“After your sister had recovered from her delirium, she told me what had happened and of her narrow escape from death. She is still quite ill and her body was battered during her ordeal. There is some disfigurement, which I think will fade away in time. She does not wish for me to discuss her condition at length at this time. I will continue to send you updates on her progress and inform you of a time when I can return her to your care.

“My solicitor, Sir Stephen, can answer any other inquiries you have concerning your family and their journey. I am sending some small items that I believe belonged to your family. They were recovered on the banks of the Arges River.

“With my sincerest regards, your new friend, Count Dracula.”

Andrew moaned and closed his eyes. “What does he mean by disfigurement?”

“It does not say, Andrew.” I, too, had felt overwhelmed by that word. I did not want to think of what it could possibly mean for poor dear Glynis. My hands were trembling as I folded the letter. “Perhaps it is nothing permanent.”

“My dearest sister, what has happened to you?” Andrew murmured. In his despair, he covered his face to hide his tears.

I leaned forward and drew the two items bound in brown paper from the remains of the parcel. With quivering fingers, I unwrapped the paper until my father in law’s pocket watch and May’s little gold locket fell out onto my lap. “Oh, Andrew. Look at what he has sent us!”

Andrew moved his hands away from his face and stared at the pocket watch and tiny locket for a long moment. “Oh, God. They are truly gone. It is not a dream,” he wailed.

I reached out to him as he collapsed into my embrace. Rocking him as I will my newborn babe, I whispered comforting words to him.

Oh, how shall we go on? How do we find any measure of peace when our hearts are so shattered? What am I to do?

The Journal of Lady Glynis Wright

The Castle

3rd of March, 1820

Ever since that terrifying night when I saw Erzsébet’s fate, I have bowed to Vlad’s wishes. I cannot express how difficult it has been to curb my natural inclination to defy him. But my brother and his family are all that I have left of my mortal life. I will do anything to protect them. Andrew, Angeline, and their newborn son are always in my thoughts. To save them, I must appear subservient. Reluctantly, I have accepted my fate as Vlad’s pawn.

Originally after my transformation, my only concern was escaping Vlad and the castle, but now I realize I have a greater calling. I must rescue what remains of my family from the evil designs of Count Vlad Dracula. I shall do whatever I must to accomplish that goal.

I even embark willingly to Vlad’s bedchamber now. I can grit my teeth and play the part of the loyal lover if it means I can maneuver myself into the position to free my brother from the fate of the rest of my family.

Over the last few months, there has been a flurry of correspondence between my brother and Vlad. Since I have obeyed Vlad and written letters in accordance to what he desires, I am now allowed to read my brother’s letters. I treasure those moments when I can curl up and read my brother’s stark handwriting and steal a glimpse into the world I left behind. That alone has been reward enough for my obedience.

I must admit that this game I play is a cruel and dangerous one. I feel myself slipping into a darkness that frightens me, but I am willing to sacrifice a bit of my soul if it means saving that of my beloved brother.

There is a degree of shame that permeates me as I embrace this new life and find certain comforts in it. The powers that are growing within me excite me. They are a promise of freedom and victory. Also, I find myself growing more fond of Ariana and Cneajna and feel guilt for that affection. Is it a betrayal of my family to love them? In another world, in another time, Cneajna and my mother would have been steadfast friends. I could easily see Ariana dressed modernly and joining my English friends and me in our aristocratic amusements. Elina remains aloof and cold , but she is more civil now.

Tonight, Vlad freed us from the castle as a reward for my obedience. As soon as he gave the word, we were out the door, dashing madly into the night. Winter was dying as Spring rose her head and the night was cool and fresh with life.

We ran wildly, laughing gaily, our pale limbs carrying us deep into the forest. Tormented by the hunger, our senses were acute and dangerously accurate. It did not seem long before we found the campsite of a luckless hunter. Together, we crept slowly into the firelight, revealing ourselves slowly to his mesmerized eyes.

It did not take long before he yielded to our seductive kisses.

Blood, rich and full of life flowed past my lips and into my body as I drank. Crushing the helpless hunter against me, I drank in all that was left of his dying body. My sisters drank before me, for I am the last, lowliest Bride. Faintly over the fading heartbeat of my victim, I could hear them whispering to me, urging me in my feast. At last, the warm gush of blood ebbed away and I slowly sat back on my heels, letting the dead man slip from my cold embrace.

Gradually, my senses became aware of the world. The rustling of the trees, the caress of the night wind, and the sweet fragrance of blood filled my senses.

The moon tonight was full and bright above the cypress tress. The pure soft light illuminated the pale faces of my sisters as they rummaged about in the makeshift camp of the hunter. The blood of the hunter flowed through us, spreading life into our cold bodies and I sighed blissfully.

Ariana finished going through his personal belongings and threw up her hands. “Let us find another!”

I climbed to my feet as Elina stretched her arms over her head then fell forward, molding her body into that of a wolf. I am only now beginning to fully understand the extent of my new powers and I could not help but gasp at her transformation. It is easy enough to scale walls like a spider and leap great distances. It is also so very natural to pass through the smallest cracks as though it were a regular doorway. But now, I am learning to think myself into a mist and solidify in the destination of my choice. Now, to see Elina transform herself into a wolf as Vlad had done astounded me. I did not realize such power was within my reach.

Elina’s dark wolf shape howled and rushed away into the woods.

Laughing gleefully, Ariana pursued Elina into the woods. “Come, Glynis!”

Cneajna grabbed my hand. “Let us enjoy the night!”

I laughing, I twirled away from her. “Catch me if you can!”

I darted into the forest and Cneajna pursued. I dashed through the trees, a blur of luminescent white against the darkness, my limbs free of all human restraints. I found myself moving more quickly than I could have ever dreamed. With supernatural ease, I darted around trees and leapt over any obstacle in my path. I have never experienced such freedom. It was an intensely pleasurable experience to run without mortal breathlessness, pain or tiredness.

I tore through the thick foliage and in my haste, almost fell into a deep gorge cutting through the forest. Ariana caught me about the waist and saved me from a frightful fall. I clutched her tightly to me with great relief.

“You saved me!”

“You would not have died, but it would have hurt!”

Cneajna and Elina, returned to form, came to stand near us, luxuriating in the brilliant moonbeams illuminating their upturned countenance. The wind caressed their forms and their expressions were rapturous.

“It is a glorious night,” Cneajna sighed with great contentment.

“I wish we could fly to the moon.” Ariana raised her hands to the enormous orb glowing majestically in the dark sky above.

“Do not be ridiculous,” Elina chided her. But she tilted back her head, letting the wind play with her hair, obviously as taken with the beauty of the night as we were.

The night did feel wonderful. So cool, refreshing, and lovely to my senses. It was a soothing balm to my beleaguered soul. I raised my hands slowly at my sides, feeling the wind rippling over my fingertips. Closing my eyes, I relaxed until I felt my feet slipping free of the ground. The wind lifted me up in a rush of invisible power as I threw back my head and laughed.

“Me, too!”

Daring to open my eyes and break the spell, I looked down at Ariana. She took my hand as she too slipped free earth. Together, we vampire sisters allowed the night breeze to lift us higher and higher until we were floating over the treetops. Our hands clasped tightly together, we drifted away over the forest.

This was a freedom I had never dared hope for: Freedom from the very laws of nature.

The wind rushed over my skin, flowing over me and through my hair, as I took in the breathtaking beauty of the starry sky.

“Is it not so very, very lovely?” I whispered.

Our feet came to rest on the ground outside a low wall that surrounded a graveyard. There, rising majestically above the white headstones, was the tomb of the Countess Dolingen. I had been unsure of our destination, but now it seemed only natural that we should alight here. Erzsébet was part of us even if she did not live within the confines of the castle.

Holding hands, we vampire sisters moved down the path past the gravestones to the sepulcher that held our sister in eternal torment.

Ariana pushed open the bronze door and we filed into the darkness of the tomb one by one.

“Who is there?” Erzsébet’s voice called out in a sharp rasp from the darkness.

“It is I, Ariana, and I have brought Glynis with me,” my vampire sister responded with much tenderness.

The torches sprang to life at Ariana’s beckoning and illuminated the impaled form on the platform. She appeared even more tortured and frail than before, her face drawn and very white, her eyes tormented by the hunger.

Erzsébet let out a soft sob of relief and held out her hand to Ariana.

“My darling sisters, you have come to me.”

“I have come to soothe your torment,” Ariana responded, and moved toward her.

“Ariana, do not go near her! Vlad said-” I cried out in protest.

“He knows nothing,” Ariana said shortly, and moved to her sister’s side. Taking Erzsébet’s hand lovingly, Ariana smiled her sweet smile. “We fed tonight. Fresh blood, rich with life.”

Erzsébet was weeping, her body trembling with the terrible hunger of the vampire curse. “You have not come in so long.”

“Because of our new sister, he has not granted us the freedom required to come to you. But we will try to come again soon. And now, the blood you need.” Ariana leaned down over Erzsébet and kissed her forehead.

“Ariana, she will drain you!”

Ariana glanced back over her shoulder at me. “Glynis, you do not know our ways.”

Erzsébet closed her eyes and her lips trembled with anticipation.

Ariana rested her blood red lips against the pale trembling ones. Their lips parted and they were sealed in a deep kiss. Blood began to seep from between their lips, and I realized that Ariana was disgorging the blood from her gullet to feed our sister.

Overcome by the sight, I stepped back. I was almost ashamed to gaze upon this act, so intimate and strange, yet potent in its deep emotion.

“Before you came to us, we would come to feed her every few days. Since you were reborn, she has been starving,” Cneajna whispered in my ear.

Elina moved past me to Ariana’s side. Cneajna placed a comforting arm around my trembling shoulders as I found myself compelled to watch this rite of blood and sisterly affection.

Ariana drew back, her lips red with blood, and Elina leaned over to take her place. Once more soft, gentle lips were met in a soft kiss that deepened as blood flowed.

“We give her what we can. If we were to give from our veins it would weaken us. But to give the blood that still has not renewed us, it is not so much of a sacrifice.”

“Why did you not tell me of this?” I asked.

Cneajna tilted her head, regarding me with a slightly arched brow. “You need not know all that exists in our world. You will learn as it is time.”