Just so you know, the chapter that might turn out to be rated R isn't going to be for a while because it's going to happen when Lireela becomes a vampire.

"But I do not understand," said Verona, "Why is she so important that you wait five years for a bride?"

"Verona, my darling, pay attention," said Dracula in his mesmerizing voice. "How did you manage to capture this girl?"

"Aleera and I followed her into the night," said Verona, "And we waited. She walked out of her house, and then we knew it was time to act. Once she was close, Aleera jumped onto her..."

"Continue," Dracula urged, his eyes straying over to Lireela then back to Verona.

"She threw Aleera off. I do not know how, she was pinned to the ground..."

"Telekinesis," said Dracula, his eyes flashing.

"How does he know?" Lireela muttered.

"I have not dealt with your kind since 1576," answered Dracula. "When witchcraft rose with the topmost of beliefs... They tried to destroy me as well," he added, "But it did not work. Not even with their powers, my darling. So do not think you are a threat to me." His eyes flashed. "Because you are going to be my bride, soon enough, darling. When you tell me your name -"

"I will tell you nothing, monster!" Lireela shrieked. "I would die a thousand deaths before becoming one of yours."

Dracula laughed his cold, heartless laugh. "One thousand deaths? No. One will be sufficient, my dear. You will be mine, and you will come to adore me, and fear me, and we will be together for eternity, and rule this earth as the first of our kind!"

Lireela struggled to free her hands... how she longed to freeze him... but Verona held her tight. She could not free herself.

"I have heard of you," said Lireela, her face pale. "I have seen your kind killing my family! I will not give in to you, I will not do your bidding!"

Dracula looked at her with a deadly calm expression upon his face.

"If that is how you feel, my love," he said quietly, "I will teach you to feel differently."

Lireela narrowed her eyes.

"Lock her up," commanded Dracula. Verona nodded and headed out the door.

"And do not let her out until you have found out her name. Once she has uttered it, bring her to me."

He passed Verona and Lireela on his way out, but Lireela could not hear his footsteps down the hall... just the soft rustling of his cape. She shivered.

"Come."

Verona dragged her down a left hallway, up two flights of stairs and into a room on the right and shoved her in.

"You will be staying here until you do as the master has told you," she said, and closed the door. Lireela heard the lock click.

She looked around the room. It was as gloomy as the room she had just been in - the bed was black, its covers a blood red... there even appeared to be a blood stain on them. The room smelled damp and musty... old and decaying. It was still cold, and, as Lireela figured out when she got under the bedcovers, they did little for warmth.

That night she lay awake for hours, staring at the ceiling, her mind blank except for the one thing that was penetrating through her semi-unconsious mind... the one thing that chilled her blood and yet somehow fueled a fire within her...

"We will be together for eternity, and rule this earth as the first of our kind!"