The dream was so intense. His breath was hot on my neck and I could feel a bit of moisture collect in the valley between my neck and my shoulder, as if my skin were ice cold. I know his was. It was freezing and white as fresh laid snow. And it was almost transparent. I could see the veins running blue beneath the surface. He began to nibble at the nape of my neck and I closed my eyes, basking in the pleasure his touch was giving me. I noticed then, as he remained there, that his hands were becoming warmer and the hue of his skin was becoming flushed with crimson. I began to bite my lip in absolute ecstasy, and, unintentionally, drew blood from my own skin. When he pulled back and hovered over me, I noticed a tiny, red river running from the corner of his mouth. I touched my finger to it as he lay one of his own on the small wound I had inflicted on myself. I could feel a warm, syrup like, liquid trickling from my neck, down my shoulder and onto the bed. I knew it was blood, but I did not panic.

'You are mine,' he whispered, and I could feel myself nod as he lowered his bloodied lips to mine." I noticed then that my friends, who had been listening attentively to my erotic fantasy, were staring at me, eyes wide, and mouths gaping. "And then I woke up." I finished. There was silence. "What?" I asked.

"I think," my friend Jill said, "I just...shat myself." The rest of us laughed.

"Wow, Jen," my best friend Ashley gasped. "Please, feel free to invite me into your dreams anytime."

"Oh please," I heard my friend Sarah, or Cynical Sarah, as I called her, say in disgust. "She dreamt about doing the dirty with a vampire. Since when is THAT sexy?"

"Oh, ye of little lust." Jill said. "I thought it was hot...lucky girl."

"Sex dreams are the best." Ashley joked. "Have your fun and wake up without worrying about an STD or pregnancy."

"OR in this case, becoming one of the undead." Jill interjected.

"Yea, or that." Ashley conceded. She must have noticed then that I was deep in thought. "Jen...you with us?"

"No, she's still in la la land with Count Dracula." My head snapped up and my heart fluttered. For a reason unknown to me,
that name deeply affected me.

"Well," Ash said. "Unfortunately it is time to wake up."

"Sorry," I said. "I just...I don't know. The dream was so...so REAL you know? Like when I woke up, it felt like he was still there. I could still feel his mouth on my skin."

"Oh, stop, my hormones!" Jill joked. Then she realized I was being serious. She could tell I was troubled. "Hey," she said softly, "It was just a dream. You'll forget about it in time."

"Don't know why you would want to." Ashley said. "But you will." I nodded. Suddenly, the bell rang. Sarah, Ashley, and Jill left with a quick goodbye. Before I got up, however, I paused to look in my compact mirror. I threw my hair back off of my shoulders then went to re-apply my lipstick. Suddenly, I saw them...two...red...marks...right at the nape of my neck.

TBC