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******

Something about Erinna shifted in the days following their return from Egypt.

The change was subtle, and most people would have missed it but if there was a subject called Knowing Erinna, then Vlad had studied it and come out with flying colors. He knew all there was to know about his wife to a point where it almost made him feel like a stalker sometimes.

It was with this constant, thorough observation of her that he was able to catch her leaving her cocoon, in a moment as swift and seamless as a pupa turning into a butterfly. Maybe it was because a load had been lifted off her shoulders with the end of his curse, maybe it was a phase in her growth as a Pure Being, but it was like she blossomed, some fundamental change happening within her.

Whatever the reason behind the change, Vlad had never seen her like that. All elves had this luminescent glow that seemed to shine from underneath their skin but after her change, Erinna's seemed ten times more amplified. She grew into a calm state that was addictive to be around, exuding peaceful, loving energy.

Vlad would have had no complaints if he was the only one who felt waves of pure exhilarating love coming from her but unfortunately, all his subjects did. They were all attracted to her, not in the way they had been drawn to her looks before Vlad had marked her, but rather to her essence and presence.

Terrence's behavior the night they had returned to Egypt had made no sense to Vlad but in the days that followed, he saw more of it, more and more of his people making excuses to be around his wife. They all wanted to be around her, and Vlad wished with everything in him, he could tell her to turn whatever the hell it was off. The only problem was that he wanted to be around it too.

He was coming to accept that the moment they stepped out of their chambers, his chances of being alone with her deteriorated dramatically. It didn't matter what she was doing, she could be having breakfast or reading a book and you would still find three or four vampires gathered at her feet, telling her stupid stories, or trying to draw her into conversation. And she handled it well, loving to interact with people in a way Vlad never had.

Of course, this was not taken well by Alexander, Terrence and Alex who were used to hogging her attention when she was not with Vlad. Vlad had to kick Alexander and his namesake out of his bedroom at least twice every day. Terrence was the worst. He was so attached to her that it was kind of eerie to watch, treating her like she was his mother. It was hard to believe that this was the vampire Vlad had once trusted to inflict the worst torture on those who crossed him.

Whatever attractive force his mate was exuding, it did not stop within the boarders of their kingdom because that week alone, they had three far off kings seeking her audience and not for anything important but just to 'make her acquaintance'. It would have set Vlad's teeth on edge if he was not as secure in their bond as he was and if he didn't see how much his wife loved to meet new people.

Usually, he just left her to it, knowing at the end of the day, it was his bed she slept in. But there were limits to his hospitality and being woken up in the middle of his day sleep was one of them.

"What do you want, Costas?" He asked, frowning at the door after a second knock came.

A look at his mate, snuggled to his side showed that she was still asleep, undisturbed by the commotion.

"I don't mean to disturb, Count. I was just wondering if the Countess was up yet, that's all."

Costas of all people knew how quickly Vlad's mood could change so for him to brave the possible consequences of waking him up, whatever he had to say must have been important.

"Why?" He asked, keeping his voice low to not wake up Erinna.

Between him and his people all wanting a piece of her, she had not gotten much rest in the last few days.

"She said she's never seen a bat in real life so tonight I caught one. I thought she might want to see it."

Vlad opened his mouth and closed it. Opened it again and closed it. Of all the things to wake him up for. Worst thing was that if she was awake, his wife would probably be excited to see the damn thing. She appreciated the simple little gestures his subjects did to show their regard for her and unfortunately this only fueled their efforts, hence why bats were being brought to his chambers at twelve midday.

Vlad had to bite his lip to not say exactly what he wanted to say.

"She's sleeping." He said instead.

"Oh." The centuries old vampire said, sounding disappointed. "You know when she'll be up? 'Cause I can hold onto it for a while."

"Let that damn bat go and remove yourself from my door before you give me enough motivation to remove you from life, Costas."

There was a sigh, before he heard footsteps trudging away. Absolutely ridiculous.

People were getting too bold. What hour was this to be knocking on his door? He would have to put an end to it soon.

He turned to look at his wife, brushing her hair off her face. She was still sleeping peacefully, her lips slightly open, unaware of the hearts she was stealing even whilst sleeping. Hunger stirred in Vlad's gut, making him want to wake her up. But he had done that three times before already.

She mumbled something in Elvish and it irked him that he couldn't understand it.

"That better be about me," he said, tracing her bottom lip with his thumb.

He kissed her forehead and closed his eyes to go to sleep, determined to be good for once. This seemed achievable when his wife turned removing her lush breasts from where they had been pressed against his side, testing his control. With her turned away, his chances of resisting her improved.

Vlad turned to sleep on his side as well, putting his arm loosely around her waist but keeping distance between his chest and her back or any other tantalizing parts of her. But then Erinna shifted, scooting back into him, and bringing her backside flash with his groin. Good lord. She had to be doing this on purpose.

His reasons for letting her rest seeped away from his mind, driven away by the raging, demanding hunger that always gripped him when he was around her. He buried his nose in her neck, breathing her in. His hands explored her body as he kissed and nibbled her neck. She moaned softly in her sleep, her body awakening for him even before her mind did. When he got to his mark on her neck, her whole body softened, melting for him.

"Erinna," he called her softly.

"Sleepy," she replied groggily, trying to squirm out of his hold even though her bottom was pushing more into his erection. Vlad hissed, the feeling of all that lush, plump flesh going to his head more than any liquor or spirits could ever hope to do.

The incongruence in her body language and spoken words amused him. He knew she was sleepy because he had woken her up at midday for what had been supposed to be quick but had ended up lasting for two hours. In all honesty, she should be worn out but it seemed her body had as little sense as his because it still gravitated towards his.

"Come on, Countess. I want to make love to you."

His tongue darted out to taste his mark on her neck whilst he teased her nipple with his hand.

"Wake up, angel," he said, his hand and mouth exploring more parts of her.

"M' sleepy." She mumbled without opening her eyes.

Of course if he was any decent human being, he would let her sleep but no challenge had ever found him wanting.

"I'll let you sleep after, I promise."

"You said that last time," she said, pushing his hand off her hip.

"I mean it now. Just once," he said, sliding his finger in her and teasing her clitoris with his thumb. He felt the tension in her body as she tried to contain her reaction so as not to encourage him.

She pretended to snore which made him chuckle because he didn't know how that was supposed to fool him into thinking she was asleep when she never even snored normally.

Her channel squeezed his fingers tight even as she pretended to sleep, the little tease. Vlad withdrew his fingers and hiked her leg up, sliding inside her in one thrust. Given how much he had made use of her body that day, there was no resistance at all and soon he was encapsulated in the heat that made him nearly lose his mind.

There was nothing like being inside his wife. Warm. Tight. Wet.

"You are made for me, you know that?" He asked, kissing her soft dark hair. He moved it out of the way to expose her neck before returning his hand to her raised thigh to hold her in position.

Erinna tried to feign sleep, as if she couldn't feel him inside her but after the third thrust, she lost the fight. The sounds she had been trying to withhold now left her mouth freely and with wild abandon.

Her arousal fed Vlad's and he grew harder and bigger inside, eliciting a keening sound from her that nearly undid him.

"Vlad, please," she begged him sweetly.

"Thought you were going to be a corpse tonight?" He teased her. "Joke's on you because I'd still take you even if you were dead."

"You are...sick," she gasped as he hit a spot that made her douse his cock with a fresh bath of her feminine juices. It nearly made Vlad tear into her neck, his arousal triggering his hunger. She was so slick around him now and every movement he made filled the room with wet sounds of flesh slapping against flesh.

Masculine pride filled him. To be the one who made her body sing like that... It was a heady feeling, the kind that got to a man's head. Even after hours and hours of wringing pleasure out of her, she still found more to give him.

"You love me anyway. I don't see you running," he replied her.

"Yesssss," she hissed, moving in sync with him, his hands directing her hips.

"Yes what?" Vlad bit her neck.

"I love you. Love you...ah," she cried out, her muscles squeezing him tight.

Vlad lost a few brain cells in those seconds and he bit hard into her shoulder. The woman was poison, sweet dark, potent poison and he would let her intoxicate him any day. He would die trying to serve her, trying to taste the sweet, addictive essence that only she could give him. She would be the death of him but he had no regrets. Given a second chance, he would make the same choices again and partake of her venom because that which killed him was the same with which gave him life.

"You better do because there are no take backs. You are stuck with me now."

"Yes, all yours. Harder, Vlad," she begged, very near sobbing.

It ignited Vlad and he pushed the knee of her bent leg higher to get better access before he increased his thrusts, giving her the pounding that she wanted. The air around them became charged with energy as, their souls, auras and very essences joined until the energy became too much for their bond to contain. Like it always did, it shot outwards, swirling around and encircling them in a wild kaleidoscope of colors that were a representation of the magic they created when they came together.

Erinna was sobbing in his arms, crying out for him, her body vibrating with desperation and overstimulation. She begged him for the release they both yearned for and abhorred at the same time. Vlad wanted her to shatter in his arms, to absolutely go to pieces and crash until only he was holding her together. But he also wanted the moment to never end. He wanted this to go on and on.

"I. Love. You," he groaned, sinking his teeth in the same place that he had marked her.

Erinna exploded, her thighs shaking and her tunnel convulsing around him as she found her orgasm. The way she squeezed him was both pain and ecstasy and Vlad was all up for that kind of hell.

"Ah, ah...yes, Oh, Vlad...."

The sounds leaving her mouth made less and less sense the higher he drove her body but Vlad drank in every single one of them. They didn't stop when her orgasm subsided.

"What do you want? Tell me, angel."

"You...oh, please. Need you to- ah," She cried out when he rolled his hips, massaging her walls with his cock. "Need you in me."

Her broken words made the furnace inside him into a volcano and as it spewed its lava, Vlad bit his wife's neck, bringing her with him over the edge. Erinna cried out, her body jerking and spasming as she came around his cock again. Vlad kneaded her sensitive breasts, the pain making her cry out before it was doused by the endorphins her body released in response to the blood drinking. Gentle waves of ecstasy rolled over her, leaving her drowning in pleasure.

As she came down, Vlad released the pressure on her breasts, knowing that it would be too painful for her now. He withdrew his fangs from her too, sealing her neck. Erinna's body was trembling and boneless. Her face was flushed, her skin sleek with sweat and her lips bruised with his kisses. All in all, she looked thoroughly and well loved, from her bite-covered skin to her glassy eyes and utterly drunk expression.

Vlad pulled her closer into his arms, knowing that she would crash for a while. She always did, and hell if he didn't love every minute of it. He loved how her body gave abundantly, without restraint or reservation. She gave him everything that she had in her, including bits of her soul, without worrying about what would be left inside her. That was just the person she was and Vlad would always treasure the gift.

He gently massaged her side, from thigh to ribs and pressed kisses to her shoulder and back until she finally regained consciousness.

"I passed out again, didn't I?" Her skin flushed with unnecessary embarrassment.

"It means I did something right," He smirked, kissing her shoulder as his hand moved to cup her belly.

"If I fall asleep on King Narcan tonight, it will be your fault," she said with a yawn.

"I thought he was leaving tonight?" Vlad said.

He had not bothered to make friends with the king of a tribe of bear shifters from the West who had come to meet Erinna. Vlad remembered clearly how the man had once looked down on him when he had offered him an alliance a while back and now he suddenly wanted to be friends.

"He is, but I'm having breakfast with him. You should come."

"I would rather chew my foot off."

Erinna laughed softly. "He is not like how he was when you first met him, Vlad. Otherwise I would not be talking to him. People change."

He would let her keep that illusion but there was still no way he was being civil to that hairy bastard. Or any other slimeballs slinking out of the shadows coming to see his wife. In fact, this would be the last one. Vlad was going to tell Alexander to tell anyone on patrol not to let in any more people coming to see Erinna into the kingdom. At least until after the baby came.

Because of all these people monopolizing her time, he now felt guilty for touching his own wife, lest he exhaust her more than she already was.

"What are you thinking?" Erinna asked.

"Nothing."

"You're plotting. I can tell."

"Maybe I'm plotting how I can get you on my cock again."

"Oh you don't need to plot that," she said, throwing her leg over him and sitting astride him.

All thoughts of bear shifters left Vlad's head.

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

"Good lord, those two," Chase rolled his eyes as moans and the grunts assaulted his sensitive ears the moment he stepped into the Count's wing.

Lloyd who was at their door, laughed, approaching him. Why was he standing so close? Chase knew for sure heads would roll if the old man found him creeping like that on his door.

"You probably don't want to go that side," Lloyd warned him with a grin.

Chase had wanted to talk to the Count about getting Lierian, the bane of his life off his back but it seemed that he would have to come another time, but he wasn't too mad about it. Though the whole thing delayed him, the decadent sounds of sex and feminine screams and moans echoing in the hallways filled him with hope. Maybe things were finally returning to normal.

Before the Count had risen 18 years ago, crazed with the thought of making the castle elf-friendly and ready for his mate, life had been very different in Castello Dracula. They had lived for three things and three things only: carnal gratification, wealth, and power. They had taken pleasure where they could find it. The castle had been filled to the brim with beautiful men and women ready to bleed for them and bend over at their command. Wine had flowed and music had filled the atmosphere.

It had been a time of great abandon and the ecstasy. They had indulged in their true natures as vampires, and it was a time that Chase missed. They were so many rules these days. Goodness knew if Alexander even thought he saw him kissing someone in the hallway now, there would be hell to pay. It made Chase wonder if things would ever return to normal. All public indulgence, be it sex or alcohol had been banned with the exception of Gols.

Chase had been angry when the rule had first been imposed on them, but he understood why now. As charming a bastard as Count Dracula could be, there was no way he would have been able to pull someone as sheltered and innocent as the Countess with vampires humping at every corner. The clean up had definitely been necessary but she was now carrying his kid and she was so in love with him that it was sickening to watch. Chase doubted anything would scare her away, so Chase didn't understand why they had to continue living like monks, especially when Count Dracula wasn't following his own rule to begin with.

It was so restricting and felt unnatural because as vampires, their lusts fed off of each other, but he was supposed to pretend like he wasn't hearing anything. A loud sound came from behind the closed doors, making Chase's body stir. It made Chase have very inappropriate thoughts that would probably get him killed if Dracula's psycho self ever decided to look through his mind.

"She's loud, Old Bones must be putting in the work," he commented quietly.

"That's nothing. You should have been here an hour ago. I thought she was seeing God."

"He probably tells her he's God," Chase said and the two of them burst out laughing because Count Dracula seemed like the type to do that.

A high-pitched sound came from behind the door making them both freeze. "There's no way that is real," Chase said.

Either she was faking it, or the old man had not lost his game along with the basic knowledge of how to treat other people right. Either way, he was curious and hoped the royal couple's inability to keep their hands off each other meant the ban would come off soon. He wanted to be able to do what he wanted when he wanted too. Not that Lierian would ever allow that.

"Be glad it's not in the kitchen," Lloyd said, his eyes looking at the door.

Chase eyes widened. "They-?"

Lloyd nodded. That's it, Chase was petitioning for that stupid ban to come off.

"How come they are allowed to have sex in the kitchen, but I can't?" Chase complained. This was not even fair.