"Do you think they have gone?" Victoria whispered as she sat inside of Velkan's embrace, allowing him to keep his arms around her waist as they sat on the edge of her bed, waiting for the shrieking to finish. It had finished long before, but both of them had not dared to move yet.

Velkan remained strong, refusing to show her how he feared the vampires. He could not be the weak one in all of this, not whilst he held Victoria's shaking body. Her head rested against his chest as his hand stroked her hair, his fingers twirling strands of hair as he did so. She kept her own hands on his shoulders, waiting for the noise to finish.

"Possibly," he whispered to her and she pulled back for a moment, looking him in the eye and biting down on her bottom lip as worry took a hold of her. She had known Velkan for less than two weeks and already she felt great worry for him.

"You should stay here for the evening," Victoria urged him. "What happens if they come back?"

"It is hardly proper," Velkan replied; a small smirk on his face as he pushed a stand of hair behind her ear. "A gentleman should never spend a night with a Lady unless they are married."

Victoria smiled gently and shook her head slowly. "You should tell Diana that."

Velkan's brows furrowed as Victoria stood up and moved to look outside of the window, daring to push it open slightly. Velkan followed her, jumping to his feet and standing behind her and peering out of the window over her shoulder.

"Diana is a girl who stays here?" he checked.

"Yes, she is the seamstress with Maria," Victoria replied, noting how people were moving to the streets to speak about what had just happened. A woman stood in the midst of the square, kneeling on the floor and sobbing into a man's arms.

"Her son," Victoria whispered. "They must have taken her son."

Velkan inhaled sharply and shook his head back and forth. He closed the window for Victoria before he spun her around in his hold, his head shaking back and forth as he contemplate what he was about to ask from her. He saw her shivering still, even under the weight of his cloak as he grabbed her by the waist, holding her tightly.

"You should not stay here," he urged her. "The winter shall soon be upon us. You should return to London and go back to where you are safe. It is not safe for you to stay here."

"Nor is it safe for you," Victoria replied.

"I have no choice on the matter," Velkan replied. "You know that, Victoria. You have a chance to leave."

"And so does everyone else in Transylvania." Victoria replied. "We are not having this discussion, Velkan. Now, will you stay here for the evening, or do you intend to be reckless and run away into the night?"

Velkan kept silent for a few moments, watching as Victoria slipped from his embrace and sat down at her dresser, looking into the mirror as she reached for her brush. She slipped Velkan's cloak from her shoulders, allowing it to pool to her lap.

He moved to stand behind her before perching on the edge of the stool, watching as she brushed her hair rhythmically.

"Will the other two girls be home soon?" Velkan wondered from her and Victoria sighed, shaking her head back and forth as she worried for them. She knew that they had to be somewhere. The chances of them being caught were slim. The vampires only took what they needed to survive; nothing more, nothing less.

"Diana spends most of her nights with Felix. Maria is probably staying with the seamstress she works with. She mentioned staying late tonight; no doubt they will allow her to stay there after the vampire attack. She wouldn't want to walk home alone and she would scold me for going to find her. The attacks shake her up the most."

Velkan remained silent as he listened to her speak with him. She slowly turned her head to the side in order to look at him, forcing a small smile onto her face as she did so.

"Stay," she urged him gently.

"My family will be worried about me," Velkan shook his head. "I should return home."

"I simply worry for you," Victoria assured him. "It is dark out there, Velkan. It is scarcely safe."

"My father should be home," Velkan told her, his hand gently cupping her cheek as he did so. His thumb roamed the skin there and she inhaled sharply at the contact. "I will be safe. I promise you that."

She sighed and nodded gently to him, kissing him on the cheek. "Make sure you are."

"I shall visit you again tomorrow," Velkan promised her and she handed him his cloak, awkwardly pressing it into his hand before she kissed him on the cheek and Velkan held her hand inside of his for a moment. He pressed his lips against her knuckles and stood up, still holding her hand as he move from the seat and she turned her upper body to keep looking at him.

"Yes," Victoria nodded in agreement with him. "Goodnight, Velkan."

He bent down at the waist, bowing to her and earning a larger grin from her before he kissed her on the hand once more. "Goodnight, Victoria."

...

He had no idea what possessed him to leave the safety of his castle walls that evening. Why was he going to her now, after all this time? What did he intend to do once he saw her? Would he be unable to stop himself for claiming her as his? Would he have her like he should have done all those years ago?

She had been snatched from his clutches. He wanted what was rightfully his.

His brides had been left to sleep for the night, wondering where their master had gone but not questioning his disappearance. They knew better than to question what he did. It was the silence of the night which he longed for. The silence and the darkness kept him content to a certain extent.

He flew with haste, landing in the village before looking around. There was no one about and the night was cold as people slept. He knew that winter must be approaching soon, but it mattered not to him.

Victoria. She was the only one that mattered to him. Ever since he had found out that it had been her he did his best to keep his distance, remembering what had happened the last time he had seen her. He had lost her. He had sold his soul to try and keep her alive, but he had been too late. She had died before he could save her and claim her as his own.

Now he felt nothing. He felt hollow and empty all of the time, even his brides could not bring his happiness. He had grown used to that, but now he worried what would happen if he did see her. Would the pain come back to him? Would he feel once again? Would his heart be rekindled?

And if he lost her again? He did not wish to think of that.

It had been easier to keep his distance and have his brides keep an eye on her. But now she was intent on spending time with a Valerious. A man who he would kill. It was only a matter of time before she found herself hurt.

He tugged his sleeves as he wandered closer towards her house, the sound of heartbeats entering his ears as he did so. Slowly, he moved inside, pushing the door open and taking one step in, his boots clicking against the wooden floor. He closed his eyes for a second, inhaling her familiar scent before he took to the staircase, hearing it creak under his weight.

It was only when he saw that her door was slightly open did his breath hitch in his throat for a moment. He slowly moved into the bedroom and finally he laid his eyes on her again. She was hidden underneath the covers, laid on her side with one arm dangling from the bed.

He took another step closer to the bed, looking only at her but sensing that she was the only one in the room for which he was thankful for. Bending down, he crouched and looked at her. She looked as she had done all those years ago.

Of course she looked less regal, her hair was limp and her face gaunter than he recalled. But it was her. He could sense it. Hesitantly, he dared to move his own hand, his cold touch moving to entwine his fingers against her warm ones.

His breathing hitched as he did so, his eyes shutting and his mind returning to that night on the balcony.

"Of course I will marry you, Vlad. You need not look so worried. You had to have known that I would say yes?"

"I knew...but I still worry. You know what this means, don't you, Victoria? We have to run from here. We need to hide."

She shook her head back and forth, a strand of her hair falling from the bun on the top of her head as she moved her own hands to take hold of his shoulders, clinging tightly to him as he sighed and kissed her on the top of her head, his hands moving down to the small of her back as she nestled her cheek against his chest, hearing his heartbeat beneath the layers of clothes he wore.

"My mother and father will not understand this," she whispered to him. "But I understand, Vlad. I know it is dangerous for us to be here. I see that. Is The Order becoming more restless?"

He sighed sharply and shook his head, resting his chin on top of her head and kissing the hair which sat there.

"Van Helsing grows suspicious of my motives," he spoke softly. "It is only a matter of time before he discovers something. I cannot continue to risk what we have by sneaking around like this."

Their eyes both moved back to the inside of the mansion, the sound of cheers and clapping entering their ears.

"My mother will wonder where I have been," Victoria whispered and he nodded in agreement with her. "We go tomorrow night?"

"Yes," he agreed numbly, wishing that he could steal her away that evening.

She pulled back from him and straightened out the blue gown which she wore before resting her hands on her corset, wishing it was not so tight on her. He admired her for a few seconds, noting the way she pulled her white gloves further onto her arms and then smiled to him, her long next extending so that she could kiss him on the cheek once more.

"Until tomorrow, my love," she whispered into his ear and he clutched her hand against his chest before nodding in agreement. He watched her turn on her heel and move back inside, her blue gown swirling around her feet as she went.

He remained stood where he was before following her, the sight of Van Helsing entering his vision as he looked down to the ballroom floor where the man stood and conversed with Victoria's parents. It was only when their eyes met did he freeze and feel anger swell inside of him. It was at that moment when he vowed to steal Victoria away, regardless of Van Helsing's interference.

He looked down as he held her fingers in his own. She didn't stir, nor did her breathing falter as he ran his hand down her neck, feeling the blood which flew through veins tickle against his fingertips. He kept silent and remained stood where he was, looking into her face before he heard her whisper into the darkness.

"Vlad."

His name was like a song to his ears. Stands of his hair fell into his face as he bowed his head and longed to feel something at the sound of his name from her lips. He felt something stir inside of him, but he could not be sure what. It was only when she whispered another name did he drop her hand and recoil from her, knowing that he had to do something before it became too late.

"Velkan."

...

A/N: No reviews for the previous chapter, but if you are reading then please do let me know what you think!