The mansion was filled with an eery silence. Everything in it was absolutely still. Father and I strode down the hallway with haste, he carrying a silver tray with Mother's favorite foods, I carrying a cup full of freshly-squeezed orange juice. I struggled to keep up with his long strides, half-jogging just to be a half-a-foot behind him. As I caught up to him once again, I glanced up to study Father's strained expression. Concern dominated the majority of his features, from his clenched jaw to his wide, scared eyes.

"Father?" I asked, "Is everything okay?"

Father tensed slightly at my voice as if he'd completely forgotten I was there. He looked down at me and smiled, his features softening.

"Mommy's just feeling sick. I'm worried about her, that's all."

He stopped in front of the bedroom door and opened the door. Through Father's legs, I could see Mother's still frame, sleeping peacefully in bed. Father walked in and sat at the edge of the bed.

"Cardia? I made breakfast for you," he said in a soft voice. Mother opened her eyes and sat up, a weak smile on her lips. I gasped as the sunlight shone on her. Her usually vibrant skin was dull and paler than the moon. Her eyes were sunken into her face and her hair didn't have its usual sheen. She reached for the tray of food and moved it onto her lap.

"Oh, Van, you shouldn't have," she whispered. Father leaned in and kissed Mother's lips.

"It was the least I could do. Victor's on his way here, so try to eat what you can, okay?"

Mother nodded and looked over at me. A warm smile spread across her face as she waved me over.

"Did you make me orange juice, Lizzie?" she asked. I blushed and nodded, walking over to the bed. I set the cup on the nightstand before Father lifted me onto his lap. Mother caressed my face and I shivered by how frigid her hand was. She noticed immediately and pulled her hand away.

"I'm sorry, Lizzie. I'm not feeling too well today," she said, pausing slightly before adding "But don't worry, okay? I'm going to be just fine."

"You'll feel better after the Doctor comes to see you, right?" I ask. She nods just as I hear a knock on the door.

"Speaking of Doctor," Father says, lifting me off of his lap, "That must be him."

He stood and left the room, clearly in a hurry to get Dr. Frankenstein to Mother. After he left, Mother moved the tray from her lap and, slowly, got out of bed. She limped over to the closet and I followed close behind her.

"Mother, shouldn't you stay in bed? You don't look strong enough to walk around," I said. Mother just smiled as she rifled through her closet.

"Can you bring me that orange juice, sweetheart? I think that would make me feel much stronger."

I turned on my heel and trotted over to the nightstand. I picked up the cup as I heard Father and Dr. Frankenstein's voice near the bedroom. I smiled and turned to face Mother.

"Mother the doctor-"

My voice caught in my throat as soon as I saw Mother collapsed on the ground. The cup fell out of my hands and broke on the ground. I heard footsteps sprint closer to the room until Father burst through the door and saw Mother.

"Cardia!" he yelled, rushing to her side. Dr. Frankenstein entered the room just seconds after Father and looked around the room, his eyes eventually falling onto me.

"Be a good girl and stand outside, Elizabeth," he said. I nodded weakly and left the room.

"I don't know what to tell you, Van. Your best option is to send young Elizabeth away."

I knew I wasn't supposed to be eavesdropping on Father and Dr. Frankenstein, but when those words escaped the Doctor's lips, I could not help but gasp. The door swung open and Father appeared before me, his face brandishing a taut smile. I noticed Dr. Frankenstein behind him, his own face lined with acute anxiety. I lowered my eyes, grabbed onto the skirt of my gown and curtseyed to the men towering before me.

"Why are you here, Elizabeth? I thought I asked you to stay in your bedroom," Father asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I was worried about Mother," I said, peering over Father's side to look at the doctor, "Will she be all right?"

Dr. Frankenstein swallowed hard and sidled past my father before kneeling in front of me.

"Your mother's fever has not gone down yet, and she hasn't woken up. I was talking to your father about finding somewhere else for you to stay, just so you don't get sick as well."

"She's perfectly fine here, Victor," Father growled, glaring at Dr. Frankenstein. The doctor ignored Father's hostility and stood up.

"Elizabeth is young and has yet to build up her immune system. Whereas Cardia can survive this illness, your daughter cannot. It truly is best for her to stay with someone else."

Tears welled up in my eyes. Couldn't I stay with Mother? Even worse, I could possibly die if I even attempted to stay? Father and Dr. Frankenstein continued to argue as tears spilled from my eyes. It was only until a sob racked my body that they noticed me again. Father's harsh features softened when he saw my tears.

"Elizabeth, I-"

Before he could say anymore, I sprinted down the hall and clambered up the stairs to the attic. Thick dust clung to the ancient antiques as I plopped down on the wooden floor. Hugging my knees to my chest, I continued to cry. I heard my Father shouting for me below, tensing as I heard his voice grow nearer.

"Don't worry, I don't think he'll look up here," a soft voice said behind me.

I spun around and saw a strange man near the attic window. His golden hair glittered in the warm sunlight as his amber eyes danced with laughter and a kind-hearted smile graced his lips.

As I stayed stunned by the man's beauty, I noticed that Father's voice had drifted farther away.

"Now, why are you hiding from your Father, Elizabeth?" he asked, sitting down in front of me. I forced myself to swallow the lump in my throat.

"How do you know my name?" I asked. He blinked in surprise.

"Your father hasn't told you about me? Has he ever spoken to you about someone named Delacroix?"

I nodded. "Delacroix is a boy that Father is friends with. A vampire, right?"

The man smiled and nodded. "The king of all vampires, to be exact."

My jaw dropped and the man laughed at my reaction.

"My name is Delacroix II. I was around when you were much younger, Elizabeth. You probably don't remember me, however. I left when you were barely out of diapers."

"Where did you go?" I asked.

"I traveled around Europe for a while, looking for other vampires to join my group. I just got back, actually."

I was silent after his response. The man shifted slightly before continuing.

"So, why are you up here? Why are you crying?"

"Mother is sick so Dr. Frankenstein wants to send me away so I won't get sick either, but Father doesn't want me to go. I don't want to leave Mother but I'm also very afraid of dying."

Delacroix pursed his lips and tilted his head as he thought. In his silence, I admired his soft, feminine features and the kindness of his eyes. He glanced at me and smiled, reaching forward to poke my nose.

"Why not come stay with me? My home isn't far from here, so you'd be able to see your mother without the risk of becoming sick yourself."

I was surprised by how quickly I nodded. Delacroix laughed, a contagious, ethereal laugh that filled my soul with warmth. I heard the attic door open behind me and turned to see Father standing in the doorway, Dr. Frankenstein behind him. Delacroix stood with me and rested his hand on my head, tousling my curls without a care.

"It seems that Elizabeth has agreed to come and stay with me until Cardia recovers."

I looked up at Delacroix and knew that the feeling in my heart was that of love.