Shortly after eating and drinking, Crina felt sleep washing over her once again. Wondering if the food had been drugged, she allowed sleep to take her.

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"Why do I have to learn how to fight?" Crina sighed, tossing her long braid over her shoulder and fixing Ioan with an exasperated stare, her dark eyes glittering.

His soft brown ones gazed back, twinkling, sparkling. He was grinning. "Because, my dear Crina, you will be sixteen in less than a week. So far, people have taught you a lot of things; housekeeping, mothering and the like. Forgive me, but that's all useful if you can't keep yourself alive to use them."

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A crash of thunder awoke Crina. The room was freezing. Heavy rain lashed against the window, a cold draught rolling across the air. Crina sat up slowly, a cold sweat on her skin. It was about midnight.

Vlad would be back now. She needed to see him. She needed to get answers to her questions. She needed him to take her home, where she felt safe, where everything was normal. But where would he be? As far as she knew, the castle was large, and it could be near impossible to find him.

Still, she couldn't just sit here and do nothing. Sighing shakily, she stood up, clutching the cloak around her slender frame, shivering in the cold. Praying the door was open, she hurried over, closing her hand around the aging doorknob. Holding her breath, she tugged.

The door was locked.

Crina cursed. Still, that didn't mean much. She stepped back, focusing her mind on getting the door open, and charged her shoulder into it, hard. The door opened.

Barely concealing a grin, she opened it all the way, feeling a rush of cold that made her room seem warm. For a moment, she stared out onto the dark, stone hallway, her eyes adjusting slowly. It was silent out here, a strange tense silence on the air. She blinked.

"Vlad?" she called, her voice echoing around as she stepped out. The stone floor was hideously cold.

Deciding to go left along the hall, she started to walk. The walls were dark and empty; there was no light, except the moonlight, which drifted in from a window right by the door she had just left. There were no more doors, and she could not see the end of the corridor.

"Vlad?" she repeated, her voice high and a little frightened. There was something strange about this place.

Finally she reached the end of the corridor. She saw it widened into a large room, with a set of stone steps spiralling down, and one going up. There was a large, beautiful window. Lightning flashed outside, illuminating the room. Soon afterwards, there was a clash of thunder. Crina shivered and drew the cloak closer. Now where should she go? She was contemplating going back to her room and waiting until the morning.

She called out one final time. "Vlad! Where are-?"

Crina never finished what she was saying because at that moment a hand grabbed her shoulder. She gasped in shock as she was spun roughly around. She was allowed a momentary glimpse at cruel blue eyes but a hand slapped her hard across the face, scratching her with sharp nails, lifting off her feet.

Crina felt herself hit the floor hard. She landed on her front, the wind knocked out of her. She was shaking, horrified, shocked. Who was the person who had hit her?

"Get up!" a male voice shouted. It was low, threatening, with a heavy Transylvanian accent. "I said get up, mortal!"

Mortal? Something was definately wrong. Crina tried to get up, not wanting to enrage him further, but her body just wouldn't move. She was frozen in fear, breathing sharply.

"I said," came the voice once more, now right at her ear, "GET UP!" His hand, large and strong, closed around her throat, choking her, lifting her as easily as if she were a ragdoll. She cried out, gasping for air, feeling the cloak fall away from her. He pinned her against the wall by her neck.

"Let- let- me go... you're ch-choking me..."

He was taller than she was, incredibly muscular underneath his white shirt and tight black trousers. Her vision was blurring, but she could make out sharp blue eyes and long messy blonde hair around a pale face. She saw him grin. "You are a mortal, I can tell from your... blood..." He whispered it obscenely, leaning close.

She forced out a short, high scream as he slowly ran his tongue across her cheek, licking the place where he had scratched her, licking up her blood.

"Yes, yes," he whispered into her ear, "delicious. I wonder what Vlad wants you for, mortal. He didn't mention you to me. A shame, a shame. Mortals are delicious, girl, and you're such a pretty one too. We could have a lot of... fun, you and me."

"Let go of me!" she choked, eyes watering. She wriggled hopelessly, terrified.

"Or perhaps... perhaps you aren't supposed to be in here at all..." he continued. There was a detached look in his eyes. This man was clearly insane. "Or perhaps... you're Vlad's whore... yes, yes, you look like a whore..."

Crina spat suddenly in his face. He realised her, shocked, and she darted away from him, heading for the staircase that went up. Panting, shaking, she began to run up them. She didn't get far.

Large cold hands closed around her ankles and tugged. She screamed again as she fell flat on the stairs, rolling over in time to see the man step up beside her. She lay still, shaking, as he looked at her hungrily.

"Pretty mortal," he leered. Slowly, he squatted down, reaching out to touch her neck.

"Vlad!" she screamed, hardly aware of what was coming out of her mouth. "Please, Vlad!"

The man chuckled, leaning closer, his hand brushing her neck. He nipped her earlobe with his teeth before whispering, "Vlad won't save you! He brings women for this purpose, whore..." His hand moved down.

Crina screamed, thrashing, slapping at him with both hands. He laughed, then grabbed both of her hands suddenly, pinning them down above her head with one of his own. Shaking, she spat again.

He was expecting it this time, but he still loosened his grip a little. Taking advantage of this, Crina leapt forward, tackling him. They both fell to the floor at the bottom of the stairs as lightening flashed. Crina found herself on top of him, and balled her fist, preparing to hit him.

His eyes glinted evilly and shoved her shoulders. It didn't appear he even put much effort into it, but she flew up in the air, landing painfully on her back a little away from him. Thunder crashed outside. Crina pushed herself to her feet quickly, in time to see him reach her, lift her and throw her at the wall.

Crina hit the wall hard, feeling her nose break. She cried out in pain as she dropped to the floor, landing on her side. She had banged her head, and was in a state of semi-consciousness, unable to move.

The man laughed and scooped her up in his arms roughly, carrying her over to the wooden banister of the down staircase, holding her over it. She stared down, breathless. The ground was a very, very long way away from up here. If he dropped her, she would die.

"Please!" she cried out. "Please, don't-"

With a final cruel laugh, the man dropped her.

"Vlad!" Crina screamed, falling, falling, dying.

To be continued.