"Darling, you look positively radiant! What has my son been giving you this past week?" Miya asked Erinna when they met, violet eyes twinkling with mischief.

Of course that was the cue for Erinna's blush to come up and embarrass her.

"Nothing," she mumbled, struggling to hold onto her composure even though her pink cheeks were giving her away.

"I think I know better. I'm so happy it's you, that damned Ingrid always got on my nerves."

Erinna laughed, realising she was not the only one who was not thrilled with the vampiress. They got in a carriage since according to Miya; Vlad had flat out refused the idea of her being on a horse.

The ride to the infected human village took an hour. Erinna was glad for the high quality of The Count's carriage for it allowed her fresh air and ventilation whilst providing shade in the blistering weather.

Being used to the vampires' timetable now, this was her first time she was coming out into the sun and her skin was complaining.

"He's really fond of humans, isn't he?" Erinna asked Miya.

The witch laughed.

"You'll never hear that from him. He'll tell you they're his food and he's just making sure he never runs out or that he's a ruler and needs subjects to have a kingdom," Miya said and they both laughed.

That sounded like Dracula alright.

When they made to get out of the carriage Miya stopped her with a hand on her arm.

"Uh-uh darling, not before sunscreen."

"Sunscreen?" Erinna queried not knowing what on earth the witch was talking about.

"Yes, us ladies need to look pretty right? Can't do that with our skin looking like overcooked lobster."

Erinna laughed and waited as Miya did her little spell that'd supposedly protect them from the harmful rays of the sun. After that they left the carriage and Erinna was shocked to see the throng of humans lining each side of the road ready to welcome her.

She cringed when the human guards Dracula had given her went beyond and above with the introductions.

"Hail Countess Erinna Ellington; princess of the Ellingsdale Elves and Queen of the vampires, humans, shape shifters and all other unworthy creatures under His Excellency, Count Dracula."

Everyone bowed but Erinna quickly told them to all stand up.

"Thank you all; I'm really honoured that you're welcoming me into your homes so kindly. I'm not certain if I'll be able to help your friends but I'll do all I can," she promised them.

"It is this effort you're making that means a lot to us, Countess," an old woman with a kind smile bowed.

Erinna smiled then followed as they led her to the houses where patients had been quarantined. They brought out the first patient, Dracula's bulldogs insisting she couldn't enter. She wanted to ignore them and get in there anyway but did not want Dracula punishing them for her own stubbornness.

Everyone held their breath as she began working on the girl, an adolescent barely thirteen years old. Erinna's heart ached for the mother who had to endure such pain.

She concentrated on what her father had taught her and released her powers to the body of the patient. They all watched in amazement and awe as her wounds closed up and colour came back to the girl's cheeks.

Erinna could not stop the grin and feeling of accomplishment when the girl opened her eyes. Everyone cheered and applauded her.

After that everyone was fighting to have their relative looked at first; a problem Erinna solved by dismissing everyone until she was left with the two guards, Miya and the woman called River who was showing them around.

By noon Erinna was tired and dizzy; the healing was taking a lot out of her but the results and the grateful smiles on the relatives' faces was worth it all.

"Far be it from me to offend you Countess, especially after all you have done for us but please allow me to take you home for lunch. You must be exhausted; you've been on your feet all day. My son will not be there so we won't be disturbed," River said looking worriedly at Erinna.

River was a middle aged woman who looked around thirty-five. She was beautiful and a brunette with the most striking azure blue eyes Erinna could ever picture.

"Of course you don't offend me River, and call me Erinna please. We'll come have lunch with you."

They all left after that and went to her home, a simple yet enchanting little cottage. It was well tended and lived in.

River went to start the fire in the hearth but Erinna stopped her, telling the guards to do it instead . She then went to the kitchen to see if there was anything she could help with.

"Is there anything I can do to help, River?"

River looked surprised but pleased at the offer.

"You could chop the carrots for me," she smiled then proceeded to show her how to.

"You seem really nice, not the picture my son gave me of you."

"I know your son?" Erinna asked, raking her memory for a human boy she might have offended but coming out blank.

"No; don't worry yourself milady, Stan can be dramatic. He is just being petty because the Count no longer spends a lot of time with him ever since you came."

"Really? Oh my lord, I'm sorry, I had no idea," she genuinely apologised.

She had no idea on what levels River's son communicated with Dracula but if the boy was sad because they no longer spent time together then they must have been close. She realised then how little she knew of Dracula and his life before her.

Was Stan Dracula's child with River? That thought left an unpleasant taste in her mouth so she decided not to dwell on it.

"No, don't worry yourself milady; we're all happy for him. It's just, I'm wondering if you could do me a small favour..." The woman trailed off.

"Of course River, I would be glad to help, what can I do?"

"May you please ask him to talk to Stan a little? Even for half an hour? He's been acting out, not staying at home and locking himself in his room when he is home. I really don't know what to do and The Count seems to be the only person he's ever listened to."

As if Erinna would ever dream of keeping his son away from him.

"Of course, I will tell him. I'm really sorry about all this."

"It's not your fault, Countess."

"Erinna."

'Erinna, " River smiled.

"Good lord, Countess what are you doing in here?" The younger woman, Mary who usually helped Leila in the royal kitchen exclaimed, standing at the door holding a basket and looking at them like they'd all grown horns.

"Hello to you too Mary and we are making lunch," Erinna replied the exuberant girl with regal grace that made Mary blush because of her emotional outburst

"Forgive me milady, I didn't mean to be rude, but do you intend to eat here?" She asked with a horrified look.

"Of course, River tells me her pasta is to die for," she smiled trying to diffuse the tension in the room.

"But these...they are commoners, you can't dine with them. I've brought you food from the castle."

River looked anxious, probably worried this would get to the Count .

"I'm eating here Mary; you can give that to the guards."

"Milady, The Count..."

"He won't know if you don't tell."

The girl looked worried but seeing there was nothing she could do, she gave Erinna the letter she had brought and left to give the guards the food.

"Thank you so much," River said gratefully.

"No need to thank me River, I'm glad to be here."

She opened the letter not knowing what to expect. She was met by Vlad's elegant scrawl.

It's 12.30 p.m right now and guess what? I still don't have my bride in bed right next to me. I see you've decided to ignore my orders; I'm very disappointed in you, Countess.

Nevertheless, I still have memories from earlier to keep me company until you return. Make it quick, I can't sleep without you here and its taking everything in me not to send someone to drag you back.

Be safe

V.

It was kind of sweet and she knew it was taking him a lot not to have someone drag her back to the castle but since he couldn't stand anyone's hands on her, the threat was invalid.

The letter lifted her mood and after a pleasant lunch, she returned to her task with a new vigour.

Deciding not to aggravate Dracula any longer, she left at two and promised to be back that evening.

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Tired of waiting for Erinna, The Count decided to go take care of his frustrations the only way he knew how, something he had been itching to do for days.

Since his dungeons were magically sealed, he could not teleport there, it was a safety measure to ensure none of his captives who possessed tricky magical abilities could escape. It took him precisely seven seconds to get there from his bedroom.

He rolled his shoulders, feeling more like himself in this place where he knew he was in full control, the final fate. He was the difference between death and life to all the people in there and they knew it, something which was displayed by their groping hands trying to reach him and touch his feet from the cells as they begged for their lives as if the grovelling would alter his judgement.

Another time he might have toyed with them, made them believe they had hope as he continued to draw out their torture but right then his mind was on one person: the piece of scum who had thought his worthless hands could dare touch what was his. Just the thought of what had happened that night was enough to make him livid.

Derek had better have a very good explanation or death just wouldn't be enough to hide him from Dracula's wrath.

"My lord," Terrence, the vampire who was in the midst of flogging Derek with The Count's razor edge whips, a gift from an overambitous queen, bowed as Dracula reached the bottom of the dungeons .

The Count was glad to note that his instructions had been followed to the dot. Alexander had appointed someone to torture Derek around the clock.

"Terrence," he acknowledged the man's greeting, doing a complete circle around Derek who was tied to the ceiling.

"Has he talked yet?" He asked.

Terrence shook his head, something Dracula was glad for. He was in the right mood for good old torture.

"Get me Alexander," he instructed.

He knew this would be a good way to settle his beef with his right hand man. Alexander was not a particular fan of exacting torture and making him watch or participate would be torture on it's own.

"You called?" Alexander asked when he arrived.

"Get him onto The Rack for me will you? Strap his arms and legs."

Alexander winced, "Is all this really necessary?"

"Excuse me?"

Vlad just had to stop inspecting the sword in his hand to shoot an are-you-serious-look towards his right hand man.

"We've been at it for days, he's not going to talk."

Alexander knew he was treading on thin ground but he had not gotten where he was by hiding his opinions.

"I'll pretend you did not say that so I won't be compelled to release Derek and have you take his place," Vlad said softly then went back to deciding whether he should use a sword, whip or knife.

He knew the reason Derek was not talking was because the man knew whatever he had to say would end with him hanging on the gallows in Death Town but he was going to find out death was a much better fate to what Vlad had in store for him.

Any other vampire, the Count might have established the blood connection necessary to read his mind but Derek's supernatural ability happened to be mental barriers. Dracula could not penetrate, no matter how much he had tried.

Not to worry though, there were other means.

"When I give orders I actually expect them to be obeyed. Strap him to that table, I don't have all day."

Alexander sighed and did as he was told.

"She won't like this, you know," Alexander, tired of defending Dracula's actions to Erinna, muttered.

"You really have to desist from this nasty habit of offering your opinion where it's neither wanted nor needed. It is getting annoying, " Dracula frowned in displeasure.

"Just don't involve me when she's back to ignoring you, you know she hates torture of any kind."

"That's why she won't find out."

He took his whip and posted two men at the head and foot of the stretching rack, instructing to them to pull the vampire who was spread there, looking like an obscene scene out of an overimaginative story, apart until almost all his limbs were almost completely torn off.

Derek's screams would have made another man balk or at least relent but after seeing Erinna terrified and fighting for her life, they were exactly what The Count needed to hear.

"Excuse me," Alexander said and Vlad knew the other vampire was going to vomit.

"Whatever," he waved away Alexander and returned to his task.

Derek was now in shreds, his joints shattered, bones dislocated from their sockets and legs hanging by the skin. But Vlad wasn't done with him.

However, before he could continue exploring the depths of his depravity where aspiring rapists and treasonous bastards were concerned, he sensed a change in the air.

She was back.

He wasn't sure if he was happy or disappointed. On one hand he desperately wanted to see her and on the other hand he couldn't help but think she had the worst timing.

"Get me the Man Catcher," he instructed Alexander.

When Alexander handed him the metal noose which was fitted with inwardly inverted spikes, Dracula ordered his servants to put Derek on the Seat of Hell.

Needless to say Derek's life was about to be living hell.

Dracula strapped the noose around Derek's neck such that if the man so much as moved a muscle, a chunk would be torn out of his neck.

"Continue the torture. Get Terrence if you're too pansy for it, " the Count instructed a thoroughly repulsed Alexander.

🌝🌝🌝🌝🌝🌝

The sun was shining brightly when Erinna arrived at the castle. She knew Vlad was not going to make things easy for her. He hated being disobeyed and she had blatantly ignored his instructions to be back before midday. But despite his thoughts, Erinna did not live to please him.

She hadn't expected healing to take so much out of her and was worn out from all the activities of the day. She was extremely exhausted and every step was an effort.

With a nervous sigh, she nodded at the guards to open the door for her. The Master of the Castle himself, was on her the moment the castle doors closed.

"I should beat you black and blue for disobeying me like this."

"No I missed you?" She smiled weakly because she could see his anger was camouflaging worry and concern.

"Don't test me Countess."

She sighed.

"I told you it might take long."

He frowned.

"Did anyone touch you?"

She shook her head.

"No one threatened you?"

She shook her head again, knowing the information was somehow important for his paranoia.

He sighed then picked her up bridal style. She was so tired that she could not even summon the energy to protest.

"Don't teleport please, my head is already woozy," she told him.

He frowned disapprovingly. "I told Miya not to overwork you."

"She didn't. I'm just a little tired."

"Next time you'll listen to me."

She lightly slapped his chest. She had liked what she had done that day and was proud of it. No one was going to take it away from her, not even him. She rested her head against the chest and realised she had fallen asleep a moment later when he awoke her.

She stood on her feet and he led to the bathroom. She was so grateful when she saw he had had someone run her a bath. It was jasmine scented, her favourite smell.

"You'll be good on your own?" He asked.

She nodded because taking a bath with Vlad in the room was just a level of intimacy she was not ready for. Sure he had seen her naked and they had had done things that would send Erinna's governess into an early grave but she wasn't ready for this so she nodded.

"Okay, call if you need me," he said and turned around.

"Wait," she stopped him when he was at the door.

He turned back.

"I need help with my corset."

His motions as he untied the corset were almost mechanical and when he didn't try to tease her or touch her inappropriately, that's when Erinna knew she was in trouble.

She sighed and got in the bath. She spent a good half an hour in there relaxing after washing herself off.

She put on the white nightgown he had put for her and went back into the room. He was already in bed writing in a book in front of him. He didn't acknowledge her as she slid into the bed.

He was shirtless; ripped chest and abs on view but that wasn't what really caught her attention. His torso wasn't as flawless as his face.

Apart from the tribal tattoo on his chest, battle marks and some lines she couldn't even understand marred his skin. They looked like he had been...whipped? But that didn't even make sense. Who would dare whip the Count Dracula?,

She knew not to ask him though, not when he was in such a volatile mood.

"I'm sorry," she said but he ignored her.

She sighed and turned around facing the other direction. There was nothing she could do if he didn't want to talk to her.

Half an hour later, the books were closed and he slid into bed. Another half an hour passed and she still couldn't sleep. Sensing his eyes on her, Erinna turned around and sure enough he was watching her. They came face to face.

"I'm really sorry."

"No you're not. Not unless you know how worried I was about you, how sick I was thinking of something happening to you. Do you know what that's like?"

She looked down now feeling terrible.