"Why did you follow me?" he repeated.

The closeness of his body and the tone of his voice made me shudder; it was so serious and reproachful all of a sudden that it bordered with coldness. It stood in a stark contrast with his passionate embrace, confusing me.

I wrapped my arms around his waist without any hesitation because it felt the right thing to do. I belonged in his arms, I was finally at home... My crazily beating heart was the only proof I needed.

But why, where and when was I?

I didn't know who this man was, or I, at the moment. Vlad, his name is Vlad, I reminded myself impatiently. My memory regarding this life was insufficient. It was like a white sheet of paper with only a few unclear and unfinished sketches, hinting at people and situations I could not recall completely. I remembered the feeling of his body against mine and my affection for him. I loved him, truly, deeply, unconditionally. We belonged together, no matter what. And then there was something more, lurking at the borders of my memory. A few unfocused silhouettes of  things that weren't completely shaped up and ready to reveal themselves yet.

Suddenly, I started feeling weak, and a wave of nausea hit me hard. My legs trembled, unable to support the weight of my body, and I would have fallen if he wasn't holding me so tightly.

Vlad noticed, lifted me with ease, and I let him carry me across the hall to a throne-like seat.

"It's the effect of your journey here. You crossed the time, travelling a long way back. It took me a few tries to get used to it," he said, smiling at me encouragingly, his voice, finally, warming up. I liked it more this way.

I sat down, trying to organise the wide skirts of my dress to make it fit the chair. Adjusting its many folds, I felt something hard pressing against my hip in one of its hidden pockets. Pushing my hand inside curiously and exploring the object with my fingers, I recognised it as my book. It seemed to be the only thing that was carried over here with me.

Why the book, out of all things? Was it because I had been holding it in my hand when I crossed over? There were so many things I did not understand. My mind was teeming with questions with no matching answers.

My head was still spinning slightly, but now that I was seated, the strange weakness was slowly fading away, I was already feeling better. I looked up at Vlad and smiled at him tentatively. It was amazing how my heart started to race every time our eyes met, I wondered if it would ever change.

He was standing above me, watching my every move. I shifted in my seat, feeling awkward in the dress I was wearing. It was a bit too tight and revealing for my taste, and I didn't know how to compose myself. But, somehow, I knew that I would get used to it fast. What was bothering me more was my hair. It was all pulled up and wound tightly, I couldn't wait for the moment to unleash it.

Everything else seemed to fit perfectly. This was my place as much as his.

Vlad just kept standing in front of me, observing me silently, incredulously, his beautiful eyes full of joy laced with profound sadness. I would give anything to be able to smooth out the worried wrinkles that appeared on his forehead, to find out what he was thinking, and cheer him up. But I did not dare to ask anything, not yet.

"Welcome home, Samara," he said after a while. This time, his voice was as warm and pleasant as a caress.

My breath hitched at his words. I felt overwhelmed with joy in his company, willing him to come closer and never leave my side again. But he was so confusing; it looked as if he couldn't decide how to feel about my presence in his world. He was extremely happy and very sad or worried at the same time.
Did he actually want me to come back home?

Home... It was exactly how this place and this man's proximity felt, but I still couldn't understand why. And the language he spoke, I didn't recognise it, but at the same time I did, because I belonged here.

"It's been too long since you have left me, and too much has changed..."

His eyes clouded over with so much pain again that I could not stand it. He mustn't suffer because of me anymore. I raised my hand to silence him and blurted out, "I don't remember anything. Please do not tell me what you want to keep to yourself. I know I can trust you, nothing can alter my feelings for you, they will remain the same, whatever happens. We belong together, and now I understand that I've always been looking for you, maybe for more than one lifetime."

I said this all, fluently, in the same strange language he had used. I stopped talking, covering my mouth with my hand, shocked and puzzled by my own words, my cheeks burning with a fast spreading blush. Have I said too much? Too soon? I have only just met him, but then again, I have always missed him...

"Does it make sense to you?" I asked, as he, the man I loved, remained speechless.

Vlad approached me swiftly and knelt next to my seat, covering my hands with kisses. Then he rested his head in my lap, and I could feel his silent tears falling on my hands.

"I love you, Samara," he whispered, "I don't want to lose you again. This castle, this century, is not safe for you. You shouldn't have come. I need to take you back, but today is already too late."

His tears and breath were so warm, the warmest things on his otherwise cold body. The whole place was freezing. I shivered, and he noticed that I was feeling cold.

He stood up, and even before I realised that he had left my side, he reached a door at the far end of the hall, opening it wide. I heard him giving orders to someone who had been waiting there.

"I want fire in this room and the Lady Chambers on the floor above. And bring us some food and wine."

His voice was interrupted by a surprised question, "Food and wine, Your Highness?"

"Just do as I say, no more questions. Wake up the old nurse, too, tell her to prepare her lady's rooms. Go!"

I could hear a muffled sound of receding footsteps and then a loud metallic clang. Following the sound with my eyes over to the mantelpiece, I noticed that it came from a tall, thick burning candle placed in a metal holder, pierced by nails at regular intervals. A clock.

"It's midnight," Vlad said as he returned to me, sitting in his own seat by my side. "Too late to take you back tonight." His voice sounded pained and tormented again.

"But did you ask me if I wanted to go back at all, Your Highness?" I asked, teasing. "Because I have just arrived and do not plan to leave you anytime soon."

"Oh, Samara, you don't understand..." Whatever he wanted to say after was lost in the sudden bustle created by two knights bringing our food and drinks, and another one lighting the fire. Are they supposed to move this fast? I thought, observing their movements.

I wasn't hungry at all, but I gladly accepted a cup of steaming red liquid which Vlad handed me himself after all the knights were gone, and the large hall was warming up from the blazing, cheerful fire.

I paused infinitesimally before tasting the contents of my cup. The drink was so red and thick that it looked like blood. The thought of him being a vampire sprang up in my mind for the first time, surprising me. He is not. He wasn't while you lived with him! my slowly awaking memory screamed at me. Not wanting to hurt his feelings, I brought the cup to my cold lips, inhaling its rich aroma at the same time. It was the sweetest and strongest mulled wine I had ever tasted. It gave me the warmth my body had been craving and restored my lost strength momentarily.

I looked over to Vlad and saw him holding a similar cup. His drink, however, was not steaming like mine. Whatever he was drinking, it brought some colour back to his pale cheeks. I smiled at him, and he returned my smile, making my heart trip again. And for a moment, everything felt... perfect.

I reached over to him and held his hand in mine. Then we just sat there in comfortable silence, lost in rediscovering each other. I was unable to take my eyes off him. He looked so regal and proud, so noble and gentle... I had never met someone like him in my current life.

"Who are you, and where have you been till now?" I whispered, overcome by the profundity of my feelings for him, not realising I was speaking aloud until the words were out.