Chapter 7: Girl Talk

AN: WEEE!!!!!

Singing : Happy happy birthday, happy happy me! I think I'll post this chapter, because I turned fifteen! (end song)

Hah! Well, that pretty much sums it up. The only reason I have for posting this chapter is that I'm bouncing off the walls with birthday hyperness. And to appease my conscious, I am working on chapter 10, it's just slower going now because I'm in camp at the Art Institute from 9-3, so I don't have as much time to write as I would like. But I'm trying valiantly. Enjoy the product of my madness!

This area was decidedly less warmly decorated than other areas I'd been to, but that only made me all the more curious as to what was up here. The staircases were seemingly endless and on the rare occurrence that I did pass a window, it showed me that I was nearing the top of the castle. When my legs informed me that they were in no condition to travel up any more stairs, I chose a corridor to explore. One door down that hall was slightly ajar and elaborately carved.

Curiosity piqued, I opened it to find myself in a rich but coldly decorated room, in themes of black and green. Strangely, there was a large coffin in the middle of the room and while that should have sent warning bells off in my head, it didn't. About to step into the room to investigate what all was in it, I noticed the black-haired vampire, Verona, I think it was, sitting at a table. Trying not to make any noise that would alert her to my presence, I hadn't forgotten our last encounter, I backed out of the room.

"I know you are there Destiny. You do not need to bother with all this sneaking around." The vampiress's words caused me to freeze.

Of course. She'd've heard my heartbeat. Jeez. I should've remembered. But I stepped back into the room.

"Alright Verona, I'm here. What do you want?" Verona rose from her seat and turned in my direction.

"What do I want? I was going to ask you. That is, if you were doing anything beyond exploring your new home."

Home. The word flowed so easily off her tongue but it seemed to lodge itself in my throat like a large ball and refused to move. This cold place was not my home. My home was in my village, with my mother and my ruling Lord. Right now I would have been mending his children's clothing, or helping my mother tend the herb garden. No, this ice fortress would never be home.

Verona noticed my prolonged silence. "Is something that matter?" Her look of hauteur never changed, but I could tell she was genuinely interested. I sighed and looked at the stones on the floor.

"It's nothing really," I lied, but a glance up told me the Bride wasn't buying it. She beckoned with one finger.

"Come, sit here and tell me," she motioned to a small lounge and I waited for her to sit before I did. I still didn't trust her.

"Really, it's nothing major," I tried again. "I'm just having problems with Dracula, that's all. Nothing to be worried about." Verona quirked an eyebrow.

"What sort of problems are you having with the Master?"

"And that's another thing. Why do you call him 'Master'? It's not like you're slaves or anything."

"We leave the slaving to the Dwergi. They –"

"Wait a minute," I interrupted. "Dwergi? What in the world is a Dwergi?"

"They are the servants of our Master. Misshapen mistakes of the Devil that have no real mind of their own. But they're vicious enough to intruders and are fairly obedient. Now what is the matter between you and our Master?"

"Your master," I corrected. "Not mine. He did not create me, he does not control me, I owe him nothing." The last words came out in a fierce hiss.

"Think what you will," Verona said mildly. That was another thing that was bothering me.

"Why are you so calm about all of this? My being here and all." I motioned around with my hand. "I would have thought you'd be jealous and try to eat me or something equally nasty." My laugh had a bit of a nervous edge to it. Verona merely shrugged indifferently.

"Destiny, I have been competing with Marishka and Aleera for the Master's attention for upwards of three hundred years. One more woman will not make a difference."

"Well, that's a relief." At least I didn't have to worry about her. Verona seemed to pick up on my thoughts (between her and Dracula, it was getting annoying).

"You will need to tread lightly around Aleera though," she cautioned. "She has a vengeance streak in her that causes problems occasionally. We nearly lost Marishka once because of it."

She laughed, a bit unkindly. "The Master was not pleased with her, to put it very lightly. Now," she said in an abrupt change of topic. "why are you so angered with him?"

I pretended to think about that for a minute, tapping one finger against my mouth. "Hmm, maybe because he took me from my home? Or made me immortal without my permission? Or has a thing for tampering with my mind? Or thinks I belong to him? Or maybe," I was on my feet, getting more upset with every word I said, "because he wants to have sex with me for the sole purpose of having a slew of evil little children that he can unleash on the world and doesn't even care about how I feel on the matter!"

I didn't realize that I was crying, hot tears slipping from reddened eyes and rolling down flushed cheeks, until Verona offered me a delicate handkerchief. Why she even had one, I didn't know. Then, the vampiress did something extremely strange.

She hugged me.

"It is not as bad as you might think," she said soothingly. "In time, you will get used to everything."

"I don't want to get used to it," I muttered rebelliously. Verona ignored the comment.

"You will get used to him as well. And it is not so bad," she smiled at the memory of some forgotten time. I didn't want to know.

"But all he can feel is lust," I complained. Forlornly, I added, "And I want love."

"Do not worry," Verona assured me. "The festival in Budapest will cheer you up."

"Budapest?"

"Yes. In two weeks, there is a festival and masked ball for All Hallow's Eve at our summer palace. It will be very entertaining. Go," she turned me around and gave me a little push towards the door. "Design a costume for yourself."

I was very confused. Vampires were evil: this was an established fact. They sucked blood, killed people. They were demons! They could not feel because they had no beating heart, could they? After my time with Verona, I wondered. She didn't seem that evil towards me, almost friendly.

And what was with the hug? I couldn't understand any of this.

'Kay now, the best birthday I could get is reviews so press the button! Heehee, flames will be used to light the candles on my cake!