Dracula's POV
# Thoughts
"Talking
I tucked the child closer to my chest as I landed on the library balcony and shifted back to my human form. Even with my coat and body heat she was shaking like a leaf. I sighed as I noticed all three of my brides curled together on the couch in front of the fireplace, sobbing uncontrollably. Verona was doing her best to comfort the two younger brides but I knew that she was also in an emotional state. It wasn't that I didn't feel the pain of losing my children; it was simply that I had felt it to many times for it to affect me as much as it does my brides.
I finally stepped farther into the room allowing my distraught brides to see me, still keeping the sleeping girl close to my chest. I had hoped that she would be able to sleep long enough for me to get a room for her set up, but when all three of my brides began wailing and leaping towards me she awoke with a sudden and angry screech that could have shattered diamond. I nearly burst out laughing though when it stopped all three brides in place with the most dumbfound expression I have ever seen stuck on their faces.
"My love, what is in your jacket" Verona's voice was quiet and full of curiosity as she slowly crept closer to me, Alerra and Marishca following her.
I was about to answer her when I heard coughing coming from my coat. Carefully I peeled the coat away from the girl only to see her staring right at me with big golden eyes, one of her small hands in front of her mouth, obviously from where she had been coughing. And although I had been worried about the little one not being old enough to talk, all of it was scattered to the wind as I heard the most musical voice I had ever had the great fortune to hear fill every space of my mind. It was probably one of the most mundane sentences that I had ever heard "Can I have some water", but it was music, and I could have heard it every day for the rest of my life and never complained.
As I looked up excitedly at my brides, I realized they were just looking at me and not at the chi- #my name is Victoria, sir# I was stopped in the middle of my thought by that sweet voice again.
I looked down at Victoria and softly asked "You are a telepath aren't you Victoria".
#Among other things# she answered.
I smiled down at her before turning to Alerra and telling her to bring me a glass of water, then to Verona, who I told to run a warm bath, and finally to Marishca, who I told to bring me one of my shirts. All of my brides quickly ran off to do as they were told though all of them still looked confused.
It was Alerra who arrived first, and I was quick to take the glass from her hand and carefully hold it over Victoria's mouth helping her to drink. She drank it slowly, as though she was savoring the taste, and for all I knew she could have been. After the first glass was gone, and I had sent Alerra off to get a pitcher, I noticed that Marishca had returned with one of my black silk shirts. I thanked her and then asked her to help Verona finish drawing the bath.
I smiled down at Victoria quietly telling her that Verona would be helping her to bathe, and that Marishca would be helping her get dressed after she was clean, silently adding that during all of that I would be in here yelling at Alerra for killing an entire village. All the while Victoria sat calm and quiet just watching me talk.
I gasped as I felt a burning pain begin to bubble under my skin, in sharp contrast to the deathly cold that had washed over me. I watched in fascination as Victoria's eyes began to glow, and I began to change into my demonic form against my will.
#You are a vampire# she stated.
"Yes, and you are a witch" I replied.
#You are correct# She said, then continued #What is your name" Her thoughts were quiet but strong and I realized, perhaps for the first time, that she had never sounded afraid. Through all the hardships she had faced in the last few hours she had never sounded afraid. Even when she had cried out in the village, it had been a cry of pain not of fear. And so I decided I would answer her honestly.
"My name is Vladimir Dracula and I am the King of all Vampires" I answered her.
She stayed quiet for a minute, then deciding to answer me said #I will call you Vlad, because Vladimir is too long for me to try and say all the time"
I openly laughed at her remark, finally calming down enough to ask "Is Victoria your real name little one"
She smiled at me and answered, without any hesitation #No, the children in my village were not named until they were five summers old, and as you can see I am only four. But Victoria is what I would like my name to be#
I looked up as the door opened, revealing Alerra standing there with a full pitcher of water held tightly in her grasp. I smirked as I looked down at Victoria, whose eyes had begun to glow golden again, then back up to Alerra. Victoria smiled victoriously as Aleera's skin began to change to a dull gray, her eyes turned into a bright pink, and finally her long fangs grew down to their right full size. When the transformation was over Alerra stood in the door way broken glass and water surrounding her as she panted, practically gasping for breath.
I bent down allowing Victoria to stand on her own. She stood still for a few minutes, understandably, a little shaky then wobbled over to the rug in front of the fire ungracefully plopping down. I smiled softly while walking over to my arm chair, sitting down gracefully. My smile nearly doubled in size though when Victoria leaned back against my legs with a sweet little sigh, warm and content, for the moment.
