A long while later...

Wow, that had been a long day. I walked out of the lecture room with a pile of books in my arms, following Mandy. Mandy was my closest friend at uni, and also stayed in my dorm.

"Soo, are you looking forward to the party tonight?" Mandy turned to me and grinned. "It'll be fun, and I heard Dan is going to be there too. Y'a know. Dan- the hottest guy at this uni who may or may not have a thing for you."

"Shh." I hushed Mandy while looking around, making sure no one near us was listening as we walked to our dorm building. It was snowing outside, and we had made half the journey to the building when I realised, "Oh shit. I forgot my pencil case…" Mandy facepalmed. "Mandy can you take my books, I want to go back for it." I dumped the books into her hands and swiftly walked back.

"You're just trying to get out of letting me do your make-up for the party." She called.

After retrieving my pencil-case and a couple of hours beautifying, Mandy and I set off to one of our uni-mate's dorms. I hadn't gone to a party in weeks, due to having to study hard and revise for various tests along the course. This would be entertaining- I couldn't wait to have some fun.

The door opened to a room full of partying late- teens. Some had bottles of alcohol and others just sat, entertained by the drunk people who were falling over each other and singing badly to the loud music. I sighed. Ever since a few years ago when I had been in hospital, I had been given medication to take every day do to the fact the nurses believed I hallucinated and had gone crazy. Due to this medication, I wasn't allowed to drink alcohol. This is what I had to explain to some girl who was trying to make me down a bottle of beer.

"I can't I'm sorry." I pushed back the bottle, accidently spilling half of it on her.

"Ugh, you're no fun. I was just offering you a drink." She replied in disgust, making her way over to her, supposed boyfriend, who she made drink the alcohol then commenced to make-out with.

It was going to be one of THOSE parties where everyone but me was drunk and having a good time. Even Mandy was dancing with someone who I had caught throwing up in the kitchen sink a few minutes ago. I sighed and walked out of the dorm, hearing a vague protest from Mandy under the loud Dubstep music.

I stepped out into the cold in my short party dress, shivering. I saw a bottle next to me which had a small portion of alcohol. I downed the sip and sat, staring at the snow.

A dark figure had swiftly sat beside me, although I wasn't intrigued enough to look at who it was.

"So, you come here often?" He asked, in a vaguely recognisable voice. Then again I knew most peoples' voices who went to my uni. His seemed more of a distant memory.

"That's like the worst chat up line ever." I smiled, still staring at the bottle in my hands.

"Should you be drinking that?" He asked.

"And who are you to tell me what I can and cannot do? Who even are you?" I replied quietly, picking at the bottle's label.

"Oh." He seemed rather surprised that I didn't know who it was, or at least that's what I gathered from his tone. I was still trying to peg a name to his voice. David..John..Michael…Alex.. no, it was something more different, more unusual…

"Well that doesn't matter. I came to see you." He told me.

"Why would you do that. I only have one friend, only one person who actually cares for me. And no, whatever the other guys might have said, Dan doesn't like me." I sighed. "Why are you even out here? Did they send you to see if I was drinking anything?" I put down the bottle beside me and held my head in my hands. He put a soft hand on my exposed shoulder which made me jump.

"Oh my god!" I cried, flinching away from the touch "You're freezing." Cold. Freezing. Familiar voice. Dark. Oh my god. Oh no. I didn't want to lift my hair and turn to face him. I already knew.

"Sorry." He replied, like a puppy who had just mauled his master's shoes.

I breathed in a deep breath of cool air. I turned. Our eyes connected. His hair was a shade of ebony that no dulux paint-chart could match- it was glossy like oil and shifted ever so slightly in the breeze. His face was as pale as the untouched snow which was falling around him, into his hair and onto his dark, leather jacket. Eyes like burning sapphires bore into mine- they communicated with me far greater than any words he could sum up would ever be able to. I smiled. His eyes told of a long time of pain and loss, yet his half-smile made me feel a surge of happiness.

"Vlad." I breathed his name. Immediately he wrapped his arms around me, and we embraced for a long while before he noticed that I was shivering. Removing his heavy jacket, he draped it over my shoulders, like he had done when we were young. Tears filled my eyes. My childhood sweetheart had returned. The years without him in my life had led to this. I wrapped my arms around the back of his neck as he places his hands either side of my cheeks. We were staring into each other's eyes and I thought I knew where this was leading before he interrupted-

"Woah. How did you get this scar?" He asked, tracing a long finger down the side of my face. I dropped my gaze to the ground and inhaled.

"E…e. Erin." It was still hard for me to say her name. It was good that it wasn't that common, as I hadn't come across it since the incident, which means that I hadn't had many painful reminders.

Vlad's face twisted, expressing his shock and disgust at what she had done. "She also broke and tore my leg. Not that you would care." I took my face away from his hands, looking off into the distance.

"Of course I care. I love you." He replied sincerely. His voice was like golden syrup; sweet and melodious.

"Then why did you leave me? Why didn't you come to help?" I was battling back angry tears. "You don't understand what she did to me. Not only all of the physical pain- but the loneliness she caused. I felt so lost. I .. There was no one.." I broke into tears.

"You don't understand." He said calmly, clutching me to his chest, as though I was a teddy bear. "She .. she killed my family. All of them. Even Bertrand." Although he was deeply upset by this, his voice betrayed none of his inner emotions. He must have learnt to deal with it during the time we were separated. "Malik kept them hostage while she went after you. There was nothing I could so. I'm so, so sorry."

I cupped his cheek in my hand as he closed his eyes, reminiscing the pain. "No, I'm sorry." I hugged him again. "But how did they die?"

"Malik set fire to the castle. He made sure they were all dead before escaping. I have no one left. I'm the last, true Dracula heir." His lips quivered as he said 'dead'. "I tried to come after you, but had no idea where you went. I searched your old house and town, but couldn't find you. I've been living in a small flat by myself since then. It's quite a downgrade from a castle, but I live with it." He chuckled. "It only angers me that Malik and Erin are still alive somewhere, running about causing trouble under the shadows."

"Erin's dead." I said, still embracing him- afraid to let go.

"What? How?" Vlad was confused.

"I killed her, I stabbed her through the heart while she was killing me."

Vlad was impressed at my courage. "I'm sorry that it came to this. I wish I could have protected you but I was busy with trying to find you, before I realised what had happened to my family.

I felt safe in his arms. He grasped me so tight I felt that I could never let go. I never needed to feel pain or loss again because he had returned. I loved him so much that my heart swelled every time I thought about him. I wished that we could go on, hugging in the cold forever.