The room she was in was cold and dank. Darkness so thick she could feel it, cloaked everything around her, stifling her vision. With every minute that passed, she felt like she was going to get insane, not that anyone would know. The eerie silence around her testified of how removed she was from civilization.

After Zane's mother had discovered Erinna's Recognition Mark, a non-verbal sign that she'd never kill Vlad or bring any kind of harm to him, the wolf had spread the word to her husband who had in turn agreed Erinna was definitely useless to them. It seemed the wolves had planned to kidnap her all along to use her against Dracula; her people had just made it easier for them.

Erinna didn't know if Zane or Cole was aware of their father's plans but she didn't think so. Zane seemed like an honest person to her. Zachary had probably just told him the cover story of the need of an arranged marriage so as to stop Cole from rising to power.

Alone, hungry and clueless on where to begin, Erinna tried teleporting out of the room for the thousandth time to no avail. The skill she had acquired before leaving Transylvania seemed to have deserted her in her time of need. But it was more than that; it was as if something was holding her back, weakening her and suppressing her powers.

All her telepathic messages to Vlad hit a blank wall. The dungeon she was in had no magic wards to prevent her from using her powers; rather, it was as if the magic barriers were...within her. Something inside her wouldn't break free. It made her anxious to be at the hands of her enemies with no defense whatsoever.

More worrying though, was her vision of Vlad. She was doubtful he had heeded her warning or believed her lies about marrying Zane; her mate could be stubborn if he wanted. She just hoped this was not one of those times because she just knew something terrible would happen to Vlad if he came. It was a feeling she couldn't shake off and the foreboding was making her sick.

She needed a plan, something to get her out of there so she could stop this chain of events before it started. If she could get to Transylvania, she could stop the domino effects at the root before they had begun. Nothing good would come out of it if this war happened.

She didn't know if Vlad would give up revenge if she asked him and agree to leave the wolves alone even after all they'd done to her but she had to try. Otherwise what sort of Pure Being would it make her if she who was supposed to bring peace was the root cause of all the havoc and bloodshed that was guaranteed to take place if Vlad stepped his foot in Silvercrest.

She stood up, even as her body resisted and tried to drag her down to the earth. Lethargy filled her muscles and every movement was an effort. When had she gotten so tired?

It was like her very limbs were made of concrete or some other equally immovable substance. With her loss of energy went her control of herself and her surroundings. Her mental barriers had faded and her head was a sea of voices she'd rather have avoided.

'The time is coming.'

'You could have saved yourself, but now you'll both die.'

'Justice shall be wrought.'

'An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a mate for a mate.'

'We warned you.'

'Not so high and mighty now, are we?'

'How hard the arrogant fall.'

'You tried to protect him but now you are the one who needs protection.'

'He who lived by the aword shall die by the sword before the moon of blood goes down.'

Erinna groaned, tears filled her eyes but she refused to let them fall, she wouldn't give them the satisfaction. Her head felt like it was going to split open as every dead witch looked to voice her opinion. What Erinna hadn't expected though, were some of the voices to actually support her.

'There has been enough bloodshed.'

'It is time for the cycle to stop.'

It was these voices that gave her strength. She tried to focus on them but the more resonant and vibrant each voice became, the greater their war with each other. It kept increasing until the heaviest and the most painful of migraines brought her to her knees. Like a madwoman, she found herself screaming at voices only she could hear. Their jeering became worse.

They could kill her if they wanted, she didn't care but no one would touch Vlad. It was this thought, the fear that if she gave up and left Vlad all alone, they would swoop in and do what they had wanted from the beginning, that gave her the strength to crawl around the room. She looked for the edges, trying to find a door, a weapon or opening of sorts.

It wasn't to be though. After hours of searching, all Erinna had to show for her efforts were cut hands, bruised skin and skinned knees. She had found a door all right but even at her full strength, she could have never opened it. It vibrated with magic that blistered her hands every time she tried to touch it. A personal seal had been placed upon the door, only one person could open it and that was the person who had put her in there to begin with.

Zachary Zahid.

To preserve her strength as she came up with a plan, Erinna lay down. It was no chore for it seemed to be the only thing she was capable of. Added to the boneless feeling were the effects of being unwillingly separated from her mate. The burning was getting worse, like her body was trying to self combust from the inside out.

She was tired of scratching herself and in any case, her skin was red and raw from her nails trying to alleviate the painful itching. Her own claw marks had left red bleeding marks on her forearms. The urge to just end everything was strong but she couldn't because whatever she was, Erinna was no coward. She had to live through this so she could keep Vlad safe.

Closing her eyes but not giving in to the overpowering darkness, she tried to focus. It was a difficult, near impossible fit considering the distraction that the voices were providing, not to mention her own body-aches.

Again, she tried to call for her father but her telepathic voice was so weak that it simply bounced off the walls of her mind. She prayed nothing had happened to him or Mara or she'd never forgive herself for not getting them out in time. She was a leader and should have realized that Zachary Zahid was an unscrupulous man from the beginning. Her desire for peace was going to get them all killed.

The need to prevent chaos was so inherently built in her that she could no sooner deny herself than deny it. It was not just for Vlad that she fought but for every life: Mara, her father, Zane, Cole, Alexander, Tristan, other vampires the lowest werewolf and elf. All those lives would be sacrificed if a war happened and she had wanted to prevent it. That burden on her shoulders was what had made her want to come to an agreement with the werewolves.

She hoped she would get to see Mara and her father so that their last memory wouldn't be of her quarreling with them. She had been so angry about the decision that they had made for her and had made sure they knew it.

But she understood where they were coming from even though she'd never be able to tell them now. They loved her and simply wanted the best for her. Tied down by ancient customs and taboos, it was difficult for them to accept something as foreign and undone as a vampire-elf union.

Vlad had wronged and humiliated them just as he'd intended to when he'd killed Enai in revenge. It was something they could never forgive but Erinna promised herself as soon as she got out of there; she'd work to make them understand. As protectors of life, what good did it do them to bear a four thousand year old grudge?

So much revenge and killing had happened yet no one saw that it was solving nothing. It was an ongoing cycle; one that Erinna intended to stop. Her thoughts were cut off by the sound of footsteps a moment before the heavy door shifted, letting in a sliver of light. She wished she could have lunged at her captor but she was so weak she couldn't even lift a thumb.

As the light continued to fill the room however, she began feeling a bit revived. It was not much but she did her best to soak it in and let it restore her. Her moment of revival lasted a few seconds because soon after the door opened, heavy footsteps sounded. Erinna registered they were walking towards her.

Whilst she was contemplating on what to do, rough calloused fingers sank into her hair. She winced but could not do much about it as pain hit her from her sensitive scalp to the tips of her toes.

"Disgusting whore," Zachary Zahid cursed.

Even with her mounting anger, Erinna forced herself to keep quiet, at least until it mattered. The voices in her head had lowered and she found she could think straight. The light was reviving her, giving strength to muscles that had been ready to give up. She concentrated on absorbing it. As keepers of nature, elves felt alive around nature. Their bodies were unique in that like plants, they could revive themselves in the presence of light or vegetation.

The hand that bunched her hair was neither gentle nor compromising as it dragged her out of the cell into the light but Erinna hardly cared. Her strength was coming back and when it did, Zachary Zahid was going to be a very sorry man.

When they were in a circular dimly lit room, he thrust her to the ground. With natural light gone, Erinna's healing also stopped. But she was feeling better, more like herself, if only the shakes and convulsions would cease. She felt like she hadn't fed in ages even if it'd been only a couple of hours. Who knew being away from Vlad would be that bad? No wonder Miya had advised her against breaking the bond.

"I should just take you and put you out of your misery. Isn't that what you want, a man?"

"Yes Master Alpha Zahid, I want a man but since I don't see one around, I will wait for one deserving of the title to arrive."

Her head jerked to the other side as he slapped her hard. Her teeth cut her lip, making it bleed but she refused to let a tear fall. Her cheek smarted and it felt like he had loosened a molar but pride made her raise her head and glare at him.

"Don't try to make me sound uncivilized when you're the one going around smelling like a dog on heat and begging me to sleep with you with your eyes you little harlot," he hissed.

"It's Princess Erinna, or rather Countess as my mate prefers, but I guess ignoring my title and calling me out of my name makes you feel more like a man?"

Like most bullies, Zachary got his power by undermining everyone else. It didn't bother Erinna, she knew who she was and would not be defined by a small, insecure, power hungry excuse for a man.

"It's a pity that smart mouth won't be able to save you. Before midnight, your flesh will be dinner to my dogs."

"If death is the worst threat you can hand to me, I'm sorry to tell you that you're too late to the party. I have already died once, believe me, it is nothing special."

Besides, living with Dracula made one realize there were worse things than death. After the things she had seen, Erinna was not afraid of death. The only thing about it that scared her was leaving Vlad alone to the mercy of a world that neither cared nor understood him.

"Bravado; it will not save you. You're foolish just like your father was foolish in trying to deceive me."

"You are walking on thin ice Master Alpha Zachary. In what way did my father lie to you?"

Eric was probably the most frustrating parent but Erinna loved him and would not have him disrespected by anyone, certainly not by Zachary.

"He told me you hated that bastard and that you'd be happy to kill him but all the while you were sleeping with him like the whore you are. If Eric Ellington had any self-respect he'd disown you. You're an embarrassment not only to your father but to your people. You disgust me."

If his words failed in conveying this said disgust, then his curled lip didn't.

"Believe me, the feeling is entirely mutual," Erinna sighed tightly between clenched teeth.

"Save me your insults, I am the one who you should be on your knees thanking, little girl. I am after all, saving you the trouble and nuisance of having to kill the so-called love of your life on your own."

Something in his tone made everything in Erinna still.

"What is that supposed to mean?" she asked but Zachary only smiled malevolently, so much malice in that one gesture that had Erinna not seen worse, she'd have surely fled the room.

"Bring her in!" Zachary shouted into thin air.

One of the closed doors opened and someone Erinna had not expected to see n that place nor at that time walked in.

😋😋😋😋😋😋😋

"Have the wolves always seemed this strong to you?" Jeffery asked The Count as he sketched a finer version of Nicolai's map, trying to come up with an attack strategy.

Nicolai had refused to go spy again on account of nerves from the dungeon proceedings but Kini, a bird-shifter had volunteered. Vlad had yet to hear word from her but he wasn't sitting on his hands. All his armies had arrived; they were just waiting on their allies because walking into a war of ten thousand with less than a thousand was plain stupid.

The waiting was making Vlad jittery. Not making it easier were the damn itches that made him want to crawl out of his own skin. Fear that Alexander would commit him to some asylum kept him from scratching himself raw but the control was taxing. He was aroused to the point where it was painful and it heightened all his hungers to a point where even the slightest stimulation from the external world was unbearable.

"They were always strong," he replied mildly. If Jeffery had been a perceptive man, he'd have heard the go-waste-someone-else's-time note in Vlad's voice.

His temper was hanging by tenterhooks and he couldn't think straight. In the past few hours he'd had to threaten Alexander's life three times for his right hand man to get it through his thick skull that no, he didn't want any blood.

All he wanted was her. The sun was almost down, only a few hours to when they'd been supposed to mate. Very soon the blood moon would go up, signaling Vlad's loss and all that could have been. He didn't know if Erinna would even have wanted to marry him after all his indiscretions but he damned well knew if he couldn't have her, nobody will. Those wolves were going to die for even trying.

They must not have noticed her Recognition Mark if they thought they could marry her off. Before dawn he would have them all impaled in Death Town. Anyone who had deigned to breathe the same air as her would pay by his or her life; no exceptions and definitely no mercy.

"But not like that. I was talking to one of the men who survived the attack from last month. He said they could barely hold them back. He said they fought with a recklessness and invincibility of those who have taken magical supplements. They're messing with something."

"Well whatever it is, they still have my mate and I still need to get her back," Vlad replied in an almost bored tone.

He wanted to be alone and the man was annoying him. He disliked having anyone hovering over him, Alexander was bad enough; he didn't need two of them.

As if called by his thoughts, Alexander opened the room, a grave expression on his face. What now? The Count knew he couldn't deal with any more bad news.

"I need to talk to you, alone."

When Jeffery remained, Vlad shot him a glance that set his feet one in front of the other towards the door instantly. The nerve of the man, had he thought Vlad would be the one to leave the room in his own castle? Such insolence irked him and another time he might have addressed it but he did not have time to waste on the idiots of this world.

"I'm just returning from Miya's."

Just the name was enough to give Vlad headaches he hadn't had since his transformation. He hadn't been to Miya's house ever since Erinna had been kidnapped and he didn't want to. Sure things were better now that he knew it wasn't Miya herself who had kissed him but he didn't trust himself not to kill her anyway if he saw her face to face.

"Alexander I think you'll agree with me that there are more important issues to discuss."

"She wants to talk to you."

Before Vlad could make another protest, the door opened, revealing the lady in question herself. She looked older than Vlad had ever seen her. It seemed as if she'd aged ten years in the time he'd not been seeing her. Her face looked gaunt, her cheekbones sticking out and giving her a vulture-like look. Her complexion was a sickly pale hue that wiped all his anger. Was she dying already?

"I'll leave you two," Alexander said and left.

"I know you're probably angry and I'm sorry. But our differences don't matter at the moment, we have to put them aside if we're to save Erinna." Miya said when they were alone.

"How do I even know who you are?"

"Well if I was Lisa, my tongue would probably be down your throat by now. She doesn't seem to waste time."

He wasn't angry at her; he knew what it was like not having control of your own body. But he didn't know if he was ready to deal with the whole issue of a person he saw as his mother sharing a body with his dead wife.

"Why are you here?"

She produced a pouch and Vlad looked down to see her taking out a brown bottle with some dark liquid swirling inside it. His vampire smelling picked up its fragrance; something spicy with a hint of mint.

"This should help," she said offering him the bottle. He made no move to take it.

"What is it?" He asked skeptically.

"I know you've been having some symptoms because of the bond, Alexander is worried about you. This is a potion I've made ; it is meant to numb the pain."

"You know it won't work on me. There are disadvantages to being a Matter Ingester, even potions and medicines get neutralized."

He was just going to have to ride this out. Besides, why should he alleviate his own suffering and forego his pain when Erinna was feeling every part of hers? Maybe if they'd mated and he knew he could take the potion and have it reflected into her body but as it were, they were not yet joined.

"It won't hurt to try," Miya said and put the bottle in his hand, her fingers brushing his.

Vlad tensed, his body ready to spring away in revulsion at the foreign touch but he controlled himself. Miya already felt wretched without him adding to it, besides, she was only trying to help. Not that he would use the portion.

"Have you tried reaching her?" She asked.

"I can't. They must have sedated her; her telepathy is unresponsive."

He had sensed it again the time he had visited her dreams, something was suppressing her energy.

"She's not responding?" Miya said in a tone he didn't appreciate, dread written on her face.

"She's not dead Miya, I would know," he growled, his eyes flashing in warning.

Besides, he had spoken to her the previous day. If what she said was true and the dogs were indeed courting her, then she was in no physical danger; until they realized she was marked that was.

"Have you tried your dream catcher again?"

"I can't during the day, my powers are weak and suppressed."