Dracula's Bride

For the rest of the day, Selena could think only about that night, and how excited she was for it. She would smile and hum no matter what she was doing, unable to keep the eager butterflies from stirring inside her stomach.
Luckily, her mother did not notice her overly chipper mood. In fact, her mother seemed to be rather distracted as well. She would constantly gaze off into the distance, and she had a far-off expression in her eyes. Selena, in her joy, did not notice this, just as her mother did not notice her absentmindedness.
As the hours ticked by, Selena began to worry about what she would wear. Due to the strict Victorian rules of conduct, she did not have anything that would be considered inappropriate, which she was thankful for. However, she did want to wear something that would make her look beautiful and perhaps even somewhat desirable. She finally decided on a blue dress that had the lowest neckline of all her clothes (although it was still not low enough to show even a hint of her breasts, as was common for dresses in that time) and was also light enough for her to move easily through the night without making much sound.
Happy that she had chosen a dress, she went downstairs, the smile still on her face. Her mother had their dinner ready, for which she was grateful. All of that flitting about eagerly and cheerfully had really worked up an appetite in her.
"Has Vlad not returned yet?" she asked her mother when she realized their house guest was still nowhere to be found.
"No," her mother answered, "but I'm sure he'll be back soon enough. Perhaps he's found a job."
"Perhaps," Selena agreed, her mind still focusing on the fact that she would be sneaking out in less than two hours.
They ate in silence, each one completely distracted by her own thoughts. Not longer after they were done eating, her mother retired to her bedroom to sleep. This was exactly what Selena had been waiting for. She only had to wait a few minutes after her mother went to bed before she could be sure that she was asleep, and would therefore be able to leave without getting caught.
"Good night," she said to her mom, going upstairs as if she, too, were going to sleep. Instead, she changed silently into her blue dress, her heart trembling excitedly within her chest.
Moving silently, Selena crept downstairs, hoping her mother was already in a deep sleep. She held her breath when she realized the kitchen light was on and there was movement within. Oh, no. Her mother would surely notice that she had changed into another dress, and would wonder why she was sneaking around in the dark.
"Selena?" the person in the kitchen asked.
She let out her breath in relief. It was only Vlad, returned from his job, or wherever he had been. "Yes?" She stepped into the kitchen
"What are you doing up so late? Surely you must be tired." He was, once again, dressed all in black. His eyes bored deep into hers, like he was reading her very soul with a single look.
"Well, I'm going to meet with Catherine for a bit before I go to sleep," she lied.
"I see," he said. For a moment, she was sure he could see through her lie, but then he smiled kindly at her. Despite the warmth of his smile, she still shivered slightly. There was something so predatory about him. "Well, enjoy yourself. But don't stay out too late. You never know what monsters may be hiding in the shadows." With that strange statement, he walked away, going to his bed to sleep, she imagined.
She gasped softly, stopping him in his tracks. She had noticed a small puddle of blood on their counter near where he'd been standing.
He followed her gaze and saw the blood. His eyes narrowed slightly and he looked almost annoyed for a moment, as if angry at some mistake that had been made, but then he smiled again. "Ah, yes, I cut myself earlier. It is fine now, though." He walked over to the blood and wiped it up with a rag.
"Well, good night," she said, exiting the kitchen and walking towards the front door. She did not wait for him to answer, she simply stepped outside as quickly as she could while still looking calm. When Vlad had gone to wipe up the blood, she was sure she had seen his eyes turn a frightening shade of red. Even though she knew she was being silly, she still hadn't wanted to be alone with him anymore.
She moved as quietly as she could through the darkness, glad she knew the way to their meeting spot so well. Otherwise, it might be much harder to make it there without stumbling or tripping.
When she arrived, she was alone. George had not yet come, but that was alright with her. It gave her a chance to calm her nerves and collect herself. She definitely didn't want to let him see that he had such an effect on her.
The full moon shone down on her, bright and beautiful. She tilted her head back and closed her eyes, smiling lightly. The moon was so beautiful and serene, it always managed to make her feel happy.
"Do you always spend your nights gazing at the moon?" George asked from behind her.
She opened her eyes and turned around, smiling at him. "Not always. I just find it so peaceful I can't help but love it."
He smiled back at her, gazing deep into her eyes. As she stared at him, all thoughts of everything else melted away.
"I'm glad you came here," he said to her, stepping closer.
"Me too," she said, her breath catching in her throat ever-so-slightly when he stepped even closer. Even though they'd already kissed, she still couldn't believe she was here with him, of all people. It filled her up with such joy.
"I've always liked you, you know," he said softly to her. "You're different than the other girls, even different than Catherine. You're deeper, like there's more to you than just looks. Like you can think, you can ponder. Like you're not afraid to test the boundaries and confinements of our lives."
She paused, thinking those words over. They were somewhat strange, but they still made her smile. Especially the first part. He'd always liked her. "I've always liked you too," she answered.
He flashed a grin at her before he gently cupped her face and kissed her. She closed her eyes and kissed him back, her heart flying against her chest like the wings of an excited bird. Moving one hand to the small of her back and the other to the nape of her neck, he kissed along her jawline and down to her throat before moving back up to her lips. While they kissed, he held her as close to him as he possibly could.
Finally, they broke apart, both gasping for breath. "Yeah, I'm definitely glad you came tonight," he said with a smile.
She laughed softly. "So am I."
He sighed. "I suppose we can't stay here too long."
"No, I suppose not," she agreed sadly.
He smiled at her again. "But we can stay for a bit longer." And so, for at least another hour, they stayed together in that small clearing, talking, kissing, laughing, and enjoying themselves the way untroubled teens have done for centuries. Such ignorant bliss.