In a flash of Fangs

Furtuna mea mică

I half skipped half ran to my room I was happy but I was also scared of the next conversation. Kosti and I got along but he was very protective of me too. I think he got that from dad, and now that our parents were gone, who knows how Kosti will handle things. I walked to my bed and sat down and cried for the first time since everything happened. It had finally sunk in that I no longer had a mother and a father or even a home, if we hadn't run away maybe we could have saved them but I don't really think anything could have stopped this. Sorin's father was dead set on having me within his family and only wanted power over the powerful and what better way than to take the daughter? Kosti told me everything and Vlad was silent I could tell he was hiding things but I didn't really want to know what happened, but now... now I wanted to know everything. Vlad saved my life in every aspect of the word and I felt that I had to do everything in my power to show him how grateful I was. I heard a knock and lifted my head up as Konstantin walked in, concern showed in his movements as he walked and then sat down next to me.

"Sis, I know things have been hard but I don't want you to feel like you can't have fun or do things like we used to ok? I want things to remain somewhat normal, we are a family and nothing will stop us from being one." He bumped my shoulder with his lovingly before grinning and before wrapping an arm around me in a half hug. I nodded and then froze when I remembered that I had to tell him about Vlad.

"Kosti, I have something to tell you, but I can't say it alone. Let me freshen up and I'll meet you downstairs." I said hiding my face with my hair, I couldn't look at him right now I know I would start crying again if I did. Kosti sat with me a few more seconds before squeezing my shoulder, I felt the mattress move again as he stood up and walked out of my room. My stomach was in knots and was very uncomfortable and I had no idea why I felt this way. It wasn't like I was doing anything bad by loving Vlad, was I? He was kind, caring and everything I wanted in a relationship, and he even told me about his past which I know wasn't an easy thing, it felt right and yet I still couldn't help this nagging feeling in my gut like something was going to happen. Running my hands through my hair I sighed, all the happiness was gone and had been replaced by my inner demon of doubt, I looked around the room. It was stone like Vlad's but void of any other color, everything was dark and gre y and it had set my mood for the rest of the night. Hands on the edge of my bed I clutched the sheets holding in the tears that threatened to fall, my eyes stung as they welled up holding my head high I blinked a few times hoping it could stop the tears, I wanted to be strong but I just didn't feel like it anymore. So many things happened and I had fought for so many nights to keep all of the emotions at bay and now the floodgates had opened. I was no longer in control and everything seemed to push me over the edge. I shook my head and let it hang feeling my hair stick against my cheek I knew my skin was damp from the tears earlier. Setting my jaw, I rubbed my hand under my eyes wiping away the wetness from my face, I took a deep breath and stood up. Mentally I kept telling myself that I was ok, I got this, you're safe now. I grabbed a dress that Vlad had left me and put it on, I was surprised it fit perfectly. It was different than what I was used to being a t-shirt and pants girl but the dress was amazing. It felt soft on the skin, even cool to the touch, the silver making my eyes stand out almost begging to be the center of attention. It had beads on the top half of the dress that went down almost like small rivers of moonlight as the dress flowed down to the ground a white satin band went around my waist. It made me feel like a princess, it wasn't a formal dress but it could have been with a few pieces of jewelry and a nice hairstyle. I smiled swaying my hips to watch the dress swirl around my feet, the beads sparkling like thousands of tiny moon beams. Vlad may be a vampire and own the night but he sure knew how to find beauty in the confines of his eternal bond to the darkness. A quality I admired about him, the resilience he had to endure this curse and not lock himself away in a cave like his master had. The never-ending traveler never weary of the journey but rather jumping into the fray with open arms and a mind full of questions. Even after all the centuries he's been in he has still kept his traditional views, and even to some extent the clothing. It got me wondering what else he kept from his past hidden in the many rooms of the castle. I smiled once more before brushing my hair and making my way down the hallway following the steps as it led me down to the main room. There were at least three levels to the castle that I had seen and I knew that this one was ground level then the rooms on the second and some darker rooms up on the third. I stood in the doorway, hesitating. I could feel the knot returning in my stomach but I took a leap of faith and walked into the room to see both men sitting across from each other with the hearth roaring in between them. They had been talking quietly but stopped once Vlad lifted his head to meet my eyes with his own, I couldn't help but dip my head as I felt my cheeks flush. Vlad looked me up and down, almost gloating with his sense of style in clothing. Kosti just stared his eyes looking at the fabric and then up to my eyes, it was almost as if he didn't recognize who I was. I moved forward crossing the room in quick quiet steps, the dress whispering behind me. I laughed as they both stood up once I was closer, Vlad produced a hand and I took it taking a seat next to him and closer to the fire. I saw Kosti raise an eyebrow and then sat down staring at the both of us.

"What is the occasion sis?" he asked leaning forward letting his elbows rest on his knees while his hand held his chin at such an angle that I know I wasn't going to hide anything from his gaze, not tonight, not ever. I looked at Vlad almost pleading for him to start but he only smiled and shook his head, I took a deep breath and then looked at Kosti. His brown eyes almost black with the light I began to tell him about everything, pausing every now and then to let Vlad add in some of the details. I had started clenching my hands trying to calm my nerves but it wasn't helping, I was so nervous about what my brother would think. Vlad reached over and grabbed my hands stopping me from the opening and clenching again, his hands warm around mine I felt myself relax. My whole body had been tense but at the smallest touch from Vlad I melted, all my fears leaving me in the comfort of his touch. Kosti watched every movement I made, listened to every word and leaned back digesting it all, he hadn't missed the way I relaxed once Vlad held my hands. We all sat in silence letting everything sink in, the fire crackling and the sounds of deep thinking were the only signs of life at the moment.

I waited for Konstantin to say something but he seemed to be in his own world, eyes distantly searching through the fire's flames. I was getting nervous again and I could feel it creeping up from the floor causing my legs to start tapping startling Kosti out of his thoughts. He coughed, sat up and looked at Vlad then to me with such soft eyes I had wondered what had happened to my brother, who had taken him from me and replaced him with this stranger. He clasped his hands and with a smile he stood up stretching his tired muscles.

"I can't say I'm surprised by any of this, I honestly can't see it any other way. You two were meant for each other whether it was this life or the next, you were bound to meet somehow. I knew that night I first saw Vlad in our house that it wasn't the last time we'd be seeing him. And then at your birthday, I saw how he looked at you and I knew, I was sad because of Sorin but when that uh... fell through I knew nothing could stop it from happening. I had hoped it happened sooner... I wanted to be able to brag about it, after all its not every day you find out Vlad the Impaler is alive let alone have him save you and then fall in love with your sister." He said with a grin like the Cheshire cat and winked at me, I was at a loss for words, I must have looked like I felt because both of them started laughing.

"You can close your mouth sis, unless you want to invite a fly or two" Kosti chuckled sitting back down. Vlad shook his head laughing shaking the couch a little before putting a finger under my chin and lifting it up to close my mouth for me. I glared sending daggers to Kosti only causing him to laugh even more at my expense.

"Oh, Furtuna mea mică" Vlad chuckled pulling me to his side. Both Kosti and I looked at him with raised eyebrows and he smiled.

"I guess I will have to teach you both Romanian, it means my little storm" he sighed pretending to be amazed at our lack of understanding of the words. I narrowed my eyes at Vlad and playfully hit his shoulder earning an eye roll from Kosti at the childish action.

***Furtuna mea mica.... Means my little storm in case you didn't catch that in reading. Also the dress she is wearing is in the picture up top just for reference since i'm so not in my descriptive mode today :/.. And woot i'm suprised to see this even hit the 200 reader mark so thank you all for reading!!