MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE! I just had to load this chapter up, I had a spare 5 mins before my granny arrives to comment on how weak my ankles are (yes, she does actually say that!) hope you all are having or had a very wonderful, fabulous christmas!
I am currently listening to Classicfm, awaiting my dear granny, debating whether to get her to watch The Nightmare Before Christmas, and 2mora I am doing a 13hr work shift *ouch* so this is my only time too upload this chapter...and it's a goodie!
I hope you enjoy it, it's a good long one (12 pages on microsoft word! *gasp*)
thanks to those that review, you make my day and my christmas! please continue as i lack confidence and need all the encouragement i can get!

Again enjoy, and again I wish you all a very merry very merry christmas!

The door banged frighteningly loud; for a moment I believe the castle is about to cave in! I was surprised however that I wasn't the only one who jumped in shock. Turns out in certain situations vampires too can get surprised.

"Erik! Open the door! I need to speak with you!"

The man's voice held a booming, commanding quality, almost as equal to Erik's. I quickly eye people around me to see if anyone was going to the door. All were staring at it, but everyone was glued to the spot; even Erik.

"I will break down the door if needs be Erik!"

It was after that venomous, disgruntled declaration that Erik spun round to face me and, without warning, threw me over his shoulder,

"Erik! What the-?"
He wasn't listening.
"Put him in the dinning room; do not let him out of there until I return!" Erik commanded urgently to everyone; he sounded...scared.
I place my hands on his back and push myself up to try and get a look of what's going on behind me as hearing him scared alerts me; my sight sadly isn't good.
"Lock every door," Erik instructs to an alarmed Dominic, "Then come get me. Dora, keep him down here."
Erik turns sharply causing me to lose my balance and slump over his shoulder and my hair to cover my face; if his hold on me wasn't tight I would've fallen.
Erik's pace is fast, very fast, that I find the passing floor and walls are just a mass blur. I begin to feel queasy.

"Erik, put me down!" I wail.
No answer, his pace now getting faster.
"ERIK! PUT ME DOWN THIS INSTANT!" I start to kick and squirm but to no avail; his one armed hold is just too strong.
Still getting no response, I chance a glance through the queasiness to find out where we are in the castle. We are now entering the 6th floor; where is he taking me and why is he scared?
"What's happening?" I shout, feebly slamming my fists onto his back.

"King Andrew has decided to pay us a visit." replies Erik rigidly.
My body is instantly motionless; not because that Erik has finally responded to me, not because of his current tone, but because of this visitor; my stomach, once queasy, now fills with lead.

His father has decided to come to the castle. No wonder everyone held expressions of shock and fear, this man isn't good news.
And what about me? He didn't like me when a vampire, he will sure despise me even more as a human.

"Does he know about me?" I enquire timidly, my hands tightening on the back of his jacket.

"No." Erik informs bitterly yet I can hear an ounce of reassurance, "He wouldn't understand."

Through my hair I recognise we are now at the eighth floor, his pace much slower; is he putting me in the music room, or perhaps our living room?
If so then why are we going the opposite direction?
"Where are you taking me?"
"The bedchamber; he won't get near you there."

His room? He is putting me in his room? After the big fight we just had?
We entered Erik's bedchamber; the recognisable deep blue clouding my eyes and brain. I desperately want to absorb the room; to find the things that belong to me; to familiarise myself with the surroundings; to possibly rekindle past memories, but my desperation for everyone's safety, including Erik's, was far too great.
If King Andrew finds out a human is here, never mind that human being me, all hell will break lose.
"I should go with you."

"Definitely not," Erik growled, removing me from his shoulder and setting me gently on the left side of the bed.
After I throw my hair away from my face and meet Erik's gaze I find that his eyes have grown wistful as he steps back from the bed to view me, but I push it aside; too determined to get my point across.
"Do you not think it's best to explain about me? He will be bound to smell my scent, he'll become suspicious."

"Then let him be suspicious!" dismissed Erik, the mixture of fear and anger returning back into his eyes and stance.

"If he thinks a human is staying here he'll be terrible towards you and the others. If you explain about me he may not fully understand but he will recognise why."

"No!" Erik barked bluntly.

"I'll stand beside you! Behind you even! The whole colony will be there! I will not be in any danger!"

Erik growled, "I want him nowhere near you!"

"Why are you so adamant to keep me away?" I shriek; pushing myself up from the bed in order to stand.

"My father is what every vampire should be: a monster." raged Erik; slightly diminishing my own anger. "If my mother, his own wife, turned into a human tomorrow he would attack her and have no regrets! He doesn't care if he knows the human or even if members of his own family do, all that matters to him is that his bloodlust is fed!"

"He's going to know the truth sometime!" I persevered exasperatedly, "If I am to stay here permanently he must know!"

"He has no reason to know." Erik stated bluntly, decidedly.

His decision irritates me; again he is making my decisions. Was he like this in the past? How did I stand it if he was? Oh yeah, because I loved him.
Erik struts over to the balcony and locks the double doors; he then turns to leave the room,
"I will lock the bedroom door behind me. You will remain inside this room until he leaves."

"Which will be how long?" I shriek, rushing over to him; he can't be serious? Dear knows how long his father will be here! I truly will be a prisoner if I am locked up.
"You can't keep me locked in this room forever!"

"I will get rid of him as quick as I can."

"What if he will want to stay? This is ridiculous Erik, you only have two choices: either I go down with you, o-or I leave the building."

Erik's eyes instantly darken and narrow, his tone threatening,
"You are going nowhere."

My eyes equally darken and narrow, my tone mocking, "That's a change of tune, only a few minutes ago you wanted me to leave."

"I never said I wanted you to leave!" he defends wildly, his eyes wide.

"You implied it!" I cried, turning away from him to stand near the locked balcony doors with betraying tears stinging my eyes.
The emotion has just hit me: how dare he try and blame this one me! He's the one that basically said he wanted nothing to with me anymore! Why is he twisting things around to make me the bad guy! And why do I find that I care? Why is it I'm hurt that there's a possible chance he may want me to leave...Surely that's what I want, isn't it?
I close my eyes to try and keep in my tears as a manic, powerful roar erupts behind me;

"I said those things only because you implied that I don't love you and that I have no consideration for you! I took you because of those things!"
The deep, yielding passion in his roar causes me to open my eyes and face him. He is worse than angry, he is distraught. His voice portrayed it, his features portrayed it, his stance portrayed it and his eyes portrayed it.
My yearning tears finally escape, rolling down my cheeks on viewing this broken man before me. I am the cause of his pain.
"I took you because I desperately missed you and wanted you back in my life! You may not believe your dreams are real Christine but try and put yourself in my position; do you think it's easy for me to hear you defend your feelings for another man? That you defend this man no matter what? I used to be the man you defended for! I used to be that man you loved! And you knowing full well that ever since my eyes first caught sight of you as a vampire and as a human, I am completely and intensely in love with you!"

I believed at the time I defended Raoul because I cared about him, that I loved him. I realise now I did it out of spite, to try and make Erik jealous. Why? Because I was scared Erik didn't love me; that he loved or could love another; that perhaps he believed he made a mistake by taking me. I don't love Raoul, maybe I never really did. I care about him greatly, but love? No, definitely not the love I had for Erik...or have.
Erik broke the powerful eye contact between us and directed his sights to the ground; he didn't appear ashamed, he just seemed tired; tired that his never ending feelings for me may not or ever be reciprocated.
"I have to go." he said thickly. "I will get rid of my father as quickly as possible."
He turned again to leave, and again I stop him.
"Erik!"

I didn't move away from the balcony and found that I needn't have too. Erik stopped on hearing my also thick tone. All I can view is the back of him; his head slightly bowed.
I don't want us to part on such terms, with him proclaiming his love so passionately and leaving so curtly. Actually I don't want us to part.
Even through my haze of: could I love this man as much as I did when a vampire / do I still love him, I was still uneasy about him meeting his father.
I enquire quietly, shakily; my pulse racing, "Do you not think your father will be angered that his son's dead wife has returned and he knew nothing about it?"

Erik's shoulders slacken, "Like I said," he replied tensely, wearily, "He has no reason to know. Even in the past I wanted you nowhere near him."

"And you didn't allow me too the night I died Erik."
It was a low blow, a very low blow, but I had to do it, I had to grab his attention.

My pulse quickens as Erik slowly turns to face me: guilt, regret and resentment swim painfully through his flawless features and eyes...then something else mixed with them: curiosity.
"Hang on," his eyes intensely scrutinising me, "Do you believe your death actually happened?"

I swallow as my throat has turned abruptly dry. I am too scared to look away yet too scared to confess.

Erik's curious eyes widen, gaping at me in wonder; he starts to move cautiously towards me...my beating heart quickening by each step.
"Have you accepted your dreams as memories Christine?" he whispers desperately.

Should I end our misery? Or should I prolong it?
I decide to do what I should've done the moment I first saw him in the gazebo. I finally release any restrictions my heart may have for Erik, to see if any love is stimulated for him...and to my utter astonishment, and relief, my love for him is just as it was when a vampire...
It's an immense, wondrous, profound, passionate love. A love that throbs when parted, and overwhelms when reunited.
My eyes fall more tears but these are not out of pain, they are of ultimate acceptance.
I look deeper into those blue eyes without fail, and I can plainly see every emotion he is feeling: hope, fear, confusion, uncertainty, bemusement, irritation, yearning, love...
Without hesitation and without thought I confess breathlessly,
"Yes."

His blue eyes widen even more; only now displaying hope, yearning, love and uncertainty. He stops his gradual steps and is now a matter of inches from me; so close that I could not side step away from him if I try.
My heart is hammering against my chest by the great intensity of that marvellous gaze along with seeing his shaky cool fingertips rise to lightly trace my forehead...my jaw...my lips; the blue never daring to part from my green...

"Can it be...?" he breathes croakily; my legs buckling and heart now thrashing, "Can this possibly be what I hunger for...?"
The blue become puddles but the love that's forever burning for me cannot be diffused by his wanting tears.
"Yes." I breathe back; my breathing rapid.

My stance is equal to his; desire and need fills my human heart, mind and body. I crave to be with him, I ache for his love, to reunite what we had. It's overwhelming yet I can't and don't try to stop it!
A fleeting, brief emotion of disbelief flickers his eyes, fortunately it disappears just as quickly as it appeared. His palm now covers my cheek and he gasps at the feel of my flesh. His eyes timidly view the touch, the hand upon cheek; the emotions for me never fading. My eyes close instinctively by the coolness his touch gives me; it isn't unpleasant; it's entrancing.

"Christine..." Erik croaks haggardly, desperately; melting every heavy limb I possess. I feel an arm slowly wrapping round my waist, as his palm never falters its contact on my cheek. He brings our bodies gently pressing against one another.
"Look at me..." he commands in a pleading whisper.
I do as requested, now not caring that he is again telling me what to do.
The only differences between our eyes are the colours; we hold the same gaze onto one another; both filled with heavy yearning desire. And our bodies, one deathly pale and cold, the other light peach and warm, radiates with lustful heat...-

BANG! BANG! BANG!

I jump, startled by the abrupt, interfering sound; unconsciously pushing myself closer to Erik.
"Erik!" calls Dominic, "Are you ready?"
Erik didn't react by the noise, nor by Dominic's call, he just continued to stare at me in reverence; his hold on me still intact.
With a twist of the door handle, Dominic entered the room, "Erik, what are y-?"
Dominic's eyes widen in surprise as his question faded.

"She's mine," Erik declaredly breathed in wonder to Dominic; I turn my eyes back to Erik and find that he has not once removed his gaze from me. "Christine's truly mine again..."
The sound of his pure wonder and choice of words causes me to smile; I am his again. I raise my hands that were by my side and set them against his chest, wanting to touch some part of him, and I am aware that this is the first time I have touched him.
The blue in his eyes glisten even more; moved by my first touch, my smile, or both; the vision isn't heartbreaking.
"That's great mate..." sighed Dominic, he too smiling. Relief overwhelmed his features along with his happiness; relief for his brother, perhaps even some relief for me. "I'll go wait for you outside..."

As Dominic turns to leave, Erik's palm leaves my cheek; his fingers now tracing the left side of my jaw; his enthralling crooked smile forming his lips, "Took you a while to accept the truth..."
A light chuckle leaves my lips as I stroke my hands up and down his chest; he exhales and purrs contently. Desperately I want more of Erik; such new yet recognisable desire is powerful to which I now accept willingly with eager open arms...but his father has to be dealt with first. Only by that can we move on.
Regretfully I remind him and myself, "Your father, Erik."
By the end of my sentence Erik's smile disappears, his eyes reopened and his grip on me tightens. His contentment lessened but still lingered; resolution now joined his love for me.
"You are to stay here."
"But Erik-"
"It will only cause more harm than good." Erik turned his hand so that the back of his fingers can tenderly graze my cheek, "He won't harm us Christine," he consoled my worries, "It's yourself you should be worrying about."
Hesitantly, reluctantly, I nod though not in approval; if the situation involves risking my safety then this is one argument I can't win.

"Good," Erik's crooked smile returning, "I will still lock the door, but not too keep you in; it's to keep others out."
Again I nod.
Elegantly, Erik bowed his head to press his lips lightly against my forehead; the coolness of his loving lips causing me to again close my eyes. His hands now cup my face, pressing my forehead closer to his mouth.
As he spoke against my forehead, the vibrations from his lips sent pleasant shivers through me.
"Knowing that you have accepted me, I will definitely be quick as possible so we can continue where we left off..."

"I must say, you all appear absolutely joyful on seeing me." King Andrew stated sarcastically.
"A bit hard too when you invite yourself and your men without warning." snarled Dora, Bruno sitting securely on her lap.

Everyone was gathered round the long wooden table in the dinning room.
Joseph along with three other servants passed goblets of fresh blood for everyone to drink. Andrew sat on Erik's usual chair, his two henchmen sitting on his left and two empty seats to his right for his sons. Dominic was currently locking every door and window in the castle under the command of Erik. And given the current circumstances, King Andrew and his men have to be kept under tight surveillance.
Dora and Bruno sat on the opposite end of King Andrew; she wanted to be far from her father-in-law as much as possible.

"I shouldn't need permission to visit my family." said Andrew lightly, casually swirling his drink, "We haven't all been together for a while."

"Did you ever consider there's a reason for that?" snapped Dora.

Andrew smiled teasingly, "Oh come on now Dora, why so waspish? We are family are we not?"

"Only by marriage, nothing more."

Slyly, Andrew eyed his grandson and asked, "Bruno, are you not annoyed at your mother for resenting me?"

"She has her reasons." Bruno replied uncomfortably, shifting on his mother's lap.

Dora affectionately stroked his arms, "Leave my son out of this Andrew, you're lucky I allow you to talk to him at all."

"You wouldn't dare try and keep my sons and grandson away from me. You know they care for me. The least we could do for them is to try and gain some sort of acceptance between us." taunted the King. "Come, let's forget about the past and concentrate on the present.
Dora didn't respond but continued to glare resentfully. She was acting this way not because she enjoys to, but mainly to distract Andrew and his henchmen from finding out more about that mysterious, fresh human smell they noticed the moment they entered the castle.

"It is sad sire that you daughter-in-law holds nothing but contempt towards you." the henchman to the left of Andrew scoffed.

"I know Bernard," Andrew sighed dramatically, "However, one day she will grow to like me."

Dora snorted disgustedly.

Bernard smiled smugly as he enquired, "So how are you keeping my lady? Well I trust?"

"Very well," Dora answered curtly.

"Collecting a good bunch of humans?" the henchmen sitting next to Bernard asked gruffly, "Giving by the lovely fresh smell maintaining in the air."

"Yes, it is a change, not unpleasant of course." said Andrew pensively, he then turned to a servant named Molly who sat two seats down from Andrew, "Tell me, where do you eat your load? The smell was very strong at the entrance."

"Where-ever we wish too your majesty." squeaked Molly nervously. "Our King is very courteous to us."

"Yes, too courteous sometimes..." Andrew contemplated.

"Uncle Erik is very good to all of us." piped Bruno in defence, "He treats everyone the same."

Andrew raised his eyebrows from Bruno's outburst.
"Do you not think, Prince Bruno, that perhaps a line should be drawn?" asked Bernard silkily, "That a servant should be treated as a servant and not as an equal to a royal?"
Bernard obviously does not care about the feelings of the servants he is currently sipping blood with. King Andrew too feels no shame as his face is now plastered in a smug expression from Bernard's query.
"Are you including yourself in that Bernie?" Dora laughed darkly, "You aren't royalty."

"Nor I'm I a servant," Bernard said snappishly, his expression rapidly softening when turning to Andrew, "I'm I your majesty?"

Andrew nodded smiling, "No, you and Casper are not servants. You are both my most loyal guards."

"Meaning servants," mocked Dora.
Casper and Bernard clenched their fists; Andrew steadily set a hand ontop of Bernard's arm to hold him back, "Mock all you want Dora, but I know how a royal kingdom should be run. Erik at the moment may believe otherwise, but in time he will understand the importance of boundaries; the same goes with Dominic."

"But Dad and Uncle Erik say that loyalty and friendship from our servants is very important, how can we have that if we add a boundary?" Bruno asked, bewildered.

"There are other methods to gain such things Bruno, I will teach you how." said Andrew knowingly.

"You will teach him nothing." hissed Dora, clinging Bruno tighter. "What we have going on here with these people you are currently dinning with is going very well."

"I will not deny that daughter-in-law; I'm just saying that by using other ways, you could obtain a more strengthened relationship between Royalty and Servants. Joseph," Andrew called commandingly, turning from his seat to face Joseph who was standing beside the door.
Andrew's eyes narrowed slightly from seeing the butler, "You used to be a servant of mine. In comparison, what kingdom do you feel has the strongest alliance? Mine or my sons?"

"Don't answer Joseph." Dora ordered, knowing that Andrew purposely put Joseph in a difficult spot. He'd be damned either way and Dora will not give her 'father-in-law' the pleasure of doing so.
Andrew, Bernard and Casper all had amused smirks on their faces while they continued to sip their drinks. Joseph and the rest of the servants sent Dora and Bruno small appreciative glances from their support.

"What is keeping my sons?" Andrew sighed annoyingly, glancing at the ticking clock, "I've been here for over 15minutes and still there's no sign of them!"

"Maybe they are preparing some human to take home with you sire." suggested Casper, Dora's hand tightened round her goblet, "The human smelt really delicious."

"I hope so; I am feeling rather peckish..."grinned Andrew, rubbing his already filled tummy.

"May I enquire is the human male or female?" Casper asked to no one in particular.

"None of your God damn business." gritted Dora.

"It is if I'm after a bite," Casper grinned smugly.

"You should've thought about eating before coming here then, doesn't your King tell you that?"
Andrew's eyes darkened upon Dora, loathing the taunting tone. She has never taken him seriously, along with the other one...

"Like you, my Lady," slithered Bernard he too offended, "We too have a great King. Our King looks after our needs."

"Yet one of you is hungry." stated Dora unblinkingly.

"It's not out of need," snapped Casper, "It's out of greed. If you walked into a place where the smell of food is delicious would you not be willing to have a taste?"

"Only if the owner of that food is willing to share. We here are not, especially when it comes to you lot."

"Enough Casper." ordered Andrew softly, his eyes still dark on Dora. "Would you know the reason on what is keeping my sons from seeing me?"

Dora shrugged uncaringly in response, "What brings you here?" she asked.

"A matter of great importance I'm afraid," said Andrew without sorrow, and with a sense of purposely changing the subject he enquired, "How are the wolves treating you nowadays?"

"Some are agreeable, others aren't. Not much different than people." said Dora.

"Shame that, wolves can be very useful."

"Yes, but not in the matter you are thinking of," said Dora, "Unlike you we don't like playing with our food with wolves before eating it."

Andrew smirked wickedly, as Bernard chuckled evilly, "Don't slag it til you try it my lady."

"I have no intention too. Its demoralising." said Dora darkly.

"But we're vampires Mam!" laughed Casper; Bernard and their King laughing in the background, "We don't need morals!"

"Would you like to be tortured before you died Casper?" questioned Dora irritably.

"Come now Dora," Andrew pacified while half laughing, "Why try and compare us to humans? It's unlikely for us to die in ways of a human."

"We too can die by murder Andrew." stated Dora bluntly; her hinting eyes too growing dark.
The macabre humour ended. Bernard's grip on his goblet tightened, whereas Casper's mouth dropped as Christine's death remained unspoken yet clearly hanging in the air.

Whenever King Andrew was around, for the servants and guards in both Kingdoms, the subject of Christine was somewhat taboo. It wasn't a secret to them that he was not a fan of Christine when a living vampire. Amazingly however he undertook some respect for Christine by being sorrowful in her death, even if it may be false. He knew his eldest son loved her dearly, and so for Erik's sake upon her death he never spoke a bad word about her...well, not within his hearing distance anyway. Infact, Andrew preferred that her name wasn't mentioned at all, brought back too many unpleasant memories...
"Yes well," pressed Andrew, "I wouldn't say obtaining food is murder Dora."

"In their view it is."

"And what would you do then?" said Andrew, "Stop eating human all together? We need it too survive my dear, animal blood can only sustain us so much; it's not enough no matter how much you wish it too."

"Yes, but the least we could do is give the human we are about to kill some sort of respect."

"Respect?" Bernard scorned, aghast. "Humans do not deserve respect especially from us!"

"If we are about to kill them-"

"And they haven't killed any of our race over the many centuries?"

"They do it to protect themselves-"

"And we do it to survive," added Andrew bluntly, "It's a wonder your still living with us at all Dora, given your sudden great love for humans everywhere. What's made you care for them all of a sudden?"
Whenever Dora sinks her dagger fangs into the fleshy blood filled veins, she can't help but think that Christine could so easily end like this. Ever since Christine arrived, she has found it rather difficult devouring a human.

"I believe what Princess Dora is trying to say," intervened Joseph, grabbing everyone's attention; the servants and guards in fear, and Andrew and his men in disgust.
Dora and Bruno on the other hand were thankful, but like their servants and guards, they too were fearful for Joseph upon his interruption. Andrew doesn't like being interrupted, nor contradicted; especially from one whom he deems lower than he, along with the fact that his feelings towards Joseph are full of resentment.
Joseph, knowing all this, is either very brave, or very foolish.
"Princess Dora is trying to say that she would like to extract the necessities from a human as quickly as possible, therefore not to waste anytime to prolong the inevitable."

There was a short pause in the room before Andrew quipped softly, yet deadly, "If I wanted your opinion Joseph, I would've asked for it. Not only were you rude in interrupting, but you also insulted me; you implied that I am a time waster."

"And you are!" shouted Dora; jumping to her feet, Bruno shoved to the side for protection.
All eyes were now on her; her anger for Andrew was immense. "Not only are you a time waster in eating Andrew, your wasting your time by sitting here! I've had enough, get out of my castle!"

Andrew didn't flinch, though his henchmen grew rigid by her attitude towards their King.
Andrew laughed; dryly, "Your castle?" he scorned, "I hardly think so."

"I live here therefore it's my home. Now get out of it." Dora was leaning on her knuckles that where placed at either side of the table. Her stance is crouched, but prepared to attack.

"I'm not going without speaking to my sons." said Andrew coldly.

"Then write them a letter! Get out!"

The door swung open, causing everyone in the room to flinch minus Dora and Andrew. In entered Erik and Dominic.
"What's going on?" snapped Erik, darting from his father to sister-in-law.

"Nothing." Andrew responded with a fake smile, slowly dragging his eyes away from Dora and pushing his chair back to stand and greet his sons, "Just a friendly chat as always with the lovely Dora."

Dora remained in position; her narrowed eyes never leaving Andrews form.

Andrew made to hug Erik but stopped midway upon catching his scent. "So that's what's kept you...you were having a snack!" He moved to smell Dominic too, "The both of you! Smells delicious, young blood I take it. Any left over's?"

"No," said Dominic quickly while Erik tensed.

"Ah that's a shame," taking another sniff from Erik, "Would've been mouth watering..."
"Father," interjected Erik, wanting, needing, to change the subject. "What brings you here? I thought I sent a letter telling you I am currently unavailable."

"You did," said Andrew half smiling, turning back to his seat, indicating for his son's to sit. "But I'm afraid it is of great importance for my being here."

"What is it then?" asked Dominic curiously, sitting down.

"I'm afraid it's about your mother." Andrews' features and tone immediately grew morbid, so quickly that if you were to blink you would've have missed the advanced transformation.
"She's dead boy's, I'm sorry."