Nikki's point of view258Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡej68xOZVkV
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.258Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbUAnulaH3P
"Good morning," I say.258Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6oXJ2tzfY2
He looks up and glares at me. "Yeah, sure," he mutters and goes back to looking at his papers.258Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYme9iEKuBE
I smile nervously and sit down. "Um, uh … Happy birthday?"258Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0fGWpaNWxl
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.258Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB6uyYQyBGr
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.258Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDp33XGDGPa
**********258Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfOFKgjGFqy
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.258Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB8mrghCtad
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.258Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCNUBUtZhkf
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.258Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEE6yJ5jSk5
"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."258Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIc16ACPSed
I moan. That's all I can do. I go unconscious.258Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmSG4HJL0tR
An hour later, I wake up in a bathtub. I moan.258Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡViR86HitVg
"Shh. It's alright."258Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8LBAAEmej6
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.258Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzdHenjTUWG
I smile and look up at him. He looks away.258Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKNNf3B3rqu
"Dracula," I whisper. "Dracula, look at me."258Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoKFbGzrTzD
He sighs shakily and looks at me.258Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuXE1QxdHWG
"Why are you so emotional?"258Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwWdApDUapU
"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."258Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ48CzssPhl
"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.258Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzE86dDm7Ai
"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."258Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxbLqNUPyRk
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.258Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡONlcRBLkJ6
"Ah, so beautiful. I swear you're Elisabeta back from the dead." He chuckles.258Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡguAgvT5tPR
I sigh. "What time is it?"258Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK3NLsb2pYf
"It's 11:28."258Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzaKfu9ttMj
"Hm. In two minutes, it'll be exactly nine months after we made little Nightingale."258Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpU21cegPgW
"Nightingale?"258Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbFD1LHPtwt
"Mmhm. Nightingale Starr Dracula."258Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGQPyeaAekO
"What? No. That child deserves your last name more than mine."258Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSVG29q2i8y
"No. She belongs to both of us. And plus, a child usually gets the father's last name anyway."258Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpvkMmlULwV
"Not if the mother and father aren't married."258Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC7nMXgszTA
"Oh, shut up."
"Make me."258Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtb83d9G3vs
"I will—" I gasp and look down. "Oh, ship."258Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1FZP2Ki3ef
"Ship? I don't—" He gasps. "Oh, no. The baby. And it's 11:30."258Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡllycuMp1ij
"No way."258Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCzkO3pFoBu
"Yes. It is."258Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjgRu5beysf
"You—" I wince. "Oh, God."258Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSET9nIqSB7
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.258Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkVKjwswMIR
"Okay. Let's hope I can do this."258Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPCcMvNUiE9
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.258Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI6JKaCfkG3
"She's so beautiful," I say.258Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkZEEKCKMti
"Just like you," he whispers. He smiles gently and leaves the room, shutting the door behind him. I sigh.258Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBRaJ1d4I1K
