With a start, I realized she was a vampire. Her coloring was like Vlad’s, not pale and white like my own, and the flush of her feeding gave her the illusion of humanity.

Gracefully, she raised her teacup in a salute.

“Do you know her?” Percy asked.

My heart lurched with fear and I struggled against my desire to flee. Now that I knew the vampire was near, I could feel her power coursing around me. “No, I do not.”

“She appears to know you.” Percy returned her smile and gave her a small salute.

The vampire’s smile widened and she laughed softly, turning to speak to her companion seated out of sight.

“Perhaps she knows my husband,” I answered. My mind was whirling with half-formed thoughts. My immediate instinct was to flee, yet I was afraid that I would only be endangering all of us. I stole another glance in the direction of the vampire and saw that she was still chatting with her companion and was no longer watching me. Astir had spoken of a conflict that I should take care not to be drawn into. I wondered if perhaps this vampire was connected to that intrigue.

“He is a popular man from all that I have heard.” Percy sipped his tea, forgetting about the mysterious woman.

I forced myself into idle chitchat. My mind was barely able to concentrate upon our conversation. At last I said, “I think we should go. I have a sudden headache. It’s quite fierce.” I gestured to Adem and gathered my things.

Bewildered, Percy took care of our bill as Adem strode over to our table.

“Countess, is there a problem?” Adem swept his eyes over the cafe, his body tensed to defend me.

“No, of course not. Just a headache.” I could feel the vampire’s steady gaze upon me. If I dared to look in her direction, I knew that her unusual eyes would be watching me.

It took far too long for the carriage to be brought around. I stood in the street clutching my lace shawl about my shoulders, my nails threatening to tear through the fine fabric. Percy was clearly mystified by my sudden illness while Adem stood alert at my side.

“I apologize for cutting our evening short,” I said as the carriage rolled to a stop before me.

“I understand. I hope you will be feeling better soon. I’m shall call on you in a few weeks. I have business to attend to elsewhere and I am unsure of the date of my return.”

“I shall miss you, Percy.”

He squeezed my hand gently before helping me into the carriage. Stepping back, he allowed Adem to follow me. His brow was creased with worry. His concern touched me and I gave him a short wave before the carriage rolled forward and he disappeared from view.

“What did you see?” Adem asked.

I clenched my hands together in an attempt to keep them from trembling. “A vampire.”

Adem sucked in a breath. “I see.”

“Percy noticed her first. She was watching me.”

“What did she look like?”

“Dark haired with eyes that did not match. One was blue and the other green. Do you know of her?”

Adem sat in silence, his shoulders hunched. He exhaled a breath I did not realize he was holding and shook his head in answer. “I will notify Astir and give him your description.”

“I did as he said,” I whispered.

“I know this. It is not a question of your not being discreet. It is most likely by chance she saw you tonight.” Sitting back, he crossed his arms over his chest. “Let us hope it was by chance.”

“Do you know if she is one of the powers that be that Astir spoke of?”

“I know very little,” Adem answered. “I know there has been a terrible power struggle and that Vlad negotiated to remove you and him from the fray. Astir told me that much.”

“A power struggle between who?” I wanted to scream with frustration, but reigned in my darker emotions. Instead I set my gaze on Adem and willed him to answer.

Immune to my power, he slightly smiled as he shook his head. “Do as Astir said and do not tempt the fates. It is best you know nothing, so should a time come when you are confronted you will be truly innocent.”

I hurled my fan at him in anger and slumped down in my seat. I watched the city slide by the window as the carriage climbed up the hill toward the baroness’ palace. The streets were not so crowded now and I felt the loneliness of my position begin to weigh on me.

As the carriage turned a corner, I saw a figure standing by the side of the road dressed in a fine green gown with a glittering black shawl draped around her shoulders. The vampire’s mismatched eyes glinted like an emerald and sapphire in the moonlight, then the carriage turned down the lane and she vanished from view.

Gasping, I drew my dagger from my small purse. Adem immediately copied my action. Sliding to the edge of his seat, his gaze raked over our surroundings anxiously.

Be careful, little one.

A female voice, low and rich in tone, filled my mind. I felt her presence fill the carriage and wash over me like cold water. I swooned as I saw her eyes in my mind, sparkling like jewels. Her power surged around me and I cried out. She was so powerful I felt paralyzed with fright and my desire to fight rose up within me. Then I remembered Astir’s warning. I forced my trembling hand to return my dagger to its hiding place.

Adem witnessed this act and reluctantly followed suit.

Very good, little one.

The power of the vampire receded as she withdrew her presence from the carriage. I understood I had been tested and had passed. Had I attempted to fight her, I knew she would have crashed into the carriage and killed us all. I was naive, but not feeble of mind. I had been an unknown quantity and now she knew I would not stand against her.

The carriage swung around yet another curve in the road and I held out my hand to steady myself. Adem immediately reached out to help me, but his head whipped to the side as though he had been struck. Unconscious, he slumped over as I gasped.

Looking up I saw the vampire hovering just outside the carriage window. With a smile, she ripped open the door and slid inside. As though she were swimming through the night, she drifted over me. Her shawl floated around her like wings as her small hand tipped in long nails lightly touched my face. Her mesmerizing eyes gazed deeply into mine as I sat still and silent before her.

Vlad had once terrified me with violence and rage: she terrified me with the mere touch of her hand.

The vampire’s face drew closer to mine, her eyes sweeping over my face as though she was staring through me and into the workings of my innermost being.

“Yes,” she said in her rich, low voice, “I can see why he chose you.”

I opened my lips to speak, but she pressed her thumb against them.

“Not now. Not yet. Soon. I know your face now. I know the taste of your power. And I see that what your husband and Astir said was true.”

The long sharp nail of her thumb slowly cut my upper lip, blood welling in the wound. I gasped in pain, then felt her lips close over mine in a firm kiss. Her soft, cold tongue licked away my blood. I withdrew from her, flushing with anger and fear.

“Interesting,” she murmured.

There was no great rush of wind, or any other dramatic device to note her departure. She simply disappeared.

Slowly, I became aware of the carriage still trudging up the hill and Adem moaning at my feet. The door was closed and I began to wonder if I had imagined the entire event. Yet, I could still feel her mouth on mine and my lip ached from the healing wound.

I was completely and utterly afraid.

Chapter 17

The Journal of Countess Dracula

September 4, 1820

The Dosza Palace

Astir, that foul fallen angel, has refused to answer my letters other than to send me a single message written upon a slip of paper.

It reads: “Continue to follow my advice.”

What sort of ridiculous assistance is that? I have been following his edict, but I still fear I am in danger.

Every night since I saw the other vampire I have been terrified that she will come to me again. I am only now feeling recovered from my meeting with her. Vlad is powerful, but the presence of this new vampire is utterly overwhelming. For the first time in months, instead of dreaming of Vlad attempting to seduce me into releasing him, I dream of her.

The dream is always the same.

I enter the blue parlor of my family manor in England to find her taking tea with my parents. The vampire greets me warmly, as though we are long lost friends. Despite my misgivings in my dreams, I always sit and chat with her. We laugh and sip tea while my parents discuss my future nuptials and possible suitors. The vampire sits and listens with great interest then always asks my parents how they know of Vlad Dracula. At this point in the dream, I become very afraid and urge my family to leave the room. She always laughs as they depart, leaving us alone. The dream always ends in the same way: she grips my hand, leans toward me, and whispers, “What is your secret, little one?”

I always awaken in absolute terror.

Does she know? Can she know?

Did she taste Vlad Dracula’s power in my blood when she kissed me?

I am frightfully afraid and I wish that damned fallen angel would answer my queries.

“It always saddens me when the trees began to turn color,” Laura said, her fingers gently plucking at a bit of thread.