Aleera POV
Aleera- "Mayella! Where is that girl?! And why hasn't she cleaned up this mess?!"
Verona-"Hush you fool the master is in his study! Do you not remember last time when you yelled for that child!"I rolled my eyes at Verona's so called authority over me. Of course I remembered happened.....I just don't like to dwell on it thats all. Verona was talking to me again, I didn't bother to listen this time. Instead I paced back and forth on the floor of Castle Dracula, chewing on my nails debating whether I should call for her again.

Verona-"Besides she's only worked here for a couple weeks, not to mention Mayella she is the only servant, besides the Dwergie that we have."
Marishka the second eldest of my sisters (not real sisters) was hanging upside down on the circular chandelier not forty feet above me.
Marishka- "Stop pacing Aleera, I can hear her heart beat..."
Marishka closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, keeping her arms crossed over her chest.
Marishka- "Four...three...two...one"
And as she predicted the servant girl appeared around the corner. Ah, Mayella Marie Mcfall, the oddest little, well not really little, girl...woman I've ever set eyes on. Mayella, who I think wanted us to call her just 'Ella' was a peculiar sight indeed. Standing at a startling five foot eight, only four inches taller than Marishka and I, and only half and inch taller than Verona, the brown headed hazel eyed fifteen year old left us all a bit frazzled inside. Not that we were afraid of her, no...just a bit spell bound by her. She wasn't gorgeous but nor was she plain, definitely not average. As I said she was ghastly tall with bronzed skin, that was the slightest bit freckled, and on her face were the biggest pair of eyes I'd ever seen. Luminous they were, fading in and out in certain lights from green to brown to even dark gray at times.
Marishka -"Told you"
Ella's POV
Breathlessly I walked in on the vampieric brides, all lovely in their beautiful gowns, all adorned with jewels and dazzling features.
Ella-"You called missus"
I said bowing my head toward Verona. From my left I could sense the heat of Aleera's fury on my shoulders. I didn't care though, for the couple weeks I've lived here, Verona has and always treated me better than Aleera ever did. And for two good reasons too. Verona is more motherly and when she sees a slight mess usually cleans it up instead of calling me from major house...ugh...castle work to wipe up a drop of liquid. Verona doesn't hit me, as Aleera does almost every time I do or say something smart....even if she's being a bitch about it. Well atleast she won't hit me for now, probably not until Verona is gone.
Aleera-"Mayella....."
Ella-"Its Ella..."
Aleera sneered at me and waved her hand to silence me.
Aleera-"Whatever, it seems as though clumsy me left the window open as I went hunting.
Aleera gracefully swayed her hand to an open window.
Ella-"And let me guess a storm came through and now the floor is ruined......again?"
Aleera glided toward me with a toothy smile.
Aleera-Only a couple weeks here, and you know me so well.
Verona-Don't start you two, Ella your services are done for today, Aleera clean up your mess.
I laughed secretly to myself when I felt a surge of hate radiate off my back from her as we left.

Verona's POV
Swiftly I lead Ella out of the room and out into the winding staircase.
Verona-"So what time does it start?"
Ella-"What time does what...? Oh, oh yeah...um.. it starts in an hour and a half"
Verona- "Well we better hurry"
I said ushering her down the last few steps.
Verona-"Here"
I said taking out a key from my sleeve and handing to her.
Ella-"Whats this?"
She asked examining the long brass -"That my child, is the key to my personal money box"
Ella gave me a perplexed look, which I silently ignored.
Verona-"Listen and please no questions girl"
I said sternly grabbing her shoulders. Ella was startled by my grip on her, I could tell by the sound of her heart beat, so gently I eased up and gave her a smile.
Verona-"Do you remember the eastern wing of the castle?"
Ella-"Sort of"
She said softly trying to worm her way into my thoughts.
Verona-"Good, now I want you to run there as fast as your mortality will let you...."
Ella-"And go in your room and open the money box"
I smirked, I knew from the beginning that I hired her that she was me incarnate.
Verona-"Very good, now go!"
Ella-"Wait how much do you need?"
Verona-"Oh...well..oh for hells sake just bring all of it"
As I stood there at the foot of the stairwell, I watched her disappear into the murky cobble stone castle.
Ella POV
Ella~*Why does she need money right at this moment!? I mean she knew our plans and she just up and decides to get some money? Good god, not to mention why she is sending me to retrieve it! I hate these dark hallways, with these dark floors and dark shadow and dark figures......wait, DARK FIGURES!*
But it was too late. By the time I managed to stop, I also managed to ram into an on coming figure. So naturally I got knocked on my ass.
Ella-"Ouch....well that was less than graceful"
I said quickly sitting up to see who I ran into, hopefully not a dwergie again. Mean little buggers they were.
Ella-"Um, may I have the pleasure to know of the person that I slammed into?"
I said getting up and dusting off my butt.
Figure-"Count Vladislaus Dracula"
Ella~*Oh shit*
I thought turning my head up to face him. At last my eyes fell upon my employer.
He was tall, atleast 6'4 give or take an inch, with jet black hair bound back into a pony-tail.
No doubt he was handsome, and I began to feel butterflies when I found a slight smirk on lips.
Dracula-"And you must be my wives little pet"
He said taking a step forward. I mimicked him by taking one back.
Ella-"I'm nobodies pet, thank you."

I said curtly, trying not to glare at him.
Dracula-"May I ask what brought you to this part of the castle?"
He said starting to circle me now, with blazing blue fire in his satanic eyes.
Ella-"I, I was sent by Verona to get her money box"
Dracula looked at me as if he were prying into my thoughts for a second.
Ella-"I'm sorry for the inconvenience sir"

Dracula POV
And with that she took her leave from me, not even curtseying before tromping off into the pitch black hallway.
Dracula~*Sir?*
Dracula~*Since when have I ever been a sir?*
I thought to myself as I walked in the opposite direction from which, that....woman had came. Taking my time slowly trudging through the hall way I finally came to a source of fire light at the end.
Verona-"I thought that might of been you"
My eldest wife said when I came into her view. Ah, my Verona. So lovely she was, with her midnight black hair and emerald green eyes. She was the most mature of the three of them, and the one who I could rely most on, when it came to serious matters. But she wasn't only serious, she was caring, thoughtful, and extremely intelligent.
Dracula-"Well it sure wasn't that, woman you hired, whats her name...?
Verona-"Her name is Mayella Mcfalls, and she's only fifteen"I cocked my brow in confusion, as Verona swept gracefully over to my side.
Verona-"Something wrong my dear?"
Wiping the expression off my pale face I smiled down to her.
Dracula-"No nothing at all"
Verona-"Good, so tell me how the experiment has been going"
She said leading me over to a love seat and sitting down.
Dracula-"It is impossible to conduct anymore experiments without complete failure darling"
I said taking her cold dead hand in mine and sighing when I felt her beatless heart fall.
Nestling into my chest she inhaled sharply, I could tell she wanted to cry. We had already gone through this enough. Practically four hundred years of it, and still we were unsuccessful.
Verona-"Then isn't this sign enough for us to quit?"
Dracula-"No, I'm not quitting Verona...
Verona-"And still you would put me through this torment?"
Dracula-"You? Verona?, Aleera and Marishka are just as upset as you are....
Verona got up and sneered at me.
Verona-"Oh please, Aleera doesn't grieve about anything! And Marishka, perhaps she did once, but after so many times...."
Verona stopped and turned her attention to the woman in the side of the room.
Ella-"Um, sorry but I got the money you asked for Verona"
I got up and followed Verona to the girl named Ella.
Dracula-"Next time make your presence known, girl"
Ella-"Aren't you a vampire? You can easily hear my heart beat, so I see no reason in making my presence known if you can hear me, boy"
I was shocked by her last statement. The last time a mortal spoke to me that way was when I was human. I heard Verona's breath skip pattern and she quickly hurried Ella out of the room.

Verona's POV
Verona- "Are you completely out of your mind? Or do you have a secret death wish, because if you do, I can help you with that!"
Ella-"Believe me it would be a nice reprieve, considering what Mr. Dupree will do if I'm late"
Ella said as we entered the carriage.
Verona-"Don't stray away from the subject Ella, Count...I mean my husband, will not take pity on your sharp tongue, just ask Aleera"
Ella-"Sorry, but I came to Romania to escape the oppression, and let my voice be heard and.."
Verona-"Yes, Yes, Yes, the same old song and dance with you, and your, your?
Ella-"O-p-p-r-e-s-s-i-o-n"
Verona-"Well we have arrived"
I stated as the carriage came to a halt on the outside of Budapest. Ella leaned her head to look at the outside of the window.
Ella-"Verona, this isn't 'The Hollow'
I ignored her as I fooled with the money in my hand.
Verona-"Here"
I said hold out the money and crumpling it into her warm hands.
Verona-"Take this and give it to the seamstress, and be sure to say it's from Verona, and she'll know what to do"
Ellas POV
Taking the money in my hand, I slid out of the carriage onto the muddy street infront of a large shop. Inside I could see bleakly illuminated shadows moving gracefully in the flickers of the candle light. Walking inside, I caught the scent of cinnamon and apples. Then from the corner of my eyes, past the rolls of luscious fabric and set a side, jeweled fringes. A small old woman appeared.
Old woman- "Evening mam, what may I do for you"
Ella~*Since when have I ever been a mam?*