It was late afternoon when I awoke from my coffin. When I found I could sleep no more, I climbed out of it and for the first time in weeks, stepped out gracefully instead of tumbling to the floor like a broken pretzel. I decided to walk around the rest of the castle till Dracula was awake. As I entered the inner regions of the castle, where the Dwerger-as Dracula called them- worked, they hardly noticed me at all. I nearly jumped as I heard a snore. I nearly laughed when I realized it was Igor, sleeping in a corner, holding a cattle prod. My eyes widened as I heard someone else slumbering in a corner. Chained and clad in little but rags, was Velkan. A powerful upsurge of feelings shot through me. Without knowing what I was doing, I removed my cloak-I already had a hood on.. Bending down, I covered Velkan with it. In a second, he woke up and grabbed my wrist hard. It was not hard enough to make me cry out in pain, but hard enough to shock me with his force.

"Easy,"

I whispered.

"Cassandra?"

He whispered, shocked. I nodded.

"How-

"Sit down."

And Velkan told me.

FLASHBACK

Anna wiped her eyes as she returned to the Valerious manor, feeling so very lonely. Velkan had died to save her life...Lightning flashed. Thunder boomed. Rain fell, like Heaven's tears. So did Anna's all over again. She did not have the strength to even enter the house. It had too many memories. She could not stand the bad because it hurt, nor could she stand the good, because it hurt even more. She fell to her knees and covered her face and sobbed along with the angels in Heaven. She felt so lost. And so alone. Then, to her surprise and shock, she felt a strong hand on her shoulder.

"Anna?"

She looked up. The last thing she saw before passing out was Velkan.

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HOURS LATER...

Anna awoke back in her room, Velkan at her side on a chair.

"Evening, Sister."

She leapt off the bed and into Velkan's arms, crying.

"I thought you died...I saw you fall with that monster..."

"I did. And I'm alive. But listen Anna, I have to tell you something. And it involves defeating Dracula. A werewolf –and only a werewolf can defeat him."

"What?"

"Its true. Therefore-

Suddenly, he dropped Anna and fell to the floor in pain.

"Velkan?"

The window shattered as a large black dog, followed by two bat-like creatures leapt into the room.

"Anna, run!"

groaned Velkan. Too late. The dog took the form of a man. No, a demon in the form of a man, and grabbed Anna by the neck.

"Leave her, Monster!"

cried Velkan. He tried to get up, only for the two bat creatures to hold him down.

"Velkan!"

choked the Gypsy princess. Dracula turned his attention to her and smiled.

"My, my, my...Velkan, you never told me your sister was quite the beauty-

"You bastard! Let me go!"

cried Anna.

"Oh well, if you really want me to..."

With that, he threw her against the wall, knocking her out.

"Anna!"

cried Velkan.

Dracula sighed.

"I really didn't want to do that, I would never have wanted to hurt her."

"She was never yours to protect."

Spat the prince.

Dracula looked at him for a moment-then knocked him out.

END OF FLASHBACK

"When did this happen?"

"Yesterday. Tomorrow I become a werewolf-

"No."

The thought of Velkan becoming a mindless, ravening beast hurt me in ways I could not comprehend. Why? I hardly knew him....

"There must be a way-to save you...."

Velkan held me gently despite the fear that the chains on his arm would rattle should he move too much. He looked shocked, probably at the thought that a vampire cared for him. I too was shocked, at my feelings for him.

"I'll see if I can get some food for you. In the meantime, I better go. The sun will set soon."

He nodded. Then, on an impulse, I hugged him and ran off.

VELKAN'S POV:

I am glad that the Sun has risen. Igor-that fiend-has ceased to torment me and is resting. I close my eyes and try to rest. But images of Anna flung against the wall by that demon Dracula come back to haunt me. I failed to help her...

And then, Cassandra came to see me. She has just left.

She is not devastatingly beautiful but she is definitely far from plain. It would be blasmephy to deny that. And that hug... does that mean she has feelings for me too? It is almost hilarious. The werewolf and the vampire. It sounds impossible, and yet... It sounds like something the great Shakespeare would have written for a romantic comedy. No, a tragedy would be better suited. I slink back and wait for the night to come. I wonder what will happen to Anna, our village, Romania-and the rest of the world. Then, Cassandra's face appears-and lulls me into a sweet dreamless sleep.

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CASSANDRA'S POV:

If I was alive, I would be red with embarrassment. What on Earth possesssed me to do THAT? I shake my head and run back to the library, where classes will begin. I light a few candles . Suddenly, I hear an unholy cry. My Lord has awakened. I sit down and wait. And wait. These last few months, he and I have read Blake, Poe, Dickens and other unknown writers and I do not want to stop. He has fed me a feast of both the mind and the eyes. The works of Blake and Dore have terrified and enthralled me. Vermeer's Girl With A Pearl Earring refuses to leave one of the rooms in my mind. And as for Michaelango's Pieta...it stirs emotions within me.

"Will he never come?"

I ask aloud.

"Actually, I already have."

I look up and get a shock. Dracula is standing upside down on the wall. Show-off.

"That was rhetoric."

"Indeed,"

He says, walking down the wall. I snigger.

"What's so funny?"

"You know, Mother always claims that I will drive her up the wall with my wildness. And I think I've just accomplished that."

We both laugh. Dracula's laugh is so very melodious. He pulls out a book from a shelf. It is Hamlet, what he told me to read yesterday. He fires questions at me point-blank. I answer, hesitating a little at times, but nevertheless I can tell he is pleased with my answers though I do not look at his face. As we rest for a while, he looks up at me.

"You look somewhat distracted today. What's wrong?"

"I'm just tired."

I cannot look into those dark black pools that seem to know I lie.

"Tell me the truth , Cassandra."

It is a command, not a request.

Silence.

"He is handsome isn't he?"

I look up. He knows...

He moves so fast before I could even speak in defence, he is right behind me. He lays a hand on me, almost paternal.

"My child, you should know where your place-and Velkan's is. He is but a werewolf. My bane. My hatred.When he becomes a werewolf, Velkan will die- and the Beast will take over. It is not worth it-over some meaningless infautation."

I look down at my shoes.

"Shirra?"

He called me by my other name. It meant darkness in Japanese.

"My Lord...I like Velkan. And that is my business. Forgive me."

With that, I shake off his hand and walk out of the library. He stares at me, stunned. I do not look back.

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DRACULA'S POV:

"I like Velkan. And that is my business."

Those words struck me like a slap in the face. The sight of her walking out on me out the library is stuck in my mind. She likes Velkan. She is falling for him. Why does that irk me so? Her defiance is not surprising. I expected that. But not these feelings for the werewolf!

A giggle shakes me from my thoughts. It is Aleera.

"Well, well, Master. T'would appear the little raven has strengthened her wings!"

"Under me, even the ravens nor the doves will fly, Aleera."

She raises her eyebrows at that. With that, I sweep out of the room and towards the place twhere Velkan is imprisoned. He will pay for this dearly. My darling Shirra and he were never meant to be.