast lion that looked like it wouldn't rest until it had sunk its canines in Alexander's back.

"Why should I get involved?" Vlad shrugged.

"Don't be childish," she said, knowing he was still salty about earlier when he had walked in on Alexander naked in her room.

"So you're not worried I'll get eaten? I'm wounded, Countess." He put his hand to his heart in mock pain.

It was the first time she had seen him try to make a joke, keyword being try. She did not see anything funny about the situation.

"You're stronger, it's not like it can kill you," she said even though she wished it could.

"Maybe but I think I'll watch this, you have to admit it's entertaining," he said turning his head to Alexander who was still running around the room, knocking everything away in his attempt to stay alive.

"It's funny that your friend is about to be mauled by a lion?" She frowned at him.

"Drac man, please! Call it off! I'm sorry for everything!" Alexander yelled, running around the room with the lion hot on his tail.

"Vlad," Erinna growled at him.