Dracula's Groom

CHAPTER THIRTY NINE: Stranger Danger

Nathan

The door to the master bedroom opened slightly as Nicolas placed a hand on the small of my back and gently pushed through to the other side. When he shut the door, I didn't even look at him. A lock was clicked into place shortly thereafter followed by the sound of retreating footsteps as they walked back down the hall. I felt like Rapunzel locked in a tower by an evil wicked King and his trusted servant. But that wasn't the case, and I knew Nicolas mean't well. Obviously he was just following orders.

A couple of hours later I hear the door open again from inside the bathroom as I take a bath. Dracula's voice calls out to me but I don't answer him right away. He soon finds me and stands near the edge of the tub.

"What took so long?" I ask.

"I had an urgent matter that needed attending to."

"Really? Two hours' worth?"

"Nathan..."

"I don't keep secrets from Dracula. And I would expect you to do the same."

"Very well. Let me just get you a towel and I'll show you."

After I dried off and got dressed in my evening wear, I followed Dracula out into the hallway where we descended the grand staircase and headed deeper into the palace. The place was a maze with many different passageways and secret doors hidden behind walls that connected to a serious of tunnels. For a while there, I was sure we were gonna get lost. But we didn't. At the end was a separate room, cut off from the rest of the palace.

"What is this place?"

"I prefer to call it a 'safe room'. In here is where I've put a very important guest. That's who I went to meet tonight. And in fact, you might remember him."

His words confused me, my brain trying to think back to who it was I might've met before meeting Dracula. Honestly though, I couldn't remember a thing. Well at least no one concrete enough in my memory that could support a claim like that. Dracula stepped forward towards a painting of a battle fought on land between two armies. He pressed his fingers slightly underneath which revealed another door. Inside was a bedroom with no windows. Just a bed, a sink and a small-sized dresser.

A light source hanged from the ceiling with just enough brightness to see in a place like this. We stepped inside together as Dracula placed his arm in front of my chest, preventing me from exploring further.

"Come on out now," he said calmly. "Don't be afraid."

"Afraid," said a hoarse voice nearby. "You left me alone in a cave for weeks and you're telling me not to be afraid. I should kill you for you did to me."

"Kill me? Hardly. In other words, it's you who should be thanking me. I saved your life in exchanging by granting you immortality. I would call that a fair gift."

"God you're an asshole."

"I have someone here that I want you to meet."

"Yes, yes I know. I'm not deaf. I can hear his heartbeat from here. He smells...delicious."

"Alright, enough. Now can you come into the light so that we can see you?"

Appearing out from the darkened corner next to the bed, a figure of a man came into view. In the light of the room, my breathing hitched. A faint, distant memory of the guy came rushing to the surface as I tried to remember that night in the bar, when he took me into the backroom and kissed me. And the words, the words he spoke when he pulled away were as clear as day just like I saw him now. "But of course. This is how we Romanian men like to welcome new arrivals to our fair city."

"You!" said the familiar man with disgust in his voice. "I don't believe it."

"Neither can I," I replied. "You're looking well."

He scoffed. "That's a bunch of bullshit. I never should have kissed you that night in the bar. Had I known that you belonged to him, I would have stayed away. But my punishment? He made me exactly like him."

I looked up at Dracula. "Please, tell me you didn't."

"Well, at first, I was going to kill him. Yes, that part is true. But then I sensed a change in me. Freighting isn't it?"

"Change my ass!" The man replied back. "You said that you wanted to build an army. How's that's working out for you so far, Your Royal Highness?"

Dracula clenched his jaw tight, pursing his perfect lips. "Okay, we're done here. For now."

"Oh, yeah? How much longer do you plan keeping me in here?"

"I don't know yet. But when I do, I'll let you know."

Forcing me out of the room, Dracula closed the secret door behind him before taking me back down through the tunnels. We didn't speak, nor looked at each other. The only sounds came from our footsteps. When we got back to the palace, I headed upstairs while Dracula headed off elsewhere. My guess was to see Nicolas about our new tenant. A tenant who was made vampire just because he kissed. Only so that Dracula could build himself an army? When the guy himself could easily take on a dozen armed men with an arm held behind his back, sure sounds ridiculous to me.

Once in bed, I turned off the light and pulled the covers up right over my head as I waited for sleep to come and take me away. It wasn't until a half hour later that I heard the door open and shut as the bed shifted slightly and felt the presence of another body beside me, sliding in close. No arm appeared around my chest, no familiar comfort. Just the two of us sharing a bed together.

Author's Note: Good morning my lovelies! I know a lot of you are night owls so you'll probably be done reading this little chapter before I've crawled into bed and gone to sleep. lol. Anyways, I hope you guys enjoyed it. :)) And as always don't forget to VOTE, COMMENT & FOLLOW for more future updates!!!