First half of this chapter is sort of new so if you want to reread, it won't be repetition. And part of the last half is also new. What am I saying, just read the whole thing lol.

It was around midnight and Erinna was turning over in the bed for the hundredth time when she felt a solid body next to her. Naturally she snuggled up to him before her conscious mind kicked in and made her remember he was not supposed to be there.

"I thought I told you to sleep elsewhere," she exhaled.

"I can't leave you on your own."

"Nor can you spend five minutes without somehow insulting me," she said resentfully, still feeling the bite of his words.

"I didn't mean what I said earlier."

"You never do."

"I was angry. We have made so much progress these past few days; you can't want us to go back where we started."

"There is no us. If there was, you wouldn't speak of me like some whore you picked off the streets."

She refused to look at him, instead lying down with her arms crossed over her chest and her eyes glaring at the ceiling.

He gripped her chin.

"Don't ever use that word in the same sentence as yourself."

"It's only fine when you imply it then?"

"I told you I should not have said that."

She looked at him then.

"You did but what you haven't actually done is apologize."

"I will not grovel, angel."

"Of course not, to do that you would actually have to be capable of genuine remorse."

He flopped back on the bed and didn't say anything more. Erinna rolled her eyes, of course it had been too much to expect. It was not like he could actually bring himself to apologize.

"I'm sorry."

The words were low and quiet and for a minute, Erinna thought she had imagined them.

"What?"

"You are absolutely going to milk this, aren't you?" He groaned and the statement made some of her anger leave her.

She fought off her smile.

"Of course not. If I was, I would tell you I want black roses and cinnamon and honey tea right now."

"Why do people think I'm the cruel one between us?" He gave her an amused smile.

"You brought it on yourself. Now are you making my tea or not?" She said with an uplifted chin, trying to retain her bad mood but keeping grudges simply wasn't in her nature.

She did not want people to run all over her because forgiveness came as easily to her as breathing did to people so she decided to make Vlad work for it a bit.

"I can't cook, Erinna." He groaned, rubbing his eyes with the balls of his palms.

The gesture was unbelievably endearing and made him seem younger than he actually was.

"It's just boiling water and adding tea leaves, honey and cinnamon. How hard can it be?"

He was silent for a while, then a devious smirk broke over his decadently beautiful face.

"If I get you this cinnamon tea, does it mean I'm forgiven?"

"It means I'll think about it."

"Alright, fair enough." He rolled off the bed and landed on his feet gracefully.

"And don't even think about waking Leila."

She wouldn't put it past him to rouse the whole household to do the task for him.

"I wasn't going to."

That of course was a lie and she read it right off him.

He came to the bed and kissed her forehead.

"This will be the best tea you have ever tasted."

Rather than eager, Erinna found herself feeling terrified and ten minutes later, she found out she had been right in her apprehensive reactions.

Apparently in Vlad's books, 'best tea' mearnt half a cup of honey, a gallon of floating tea leaves and an equally repulsive ball of mangled cinnamon bobbing on top of the lukewarm water.

"Uhm, it looks uh... May you please put this on the stool for me for a while?"

"What's wrong with it? I did everything you said."

Except boiling the actual water.

"I just decided I no longer want tea."

He frowned and brought the cup to his lips. He took a sip and grimaced, making Erinna laugh at his reaction.

"Did you never cook as a human?"

"Erinna I was a human more than four thousand years ago. I hardly remember the things I did then but no, I never had to cook."

She rolled her eyes.

"Lisa spoiled you."

She said the statement without thinking and it only registered when he looked aside his features cold and expressionless. She now knew well enough to know that he was angry and in pain but trying to contain it. His wife was still apparently a sore subject.

"I can show you how to make tea," she offered.

After his earlier antics, she of course was not supposed to be nice to him but she couldn't stand to watch him trapped in the painful memories of his past.

He blinked, obviously having missed her question.

She got off the bed, put on a morning gown and took his hand.

"Come with me."

It took a while but as she showed him how to make tea in the kitchen, The Count eventually lost his bad mood. Of course he didn't learn anything, he was trying to touch her and kiss her at every opportunity he got.

"One spoon of honey Vlad not a whole cup," she empharsized.

"I like sweet things," he shrugged from behind her and kissed her neck.

She squirmed and tried to push him back but the action brought their bodies in closer contact.

"Now you have your drink, why can't I have mine?" He whined, getting frustrated with her continuous deflections.

"Because you're not forgiven."

He was silent then he just disappeared. Erinna was not surprised at the temper tantrum, Vlad hated not getting his way. But she supposed it was better for him to go sulk like a child than hit her for not agreeing with him like he had done in the first days.

Erinna sat on a stool and drank her tea as she thought long and hard about their situation. With the time she had spent with Vlad, she was coming to accept that he was not as bad as she had first thought, at least not around her.

But there were a lot of things to consider as well. Not looking at the fact that this was the second time he had demeaned her for giving her body to him, Vlad had a lot of skeletons in his closet.

He had a son, or maybe children, who knew? But she had seen how he had interacted with Tristan, the child who had come to see him. Vlad barely tolerated people, for him to be able to be that attentive to the boy, there had to be some strong connection.

And there was also Stan, River's child. River had said Vlad was the only man Stan listened to. She had also mentioned the fact that the two had spent a lot of time together prior to Erinna's arrival. Was Vlad just a closeted children's enthusiast, or was he a father?

Or maybe he was just grooming them all to be his slaves later, who knew.

Whatever the case, if Vlad was a father, then Erinna had to put a halt to what they were doing. It was one thing getting themselves cursed, but dragging children into the mess?

Not to mention the business of the witches. They had already sent their warning and Erinna was not looking forward to a second one.

A bouquet of black roses hit the table in front of Erinna hard and she jumpedfrim the loud sound. Few petals came loose and flew a few inches into the air. She looked up to see Vlad. His hair was windblown and he smelt fresh like outdoors.

"That's the last thing I'm doing for you today."

She laughed at his grumbling and picked up the roses. They smelled divine and the petals looked fresh. A pang of sadness hit Erinna that their life had been cut off shot. When she had mentioned roses and tea to Vlad, she hadn't thought he'd actually do it.

"Is there a vase where I can put them?" She asked then realized she was asking the wrong person.

She put the roses on the table and rose to look through the cupboards but Vlad drew her back with a hand on her waist, whirling her around to face him.

"I'm really sorry about tonight. I was angry and I said what I didn't mean."

His proximity to her body made her heart beat faster and her stomach to tie in beautiful knots but she fought the plying urge to succumb and melt in his arms.

"It wasn't the first time you said it. Is that what I am to you Vlad? A willing body who spreads her legs for you when you wanted?"

The words were to vulgar for her and left a bitter taste in her mouth but it had to be said. He had hurt her with his carelessly thrown statements.

"No, god no. You know that Erinna. You're my life, me saying anything else would be a lie."

It wasn't enough.

"It doesn't matter anyway," she shook her head, "This is over. We can't keep pretending we're not rulers. Our allegiance lies with our people, not this... this--"

"This what? Relationship? Bond? Can you even describe it? Because I can't. It seems like I'm trying to be fancy with words but I mean it when I say you are my entire world."

"It doesn't seem like it. I gave you my body because I trust you and because I wanted to but first chance you got, you used that against me."

"I shouldn't have done that."

"Then why did you?"

He remained silent so Erinna rolled her eyes and turned to walk out.

"It's the only way I can hurt you as much as you hurt me."

Erinna turned around.

"I hurt you?"

Vlad laughed, a cold sarcastic sound that sent chills crawling down her spine.

"Let me see. Is happy the emotion I'm supposed to feel every time you reject what's between us? Everytime you you go from hot to cold on me? If you're going to hate me at least be constant about it because the point is Erinna, you showed me the light and I don't mean that in the metaphorical or moral sense. You showed me the light and there is no way I'm going back to the darkness. I am never, ever going to live without you again."

And by the anger and determination in his red eyes as he glared at her, Erinna knew he meant it.

"I told you I was staying here so I could help you break your curse."

She had never tried to mislead him in his feelings.

"Yes but you also slept in my bed and woke up in it. You rode my horse and petted my lion. You came to my boat and let me watch as you defended some sea creature's right for respect for crying out loud. You let me touch your body and drink from you. You asked me to draw you and made me go looking for roses not once but twice so you could forgive me. You ate my food and pretended to like it even if it was horrible and made you sick. You challenged me and disobeyed me and still made me want to ravish you at the end of the day. You let me comfort you when I was the one who had made you cry in the first place. You let me watch as you listened and cried when I told you about my life as a human. Now tell me Erinna, after all that, how am I supposed to go back to pretending I don't know you or don't love every damned thing about you?"

Erinna was trembling with emotion when he finished and she couldn't control the tears spilling from her eyes. She framed his face with her unsteady right hand, running her thumb across his lips.

"I'm trying to protect you Vlad, both of us. Our kingdoms, friends and your sons' survival depends on us. If we go through with this and consummate the bond, everyone is going to suffer."

"My sons?" He frowned, seeming genuinely confused.

"Tristan and River's son Stan," she elaborated.

For the first time that evening, everything made sense to Vlad and relief coursed through his veins as realization dawned on him. The panic and fear that had gripped him slowly ebbed away.

Erinna was not having second thoughts about them, his angel was just jealous. It was unbelievable, inconceivable but wondrously gratifying. Elation replaced his confused emotions for the day but he bit his bottom lip to keep in the alpha-male, territory-secured grin grin from his face.

"Tristan is Stan and he is not my son."

He didn't even know how she had come to think the child was two different people.

"He isn't?" she frowned. "But I thought..."

"River calls him Stan, very unmanly if you ask me but she likes the name. And for the record angel, vampires can't procreate."

Erinna's eyes widened.

"You cannot have children?"

He shook his head.

"You can't create life from something that's already dead."

Personally, the detail had never bothered him before. There was nothing like natural contraceptive but looking into her large green orbs right then, he found himself feeling guilty. Guilty for the life and opportunities he was taking away from her because as long as she was with him, Erinna would never have any offspring of her own.

"Then why are you close with Tristan? Do you force human kids to fight for you?"

He didn't know why the question annoyed him coming from her. Yet he couldn't be truly angry, it was not like he had given her reason to believe otherwise.

"I don't have to force anyone to fight for me, Erinna."

"It's probably indirect forcing since they're all afraid to even breathe in case they do it wrong and anger you."

It's the hormones Vlad, it's the hormones; he told himself so he could keep his cool and ignore her bait and mercurial moods.

"Vampire society has a clear structure. No one has to tell you what to do but the ranks and social divisions are distinct. You don't get to live in luxury if you don't work for it. The training for those who want to be Tepes warriors is hard and ruthless, only a few make it which is why being conscripted into the army is a huge honour, it's the most coveted position after being part of my inner circle."

"That's why that boy is fighting then?" She asked.

How had she known that, he wondered before he remembered Tristan had been carrying that ridiculous sword he liked dragging around when she had caught a glimpse of him the previous night.

He nodded.

"Tristan is not yet a warrior even though he has been begging me to make him one ever since he was a child."

"And you refuse?"

"I have a few warriors but I like the few I have to be the best. They are deadly and can devastate an entire kingdom in a matter of minutes. Unfortunately Tristan is not there yet. He can handle a sword well but his throwing has the accuracy of a blind man and he always manages to hurt himself when throwing a spear."

Erinna watched him with a small smile, it was clear as day he liked the boy.

"He admires you," she said something she had suspected.

"What's not to admire?" He smirked and she thumped his chest.

"I think what we should worry about is Tristan's choice in role models," she laughed.

"You don't think I can be exemplary?"

If the boy had aspirations of becoming a human butcher when he grew up maybe, Erinna wanted to say but decided to leave it be.

"How did you two meet?" she asked instead.

Vlad had expected this question. His bride was nothing short of intrusive; she wanted to know everything with her inquisitive nature. Yet after his earlier stupidity, he owed her something so he decided to indulge her.

He remembered the day clearly; he had been returning from his patrol around the kingdom, making sure everyone was putting their backs into the extensive work that needed to be done for putting the repairs in place before his bride would be brought home. He had wanted everything to be perfect for her.

A sniffle had caught his attention, making him stop to listen. The sound had persisted and he had identified it as a crying human child. He had wanted to ignore it and keep on moving but memories from his own human life had flooded his mind and he had found himself searching for the child.

"Who are you?" He had asked when he found the small boy with rope like limbs that seemed too thin to support his own frail body.

The boy had looked up and his small baby blue eyes had widened in shock and awe.

"Count Dracula?" He had gaped.

"Nice try, but there's only one of me. So who are you?"

"Tristan, my lord," he had replied and Vlad had been glad the tears had stopped.

He wasn't good with those. The only ones he was used to were those of his torture victims when they were uselessly begging for their lives.

"Why are you crying?"

"My-my father. He came home drunk again and hit my mother and I."

"And crying is supposed to help you how?"

"I-I," the boy had stammered unsure how to reply.

"How old are you?" Vlad had asked, not patient enough to wait for the child to find his senses again and form a coherent sentence.

"Nine years old."

"Do you have any brothers?"

The boy had shook his head.

"You're no longer a child Tristan. You are the man of the house."

"But my father__"

"Your father is a spineless coward. You are the man and like a man you have to protect your mother. I have never given this sword to anyone," he had said holding out his sword that he carried around for small emergencies. It had not been his best sword but he had liked its weight and precision.

In the years after his return from the grave after two thousand years,a few misguided elements in his kingdom had been staging rebel attacks as if they could actually get rid of him. The efforts were comical .

"But I've never wielded a weapon my whole life," Tristan had protested.

"Neither had I when I held one for the first time. Here, let's see what you can do," he had said tossing the heavy weapon at the boy who had struggled to catch it without getting sliced.

Vlad had mentally summoned a guard who was close by on patrol. Jonathan had tossed him his own sword which the Count had caught effortlessly.

Without warning, he had attacked Tristan who had still been busy inspecting the weapon in his hands like a rare artefact.

It was only due to the fast reflexes that he had gathered as a malnourished child trying to survive with a man who beat him for sport that Tristan had managed to block The Count's attack.

"Too slow," Dracula had growled and charged the boy, this time full force.

Faced with a ferocious Count who looked like he wouldn't stop until he had drawn blood, Tristan did what any logical human would do in this situation: he dropped his sword and ran for the hills.

He was stupid not suicidal.

Vlad had teleported and appeared in front of the boy, cutting off his hasty retreat.

"I have no respect for cowards," he had growled at the boy.

"I can't do this," the boy had cried out, the tears coming back.

"Then you'd rather watch your mother suffer at the hands of your father's hand for the rest of your human life?" he had asked, not even knowing himself why he was pursuing the issue.

Tristan had been quick to shake his head.

"Then stand and fight like a man. "

"But you're a vampire," he had protested.

"So?"

"You're stronger than me. It's hopeless," he had weeped, angry tears falling down his pale cheeks.

"And you think all the people you'll fight will be weaker than you?"

"No."