The Bathory Curse (29 page)

“I know you haven’t lived like a monk, it’s fine.”
She didn’t understand, what was he talking about?

“I have been with another woman several times since
you left to see to our children and the safety of our grandchild.”
He stood and went to the fire place, giving her his back.

An ache she wasn’t expecting filled her chest, it
was silly to be jealous and to be hurt, she didn’t own him, not
truly, not anymore…He could be with who he chose until the day she
could be his wife in truth again. She felt a simmering rage fill
her, making her queasy and her throat burn. She closed her eyes and
took a deep, calming breath.

“It is fine my love, I understand. I didn’t ask you
to abstain.” Her voice was soft, he spun around and was at once
kneeling by her side, clasping her hands.

“It is not, when you said once your curse was broken
you would come home to me. I vowed there would be no other women,
because I know you, I know you will have no other men, I am weaker
than I thought.” He bowed his head.

“It’s true. I don’t plan on any romantic
entanglements, but you and I are apart, it could happen, don’t
place me on a pedestal.” Her words came our harsher than she
wanted.

“No, I won’t think about you with other men.”

“Don’t growl at me Vlad Dracul, I am not the one who
fucked some common tart. I am a strong woman. Do not think you can
tell me what to do.” Nea didn’t know why she was so angry, she
didn’t have any right to be, but she sure as hell wasn’t going to
take any archaic crap from him.

“You have always been a strong woman, Cneajna. I
admire that. Ignore my jealousy, it gets the better of me.”

“Now tell me, who?” Why did those words come out of
her mouth? She didn’t really want to know!

“Mina Harker.” His words were like ice in her
soul.

“Mina Harker? Vlad, I…I…don’t know what to say.” And
she didn’t, how could he be with that horrible shrew? Especially
now that she was married. He tried to touch her leg and she shook
him off, she didn’t want him to touch her right now.

“I slid into her room one night to take her blood,
simply to keep an eye on them. When she woke she told me she knew I
would come for her like I had Lucy. She stood and undressed and
told me I could feed. I did and…” He wouldn’t even meet her
eye.

“And one thing led to another. I know that feeding
is erotic, but how did this happen more than once?”

“She sought me out. I know I should have wiped her
mind and sent her home, but I have been isolated here. You know I
created the girls because I don’t care for being alone.” Vlad’s
eyes were pleading with her, Nea refused to meet them. Back when he
was mortal Vlad had been locked up such a long time without company
so it wasn’t a surprise it was a fear he had taken on into his new
life. She motioned for him to continue.

“She was beautiful and willing, such an uncommon
combination once a woman finds out I am a vampire. Every time we
shared blood I gained even more ability to access her thoughts and
memories to see what my enemies saw. I enjoyed her company. It
seemed like a fair trade, until she decided she wanted to be a
vampire.”  His head was in her lap, his words partially
muffled by her warmth.

“Tell me.”

“The last time she asked to have some of my blood
and I couldn’t say no, not with her spread beneath me, willing to
give me her life force. I said yes but told her I would not turn
her into a vampire. As she was feeding from me her door burst open,
it was a trap.”

“She betrayed you, I am not surprised.” Nea touched
his face. She kissed his lips, even as possessiveness burned in her
stomach at the image them together.  She tried to squash the
rage she felt.

“No she didn’t, she had no idea the others knew
about us, and she begged to go with me. Cneajna, I almost said
yes.”

Nea pulled back from him, he tried to stop her, made
to grab her hands but she was too fast. Her mouth was a thin line
of hurt and she took several steps back.

“Go to her, I will not stop you.” The words made her
feel sick inside. She had done this to herself, pushed him away for
centuries due to Bendis rules. It was to be expected, but it still
hurt.

“No. I do not love her, I love you.”

“Funny way of showing it.”

“I had to be honest with you, it would be unfair to
us both if I lied.” He was standing now, his face hidden by
shadows.

“Are you sure?” Nea took a step towards him, she
still couldn’t be with him, not the way he wanted, but she needed
to know, were they over, for good or could they salvage their
relationship and move past this?

“I was weak, it is my fault, and I know it, I am not
proud of myself, Cneajna.”

“I would have rather you bedded someone else,” she
took a deep breath, but she couldn’t monopolize his affections,
“but until I can come home for good do not worry about future
dalliances. I don’t want to know about them, though.”

“Then why should I release my brides?”

“Because they shouldn’t be forced to stay with you.”
She was about to say something else when Vlad jerked like
electricity had run through his system.

“What?” She gripped his hand.

“They have found my last box of Earth, they think
now to come at me, to put a stake through my heart at dawn.” His
eyes had a faraway look and Nea realized he was still connected
with Mina, her lip curled at the thought.

“Let us go to home to Wallachia, we shall fight them
there.” Nea stood, bringing him with her.

“You are so old, wife, it has been Romania for at
least twenty years now, Wallachia is no more.” There was humor in
his eyes.

“It will always be Wallachia in my heart.”

“To Poenari Castle then, where I kept Jonathan
Harker.” He swept her up in his arms.

“Can you get a message to Sabine to have her meet
us?” Nea asked, wishing one of her powers was telepathy.

“Yes, now hold on to me.” He kissed the top of her
head and it was like darkness swallowed them, she felt nothing, no
emotion, no heat or cold, no movement, but when she opened her eyes
they stood in the main foyer of Poenari Castle. It was almost in
ruins, but she could see it how it looked when she first stepped
through the doors, she could feel the earth beneath them calling
her home and smell the sweet woods that was her children’s birth
place. She hadn’t been home in years and the pain of missing it
filled her with despair and joy.

“I wish you hadn’t let this place fall to decay,”
she mourned.

“I had no choice; humans would not have left it
alone had I spent time and money fixing it. As it is they leave it
as a great landmark. Come though, there is one wing furnished and
salvaged.”

He led her down one corridor and up another until
they reached a large wooden door that seemed to be barricaded shut,
it opened for Vlad and inside were many of the modern comforts of
England, including several of their family treasures; art work and
furniture.

“What are you doing here?” They both turned at the
voice, Siobhan stood, hands on her hips, glaring at them, Marisol,
cowering behind her.

“This is my home as much as yours,” Vlad
shrugged.

“Do not take offense My Lord, we just were not
expecting you,” Marisol said, softly.

“I have come home with a gift.” Vlad came forward
hands out stretched, Marisol ran to him and grabbed one of his
hands, kissing the knuckles, Siobhan came next, though slower and
not happy about it.

“Where is Lily?” He asked.

“In the dungeon, like normal, she won’t be happy you
brought her.” Siobhan motioned to Nea.

“Then she will be very unhappy that we will have a
few more coming in a day or so.” Vlad told them

“What has happened?”

“You spoke of a gift?”

Both vampires spoke at the same time, curious as to
what was going on and why their lord and master had come home
unannounced.

“There will be people coming here to kill me, should
you defend this home and destroy them I will release you and let
you go on your way, you never have to see me again.” He offered it
like a choice piece of meat to a wolf.

“Immediately?” Siobhan sounded suspicious.

“Yes.”

Nea was shocked, she had thought he would wait until
she had broken the curse. Looking at the set of his jaw she
realized this was him punishing himself for Mina. She wanted to
take the superior road and shrug it off as his choice, but a part
of her was still angry and took enjoyment in the action.

“We would have nothing, where would we go, how would
we live?” Marisol cried, intrigued by the thought of freedom.

“I will provide you the financial support you need
to be comfortable until you can figure it out on your own.” Vlad
took his cape off and hung it up, choosing a seat and settling, he
held a hand out to Nea who ignored it but sat beside him
anyway.

“Lily will be furious; you can’t let her out on her
own,” Siobhan warned.

“I do not expect her to survive the fight; if she
does I will see she is cared for,” Vlad explained, he was frowning
at Nea, she still wouldn’t voluntarily touch him, he realized he
hurt her more than he thought he had.

“Thank you my Lord. I will help rid you of your
enemies. When should we expect trouble?” Siobhan asked, not fazed
by his ruthless comment about her sister bride.

“Within the next few weeks, we are laying a trap;
they shall think they are only days behind me, instead of almost a
month. These are very foolish mortals, but do not under estimate
them; Abraham Van Helsing has killed many undead in his life time.”
Vlad told them both.

“We will all need to be careful for this to work,”
Nea agreed.

“Why are you here?” Marisol was nosy.

“Some of my people are helping, there is a man,
Costica, travelling with this group, he is a rogue Strigoi.”

“We better go talk to Lily before she comes up here
and destroys the furniture over your presence,” Siobhan sighed, she
and Marisol left the room, almost floating.

“You had to pick women who are psychologically
unbalanced to spend immortality with, didn’t you?” Nea stated after
they left, had he actually chosen Mina Nea was sure she would have
been just as unhinged.

“They were not always so, sometimes becoming a
vampire changes a person.”

“It has changed you, at least a little,” Nea
acknowledged.

“That it has, though some things have not changed…”
he bent down to kiss her when a loud voice filled the room.

“STOP.”

They both looked up and were on their feet in
seconds. Bendis stood, matronly and glowing in the room, furious.
Vlad’s eyes burned red with anger, he hissed at the Goddess and
pushed Nea behind him.

“YOU DARE KEEP ME FROM MY STREGA?” Her voice boomed
through the room, seeming to suck the oxygen out, the room grew
dark and cold.

“Vlad, it’s alright.” Nea gently touched his arm and
stepped out from behind him, she addressed her Goddess, “I am here
Bendis, he meant no offense.”

Bendis glared at her Strega and the air around the
room warmed as the Goddess cooled her temper, “Why are you here
with this abomination, Nea?” She asked, her voice still harsh.

“We have come up with a plan to kill Costica.”

“Why was I not informed?” Bendis’ foxes circled her
feet, growling.

“You once told me not to bother you if it wasn’t
important. I am a powerful and grown woman, Costica is my
responsibility. I figured out a way to handle him, I didn’t realize
I needed to run it by you,” Nea answered truthfully.

“When it involves you consorting with demon spawn
such as Dracula it does. You know I do not tolerate vampires.”

“You thought I had abandoned your service for Vlad,”
Nea countered, knowing her Goddess all too well.

“Of course not.” There was hesitation in the
Goddess’ voice.

“If you say so.” But Nea knew better, the Goddess
was like a mortal in some ways; not infallible.

“You did not see fit to inform me that Stasi is
pregnant either,” Bendis accused.

“There simply hasn’t been the time. Sabine and Imre
will be here soon, you are more than welcome to stay and I can fill
you in.”

“No, I must go. I have duties, but a warning Strega,
you cannot stay with him, no matter what your hearts and bodies
want. Try and remember you were gone less than a week when his
heart strayed last.” It was a cruel jibe and Nea flinched.

“Keep out of this.” Dracula said, he reached for
Nea, again, and pain radiated in his chest when she stepped just
out of reach.

“When it concerns my Strega, it is my business.”
Then the Goddess was gone, as quickly as she came.

“Well, I am glad we showed up late for the party.”
Now that the Goddess was gone Vlad and Nea could see Sabine, Renata
and Imre standing near the door.

“Good we can get started,” Nea said, ignoring the
wounded look on Vlad’s face, and they began talking of plans and
death.

Chapter 18

Three weeks later the battle began. The gypsies
alerted them the moment the group of inept mortals made their way
towards them. Dracula had staged a carriage to travel to Bran
Castle, surrounded by gypsies and in the company of Imre. However,
Van Helsing was smart, he chose to cover all his bases. He and Mina
were making their way to Poenari Castle while the rest went to find
the carriage. They were determined to kill Dracula, no matter what
it took.

Nea had no idea what any of them thought about
Sabine’s and her permanent disappearance from Whitby, but knew that
Costica must have been raving mad. He wasn’t a man who liked having
his own plans turned on him.

They left the Brides at Poenari to deal with Mina
and Van Helsing. Siobhan was looking forward to a true fight, while
Marisol stood in the shadows behind her, scared and timid. Lily
paced restlessly near them, she could smell the humans’ blood and
hear their heart beat, every molecule of her being was screaming to
hunt and kill them, she was not good at the waiting game. Dracula’s
instructions, however, had been very clear.