Chapter Three and Four

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I woke up to an empty bed, almost feeling a distraught feeling rise in my throat as I knew that he had shut the window. It was early dawn, he must have left just a breadth before I had awoken, and I leaned up inhaling deeply, that scent… That was his, the only that scent that I could not describe, what it really smelled like.

The taste of bitter chocolate was one I thought of to describe it, but it didn’t seem right, maybe- Roses? No, it was the scent of the sea & the scent of snow on a newborn day that would best describes it, not that I had taken that into memory (Ha Ha.) He was on my pillows, my sheets; I could smell him everywhere, around me, near me, breathing on me but unfortunately thinking strategy wise (based on that damned butler,) on me.

Cursing I got up tripping over the rumpled sheets and my cold robe which was nicely splayed on the floor, I checked my watch on the bedside table and groaned, 4: 30 in the morning I knew Gerard would be in at any moment so I tidied up my room in a matter of seconds jumping into bed with a smack on the springs which bounced considerably and pretended to be deep in sleep. Seconds later to my notice I heard Gerard come up at my door and he opened it and stood for a matter of minutes, maybe admiring his charges sleeping technique or something more sexual of the matter, I turned and shuffled the sheets to where he could not see a thing. I woke up with a start opening my eyes with as much sleepiness I could provide stretching my arms outward and giving a winning smile.

“Good morning Madam,” he replied with a smile as he drew out my curtains that I had shut only a minute before, “breakfast in bed madam or on the terrace, it’s a lovely day,” he said with his fake suaveness ( it’s not even a word but I made it up so ha) his eyes shifting towards my wardrobe of clothes. “ I’ll have the maid-” Gerard started to say but I cut clear through it knowing that the maid would gossip on how I got the very large bruise on my right wrist, “ no thank you, I’d rather dress myself today, I’ll have breakfast on the terrace later on, it’s rather early don’t you think Gerard?” I changed the subject immediately before he could notice that I was hiding something, he was in fact very handsome but not as handsome as the one who came to visit the previous night, Gerard really paled in comparison (pun intended.)

He had black hair and brown eyes, there was really not else much to look at, he could have been a bodyguard because he was so tall, he had a face that was memorable but you could forget after a month or so, he smelled strongly of cologne, which was a sign that he was very lower class and didn’t know how to use his new status as my butler. “Gerard, the maid will call you when I’m finished dressing, but I need to speak with you about your job here,” Gerard bowed and said, ‘yes madam’ and I smiled and I spoke rather quickly, “oh and Gerard?”

“Yes?” He said pausing before he exited in mid-step, “small breakfast please, simplicity is the best remedy for quite a toss n turner,” I said giving him that fake smile when I was tired of seeing people flit about me. He walked out and down the stairs as I got dressed hearing his expensive shoes click down in the hall below loudly.

Sighing I got dressed in the only thing I could wear, it was low cut know doubt showing off a bit more than I would have liked, it was a hunter green which people rarely would have gotten away with, but with my brunette hair and pale complexion and angel eyes I got away with it quite nicely. I put on those light charcoal grey ballet flats to counter out the dresses short length but in the end I decided to wear heels instead... I sprayed the tiniest amount of rose perfume on my neck trying to chase away the scent of “him.”

(Did I mention earlier “him…?” I meant Vlad, but ‘him’ seems more romantic don’t you think? I’m asking too many questions, on with Chapter Three.)

I rang the maid who eventually got Gerard back upstairs, he was in my room in a nano second and I almost jumped when I saw his guarded expression like he was hiding something from me. Of course he was, but I had to talk to him about his status here and let him be put in his place. “Gerard, I know that you’re new here and I’m just getting used to even having a butler but here's how it goes in my house, I like simple smells and clean faces so I’m going shopping with you and I’m getting outfits for you and getting you a hair-cut,” I said smiling softly.

His expression was absolutely priceless, like a punished child or even a bashful one, he flushed red and his hand gripped tighter against them, “Madam I’m old enough to take care of myself when it comes to these matters,” he said softly counter balancing his embarrassment and amusement. “So you’re saying that your employer is immature, and doesn’t know un-cleanliness when she smells it,” I purred quietly luring him in with guilt and his own behavior I smiled in the back of my head, he sighed visibly, “I’m sorry madam, you know best I apologize sincerely for any offense I brought on you.” He left with his literal tail between his legs walking with a lesser step like he had been beaten by his mother.

I went down to breakfast and that was fairly good considering that I had a short-handed cooking staff, then Gerard and I were off and the races began. I bought him at least five outfits all the same with two pairs of different shoes, cologne that was lighter than his usual and a comb and pomade with his slick back haircut.

It was a good day.

But the night seemed a little darker and a ton more treacherous than it had ever been, the wind howled the rain pushed against my houses windows causing them to fly open unexpectedly showering me with curtains and rainwater down my back. I wanted to have a bath in my room, it is easier so I just drew up one in the middle of the night, I had been reading for a while hoping that Vlad wouldn’t even come tonight, but then again I had forgotten he would anyway. I had not even noticed the drop in temperature only that I saw steaming water and I wanted in.

Slowly I took off my dress not caring about the wrinkles it would have, I undid my hair throwing the pins in random places, I took off my rings and I washed my face stretching out my hands up and over my head leaning back so that my hips could have a stretch away from my corset. But I hadn’t known that he’d been watching me his hands caught my arms his hands slid over my breasts slowly and I jumped, I was so cold myself I barely noticed the touch until I got that in my brain that he was warm, warmer than I was afterwards.

I turned with a muffled shriek of some very dirty words and I heard his chuckle, “Good evening Beatrice,” he said from somewhere not showing his face, but when I found him he was in my bathwater and I couldn’t help but glance. Flushing with horrible discomfort I let out a giggle which sounded stupid, so I frowned in order to stop that from coming out, “it’ll be colder faster if you don’t hop in,” he said with a puzzled look on his face that he had never really gotten my full expression when it came to laughter. I got in and I sighed feeling the hot water come down over me I hugged myself feeling the satisfaction of relaxation, “My Butler is becoming very annoying,” I said softly as came closer and I sidled up on his naked lap not really noticing that I was very, very close to becoming a non-virgin.

His arms slid around me and pulled me tighter to him, “I know, I think there is something that I don’t like about him, can’t I just eat him?” I let out a cry of surprise slapping him playfully as water sloshed over and onto the floor, he put his head on my shoulder and I felt his take in a breath right next to the base of my hair, this surprised me but when he sighed, I knew that I was alright but he drew back from me. “Have you fed,” I said quietly using the term from the book that I was reading earlier, “yes but not enough,” he said whispering the last word in my ear as I felt his lips against my back, “it is never enough,” he finished as I went stiff in his arms fear once more taking me away from him. “Do not worry Beatrice your to delicious to eat, your more of the one that I could love, please don’t be scared,” he said as his long cold fingers ran through my hair every once and a while taking out the tangles.

Somehow he found soap and he started to wash me, I only let him because he was there, but secretly there was more than that excuse, he lathered up my hair and then I rinsed and he’d do it again and then the same process with the rest of me. He was so warm now that I couldn’t help but notice the simpler things towards his anatomy. “Now you smell like you,” he said as he brushed some soap off my cheek, his body was coming closer and closer until at least his shoulders were against mine, I was scared at this point, not knowing what to say or do, his long red hair was wet and plastered against his face his shoulders were already so cold that I couldn’t feel my fingers.

I pushed the hair out of his face, “do you truly love me for me?” I said quite randomly as we sat there in the cold soapy water, “I do, I don’t see anything else at all,”he replied a shadow of a smile creeping up onto his lips.

There was a great pause between us like we were on the brink of something that would change us, possibly forever, and I really mean forever. “Do you really want to do this?” He said softly his eyes melting from warm to tender his hand on my side as he put his cheek against mine.

We both got out and I had to dry off, but knowing him he was already dry, he laid back on my he painted bed and I say there very artistic portrait for me, he was to good to taint in that way but something deep stirred up inside me, it wasn’t his magic but it was my thoughts. His arms raised up above his head on my pillows, his pale legs laid out before me, one down and one up, his hair as long as it was, was over his chest and contrasting the darkness of the pillows, his eyes seductive his face like the arch-angel himself.

“The hell with it,” I whispered I crawled up onto him as I pounded my lips on his full on straight to the point, and I love him damn-it, and I can’t stop loving him.

Many nights later I had discovered many things about my newfound love for Dracula, he was indeed very strong and very vulnerable but he was also somewhat a vampire of both light and dark. He had talked about his enemies that had killed him and beheaded him but he had risen from the dead coming back together body part by body part in order to wreak his horrible cruel vengeance. He also talked about Van Helsing, but rarely saying there was no connection between him and Van Helsing but I knew better than to question him but I knew that he was lying to me.

It prayed on my conscience until he came the next night.

“You know then,” he whispered his eyes growing into wide irises as the went a very shiny opaque ice blue it looked as if he was going to cry but he couldn’t could he? “I had the feeling that I would never see you again and it hurts me,” I said taking a breath to stop any tears that were going to be released from their delicate fountains of hazel and green, I reached for him but let my arm drop to my side, defeated because he was becoming so isolated from me again like in the beginning like a tall tower with no stairs to climb. I let the tears go falling down on the sheets and my nightgown; I cried silently taking in so much air I thought I would be able to drown myself with, he did nothing but watch me enchanted by my movements and that look of fascination he would once and a while put on his face.

He came closer and he laid me back gently on the bed and he put his head against my heart softy he wrapped his arms around me and held me speaking as he did so, “I’m leaving tomorrow night to go back to my homeland to rid some problems that lie there I might be gone for a year maybe more, but that is not long is it?” I sighed at looked down at him my heart was racing fast and I tried to stop it but it started to race and with panic. “I might already be marrying in the next year, what happens if you come back and find another man in my bed, what would you do to him Vlad?”

I saw his forehead crinkle angrily as he heard the statement that I gave him, “I would do nothing but wish you-” I moved then so angry I barely could think my speech spewing faster from my mouth than my thoughts from my brain I knew I was crying again. “Don’t you ever think that I would give you up so easily, you think you would share, you think I could even compare anything else to you, you love and then you would leave and give me up is that it, I’m angry and you can probably tell but I’ve been holding something from you.” He went still in that moment looking at my face with the calmest expression I had ever seen.

“You lied to me Vlad Dracula, you lied, about Van Helsing, he not only killed your followers but he killed you and he killed your love out of spite after you rose, he was your lover once, he was not the incarnation of the devil he was an angel,” I said as fast as I could spit out the vowels, “he was the left hand of god.” I took a deep breath, “you have been lying to me, I have been reading and taking note in some of your mentioning’s, I still cannot believe that you lied after I loved so easily,” Vlad’s temples were throbbing, but his eyes were the only things that told me he was mad he was still so still he wasn’t even breathing nor blinking staring at me with an inhuman glance that I had never seen before as if his reaction was delayed.

A blood red stroke from his eye fell and then another until his pale cheeks were accented with blood tears, he did not wipe them away but he stared at me in disbelief, “you did not read those things, you took them from previous knowledge,” he said softly his face was keeping the same expression as I felt my anger smolder away and linger in my stomach I wanted to kiss him, I wanted to hold him in my arms, I wanted to tell him everything was alright but I was too interested in his statement. “What do you mean,” I said as I scooted closer reaching out to touch those tears but as I was to wipe one away he grabbed my wrist gently pulling my hands away from the tears, “I mean that you have been alive before you were not simply Beatrice you were called Erdő you were my queen once until I died at battle and rose but once hearing of my death and not knowing my secret, you jumped to your death into the river beside the castle drowning yourself and leaving our child alone, he still lives but just so.”

I could not believe it this time, I could not trust his word, but then I saw flashes of memory come upon my like a cloud a man much like Dracula dancing with a beautiful lady at the ball, holding a child in her arms sweetly kissing him on the lips softly, another was one of rushing air down, down, down into water which was warm, soft and dark. “It cannot be me, I’m alive now and not then, I do not remember, neither do I would like to remember a person’s death from over a time ago,” he held a sad remorse but there was something else that I could not read something of a triumph as he knew I was lying, “Maybe you will remember this,” he said standing taking off his cloak and unfurling his hair from his long braid. He pulled off the first half of my nightgown, careful to not rip the delicate lace and the white ribbon, he pulled me onto his lap which I straddled and he kissed me ever so softly it was like another dream of him, he trailed his kisses everywhere there had to be bare skin, my eyelids, my nose, my heart, the crook of my shoulder, my cheeks, but he had avoided one place my neck. As soon as I thought he would stop he slowly started to kiss my neck and often I felt the lightest grazing of his teeth, he found a spot closer to my left breast he put his head against it and bit down.

I knew that he had bitten but I did not feel the pain that I thought would have come after words, it was not pain but mind boggling pleasure tearing me apart inside and out causing a cry to escape me as his lips drew in my life-force. He was also in rapt to afraid to draw more from me he looked up with an asking look his mouth covered in my blood. Then I had remembered like a flash back of something I must have missed, like a dream you had forgotten seeing this come to me as he put his mouth over my wound, I looked down and felt happiness strike through me, it was something that must have registered with him because he saw the change in my eyes and knew that his love was in there and I was here.

He once again drew on the wound and I let out a sigh as if to say that was quite enough he smiled at me my blood still lingered there but I had no idea why he didn’t wipe himself off. I new at once I wanted more from him but I resisted that temptation, he was not here to kill me but to love me and all of me. He kissed me again giving me back the tiniest amount of blood on his mouth and his tongue it triggered something there inside me but I wasn’t sure what to say.

He left that night dressing my wound and kissing me then saying that he would write to me as if like an old couple we parted and it was painful. I cried until I slept not even baring the day or the empty nights, Gerard I dismissed to go have a while on vacation and said that I was going to travel.

I was going to fin Van Helsing.