Nikki's point of view348Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLoJqe0j75M
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.348Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrPvrELxJmf
"Good morning," I say.348Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3crYfknEks
He looks up and glares at me. "Yeah, sure," he mutters and goes back to looking at his papers.348Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF5WsQLj31T
I smile nervously and sit down. "Um, uh … Happy birthday?"348Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKuEkWj34xq
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.348Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXg9KEkTk7a
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.348Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmSRLsl77Kp
**********348Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0vDKQ4Qjrn
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.348Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX6Iu7L3aN4
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.348Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3ejju73qSJ
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.348Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJwhYZjkBfJ
"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."348Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNru8Oadb2W
I moan. That's all I can do. I go unconscious.348Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzxM10Tujwl
An hour later, I wake up in a bathtub. I moan.348Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfCInYSqzQr
"Shh. It's alright."348Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8SrcsZMl4i
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.348Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHQLT18cahz
I smile and look up at him. He looks away.348Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKMFkNVjVad
"Dracula," I whisper. "Dracula, look at me."348Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNrgIbtIKzY
He sighs shakily and looks at me.348Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkOLJp0mWnk
"Why are you so emotional?"348Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSOOsnWbb0y
"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."348Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrEJEhcUfFN
"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.348Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbiBZmYXZA4
"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."348Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoLzeIcfkO8
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.348Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡix7ZPf7CIn
"Ah, so beautiful. I swear you're Elisabeta back from the dead." He chuckles.348Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsjtG0MaPYW
I sigh. "What time is it?"348Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvoWLC9BhPi
"It's 11:28."348Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPYalQP7lWn
"Hm. In two minutes, it'll be exactly nine months after we made little Nightingale."348Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOgXCszsrA4
"Nightingale?"348Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJb2Gwm005K
"Mmhm. Nightingale Starr Dracula."348Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqmdErlP9pX
"What? No. That child deserves your last name more than mine."348Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgMMyfCJTyA
"No. She belongs to both of us. And plus, a child usually gets the father's last name anyway."348Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA1AzLQgx5B
"Not if the mother and father aren't married."348Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV8xsOBUfTj
"Oh, shut up."
"Make me."348Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn5Io9Dw3pf
"I will—" I gasp and look down. "Oh, ship."348Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaxaf5VT6zg
"Ship? I don't—" He gasps. "Oh, no. The baby. And it's 11:30."348Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq60RgqswkG
"No way."348Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6JACOtfl36
"Yes. It is."348Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcGRXo3H4Jc
"You—" I wince. "Oh, God."348Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJlsvx982TM
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.348Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuSF4JuOhy8
"Okay. Let's hope I can do this."348Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Fc9h80WCY
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.348Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcVhZsKovAV
"She's so beautiful," I say.348Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGoDwMc2oH8
"Just like you," he whispers. He smiles gently and leaves the room, shutting the door behind him. I sigh.348Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDJN8kjuNBe
