I own nothing and you all rock.

Chapter 4

When Catherine woke up from her love sated sleep she was dazed as she reached for her love knowing she wouldn't find him there because she never did, but she smiled anyway because she was looking forward to seeking him out walking naked around the castle in her search. It was just as she knew it would be he wasn't there so she sat up suddenly finding herself not in his castle, but in her room.

" He brought me back " whispered Catherine signing sadly; her room was just like it had been when he had took her the balcony doors were open and so were her chest of drawers. Upon closer inspection Catherine saw only one thing had changed, the dress he had given her now hung among her other clothes. When she inspected herself Catherine found herself still naked and she could almost still feel his hands caressing her body the necklace he had given still around her neck reaching almost to her breasts.

Covering herself with a sheet she went to her drawers and removed the red maid's dress she was required to wear. After putting it on she looked at herself in the mirror then looking at the clock nearby she went out on the balcony.

"You didn't even say goodbye "Catherine whispered into the darkness she knew she didn't have much time before she had to be downstairs, but she had to see him so she searched the night for the bat her hands gripping the railing. Catherine knew the bat would be there somewhere among the trees and when she finally found him she looked at him awhile before gently smiling.

"Please don't wait another six months before you come again "pleaded Catherine a look of desperation in her eyes and also frustration when the bat just stared at her.

Silence filled the night and finally with a sign she looked down into the night before leaving to go downstairs her heart aching for him. When she closed the doors she looked at him once more before walking away out of sight.

"She looks so sad every time I leave her "thought the count as the sun rose and he flew away back to his castle feeling the same ache in his unbeating heart for her. That night when Catherine returned to her room she looked out her window and once again the bat was there.

" My guardian angel looking after me " smiled Catherine smiling at the bat as he kept watch outside her balcony she began to undress for him knowing he was watching a naughty smile on her face before going to her chest of drawers to get her night gown and returning to the window with it covering her body.

"Hello my love I miss you "said Catherine when she stood on her balcony watching him as he watched her wanting so desperately for him to fly to her and turn into the count so she could be in his arms and feel his lips against hers, but she knew he wouldn't not till he thought the time was right and she never knew when that would be. That was all that was said between them they only watched each other until finally she got tired and had to go inside to sleep, but she kept her doors open hoping he would come and take her away.

"Goodnight "whispered Catherine not sure it he could hear her or not as she laid in her bed alone slowly falling asleep and finding him in her dreams. Time passed slowly for the both of them, but much to Catherine's sadness he didn't come for her he only watched her outside her window and before either of them knew it two months had passed. The count was outside her window every night watching her as she watched him, but as time went on he could tell she didn't want to wait anymore, that she was getting fed up with waiting.

After noticing this the count went to his castle and laid in the middle of the bed where they had made love before he had returned her while she slept his mind at work on her and the desperation they shared for one another. He asked himself why he was waiting so long to take her away again and reclaim her for his own. The answer didn't come easy to him all he could think about was the reasons why, but then he realized those reasons were his answer. The count knew deep down he didn't trust himself yet he wasn't sure if he could control his hunger enough he was afraid he would hurt her or do even worse than that and kill her by mistake. The thought that he could hurt her made him hate himself, the thought that he could be simply making love to her and all of a sudden his hunger could overwhelm him and he could drain her completely killing his love and he knew she would not stop him because she loved and trusted him she didn't completely understand what a danger he was.

Even after his question was answered the count still laid there wishing she was next to him a whole other problem on his mind another something he wasn't sure if he could solve or not. The count knew that Catherine shared his feelings, that she loved him like he loved her, but he saw her desperation for him and also her frustration with the constant wait part of him knew at some point she would no longer wait for his return and he would lose her forever, he would be reduced to watching her through a window and he knew as the thought entered his mind that this was his worst fear that and losing her to death itself. He knew the answer to this, he had always known the answer, he had to learn to do as he was doing to drink only a little to never let his hunger have control he needed to be the one in control of his thirst not the hunger deep inside his body then he knew they could be together forever with no separation at all.

" How long will it take " whispered the count before getting up it was time for him to go watch over his love and as he flew off he had a new hope in his heart. That same night Catherine opened the doors to her balcony, but unlike the other nights she didn't stand out there and watch him she just went to bed.

Catherine entered her room closing the door behind her with a sign. The ache she felt for the count seemed to hurt more with time and it was that ache that took hold of her mind as she sat on her bed not bothering to change for bed tonight. Time was continuing to pass slow for her and now it had been eight months and he still hadn't come; she missed him so much sometimes she just wanted to feel him, sometimes she wore the dress he had given her pretending it was his hands, his body pressed tight up against her fondling and touching her, sometimes she had to read the words in the necklace he gave her to keep from losing hope, but now that could do no good because she had no hope left. Standing she went to the windows and stared out finding him in the darkness of the tree, but she didn't open the doors she just stood there her hands at her sides. Her eyes were glued to the bat in the same spot in the trees he always was watching her.

" I can't not anymore " breathed Catherine putting a hand over her heart feeling it beating out of her chest in pain, she loved him, but she couldn't wait anymore it had been too long she could not,, she would not wait anymore. Was this the way it was going to be for the rest of her life, would she always be waiting on him until one day she died leaving him to find someone else because he couldn't? He would never die. She brought her fingertips to brush the necklace he had given her as it hung around her neck. A tear went down her cheek as she realized that she had only one choice and it didn't matter if she wanted to or not.

"I have to I can't do this anymore "breathed Catherine speaking to the voice inside her telling her not to do this that she was making a mistake and the only response she had as she opened the balcony doors was if she was making a mistake then it would be a mistake she would have to live with forever and at that moment she stood on her balcony taking the railing for support.

As she tried to find the words to say what she had to say she watched him as he watched back she only hoped she could get through this without crying she told herself she would have the rest of her life to do that.

"Julius I'll always love you my heart will always be yours "said Catherine her voice cracking as she tried not to cry.

" It's been over a year since we met and we fell in love, but we've only spent two nights of it together, I know I said I'd wait, but I didn't realize how long the wait would be " continued Catherine feeling another tear slide down her cheek.

"I love you, but I can't wait for you to come for me anymore I'm so sorry "cried Catherine feeling the brick brush her fingers as she backed into her bedroom.

"I'm so sorry "repeated Catherine looking at the bat as he watched her not moving a muscle as if he was unsure what to do, but she could tell from the look in his eyes that he wanted to say something and that the words he wanted to say were instead being screamed into his thoughts and at that moment she wished she could read those thoughts.

"I will always love you and I hope you will remember me and the love we shared so you can find another to love "said Catherine blowing him a final kiss goodbye before closing her doors with a soft click. From through the closed doors she continued to watch him as he continued to watch her, she couldn't hold back her tears anymore she was now crying tears covering her face. Finally still continuing to cry she pulled the curtains around the window so neither could see in or out she couldn't stop looking at him and she knew if she didn't stop soon she would run back out there and beg his forgiveness for her words and she couldn't do that.

"It's for the best death would have parted us eventually anyway "whispered Catherine as she stood in front of her chest of drawers removing her dress and looking through the clothes searching for her nightgown until she suddenly stopped finding something else entirely.

"If only for the feel of him "whispered Catherine taking the dress he had given her from its place in her drawers and holding it close wanting to put it so she could pretend it was his fingers against her skin one last time before promising herself she would put it away not to be seen again until she was old and he was only a distant memory with this as something to remember him by.

Once that dress clung to her body Catherine laid on her bed staring up at the ceiling her hands gripping the sheets as tears continued to pour out of her. A hand went to the necklace he had given her and she silently wondered if she should put it away too, but then she decided against it deciding that it would be the one thing from him she would always wear that and the mark on her neck. For the first time since he had given it to her Catherine took off the necklace and held it in her hand looking at it.

" These words will always go straight to my heart " cried Catherine as she opened the necklace reading the words inside making herself cry more as each word passed her lips.

"Catherine my love, my sweetness never forget who you belong to "repeated Catherine reading the words they filled her with so many questions.

Deep down in her heart Catherine knew she would always love the count, but that made her ask herself could she ever love another as long as she loved him. The words in her necklace were his words of love and he was telling her that she was his and only his and for another man to touch her meant certain death for that person even now she knew he would never willingly let another touch her because she would forever belong to him. The minute he bit her and drank her blood she was his and the mark on her neck proved that she had a feeling even as time went by it wouldn't heal it would always be right there on her neck where he had left it.

" He marked me this mark says that I am the property of count Julius Dracula " breathed Catherine part of her rebelling against the fact that she had been treated like property while another part found it just as she had the moment it happened sexy and if possible it made her love him more. As she thought this her fingers wondered to the mark, his mark, it was nearly healed, but she knew like her love for him it would never heal completely.

" This dress, this necklace their both just like the mark they tie me to him, they mark me as his " breathed Catherine moving a hand along the dress she wore trailing it up her body to the necklace that was around her neck once more a smile on her face it was almost like she could feel his love for her through these things and the love she felt was huge a love she shared that she knew would never fade over time, but stay as it is till she died or he reclaimed her and she wasn't sure which would come first. From that moment on Catherine would always consider herself the property of count Julius Dracula even if she couldn't be with him, she knew she couldn't wait anymore she would have to love him from afar they couldn't be together they had to be apart and besides even now as they waited they were apart anyway.

" I will never love again I will only love him never another man I will ever only be his " whispered Catherine closing her eyes as she spoke making a solemn vow to him and to her heart.