Chapter 1

I stared out the window trying to ignore the ongoing prattle of my latest French suitor. This had to be the worst part of my life besides my parents. I wondered how boring this man could get. He kept going on and on about how much money he made every year. Like I had any interest in that topic. But could I say anything to him about shutting his overly large mouth? No, I had to sit there like a lady and smile and nod at the appropriate places.

The worst thing was that I couldn't even remember the man's name. I guess I was too preoccupied with other thoughts that continued to circle around in my head. I wished that the man had been at least somewhat attractive, but he wasn't at all.

He had thinning brown hair that was placed in a comb over. His dull blue eyes were deep set and squinty. Plus he was quite large. He was not the kind of man that I was attracted to.

When he continued to prattle on I began to let myself daydream. I rarely ever did this when a suitor was around but he could have a conversation with himself so I divulged into my secret pleasure.

I could remember when I was about 14 years old I was walking alone in the woods trying to get away from the house. I was having a grand old time going along the path and picking up stray flowers along the way.

I had gotten in trouble earlier that day for reading about vampires. Vampires were well known throughout the land of Transylvania. I was especially interested in the infamous Count Dracula. I was quite interested in them and for some reason they had a pull on me that I could not get away from. But of course my mother said that it was not appropriate for a young lady of my station to read such dreadful things.

I was punished by not being allowed to have cake at lunch. What kind of punishment was that? I just chalked it under her being generous for once in her life. So as a way to get away from her I decided to go exploring outside the grounds.

It felt glorious just to be able to walk around and not have to act like a proper lady. It was free and exhilarating and I felt like a child again instead of a young woman.

I continued down the path my left hand filled with all sorts of flowers. I wanted to find a place where I could sit down and make them into a crown. But what I didn't notice was that there was a man following me. I was too wrapped into my thoughts that I did not hear him approach.

So I was quite surprised when I felt someone grab me around my waist and lift me up. I began then to kick the man in earnest trying to get away from him. I was about to scream but he put his meaty hand over my mouth before I could. He would not silence me that easily. So I opened my mouth and bit down onto his hand. The man screamed and removed his hand from my mouth.

I then screamed, "Help! Someone please help me!" Luck must have been on my side that day for a handsome man came out of the woods to my rescue.

The man was tall and broad shouldered. He had black hair and deep brown eyes. This was the kind of man that I always wanted to marry. He had that exact look that I had always liked.

"Excuse me sir, but I think that you are bothering this young girl," the man stated simply. His stance was poised but yet threatening. I could see power laced throughout his body.

"I ain't bothering her she just has something I want," my captor replied in a hacking voice. I cringed and tried not to shudder.

"But I bet that she doesn't want to give it to you," he replied with a well-placed smirk on his face.

My captor stiffened slightly and said, "How do you…"

But before he could continue his sentence the dark-haired man came charging at him. I was in a panicked state for I didn't want to be in the middle of this fight. But luckily I was pushed out of the way by the handsome man. I hit the ground hard and the breath went out of my lungs.

By the time I had gotten my breath back I could see my captor was sprawled on the ground unconscious. The next thing I knew I was being helped off the ground by my handsome rescuer. When I was fully off the ground he checked for any serious injuries and when he found none he said, "I'm Velkan, and you are…?"

As soon as I heard that voice I about melted in a pool around his feet. I cleared my throat and said, "I'm Ilya."

He smiled at me and said, "Well Ilya I hope you're alright but I need to be leaving now. I have many other things to do."

But I didn't want him to leave. "Oh, alright. Well I want to thank you for helping me. I will always remember it." I ducked my head of chestnut brown hair to cover my flushed face.

He chuckled at me and lifted my head up with his finger. "You're welcome Ilya and maybe one day we'll meet again." There was a genuine smile on his face when he said that and it warmed my heart.

"Goodbye then Velkan," I said trying not to let myself become too attached to him. He smiled at me again and placed a light kiss on my lips. And with that he was gone, going back into the woods where he came from. I put my fingers to my lips in wonderment and headed back down the path towards home with a light feeling about me.

But I was soon wrenched from my dream world when my suitor said, "Excuse me Miss Ilya I am trying to ask you a question. Would you please answer me?" His voice was grating on my nerves.

I shook my head and put on my most winning smile before saying, "Excuse me sir? What was the question?"

The suitor shook his head in annoyance at me as if saying women. "As I was saying I asked you what you liked to do. A hobby of some sort?" he asked trying to engage me in some sort of stupid conversation.

"Oh, I don't know really. I guess I am quite fond of sewing," I replied. I really wasn't quite fond of sewing but I couldn't say reading because mother would get angry with me and I really didn't need that at the moment.

He nodded pleased at my answer and I just smiled while trying not to cringe at the man in front of me. I wondered why my mother would choose a French man and not a Romanian man. It seemed most logical to me that I would wed a Romanian. But I didn't know how my mother's mind worked so I would be left to wonder and come up with my own answer.

The man continued to prattle on and on again about his gracious amount of money he had so I decided to think about Velkon. I hadn't thought of him in quite a while. I think I fell in love with him that day he rescued me. I have no idea as to why though. I really didn't believe in love at first sight but here I was experiencing it myself.

I was again interrupted from my thoughts when I heard a knock on the door. "Excuse me while I answer the door," I said to my suitor. He nodded and told me to go on with a flick oh his wrist. I grinded my teeth in annoyance but smiled anyway. I swear I was going to have wrinkles by the time I was thirty.

I got up from the upholstered chair and went to answer the door. I placed my hand around the carved handle and opened it. Behind the door was the serving girl Tatiana. Her hands were placed behind her back and she looked as nervous as usual.

"Excuse me Miss, but your mother requires you and your suitor in the tea room for luncheon," Tatiana said her voice low and quiet.

"Thank you Tatiana please tell her we will be on our way. You are excused," I said dismissing her with a wave of my head. She bobbed a quick curtsy before leaving.

I closed the door behind me and turned to my suitor. He was looking at me waiting to hear what I had to tell him. I cleared my throat and said, "My mother wishes our presence in the tea room for lunch."

My suitor nodded and barely got out of his chair. I stifled a giggle behind my hand and watched him waddle over to me. He placed out his pudgy arm for me to grab onto. I grabbed onto it reluctantly and we went towards the door. He opened the door for me and led me out into the hallway.

I led him towards the tearoom trying to think of pleasant thoughts before I was to meet my mother. One always had to be prepared. We continued to walk in awkward silence until I heard an ear-piercing scream that seemed to be coming from an adjacent hallway.

We both stopped abruptly wondering what would happen next. Suddenly I saw Tatiana running down the hallway coming towards us. Her hair was disheveled and I could see tears streaming down her cheeks.

She was shouting, "Run Miss run! Dracula is here!"