Nikki's point of view235Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUzd0Yxe62t
Three weeks go by and he still doesn't talk to me. Today, though, I'm going to make sure I get him to talk. Today he turns 600 years old. Today is November 14, 2031. Count Dracula's 600th birthday. I can't wait to tell him happy birthday. I head downstairs and find him sitting at the table looking at some papers.235Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPcnm01HYTH
"Good morning," I say.235Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1snyKbYwxP
He looks up and glares at me. "Yeah, sure," he mutters and goes back to looking at his papers.235Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0UszIwpHcG
I smile nervously and sit down. "Um, uh … Happy birthday?"235Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO7Xulm1akI
He looks up and slowly stands up. He puts the tips of his fingers on the table and glares at me. "I better not hear that again." He turns around and walks away.235Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlnrOD9fteI
I look down at my plate and sigh. "He's not gonna change," I mutter. I get up and walk towards the stairs. I go to my room and grab my things. I grab a cloak and go back down the stairs. I wrap the cloak around me and head out the doors. "Dang, it's cold," I whisper and shiver. I look behind me one more time. I sigh and continue.235Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6UU2otI6Co
**********235Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡliz142dthd
Several hours later, late at night, I'm lost. I set my case on the ground and sit down beside it. I pull my cloak close to me and shiver.235Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKQkBPzb6OC
I sigh. "I wish I knew how to make a fire," I say shakily. I shiver again. Suddenly, I see something white coming down from the sky. "Oh, shoot. It's snowing." I groan. I rub in a circle on my belly. "It's okay, baby. At least you're warm and cozy. I feel like I'll die any minute. Which means you will if I do." I sigh.235Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoblVGohski
Five hours later, I wake up, shivering violently. I look around. There's at least six inches of snow on the ground and it's still snowing. Suddenly, I hear wolves howling. I look around and see a wolf come over and sniff my face. He sits down and starts howling. Dang, that's loud. I cover my ears. I'm still shivering. I cough. Then, I take my hands down and wrap my cloak close to me. I can't see my case at all. It's not like it's going to matter. There's nothing important in it.235Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlqJYIrqhkJ
"There you are." Someone leans down and puts their hand on my cheek. "Oh, you're awfully cold. I've got to get you back to the castle."235Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfH8bulWg2x
I moan. That's all I can do. I go unconscious.235Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm4wx24A981
An hour later, I wake up in a bathtub. I moan.235Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvcUGtLoJvn
"Shh. It's alright."235Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpoc4VycE7F
I feel someone's hands gently scrubbing my body with a sponge. Suddenly, I realize who it is. I grab the hand, take the sponge, set it beside, and set the hand on my belly. My bulging belly.235Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8odIyo7D39
I smile and look up at him. He looks away.235Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj2dfC89iRc
"Dracula," I whisper. "Dracula, look at me."235Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfxwINrbb0b
He sighs shakily and looks at me.235Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfneqojliT6
"Why are you so emotional?"235Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHwlKZZipfA
"I don't know," he whispers. "Why did you run off? If you would have stayed out any longer, you'd probably be dead or have hypothermia."235Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYS9aWTfyVD
"I thought you didn't care. You just kept glaring at me and you walked away. So I left. I thought you didn't want me around." I look away as a tear streams down my cheek. I let go of his hand and let mine fall into the water.235Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1p6GkWtCWI
"Of course I care. If I didn't, I would have just left you out there." He lifts his hand up off my belly and turns my face to look at him. "Nikki, you remind me of Elisabeta. Sometimes I think you're Elisabeta back from the dead."235Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqIgZr9vQGk
He stands up and pulls the plug out of the water. He sets the plug on the edge of the tub and helps me out of the tub. He grabs the biggest towel he can find and wraps it around me. He picks me up like a bride and takes me into the next room. He lays me on the bed and looks through the wardrobe. He pulls out a night gown and helps me put it on. Then, he throws the towel to the side and picks me up. He sets me on a chair and grabs a hairbrush. He comes over, sets the brush down and takes the cover off of a mirror. He sets it aside and picks up the brush. Then, he starts brushing my hair gently.235Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBZSeco0IHE
"Ah, so beautiful. I swear you're Elisabeta back from the dead." He chuckles.235Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEpRhYwsDgg
I sigh. "What time is it?"235Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYn85KxA8aU
"It's 11:28."235Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7Wi6YSwWaY
"Hm. In two minutes, it'll be exactly nine months after we made little Nightingale."235Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXq1Wg1m2HD
"Nightingale?"235Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK2sLXiZuY8
"Mmhm. Nightingale Starr Dracula."235Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡihdzR86TCF
"What? No. That child deserves your last name more than mine."235Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡndEz7xGv86
"No. She belongs to both of us. And plus, a child usually gets the father's last name anyway."235Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ59XMHo07cE
"Not if the mother and father aren't married."235Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ79ozV3XB6v
"Oh, shut up."
"Make me."235Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHzKRRMKmpX
"I will—" I gasp and look down. "Oh, ship."235Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPxg1IMfxSi
"Ship? I don't—" He gasps. "Oh, no. The baby. And it's 11:30."235Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKguhHuJRCM
"No way."235Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGgrqFiAZfr
"Yes. It is."235Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzKxpVvpEsK
"You—" I wince. "Oh, God."235Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5TLgsQKpHD
He sets the brush down and picks me up. He lays me down on the bed and covers me up. Then, he grabs the drape that was over the mirror and pulls the blanket up. He lays the drape on the bed and folds the blanket over my legs. He rolls his sleeves up.235Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBZlNAlyD3j
"Okay. Let's hope I can do this."235Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqMFlVDpiDu
Twenty-five minutes later, I hear a muffled wail. Then, he's holding something in his arms. Wails fill the room. I gasp and lay back. I moan. He walks over to a table and cuts off the umbilical cord. Then, he comes over and hands the baby to me. He smiles and strokes her little feet.235Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRmy1z6e6jr
"She's so beautiful," I say.235Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWk69prm1H4
"Just like you," he whispers. He smiles gently and leaves the room, shutting the door behind him. I sigh.235Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZzKp1E24W7
