This chapter is available in an adult explicit version strictly 18+ in the other subsidiary book called Vlad the Impaler Adult Chapters 🔞 But here I'll try to keep things a bit reader friendly lol.

Dracula sat on his elevated throne made of werewolf bone and adorned with the finest and rarest of jewels. Beside him was a smaller but just as grand throne he had had ordered after his bride's birth.

It was made out of transparent, sparkling crystal and diamond, representing her untainted purity. He had had emeralds added when he had seen the colour of her eyes.

Just below him; on lower chairs sat his two advisers, facing the vampire community. Their positions were merely a formality for none of them could truly remember the day the Count had actually consulted them. The humans who served them of course were not invited.

The silence in the room bordered on the offensive as they all awaited the arrival of the one woman who was going to change their lives; whether negatively or positively was up to the universe.

Most of them were not pleased, he knew. They saw Erinna as their downfall. A curse put on a leader extended to his people and much as they loved and were eager to satisfy their Count's needs and whims, this was too much of a sacrifice.

Their hostility was loud in the air though none had the courage to voice it.

He felt her presence before she arrived and every fibre in his being sang and rejoiced and he had to fight a goofy smile off his lips before his people thought he had become retarded.

While he was excited about Erinna meeting these people who he considered the closest thing to family; he was also a bit nervous. Erinna was beautiful to the point of shocking. He didn't know how his people would take it.

She was simply irresistible.

He wouldn't blame anyone for falling in love with her at first glance, but if they so much as made a move towards her, they would be in Death Town before they said "was just looking my lord".

They had had a minor argument that afternoon; ok minor depending on whose point of view. He hoped she had forgiven him and had followed his express instructions religiously.

He had told the maids to dress her in the most conservative and repulsive clothes they could find to at least make an effort to subdue and mute her shouting beauty.

He knew it was a futile effort for his bride would look delightful in just about anything. The veil he had told Alexander to remind her to put on however should do the job.

It should prevent him from having to rip out a lot of jugulars that night. If her beauty was veiled, perhaps his people may be able to resist.

The door man opened the huge doors with an unnecessary flourish, bowing.

"Hail Princess Erinna of the Ellingsdale Elves, Countess of the vampires," he addressed.

His bride walked in and all heads turned that side and his jaw fell to the ground.

What...the...hell?

She was in a highly revealing gown that set his body on fire from just looking. It showed all her lush curves provocatively and he had to stifle a groan as his whole body leapt to instant reaction.

She moved like a vengeful goddess, her head up and her hips hypnotising all that looked at their suggestive sway.

Her eyes were fixed on his. The heat in them answering that in his. When he bit his bottom lip and narrowed his eyes she smiled in triumph.

So this was her revenge?

He didn't know whether to shake her, spank her or just kiss her senseless. And those lips....don't even go there Vlad.

She exuded natural beauty and beguiling innocence and he was not the only one entranced. His men were gravitating closer to the isle, drawn to his bride like moths to a fire. Testosterone was high in the air and he didn't need to read their minds to know what they were thinking. It made him want to rip out all of their spinal cords.

"Keep your distance. All of you," he growled and they stopped their movements.

His bride walked to where he was at the front of the hall and did a perfect curtsy, the triumphant smile on her lips still on. She knew she had managed to get him angry.

What the hell had she been thinking anyway walking in there half naked for the entire world to see?

He glared at her and she smiled innocently.

She sat down beside him, at his right hand, next to his throne where she had always been meant to be. The sight of it made him momentarily forget her childish revenge.

"Do you like it? I had it specially made for you," he said referring to her throne. She looked at him, emerald eyes still glittering with mischief and he groaned. How was it possible for one small child to be that beautiful?

"It's very beautiful."

He nodded; glad to see she was not fighting him anymore. He sent a mental message to Alexander and the vampire leapt off his feet and out off the room.

"You all know why I called you here. Our race originated from the ancient Morovers tribe and it is custom there can be no king without a wife, hence our race has been kingless for thousands of years since I was waiting for your queen to arrive. She is here now."

"She's an elf my lord," Elias one of the few vampires he respected groaned.

"That is not news Elias, you knew that already."

Erinna's scent hung high on the air; the delectable whiff of her blood mingling with the vanilla aroma of the innocence emanating from her untouched virginity.

Several eyes in the crowd had turned red and he knew it was only his presence that stopped them from leaping at her and devouring her. Erinna must have sensed this too for she shivered. He took her hand and held it in his, offering silent support. She gripped his hand tight.

Wanting to repay her for her revenge, he raised her hand to his lips, kissing the soft satin skin. She gasped and her heart skipped a beat. She tried to relinquish her hand from his but he refused to let go and eventually Alexander returned with the shawl he had sent him to collect just then.

Dracula took it and gave it to Erinna. She didn't move to take it. He glared at her. She rolled her eyes and took it, putting it across her shoulders and covering that ridiculously mouth-watering cleavage.

"Since when do we take our prey to bed Vlad?"

Anger pulsed through him, both at Ingrid's words and blatant disrespect.

"Are you trying to challenge me Ingrid?" he narrowed his eyes, bidding his patience. He would deal with Ingrid in his own time but he didn't want to scare Erinna right then.

"She is not worthy to be a vampire queen," a bold voice said with undisguised scorn.

He gritted his teeth. He hated killing vampires and he could especially understand Ingrid's dislike of Erinna since she saw her as her replacement but right then he just wanted to cross the room and tear into her, and not in the pleasurable way either.

"And why is that Ingrid?" he decided to be democratic.

"She is weak," she snarled flashing fangs and Erinna visibly stiffened beside him.

"You don't know what you are talking about." He said which was true.

"You say she is powerful but all I see is a whiny baby who is out of her depth."

"That's enough," he growled. "My business here is done. She is going to be your Countess. I don't care whether you like it or not but it might be in your best interests to like it. You will give her the same respect you give me and no one touches her," he closed the subject because as much as he loved his people he just wanted to be alone with his bride.

If he continued sitting beside her whilst she was looking like his every wicked fantasy was pushing him to his limits.

Valador, one of the oldest vampires stood up, glaring at his fellows.

"Forgive us my lord, of course we are happy for you. And Countess, we welcome you to Transylvania. We're honoured to be in your presence," he said in poetic overtones that dissipated the tension in the room as he bowed down before Erinna.

She gasped not used to this treatment.

She turned to Vlad for help. He just smirked and didn't do anything; leaving her to take care of this on her own.

The bastard.

"I--- thank you, but I'm not really here to stay," she decided to say because she didn't want them or him getting the wrong idea.

Things had been too amenable between he and Vlad and she didn't want him thinking she had changed her mind.

"You're not?" Valador frowned.

She opened her mouth to speak but Vlad beat her to it.

"She is teasing you Valador. The Countess is here to stay. Now I heard you prepared a ball for us?"

Valador grinned.

"Yes my lord."

"Unfortunately we have to take a raincheck on that. "

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Erinna's heart was racing as Dracula dragged her through the twisting hallways leading to his bedroom.

Oh no.

She was in trouble.

Yet she couldn't shake off the anticipation for their confrontation. Her revenge plan had worked spectacularly but she had a feeling it was about to backfire.

The doors opened without him touching them and the moment they were inside he closed the door and pushed her against it, his body so close to hers that she blushed to the roots of her hair as pleasant feelings coursed through her body.

Before she could say anything, long, sharp fangs sank into her neck without warning.

"No, no, no," she beat at his chest.

Her first instinct was to scream as the shock struck her but it was so quickly swept away as extreme, inexplicable pleasure completely took over her body.

Heat spread from her neck to the tips of her toes as feelings she had never known before rendered her powerless.

Her protests died on her lips and she moaned involuntarily, as the tornado of mixed feelings in her seeked an outlet. He growled and drew more of her blood.

No, no; this couldn't be happening, her subconscious kept screaming at her but she couldn't for the life of her bring herself to push him away. Something inside her tightened, a bunch of feelings, needing release.

She pushed herself closer to him, knowing subconsciously that whatever relief she was going to get was from him.

"Vlad," she moaned; unable to deal with the foreign feelings.

He was drinking her blood; if there was anything that should be happening it was her screaming the place down not actually enjoying this. Was this the bond he kept talking about?

His name on his bride's lips made The Count forget his own; made him forget all his values and principles, the few that he had anyway. He knew what she was going through because he was going through a hundred times worse.

Blood drinking was an erotic act, both for the one being fed on and the vampire. More so for them because of their bond.

He dug a little deeper into her delectable neck, her blood flowing into his mouth like a warm elixir he never wanted to stop drinking. He was addicted and he didn't want to let go.

Her blood offered way more than its scent promised. It invigorated him, made him feel more alive than he had ever been before.

He had crossed so many lines already with her that night and he knew it but he couldn't go further; not before their wedding. As much as he wanted to.

So to help her get the release she craved even without knowing it, he put his hand on her waist and rubbed circles on it. Erinna was an innocent and way more responsive than any girl he had ever met, it wasn't going to be hard to satisfy her.

"Come on Erinna, let go," he growled softly against her neck, squeezing her waist and as if on cue, she came apart, exploding in ecstatic pleasure in his arms; his name on her lips. Never had he heard a sound so gratifying or satisfying.

He withdrew his fangs from her neck gently and she all but sagged in his arms. He licked the wound to stop the blood flow.

"Thank you," he said and kissed her neck; because she had indeed given him a gift.

When he carried her to bed, she was already asleep. He sincerely hoped he hadn't taken too much blood and that the gift he had given her in return would make her less angry at what he had taken away from her.

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When Erinna opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was Vlad's dark, imposing presence.

He was sitting on the chair beside the bed she was lying in, his hands on his knees, just watching her. It unnerved Erinna and she wanted to ask him what he was doing there but then she remembered the events that had taken place.

A deep flush covered Erinna's face and her hand went to her neck.

"No, no, no," she said frantically as her hand touched the raised skin left at the entry points of his fangs on her neck.

"Why did you do that, you bastard?!" She screamed, anger and shame warring inside her.

The worst part was how she remembered her own lack of resistance. Why hadn't she fought him off? Why had part of her wanted his bite? Something about it had felt so right, so natural.

When she had arrived, she had thought she'd find a vampire bite disgusting and shameful but those were hardly the words she could use to describe what had taken place between Vlad and her.

The Count ran a hand through his hair and groaned.

"Vlad, I'm talking to you!" She screamed at him again when he didn't reply.

"I know Erinna, okay? I know. I shouldn't have done that, it was wrong but I'm not going to apologize."

"You put your teeth on me when I told you countless times not to and you're telling me you won't apologize?"

"I wouldn't have done that if you hadn't pushed me, would I?"

Vlad knew he was being malicious but how could he stand there and let her butcher the most epiphanic moment of his life? Something there had happened and she knew it.

There had been an instant connection, not just of bodies but souls. Blood drinking had never been that intimate to him. It was always about taking but with Erinna, he had wanted to give back and please her as much as she pleased him just by existing.

"I pushed you?"

"What the hell were you thinking showing up to meet my people dressed like that?"

His anger was silly really but if he had to listen to Erinna degrade what had happened between them any further, he would go over the wall.

"I was thinking you don't own me and I can dress however I want," she glared at him.

Vlad closed his eyes and counted to ten. When he opened them, the urge to strangle her and mark her officially as his had significantly lessened.

"The scar will fade and the pain will go away soon."

"I don't care about any stupid scar you- you moron! You just bit me and you're acting like nothing happened."

"What do you want me to do?"

He hadn't had any choice the moment he had pushed her against the wall. His intention had been to kiss her into oblivion but of their own urge, his fangs had descended.

The urge to mark her and make her his had been strong and undeniable. It had pushed at his canines with unquenchable thirst and his mind had taken second place to his more primal instincts. He had honestly not meant to take her blood but it had happened and was the best moment of his life.

Erinna stood up, muttering elf phrases he couldn't understand. She went to the mirror in the bathroom and put her hands on her neck, inspecting his teeth marks. Thank heavens he had had enough sense not to mark her, he would be paying a different kind of hell then if he had.

Teeth marks from blood drinking were different from those that came from a mating bite. The ones he had left on Erinna would fade with time unlike the ones that he'd give her when he claimed her.

He got in the bathroom and wrapped his arms around her from behind.

"Come on, I'm sorry. Not for biting you, but I should have warned you."

"Please remove your hands from around me. I'm having a really hard time convincing myself not to gorge your eyes out with that comb."

He knew she was serious so he let her go and leaned against the doorframe to watch her scrub her neck with a towel. She scrubbed so hard until she finally stopped and just crumbled. One moment she was ready to chop off his gonads and the next she was full out sobbing.

Vlad's heart broke and for the first time he regretted his actions. Everything had happened too fast, even beyond his own control. He had meant to ease her into his life, to make her comfortable with the concept of blood drinking before he tasted but he had not had a choice ever since she appeared in that dress.

This time when he took her hand and drew Erinna into his arms, she didn't resist. His bride did not cry often and the sight of it was worse than someone scrubbing sand into his eyes repeatedly.

"Don't cry Erinna," he begged.

He wished he could go back to the moment he had ruined everything.

"I- I can't go back home like this."

Well, he had never been meaning to let her return to Ellingsdale but something told him it was not the right moment to point that out.

"I'm sorry angel. Is there anything I can do?"

She shook her head.

"Why did you do that? I told you not to," she cried.

"There's no explanation that I can give you that won't make you hate me more."

She laughed bitterly.

"I don't think that's possible."

"Lpving you overwhelms me. Half the time I don't even know what I'm doing. Biting you was one of those moments. I can't claim innocence because I know part of me wanted to make you feel how I feel every time I look at you."

And she had, he knew that. The quick flash in her eyes told him she also remembered how feverish and how desperate she had been in his arms. That was him everyday.

"It's the curse."

"No angel, it's you. And I'm sorry for what happened tonight. Truly. How can I make it right?"

"Vlad you kidnapped me, there is no ever 'making it right'," she said and moved away from his eyes, wiping away her tears and restoring her cool composure.

It frustrated Dracula to no end but it was nothing he hadn't brought on himself.

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