"Not of age yet, I can wait."
Aleera stood still unable to move of make a sound, Dracula had swooped down on her whilst she was collecting water from the town's well. The sun was nowhere to be seen and he grabbed her and brought her to Castle Frankenstein. She had struggled at first but when he just laughed she gave up and was sure of her fate. But now, in the castle he had not laid a finger on her.
"You are 18?"
Aleera merely nodded that was the only action she could manage with him controlling her.
"My brides are in need of a third sister. I am looking for someone beautiful to keep them company and bear my children."
He stepped closer and Aleera shuddered, the cold was radiating off him like heat would if he were alive.
"No."
"What?"
Aleera was shocked at her own confidence.
"No, I will not help you create more of your foul kind."
He smiled at her and reached a hand out to her. She tried to step away but found herself glued to the spot. He stroked her cheek then tilted her head to the side. She whimpered but he just laughed.
"Do not fear me, I will not have you yet. On the night of your 21st birthday, look for me."
He laughed again and Aleera fell into darkness.
Aleera sat at the table quietly thinking, ignoring the sound of the Werewolf howling, her sisters fighting and her master shouting orders. She had but little time to her self, she was either with her master or sisters. No matter where she went, whether it was outside or in they would find her.
"Aleera!"
She turned and saw Marishka flying through the door with Verona close behind. They both landed and started fighting, Aleera hissed loudly but they took no notice of her. She shifted into her vampiric form and tried to prise them apart but they shifted and two was too much for her.
"Stop or I'll call master."
They stopped immediately, she smiled letting her fangs show menacingly.
"What's this? A secret from master? Tell me or I'll tell him."
"You wouldn't dare Aleera, it's nothing to do with you anyway."
"Why not?"
Aleera hissed at them but they just hissed back, Marishka hid the thing she was holding and moved away form both of them.
"I will tell you Aleera."
"No!"
Verona lunged once again but Aleera had grabbed her by her foot and threw her against the wall. She crashed into it and fell to the ground, she rose snarling just as Dracula waltzed into the room.
"What is going on?"
Neither one of his brides answered him, when it came to their fighting they did not tell their master. It was a fierce sisterly bond and an unspoken rule, more than once one had taken all of the master's rage for their silence but the others had comforted her then. Dracula looked around the room, he saw Verona healing and immediately looked towards Aleera and Marishka. He saw Aleera's grown fangs and motioned for her to follow him.
"Come with me Aleera."
She followed silently, looking at the ground. They stepped through the door and it shut behind them, Dracula stopped then turned. Aleera looked at him then back at the ground.
"What happened Aleera?"
"Nothing master, Verona and me were playing."
"Playing? Playing doesn't make dents in the wall and person."
He regarded her silently then shifted into his bat-like form and lunged at her. She screamed and tried to fly away but her grabbed her by the leg and slammed her to the ground.
"Do not run from me!"
Aleera cowered on the floor waiting for another blow, it never came and she finally looked up. Dracula was in his human form again and walking away from her, she started to cry silently and never moved from her spot on the floor.
"Aleera where have you been? What happened to you child?"
Aleera stood in the middle of the crowd shivering with everyone staring at her. Her mother rushed forward and wrapped a blanket around her. She was led into the nearest house that happened to be her own and given a warm drink. When she had warmed up she just sat in front of the fire and stared into nothing.
"Aleera where have you been? We feared that the vampires had gotten to you, it was a cloudy day after all."
"No mama, I just went too far into the woods, I got scared and ran and ended up falling into the river."
"Aleera, when will you learn? Stay in the village where you'll be safe."
"No where's safe, not even here."
"Aye, but you'll be a damn sight better here than out there on your own. A pretty girl like you would be a fine meal for his brides and himself."
"How do you kill him?"
Aleera saw her mother stop what she was doing and turn to her.
"Why?"
"Just curious."
"Curiosity killed the cat, don't you forget that. The King Valerious will kill Dracula."
"But Mama, they have been trying for years but they haven't done it yet."
"Child."
She came and knelt down in front of Aleera.
"If they cannot do it then no one can. We must trust them with our lives and silently support them. If we all doubted them then we will never be rid of Count Dracula."
Aleera nodded, if the count really did come back for her she would have to hope the Valerious would kill him before he got the chance to turn her.
"Sister?"
Marishka and Verona stood over Aleera's body, she had not moved or made a sound since they had found her. When they heard her scream and her master roar they feared the worst and hurried to find them both. When they got there their master was nowhere to be seen and Aleera was lying on the floor.
"We're sorry sister, we didn't mean for that to happen. We will tell master it wasn't your fault."
Aleera finally sat up and shook her head, they could see that her makeup was smeared and she had a long gash on her face where Dracula had scratched her. His wounds on his brides never healed unless he willed them to, obviously he had not forgiven her yet.
"Oh sister, we shall go to him now and beg for all our forgiveness."
Aleera again shook her head and stood up, she wiped away her tears and stood tall.
"I shall not stay here, I shall go somewhere else."
"Aleera no!"
Before they could stop her she changed and flew off, they daren't follow in case their master found out and punished them all.
"Vampires!"
The cry went through the village and everyone scattered trying frantically to reach their houses and lock the doors. Aleera stood amidst the chaos watching the approaching figures, someone pushed past her and knocked her to the ground. She sat up and faced Dracula's brides, they smiled at her, though she wasn't sure whether it was anger, jealousy or hunger behind the smiles.
"Aleera darling, you should not be outside. We might get too hungry to search for the pathetic people here."
"I am not afraid of you."
"No, you have no reason to fear us whilst in our masters protection."
Aleera looked around and saw the curious looks on peoples faces as they looked out the window and saw the Vampires talking to Aleera.
"What do you mean?"
They smiled again, but this time it was to each other.
"We do not harm you or members of your family on his orders, we are not foolish enough to disobey them."
Aleera looked into their beautiful and ageless faces.
"How long?"
This question seemed to catch them off guard and confusion crossed their faces.
"What?"
"How long has it been since you saw your family's or felt love in your hearts?"
They stared at her thoughtfully then the blonde grabbed Aleera by the throat and lifted her to her feet. Her mother rushed out of the house screaming, followed by the rest of her family and eventually the rest of the village. The brides seemed undaunted by the crowds and just looked Aleera in the eyes.
"One year my darling and you will know all. We will love you like a sister and take care of you like a child, but until then we shall make your last year as a mortal a misery."
The blonde let her go and turned to the villagers, they all stepped back fearing she would pounce. When she did not move they relaxed, the two brides saw this and leapt into the air.
"One year child, then we will come for you."
They flew off cackling and Aleera burst into tears, no one came to her, not even her mother. All knew what that last remark had meant, they all knew that Dracula had been looking for a new bride. None of them dared think that he would choose from their village, his brides were always from some far off exotic place. To have a future bride in their own village was enough to give them dark thoughts.
"Mama?"
Aleera looked at her mother then to the rest of the village. No one looked or offered her help, not one of them knew this would be their biggest mistake.