The Bathory Curse (18 page)

He lifted his mouth, stained with her blood and
licked the two tiny pin pricks he had left, healing them at
once.

“Mine, Cneajna, no matter what you think.” He
flipped her over onto her stomach and brought her knees up, with a
powerful thrust that had her crying out he was inside her,
stretching her and filling her. It also hurt, she bit her own lip
struggling against him for an instant, the pleasure pain barrier
making it hard to breathe. He waited for a moment for her to get
used to him and then he began to move, slowly at first. He pushed
himself into her again and again, his hands gripping her hips,
urging her on.

“You will come again for me,” he demanded, his voice
harsh with the intensity of his own pleasure. He was close, but he
wanted his woman to come before him. She was almost there, her
orgasm just out of reach, placing her head on her pillow she gasped
as the angle became deeper, he slid further into her, harder and
faster. This time when she climaxed it was a powerful almost
painful thing that racked her from head to toe. He called her name
as his seed spilled inside of her, his cock jerking, still heavy
within her womb. As he collapsed his arms tightened around her
quivering body and rolled her to his chest.

She clutched him, smiling through the aches she knew
would turn into sore muscles in the morning, “I love you.”

“And I you, as always it is the best between us,” he
said, curling a strand of her hair around his hand.

“How did you know I needed you?”

“I always know.”

“Did you enjoy my blood?” She knew it should bother
her, but it didn’t.

“I will not need to feed for several weeks.” He
rumbled a hint of laughter, “You will come home with me now.” There
was silence and Vlad frowned, he moved and sat up, looking down at
his well-loved wife.

“No, Vlad, I won’t.” She said, pulling blankets
around her.

“Yes.”

“No,” she sighed, “we talked about this before. I
can’t, you know that.” He studied her face for a moment, anger
flickering in his features. He grabbed her shoulders and kissed her
roughly.

When he broke off the kiss he could see the strength
and the resolve in her eyes, he’d always liked that, “this is not
over.”

Then he was mist, floating over the ground and out
the window, causing the temperature in the room to drop.

“Like always.” She leaned back against the pillows.
She felt better, though very tired.

“I hope you got that out of your system.”

Nea straightened up gasping as Bendis appeared,
sitting on the edge of her bed, middle aged and still
beautiful.

“Hasn’t anyone ever told you it’s impolite to enter
someone’s room without asking?”

“I am a Goddess, I come and go where and when I
please.”

“That’s annoying.” Nea grasped a quilt and pulled it
over her.

“I understand you are having a moment of doubt so I
am allowing this, but hopefully you have gotten it out of your
system.” Bendis repeated, disapprovingly.

“Yes, not that it’s any of your business.”

“It is my business Nea as he is a vampire and I do
not tolerate them. He and a few other Vampire Kings have been
spreading their blood seed all over the world; I have had many of
my Stregas and their Strigoi out hunting them. I have left Vlad
Dracul alone, only out of fondness for you.” The Goddess was very
serious.

“Why are you here?” Nea pulled the blankets farther
around her.

“
You are broken Strega,
you need a break. I want you to close up your
house here and in Hungary and move someplace with fewer
memories.”

“What about Anna and Katalin, and Borbala?” she
asked mentioning Elizabeth and Zsofia’s daughters, “or Elizabeth’s
sons?”

“It is time for you to let them go. The boys will be
fine; I can see into their future and know they will be well. It is
only three Bathory daughters, they will be affected by the curse
and there is nothing you can do about that now. You need a clear
head and perspective if you hope to break the curse before the
entire line dies out and your ancestors spend eternity in Limbo,”
Bendis said.

“The line will die out?”

“This I have foreseen. By 1987, the line will die
out and the curse will become unbreakable. Those women in Limbo
will suffer for eternity.” It was a doomed prophecy.

“So I have 376 years.” It seemed like a lot and not
enough time, all at once.

“The curse has a time limit, 666 years.”

“How do you know that?” Nea could feel her temper,
why couldn’t Bendis tell her what she knew? Why did she have to
make it this huge guessing game?

“Because I do.”

“It’s not FAIR!!” Nea sounded like a little girl,
“you KNOW the answers, you know them and you won’t tell me! You are
making it harder for me to do my job.”

“I know, but I need you to break
the curse without my help.”
Bendis had a cold expression and
refused to meet Nea’s gaze.

“Where should I go?” Nea asked, frustrated, Bendis
wouldn’t talk and Nea couldn’t make her, so instead she changed the
subject, like always.

“To England I think. Ruxandra has expressed a wish
to see France and I have a perfect house there that will allow
Stasi to travel between the two of you and become even
better-rounded and learned.” Bendis didn’t usually speak to or have
any interest in Strigoi, but she liked Ruxandra’s independence.

“It will be hard to leave my home,” Nea bowed her
head.

“Yes, especially since all ten of your remaining
Strigoi are here. You will need to make a new one to take with you
on your travels.” Bendis told her.

“I have just made Stasi.” Surely the Goddess knew
that.

“I know, but she doesn’t count, you won’t use her
like you should.”

“When will I be leaving?”

“I have already spoken to Ruxandra, she shall meet
you in France since you must travel the old fashioned way with your
things and staff. I suggest you leave as soon as possible.” Then in
true Bendis fashion she left, vanished in an instance.

Even with Bendis suggestion Nea decided to go to
sleep instead of crawl out of her warm bed to hunt for a potential
Strigoi. She slept well and could thank Vlad for that.

Chapter 11

When she woke it was early in the morning and the
castle was quiet. She dressed in what was common in society. She
never grew tired of how fashion changed. She wore a black dress
with a petticoat that had a linen jacket with a yellow tinted
collar. The jacket had large cuffs that she quite liked.

As she made her way down stairs she pulled on a
matching broad rimmed black hat with yellow plumage. Marina was
standing at the foot of the stairs with a breakfast pie in one hand
a cup of tea in the other.

“Thank you; tell cook it was wonderful as usual,”
she said taking the food and beginning to eat as she and Marina
went over the day’s schedule. She still felt a little raw after
everything that had happened, but she had learned it was best to
move past the negative and try again.

“We shall be moving. I will contact Ruxandra myself.
I am hoping to have her staff meet us here for the start of the
trip within the next two weeks. We shall be going to France first
to set up a house there and then on to England,” she explained.

“Two weeks? That’s not a lot of time to pack
everything.” Marina’s mouth was a stern line.

“I know, but we are simply closing up this house.
Only pack sentimental objects, all the furniture is to stay,
including most of the books and silver. Bendis will provide
anything else we need at the other locations.” Nea explained.

“What about the house in Hungary?” Mariana
asked.

“I am still close with many of the Bathory line, I
am sure they will tend to it for me, especially for the right
price.”

“I will need to hire extra help to get everything
boarded up and covered in time.”

“Not a problem. Make sure you tell the staff that
any who wish to be free of their service are welcome to leave now,
new help can be acquired.” Nea’s words brought a surprised reaction
from Marina. Her castle staffed sixteen employees, Marina, a
butler, three stable hands who also drove her carriages, a family
of three who looked after the grounds and maintenance, a cook,
cook’s helper, an accountant and five maids. All but five of them
came from other times, in debt to Bendis. It would be a huge boon
to be allowed out of their contracts early.

“And the staff in Hungary?” Marina was writing
everything down.

“Are all natives to that area. Aside from those who
will tend to this castle, they are being given the same option to
go home or come here for the move.” Nea shrugged. She finished her
food, “I am going out, if anyone gets up, which they probably
won’t, let them know I’ll be back before lunch.”

Pulling on a coat she walked outside, enjoying the
fresh air, it was still a bit chilly. She raised her face to the
wind and felt a tugging in her soul that meant someone who was
meant to become Strigoi was in the area.  

It felt a little different than normal, more frantic
really, like she was being led, but after everything that had
happened Nea suspected it was just her bruised emotions and nothing
serious.

She let the magic pull her to a woodland 30 miles
away. As she stepped on the deep lush forest floor she took in the
rich earthy tones and wondered who could possibly be out in the
woods this far. There wasn’t a town or village in miles and this
wasn’t an area very many people wandered in. The tales of fairy
creatures scared most.

As she followed her feelings she sent out a call to
have her remaining Strigoi meet her at the Castle as soon as night
fell. She would have to tell them she was leaving the area and let
them know what to do with her gone.

She chose to walk through the forest rather than use
her magic, it was quiet and peaceful, and as a Strega she was in no
danger. It was one time she could actually just be. She loved
hunting for new Strigoi it made her feel just a little more
alive.

As she walked she thought about one of the Bathory
girls. Borbala had turned 13 at the start of the year, a prize to
her parent’s eyes. They had thrown a huge party and Nea had danced
with the little girl until she was exhausted and sleeping on her
skirts. She wouldn’t be able to see her for much longer even if she
stayed; with her age magic, people in the town were still getting
suspicious. Women didn’t live much past 50 and they all knew she
had been a friend of the girl’s grandmother and mother.

Nea came out of her wool gathering hearing a soft
groan. She made her way into a partial clearing, scanning the area.
Sitting up against a tree, holding his arm was a young man. He had
a square face and hazel eyes that looked like the forest, green,
brown and gold. His hair was long and flaxen, loose around his
face, his skin dark.

“Hello, do you need help? My name is Nea,” she
asked, coming over to him. His gaze snapped to her and she was
shocked at the intensity in them, something about him was
compelling and a little scary, she enjoyed both.

“What are you doing out here? Are you a
hallucination?” His voice was soft, musical.

“No, but I am offering help, I think your leg is
broken.”

“My horse spooked and threw me,” he answered, “I am
called Costica.”

“Well then Costica, of course your horse threw you,
this is no place for a ride.” She clucked, kneeling down to examine
his wound. There was a pile of vomit close by she assumed was from
the initial break.

“Or a lovely lady like yourself.”

“I am no ordinary lady,” she laughed back, touching
his leg gently, he winced, she didn’t have the power to heal him,
but she could take him home to Marina.

“You must be an angel then, or a vision.”

“Not even close. Tell me why you were riding.” She
was amazed he could even speak. He hissed in pain suddenly, face
paling even further and took a deep breath.

“Running away, if I stay home, my brothers will kill
me.”

“If you stay here you will die as well.” She sat
back and looked at him, “why are your brothers trying to kill
you?”

“Because my father prefers me even though I am the
youngest.” His breath smelled strongly of wine, she saw a wine skin
lay near his hand, almost empty.

“I’m sorry. What were you running away to?”

“Anything would be a better option than what will
happen if they find me.”

“Have you had to fend off any animals?” She asked,
glancing around, he wasn’t bleeding too badly, it looked like he
had a makeshift bandage, but his eyes had a bit of a fever in them,
she touched his forehead sure enough he was very warm. She used her
touch to ease the pain.

“No thankfully, I don’t know what I would have done
had a wolf or a bear come across me.”

“I could help you to my home, I have a nurse that
can heal you, but I worry there is infection in your wound, already
killing you.” Nea touched his arm, when she had bent over the
wound, it had smelled ghastly, combined with his pallor, she didn’t
know if Marina actually could heal him.

“I figured as much. I have been out here for two
days.” Costica groaned, “Fair lady, would you simply take my sword
and run me through?”

Nea didn’t understand why she was feeling such a
connection to the young man and the words came out of her mouth
before she could stop them, “would you enjoy a second option to
death?”

“I would welcome it.” He leaned his head back; his
leg didn’t hurt as bad but just looking at it made him sick. Nea
quickly explained who she was and what she was offering. Like
always he was disbelieving until she showed him, then he sat in
stunned silence for a few moments.

“Either way, I shall help you.” Nea stood, he must
not like the idea of being bound to her in Strigoi form for
eternity, she’d had refusals before. She just wiped their minds and
moved on. She only hoped he didn’t throw a fit and become weepy,
hysterical, or afraid…she had dealt with people like that before
too.