Forever May Not Be Long Enough

Seven: Break Free

I awoke suddenly with a gasp and a nasty sting on my neck.

Widening my eyes in horror, I picked myself from the floor and dashed to find a mirror.

There was only one, standing so proudly next to a large four poster bed.

Seeing my haunted reflection sent uneasy shivers down my spine.

I tilted my head to one side, thank goodness there was no sign of two bite marks there.

"It won't be long until they will appear." A voice said.

I spun around to find Dracula, dressed again in black but looked ever so seductive and dangerous.

"Take me back to my apartment, I don't want to be here." I said, digging my fingers against my palms.

"Ah, but the thirty days are up, Athena. It's time for you to make a descion: be with me or not." He replied, with a chuckle.

I bit down my lip, turning away from his intense stare.

"My friends need me, Drake does too." I said, sadly.

A flash of happiness in his arms appeared in my mind, tears began to form in my eyes.

Suddenly as I went move my head, Dracula was right there inches away from my face.

His cold hand cupped my cheek, the steady stroke of his thumb was strangely gentle.

"Do you really think they will miss you, Athena?" He asked, quietly like a whisper.

"Yes, I can't imagine life without them." I replied, letting my eyes bore into his.

"Let me show you if you chose to be with me."

He offered his hand which I slowly placed mine there and everything went blurry.

Many colours and disorted voices pass us by, I held on tight as a bright white light overcame us.

Suddenly, I was standing alone in a nursey with a rocking chair and three blissfully happy people.

It was Amelia and Jake, they were married and had what it looked like a beautiful baby girl named Alicia.

A warm, contented smile went across my face.

Then everything went blurry once more until it stopped at a church.

I went inside to see dozens of guest wittnessing Gloria being wed.

It had to be the guy she was having a affair, never had I seen two people so deeply and passionately in love.

My eyes roamed around to see Amelia, Jake and Alicia sitting there with tears in their eyes.

"Time to go, Athena." Dracula said, standing next to me.

But I couldn't, seeing my friends so happy was a massive emotional moment for me.

I turned to see him with my lips trembling and tears falling down my face.

"Will they really miss me?" I asked, in a weak voice.

"Come, let me take you away from here." He replied, offering his hand once more and I took it.

We were back in the bedroom with a flash, I sunk to my knees and wept.

He bent down to my level, cupping my chin with a tight yet soft grip.

"Athena, come and embrace me." He said.

"But Dracula, you didn't answer my question. Will they miss me?" I asked again.

He heaved out a heavy sigh.

I was annoying him but I had to know.

"At times, they will miss you but what you saw there was them moving on in their lives." He explained, picking me up.

I stare in his eyes, trying to see some truth in those orbs.

"But what about Drake?"

"Didn't you notice it, Athena? Drake was me." He replied with a evil grin.

Horror was written across my face as a flash of Drake appeared and disappeared.

"Wait a minute, how can you be him when we were in the sun together?" I asked.

"Ah, that's a secret." He replied, adding that chilling chuckle.

I shook my head in anger.

"How dare you? I will never be a vampire, I won't succumb to you. Not in a million years. Now let me go."

Dracula instanly stepped aside with no emotions on his face.

"Fine. I will never haunt you ever again, Athena." He said, with a sad sigh.

Before I said a another word, I was back in my apartment all alone again.

Turning my head to the window, sun was rising up for a another day.

Relief washed over me, at long last I broke free from Dracula.

All what I saw was a big lie, there was just no way Amelia is having a baby with her ex and Gloria marrying her lover.

The worst part of it was discovering that Drake was indeed Dracula after all this time.

Though I felt happy than ever, then why couldn't shake the emptiness inside of me?

TBC