The Vengeance of the Vampire Bride (14 page)

“Very well then. As payment for my
husband’s corruption of your dear daughter, I will take her to Buda
with me.” I would not employ her, but I knew that she would find
what she craved in Astir’s haven. I felt pity for her as she wailed
in her mother’s arms. Vlad had done this and it sickened
me.

“I thank you, Countess Dracula,” Toma
answered in a voice rough with his emotions. He grabbed hold of
Katya and pushed her into my arms.

“My lady!” She clung to me, burying her
face in the folds of my traveling scarf.

I pried her hands free and forced her
to stand back. “Enough of that.”

Trying to please me, she wiped her
tears from her face. It was then I saw the triumphant gleam in her
eyes. Understanding dawned on me and when I returned my gaze to her
parents, I said, “We are leaving now.”

“The dowry,” Vanda said, reaching out
to grip her husband’s arm. “What is the dowry?”

“Yes, Countess. I realize there will be
no marriage, but we must-”

“I will allow you to live,” I said
shortly. “That is your payment.”

Shock played over Toma’s expression,
then anger gripped him. “You cannot!”

“I can. And should you wish to continue
to live in safety, I suggest that you stay silent on the matter of
your dealings with me and my husband, otherwise the protection my
husband granted you is forfeit.” I grabbed hold of Katya’s hand,
wrenched open the door, and stormed out of the parlor. Adem and
Magda were lingering outside waiting for me.

“Madam?” Adem questioned, following
with Magda close behind.

“She’s coming with us,” I answered
grimly.

Katya beamed with joy much to my
disgust, and I was a bit rough with her as I dragged her along. Her
seduction of Enre had been clever. Though I could respect her
desire to be free of the parents who were so willing to sell her, I
did not like being manipulated.

“Lord Astir will not like this,” Adem
decided.

“Oh, I do not care! His guard was
foolish enough to lie with her and cause this trouble,” I
grumbled.

Astir was settled into the carriage
awaiting our arrival. When he saw Katya, he lifted his brows, then
began to chuckle. Adem quickly moved to help me ascend the steps
into the carriage.

“Are you certain?” Adem whispered, his
gaze shifting to Katya.

As I gathered up my petticoats and
allowed him to lift me, I answered, “Of course not. But what else
can I do?”

Adem inclined his head in agreement,
then assisted Magda and Katya as I settled into the seat next to
Astir. Closing the door, Adem vanished from view.

“How much did you pay Toma for the
girl?” Astir inquired.

I adjusted my bonnet as Magda untangled
my petticoats, dress, and coat, smoothing them around my legs.
“Nothing. I allowed him to live and promised to continue Vlad’s
protection over him and his business.”

Astir laughed with amusement. “Well
played. Vlad would be proud.”

I bristled under his compliment. “I do
not like being blackmailed or deceived.”

Seated across from Astir, Katya’s
fingers played with the ties of her bodice with her eyes fastened
upon me.

“Do not play the innocent with me,
Katya. I know what you did,” I scolded. “You seduced Enre to force
your father’s hand and mine.”

She slightly shrugged. “I don’t like it
here. I want to be with you. I shall be good.”

Magda snorted.

“You shall live with Lord Astir,” I
replied.

Astir gave me a sharp look as Katya
pouted.

“Your guard was a fool and brought this
upon us,” I informed Astir. “If he had not had relations with her,
we would not be in this predicament. I think it only fair that you
give Katya a position in your household.”

“What will I do with her?” Astir
regarded her with contempt.

The carriage groaned as it lurched
forward, the clop of horse hooves against the cobblestones a
welcome sound.

“Not you. Your patrons. She likes to
give her blood,” I explained, then added with some discomfort,
“from peculiar parts of her body.”

With a sly, seductive little smile,
Katya watched me with keen eyes.

Astir frowned slightly as he
scrutinized the girl’s long limbs, lovely face and golden hair. Now
that she wasn’t weeping, she looked pretty, despite her puffy eyes.
“Really?”

“I offered myself to her,” Katya
admitted.

Magda cast a disdainful look in Katya’s
direction and scooted away from her.

“In all ways,” Katya added.

I wasn’t exactly certain what Katya’s
words meant or entailed, so I decided not to acknowledge her
statement.

“I know Vlad had...relations with her,
as you yourself pointed out,” I reminded Astir.

“I miss his kisses,” Katya
sighed.

I gave her a fierce look, my anger
brewing close to the surface. “Enough, Katya!”

“Don’t you?” she asked. “And
his-”

“Enough!” Magda exclaimed irritably.
“Obey the Mistress!”

Katya cast a dark glare at Magda, then
shrugged.

The carriage creaked loudly as the
horses picked up their gait. The guards on their horses kept pace
with us as we wound our way through the town.

I did not want to think of Vlad, his
kisses or otherwise. I forced my thoughts back to the topic at
hand, pointedly ignoring Katya. “Astir, you have many living in
your haven who offer blood and more to your clients, do you
not?”

Shrugging, Astir regarded Katya with
more interest than before. “She is a pretty little
thing.”

“She will fit into your household
perfectly. A willing victim.”

Katya sighed contentedly.

“She’s also a troublemaker, my dear
little countess.”

“Astir, isn’t that why you enjoy my
company?” I countered, smiling at him sweetly.

“You’re playing me so well,” Astir
commended me, his gloved hand lightly stroking my cheek. “Very
well. I’ll take her.”

Katya pouted a bit, but I ignored
her.

“And if she wants to leave to live her
own life, you will allow it,” I added. “Should it be for marriage
or whatever other reason she may have. I will provide her with some
money should she decide to leave. Agreed?”

Astir frowned at me. “The things I do
to amuse you.”

“Promise.”

“Very well. You have my
vow.”

“Meanwhile, I reclaim Magda,” I
continued.

Magda raised her head and gave me a
sweet smile of relief.

“Very well,” Astir agreed as he gazed
at Katya thoughtfully.

Katya was silent, but from the
smoldering passion in her eyes as she gazed upon me, I knew that I
was not yet done dealing with her.

Chapter 10

The Journal of Countess
Dracula

June 12, 1820

The first night of our
journey to Buda passed without incident. Katya fell asleep soon
after the conversation waned. Magda remained awake, staring out the
window at the darkened landscape with a somber expression upon her
countenance. Astir, much to my surprise pulled out a sketchbook and
pencil from a leather satchel beneath his seat and began to draw
Katya as she slept. I watched his fingers nimbly move over the
paper as the image of the girl began to emerge. The fallen angel
was undeterred in his sketching despite the rocking of the
carriage. When he finished drawing Katya, he began to draw Magda in
her repose. By then I was bored, so I pulled out the novel Vlad had
purchased for me before our last journey and settled down to
read.

As night ended and dawn
came, the shutters were drawn over the windows. The darkness within
the carriage was more opaque than the blackness of the
night.

I felt sleep tugging on my eyelids and
set aside the novel. It was a silly bit of fluff about a young
aristocrat attempting to marry an aloof older man. I found it
annoying at times, but I easily grew bored during long, grueling
journeys and the story was somewhat entertaining. Removing my
bonnet, I set it upon my lap so I could rest my head against the
back of the seat to sleep.

I noted that Astir continued to draw
despite the darkness. I pulled upon my power, letting it fill my
senses and my eyesight grew keen. Leaning toward him, I saw my own
face on his paper. Unlike the drawings of Katya and Magda, my
sketch did not portray my present circumstances. I was depicted as
slightly disheveled with my hair unfettered as I gripped a dagger
and struck out at an unseen opponent.

I felt a cold chill wash over me and I
shivered. “Is this one of your prophecies?”

Astir continued to draw with deft
movements of his pencil. An expression of horror was being etched
onto the charcoal rendering of my face. “Perhaps.”

“Is it or is it not?” I
demanded.

“I am inclined to believe it is,” he
replied.

“So who am I fighting? Who is here?” I
pointed at the empty space that would hold the image of my
opponent.

Astir set down the pencil and tilted
his head to regard me. “That is the mystery of it. I don’t know. In
my vision I see you like this...”

“You’re attempting to frighten me,” I
accused him.

“Not at all,” he said in a strangely
distracted tone. “I find it quite disconcerting that I cannot see
any further than your terrified face.”

“You’re teasing me. This is nothing,” I
decided.

His eyes sparked with flames for a mere
second, and then he shrugged. “Perhaps it is symbolic of your
temperamental spirit always chaffing against
convention.”

I wanted to believe that was true. I
also wanted to believe that the sketch was nothing more than Astir
teasing me, but I felt disquieted whenever I looked upon the
illustration.

“I do not like it. Destroy it,” I
ordered.

“I think not. Maybe one day I shall
finish it and discover who your opponent is,” Astir answered in a
firm tone, closing the sketchbook to stow it away. “Sleep now,
Countess. The sun climbs ever higher and it is time for you to
sleep.”

“I’d rather not,” I retorted, cranky
with exhaustion and disturbed by his sketch.

But before I could say another word or
think another thought, I was asleep.

Later-

I was roused briefly from
sleep while the horses rested and my companions disembarked for a
meal. I was aware of Magda covering me with something made of cloth
that smelled of Astir and his haven. She whispered that I was safe
and to not be afraid. I could not fully awaken, but I could hear
the door open and feel the carriage wobble as my companions
disembarked.

Struggling to bring my mind fully out
of its slumber, I found myself caught between the world of dreams
and reality.

“All is as it should be,” Vlad
said.

“You’re not here,” I whispered, not
sure if I spoke aloud or only in my dreams. I attempted to open my
eyes, the rich fragrance of jasmine filling my nostrils. In the
dreaming world, my eyes opened to see Vlad’s shadow at my side. “I
vanquished you.”

“For now,” he agreed. “How like me you
are...your enemy vanquished, your rivals trapped and starving, and
you safely on your way to Buda. Impressive for such a young, naive
English lady. Ah, yes, but you are no longer Lady Glynis Wright,
are you?”

“Leave me,” I answered wishing I could
awaken.

“You are now Countess Dracula of
Wallachia. Your exploits should not be so shocking considering your
station, your family name and who your husband is.”

“I keep your name only to advance
myself,” I snapped. I attempted to escape the dream carriage, but
found that I was paralyzed in this world as well.

Vlad Dracula chuckled with amusement.
“I shall reclaim you.”

“Never!”

“I shall. I swear it.”

In my dream, his form was dark and his
features hidden. But I saw when he gazed at me for his eyes were
coals of fire in the darkness.

“I shall never relent!”

I gasped as I woke fully. I threw off
the coat and Adem lunged forward to cover me as another guard
closed the door on the bright sunlight outside.

“Countess!” he gripped me tightly with
his hands, breathing hard with fright.

“He was here!” I gasped.

“No one was here. We just stopped a few
minutes ago. The others just now departed.”

“Vlad was here,” I insisted, my mind
unreasonable. I could feel his gaze upon me still.

Adem’s rough hand pressed against my
cheek as he gazed into my eyes. “Countess, look upon me. If he was
here, he would be burning in the sun. I would not let him hurt
you.”

Tears in my eyes, I nodded briefly,
then clutched his hand. “Thank you, Adem.”