The Count's bride woke up an hour late, looking a bit disoriented but recovered. He sent for breakfast for her and she ate with him watching her but like the other day, they were interrupted by Alexander.

“It’s the humans again,” his right hand man announced.

“I thought you dealt with that,” Vlad growled.

“Me too.”

“Can't I trust you to do something right for once? Call for a damage control meeting,” he instructed.

Alexander nodded and left.

“Can I come?” Erinna asked.

“What? No," he replied quickly then backtracked when her eyes flashed with annoyance. "I mean you're not feeling well," he explained before she chewed him out.

“I'm fine, I just need to get some air.”

Seeing the stubborn set of her chin and the determined glint in her emerald eyes, Vlad grudgingly agreed.

“Finish your food first.”

🍞🍞🍞🍞🍞🍞

There were a few murmurs wjen Vlad sat Erinna at his right side in the throne room but none dared to question him aloud.

Vlad pointed out the individuals in the crowd to Erinna as they waited for everyone to settle down in their rightful places. Only a few select individuals of Vlad's inner circle were invited.

All in all, Vlad's council was made up of Ingrid, Alexander, Valado, Rupert who stood in for the humans, Miya, Samuel who represented the shifters, Armando who was there on behalf of the sorcerers and of course the most important, his bride on his right side as it was meant to be.

After a few greetings and formalities, Prestorious, one of the few older vampires that Vlad respected, stood up to chair the meeting.

“This is more of an emergency meeting as you all know. We did not have the luxury to go through the proper channels. I havrhave received several reports of an outbreak in the humans,” Prestorious reported.

“What outbreak is this that you can’t deal with it on your own?” Vlad asked with an annoyed frown.

“We’re not sure. It’s nothing we’ve seen before; they are getting boils of some sort,” the vampire replied grimly.

The answer made Erinna's skin get goosebumps. Boils were not usual and the last plague had been centuries ago. What could have brought this on?

A Pure Being was supposed to bring peace and security but all that was reversed in her case. Her arrival in Transylvania had brought forth all manner of catastrophes and disasters. Something about her energy was tainted...contaminated.

“What are the physicians saying?” Miya asked.

“As of yet they haven’t been able to save any lives. We have managed to quarantine the affected but it's difficult to pick them out since identifying the diseases is impossible until its late stages,” Prestorious replied.

“Have you given them vampire blood?”

“It’s no use. It’s stopping the disease from spreading to other unaffected parts of the body but does nothing in eliminating the symptoms.”

“Why are we even discussing this? These people are our meat, not children. Stop acting like they mean more than the next feeding because that’s all they’re good for,” Ingrid said disdainfully and Erinna found out in that moment that she was capable of true genuine dislike for another living thing.

“I’ll go,” she said decisively.

“You’ll what?” Vlad turned to her, narrowing his eyes in warning but she didn’t care.

People were dying and she would never live with herself knowing she had not tried everything she could to help them.

“I don’t have much experience with my powers as a Pure Being and a ...a vessel but I’ve been taught to heal wounds and different illnesses using my elven abilities.”

Elves in the natural order of life were life givers thus their powers were centred on bringing back the dead and healing the sick.

“These are not normal wounds Erinna,” Vlad argued even though she saw hope in his eyes.

He tried to hide it but Erinna could sense how protective he was of humans. It did not reconcile with her image of him as a cruel tyrant and she intended to find out the story behind him caring for humans the way he seemed to.

“Then you help me use my powers. We can help so many Vlad, and it’ll be faster. Besides, they said everything else is not working; this might be the only way.”

“How philanthropic,” Ingrid said sarcastically.

“Do you have something to say, Ingrid?” Vlad glared dangerously, his eyes flashing red.

She held his gaze for three seconds before looking away silently.

Vlad turned to Erinna deciding to deal with Ingrid and her petty jealousy later. He had ended things with her when Erinna had been born but the vampiress was not yet at peace with Erinna taking what she had always viewed as her place.

“You're not doing this."

"I will if I want to." She lifted her chin defiantly.

The room became silent as his people watched. His next move would determine how they viewed him as a leader from their day forth but it'd also determine how Erinna viewed him as a mate and frankly there was only one one relationship he truly gave a damn about. Damn it all if they saw him as weak.

He took his bride's hand and brought it to his lips, kissing the knuckles. She squirmed and he was rewarded by that blush he couldn't get enough of. Her veil covered it but he sensed her veins dilating and her blood rising to the surface.

"I know you want to help but I’ll come up with something less extreme."

His gentle tone relaxed her and diffused some of her hostile energy. He hoped it would also work in making her see reason.

He didn’t want her involved in something that could potentially hurt her.

“Vlad, I can help. I know I can."

And would do it too, whether he agreed or not, her eyes said.

Vlad sighed.

"That's settled then. Prepare the people Alexander, we’ll make rounds tomorrow night,” he declared.

“But that’ll be too late. I can go at sunrise,” Erinna said.

Tension thickened in the room at her continuous interruptions.

“That is not in any way remotely negotiable, Countess.” He frowned.

She stuck out her lip and widened her beautiful green eyes, doing that thing women did to make themselves look like puppies.

Vlad didn't stand a chance.

He groaned, dismissed everyone and teleported back to his bedroom, together with his bride before his people saw just how utterly gone and head over heels he was for the little elf who could have him jumping through hoops with a flutter of her eyelashes.

In a normal vampire world, his bride would never have questioned in front of his people, challenged him or opposed him and he sure as hell would not have tolerated all such visual displays of respect silently.

“Don’t ever do that again,” he told her once they were in their bedroom.

He wasn't angry with her because speaking her mind was part of who she was. He could not force her to be something she was not but somewhere they would have to find a compromise, a middle ground of sorts.

“Do what?” She frowned, confirming his thoughts that she had no inkling of what she had just done.

It was his fault of course, he had encouraged her to be free with him from the beginning and as a result, her tongue knew no bounds. But Vlad wouldn't have it any other way. A docile wife was not on his list of priorities.

“You challenged me in front of my people."

"Challenged you? By offering to help your people?"

He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. How to explain this?

"A vampire empire is a fragile thing, angel. With you here people are already talking. Love is a weakness among my people. The last thing I want is for them to question my rule and they’ll do that if they see you publicly challenge me like that,” he told her.

"I won't just keep quiet if I have something to say, Vlad," she frowned.

"I know and I'm not asking you to but next time wait till we’re alone, ok? Then you can go on and give me all the earful you wish.”

It was not ok and Erinna wanted to tell him so but she understood what he was saying. Far be it from her to contribute to civil unrest.

“What did you mean when you said love is a weakness among your people? Don’t they have mates?” She asked.

“They can’t,” he told her.

“What do you mean they can’t?”

“A vampire is bound to his sire. He can’t love or regard anyone more than he does his maker. If they were to be given mates then they’d never give the mates the attention they deserve since their duty will always be to me.”

Erinna didn’t know what to say to that. “It’s because of the curse?”

He nodded.

“Believe me, it’s not always fun. It makes them rush into impulsive actions if they think it'll save me from some perceived danger and that danger right now is you. They are probably concocting some plan to get rid of you."

“With how everyone is terrified of you, you think they’d dare?” Erinna laughed, the beautiful sound catching him off guard.

He put his hands on her waist and drew her closer and leaned his head down such that their lips were close.

“Everyone? You’re not afraid of me.”

“How can you be so sure?” She asked, her voice husky.

“You let me touch you that night,” he grinned wickedly.

“Vlad!” She blushed, smacking his chest.

“Next time I want to use my mouth,” he whispered, lightly nipping her jaw.

“My god! Stop already!” She cried, hiding her red face in his chest.

“This is insane, even when you’re blushing you still manage to turn me on. I’ve never found shy women attractive before.”

She raised her head.

“I could tell. So you and Ingrid?” Erinna queried in what she hoped was a subtle tone.

“Over and done with.”

“She doesn’t seem to think so.”

“She can think whatever she wants I’m all yours now.”

She blushed again, not knowing how to take that. She was losing all sense of boundaries where Vlad was concerned.

“I should get ready to go to the village,” she said breaking from his embrace and opening the closet to look for something dark and suitable for dressing.

“I thought we agreed we can all go tomorrow night?" Vlad asked as he watched her go through her clothes.

“But Vlad,” she pouted, doing that damned bottom lip trembling thing. The woman was a witch.

“It’s not safe Erinna, you know what happened last night. I’m not risking you like that again,” he said, trying to remain firm but who was he kidding? He had no sense of will when it came to the woman.

“But you have the person in your custody,” she argued.

“It's not just that; wolves are attacking us randomly; you can get caught in the crossfire.”

There were just too many reasons she couldn’t go out there alone.

“I’ll take Miya,” she said.

Vlad respected Miya, sort of anyway. Their pasts were entwined in a way that bonded them together emotionally.

“Like that worked out so great last time. Besides Miya is a woman.”

She frowned.

“Do you have any idea how sexist you sound right now? Miya can defend herself and frankly, so can I. Last time was a oneoff, next time we'll be prepared ” she told him coming back to stand in front of him.

“Erinna,” Vlad said and Erinna could tell was trying to be firm and hold on to the last tendrils of his control.

“Please?” She asked standing on her tiptoes and kissing him.

She didn’t know what had changed between them but ever since he had drank from her the previous night and then rescued her, her barriers had come crumbling down.

It was like the bond between them was stronger now, her awareness of him heightened and the compulsion to know him, to be closer to him stronger than ever.

She was tired of fighting; fighting the fact that despite how depraved and sadistic he was, it was in his arms she had felt safe the previous night, safer than she had ever had before.

Maybe it was selfish of her, but she just wanted to explore this; let go for a moment and see what it was between them. She knew she was being reckless but she promised herself the next day she would be sensible and go back to trying to break his curse.

This way, even if they found a way and released him from its chuckhold, she would have known what it was like to be loved by a man like him.

He groaned and put his hand in her hair, pulling it so as to tip her head as he responded to her kiss.

“Damn woman, when did you get so manipulative,” Vlad groaned against her lips, his other hand moving to her hip.

He felt her smile as she kissed him back. He went deeper, ready to devour her but she quickly ended the kiss, leaving him hard as a brick, both his fangs wanting to tear into something. Something specifically elf and delicious as death.

“I have to go, Vlad,” she whined when he tried to kiss her again.

"A couple more minutes. ”

“We can’t.”

And he watched her guard and her defences go up right in front of his eyes. She began to move away but he kept his arm around her waist, preventing her from moving.

“Erinna don’t, not after last night.”

“Nothing has changed.”

“Everything has changed and you know that. Don’t do this please.”

“Vlad we can’t.”

“Yes we can. You’re my mate, I want you and you want me. What else matters more than that?” He asked, frustrated by her annoying ability to always bring them back to the first step.

“The prophecy,” she reminded him.

“Prophecy be damned. I am sick and tired of living my life according to some dead witch’s wishes. I paid for my sins; I was dead for two thousand years, if that is not enough penance for her then she can go to hell.”

“Even though, we’re so different. It could never work out.”

He sighed.

“I made a mess of things from the start, I know and believe me, I’d do anything to go back and rewrite my mistakes but even as powerful as I am, time travel is not one of my gifts. What I can change is the future but only if you give me the chance.”

“Vlad__”

“At least let me show you how good it can be between us.”

“I’ll be late, the people...I have to go.”

“Five minutes, that’s all I need. Besides, there's no way I’m letting you out of this room smelling like that. Your pheromones are all over the place, angel."

“Vlad,” she protested but he could tell he was wearing her down.

“Five minutes,” he said and pushed her against the wall.

His lips were on hers the moment her back hit the wall and all her protests died as liquid hot pleasure liquefied her limbs until she was only standing because of his body holding her against the wall.

“You smell so good right now that I’d feed on you if you were not going out.”

He brought his lips to hers, kissing her slowly and languidly until she was dizzy, every part of her body trembling with need.

She wrapped her arms around him, needing to be closer to him in any way possible, arching her back and grinding herself against him. She needed something...needed some form of release for all this pent up energy gathering inside her.

“Vlad,” she moaned hoping he’d understand.

“I’ve got you, angel.”

The endearment struck something in her and made her feel like her ovaries were going to catch fire.

"Ready?" He asked and she nodded.

He smiled at her and proceeded to bring her to unlimited heights of passion with both his hands and tongue. When he was finally done, Erinna was glad for his hold on her, she wasn’t sure she would have been able to stand otherwise. Every muscle in her body was uncooperative and she felt boneless.

She pushed him away when he tried to kiss her again, "No Vlad, you've already made me late."

He turned his head to the clock which had been at 6.43 when they started and sure enough it was at 6.48.

“No, five minutes. I told you that was all I needed.”

“One day your ego will suffocate all of us," she joked.

“You can’t call it my ego when there is proof to substantiate my claims."

“Whatever, I have to go. Please send someone to get Miya for me while I clean up,” she told him, going to the closet to pick a dress.

“Did anyone ever tell you you’re so bossy Countess?”

“Must be osmosis,” she winked at him, the small gesture filling his head with shock-worthy thoughts.

“Osmosis huh? Wait until I’m truly osmosising inside you.”

Only when she had his seed inside her could she talk about osmosis.

“Grow up.” She threw a dress at him to shut him up but he only laughed and caught it.

She turned back to the closet, continuing her search for a dress. She came up with a black gown that repelled him. Erinna looked good in anything but it was in white that he was especially reminded of who she was, how different she was from him and how pure she was.

“That’s ugly baby,” he told her honestly.

“It’s practical.”

He walked to her closet and fished out a white dress that looked decent and gave it to her.

“Wear this one,” he told her.

“I’m going to the village Vlad, it’ll get dirty.”

“Trust me, this is the best dress, they’ll be healed before you even touch them,” he smiled.

She shook her head at him.

“Jane will be complaining when I come back, I’ll blame it on you,” she told him, referring to the maid who took care of her laundry.

“It’s her job, now go get dressed before I do what I really want to do to you,” he told her pushing her towards the bathroom before getting out to find a servant to go fetch Miya.

Erinna didn’t know what to make of what they had just done but she was tired of rationalising and trying to downsize everything. For now she was just going with the flow. Speaking of the flow, she knew her cycle was due any day now.

Elf cycles we different from human ones and came around every three months. She was really scared and didn’t know what she was going to do bleeding in a castle full of vampires.

Deciding to worry about the problem when it came around, she quickly dressed, tied her hair and went back into the room.

She went to the mirror to check if everything was in place.

Vlad came to stand behind her with his arms wrapped around her; he was really determined to make her late that day.

“You look like an angel,” he said dropping a kiss on her shoulder blade.

“I won’t say the same for you,” she joked.

He was in his usual black making him look like an angel... of darkness. The man was too good looking for his own good. It distracted her beyond measure.

“Look at us; so different yet so perfect together.”

He was right. Even as she looked at their different images, they looked perfect for each other. His features complimented hers and vice versa. Nothing had ever seemed to fit more.

Like puzzle pieces.

“You know I love you so damn much right?” He said kissing the area beneath her ear, restarting a chapter they’d just closed.

“Vlad,” she protested but it came out a moan.

She really had to go.

“Just tell me you do Erinna.”

“I do.”

“Good. Now go what you do best.”

“And what is that?" She asked, now finding it hard to leave him.

“Being a goody-goody,” he smirked.

“I’m not a goody-goody!” she exclaimed, sounding totally scandalised.

“Yeah right, could’ve fooled me. Don’t let anyone touch you while you’re down there. Not even your hand or I’ll personally make sure they never touch anything else their whole lives."