Third chances:

Eleni:
I lie on the floor, on a carpet and propped up on soft cushions, comfortable and happy for the first time after six years of absolute and complete emptiness, smiling and satisfied, in the strong arms of my man. I hide my face against his side, inhaling his scent.
—I'll have to pay for the damage to the furniture in the room. - Vlad purrs.
I laugh. The bed was shattered and the sofa is worse.
—It's all your fault, you left a newly conversed vampire without a partner.You have had to deal with my darkest and most repressed sexual desires. Six years without experiencing an orgasm is too long. - I protest.
Vlad purses his lips.

— You were free to seek solace in other…
—Sure. I wasn´t short of proposals.- I interrupt him, drawing circles on the skin of his chest with my fingers.- but none of them were you. I don´t know. I didn't feel like it for anyone and it's very strange. A newly conversed vampire doesn't behave like that.

Vlad strokes my hair and kisses my forehead.

—Elennah…
—Oh no. Don't start with the regret.- I protest, resting my chin on my arm and looking at him accusingly. – Now tell me, Mr. Tepes… why did you take my virginity that night and then use compulsion to make me forget it?
I see him blush and smile embarrassed, oh, he's so…Him!

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Cornell University, USA October 31, 2021.
I curl up on the pillows and wait. I am able to hear the murmurs of Henry conversing with the annoying intruder. I close my eyes for a minute and sigh, I hear the door close again and I smile.
—Good evening, little dove.- Whispers a mature, thick voice, full of danger.
I open my eyes suddenly, sitting up on the mattress and pale at the sight of who is right in front of me.
Count Dracula!
He looks at me with his huge green eyes, as if I´m a succulent feast and he is more than hungry.
—I... Lord, what...?

He raises an eyebrow and sweeps his green gaze over my half-naked body.

—So…you've decided to start exploring carnal pleasures, haven't you, Elennah?

I frown. Why is he calling me Elennah?

I look around.

—Where's Henry?- I ask.
—Oh, I've sent your friend to have fun elsewhere.- the Count smiles.

I'm still pretty drunk, so I shrug with my shoulder. Suddenly the count has climbed onto my bed, I have him right on top of me.

—Tell me little dove, would you prefer an experienced man who will know how to please you as your first lover or a boy who probably doesn't even know where to kiss to drive you to ecstasy?- he purrs.
I gape at him.
—Are you offering me...?
—Yes. I offer you my sexual services. - He murmurs, his lips millimeters from mine. - What do you say?
I thought about it for three seconds, I intertwined my arms around his neck and took over his mouth. After all, I thought back then, my goal is to lose my virginity, no matter with whom.

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—I already told you. I'm a bit…old-fashioned. The mere idea of someone else touching you, kissing you, making you his own…made me sick with jealousy.

—You know Vlad, you behaved very badly. You took advantage of a drunk girl. - I reproach him.

He snorts.

—I have never been an example or paradigm of anyone, little dove. - Kisses my chin. - Besides, I gave you the choice and you choose me. You jumped on me like crazy, you seemed … possessed.

—It's your fault. There is something in you, - I lick his lips slowly. - That drives me out of control, I couldn't resist you in my past life, and I can't do it in this one either.

He threads his fingers through my hair, tugging at them, and I gasp, gaping and wanting.

—Who would have thought that the dragon would end up tamed by a little dove?- he mutters, biting my chin.
—Don't forget that I can also be a cobra.- I whisper.

—Hmmm.- he murmurs against my skin.-not with me, never with me.
***

Dawn arrived hours ago, and we are still locked in our hotel room. I'm burning inside, this is unstoppable. As soon as we finish making love we start again.

—Are you sure?- he asks.
—Yes. Maybe a little rough sex will calm my desire. - I whimper desperately, offering him my wrists. He grabs his belt, ties my hands with it, pulls me up and pins me head-on against a wall, squeezing my face, my breasts, and my entire body between him and the cold surface.

—You behaved very badly, bitch! – he mumbles against my ear.
—Yes," I gasp.
—I saw you hugging that guy and I wanted to rip his arms and legs off, one by one and very slowly.
—You mean Abel?- I ask.
—Shut up!- he yells angrily, giving me a hard spanking, which makes my whole inside tremble.-You won't see him again, do you hear me? You're mine!
I bite the inside of my cheek. God! Vlad making love slowly and lovingly is delicious, but having him in alpha male mode …MMM, I feel I’ve gotten wet in minutes. My desire moistens my thighs. He sniffs the air and growls.

—You´re really enjoying this, arent you?- he whispers, taking hold of my buttocks with his hands.
—Yes,my Lord, very much.- I gasp.
He spreads my thighs with his knee and enters me from behind. I groan, gaping and crazed. Pull my hair, and whip my buttocks mercilessly. He bites my neck, telling me what I want to hear.

—You're mine, little dove. Only mine, don't forget.
***
After I came, screaming like crazy, Vlad put us in the bathtub. I rest my back against his chest as he lathers me up and massages my shoulders.

—You would be the perfect sex slave, Mr. Tepes.- I whispered.
He chuckled derisively.
—You wouldn't believe me, but I already am, little dove. - Kissed my shoulder.-I am your slave, since the first time I saw you, serving wine in the banquet hall of Hunyadi Castle.

Tears fill my eyes. This is the most romantic thing he's ever said to me!

—I was an idiot. I didn't want to admit it then and I didn't want to admit it now. You had to die twice, for me to finally face the reality of my feelings.

I turn my neck, to be able to look into his eyes. He strokes my wet hair with his hand.

—I'm in love. I love you and that terrifies me. - He says with finality, as if loving me were a death sentence.
I turn my body, staying on his lap.

—Is it so terrible? - I ask.
—It is. It is hell to love when you aren´t sure of the other's feelings.

I gape at him. I he kidding?

—Of course I love you!- I shriek.-Why would I be here, like this, with you, if I didn't?
—You never told me.- he accuses, his expression contrite and his eyes brimming with tears. Takes my face in your hands, seized with great anguish - you never confessed that you loved me, not even once.

—But Vlad, it was more than obvious.
—No. It was not. You never expressed it with words, but you also denied it with your actions. You never waited for me at the castle gate in Brasov and you never wore the jewelry I brought for you.
—Justina... she wouldn't let me know the date of your return, love. And she always stole all the pretty things you gave me.- I protest.

He wets her face with the water from the tub, trying to hide his tears.

—Now I know. But then, I saw you smile at Corvino and talk to him, you treated him in a way you never treated me. You never smiled like that with me.
I snort.
—I'm one of those men who don't know how to love well, dove.
—It seemed to me that you know how to love perfectly. – I babble.
—I'm not talking about sex, I'm talking about feelings. It hurt me, it killed me, to believe that you could love another.
—But Vlad, you never said you loved me either. You never did. What's more, you warned me not to, that you would destroy me if I came to love you.
—And I did, I led you to your death. But also... I thought that what I felt for you was only possessiveness, jealousy of Lord and master. I had to see you bloodied on the floor of Dracùl Haus to know the difference.
He frowned.
—We had big communication issues in the pas, because we never talked, you spent very little time at home and when you were…
—I was riding you like a rabid bull. - snorts.
—I dont complain. I never would. I like my bull and his rage makes me deliriously happy. - I lick his lips cheekily. Hitting my chest to his, and entangling my hands behind his neck.
—I loved you. - I confess. – Since our first kiss in the field of roses. I loved you, on our wedding night, I loved you while we lived in Edirne and later, in Brașov. I loved you, until I dropped dead Vlad.
He purses her lips and looks away from me. Oh, seeing him so insecure, so hurt makes me want to rape him! I trace the skin of his face with my lips, sobbing with love.
—And just so you don't have any doubts, I still love you. - I sigh against her lips.
— Se agapo. - I reiterate in my native Greek. - You are tattooed by fire on my soul, Vlad. Even if I died and was reborn a thousand times, I would still love you. I think, that I loved you even when I didn't know the truth. There's always been this…attraction between us. I feel chills when I have you close.
—Are you sure, little dove?- he murmurs.
I frown at him.
—What do you want?! Are you going to keep me away from you for another six years, to see if I love you or not?! - I yell furiously, hitting his chest with a fist my showing him my fangs.
He growls and kisses me, shuting me up, biting my lips, brushing my tongue. He presses me against him, with force, as if wanting to merge me with him.
—I wouldn't. -he sobs against my mouth. - I don´t want to. I can't away from you for a second.

Relief runs through me like lava, burning away all doubt, all fearabd all the sadness that has imprisoned me for so long. I smile against his lips as I return each of his wild kisses.