A Beating Heart
It was in the early 19th century when Vlad the Impaler had went to war against the Ottoman Empire. In his absence, his wife had received a letter that informed her of his false death. With such grief that she would never see or feel her lover again, Mina Sylavogi had thrown herself from the balcony of their room, leading to a seemingly quick death. When Vlad had returned to find his wife was dead, he felt the rage of a thousand warriors and cursed God. In turn God sent his right hand to kill Vladislaus and he succeeded. The devil however had given Vlad his second chance as Dracula, son of the devil, and first vampire of the undead.
He never thought he would see his beloved again, until two hundred years later when she appeared at his door step. He had replaced that abyss with three wives and none of them could fill the hole her death had left behind... But Igor had answered the door and there she stood, he could smell her blood and hear her heart beat from what must had been five-hundred yards away. He was quick to materialize near the door as soon as Igor had opened it, but not to reveal himself.
"Hello, may I help you?"
"Um... Hello. I am here to see a Count Vladislaus." The count closed his eyes, her voice was the same melody, it was the same beauty he had fallen for oh so much.
"Let her in." He whispered in a hiss to Igor, his strong accent wincing each word with proper punishment.
"Come in." Igor opened the door and allowed her through, if Dracula had a heart it would have stopped and if he had required air he wouldn't breath. Even the sight of her in his unliving state took everything from him.
Her long brown hair in it curly fashion poured over one shoulder, her pale skin contrasting nicely with the blue dress and black cloak she wore. Her Hazel-brown eyes made a circumspect of the castle in its dreaded state and he could see her frown.
"Might I ask what your relations are with the master?" Igor began despite the pretense of his master being only a few steps away, he continued to treat her as he would any guest.
"It's been a long time... I worry he might not remember me." She glanced over at him with a worried expression and Vlad felt himself die all over again. What if she found out about the wives? What if she found out about how his beating heart was no more? What if she despised his every being? He had never felt so much emotion since he was turned into a bottomless pit, a tasteless and cold shell with no heart. She still brought those things from this shell, whatever wasn't there is back again because of her... He needed to hold her again.
He came up behind her from the shadows he had been hiding in and placing a hand on her shoulder. She slowly turned and there he stood, no words were needed and she was already up into his arms again.
"Oh Vlad." He closed his eyes again to cherish her warmth, he sweet Transylvanian tongue muttering the sweetest words to him, he said nothing in return.
"My love... What are you doing here? You were dead."
"I know I was." She pulled away, staring at his chest with a hand over his no longer beating heart and long fully looking into it. She rose her gaze to him and he paused, those eyes... Her eyes... They were, they weren't the same. "I have not much time. I needed to see you."
"What is so urgent that you may return from the dead?" He hoarsely choke out, she rose her other hand up to his cheek and licked her lips.
"I needed to be with you one last time, before I was gone forever and you may forget about me."
"Oh Mina, my beauty I could never forget you." He pulled her into an embrace which she gladly returned.
"Master, your wives are calling for you." He pulled away, thinking twice about becoming a monster in front of his beloved and ripping the servant to shreds. Igor had left to go and tend to other things, but at least he knew not interrupt his master at any given time. Vlad pulled hesitantly from his once living wife and brushed a few strands behind her ear.
"Wives?"
"Wives." He affirmed in a much stricter, but softer tone and she nodded her head crossing her arms and averting her eyes. It was a sign that they would speak about this later, if there even was a later. "I will return my beloved."
When Vlad had left his wife alone to mourn his absent heart and ancient sorrows, he had come across his wives arguing amongst themselves in their room. He had known they were talking about Mina and made it his duty to silence their gossiping, gold-digging little mouths.
"Enough!" He bellowed, they cowered beneath him and he could see the pain they felt. Pain he could never feel for them and would never.
"Who is the woman at the door?" Verona, the leader of the brides, asked curiously.
"She is my wife... From another life." Dracula told solemnly, they began to whine and cry again.
"SILENCE!" They all did as requested. "She was my beauty, my heart, before all was taken from me and I was placed into this lifeless shell of a monster."
"Will we change her? Will you make her one of us?" Marishka asked nervously.
"She is far prettier than us. You'll make her your favorite, we don't matter at all to you." Aleera finished and the girls were crying again, Dracula rolled his eyes, stepping together his wives until they were snuggling into him and clinging him for guidance.
"She will not stay long and I would never take the guilt of changing her into one of us. She will only stay for a little bit and you all are expected not to talk or touch her while she is here, understood." They all made their noises of agreement and with an empty kiss from each of them he left to go get his Mina.
He had realized that her heartbeat was no longer near the entrance of the castle, but instead in the ballroom. He hadn't been in that room for ages, his parties were always held at the summerhouse. He was a count after all and if he didn't want to go somewhere he wouldn't. That was where him and Mina had held their first dance together.
He entered the empty ballroom, to find her sitting on her knees on the floor looking around as though in a daze. He closed the double doors behind him and approached, her cloak had been carelessly tossed aside. On her knees, her blue dress had pooled around her and her hands were placed finely on her lap.
"Mina... Why are you here?" She wasn't startled by his presence and stood to turn and face him.
"I miss you Vlad." He approached, her hands reaching out him till his were placed within hers and their bodies nearly touched. "The day I died, I thought would be the day we met in heaven, but now you remain here... Dead and unworthy of the place of God."
"God had taken you from me Mina, life was not a good one when you left."
"I love you Vlad and I always will, but you are not who I once married." She placed her head on his chest.
"Your heart no longer beats."
"But if it did, it would beat for you." She tilted her head up, their lips barely touching.
"It doesn't beat all then and therefore I must have none of it."
"You have my spirit." He caresses the side of her cheek with his knuckles.
"But your spirit does not offer me love, Vlad. You should have came home to me... You should have."
"I couldn't... You aren't alive anymore and I no longer need you. I have mourned for you and now that time is done. You must go."
"Not without one last dance." She insisted and he was not one to disagree with a lady, especially his lady. They danced them, they danced in the room of their first dance and it was a beautiful dance. One hand on her waist, the other on her upper back, arms raised to allow for hers to be placed gradually on his shoulders. She reminded him of how she was on their first wedding night... Beautiful and radiant like the sun. He could never see her again.
"I love you, Mina... I mean every word."
"I know... I love you as well." They stopped mid-dance, there was no music to dance to and their time was up. She placed her lips to his and they remained kissing one another passionately until she was no longer. Until he rose from his coffin of sleep and desperately tried to make out whether what he saw was a dream or an illusion. He quickly chose the latter option. Vampires don't love, they don't feel guilt, and they don't... Dream.