Onyxx: Hey guys! I know, I'm on an updating rampage.
Dracula: And I'm back for good!
Onyxx: Yay! (huggles) As if you could stand to leave me.
Dracula: Okay, let's not make the commentary too fluffy. We DO have a chapter … and a moment in the chapter … and the thing we need to tell them …
Onyxx: Yeah, the important thing that's brought to everyone's attention in this chapter …
Dracula: So on with the chapter!
Onyxx: Oh, yeah. I put a link on my profile to how Onyxx the OC is supposed to look.
Chapter Thirteen:
I slipped the dress over my head and then looked in the big full-length mirror on the wall.
The dress was black and had lace sleeves, and the neckline plunged lower than I'd usually wear it. Combined with my wavy black hair and big blue eyes, I bore an uncanny resemblance to Morticia Addams.
I was still staring at my reflection when I felt strong arms circle my waist, scaring the crap out of me because, naturally, I didn't see Dracula walk up behind me.
"You look beautiful," he whispered, his voice husky in my ear. "Do you like it?"
I fingered the lace and bit my lower lip before turning around to face him, smiling sadly. "I love it," I whispered, before giving him a chaste kiss on the lips.
He smiled as we parted, then buried his face in my hair, inhaling deeply. "You are unhappy," he observed. "Why?"
I put my arms around his neck and sighed, resting my head on his shoulder. "I'm not unhappy," I lied, knowing he could tell. "I just …"
He sighed and held me close, nuzzling my neck and planting a few small kisses along my exposed collarbone.
I shivered as he stood up straight, tilting my chin up to look into my eyes.
"You can go back any time you wish," he said softly, hurt apparent in his eyes. "I will understand."
I shook my head, brushing his hand away and sitting on the edge of the bed, patting the spot beside me to indicate him to sit down.
"I want more from this relationship," I finally said. God, this was awkward! "I mean … I don't want to be just another bride."
Dracula smiled sadly. "And you won't," he whispered, taking my hand. "You won't be a bride, you'll be my wife." He pulled a ring off his right hand, slipping it onto my left index finger. I looked at the emblem. It was made of a silvery metal, but I knew it couldn't be silver because duh, he hates silver.
"Iron," he finally said, reading my thoughts.
The emblem was a dragon on a background of black. I looked up at him, hoping he would explain. He did, of course.
"The name 'Dracula' derives from the Romanian word dracul, which can be translated as 'dragon' or 'devil.' Dracula literally means 'son of the Dragon' or 'son of the devil.'" He gave me a playfully evil grin as he added, "I used the name to scare away meddlesome Romanian townsfolk."
He laughed with me, looking at the ring and taking my hand again, then bringing his eyes to mine. "I want you to take this as a token of my love for you," he whispered, his eyes that strange blue shade again. "Even if I am not here, you will always have this with you." Smiling, he placed a soft, chaste kiss on my lips, before standing and walking to the door.
Dracula turned to me, holding out his hand, beckoning me to him. "Come, you must be hungry. I have prepared a meal for you, and afterwards I plan to take you to on a date." The innocent look in his eyes made me giggle, to which he tilted his head, looking confused.
"A date?" I repeated, taking his hand.
He pursed his lips. "Is it not customary for a suitor to take the woman he is courting on a date?"
I laughed. "That's supposed to be before you give them a ring."
He smiled. "Then I guess we'll just do this backwards."
He kissed me, and then took me downstairs for dinner.
Onyxx: By the way, the link to the picture of the ring I'm using as a model is on my profile, right under the one of the model for the older version of me. Well, that's how I wanna look …