The Vengeance of the Vampire Bride (51 page)

I approached the crypt with the name
DRACULA carved over its entrance. I sensed the Brides growing
closer. Their wicked laughter drifted through the
darkness.

Boldly, I stepped into the
crypt.

Vlad Dracula lay in his coffin just as
Glynis had described him. He was a mere husk clad in royal robes,
yet I could feel a thread of life still within him. As I moved to
stand over him, I felt the absence of his power. I concluded his
spirit was wandering again. It wouldn’t be for much
longer.

I saw the dark haired Brides crawl
through the doorway and along the walls, verging on me. They were
not taking care to hide themselves any longer and their laughter
filled the narrow space as they reached to ensnare me.

I instantly grabbed both and yanked
them off the wall. They shrieked in surprise and fright. I slammed
the taller one against the edge of the coffin, shattering her face
as the fingers of my other hand sank into the throat of the smaller
vampire with the curly hair. Both screamed in terror. I held them
down on the ground by their necks as they struggled beneath me.
Their long nails shredded my cloak as I easily ripped out their
throats.

Blood splattered me, hot with the new
life they had stolen earlier in the night, and I grabbed both by
their hair. Holding them over the coffin, I watched their blood
pour out onto their master. The warm blood steamed in the frosty
air. I felt no remorse as they twisted in my grasp, their mouths
open in silent screams.

The red vitae slithered over Vlad
Dracula like writhing snakes before plunging between his dry lips
into his gaping mouth. I watched as it began to renew him. His body
began to expand as the blood renewed muscle and tissue. His flesh
turned from ashen gray to a more lively peach tone. The long hair
around his face began to grow dark and lush as his Brides’ hair
turned silver and brittle. As the two Brides shriveled, he was
renewed by their blood.

At last, he lay in perfect state in his
coffin. Tossing the vampire women to the floor, I touched his
forehead with my hand. My power poured out into his body,
compelling him to return to life.

“Vlad Dracula, I summon thee,” I
whispered.

I felt his presence rush into the crypt
and flow over me like ice water. With a gasp, his green eyes
fluttered open as his broad chest heaved. As his spirit firmly
reattached itself to his renewed body, his eyes settled upon
me.

“Rise,” I ordered.

Struggling to regain control of his
limbs, he thrashed about until at last he was able to grip the side
of the coffin. With great effort, he heaved himself
upward.

“Ignatius, my brother,” he growled in a
rasping voice. He surveyed the two emaciated vampire women crawling
along the floor away from me. “What treachery is this?” He fastened
his green eyes upon me with great malevolence.

“Cneajna did not obey you,” I said,
holding out my hand to help him.

He ignored my offering and propelled
himself out of the coffin to stand before me. His long hair swung
about his face. The air rippled with his power as he tested his
limitations. “Where is she?” he asked at last.

“In Buda. She attacked Glynis with the
intent to kill her or to be killed. You may have sent her to
retrieve Glynis, but instead she attempted to provoke Gavril and
Ilinca into killing her. Glynis stands trial tomorrow night for
killing you.”

“What?” Vlad’s voice was a
roar.

“Cneajna claims that Glynis murdered
you and stole your blood for your power. Gavril and Ilinca believe
her because of your long absence from the city and Glynis’s open
proclamation that she loves me.”

With a sneer, Vlad strode past me and
into the chapel. He kicked his hapless Brides to the side as he
passed them. “I should have known I could not trust that
duplicitous, jealous woman!”

I trailed in his wake of power. It was
a tangible wave of dark fury. It pressed against me once or twice,
but I easily deflected it. Casting an angry look over his shoulder,
he stopped.

“You came here to awaken me for what
purpose?”

“You know the answer. Why
ask?”

“Maybe because I wish to hear you
grovel for the life of the woman that rightfully belongs to
me.”

“If you do not go to Buda and stand for
her, she will die.” As I spoke the words, I felt a sliver of fear
seep into me as it occurred to me that his hatred of me may far
outweigh his desire to save her and his power.

“Why should I stand for an adulterous
wife?” His heavy eyebrows drew into a line over his piercing
eyes.

“Shall we be honest with one another?”
I tucked my hands behind my back and stared at him
impassively.

He folded his arms over his broad
chest, set his feet apart, and glowered at me. “Yes. Let us be
honest with one another.”

“I love her. I want her to live. And
though you are a cruel, merciless tyrant, I believe you love her,
too, in your own perverse way. And despite the very bad blood
between us, I cannot believe you would allow Gavril and Ilinca to
kill one of your Brides. In truth, I think you would be proud of
her for not only vanquishing you, but surviving without you while a
vampire war waged about her. She is a remarkably strong
woman.”

“She committed adultery with you. That
is enough reason for me to kill her.” He dismissed my argument with
a shrug.

“She is the keeper of your power,” I
reminded him.

“Give me time and I shall be more
powerful than before.”

“You need her in your plans, do you
not?”

“I will find another young English
aristocrat.” He smirked. “She is disposable. I do not care if she
lives or dies. But I do thank you for freeing me. Well done,
brother.”

I struggled to restrain my temper as I
strode after him up the stairs into the depths of the castle. “You
cannot let her die.”

“She attacked me, drained me, and left
me to cavort about Buda with you. Her death is her just reward for
such actions,” Vlad said with a dark laugh.

“You will let her die. The most
powerful of all your Brides?” I was aghast.

He nodded. “Well, yes.”

“I see.” I understood in that moment I
had failed. I could see it in his eyes and I was filled with
sorrow. “Very well.”

We walked in silence until we reached
the great hall where his throne sat. Looking about, he shook his
head. “Those simple foolish Brides of mine.” He kicked one of the
many dead bodies out of his way. “Gluttonous fools.”

“I shall leave you to deal with them,”
I said at last.

“I thank you for reviving me. Such a
pleasure to once more be among the living...” he kicked another
emaciated body out of his way, “...and the dead.” Reaching his
throne, he laid his hand upon the long golden stake that rested
against it. “Ignatius, Ignatius, when I think of your dashed hopes
it is almost as delicious as the thought of you impaled upon this
stake.”

“Good evening,” I said in a cold tone
and turned to leave. Hearing the whistle of the wind slashed by the
stake flung at me, I easily stepped aside. It punched through the
door before me. I turned, bowed, and departed.

As I hurried across the bridge, leaving
the castle grounds, I found myself nearly walking into the desk in
Astir’s office. He sat behind it, sipping the wine. Shaking the
snow from my cloak, I glanced over my shoulder to see that the
castle no longer loomed over me. I was looking at a painting upon a
wall instead.

“No need to ask how that went,” Astir
said, then flung back his head and laughed.

Letter from Father
Ignatius to the Immortal Beloved of Vienna continued...

My beloved Mistress, I
apologize for what I must do now. I will have to kill every vampire
in Buda to free Glynis. I see no other way. I know you will seek
justice and my death will be inevitable. I just ask that you spare
Glynis, the woman of my heart and dreams.

Your most faithful
servant,

Father Ignatius

Chapter 33

The Journal of Countess
Dracula

December 6,
1820

Buda

I have been allowed to
change into more formal attire. Magda wept as she delivered the
clothing to me and kissed my hands as her tears fell upon my palms.
I held her against me, humbled by her affection, and kissed her
cheek when she departed. Alone, I dressed in the fine pale pink
gown with the delicate ice blue ribbons and beading. I did not
attempt to put up my hair, but instead let it fall to my waist.
Wearing the cursed wedding ring and my cameo from Percy, I awaited
my fate.

Though I love Ignatius
deeply and believe he will do all he can to save me, I am afraid.
Perhaps this is my just judgment for all I have done. I have killed
and committed cruel acts. I am no longer human and stand outside of
nature and God’s blessing.

Yet, I find myself without
remorse. I have experienced life in a way I never imagined. I have
loved fully and completely. Ignatius is my soul. Laura is my heart.
I was blessed by the loving friendship of Percy and comforted by
the companionship I found in Magda and Adem. I have lost much, but
I have also gained such beautiful treasures in the darkness of the
night.

I am not content to die
tonight, but I will face my accuser knowing that every action I
have taken since the night I fled the castle has been by my own
choice.

“Take care with the step,” Jenci’s said
as he guided me.

Blindfolded, I was led by the hand by
Rebekah, the vampire with the white hair. We traversed a series of
winding stairs then walked down long hallways. I heard other
footfalls and voices in the distance, but could not discern where I
was being led. When I was bundled into a carriage and transported
across the city, I was surprised. Yet, it only seems wise that
Gavril and Ilinca would have multiple havens.

After a short journey, we departed the
carriage and strolled through the icy slush. When we entered the
warmth of a new haven, Rebekah removed the blindfold. She did not
touch the silver bands that secured my hands.

I was standing in a great hall of
marble with a chandelier sparkling overhead. I recognized this new
place as the home of Borbála. This was confirmed when she pranced
out of a doorway and laughed with delight as she rushed over to
me.

“How exciting! A trial in my home! I
wish I could tell everyone, but alas, I cannot!” Her cruel eyes
relished my situation and I considered striking her. Instead, I
stood still as she carefully removed the silver bonds from my
wrists.

Jenci pushed her aside and she frowned
at him fiercely. He ignored it and took my arm once again. Rebekah
placed her hand upon my shoulder and they guided me down the hall
to a grand ballroom illuminated with red candles.

The House of Gavril was gathered to
observe my trial. They were seated in chairs arranged around a dais
were two ornate chairs were set up as thrones. Ilinca and Gavril
were already settled upon them.

I saw Ignatius and Laura seated near
the front of the rows. Laura’s eyes were red from crying and she
gave me a sweet smile, trying to reassure me. Ignatius’s face was
an impassive mask. I feared that whatever plan he had tried to set
in motion to rescue me had failed. As Jenci escorted me past
Ignatius, he stood quickly. I leaned toward him and our lips met
for a mere second before I was pushed on.

I was seated to the right side of the
thrones. Across from me sat Cneajna. She was smiling at me with
cruel satisfaction. She was clad in a modern gown of ivory with
gold accents. Like mine, her hair remained unfettered. Slowly, she
licked her lips, a reminder of when she had licked my blood off
them the night she had attempted to kill me. It was a promise that
I would die.

Fighting the impulse to lower my head,
I gazed at her steadily. Her smile only widened as she relaxed into
her chair.

I finally allowed my gaze to wander and
saw that there were new vampires among the House of Gavril. Rebekah
took her seat next to a man I assumed was Izsak, the faithful
servant she had asked to turn into a vampire. I spotted Zsa Zsa
sitting in the last row, perched on the back of the chair, her feet
set upon the seat. In her hand was a long iron pike with a bronze
skull impaled at the top. One of the wolf brothers stood behind
Cneajna and Ferenc guarded me.

Jenci shut the doors to the ballroom
and hurried down the aisle to the steps leading to the thrones. I
allowed myself to look at Ilinca and Gavril at last. They were both
solemn tonight, clad in rich black velvet with gold diadems upon
their heads. Ilinca’s hand rested upon Gavril’s forearm, her eyes
resting on his face. He was a morose figure upon his throne and I
feared his judgment would be swift.

“House of Gavril, Father Ignatius, Lady
Laura of House Dracula, we are gathered to hear the accusation by
Princess Cneajna of House Dracula against Countess Dracula,
Princess of Wallachia.” Jenci’s voice boomed and echoed in the
grand room.