Hey, thanx for the reviews! I know 19 isn't really a child, but if you think about it, it is to Dracula! lol... i guess he just wants her to look the age his other brides look... it's hard to explain...

Lireela sat staring, unseeing, at the blank, dark walls in the room, lit only by the slowly dying fire in the dismal fireplace. Letting her long brown hair fall in front of her face, she turned to look at the letter. Her hands shook.

Why did I not tell him earlier that I love him? she scolded herself quietly. Now he will be looking for me and I... I cannot leave.

Weeping softly, she buried her head in a pillow.

"Aleera..."

"I am awake."

"It is time to feed."

"Yes. I will bring the prisoners."

"I will go to Master."

Verona walked down the hallway and out of sight, making no sound. Aleera turned left and down the stairs, the darkness deepening as she went.

The smell of dark and decay was present all around Aleera as she descended to the prisoners' room. Reveling in the darkness, her lust for her master, and desire for blood Aleera could feel night descending on the castle, and therefore knew the time to feast on their prisoners was now.

She reached the cell where the humans were kept, and opened the door. Immediately, one of the men tried to tackle her to the ground, but she grabbed hold of his neck.

"Pitiful human," she sneered, "You will die first."

Choking, the man struggled against Aleera's powerful grip, but it was no use. Aleera dropped him. He died before he hit the floor.

"Carry him," Aleera ordered the other man, a thin, pale man with graying hair. He whispered something to the shaking girl sitting opposite him, and stepped out of the cell to pick up the bocy.

"Follow me."

The man and the girl followed Aleera up the stairs slowly, knowing what was ahead and knowing they could do nothing to stop it. The girl was sobbing quietly, the man was gritting his teeth to stop the tears welling inside of him.

They walked on for what seemed like ages to the humans. Their lives flashing before them, they entered the dining hall.

Lireela wiped her eyes and sat up.

It's all over, she realized, There's no going back.

She stood up, knees trembling, with the idea of going back to her room. But then she realized she had no idea how to get there from here – wherever here was.

Lireela opened the door and turned right. Trying to head in the general direction her room was, she made her was through numerous hallways and after a while she still had no idea where she was.

She sat down, rubbing her hand over her forehead, when suddenly she heard an agonized cry.

Getting up, she rushed to the source of the sound. She found herself standing in the doorway of a great dining hall. The whole room was made of stone, and had an arched ceiling. In the center of the room was a long table, which Lireela was standing near the end of. And at the other end of the room was a high-backed chair, and in it was Count Dracula. Beside him were standing Aleera and Verona, each holding their captive. Dracula was feeding on his, the elder man, draining the life-blood from him.

Lireela could not move. Watching Dracula devour his prey, she suddenly became sick and afraid. Who would they devour next?

Aleera, having gotten the man she had killed earlier, bit down greedily on his neck, and slowly sucked the blood from him.

Verona began to bend down to bite the girl...

"No! Stop!"

Lireela could not let her kill the girl.

"Don't hurt her!" she ran to try to rescue the girl, but Dracula grabbed her arm.

"My darling, do not interfere. This is how we exist in this world. One day you will bloodlust just as we do."

Verona bit down, and the girl cried in pain, then was silent.

Lireela was in shock. She could not move.

Dracula wiped his face of blood with his sleeve, and walked over to Lireela. He whispered, "As my future bride, you will come to live with the feeding... enjoy it. I will make sure of that, my love." Not taking his eyes off of Lireela, he motioned for Verona and Aleera.

"Aleera, take her to her room. Do not lock it. Verona... come."

Dracula and Verona left.

Aleera looked at Lireela, who was sobbing into her hands. "Come," she said.

Lireela looked up. Aleera's expression was impassive. Sighing, Lireela followed her to her room.