Night was falling.

Light from the brilliant red ball that was the sun began to fade as it slowly but surely receded below the horizon. With its absence began a gradual shift in the sky from streaks of orange and yellow to the deep navy blue of the night. Twinkling stars started to dot the expanse above, making up the beautiful constellations as the white orb of the moon rose and shone on the forest below. The stretch of foliage extended for miles, giving way into the Carpathian mountains and the little town that sat nestled somewhere in between. Not a few short miles away from it was another quaint residence. It was a magnificent castle, with tall stone towers and intricate turrets that were furnished with wood.

The inside was just as impressive. The floors were covered by a rich red carpeting that spread out throughout all the halls and rooms. The furniture was primarily a beautiful dark cherry wood with golden accents, well polished and well taken care of. The main chamber was located on the second floor, its quarters presently dark, save for the soft light that was able to seep through the curtains. There, within the huge four poster bed that occupied the far end of the room, resided the Prince of Darkness himself - the vampire Count Dracula.

He sighed.

The Count hadn't been able to let sleep properly claim him that night. He'd tossed around, trying to get comfortable enough to be at least partially contented, but eventually he gave up. He glanced down at his wife beside him, perfectly dozing with her long, dark hair cascading over her shoulders like a waterfall. Her breathing was steady and calm, and he couldn't help but feel a little pang of envy. He wished he could sleep as soundly as she did. But at the same time, he was glad that he was already awake. It gave him the opportunity to gaze upon her beautiful form. Hair strewn, lips slightly parted, and a steady cadence of breathing in her chest, she looked almost ethereal. He felt so incredibly lucky to have her as his own. And, he was also lucky to have the little bundle of life that was only a short distance away in the small crib that sat nestled against the wall by their bed. A grin graced his pale features as an idea came to mind.

Carefully, he eased himself off their bed, ensuring that he did not disturb his sleeping bride. He tiptoed as quietly as a mouse toward the cradle and pulled back the curtains that adorned the side of it. He grinned widely at the sight within. His daughter slept peacefully, the infant's tiny face expressing a look of blissful serenity. Even in slumber, she retained her innocent appearance. As the Count watched for a while longer, the smile never faltered from his face. She was so precious, so perfect, and it made his heart ache with love. Unable to resist, he leaned down and gently stroked her soft cheek with a delicate finger. The action caused the baby to stir slightly, and a moment later, a small eye opened and gazed up at him. Recognizing her father, she smiled sweetly, showing off the small set of baby fangs inside her mouth. Dracula's heart practically melted at the sight.

"Mavy," he cooed lovingly, picking her up and nuzzling the soft black strands of hair on her forehead with his nose. The baby gurgled happily and reached out to take her father's face between her two chubby hands. Her eyes stared adoringly up at her father. Her father returned her gaze, completely enraptured. So focused on his darling daughter he was, that Drac froze when his wife's sleepy voice broke through the reverie.

"Drac," she said, the tone sounding nothing short of accusatory, "I swear, if you wake Mavis one more time, so help me I'll - "

But her words were interrupted at the sound of Mavis's sudden cry. Drac began to gently rock the child in his arms, glancing over at his wife.

"I'm sorry. I just can't help it!" He then turned his attention back to the baby, cooing a gentle lullaby. "Hush little vampire, don't say a word, Papa's gonna bite off the head of a bird..." He grinned as her crying ceased, and she smiled up at him again. Dracula motioned for his wife to come over.

"Oh, my little Mavy... Martha look! She's teething!"

Sure enough, Martha too saw the little sharp teeth inside their daughter's mouth. Dracula beamed as he laid her back down in the crib, his gaze unable to break away from her small face.

"I can't stop staring at her," he breathed. "I think she's hypnotized me..."

Martha gave him a look. "Hypnotizing powers at three months? Really?"

"Of course, she's a Dracula after all!"

Martha only responded with a chuckle. She supposed it was time to wake for the night anyway, and so she swung her legs off the bed and into a sitting position on the edge. A sigh escaped her lips, her heart full as she observed her husband and daughter. He was currently making a series of silly faces at her, the baby giggling infectiously at her father's antics and clapping her hands enthusiastically in response. Martha's fingers automatically reached down to brush lightly against her abdomen, just as flat and smooth as it had always been.

But not for long.

She bit her lip lightly, looking down at the place where she knew another bump was sure to form soon. She had to tell him. He simply had to know. She had been withholding it from him for the past few weeks, but she could not keep it to herself any longer. Dracula was sure to find out eventually, and when he did, she knew he'd be over the moon. With resoluteness, she approached them, breaking the little bubble of joy they were in as she did.

"Drac," she called softly, putting a hand on his shoulder.

It took him a moment to finally tear his eyes away from their baby, and when he did, he met hers with warmth and affection. "Yes, my love?"

She smiled slightly and took one of his hands, rubbing her thumb across the back of it gently while she spoke. "I... have something I need to tell you."

He furrowed his eyebrows slightly, tilting his head. "Is everything alright?" he asked with concern.

She couldn't help but laugh quietly. Yes, everything was definitely alright.

"I'm fine, dear. It's just that..." she trailed off, glancing at her feet and feeling her cheeks heat up ever so slightly. "I have news."

He looked confused once more. "News? What kind of news?"

Martha sighed deeply before continuing. "Drac..." she breathed. "You see, I'm... I'm - "

WHAM!

The deafening sound of shattering glass cut her off mid sentence, startling both vampires out of the conversation. They whipped their heads around to glance over at the window, finding only shards of glass hanging precariously from the frame, the rest scattered on the floor. Another sound of shattering glass sounded, this time seeming to come from the downstairs foyer.

The two vampires shared an anxious glance as the scent of smoke began to waft through the castle, the distinct crackling of flames able to be heard from the first floor, and growing closer by the second. Martha quickly grabbed Mavis from the cradle, the girl whimpering quietly at the sudden change in atmosphere.

And then, Dracula heard them.

He hadn't noticed the voices before, but now, they were clearly audible. And the tone did not bode well at all. With wide eyes, the Count raced to the shattered window, peering down below and seeing a horrific sight that practically sucked all of the air out of his lungs.

It was a mob.