Nikki's point of view404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx1PwdTfnHo
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.404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkJNTqMK0T7
"Good morning," I say.404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQVEDOpTNLP
He looks up and glares at me. "Yeah, sure," he mutters and goes back to looking at his papers.404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXGVkTUtX3y
I smile nervously and sit down. "Um, uh … Happy birthday?"404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGe5BCUgVxH
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.404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDjlQ7CEvLG
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.404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM0OnmxjDOg
**********404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkXS40rjY5R
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.404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNE8Wyz1l7O
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.404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU6cefJM7tc
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.404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyRhnJBoBcO
"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."404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgzdzlReGa5
I moan. That's all I can do. I go unconscious.404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Nd0UOMiGi
An hour later, I wake up in a bathtub. I moan.404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzjApFa4FHP
"Shh. It's alright."404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7YtCQWQmIy
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.404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBXJfREglOb
I smile and look up at him. He looks away.404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvVMtJVEq6R
"Dracula," I whisper. "Dracula, look at me."404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaajQob6Ql3
He sighs shakily and looks at me.404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAeKqcLzBXx
"Why are you so emotional?"404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCVM6DOMstz
"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."404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzmn8K5Qkcw
"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.404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeEiYJUDVNx
"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."404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb6nJpu6Vqv
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.404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFfD6FL3k8h
"Ah, so beautiful. I swear you're Elisabeta back from the dead." He chuckles.404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvIIB03Milo
I sigh. "What time is it?"404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsFz45HvFEI
"It's 11:28."404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYqocT1Lh3g
"Hm. In two minutes, it'll be exactly nine months after we made little Nightingale."404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIgzteKaJmY
"Nightingale?"404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzjV2uk3LlH
"Mmhm. Nightingale Starr Dracula."404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkDhEKbvGAb
"What? No. That child deserves your last name more than mine."404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKJYf3v2REe
"No. She belongs to both of us. And plus, a child usually gets the father's last name anyway."404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4EqWGmXeiL
"Not if the mother and father aren't married."404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC5tndbIZ0d
"Oh, shut up."
"Make me."404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ26MSQP5Mjw
"I will—" I gasp and look down. "Oh, ship."404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2QzHtCw8nW
"Ship? I don't—" He gasps. "Oh, no. The baby. And it's 11:30."404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPkmBUnjcod
"No way."404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡezkNQQBjId
"Yes. It is."404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF5CQiwkLaQ
"You—" I wince. "Oh, God."404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKd38nFnIxo
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.404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKaHBOWw8c0
"Okay. Let's hope I can do this."404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡASjo4k76fT
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.404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDRi5xEyG9v
"She's so beautiful," I say.404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2V3T5hINQM
"Just like you," he whispers. He smiles gently and leaves the room, shutting the door behind him. I sigh.404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX4k42qz8mK
