The Count's Princess (Completed)

I Love You

I cradled Levi in my arms as the purple cloud disappeared. His crying soon stopped and he looked up at me angrily. I stared at him and thought about Alexandru. There was no doubt that the baby looked like his father. Though only a few months old, Levi already had pure black hair. His eyes were glossy blue and I decided that that was the color of Alexandru's eyes before he turned into a vampire. In all of his paintings in this castle, all the portraits that were done before he was a vampire, have different eyes. But I could never decide what color they were.

What would Alexandru look like if he were a human?

Still tall, muscular, black-haired, and big-nosed. But he would have cute rounded ears, no claws, and no fangs. And his eyes would no longer be unnaturally violet.

It began to rain outside and suddenly a chill swept through the castle. I decided to snuggle up in the library and read with Levi.

When the moon began to get lower, Ana-Maria came to the library heaving.

"Is everything alright?" I asked as I set the book that I was reading down and jumped up.

"Everything's fine, I was just looking for you. Man, this castle is huge."

"Yeah," I sadly said as I thought about Octavian's suggestion to move to America instead.

"What's wrong? Well, I mean. I know Drac is sick but something else seems to be on your mind." Her rich German accent echoed in the vast library. She came up to me as I set the book I was reading on one of the study tables.

I pulled my arms around me and decided not to keep my thoughts to myself anymore. I told Ana-Maria how to break the curse my husband was under.

"No!" She yelled at me. "That vampire could never live a human life without you! You die, he dies, and Levi is left an orphan!"

"Ana-Maria you weren't in there when he just lashed out and broke all his walls down! He isn't happy."

"He said that?"

"No, not exactly. But he said that he'd never be happy. Doesn't that mean he isn't happy?"

"Not exactly. I think he's just scared about the future. The year you get older than him."

I looked away and grabbed Levi. "Am I allowed to admit that I'm scared too?"

"Yes," Ana-Maria faintly answered.

"ANA!!!" We both turned to the door of the library and found Lukas panting once he got there. "Maggy, Ana, it's Alex! He's gone crazy!" The German girl and I both looked at each other then ran to my husband's aid.

We followed Lukas out of the library and down the halls. I knew we were close when the crashing sounds were heard.

"Where is she!?" I heard the vampire shriek. "Maggy! Maggy!" He was in one of the parlors. Another parlor that we had passed had been destroyed. For a second I wondered why Alexandru wouldn't just use his advanced capabilities to find me.

"Alexadnru," I called out. The vampire turned toward me and I choked back a sob at his appearance.

He wore no vest but his white shirt was rolled at the sleeves and untucked. His usual slicked hair was unkept into a curly mess. And his eyes glowed a most amazing ruby red.

"Maggy," he breathily sighed in relief. He stumbled towards me and I quickly handed Levi over to Ana before my husband threw himself at me. "Oh, Maggy," the crazy vampire went to kiss me but I stopped him.

"Alexandru, What are you doing?" Part of me wanted to kiss him and leap for joy at him being awake. The other part of me had a million questions lined up to ask him.

"I was looking for you, I thought you left me,"

"Why would I leave you?"

"Because, I made you cry earlier in my office."

"Why would I leave you over a crying fit?"

"Because I'm a monster!" He sounded like a pathetic twelve-year-old. He grabbed my arms above the elbow joint and shook me. "I'm a monster! Maggy. You don't deserve someone like me. You deserve so much better."

"Alexandru, I think you should sit down." I softly said.

"No," he shook his head. "Not until you promise to never leave me."

"I promise—"

"No! You don't understand Maggy. I need your promise to never leave me!"

"I understand Alexandru, I'll never leave you."

"Say you love me."

"I love you,"

"Oh please say it like you mean it."

"Alexandru, stop it! I don't know what has gotten into you but you need to cut it out. Stop acting like a stupid, little boy." My husband let go of me and I felt guilty for being so mean. "I love you, Alexandru. And I have no intention of leaving you." It was quiet for a second until the vampire choked and hugged me again. We didn't exchange words between each other and I'm glad we didn't.

"Take him upstairs," Lukas said.

"We'll take care of Levi." Ana-Maria said. They both stood in the doorway of the parlor.

I nodded and remembered that Berman, their son, was taking a nap at the moment.

I unbraced Alexandru and led him up to our room. In the halls, I had to tug the delusional vampire whenever we stopped on a portrait hanging on the walls. Past kings, queens, and noblemen.

"I never knew any of these men and women." Alexandru said to himself after being tugged by my hand for the hundredth time. "I never knew them but I know of them." He held his head when I turned to look at him. He still let me pull him and I didn't know if I should be scared or worried. "They are of no importance to me." He softly said. After that he didn't speak.

We got to our room and I found it a mess.

How did I not hear any of this?

"Sorry," Alexandru faintly apologized. I didn't look at him and instead led him to the bed. He sat down gently in an uncanny-vampirish way and part of me was thankful that his steady and smooth movements were back. I didn't care to pick up furniture that Alexandru had thrown across the room, instead I went to the bathroom and turned on the shower.

"You've been sleeping a lot," I began, "and you haven't changed out of those clothes for a few days." I walked over to him and unbuttoned his shirt. He let me take it off then stood to his feet. He slipped his shoes off then his socks. I folded my arms and watched him. He went to take his pants off when he suddenly stopped and looked down at me. My body tensed and goose bumps rose as my husband glided his hand down my arm. His hands slid down my torso and found their way under my gray sweater.

He said, "I don't like you in gray." He didn't look me in the eye and I wished he had. "You blend with the walls of this castle ... " He pulled my sweater up exposing my body and I allowed him to pull it over my head. Tears welled up in his foggy purple eyes. "I'm so sorry, Maggy," he said without showing emotion on his face. He slid his hands up and down my bruised arms and over the purple marks on my stomach. "I've been trying to keep you safe but have been killing you at the same time." He pulled my hair out of the messy bun it was in. "I've been abusing you and I didn't even know it." I shook my head and fought back tears of my own. "When was the last time you ate? Or slept? Or even wore a bright color? I've been trying to turn you into me and I didn't even realize." He pulled me into a deep hug and held me tight. "Why are you still with me?" He whispered in my ear.

"Because I love you," I closed my eyes and wrapped my arms around Alexandru.