Time crawled slowly when you were waiting for something. It hadn't been long since Aridad, Alexander and Vlad had left to go find out how Erinna could extend her powers from the land of the living to the underworld, but it felt like it had been days already.

Her emotional state was a pendulum, swinging between periods of great anticipation and great fear. Her anticipation was due to the fact that she really could not wait to see Diana's invisible shackles fall away from Vlad and to have the assurance that he was hers for eternity. Her fear came from knowing that this whole thing depended on her powers doing what they were supposed to, if they didn't, everything would fall apart.

She was contemplating contacting Vlad, even though he had strictly forbidden it. She knew that he was okay since their bond mostly assured her so, but she wanted to hear it directly from him. Witches had toyed her mate too many times for her to be comfortable with him being in the company of a witch, especially one of Oracle status.

A loud knock came on the door, startling her from her thoughts. From the immense amount of power crawling all over her inert magical barriers, it had to be Horus. What on earth was he doing on their bedroom door?

Hesitantly, Erinna rose from the door and passed the mirror to ensure that she was decent. Her reflection showed composure that was at odds with the tumultuous feelings inside her. She took a step towards the door and opened it telekinetically.

"I gave an invitation to your husband only, not to every other little clan that he associates with." The god frowned at her with displeasure.

Wasn't it too late to be displeased with their presence now?

"I couldn't let him come alone, you must know that."

"I don't mean you. I mean the witch and her little hatchling there." He grumbled, extending his hand to point to his right where his throne room was.

Witch? Erinna gently pushed him aside and walked out of the room into the hallway. She opened the door to Horus' throne room and walked in. Her jaw dropped when she saw Gail and a red dragonling standing before the throne.

"Gail? What are you doing here?" She descended the steps and approached the beautiful red haired witch.

A look of relief came over the woman's face when she saw Erinna.

"I'm so glad to see that you are fine. Simon kept saying that he had to be here to help you."

Erinna's eyes turned to the red dragon whose head only came up to her waist. She knelt down to be at eye level with him even though he couldn't see her.

"Hello, Simon."

He put his scaly, baby dragon hands on her face, tracing her features and it filled Erinna's heart with maternal warmth. Unconsciously, she rubbed her belly. Very soon.

"Hi," he said shyly, his tail circling behind him. A gust of warmth left his mouth when he spoke and his skin was really hot.

"Thank you for coming to help me. Who told you that you needed to come?"

Erinna did not know exactly how Simon would assist her. Mara had said they needed a medium but she had assumed that Simon had already done his part. If the medium was convinced he was needed, then there must be something else he must help them with before the end.

"My friend."

"He's another ghost?"

Simon nodded his head.

"Please thank him for me. I don't know yet how you will help but we will know as soon as Vlad returns."

Simon's dragon eyes widened.

"The vampire king? My dad says he's not a very nice person."

"He'll be nice to you." Erinna tapped his nose with a smile.

She stood up to address Gail.

"Thank you for allowing him to come. This means a lot to us."

Gail inclined her head. "It's what Miya would have wanted."

"How did you come?"

"Uri flew us but he could not stay. Too many supernatural creatures in one place make the gods twitchy."

Erinna nodded in understanding. The door opened but instead of Vlad, it was Kissa coming to greet her new guests. She took them away so that they could refresh and have something to eat. Erinna declined the invitation, too wired up to be able to keep anything down. When Vlad arrived, she rushed to him immediately but he would not touch her until he had cleaned up.

Erinna used his shower time to quiz him on everything that had happened. Disbelief and inexplicable joy filled her as he told her that the curse would be broken that night.

"We only need to go fetch the medium," he told her, washing soap out of his hair whilst Erinna sat on the bathroom counter, shamelessly ogling him.

She wished she had jumped into the shower with him. Right now, it would have been her hands moving over that sleek skin, tracing those taunt muscles and worshipping that unbelievable body. Vlad was just so handsome.

It wasn't even just physically. There was something that shone from inside, making him irresistible to her. He had a presence that filled the room. In her early days, she had found it suffocating but now she revelled in that dark, menacing power. It's raw strength did delightful things to her body.

Licking her lips, Erinna blinked to get rid of the haze of desire already settling over her. This was exactly why she hadn't gotten into the shower with him, there would have been no talking. Putting them in the same space with a one-touch rule was just too much to ask.

"The medium is here."

Vlad paused. "He is?"

He looked so surprised, as if he had expected and even accepted that one small thing would happen and derail this whole plan off course.

Erinna nodded, tears of joy clouding her vision. "He is. He arrived an hour ago with his mother, they are ready to help."

He looked impressed and it made Erinna feel pretty giddy that she had done something to make Vlad proud. She had known he would come around about her visit to the gargoyles' land. Well, she had hoped he would.

"You must have made quite an impression. Dragons don't like me much."

"I gathered as much. What did you do?"

"What makes you think it was me? Why not them?"

Erinna scoffed, as if. She loved him, but he could be such an instigator sometimes.

"I know it was you, so what did you do?"

"They think I corrupted one of theirs."

His phrasing made it clear that he did not agree with that sentiment.

"Who?"

"Mallox. I had him turned two and a half thousand years ago."

"He wanted to be a vampire?" Erinna gaped in surprise.

It was understandable how humans would turn to vampirism in search of power but why would something as powerful as a dragon shifter want to be a vampire? They had a lot of power which did not come with a curse or the other boundaries that vampirism did.

"They sacrifice one of their own every millennia to their god. Mallox was marked but did not want to be sacrificed. I offered him a way out."

"But dragon sacrifices don't involve getting killed. Don't they just become monks? Did he find that so abhorrent?"

From what she leant, it was a position of honor. The dragon monk was revered by the whole race. Every month, they gave him their best treasures and anything he might desire from clothes, animals, grain, jewels and servants. The only conditions were that he lived a pious life, mediating between them and the Scale God, refrain from anything that might shame the race and keep their bodies pure.

The life did not seem like such a hardship that someone would choose to become a vampire in order to escape it.

Vlad stretched in a smirk, as if he was enjoying a private joke that only he was aware of. "You would have to meet the man himself to understand why he would strongly object to becoming a man of the cloth."

👘👘👘👘👘👘👘👘

Vlad's body was buzzing with adrenaline and he knew he would either have to take his wife out of the temple or risk repeating what had happened in Transylvania again. His salvation came in the form of Abasi, the god Atum's high priest.

"I know what you're here for," Vlad said to the man, the moment he went to the main hall of the temple to meet him with Erinna.

Of all the times to come to Egypt.

"Then don't give me trouble this time. You know there is no escape." The old man smiled.

"Only you believe life can come from the seed of a vampire."

"I was right, wasn't I?" Abasi grinned complacently, his hand gesturing to Erinna's rounded stomach.

"Dumb luck. Angel, this is Abasi. He is Atum's high priest. This is my wife, priest. I would rather you not talk to her at all but if you must, you can call her Countess Dracula." Vlad introduced them.

Abasi gave Erinna a shallow bow which she acknowledged with a slight nod of her head and a smile. After the small talk, Abasi got to the reason for his visit which was to collect Vlad for the feast of Min, which would begin at the River Nile and end at the royal palace.

"I cannot attend this year, Abasi. My wife is pregnant."

Not to mention he was not sure how comfortable Erinna would be of fertility rituals of this nature. She had been pretty accepting of the Gol but mostly because he had told his people to rein it in a little so as to keep the cultural shock for his wife at a minimum.

"The Pharaoh specifically requested your presence. Both of you. You can come for the river rituals only then leave after."

Vlad considered the request. His relationship with the Egyptians was based on mutual respect. Declining an invitation to one of their most important feasts would be seen as an insult, one he could not afford when he was on the verge of breaking his curse.

"Very well, we will be there."

"The Pharaoh will be pleased to hear that. Do I need to arrange transport for you?"

Vlad turned down the offer of transport and they returned to their room. Erinna was excited about the feast and spent the next hour fiddling with her hair and clothes. She looked incredible in the flowy white gown that she chose and his mother's jewels that he had given her at their wedding. Vlad was tempted to forego the feast but his entertainment deprived wife would not have it.

They teleported to the Nile, to find the river already lined with people, in order of hierarchy. The moment they arrived, Abasi sent men to direct them to their seats. They stopped long enough for Vlad to introduce Erinna to the reigning Pharaoh and give his regards. He personally never went out of his way to form friendships with humans when their lifespan was so short. It seemed like a waste of time.

They were seated behind the Pharaoh on the elevated dais that gave them a good view of the whole scene. The waters of the River ebbed and flowed with vigor and life. The sound was refreshing and relaxing. Ritualistic music was played until finally the feast began.

It began with a play by children, showing and telling how Atum's solitude in nothingness had motivated the god to create the universe. The story was guided by a narration from Abasi.

"In the beginning, before the world and the gods themselves existed, there was nothing. The universe as we know it was darkness, swirling chaos and endless watery abyss. Out of this nothingness, emerged the god Atum whom we are gathered here to honor. Surrounded by nothingness, Atum recognized his loneliness and mated with his own hand to create his two children, Shu the god of air and Tefnut the goddess of moisture. Together, the two gods left their father to establish order in the world. They were gone for so long that Atum plucked out his eye to go and search for them. The eye of Atum found Shu and Tefnut and brought them back to their father. When he saw them, Atum shed tears of joy. When his tears landed on the fertile earth, they gave birth to Man as we know him today. To give Man a place to live, Shu and Tefnut mated to produce the earth god, Geb and the sky goddess, Nut. The two siblings Nut and Geb fell in love. Atum found their relationship unacceptable and forever separated them by pushing Nut high up into the heavens. This ensured that although the two siblings would still see each other, they would never be able to touch again. Nut was already pregnant by the time of their separation however and gave birth to the gods Osiris, Isis, Set, Nephthys and Horus the Elder. Osiris was given the rule of the world which he later passed on to the great Horus who watches over us now."

There was complete silence on the river banks, every person enraptured by the story of their creation. Not even the children cried or laughed. It was like they all instinctively knew the importance of the moment.

"Tonight we are gathered here to reenact the story of creation, and do as our creator once did. The Nile River has watered our crops, provided us with food and a means for transport. Through it, we have experienced wealth and prosperity and tonight, we are gathered here to give back this life that it has given us, lest death and famine befall us. Allow me to call the leader of the people of this land, Pharaoh Nebneteru. His Majesty will grace us with the gift of his seed to enrich us with a bountiful harvest, followed by our esteemed guest and friend to the throne, the Count Dracula."

The crowd cheered as Nebneteru stood up and walked down to the edge of the water. The haunting music began again but as soon as the Pharaoh began undressing in preparation of his masturbation, Vlad pulled Erinna into his lap and kissed her.

"Vlad." His wife saw right through his motives. She chuckled and put her hands on his chest, trying to pull away from him.

But he only kissed her more. It was better that she suffer the embarrassment of public affection than have the sight of Nebneteru's balls imprinted in her mind. It was not something one could unsee. Eventually, she relaxed, forgetting all the people around them until it was just the two of them like always.

Vlad explored her mouth, their tongues dancing in an ancient-old ritual of mating that even the one before them could not decipher. His hand rubbed circles on her thigh, loving her racing pulse and sweet little sounds of pleasure. If they were at any other place, he would rip off that dress and take her right there and then.

He knew she would be ready for it. The scent of her arousal teased his nostrils and his fangs came out, slashing her tongue. Erinna gasped and would have moved away if his hand had not gone to her hair to hold her in place. He swallowed the blood and sucked on her tongue until little moans of desire were coming out of her throat.

'Your taste in incredible,' he said into her mind.

His brain felt hazy, a little drunk from the power in her blood.

Just when Vlad was contemplating slipping away for a minute to have a minute with his wife, Nebneteru finally finished. It figured that man's pipes would be dusty as hell. Frankly, Vlad was surprised he had managed to rouse up any juice at all. At that age, no human man should be expected to still use his penile system for anything except excretion.

"It's your turn now," Erinna said breathlessly as the crowd applauded Nebneteru. "Do you want me to come?"

"In a minute," he smirked. His wife blushed as she realized what she had said. Vlad kissed her and sat her on his seat before travelling down to the edge of the water. His erection was uncomfortable and probably looked obscene in his leather pants that his very little but he didn't care. It was not like anyone in this crowd would dare say anything to him.

He passed three priests who drew cleansing symbols on his forehead and blessed him before reaching Abasi who poured some lubricant into his hand.

"The Pharaoh appreciates your gift," said the priest. His face had a serious expression but Vlad had become familiar enough with him over the years to not be able to read the laughter in his eyes. Of course the old fool would find pleasure in his discomfort.

Vlad rolled his eyes and walked to the edge of the water. He took himself in his hand and began the ritual, pretending there were not more than a thousand people waiting for him to ejaculate his seed into the water they would bathe in the following morning. But he was too familiar with the power of fertility rituals to not take this seriously.

Extending his senses to pick his wife's scent in the thousands of smells assaulting him from the multitude, Vlad breathed in deep when he caught it. Feminine, powerful and all his. She was still aroused from his kisses and he could feel her eyes on the back of his head. With that connection, Vlad quickly brought himself to finish, depositing his seed into the turbulent waters of the Nile as the god Atum had done millions of years before him.

Nebneteru gave him a shallow nod as he returned to his seat. He pulled his wife into his lap and held her as the rest of the feast continued. After the most important people had performed the ritual, all the commoners lined up and deposited their seed into the river.

He had thought Erinna would be offended by the sexual nature of the ritual but if she was, she kept it to herself, taking everything in stride. Perhaps the Gol had prepared her but whatever the reason, he loved her and was proud of her for her open-mindedness and acceptance. He couldn't keep his hands off her and by the time Abis announced that people could begin moving to the palace for the feast, he was contemplating throwing all caution to the wind and just slip inside her with the crowd around them.

They said their farewell to Nebneteru since they would be leaving as soon as the curse was broken at midnight. Vlad could not stay longer than three nights away from his territory and his time was almost up.

"Alexander would have loved to see this," Erinna said as they walked away from everyone, their hands entwined.

He would have.

********************

Erinna thought Vlad would take them to the temple but he teleported them to the Sphinx. She couldn't hide her disappointment. Whilst she had loved the sightseeing, her body was too keyed up to enjoy any of it that night. After being surrounded by sexual energy and lust all night long, the only thing she wanted was to be with him.

"What are we doing here?" She asked, fighting to keep the pout from her face since it would just be disrespectful in the presence of such a revered figure as the Sphinx.

Crafted with the best tools that the gods could offer and the patience of skilled sculptors, the mammoth-esque monolith was a marvel to behold. It had a way of making you realize just how small and insignificant in the grand scheme of things in the universe. The human-faced lion rested on its belly and paws, as if it was guarding the three pyramids on the Rustom complex.

Like the pyramids, the Sphinx's positioning was not random but rather strategic. The common eye would not see it but Erinna, used to reading the sky could see that at one point, it had been perfectly aligned with the Leo constellation in a pattern that made cosmic sense and inspired astrological wonder.

Erinna's irritation for not getting a chance to be alone with Vlad faded away as she gazed at the beautiful sculpture. Behind it peaked the Great pyramid and the other smaller two pyramids and their temples.

"There is something I want to show you," Vlad said in answer to her question.