When Vlad The Impaler became Dracula he spent his years building an empire and a family. The torrid and fanciful book had a few facts that were almost true. His true love Mina was a countess promised to him, betrothed, and fully aware of his bargain. She had to be turned to become truly his and she supported him. They were elated to find that they were still able to have children and had seven who spread across the world, settling on each continent, ruling, creating vampires and populating the world.

In his advancing years he sought to live a quiet existence and spend time with his children's offspring, teaching and revelling in them. He never favoured any of his children but he always got on best with his North American or European bound children and so when he decided to spend more time in the Americas it was no surprise to anyone. He had been delighted when Dmitri and the lovely Italian-born lady of the Daevi had announced her pregnancy. He'd been there at the birth and named the boy himself. As the child grew he turned into a spitting image of his beloved Mina and reminded him deeply of his Countess, sharing her dark curls, hazel eyes, passion for music and loving personality. Mina and the boy's parents spoiled him rotten and he grew up happy, passionate, loyal, curious and a gentleman.

He came into his powers earlier than his cousins so was highly revered in the vampire world, more so when a prophecy came out that called the boy and his mate; a Prince, fourth son of the second, shrouded in secrecy great rulers of their time, he became a beacon of light for their world.

Binding powers came about before the first vampire war after some started to use humans as no more than food, instead of creatures with as much right to life as them. It was first thought that that was how the Dănești first hid but as the stories died out people forgot. Binding is a powerful and extremely painful ritual which forces all vampiric powers and nature to shrink down and a shield to be put around them as a new identity is formed, some often referred to it as Pandora's box, keeping all the evil in. Vampires are magical as well as superhuman and possess a strong arsenal of spells and potions to assist them. The myth that witches, wizards and warlocks were enemies of the vampire was a fabrication to make humans less fearful of them. Between the first and second war there were some reports of vampires using their powers improperly and the Council, the elder children of the Count dealt with these creatures. After the third war which ended with the loss of the Count's eldest son the use of binding was instated as a punishment to deal with the ones who incited the war and threaten others. In the 1970s after a vampire was killed during a binding ritual the practice was labelled too barbaric and the law was changed to make it so only the highest vampires; the count and his children were able to use it as a last form of punishment. Reinstating a bound vampire is just as traumatising as binding, possibly more so as the creature is suddenly filled with power, magic and hunger. Only highly skilled and powerful vampires are allowed to bind and unbind as the process is so dangerous and not supposed to be reversed.

It was the little things he noticed. The birdsong was clearer; he could almost understand their trills. Everything was more defined. The colours were deeper, the texture of the world richer. He reached up and felt the thick curtains. He could feel every fibre and every thread of the sheet he lay on. It was intoxicating and a little overwhelming. He'd dreamt of this, deep in the recesses of his mind he didn't feel human, he never had. He felt that his normal human life wasn't his and he knew that was partly why he'd befriended Rachel and became well known, a friend to both vampire and human alike and an attendee at vampire parties, revelling in the pomp and tradition of Rachel's world.

He could feel it flowing through him. The royal blood, his and his mate's mixed together and the power that was his, locked away for so long and now flowing free.

He wandered into the kitchen as Blaine was placing plates in front of Kurt's dad and his own. He looked up and a radiant grin spread across his face.

“Kurt!” He exclaimed and walked over for a kiss. Their lips slid together briefly then Blaine stepped back with a contented sigh, motioning to the plate his mother was setting down next to Blaine's “Have some blood pancakes.”

“Blood pancakes?” Kurt said uncertainly, raising an eyebrow at his mate and the black-haired vampire nodded as his mother spoke.

“Young vampires react best to human food laced with blood. Of course blood is best pure but Blaine has a little addiction.”

“Mother!” Blaine shouted, mortified as Kurt giggled.

“Honey it's my job to embarrass you. The world will bow and bend to your whim, mother will always traumatise.” Katarin sighed, shaking her head with a smile.

Blaine rolled his eyes and Kurt giggled again which drew his mate's attention. “Your laugh is beautiful.” He said adoringly.

Kurt laced his fingers through Blaine's and would have blushed if he could and replied. “Like yours, my Prince.”

Blaine sat on the sofa reading some reports his father had given him on how their clans were doing. He heard Kurt pad in and looked up to see him take one of the volumes about Drăculești heritage and history off of the shelf and walk over, sitting down next to him and cuddling up, curling his legs under him like they'd been doing it for years. It was easy, this companiable closeness, building a stable foundation for what would be a love to last forever. Their minds and bodies were hardwired to fall into it, and they were. After about an hour Kurt was in Blaine's lap and the hazel-eyed vampire had finished reading his reports and was happily reading along with his mate, trading kisses and funny stories his family had told him. It made Kurt kind of sad that his own family didn't have the wild history Blaine's had but he resolved for him and his Prince to make their own.

He was down to a bit about an argument in the late 1600s between Blaine's great grandfather and grandfather over how much humans knew about them; which Blaine assured him was more about Christmas dinner than anything else when a handsome man in a cape and black suit swept into the room.

Blaine chuckled slightly as Kurt looked between the picture and the man with surprised awe then clambered off of Blaine to bow. The man bowed back then looked at Blaine who got up and hugged the man.

“So,” The man said, his accent still deep after centuries. “The lost Prince finally returns to history,” Kurt smiled and the man pulled him into a hug before stepping back, his head tilted to the side making him look incredibly like his great grandson. “Have you no words for me young one?”

Kurt shook his head, trying to clear it then looked between Blaine and the Count. “I fear I have too many.” He replied respectfully and the older vampire laughed.

“Then let us go for a walk. Tânăr go and take my bags upstairs, I'm stealing your mate for a while.” The Count waved a hand, playfully smirking and Blaine huffed, muttering about his insane family wanting to traumatise him into a coffin as the Count steered Kurt out of the door and into the morning sunshine.

“What did you call him?” Kurt asked, glancing back at the manor.

The other vampire smiled down at him. “Young one in my native tongue. He loves pet names, that boy. I am sure you will find your own for him and his for you and he will growl if anyone else dare use them.”

Kurt smiled and felt the familiar sensations warm him. His mate, pet names for him and only him. “He is…an interesting soul.”

The Count laughed. “Are you telling me my grandson is crazy?”

“Just a little.” Kurt bantered back and the older man clapped him on the back.

“I like you, you will keep him in line and happy.”

Kurt's eyes widened and he looked up, astonished. “You like me? Really?”

The Count nodded and sighed. “I was lucky. My Mina was mine from young days of playing in the sun and learning to rule together. Blaine reminds me much of her, apart from their looks he has a kind, gentle soul and a passionate, protective streak that runs through him like a river. I have long wondered whether he'd find a mate worthy of him. I now see I needed not worry.”

Kurt looked at him. “How can you be sure?” He asked.

“You bit him Kurt. Last night when you were both on the brink of being lost, you bit him and saved you both.”

“I was delirious.” Kurt replied.

The count shrugged. “And yet you knew what to do. It shows great courage, great leadership and a love that reaches past boundaries to do the right thing.”

Kurt looked down, thinking about what had happened, how this man – vampire – had such faith in him. He knew Blaine was a favourite of the old vampire, knew what responsibility lay on that curly head and knew he was right. Kurt loved Blaine and they were made for each other. A thought came to him about the name Blaine gave him the other night and he looked up. “I was wondering. Why did you name him Diavolo?” He asked. It was well-known the Count had named him.

“The little devil bit my finger as I held him after he was born!” The Count replied, mock-outraged and their laughter rang across the vast lawn.