Muttering profanity under his breath Dracula quickly ran after Ava in hopes he could calm her down. She was already running down the hall to her room where she quickly slammed the door in his face as soon as he reached the doorway. Growling he swung it back open and saw Ava standing in the tall window. "Get out…." She spoke coolly under her breath.

"Darling you are going to weaken yourself. Please lay…." He began.

Turning around she spit words of venom. "DO….NOT…..CALL….ME….THAT." Anger was visibly plastered on her face. Cocking an eyebrow he walked over to her. She stood her ground. "And what do you suppose I call you?" He replied calmly. He was nearly touching her, chest to chest. She looked down for a moment, almost as though she were trying to regain her composure. But without warning she slapped him hard in the face for a second time in just minutes.

An animalist growl came under his breath and he grabbed both her arms and held them tightly against his chest. "You my dear need to calm yourself and start acting like a lady." They were now both furious with one another.

"I don't take orders from the undead…." She hissed at him.

"You are pinching my last nerve, I would suggest you change your attitude before…."

"Before what? Before you run off with your whore of a bride!" Ava was obviously angry with Aleera trying to lure him to her chambers.

"She is not my whore, and I wouldn't consider her a bride. She is simply nothing but a nuisance under the roof of this castle." He said trying to calm the both of them.

"I would have never guessed considering the fact that you looked quite excited to feed your inner beast." Ava was still angry.

Chuckling, Dracula smiled a cunning and sensual smile. "Is that what you're calling it these days." He said jokingly. Ava was beyond annoyed he found the situation to be amusing.

"This isn't funny. How dare you make this into a joke!" She struggled to remove her wrists out of his hands, but he held them firmly.

"If I didn't know any better, I would assume you are the jealous one right now." He said smiling down at her with his cold blue eyes. She looked directly into them. She noticed something different, something had changed in them. It was almost as if there was a hint of life behind them. It was impossible though. She had to remind herself he was still a vampire.

"I see you noticed…." He said under his breath. Those words immediately brought her out of her thoughts.

"Noticed what? The fact that you're still a demon?" She said with a quick wit.

He let go of her hands and moved in closer to her, pressing her against the cold stone wall. He gently moved her hair out of her flustered face and looked deep within her soul. Ava couldn't explain what was different, but there was definitely something there that hadn't existed before.

Gently he placed his cold lips upon her full ones and took in the sweet seduction of her scent, and the soft skin that caressed his face. Parting her lips with his tongue, he gently kissed her enjoying every bit of sensation he was engulfed in. He felt a fire within his newly alive soul. Slowly they parted ways.

"There's something different." She muttered.

Smiling he replied, "I did a lot to save you my dear, more than you can imagine." She looked up at him confused, not knowing what he had done exactly.

"I woke up and I was so confused…..and I looked for you…..and found you with…..with her." She said in frustration.

"I wanted to be there when you awoke, but you have been asleep for nearly a week now." She gasped. She didn't have the slightest idea that it had been that long. She felt it had only been a day or two.

"What happened?" Now even more confused.

"Well, you became very ill and I found a cure. But I had to sacrifice a lot to make you mine." He whispered in her ear as he kissed her earlobe. She put her hands on his cold chest, accepting his sensitive touch.

She moved her hands beneath his silk shirt where she quickly gasped at the feeling of a massive scar across his heart. Quickly she pulled his shirt down to reveal the cross burned into his chest. Her hand moved to her mouth as she gasped, while the other softly touched it. He looked down at her and smiled. It was always going to remind him of his sacrifice for her.

Slowly he took her tentative hand and placed it flat against his wounded chest. She cringed, thinking she was hurting him. But to her surprise, she felt something she would have never expected. Warmth. His skin was warm to the touch like hers, but only within the scar. With instinct, she gently placed her ear to his chest. She could faintly here a repetitive thud in his chest, one that was completely unfamiliar.

Quickly she looked up at him in shock. "You have a heartbeat." She couldn't believe what she had heard, or felt. Smiling he cupped her chin in his hand and brought her lips to his. She kissed him passionately but he quickly pulled away. She stared at him in confusion. "You need to rest."

"No I don't. I have had plenty of rest." She tried to kiss him again but he pulled her away.

"You were near death not too long ago. Your body still needs to heal." He brought her over the bed. She wanted to resist, but she knew he was right. She did feel exhausted already even though she had only been up for an hour.

Pulling back the covers he guided her to the bed where she gently laid down. He tucked her in and kissed her forehead. Turning he began to leave, but her hand quickly found his wrist. She held him back. "Please don't leave me." She pleaded.

Smiling he gave into her request and slowly climbed into the bed next to her. Cradling her in his arms, she placed her head on his chest, hearing the soothing sound of the faint and distant heartbeat.

(Transition)

Ava awoke with the evening sun slowly descending below the thick Transylvanian mountains. It had been a couple days since she first woke from the sickness. It had been relatively calm within the castle walls, though Aleera seemed more annoying than ever. She always seemed to be at the heel of the Count begging for attention. And to her amusement he hardly acknowledged her presence. Ava hadn't ventured too far out from Dracula's chambers, trying to not waste what precious energy she had.

Peeking behind the dark curtain, careful to not let the rays of the sun cascade into the room, she admired the gorgeous sight of the vibrant array of colors. She hadn't watched the sun set in ages, and found it peaceful beyond anything.

With the sun fully behind the mountains, she tip toed to the bathroom, careful to not wake the Count. Slowly she undressed from her night gown and looked at herself in the large mirror. She had lost weight, a dramatic amount since she was sick. She was too boney for her liking. Her ribs were visible and her precious curves were less noticeable. Sighing in frustration of the sight, she turned and walked to the large marble shower.

The hot steamy water warmed her cold skin instantly. It felt amazing on her body. The castle always seemed to be abnormally cold, but she knew it would be near impossible to heat the entire estate with the technology of this day and age. Her thoughts were wandering as she let the water run down her face and chest. The one thing she was incredibly grateful for is the fact her breasts had seemed to stay the same size. They were still large and full, perfectly round and still her favorite feature.

Suddenly a pair of cold hands ripped her from her thoughts. Gasping she quickly turned around to find him standing there, completely bare and his dark hair out of his familiar ponytail. He smiled down at her, admiring her perfection. He too had noticed her dramatic weight loss, but knew she would get her sensual curves back within a matter of weeks.

"Hello there…" He said in his thick accent.

She smiled and responded quietly. "I tried not to wake you."

"And miss this? If anything I'm a little disappointed you didn't invite me." He said with an evil smile. He softly placed his lips on her neck and sucked on her soft skin, gently biting her trying to tease her. She moaned and giggled at the intoxicating touch. Her hands found his broad shoulders where she held onto as his own hands wandered up and down her body.

They had reached her full breasts and he gently squeezed and caressed them moving his kisses lower to her chest. He could hear her heartbeat quicken, but stopped himself before they both got too excited. Ava looked at him in frustration. "Why did you stop?" She demanded.

"You are still far too weak. I don't want to push you too far." He replied calmly.

"No, I want you to push me over the edge. I want you inside me." She pleaded. She moved her hand to his groin, but quickly had her wrist surrounded by his hand.

"You need to rest. I promise we can, but only when you are ready." He said. Turning he walked out of the shower and wrapped a dark black towel around his waist, walking out the door leaving Ava there flustered underneath the water.

Quickly she turned it off and grabbed another black towel wrapping it around her slender body. She ran after him into the bedroom.

"Why won't you touch me?" She was fairly annoyed.

Beginning to explain he dropped the towel to the floor exposing his backside to her. "I already told you. You are too weak and your body needs to heal. Trust me, it isn't easy for both of us." He said as he began to get dressed in his usual attire.

"I think I know my own body, and dammit I want you!" She walked over to him still dripping water onto the cold stone.

He turned around and smiled at her. "Darling, I would love to do what I want with you. But you are not in a place right now where you can be so…..physically compromised." He said with careful words.

She huffed in annoyance as she rolled her eyes. "Come, I shall make you some supper." He said with a grin as he kissed her forehead. He walked out the door leaving her standing there agitated beyond anything.

(Transition)

Dinner was spectacular with endless amounts of food. She was eating like she had been starving for months, but she felt like it. Every bit of food engulfed her taste buds and she couldn't seem to eat enough. Vlad sat across the table admiring her. She wasn't afraid to pass up good table manners, and even though he would have found it irritating with anyone else, he found her even more sexy.

He sipped on his goblet of blood, repulsed by the taste but forcing it down his throat. Soon she had slowed down to a stop and threw her napkin on the plate.

"Satisfied?" He said as he took a drink.

"Very much so." She responded still chewing her food.

Soon servants appeared from the kitchen to collect their plates. Ava noticed immediately that Melissa was avoiding eye contact with both her and Dracula. Normally she would have given Ava a deathly glare, but her eyes didn't move from the table. She scurried off into the kitchen, not a single word or sound coming from her mouth.

"That's weird." Ava said as she took a sip from her wine glass.

He raised his eyebrow in question.

"Nothing, she is just acting different." Ava responded as she still looked at the kitchen door.

"Maybe she is having a change of heart." He muttered.

"And what's that suppose to mean?" Ava said now looking over at him.

"It means that she was told where her rightful place was in this castle." He said as his finished the last of his blood.

Ava's eyes widened. "What did you tell her?" she demanded.

"It doesn't concern you." He said curtly.

"Really now?" She asked with sarcasm.

"Don't worry yourself over her. She is a twit that was taught a lesson. I do not tolerate such behavior." He began to get up and push his chair in before walking over to Ava.

"I don't need you to fight my battles." Ava muttered as he pulled her chair out.

"It's not your battle I am fighting." He said as he whispered in her ear. She could feel her body quivering at the sound of his thick accent.

"Come, I have business to attend to." He guided her out of the dining hall and to his familiar office. Closing the door behind him Ava collapsed on the loveseat by the fireplace. He walked over to his large desk and sat down with his glasses gently placed on his nose. He spent quite some time filling thing out, and writing down notes as Ava grew bored. She found herself going through his library of books in search of something interesting.

Finally she found a decent book about the Roman Empire. Sitting on the loveseat she read page after page as he continued filling out his paperwork. Hours seemed to pass and the only sound that could be heard was the crackling of the fireplace and the movement of paper. Ava had fallen asleep, her head tucked within her curled knees and her arms wrapped around them.

He had finished his papers and quietly walked over to Ava. Her breathing was steady, more so than before. Squatting down he admired her angelic face, moving strands of her crimson red hair. Slowly she began to wake up, he just smiled at her.

"What time is it?" She muttered through her arms.

"It's time for bed." He replied soothingly. She was quiet again, nearing into another deep sleep. Laughing to himself he bent over her and scooped her up into his arms, cradling her close to him. Walking into their room he gently placed her on the soft bed tucking her into the thick fur blankets. Slowly he undressed himself to nearly nothing before climbing into the bed with her, holding her frail body in his arms. Kissing her on the forehead he turned off the light on the nightstand. It was quiet and dark, but his eyes shot wide open unexpectedly.

"I love you." She muttered under tired words. Bringing herself closer to him she quickly fell asleep as he felt his new soul jump in excitement.