Dracula's Bride

Three days after the wedding, Selena's dream had all but left her mind, and she could hardly remember it anymore. She and Catherine were laying down together by a small brook, laughing, talking, and simply enjoying the chance to be with a close friend and not have to do chores.
Catherine's long blond hair fell down to her waist, and her beautiful face was turned to the sun, her eyes closed. Selena sometimes found herself jealous of Catherine. It's not that she didn't think herself pretty. On the contrary, she knew she was. But Catherine's looks were softer, her features more tender. Selena had a darker, harsher beauty, and she knew people preferred Catherine's gentler looks to her more severe ones.
"I wonder when we'll be married," Catherine said, breaking Selena's reverie. "I hope I either marry a man I love, or marry a rich man."
"Or both," Selena agreed with a smile. "But I can't really picture being married yet. Maybe in a few years."
"Definitely both," Catherine giggled. "Can you imagine falling in love with a duke or an earl?"
"Or perhaps a lord or a count," Selena added, grinning at her friend. The word 'count' struck something in her head, but she couldn't place it, so she ignored it.
"Or," Catherine began with a devious smile, "perhaps a future land-owner? He might not be as wealthy as a count or a duke, but he sure is handsome, isn't he?" She giggled again and raised her eyebrows at Selena.
"I don't know what you mean," Selena said, turning away from Catherine to hide her light blush.
"Would you marry now if it were to George Anderson?" George Anderson was the son of the town's mayor, and would inherit a nice sum of money and land when he turned twenty-one. Catherine knew very well that Selena had a huge crush on him, and she loved to tease her about it.
"No, I wouldn't. I don't want to be married yet. Not even to him. Besides, it's not like he'd ask me, of all the girls in our town."
"Well why don't we ask him that? Hello, George!" Catherine called cheerfully.
Selena turned around and stared in horror at the approaching figure of George Anderson. Even from a distance, she could make out his features. With his chin length chestnut hair, warm, caramel colored eyes, bright smile, and sculpted muscles, it was no wonder almost every girl in town fancied him.
"Catherine," he said cheerfully, nodding to her. "Hello, Selena." He turned to her and smiled, making her heart hammer inside her chest.
"Hello," she answered in a soft tone.
He laid down in the grass between them, stretching leisurely as he did. Selena cast Catherine a terrified glance when she realized he was laying much closer to her than to Catherine. Catherine simply winked at her, still smiling.
"Oh, no," Catherine said, standing up. "I've just remembered I was supposed to help my mum care for Johnny today! I've got to go, or she'll be angry!" She started to walk away, giving Selena an encouraging smile as she passed.
Selena hurriedly began to stand and follow her, knowing full well that Johnny, Catherine's three-year-old brother, was at a friend's house for the afternoon. This was just a ploy of Catherine's to get her alone with George.
"Do you have to go?" George asked, lightly resting his hand on hers.
"I... No," she said, laying back down. She was not usually so timid around guys, but she was afraid she would say something ridiculous around him and look like a complete imbecile.
"Good," he answered, flashing her a bright grin.
"So uh, what brought you down here today?" she asked, trying to keep her mind functioning properly so she wouldn't focus completely on the fact that his hand still covered hers.
"Well, I saw you and Catherine down here, and I thought I'd come see what you were both up to." He was tracing light circles into the back of her hand with his fingers, making her pulse quicken.
"Yeah, this is where we usually come to talk and spend time away from the rest of the town. It's really peaceful, so we like it here."
"Does that mean I'm ruining your peace by being here?" he asked, smiling at her.
Yes, she thought. But only because I can't think with you holding my hand like that.
"Not at all," she answered. "We don't mind if some of our other friends join us here."
"So what do you talk about when you come down here?"
"Well, everything. We share secrets, compare dreams and desires, gossip. Whatever comes to mind, we talk about. Lately, we've been talking about Jocelyne's marriage, and whether Thomas will be the kind of father to appreciate daughters, or the kind that only wants sons, and today we were talking about marriage in general."
"Oh really? What about marriage?"
"When we want to get married, and the circumstances of our marriages." She wondered why he was so interested in what she and Catherine said while they where here.
"So what would that be for you?"
"I'd like to get married perhaps a year or two after my twentieth birthday. And I either want to marry for love, or because my husband is rich. I wish to be either happy or well-taken care of, or both, if I can fall in love with a wealthy man."
"What secrets do you share?" he asked, a playful glint in his eyes.
"Well I can't tell you that," she answered, smiling. "Otherwise, they wouldn't be secrets."
"Well, since we're here, why don't we keep up that tradition?" He leaned in close so that he could whisper in her ear. "I have a secret to tell you," he breathed.
Lightly, he turned her chin so she was looking right at him, their faces only a few inches apart. Selena felt her heart fluttering in her chest. Slowly, he leaned towards her, gazing deep into her eyes.
"Selena?" Her mother was calling her. She closed her eyes and groaned softly before standing up.
"I'm sorry," she said. "I have to go."
George, still holding onto her hand, stood with her. "Then I'll tell you my secret tomorrow," he said. "Right here."
She nodded breathlessly, smiling at him. He released her hand slowly, never once looking away from her eyes. "Tomorrow, then," she agreed before walking away.
"There you are," her mother said when she arrived home. "I was looking for you. We'll be having a guest stay with us for a while. His name is Dracul... something. He's a foreigner, new to these parts."
"How did you meet him?"
"I was at the station, waiting to send a post to your grandmother when I saw him. It appeared he was lost, and when he told me he had nowhere to stay, I offered to let him stay in our spare room."
"You really are ever too kind for letting me stay here," a man from behind Selena spoke. She turned around to look at him and was struck with the inexplicable feeling that she'd seen him before. He had dark eyes, black hair, and skin paler than any she'd ever seen before. His accent was thick and foreign, from a place Selena couldn't name. Perhaps somewhere farther south. "My name is Vladislaus Drak, but you may call me Vlad."
"It's a pleasure to meet you," Selena murmured. To be honest, she was surprised her mother had simply let this stranger stay in their home, but she supposed if he really had nowhere to stay, it made sense. "My name is Selena."
"A lovely name," he said, kissing her hand in formal greeting. He was charming, handsome, and kind, but something about him made her want to run. She decided it was a foolish thought and ignored it, but it was there all the same.
"Where do you come from?" she asked, trying not to be intimidated by his intense gaze.
"Transylvania," he answered. "It is very cold there, but it is a lovely country all the same."
"Come, Selena," her mother said. "We must get dinner started. I hope you'll like English food," she said to Dracula.
"That is very kind of you, but I'm afraid I've already eaten, so I'm not hungry. And I'm very tired from my trip. I think I'll retire now."
"Of course! Selena, will you show him to his room?"
Selena nodded and walked off. She guessed he was following her, but she couldn't be sure without looking back to check because he made no noise when walking.
"Here you are," she said, stopping outside the doorway.
"Thank you," answered moving past her. He turned back to face her, a peculiar smile on his face. "Good night, Selena. Pleasant dreams."
For a moment, she was sure his words had been in her head, and had not been spoken aloud. But that was absurd, of course. Surely she must have imagined it...