Mina's POV
We spend the next week and a half together, walking in the park, drinking coffees or tea, reading books such as Harry Potter and Hunger Games. It has been a while since I read them; it is so much fun to reread them like it was the very first time reading those amazing books. I go over every other day for riding lessons with Vlad. I am learning groundwork for the time being, how to care for a horse on my own.
I knew caring for a horse took a good bit of work but I never imagined it to be like this. Not in a bad way. It is fun to learn grooming, cleaning out their hooves, connecting with the horse on the ground before moving to be under saddle. Vlad let me borrow a movie about a horse trainer named: Buck Brannaman. I am stunned of how much one person can do with a horse. It does make me realize that there is more to horses than just hopping on and having dust in the air, taking off full speed. I watched the Buck Brannaman movie several times in how good Buck’s story is. I can relate to him on some personal levels when it comes down to things in the past.
I smile knowing that I am going to the Halloween party with Vlad tonight. I hope the party turns out well since our boss ensured that most of us could go. I drive down the road, following the GPS direction to Vlad’s house. I wonder how his house looks due to how the small house near the barn looks like. I already adore Vlad. I admit that I do not expect him to wrap his arms around me when he did after I talked to my mother on the phone.
My mother has been nonstop with the phone calls, text messages and voicemails but I erase them all and hide the alerts on my phone. I do not want to hear from her. She will do nothing but try to change my mind about Michael. I had been with Michael for over a year when he asked me to marry him. I did love him but it was not the same love he had for me. My mother told me that the same love would come; so that is why I said yes to him.
But shortly after I said yes, he started getting angrier about everything I did. It was like he thought I was a problem for him if I did not do what he wanted me to do when he demanded of it. Then when I questioned him, he started becoming mentally and physically abusive to me. Especially when I began to argue back with him, he screamed bloody murder in how he gave me everything and there is no life for me without him.
After the amount of times he hurt me, I left him as soon as I had a chance. I left without a second thought. When he learned that I left him, changed my phone number and moved into the small studio apartment I am living in, he told me that he was sorry. He promised it would never happen again but I knew in my heart that he was not the same man I thought he was. I gave him back the engagement ring; told him that I was done. I am not going to marry him; not now, not ever.
Even after all that has happened, Michael has not stop after that; he still sends me red roses to my work. He would even try to send my mother to confess me to change my mind. The moment my mother found out that I broke off the engagement, she lost it. She keeps on telling me that love will come and I am making a mistake. I know deep down that I am not nor will I ever regret leaving him.
I have noticed that it has been a while since Michael has not shown up anywhere around me at work for this month of October. I am considering that he has been following me. But at the same time, I have been switching up my routine, doing different stuff that he does not know about, like seeing Vlad and keeping my lights out at my apartment when I am there to make it seem like I am not there if he does know where I am currently living.
I deeply exhale in pushing these dreadful thoughts to the deepest part of my mind when I am a mile from arriving at Vlad’s house. I smile at the thought of Vlad, in knowing that Vlad is different. He does seem too good to be true but he has done something that no one has done for me. He is there for me on an emotional level and showing me things about the city that I have never seen until recently. It’s so rare to find and what most relationships should be now. Vlad gives that to me without even asking or thinking about it. He is a real breath of fresh air.
I cannot wait for my fellow workers to see Vlad and me at the party tonight. I am curious how we will look in our costumes. My phone chimes to let me know that I am about three hundred feet away. I make a small turn into the stone drive way leading toward his house. I stop my car when I see his house. My mouth drops at the sight of it. His house is black designed two-story home. The house is built in a way like I have never seen before. This house is something I would only see in a magazine. There are windows for the bedroom and living room. The steps up to the house are made of black stone of some kind. He even has dark red flower along the parking area of his house. I park my car next to Vlad's car.
I step out of my car, locking it. I have a closer view of the house and the few acres around it. I notice dark red flowers along the right side of the house. It is a wonderful place. I can his backyard filled with some trees almost like he has his own park, along with a huge back porch that has a bonfire pit and grill on the porch. I see he has a garage. I can barely see through the window of the garage door to see three black, nice cars, black Silverado Chevy truck and a sport motorcycle.
I am in awe of how amazing his home is before I walk up to the front door. Before I could knock on the door, he opens the door with his charming smile on his face. I smile back to him when he grabs my hand and kisses it gently on the top.
"Mina. I am happy you find my house. Some people have a hard time finding it, even with the GPS. Come on in."
“Vlad, it was no trouble finding it.” I blush when he leads me into his house. I stop at the sight of his home when he closes the door behind him. Everything here is astonishing on the inside as it is on the outside of his house. His home is seriously something I would see in a magazine or on TV. I slowly spin around to see more of it. Vlad leans against the wall, grinning in my reaction to his home.
"Let me show you the house, Mina." He gently grabs my hand and leads me around.
The floor is made of dark brown hardwood flooring. All of the walls are of stone just like the outside of the house. The living room is made of grey-silver tone to blend in well with his black five sectional sofa with the same matching black pillows like the sofa. In front of the sofa is a small table with a flower vase with dogwood flowers instead of roses like most houses do and some paperwork folders.
The view from the sofa, he has a surround sound system with a forty inch widescreen TV with a DVD player, blue-ray player that could connect to the internet if he wanted to. I notice all of the black interior design he has in the house. It is unique for Vlad, suits him because of my knowing in his taste of books, music and movies. It really does say that this is Vlad’s house. I cannot help in how impressive all of this looks.
His kitchen is so simple and absolutely amazing like on one of those famous TV cooking shows, he has everything he needs for any type of cooking in the world. I could not help but to smile about the place. I spin around a few more times to take in the entire place. Vlad remains watching me in seeing his house.
I go over to see more of the living room set with two massive black shelves. They are filled with DVDs and Blue-Rays. He has it all organized by shows, series or movies by themselves. Vlad could quite possibly have every good show, or movie that I could think of. I am in shock VHS films from the 1970's in good form and a VCR if he ever wanted to watch them.
“Vlad, this is amazing. I would have never dreamed of seeing a home like this with my very own eyes.”
“I am glad you like it. The few who have been here think that it is way too dark but you know my taste.” He tells me.
My eyes go down a hallway that leads to a bit more of the house. I spot some paintings and they were amazing to look at. I go over to stand in front of the first painting. The first one is of four different coat colored horses; each horse so fierce looking. The next painting is of a dark castle up in the mountains with lightening in the background. I can tell that this painting is back in the old days of Transylvania, the signature at the bottom said, Castle Dracula. It is kind of dark and yet amazing to look at with how much detail put into the painting. The next one is black and white painting with the look of people walking all in the same direction except one that is walking in the opposite direction. It is interesting to look at for a little bit. My eyes go to the fourth one is of a dark cave with a little bit of light at the end of it.
The last one is white and black with a tone of blue to it. The painting looks like a sort of mountains. A part of me wonders the name of the painting. I look to see the name of the painting. The painting is called, Dark Misty Mountain. I like the use of coloring of the mountain; very good. I come across another painting of two wolves running next to each other. I I love the detail and the coloring, almost as if these wolves are running on nothing but a starry night sky. I study the painting carefully. I take a step closer to have a better look before Vlad walks to stare at the painting with me.
"The mountain painting reminds me of one back in the 1400’s hundreds called, Broken Tooth Mountain. It was said that Broken Tooth mountain was said to have terrified men and anyone that dared enter into it; they was never seen or heard from again. But it is nothing; just a scary story to tell children or men at night or around a campfire.”
"I can understand why. I know that I would be scared of it in those days. I like the paintings, they seem dark but yet each one seems to have a meaning behind it. Most paintings do and that is why I like them." I tell Vlad with a smile.
He gently pulls me into his arms. Vlad kisses me on the lips. I sigh in how it feels to be in his arms. We start to slowly walk over to the couch not parting our lips. I start to take off my coat. Instead Vlad smiles in helping me to take my coat off. My blush pink coat falls to the floor. We falls onto the couch. I lay next to him and we cuddle together. He pulls me closer into his muscular body that feels so good.
I cannot help to out a moan in how his body made mine excited since I have not been kissed like this in such a long time. I cannot remember when to be honest, but I am going to enjoy it with Vlad. We continue going as I run my hands down his shirt. I can feel his muscles. I never knew a man could have this much muscle in just his stomach and chest. Then something inside me was screaming that I want him fully right now.
He smiles in between kissing me. My breathing gets louder when I’m about to take his shirt off. But of course, his house phone starts to ring. We both look at the phone wondering who is calling. I ask him, "Are you going to grab that?"
He looks at the phone then at me saying, "You will have to be more specific." I try my best not to laugh so hard from what he said.
"Answer the phone, Vlad." I tell him still laughing.
"Right. Right." We sit up on the couch. He leans over grabbing the phone; answering it. "Hey, a bad time to call." I can hear the person on the phone telling him that he is here with his delivery. Vlad tells him, "Never mind. Come on in, it’s an ok time."
Vlad hangs up the phone then looks to me. "Our costumes are here."
We both stand to our feet. I pick up my coat. Vlad heads over to the door and opens it. There is a gentleman carrying two sets of clothes covered nicely. He walks into the living room. Vlad pulls a check out of his pocket for the bill of the custom made costumes. They shake hands with one another. Vlad tells him to have a good afternoon and he will call him tomorrow. He escorts the gentleman out the door then closes the door back. Vlad comes back into the living room.
"There is a bathroom upstairs for you to change into. It will be the first one on your right. Come down when you are ready. We will need to leave early so we can make it on time for the party." He hands me the suit that says ‘Odette costume’. I smile in grabbing my makeup bag from my purse and head up the stairs and go into the bathroom.
I stop to see how amazing the bathroom looks alone. It matches with the rest of his house in wall tile and floor, even the toilet is a matching black. His business really does pay off. More people need to get into the horse business that Vlad does. I get myself back to me getting ready. I unzip the suit holding the dress. It is breath-taking. The dress is exactly like the one in the film, Swan Princess. It is her white wedding dress; everything is exactly how it looked in the cartoon. I press my fingers against the white fabric knowing that tonight is going to be a lot of fun.
I put on my makeup with a shade of gold eye shadow, black eye liner to bring in a dark color since I am wearing nothing but white and gold colors. I put a hint of white eye shadow to it then some mascara. Then some blush pink lipstick for the finishing makeup touch. I put in simple diamond crystal stud earrings because the gown and makeup will be enough to draw attention if there is a costume contest. When I finish my make up, I take off my clothes, slipping into the dress.
It is easy to get into like it is soft satin fabric on the inside of the dress for comfort to wear for a whole night. I zip it up from the side. I look in the mirror. I gasp in how the dress looked on me. It's marvelous and the right about of puffiness of the arm design. It truly is almost like a swan designed dress. I look to see that I am stunned to see a fair shade of gold salsa dancing heels to go with the gown. I put the heels on knowing that I can dance in these without my feet killing. They fit so perfectly and they are really comfy to wear. I gasp in shock of how marvelous all of it look.
I notice that there a small bag within the dress bag. I grab the small bag, unzipping it to find golden blonde hair extensions for me to have long blonde hair again. I realize that it has been several months since I have had long blonde hair. I cut it this short because Michael could not hit me on my upper half of me because people would notice my bruises then learn what he does to me if he lays his hand on me again. I exhale in putting the extensions on my head. I put in the last one then take a few moments before I turn to look in the mirror at myself.
I turn to find a completely different woman in the mirror standing right at me. I press my lips together knowing that I am not the small coward woman I was with Michael almost half a year ago. I feel almost like a completely different woman. I place my hands together in smiling with a few tears filling up my eyes. I try to stop myself so I do not start messing up my makeup for the night. I take one more brief look then leave the bathroom.
I smile when going down the stairs to the living room where Vlad is waiting for me. He turns around in wearing the exact costume of Prince Derek. The suit fit him so well. It brings out his wonderful brown eyes. He sees me and his eyes light up seeing me right now. He takes a few steps over to me then extends his hand out to me. I put my hand in his. He kisses my hand before he spins me around to see me fully in the dress.
"Mina, how astonishing you look. It is so simple but yet daring on you. It will make any man want to dance with you but only I will dance with you, no other if you are ok with that." He says while staring at me as if I am heaven itself.
"Vlad, you look so handsome; pleasing to the eye of any woman as well. I know all of the women will be surrounding you tonight but I will blacken their eye before they snatch you from me." I tell him without even thinking. We both chuckle in our words of how we look in our costumes.
I smile because I am impressed with how much thought he has put into all of this. Vlad tells me that there are two more finishing touches to my costume. He goes over to a small velvet bag then brings it back over to me. Vlad smiles his enchanting smile. I begin to notice that Vlad is looking at my neck.
I was about to ask him why but he tells me, "I hope you do not think this is too soon but I made this for you. Turn around, Mina."
I do so when Vlad holds up a gold necklace in front of me. He lifts it over my head to around my neckline. Vlad remains grinning while connecting the necklace together. I am speechless that it is a pure gold necklace with a swan in the middle of a heart pendant. It is just like the Swan Princess necklace in the film.
Vlad twirls his fingers in my hair extensions whispering, "There we go."
I brush my fingers against the heart pendant. This is actual gold I am touching of this necklace. “Oh, it’s beautiful, Vlad.” I barely let slip out of my mouth. I face him knowing that I need to say this. "Vlad, you shouldn't have done this." I tell him because I don't want him to spend so much money on me. Michael always did that and expected me to be happy about it but I never was. I don't want it to be like that with Vlad.
"I wanted to, Mina. And there is one thing you need to do with it. Open it."
I wonder what else he has done for me. I unlock the heart pendant. I am lost for words to see a picture of him with Dimitri and the other side of the pendant is empty for a picture I want to put in it. I try to keep myself from crying at how thoughtful this is to me already. "Vlad, this is the most beautiful thing anyone has ever done for me. Thank you." He gently places his fingers on the pendant after I close it.
Vlad moves his hand from the pendant, bringing his right hand to my cheek, admiring me the way no man has ever looked at me, not ever. He for some reason looked somewhat troubled about something.
I ask him, “What is it?”
Vlad says the one thing that would make any woman blush like I am. "Only the impossible depth of your beauty. It puts the rest of the world to shame." He says with all of his heart.
I inhale deeply before I kiss him. Vlad and I remain in a lingering kiss. His lips are so goodly intense. He deepens his lips into mine. He wraps his left arm around my mid-lower back, bringing me closer into his body that there is no space between us. Vlad gives me one more kiss before we have to take half a step back. I never met anyone like him. A part of me still wonders where he is from.
Vlad's POV
I keep my eyes on her in awe with how Mina looks exactly like Mirena with the long hair. I do my best to keep myself from thinking that she is Mirena when she is not Mirena. Mina may look exactly like her but she is a completely different woman that I want to know more of in each time we spend together.
We both turn our eyes to the mirror to see ourselves in complete costume. "You honestly take my breath away, Vlad."
"That makes two of us, Mina." I smile to her. Then my senses hear the next surprise for Mina pull up in the driveway. I smile knowing that Mina is going to enjoy this surprise quite a lot. I stare at the clock to see it is time to leave for the party. “Our ride is here for the party. I am ready if you are.”
Mina asks, “How are we getting to the party?”
I extend my arm out to her. Mina wraps her arm around mine. I open the front door and let her fully see our ride for the night. Mina gasps in the surprise before her. She places her hands over her mouth in what she is seeing. It is an actual horse drawn carriage to take us to the party. Mina looks to me saying, "You really have thought of everything, Vlad."
"I want it to be a wonderful night for you, Mina. We better go so we are not late." I lock the door behind me. Then take her hand, walking her to the carriage.
Dimitru is one of the horses pulling the carriage. Mina goes over to him in joy to see him. She kisses him on the forehead. Dimitru neighs at the sight of her. I chuckle at Dimitru in how much he likes Mina. It is something I adore seeing, my horses like her. The carriage man is the same one from our first date. The carriage driver greets us and opens the door for us. I assist Mina into the carriage. I get in behind her when the carriage driver closes the door.
I notice that our hands are embraced together the whole way to party. Many people dressed for Halloween on the streets we ride by are waving at us and how wonderful we looked. We could not help but to smile and laugh by how much fun we were already having on the way to the party.
We travel for about half an hour until the carriage stops at the very building where the party is being held. The party is being thrown at my very home, Castle Dracula or known these days as Bran Castle. The stories about me through the human world are quit ridiculous but have to let it slide so the real stories about me are not as noticeable. I have made myself involved in the Castle reconstruction and renovations they have made over the centuries. I am not entirely happy with the changes they made but all in all, my family home is standing in one piece strong.
The driver pulls the carriage to the entrance where others are walking up the stairs to enter into the castle. Quite a few people are partying outside with carved pumpkins with candle lights in the middle of the pumpkins and other Halloween themes. The carriage stops. The driver hops down, opening the door for us. I help Mina out of the carriage. Many people stop at the sight of us. They start talking about us and how we look.
I can see through Mina's senses that she is extremely nervous but excited in how many are talking about us. I am glad to see her arm around mine. Mina exhales in relief knowing I am by her side. We walk by several people as they continue talking about us when we pass by.
We reach to the doors that will lead inside to the main party for the night. Mina pulls out her invitation and hands it to the guards at the entrance of the party. They let us go through. We walk in. Everything inside is quite festive for the night. I like the decorations around the place. Mina and I glare over at the guest book to sign. Mina and I do so with a feather and ink, like old times. I sign my name with ease. Mina notices a few of her coworkers ahead of us as they were going into the hall. She is about to get their attention when suddenly she freezes.
I wonder why she stopped when I notice she looks back to the guest book signatures. She has turned pale like she is seeing a ghost when she sees one of the names on the previous page from where we signed.
I see the name Michael on it. I remember that name from her phone call with her mom on our date when she first came to my stables. Apparently he is here. Not sure if he planned this or if it is just a consequence that he is here. If he has planned to be here at the party, knowing that she would be here tonight, I will drain him dry if he attempts to lay a hand on her. Mina seems like she is putting up walls, remaining like a statue.
I will not have Mina dread this whole night because of Michael. I have Mina look at me. I cup my hands around her beautiful face. “Mina, do not think about anything else right now. Just look at me.” I smile to her. She smiles back at me. I kiss her to the point that I sense her relaxing in my touch. After a few moments, we part from the kiss.
I tell her, "Do not worry about him. Tonight is about having fun and will be as close as it can to being perfect, Mina. I will make sure of it."
I move my hands down from her face. She wraps her hands wrap around mine. She takes a deep breath before telling me, "You are right, Vlad. Let's get in there, my Prince." Our hands move so I put my arm out for her and she wraps her arm around mine. She uses her other hand to hold up her dress so she does not step on it when walking down to the party behind the curtains.
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