Only fifteen minutes away from the airport Astrid was now. Despite being pulled over by the police officer she was making good time. She could hear her phone vibrating in her purse and immediately used her free hand to fish inside her purse to find it. Upon pulling it out , it showed a number she did not recognize. Slipping it down with her thumb she ignored the call. The music over the radio was calming her nerves somewhat, but her thoughts were still chaotic. Were Alex and Elliot safe ? Did Dracula take them back to castle Dracula? Astrid could only hope he didn't take them there, it wasn't the most kid friendly place to be. Her phone was going off again and it appeared to be the same number from before. Deciding to answer the phone this time, she accepted it and connected the phone to blue tooth. "Hello?" " Hello Astrid, I'm thrilled to you decided to answer this time." It was Dracula of all people calling her. How on Earth did he get her phone number ? she thought. " How dare you! How dare you hypnotize me causing me to pass out and kidnap my children in the middle of the night. Where are my children Dracula? So help me God if you hurt them in any way." Dracula interrupted her before she could continue. " Astrid you need to calm yourself down! The children are fine, if it makes you feel any better I'll put one of them on the line." Astrid could hear shuffling on the other end of the phone till someone else picked up the phone. " Mom is that you?" asked Elliot. She started to cry as she heard her son's voice. " Mom you there?" " I'm here Elliot , where are you? Is your brother ok?" " We are great! Dad brought us to his house and we have been practicing how to fly. You'd be proud of me mom, I flew for an hour this morning. "said
Elliot. Astrid almost missed her exit as she listened intently to Elliot's voice.
" Mom when are you coming over ? Dad said you will be coming to live with us." "Sweety that is great! Please put your father on the phone ok? I love you." " Love you too" Dracula answered the phone again. " I presume you are on your way to the airport? Henry won't wait for much longer." " I rushed out of the house as soon as I got your letter. I have no clothes or anything packed for that matter. I can't believe you did this." Astrid now pressed the button to let her in to the garage to park her car. A ticket popped of the machine and she shoved it quickly into her purse. " Astrid I shall make sure you have clothing and all necessities. Please hurry we have much to discuss when you arrive." " There is nothing to discuss. I'm coming over there to get Alex and Elliot and bring them back home, end of story!" Astrid hung up the phone on him as she pulled into a parking spot. She would only be allowed to park the car for two weeks. Dear God I hope I don't need more than weeks to get the boys home she thought. Astrid approached the sliding glass doors to the front of the airport. Cars were steadily pulling up in front of entrance dropping people off as quick as they came. There was a man holding up a sign with her name on it. His attire reminded her of someone from the secret service with his black suit and tie. His back was leaning against the wall while he smoked on a cigarette as she approached. This had to be Henry , Astrid thought. " Glad you could make it Miss Valerious. We must hurry we only got fifteen minutes to spare." He handed her to flight ticket and she quickly followed him inside the airport.
Bucharest the capital of Romania was where Dracula now resided. Castle Dracula, his icy prison he was actually happy to leave behind. Dorobanti a neighborhood close to his work ,but also had the best schools and parks was the ideal place to raise his sons. Locking himself in his study for almost an hour now he had much still to catch up with since he went on leave for those few short days. Phone calls to make and paperwork to sign, he felt swamped. Although his children seemed to quite occupied with his collection of films down in the indoor movie theater he had constructed last year. The white brick mansion sat on 34 acres of land and had a gated drive way leading to it. Dracula prided himself on his rose gardens in the back yard and often had parties among his fellow colleagues from time to time. A knock came at the door suddenly. " Come in ." said Dracula not even looking up from the papers scattered on his desk. " My lord, Miss Valerious has arrived." Dracula looked up at Henry who was now in the door way. " Excellent, I shall be right away." Henry bowed before closing the door behind him.
Upon reaching the top of the steps he saw down in the walk way was Astrid waiting next to Henry. Disheveled she looked wearing an oversized blue hoodie and jeans. Hair looking unkempt being pulled back into a messy bun. Anger was etched in every line on her face as she looked up as I approached. " Mom!" shouted the twin boys as they ran over to their mother. Astrid dropped her purse and kneeled down on the floor as she embraced them. She hugged them tightly afraid they might slip away from her grasp. Dracula had now joined them in the hall at the bottom of the steps. " See my children, I told you your mother would come." Said Dracula. " Mom dad's house is so cool! It has a tennis court, a swimming pool and even an indoor movie theater! " said Alex. " Mom mom we gotta show you our rooms come on!" squealed Elliot. Her children seemed so happy to be here, it almost made her feel guilty to tell them they couldn't stay. " Alex Elliot listen to me, we can't stay here . We have to go home immediately." Both Elliot and Alex didn't understand as to why. They now were starting to complain till Dracula intervened. " Now now there is no need to rush Astrid, you just got here. Why don't you freshen up before dinner. Henry can show you to your room." Said Dracula. Everyone was now looking at her. The children were now pleading with their mom that they could stay. " Mom please please can we stay please?" Asked Alex. How could she say no to those bigs eyes and puckered lips of her boys . They were now almost begging, holding their hands together. Astrid saw Dracula had a smug look upon his face and she then scowled at him. " I will think about this after having a good nights rest. In the mean time I'd like to get a shower for I'm a mess right now and exhausted." The boys started cheering and jumping up n down as they were still holding on to her. "Right this way Miss Valerious." Said Henry as he handed Astrid her purse. Giving Dracula the most unbecoming look she could muster she managed her way up the stairs behind Henry.
She had to admit this place of Dracula's was something else. Dracula seemed to have not spared any expense when it came to the decoration of the place. Her room had two huge Bay windows that over looked the back yard. Upon looking out a massive intricate maze made out of hedges could be seen and several rose bushes were scattered around the patio outside. A king sized bed loaded with plush and silk pillows was situated at the far corner of the allowed herself to fall back on the bed as she snuggled amongst the silk rose gold comforter. This Place was really decked out and despite being tired she wanted to explore. She could now begin to understand the excitement in her boys. It almost made her feel bad in a sense she couldn't provide them a life like this. Even when Arnold was alive their house was nothing compared to this. Out of the corner of her eye she saw another door to the left of her. Jumping off the bed she went to turn the glass door knob of the other door. It lead to a spacious bathroom that seemed to have a beach kind of theme. Jars of sea shells lined on the counter of the sink and pictures of the ocean hanged along the walls. The bathtub was also upon noticing was a Jacuzzi as well with jets aligning the sides of the tub. Oh this was so unfair, everything about this place almost tempted her to want to stay here. Maybe if it was someone else's home, but the idea of living with Dracula again was less than to be desired. The crystal clear water gushed out of the spicket into the tub. An hour till dinner was ready she remembered Henry telling her. An hour soaking in the tub sounded amazing after the few days she had.
Astrid felt literally like a prune for her skin was all soggy from soaking so long. No matter she felt decent now and her muscles in her back seemed loose. The white dresser next to her bed actually did have clothing for her. " Yuck!" she said to herself at the selection of clothes Dracula had chosen for her. They all seemed to be skin tight or way too reveling for her taste. Astrid settled on some black riding pants and an ivory green colored blouse. There was black boots to match that came up to her knees. With no hair dryer in site , Astrid simply braided her soaken wet hair. A knock at the door startled her just as she was finished putting on her eye liner. Henry walked through the door to her room. " I'm here to show you where dinner will be served." She shook her head as she got up from the vanity out looking the garden.
Dracula was sitting at head of long polished wooden table. Alex and Elliot were sitting to the right of him as Astrid walked into the dinning room. Henry pulled out a chair for her to sit so she was sitting to the left of Dracula. " Feeling better Astrid I take it?" asked Dracula before clapping his hands for the butler to bring them their glasses of blood. " Yes very much, thank you." Alex took a sip of blood from his cup and made a look of disgust. " This tastes funny, what is it?" Dracula laughed at his son and Astrid took a sip of the blood. Human blood it was, Astrid had never fed the boys anything but the blood of animals. " I agree my son, 35 years of age and it tastes expired." Astrid slapped her forehead with her hand, shaking her head as she did. The little boy didn't quite understand and shrugged it off as he continued to drink from his cup. " Still feeding off of roadkill I take it?" chuckled Dracula " You are lucky my children are in this room cause if they weren't I'd be giving you a piece of my mind." " Don't you worry Astrid I plan after dinner to have a little chat with you anyways." "Oh joy! I really enjoy our little talks." Said Astrid sarcastically. " Mom can we go watch some TV now, I've finished my supper" said Elliot before downing the last drop of blood from his cup. " Ya that is fine, take your brother with you please."
Dracula and Astrid were alone now seated at the dining room table still. " You are a piece of work you know that? That act you displayed earlier, guilt tripping me into staying here to not upset the boys. You know kidnapping is a criminal offense where I come from?" Dracula found Astrid to be rather amusing. Her empty threats her attempts to build a wall between them seemed futile to Dracula. Give it time he thought to himself give it time. " Kidnapping my own children, that is a new one. Keep going Astrid I know you have more steam to let out." " It is Kidnapping ! You are not on the birth certificate and you did not have my consent to take them. I should have you arrested for this and have your career go down the toilet."said Astrid "Ha there goes threatening law enforcement on me again. Tell me Astrid how do you really think that would pan out? Since you know everything I'm curious to know?" His snarky remarks were getting to her. It seemed as if he believed he was above the law. Maybe the laws of men, but not the laws of God. " I noticed the wedding ring I gave you all those years back is missing off your finger, do you still have it?" asked Dracula. "No I don't, I pawned it so I could put money down on a car." " I spent a lot of money on that ring you know. A pity it was meaningless to you. I would've hoped you would have kept it" Dracula had arisen from his chair he seemed agitated and walked past Astrid in a haste. "What did you expect Dracula? After everything you have done to me, did you really think I could love you?" shouted Astrid .He stopped in tracks as he was almost at the door leading out of the dining room. " Give up Dracula for it is never going to happen." Instantly Dracula teleported in front of Astrid so he was now mere inches away. Astrid didn't seemed to be all that phased as she didn't even flinch. " let me ask you something Astrid. All those years ago when Arnold had sired you, how did you feel there after about him? Surely I'd think you be angry that he turned you into the monster that you are today. Turned you into a monster that you and your precious family aimed to destroy if given the chance to." She couldn't respond , she didn't know how to respond. He was digging at old wounds ones she had buried oh so long ago. " I'm sure you resented him for quite some time ,till with time you were able to overcome that. Time had healed all and brought you two closer together. That is why I don't give up Astrid for I feel all you need is time. Time to accept that our fates are intertwined, time for you to let go of the ill feelings you have towards me." "Stay out of my head Dracula!" shouted Astrid. " Astrid I don't need to read your thoughts to know I'm right. Your facial expressions give it away." Astrid started to slowly back away from him. This conversation was getting to uncomfortable for her. Dracula was right on how she always ran away from her problems and she so wanted to just run right now. Just grab the boys and run as far as she could from this place. He seemed to have cornered her as her back hit the wall of the dinning hall. " My next question maybe a tad inappropriate, however I'm curious to know how many people have you bedded with since you and I were last together?" Astrid's mouth seemed to be hanging wide open now as she was in such shock by his question. " That is none of your of concern." " Oh really?" said Dracula while he rested his one hand on the wall next to her shoulder. " I'd like to know if the mother of my children was whoring around in my absence?" "Fuck off!" shouted Astrid as she tried to slip past him. He grabbed her shoulder slamming her against the wall again. Mildly annoyed he tried to keep his composure awhile continuing to drill her with questions. " What about that strapping young lad that you were hanging out with hmmm?" " I haven't been with anyone, not even Chase. Believe what you want of me, but my sole focus has been to our children. I've dealt with so much trauma , that romance has been the last thing on my mind. I only knew Chase for 3 months before you barged into my life again like you always do. I seriously could ask you the same question sir."
" I'm not ashamed to say that their were others. Women seem drawn to me and I believe somewhere deep inside that cold heart of yours you feel something for me as well." Dracula just admitted to sleeping with other women and then tried to accuse her of sleeping around. The man was insane and to top it off he thought she felt some sort of way towards him . " Oh how wrong you are sir. Also if your Mr. Casanova, where are all these women at? I'm sure women are just dying to fuck a corpse." He had now grasped her by the chin. It felt as if he was going to crush her jaw with his grip. " You shall mind your tongue while in my presence. That is twice now you have cursed me, next time I won't be so lenient." Quickly he removed his grasp from her jaw as Astrid went to touch her tender jaw line. "Come , I have work in the morning and wish to spend the night with my family." Dracula grabbed a hold of her hand urging her to walk with him to the living room where the children were at. " Please I just want to be alone right now, I don't my children to see me like this."She could feel she was on the verge of tears, not to mention the amount of pain she was in when he squeezed her jaw. " As you wish . I will notify you when the children are ready for bed." Astrid shook her head as he turned away to exit the dinning room leaving her alone to herself.