Dracula didn't usually spend his time sitting around. It was lazy and there was just too much to do each night that he didn't have the time.

However, tonight he pushed everything else to the side and went and sat in his room, looking up the portrait of Martha upon the wall.

She was his zing. She was his love, his wife. Yet, when the chips were down he couldn't make the choice to save her. All he had to do was open his mouth and said the words and Martha would be here with him now.

But Kate would be gone.

He ran a hand through his hair, his mind spinning. How did he feel about Kate?

He lusted after her, he knew that much. When he held her in his arms earlier tonight he had wanted to do more, had even started leaning in towards her. She was the one who pulled away. If she hadn't, he would have... he didn't know.

"Martha," he said softly, "What do I do?"

There was no response, there never was. Whenever he was lost he did this, hoping that even talking to her picture would bring him some clarity. Sometimes it worked and sometimes it didn't.

'Just because you've already zinged doesn't mean you cannot fall in love.'

Was he in love with Kate? Was that even possible?

Since Martha had uttered those words to him, Dracula had been trying to work out if it was possible, trying to work out his feelings for Kate.

He closed his eyes and thought back to when they first met.

Those emerald green eyes had flashed in surprise when she was caught, her long red hair up in a ponytail. She had been so carefree then, smiling just from eating Transylvanian cuisine he served in the restaurant. She had wanted to be a chef. She was a Van Helsing that defied her own family.

Now, she had acquired the power of the Ancients and was living a life completely different from what she had planned. Everything for her had changed the moment they met, she had traveled down a new path. Over those days they had spent time together, getting to know each other in the quiet moments he spared for her, he found that he cared for her, before finding out she was a Van Helsing.

He had never really done that before for anyone except Mavis. He still didn't understand why he did it for a woman he barely knew.

He opened his eyes and stood, walking to the small balcony across the room. He looked out over the forest, his mind bringing forth more memories.

She ran when she learned the truth about them, when she realized that monsters were real. Not in fear, but in shock. She hadn't wanted to hurt him or the others. She wanted to keep it all a secret, offering her life then to protect them. He hadn't been able to kill her then, he probably would never have been able to.

She had saved Dennis, almost losing her own life in the process. Had he not gone after her... He shook that thought from his head. It didn't matter, because he had.

He could still see her lying in that ditch, her heartbeat barely there, she was covered in blood and dirt. It angered him even now.

Mavis had once said that she could see past the family to the woman Kate actually was. Dracula had been able to do that to. It was why he had saved her, why he hadn't been able to kill her, why having to chose between her and Martha was such a difficult choice.

As she lay dying, she uttered the words to him that she loved him. She didn't expect him to love her back, feeling as if it could be impossible. Since the day they met, Kate had always put his happiness first, even stating that her being alive and Martha being gone a mistake.

What kind of woman would do such a thing?

He looked at the horizon and saw that the sun was starting to rise. The night was ending soon.

He looked down at the forest when he saw motion below. He blinked and focused, his vampire abilities making the image clear and zoomed in.

Kate.

She was looking back at the hotel with such sad eyes before turning to walk into the forest. She had a backpack over her shoulder.

She was leaving.

Panic filled him. How could she leave in the early morning like this? Didn't she say that she loved him? Didn't she want to stay with him? He wanted her to stay.

He paused briefly at that thought. He wanted her to stay, at the hotel, with him.

Dracula glanced at the sky. It was getting lighter, but he had time before the sun rose. He turned back to the portrait of Martha. He smiled.

"You always did know me better than I knew myself," he said before turning into a bat and flying down into the treeline.

Kate hurried through the forest. Dracula would be unable to follow once the sun rose and by then she would be too far away for him to follow.

She would take a plane and fly away from here, never to return.

Her heart throbbed in pain at that thought, but she wasn't about to stay here when it was obvious that her love would never be returned.

Dracula's zing was Martha. He loved Martha. She had no place here. To remain would break her.

She kept her senses alert as she moved. She had sensed many creatures in the forest since she entered it and wanted to make sure she wasn't shocked by any of them. She was powerful enough to protect herself, but didn't want to use that power unless she had to, especially since she didn't know the true extent of her abilities.

She paused after she was sure she was well out of sight of the hotel and allowed a few tears to fall at that point. She would allow just this and then lock these feelings away forever.

As she lifted her hand to wipe the tears away, she froze. Her ability to sense monsters was gone, but her training had allowed her the ability to sense when others were near. Someone or something was behind her.

She waited.

One...two...three!

She jumped and turned, her fists raised to protect herself, ready to fight. The person behind her moved back slightly, but stayed close. Kate froze as she realized just who was behind her and lowered her hands.

"Count..."

Dracula moved closer to her, forcing Kate to look up at him. She felt his cloak tease her fingertips briefly. She tried to move away, but Dracula didn't let her. His arms lifted and wrapped around her body, holding her close to him.

Kate's eyes widened, but Dracula didn't see any fear. Instead he saw confusion and the tiniest sliver of hope.

"What are you doing?" Kate said softly. "I'll misunderstand this."

"Misunderstand?" Dracula said with a smirk. Kate narrowed her eyes slightly at that look upon his face. What was going on here?

Kate lifted her hands and placed them against his chest. The feel of her touching him was wonderful. She didn't push him away, but she didn't pull him closer either. Instead she stood and looked up at him.

"I'll think this means more than it should," she said softly. "You should let me go."

Dracula leaned down towards her until his nose touched hers. Those green eyes flickered at him, confusion filling them. She seemed to be holding her breath/

"What if I do not want to let you go?"

Hope flashed through her eyes at those words. She didn't want to leave him, but felt she had to for some reason.

"Stay with me Kate," he said softly as the sky began to lighten with the rising sun. "Don't leave me alone."

Kate gasped in a breath. "Drac..."

"I didn't lie to you before. I truly could not make the choice when Amelia offered it to me."

"You weren't just saying that?"

Dracula smiled at her, Kate's heart fluttered at the sight. It felt like ages since she had seen it directed at her.

"No. Amelia gave me the choice. I stood there and debated it. You were right, it should have been easy. A Van Helsing for Martha, easy trade.

"Only the Van Helsing they wanted me to sacrifice was you."

Kate felt tears start to fill her eyes at his words. Dracula lifted his hands and gently wiped the tears from her eyes. His touch on her bare skin was amazing, more so than she had thought it would.

"I wondered for a long time," Dracula said softly, "why you, a Van Helsing, would sacrifice so much for me. You saved Dennis, you didn't reveal my location, you returned to warn me of your family's arrival, you destroyed the threat they were against me and my family, you even stabbed yourself as the last of the Van Helsing line. I still didn't understand why.

"Then you said that you loved me and it all became clear."

Kate lifted her hands and placed them softly against his cheeks. His skin was cool to the touch, but this didn't bother her.

"I fell in love with you during that first week we were together. I thought that you were married at first, but found it weird that I never met your wife. Then, when Frank's head had popped off at the party, I realized what exactly was going on. I knew then that I would never be able to be with you."

"Kate..."

She pulled back and looked up at him, those emerald eyes that had at first reminded him of Ludwig now looking up at him with such openness. They were only Kate's eyes now.

"I should leave now before it gets too painful," she said. "I don't want to misunderstand you..."

Dracula pulled her close and covered her lips with his own. Kate's eyes widened in shock at first, her body tensed at the unexpected motion. Then she relaxed in his arms and her own moved and wrapped around his neck, holding him close.

Time almost seemed to freeze in that moment. Seconds seemed like hours as Kate and Dracula embraced each other in the forest.

When he pulled back, he looked down into her wide eyes and smiled.

"I'm in love with you, Kate."

He was still so close to her that he could hear her heartbeat speed up at those words. Kate's eyes filled with more tears and she smiled at him as they fell.

"Am I dreaming?" Kate whispered, unsure if this could be real.

"No," Dracula replied. "Dreams eventually come to an end. I want this to last for eternity."

As the sun broke over the horizon, Dracula lifted Kate into his arms and ran back to the hotel, her own arms wrapped around him.

Epilogue...

Dracula wasn't sure how it would be taken when he invited Kate to live with him in the hotel. However, he shouldn't have worried.

Mavis, Johnny and Dennis welcomed her as if she had always been a part of the family. His friends accepted her despite her family being the sole reason most of them had gone into hiding in the first place.

Kate's genuine nature and kindness won over everyone Dracula thought would oppose them. He also knew that the most important person to accept Kate already had.

Martha accepted that Dracula had fallen for another woman and had willingly stepped aside for them to be together. She accepted Kate even thought Kate's ancestor was the cause of her death. To Dracula, there was no greater sign that this was right than that.

Kate kept her own room in the hotel, separate from Dracula's. She said that it was important that they stayed proper. He respected that, but that didn't stop him from holding her in his arms when they were alone or visiting her room at night.

Before they knew it 4 years had passed and Kate's new abilities became more natural to her. She used them to help the hotel stay in great shape and to keep monsters and humans in line. She even found that she was able to hover up to 50 feet in the air, making repairs to the chandeliers easy.

Dracula insisted that she finish her schooling that had been interrupted all that time ago. Kate did, but mostly though online courses instead. The week she was gone to take her final examinations was so lonely for Dracula. But, when Kate returned, it was like she brought the life back to the hotel and Dracula vowed he wouldn't let her leave him again.

They had never spoken of marriage, not once. Kate didn't mention it or even hint at it, perhaps in respect for Martha. Dracula didn't bring it up either, happy with the way things were. But after she was gone for that week he realized that he wanted her to be with him forever.

Kate's room over the years had become more of a closet space rather than a proper hotel room. She had long since stopped sleeping there, instead joining him in his room. She said that as long as she was next to him, she didn't care where they slept.

She had arrived back only today, but he couldn't stop himself from seeing her once the sun set.

She was lying on top of the covers in her room, sleeping, jetlag catching up with her. Her feet were bare, but she was still wearing her jeans and blouse. Her red hair was fanned out behind her. She was beautiful.

Dracula moved around the bed and climbed in next to her, wrapping them up in his cloak. Kate moved slightly before turning in his arms and burrowing her face against his neck. Dracula smiled.

Although he knew how passionate Kate could be, he enjoyed these quiet moments together. When she slept in his arms, he was at peace.

"Kate..." he whispered softly, his hand running through her hair. "It's time to wake up Kate."

Her eyes fluttered slightly before slowly opening. Those emerald eyes met his blue ones and she gave a sleepy smile.

"Was I asleep?" she said softly. Dracula smiled and nodded.

"Yes, it seems like the trip tired you out."

Kate yawned, a hand coming up to cover her mouth. She then moved closer to him and sighed. "You always smell so nice."

Dracula held her close to him. "I missed you this last week."

"I missed you too." Kate replied sleepily.

"I realized that I don't want you to leave me ever again."

"I won't," she said softly, her eyelashes fluttering against his neck.

"Will you marry me?"

Kate froze against him for a moment before pulling back and looking up at him. She was wide awake now, her cheeks flushed.

"Drac...did you just...?"

Dracula suddenly felt nervous. "I can't continue to exist without you. Marry me... please?"

Kate didn't speak for a long time, only causing Dracula to become more nervous. Why wouldn't she answer him? What was she thinking?

"Yes."

Dracula didn't seem to hear her. "I'll understand if you want to think about it or if you aren't sure. I mean we've never talked about it before and I'm just kind of springing this on you, but I..."

Kate leaned forward and kissed the count, stopping his nervous speech. When she pulled back, she smiled at him.

"Yes, I'll marry you."

Dracula smiled before pulling Kate closer to him and kissing her once again.

Although it was a family hatred that had brought them together, it would be love that would keep them together.

From now and into eternity.

I hope that you all enjoyed this story. Thank you for reading!