Disclaimer: still don't own em', still don't own em'. Cept April and the weird plot twists. -Linwe

April was freezing cold even after she had made it inside Castle Dracula. It looked exactly as it had outside- frozen, gothic, drab and downright frightening. After cautiously making her way up many staircases and hallways, she found herself in a full-blown laboratory with much eerie, dusty equipment. As the hour passed, she must have explored every part of it, fascinated by all the curious devices and machines, fiddling with them and trying to find out how they worked, but too craven to turn them on. This went on for a while until she stumbled across a large pile of ashes on the ground next to another curious machine. Her heart seemed to stop.

She knew it was the Count that she was standing above. The thought of finally seeing him after all this time made her heart beat quickly- half with anticipation and half with doubt. What if her feelings were unrequited? Nevertheless, she composed herself and ignored the thoughts. It didn't really matter if he felt the way she did, did it? The reason she was here was to repay him, that was all… wasn't it? Her heart told her it was not.

She bent low to examine the ashes, studying them carefully. Luckily, they didn't seem to be too scattered, so with only a few sweeps of her handkerchief, they were in a neat pile. For the second time that night, she pulled her amulet from her blouse. She looked at it with doubt in her eyes- she had never attempted to resurrect someone before. She knew it was possible, but what would happen to her? A resurrection probably took lots of energy, and hers seemed to have waned so much since she had stepped into Velarious Manor, 4 hours ago.

At that moment her mind filled with doubt. What if it killed her? What if it took all the life from her and gave it all to him? Her own fear and selfishness held her back, and she was staring at the ashes, thinking about how she had come all this way and now her own frailties were getting in the way of her goal.

"What a horrible person, I am" She said to herself. "I can't break my word just because of some petty selfishness. What have I to lose, anyway" Shaking her head at her own cowardice, she pulled the chain over her head and held it above the ashes, starting to concentrate. She closed her eyes and focused only on the ashes, and on a strong source of life being reborn in her amulet's light. This was the only way she knew how to use the amulet, and she willed all of her being into fulfilling her task, and bringing the Count back to her. He had saved her from death, so now she was hoping to liberate him from it and repay him for his kindness and bravery.

She felt the power start to flow from the amulet; it flowed all through her taking her strength with it, and then down to the pile of ashes. Draining… draining… she was losing all her energy as she had thought. She still held tightly onto the amulet, breaking into a cold, feverish sweat. Minutes crept by. She gasped for breath even though every intake was painful. Still she held on, still she willed the amulet to fulfill its duty, still she held it over the ashes that seemed to becoming less dead and black. Tears started to flow, her heart felt as if it was about to burst… not enough oxygen was getting to her brain… her vision blurred…

Suddenly, a great white light engulfed her and the ashes. She was blinded with the light and saw nothing, although she still held the amulet tightly between her shaking fingers. The light then faded and slowly…slowly…slowly dissipated.

She blinked and opened her eyes to see the Count lying below her on the ground where the ashes had been. She sighed in relief and happiness. His chest was rising up and down… he was alive. She had done it! She smiled and then lay down, freezing cold… but before she lay down, she looked over at Dracula and noticed for the first time that he was naked. She blushed and suddenly felt very afraid… what if he woke up? Then his eyes fluttered open. What a perfect moment, she thought to herself sarcastically.

The Count quickly sat up, with a look of puzzlement on his fair features. Realizing too, that he was naked, he looked at April and then blushed furiously, still looking around wildly, and in a very confused manner.

"Wh… where… who… what… when" He stuttered. "What happened to me? What have you done, woman" He looked at her dangerously, but then a look of realization smote itself upon his face. He blinked. "I… I live. I…" His hand rose to his heart. "I… am alive." He suddenly stood and looked down at her. "I feel! How have you done this" Her hand moved to her amulet. She found that she was unable to speak.

"What is that" He asked, but then started to shiver. "It is so cold…" She tried to find strength to stand, but was unable and just fell backward. He saw what she was trying to do, and extended his arms, lifting her by her hands into a standing position. His grip was strong, and she felt herself being reminded of when he had saved her and then lifted her to her feet on the sandy beach.

"Th-thank you." She managed to rasp. She saw that he was still shivering, so she lifted her cloak off her shoulders and handed it to him. "H-here, take this. I insist." Her eyes fluttered briefly to his waistline, and a blush came to her cheeks in the awkwardness of the situation.

"Y-yes, I thank you." He pulled the cloak around himself, blushing, as well. His hand flew to his cheeks at the warm sensation. "It has been so long since I have felt. So long…" he looked down at her face, and his expression briefly changed.

"I… remember you…" he started, lifting his hand to gently touch her cheek. A glimmer of pure elation and hope dawned in her mind when he did so. Then, like ice, he drew it coldly away and turned, as though testing her in some odd way, as though he knew her feelings were being tested when he toyed with her like this. "You were the witch who jumped off the cliff." He said turning back around, a faint glimmer in his eye. She became furious despite her exhaustion.

"I am no witch, Count." She said seriously. " But I was going to be burned anyway, so it was my only escape to use the cliff."

"Yes, yes, I do indeed remember. You were… rather difficult."

"Excuse me" she asked.

"You evaded my bite and resisted my charms… no woman had ever done that before." He raised his eyebrows and narrowed his eyes, as though examining her as she made her retort.

"I suppose there's a first time for everything." She said, coldly, displeased that he remembered her as "difficult" but also taking pride in her accomplishment of outsmarting him.

"So, how exactly did you bring me back" She lifted her amulet up for him to see. "Does this charm posses magical properties" he said taking it from her and examining it. For some reason it didn't bother her that he had taken it, although no one but her and her mother had ever touched it.

"You could say that. But it is not evil witchcraft, by any means." She regarded it proudly. "It was handed down to me from my mother and her mother before that. We are gypsies, you know."

"Gypsies…" A strange look came upon his face, as if he was remembering something, but it disappeared as quick as it had appeared. "Well I give you my sincerest thanks… what did you say your was, my dear"

"It's April Leolius."

"So may I ask why exactly you resurrected" He stopped in mid-sentence to catch April, who had suddenly fallen, looking as if she could not support her own weight anymore.

"You are weak." He said, helping her to her feet.

"That's an understatement"

"What"

"Never mind. I am just very, very tired. Resurrecting you has taken much of my energy. I would love to explain everything to you, just I feel now is not the time."

"You are correct. I am freezing cold anyway. This castle is not as comfortable as I remembered it."

"Comfortable for a vampire is probably a whole different 'comfortable' for a human, if you catch my meaning." She said.

"Indeed. Where shall we go"

"My house is in the village… unless you wish to remain here, in your castle." She said to him. He gravely shook his head.

"I feel now is the time that I must leave this place." He looked carefully around him at all the curious devices and machines and then faced her once more. "I feel a strange… sentiment toward it… it is curious."

"Well, you are alive now." She said, studying his fair face.

Heeheeheeheeeheeeeeeeeeee

Well it was longer wasn't it?

I hope you beautiful people liked it. And thanks again for reading and reviewing! It means a lot to me-Linwe

To my most gracious reviewers:

angelofopera: Yes, Anthony is one creepy guy. But he is a gravedigger after all… how'd you think he'd turn out? Lol. Thanks for reading!

Countess Amulet Dracula: Here is your dearest count… and my dearest count… and I know he's also The Widowed Dracula's dearest count… well he lives! Oh how I love him.

Maddie: Glad you're lovin it! Here's more! Yay! It has potential! I hoped it did! Lol.

The Widow Dracula: It's fine dear, I'm always late with everything…

Yes, I did base Pru off April because when we started rp-ing, I was formulating this story, and she was the only character present in my mind. She's so naïve, falling for the Count because of a really steamy kiss… yes very Pru-ish. Thanks for reading!

Countess Vladislaus Dragu: Well here's a lengthy one. I'll probably make lobger chapters in the future, too. Glad you like it!

Angel-of-Darkness25: Glad you like it! Thanks for reviewing!

-Linwe