"Here," Velkan whispered as he draped the blanket over Victoria's shoulders.

She had found herself sat in a parlour room whilst Velkan spoke with his father of what had just happened. He had led her there, doing his best to protect her eyes from the dead bodies which were strewn on the floor. He had failed miserably, Victoria taking it upon herself to look and find herself filled with fear.

The Count had left almost as quickly as he had arrived. Several murders seemed to be enough for him, but he had done enough damage. Victoria could still feel his fingers on her skin, his hands touching her intimately whilst his lips pulled at her neck.

"Thank you," Victoria whispered to Velkan as he slowly moved to sit beside her in the large chair. Victoria understood and she shifted upwards until her body was resting in his lap and he wrapped his arm around her waist.

Velkan looked into the flames from the marble fireplace for a few moments, daring to press his lips against Victoria's hair whilst she remained silent and contemplative. Her gaze was set on her lap as Velkan's free hand clasped hold of one of hers. She moved her other hand to settle on top of his, hearing him sigh as she did so.

"What does he want with me?" Victoria asked from him. "Truly, Velkan, what does he want?"

"I do not know," Velkan admitted to her, remembering what his father had just told him. Velkan had stormed out from the library, refusing to believe that his father was speaking sense. He refused to believe anything about this situation.

"She is her. The resemblance is uncanny, Velkan."

"How can she be? That photo is over four hundred years old. Victoria has yet to reach her thirtieth birthday!"

If Velkan had any common sense then he would tell Victoria what his father had just told him. She simply looked like someone who the Count had known in his previous life. That was the only rational explanation. Victoria was not that woman. If only he knew that Victoria knew the Count's theory. If only she could pluck up the courage to tell him that he had come to her in her chamber that night.

"He said that I was his," Victoria whispered and Velkan could feel his teeth grind together instinctively.

"You are not his," Velkan promised her. "You will never be his, Victoria. You are your own woman and that is all there is to it."

"Will he come back?" Victoria worried. "Is anywhere safe?"

"The only thing that could be safer is for you to leave Transylvania," Velkan replied to her. "Even then, I fear he may find you."

Victoria groaned inwardly and dropped her head to rest in the crook of his neck. He peered down to look at her and kissed her hair once more, trying to soothe her. He knew that he was failing terribly, but there was little more he could do to help her. He wanted the end of Dracula as much as anyone else did.

"Can I stay with you?" Victoria suddenly asked, looking him in the eye as she moved one hand to stroke his cheek delicately. "I know it is not proper, but I would not ask if I were not so worried."

Velkan smiled gently in response and nodded back at her slowly. "Of course you can stay. I would have it no other way, Victoria. You know that I will do everything to stop him from harming you or anyone else."

She felt a slight flutter of relief flow through her veins at hearing his words. She pecked him on the cheek and Velkan moved with haste, his own lips capturing hers before she could pull back. She didn't know what came over him, but she knew that the memory of Dracula came back to her as soon as she felt Velkan's lips move over hers.

She tried to push his face from her sight, but she had no prevail. She gasped for air as Velkan pulled back from her and moved his hand to brush her hair from her face, his fingers tucking it behind her ear whilst she pressed her forehead against his. He closed his eyes and wondered when it would all end. He wondered when it would finally stop.

"My father leaves on a hunt tonight," Velkan informed her. "I told him that I would see him leave. Shall I leave you be here for a moment, or would you care to retire to your chamber?"

Victoria didn't particularly want to be alone. She didn't want to be wandering the corridors by herself whilst Velkan was not with her. But there was one room she knew she had to go to. There was one room she had to see with her own eyes.

"May I sit and read in the library for a while?" Victoria asked from him. "I doubt sleep will find me tonight."

She moved from his lap and he stood up, nodding in agreement. "I shall speak with my father and check on Anna before I return to you."

"Of course," Victoria replied and kissed him on the cheek.

Velkan took hold of her gloved hand and led her through the corridors back towards the library. Victoria kept silent, fear radiating through her body as she went. There was something amiss which she could yet put her finger on. Velkan pushed the door open, noting that the candles were already lit before he left her be with another chaste kiss.

Victoria smiled before looking around the room, wondering what she really wanted from it. She couldn't help but feel foolish to be drawn back to the room. Did she expect to believe what Dracula had spoken of? Did she truly believe that he was speaking sense?

"Ridiculous," Victoria complained before settling herself down in front of the fire, her back resting against the chaise lounge behind her. She folded her arms over her knees, her chin resting on their caps. She looked into the fire before she felt a sudden chill run through her spine. Wincing, she pushed herself to her feet and looked around, wondering what the sudden cold had been.

"You're being spooked far too easily," she scolded herself, her eyes looking down to the seat behind her before she settled down onto it hesitantly, her hands behind her and stroking the material. It was only when she closed her eyes did she see it.

The sight of two bodies entwined on the chaise lounge, gasping and panting for breath.

Victoria jumped up from the seat, shaking her head before intrigue took hold of her. How could she visualise something like that? How could she see their faces as clear as day? She did not know. All she knew was that she sat back down on it again and something came to the forefront of her mind.

"I did warn you to be quiet," he chuckled as his body rested against hers, his hands still holding onto her thighs as he kept them securely around his waist and she panted beneath him, trying to catch her breath as he smiled softly and kissed her on the forehead.

He slowly pulled away from her, moving from the seat to take hold of a blanket. He watched as she made no effort to cover her naked body, rolling onto her side and pressing her hand to the side of her head as she propped herself up on her elbow. She remained still with a smile on her face before he moved to lie beside her on the small face, his hands covering them with the blanket in a feeble attempt to keep warm.

"My parents would surely disown me if they could see me now," she whispered and he moved her brown curls from her face, his hand slowly cupping the back of her head before he leant in and kissed her softly.

"Your parents will not matter by tomorrow night," he responded back to her. "By then you shall be my wife."

"Where do we run to?" she wondered back from him. "We have decreed all of this but we have not decided on a location."

"It matters not," he promised her, his lips working their way down her neck and he moved their bodies as he came to hover over her again. She withered underneath him, her chest heaving as his hand moved to cup one of her breasts.

"Vlad," she gasped his name out. "The ball is still taking place. We should leave and return to it. We need only wait for tomorrow night and then I am yours for the rest of our days."

He groaned in response, his face clearly one of disappointment, but he knew that she was speaking sense. He pushed himself from her body and looked down at her, kissing her on the forehead before he handed her undergarments over to her. He watched as she silently dressed and he did the same. If only he knew what was waiting for them outside the library door, he would not have been so eager to leave its safety.

Victoria's eyes snapped open as soon as she heard the door to the library open and she blinked profusely, trying to clear her mind before she noted Velkan moved towards her. A look of worry came over his face as she stood; her face paler than usual.

"Are you well?" he asked from her and she nodded in response, forcing a smile to sit on her face.

"Of course. Has your father set off for the evening?"

"He has," Velkan nodded back at her. "The servants left for the evening and so I have been left with the task of cleaning the ballroom. There is a lot to do, but sleep does not become me just yet. I would not ask you to aid me-"

"-No," Victoria shook her head, moving back over to Velkan and swiftly taking hold of his hand inside of her own. "I would love to help you, Velkan."

Velkan looked confused for a moment, but he suspected Victoria was still shaken up about the night's events. He did not push her. He merely kept hold of her hand and led her from the library back to the ballroom. She looked behind her for a moment at the sight of the library and shook her head, refusing to believe the memory she had just seen.

...

A/N: So thank you to everyone reading and I hope you enjoyed it. Please do review!