I was aware of my surroundings before I had even fully woken up. I heard from my twilight state the faint rustle of my bedding as I curled up tighter against my pillow, the warmth that comforted me like a mother's loving touch, and the smell of spices and sweet vanilla.

I could have stayed there forever, wrapped nice and cozy, while the world around me faded into background noise. I almost did, but a voice in the back of my mind told me I should wake.

When I chanced a blurry peek through my lashes, I sighed at the sight of warm sunlight gently filling my room. It was morning. I moaned to myself as I felt my insides clench with a sense of loss- the castle, my journey, Adrian, all of it would seem like a wild fever dream when I returned home. As I lay there, reluctant to tear myself away from my bed's warm embrace, I decided that my encounter with the 'creature' would have to be entirely fabricated. No one would believe that a man lived here alone. They would assume I was bewitched.

With another huff, I finally flip over onto my back, already my fingers searching out the coarse linen bandages at my throat to drum up the memory of the angel-faced man. I don't want to leave, I think, and finally decide to sit, casting my eyes towards the tall window again. I know that once I turn away from Castle Dracula, I'll never see it again.

Why do I care?

Already I'm wrestling with myself, with that same tugging of my insides. It's too early to feel this way! I haven't even woken up entirely! Despite this, I want to find a knife and cut it out of me. I want to throw the ache across the room and glare at it. I can't, though. I know if I do, a part of me will be missing, an important piece.

I'm lost to my thoughts, to my frustration when that same chilly realization I've felt before trickles down my spine and shakes me awake. "What time is it?!" I shriek and leap out of bed so fast my head's spinning. I don't let it stop me. I'm behind schedule, so far behind that, I wonder if I can even find a warm place to bed down for the coming night.

Damn it! Why didn't Adrian wake me?!

As quickly as I can without further injury, I shimmy into my breeches and my tunic, already reciting the speech I'm preparing.

First, I think as I struggle into my boots, I'm going to demand why he didn't wake me. It seems like a logical first step, so I make it mine. My mind attempts to duplicate Adrian's particular way of speaking and his mannerisms, but it falls short, and I'm left with a ridiculous imitation. I almost laugh at how abysmal the caricature is, but remember that I'm livid! He didn't wake me, and because he didn't, I've wasted valuable daylight! With a huff, I continue along with our imaginary conversation, assuming the beautiful man will say he simply allowed time to get away from him as such a construct doesn't exist for immortals. My blood is already at a roaring boil, and this conversation which will never come to fruition ignites my fury hotter. I may be only human, but Adrian was going to get a piece of my mind!

With my boots now laced tightly around my calves, I swing open the door like a woman possessed and make my way out into the hallway. I didn't make it five steps out from my door before a clatter fills my ears.

"What in the-" I hiss beneath my breath, stilling myself, the air in my lungs burning to escape as I waited for a secondary crash. It takes perhaps a handful of seconds before more faint banging causes me to swivel my head in the supposed direction- was that coming from the kitchen? I waited just a moment more before I decided that if it wasn't, Adrian could not hold me at fault for investigating. After all, he'd been murderous when I had had a purpose; I could only imagine if an intruder was the source of the commotion, Adrian would have another corpse for his garden. Without thinking too much more, I pivot on my heels and dash down the stairs, taking them two at a time; if the cause of the noise was, in fact, Adrian, I'd have a few choice words for that spoiled, cranky vampire!

I'm standing in the long stretch of hallway on the ground floor, frozen again in place but due to a heavenly scent wafting through the air. My stomach growls monstrously, immediately aware of the perfume that hangs around me; it's breakfast!

I'm hungry, famished even, but I don't allow my hunger to cloud my rage. "That short-sighted, foul-tempered, beautiful-" I grumble to myself as I march forward, stopping just before the door, "Adrian! What in the-"

It's all that comes out of my mouth before it snaps shut, and I see that my anger is wholly misplaced.

Breakfast had been made, but it hadn't been solely for Adrian. There are two place settings like there had been the night before with dinner, one at the head of the table and the other at his side.

It takes my eyes but a moment to flick from the table setting to my host, who stands in a pair of fitted ebony breeches, tall black boots with golden filigree trim, and a white undershirt. His shoulder-length hair catches the light and ignites his head in a halo- he looks like an effigy of desire. God in heaven, the man is too lovely, and my breath is stolen from between my lips as my tithe.

Maybe a dip in a chilly river would do me good- it might clear my head! Adrian does things that I can't describe, and while I want to hate myself, I hunger for more.

Ashamed of myself for gawking so unashamedly and my wicked thoughts, I force myself to stare at the black and white tiled floor below me. Quietly, I count the sparkling dust particles that lazily float through the air, desperate to divert my attention to anything else.

I can't catch my breath.

"I believe you had something to say to me," Adrian's sultry baritone immediately makes me aware that he's here and that I'm too warm. I can't look at him, I think, and gnaw at the corner of my mouth, painfully present in this moment.

"N-no, I wasn't-" I begin to lie but decide that we both know it's convincing no one. We stand there in silence, the sound of sizzling food the only thing that fills my ears.

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Finally, I muster the courage to ask a question I already know the answer to, "S-so, what are you doing?" I almost want to roll my eyes. Really, that was the best I could come up with?!

"I thought that it was fairly obvious; I'm preparing breakfast."

Of course he is! "Adrian, I have eyes; I can see this. I just mean-" my frustration returns, but I force my lungs to fill with a deep inhale, "why are you preparing two places? You were supposed to wake me at first light so that I could leave. I do not intend to sound ungrateful for the last few hours of sleep, but I've lost daylight."

I don't realize that I'm fidgeting with my bandages again, at least until the scent that I know belongs to Adrian slams into my senses. He's there again, too close for comfort, his eyes trained on my fingers."You should stop touching your bandages, Anna." My hand immediately snaps away from my neck; instead it collects a lock of my hair, anxiously stroking the silky clump.

"I'm aware that you've lost daylight; however, it doesn't matter."

His words immediately sober my nerves, and I stare up into his face defiantly, preparing another barbed insult, "What do you mean it doesn't matter?"

We stare at each other, neither one of us moving. Finally, Adrian turns from me, and I glower after him, my heart thundering in my ears, fear now potent in my blood.

"You won't be leaving anytime soon," Adrian remarks dryly, his attention refocused on the frying pan, which he takes off the heat and scrapes onto the two plates.

"I-I do-don't understand," I shake my head, praying that the kindly vampire I'd seen only as a man, isn't preparing to lock me up as his new plaything.

Adrian sighs and instead places the dirty frying pan into the deep basin at his back then moves to fill two mugs with a warm amber liquid. Once finished, he silently sits at the head of the table and takes up his silverware before he continues, "I understand you have a mind to return to your village and alert the people you found Katherine in a state of-"

"You know her name?" I cut in so quickly my skin tingling with white-hot needles, the hint of disgust in my voice apparent.

Adrian snickers once with a grin before he resumes speaking, "Yes, Anna, I knew her name. It matters little as she's no more than a corpse now in my, as you call it, garden. As I was saying, however, I understand that you wish to return home, but you won't make it in your current state."

"I survived out in the cold with all the beasties for a week. I'll be fine." I reply childishly, trying to prove that I'm capable, that I'm strong.

Adrian quirks a brow before he places his fork down and steeples his fingers, his eyes boring holes straight through to my soul, "That may be true, but when you made the journey before, you weren't injured. Anna, your injury will kill you before the cold does, and this entire quest will be wasted."

I try and open my mouth to argue, but my words fall short when Adrian continues, "If you were to leave now, the cold air would dry out that wound of yours, causing it to crack open further. When this happens, any amount of healing your body has completed would be for naught, and you would be at square one again. The flesh on your neck and chest will become infected, necrotic, or both. You would die before even making it halfway home."

My insides twist, and I feel sick like I'm going to wretch, but I don't, and I'm only left with an agonized churning. While he hasn't said it outright, I know Adrian sees me as weak. I'm embarrassed and ashamed of my human nature despite knowing that there is nothing I can do to change it. I begin to fidget uncomfortably beneath his gaze, my tongue burning to convince him that I'm anything but weak. I don't know why I care, but I do. I want to impress him.

As I start to open my mouth to plead my case, that hypnotic voice floats through the air, caressing down my neck and back with silky fingers, soothing my inner turmoil. It whispers to me, and I begin to shiver with delight.

"I realize that returning home for your family's sake is important to you, Anna, but being foolish will ensure you never see them again. Stay here until the weather improves. Once the temperatures rise, then you can safely make the return trip."

I remain quiet for some time, mulling over all of what's been said. I still want to argue, to insist that I'll be fine, but there is reason in Adrian's words. I decide to let any repose that I've begun melt on my tongue. What could I possibly say that would convince us both that I'm capable, that I'm durable despite my disadvantage- my mortality? Absolutely nothing, and we both know it.

Swallowing my pride, I sigh and nod my head, "Fine, but just until the weather warms." How long will that be, though? The winters in Wallachia are unforgiving, and it could be weeks before the snow finally stops; but isn't this what I wanted? To stay within this fantasy, to spend more time with Adrian?

I'm torn between what my warring mind and heart want by that same sultry, rich voice I've come to adore.

"Until then," the fair-haired man pauses, and I move to take my place beside him, curiosity causing me to itch to know what he's about to say. Quietly, I wait with bated breath, looking at Adrian's beautiful, angular profile. "I-" he resumes before stopping a second time, and I'm left pleading silently for him to finish, "I want to extend my deepest apologies."

Wait, what? Did I just hear him correctly, or am I dreaming?

In the short time I've known him, I can't actively recall a single instance where he's said something similar. Why is he apologizing? I stare down at my host, my heart noisily banging against my ribs as I search for a reply.

"W-what for?" I finally question, trying to sound disinterested but wince inwardly when my voice cracks.

"For last night," Adrian replies, his face flicking up to mine, causing me to gasp and my cheeks to ignite.

No, I immediately think, feeling my lungs seize in my chest, stop looking at me like that! Please, God, I can't hold his gaze!

The room has suddenly grown hotter, and I'm thankful that I'm not in my heavy woolen cloak. I want to run out of Castle Dracula and jump into the snow- naked. It would help, and it would be better than the sweltering heat that begins to choke me.

"I allowed myself to think the worst of you. To, as you said, fit you into a skewed mold of a person. You were simply trying to tend to your injuries, and I assumed you were attempting to deceive me. I am sorry."

Silence.

What do I even say? He's forgiven, of course he is, but I can't bring myself to utter a single word. For a moment, I wonder if I'm actually comatose- if I never woke up. To ensure I'm here, present in this moment, I bite down roughly on my bottom lip. Pain shoots through my face, and I know for certainty that nope, I'm definitely not dreaming.

"Yo-you're forgiven, Adrian," I mumble, fingers mindlessly beginning to pick at the frayed ends of my tunic anxiously. I'm left standing their, dumbstruck. For a brief moment, I forget how to function- how do I breathe, how do I human? I don't have to wonder long when that same anchoring voice, the voice that I've come to crave, fills my ears.

"Now, are you going to continue standing there attempting to impersonate a statue, or do you intend to sit and eat with me finally?" Again my cheeks ignite when I realize I've been motionless for far longer than was appropriate. God damnit, what is this man doing to me?! Quickly I yank out my chair away from the table and sink into the seat. Quietly, I begin filling my mouth with food; if I'm chewing, then I can't speak. Anything is better than trying to have a conversation where I stutter and fidget.

Yet even as I slow and mindfully chew, I'm continuously drawn to looking up at Adrian. Something is different about him. The man that I met the previous day seemed so cold and unreachable- like he was on the moon. Now, there is a slight warmth that seems to radiate from within him; it's small, and it's fragile, but it's there. Whatever it is, this change, I cherish it.