The Vengeance of the Vampire Bride (8 page)

I fussed with the colorful bottles of
fragrance on my table. Though he had never presented them as gifts
and merely set them on my dressing table for me to discover, Vlad
had purchased the perfumes. One in particular stood out among the
ornate bottles as I rearranged them on the silver tray. It was the
only perfume he had placed in my hands. The aquamarine glass of the
bottle perfectly matched my eyes. It was his sole reason for
purchasing it. Now holding it in my hand, I was tempted to crush
it.

“How long do you think we
will stay in Bistriţa?” Her hands were gentle as she drew the bands
of paper from my hair and arranged the curls.

“However long it takes for the hunters
to leave Buda I suppose.” I opened up my powder box and peered at
its dwindling contents. I had brought it with me from England, but
rarely used it until I was a vampire. It tended to understate my
ethereal appearance when I dabbed it on my face. “I do wish to
return as soon as possible and rebuild the estate. I miss having a
proper home.”

“It’s not suitable for you
to be living in a hotel for an extended period of time,” Magda
agreed. “I worry that you are vulnerable here. Not only to the
hunters, but...” Her voice trailed off as she set down my comb. Her
fingers lingered over the ivory teeth as she hesitated in speaking.
At last she asked very quietly, “Why is
he
not here?”

She had not dared asked the
question before. I had seen it lingering in her eyes since she had
arrived, but had kept quiet. I cast down my gaze as I clasped my
hands in my lap. Fear filled me and I could not find the words to
speak. I trusted her, yet I was afraid. I knew she was hoping I
would answer, yet was resigned to the possibility I would not. Her
long fingers plucked an ornate comb with tiny emeralds from the
table and began to arrange it in my tresses.

Reaching up, I took hold of her wrist
and raised my attention to her very dark, very beautiful
eyes.

“I have done something so terrible, I
dare not speak of it,” I whispered.

“Is he dead?” she gasped, hope
struggling with despair in her expression.

I shook my head, releasing her. My ring
flashed on my finger as I reached out to open my jewelry box. I
drew out a hatpin and picked up one of the long strips of paper she
had used to curl my hair. I thrust the hatpin through the paper and
into the wood of the dressing table. Peering up at her, I pointed
to the paper.

“Imagine that is him...”

“Oh, dear!” She gasped, her hands
covering her mouth in horror. Falling to her knees, she grabbed my
hands. “And he is not dead?”

I adamantly shook my head. “He is
banished to his coffin, unable to move or feed. He is in limbo, not
alive, not yet dead.”

“That’s good,” she said in a voice
harsh with emotion. “That’s very good. Then he cannot hurt you.”
Despite her relief, her eyes were brimming with tears. “You are not
a cruel person. I must ask, what drove you to do such a terrible
deed?”

“Cneajna tried to murder me. He would
have killed her and the other two Brides had I not impaled him.”
Tears fell down my cheeks as I clutched her hand to my bosom. “I
could not bear to see him murder my vampire family as he had my
mortal family. Even if the sisters loathe me and wish me dead, I
could not endure their deaths.”

Magda pressed kisses to my fingers
before resting her forehead against them. Her fear and despair were
tangible. “I am grieved because it is he who has given me a long
life with his blood. But I am gratified at the thought of you being
free of him. He is vile. He is evil!”

My blood tinged tears fell upon my
white flesh as I leaned over her. My voice low, I spoke, “I could
not bear it. I could not. Though his blood is my blood, his legacy
my legacy, I could not allow him to destroy those I loved. When I
struck him down, it grieved me, yet I was right to do so. For all
he is to me is pain.”

Flinging her arms around my neck, Magda
crushed me close. In that moment, we were sisters of Vlad’s house
for though she was not a vampire, she was imbued by his blood and
bound to him. Though she feared and hated him, she was also loyal
to him. She trembled as her emotions churned within her.

“You must let me drink of your blood,”
she whispered fervently. “If you do not, his blood will call to me
to rescue him now that I know his fate. Even now I feel the
terrible pull of my bond summoning me to rise up and free
him.”

Wrought with emotion, yet understanding
her dilemma, I acquiesced. She continued to kneel at my side as I
dried my tears with a handkerchief.

“I will protect you from him,” I
promised as I picked up my letter opener.

Tears glittered on her dark lashes as
she bit her bottom lip. “I wish to serve you even if he should slay
me upon rising.”

I drew the blade hard against my wrist,
pain slicing through me as it cut into my flesh, and I held out my
hand to her. Blood flowed from the wound to pool in my palm.
Bending down, she drank, her fingers lightly touching my wrist. I
closed my eyes as I felt my blood claim her. As Vlad had infused
her with strength, health, and a long life, I now did the same. I
felt the coil of my power flowing into her, entwining us. The dying
embers of Vlad’s hold over her were quashed completely as my dark
flame roared to life within her.

Falling back, she lay on the floor at
my feet, breathing heavily as her body trembled with the power of
the blood filling her. Licking the blood from my wrist, I felt the
wound began to heal. I knelt down beside her to rest my hand
against her quivering shoulder.

“I serve you,” she
whispered.

“We shall endure this together,” I
swore. “We will return to Buda, far from him, and we shall be
free.”

Letter from Adem to
Astir

June 4, 1820

Dear Lord
Astir,

I have much to divulge.
Forgive me for writing this in haste, but the Countess is expecting
me when she rises and I have just arrived back at the hotel from
the castle. I have at last discovered what has happened to Count
Dracula and can now impart that information to you.

As you know, before I could
not venture into the castle for an unseen power warded it against
trespassing. At first I thought this to be Dracula’s own doing, but
slowly realized it was that of the Countess. I still do not believe
she understands that by will alone she has kept the castle hidden
by her power. I have tried on numerous occasions to subtly compel
her to visit the castle, but she has always resisted.

With the arrival of Magda,
I have at last found a way to influence the Countess to dispatch me
to the castle, therefore allowing me free passage through her power
into the home of Count Vlad Dracula...

The Journal of Countess
Dracula

June 3, 1820

The Gol
den Krone Hotel, Bistriţa

I fear I have done
something foolish, but I cannot help myself. My emotions have
overwhelmed me and have compelled me to action. It all began simply
enough. Magda asked if she should secure coffins for my family to
be shipped to Buda for proper burial...

I turned sharply, my shawl sliding down
from my shoulders. I had been sitting near the window enjoying the
light falling from the waning moon while reading a novel as Magda
worked on her mending.

“Why do you ask?” I was startled by her
suggestion.

Magda’s gaze darted toward me. Her
expression was one of confusion and surprise when she realized she
had upset me. “Forgiveness, Countess. I saw a funeral procession
earlier today as I went about my errands. I thought of your family
when I saw them pass.”

Laying my book upon my knees, I stared
at the dark ruby glittering on my finger. Desperate for
companionship and understanding, I had brought her into my
confidence once she was bound to me by blood. I had shared the
events that had occurred since I had arrived at Vlad Dracula’s
castle with my family. She was now aware that my family resided in
a chest in the cellar of the hotel. Though I had spoken to her in
passing of having my family moved to Buda to be entombed once a new
estate was secured, I had not truly considered all that would
entail bringing my family to their final rest.

“I only thought that if they each had
their own coffin that it would be more dignified. Also, there would
be less of a risk of the chest being lost or stolen in transit. I
do not think a desperate thief would take a coffin,” she
continued.

In my selfishness, I wanted them near
me. Therefore, the chest had been convenient. I had consoled myself
with the thought of them being together as they rested in the
darkness of the hotel cellar awaiting a proper burial.

“I suppose it would not be ill advised
for transport back to Buda.” I was chastened by her words. I felt
embarrassed at my shortsightedness in the proper care of my dead
family. I know that I am sometimes a selfish creature and can be
led astray by that sin. That I should not see what so clearly was
the right and proper course of action made me fear that I am more
of a monster than I deemed. Fresh tears threatening to spill, I
said, “Please see to the procurement of the caskets. Hopefully, we
shall be returning to Buda soon.”

“I can arrange for them to be laid out
properly. I can buy new clothing and arrange to have their rosaries
and personal items in their caskets.” Magda set down her sewing and
regarded me earnestly. “I would be honored to perform this task for
you.”

I flinched at the memory of my mother’s
rosary repelling me when I was ravenous with the hunger and trapped
with her in the darkness of the dungeon prison. “My mother’s rosary
is still at the castle,” I confessed. “Vlad sent my father’s pocket
watch to my brother to prove he was dead. May’s rosary disappeared.
I suspect one of Vlad’s servants may have taken it.”

“I see,” Magda said softly. “And you
dare not return because of the sisters.”

“I would be forced to kill them, I
fear,” I admitted. “They hate me because he loved me most.” It
pained me to think of my mother’s rosary. I had watched her bury it
so as to hide its light to allow me to draw near and take her life.
The thought of the tiny precious rosary buried in the dungeon of
the monstrous castle made my heart ache.

“Do you really believe he loved you
more?”

“In his own way, that is selfish and
cruel, yes, I do believe he loved me most.” I wiped my tears away
with my handkerchief and set my book aside. Standing, I stared up
at the night sky as though seeking guidance from the God whom I
feared no longer heard my prayers. “Of course, his love never
prevented him from hurting me. He made me kill my own mother. He is
a monster.”

“I could go for you and retrieve it,”
Magda offered.

“No, I could never ask that of you!
They are vile. They would hurt you!” I protested
immediately.

“I could go in the daylight,” Magda
suggested. “With Adem. We could go together and bring back whatever
you desire from the castle. It is not so unusual for Vlad to be
asleep during the day and Adem would not be suspicious at his
absence.”

Though we both sincerely liked Adem, we
had agreed to keep the truth of my action against Vlad a secret.
Despite my caution, I did trust Adem enough to know he would honor
my request. Magda’s proposal appealed to me and the thought of
recovering the rosary assuaged the guilt I felt at the neglect of
my deceased family. Besides, it only seemed proper that my mother
should be laid to rest with the rosary she had carried with her
since her First Communion.

“Could you truly do that for me? I
would be so very grateful. I know exactly where it is located.” I
worried for her safety, yet I trusted Adem. If they were careful
and did not enter the areas of the castle where the sisters slept,
they should be safe. It was rare for the sisters to rise before the
sun set and if they did, they would stay within the darkness of the
old chapel.

“Yes, of course,” Magda promised. “Just
instruct us on where to go and I know we shall be able to retrieve
it.”

Tingling with excitement and
trepidation, I nodded my head. “Very well. Summon Adem so I might
speak to him.”

Laying aside her mending, Magda quickly
rushed from the room to fetch Adem. Smoothing my skirt and tucking
my curls from my face, I gazed upon the waning moon and smiled in
my resolve. By this one act, I would restore my faith in my own
humanity and honor my beloved mother. It was only proper and right.
If luck, or God, was with us, then Adem and Magda would return
safely and none would be the wiser as to the horrible fate I had
inflicted upon Vlad Dracula.

“You asked for me?” Adem’s voice said
from behind me.

I displayed a smile as I pivoted in his
direction. “Yes. I have a most urgent request. I hope you will be
kind enough to say yes.”

Looking curious, Adem drew closer as
Magda closed the door and joined us.

“Would you go to the castle of Vlad
Dracula and recover a precious item for me?”