The Vengeance of the Vampire Bride (24 page)

“Truly.”

Releasing me, she smiled slightly.
“Then perhaps we shall be friends after all, Countess
Dracula.”

“I should very much like that,” I told
her. “But call me Glynis.”

“Very well, Glynis.” She tucked her arm
around mine and together we returned to the party.

The brilliance of the candles drew us
back to the heart of the grand affair. I noted that Sir Stephan was
startled to see his daughter at my side. I smiled sweetly at him as
I strolled with Laura across the lawn toward the banquet beneath
the tent canopies.

Adem emerged from the throng of
partygoers, his dark eyes swiftly appraising my condition and
Laura’s. I could see the line of his shoulders relax as he fell
into step beside me. “It is best, Countess, if you do not wander
off.”

“I was merely spending time with a
friend,” I answered briskly.

Laura tilted her head to view Adem. Her
eyes slightly widened as she took in his scarred face.

“Remember that your husband’s enemies
are now your own and it is best to stay near the other revelers at
the party.” Adem’s voice was low enough that I alone would hear
him.

“I thought you said Buda was safe? And
where were you just now?” I was peeved at being chastised and my
tone made this imminently clear.

“Dealing with your husband’s enemies,”
he answered, and faded into the crowd.

“Is he your guard?” Laura appeared
impressed.

“Yes,” I replied. “My husband has many
enemies.”

“Are they the ones who burned down your
house?” Laura’s eyes widened even more.

“My husband is a powerful man and
powerful men often have far too many enemies.” We were almost to
the great feast and I was repulsed by the scent of the food. I
wondered if I would ever find the smell of food appetizing
again.

“Rather exciting, isn’t it?” Laura
giggled as she touched my arm lightly. “Having a guard, not having
enemies, that is.”

“I suppose.” Not long ago, I would have
been completely fascinated by any woman with a personal guard. I
would have been imagining all sorts of intrigues.

“Ah, Countess Dracula! We meet again!”
Percy grinned as he held aloft a plate laden with all sorts of
exotic dishes. “I hope you are hungry.”

“I ate earlier,” I lied, but he thrust
a plate into my hand before I could protest.

“It’s overwhelming!” Laura immediately
set about filling her own plate while I lingered at her side with
my empty one. “Oh, look! Szilvásgombóc!” She served herself a few
of the dumplings that were filled with sliced plums and added two
to my plate.

“Those are certainly one of my favorite
dishes.” Percy leaned over and placed some heavily spiced pork next
to my serving of dumplings.

I quickly introduced Percy to Laura,
hoping they would ignore my plate and concentrate on their own, but
they immediately conspired against me. I soon had such a varied
selection of food if I had still been mortal I would have been
daunted. As a vampire I could not take even a bite without exposing
my nature.

“The one thing I do enjoy immensely in
this city is the food. It is so different from our English fare,
don’t you think?” Percy guided us to another tent where tables and
chairs awaited us. We seated ourselves at a table near the corner.
The air was thick with the scent of food and wax
candles.

“It is quite different,” I agreed.
“Sadly, I have a delicate stomach.”

“A pity,” Percy declared, then dug into
his pork and potato dish.

Laura smiled sweetly as she tucked into
a plate full of mostly desserts. I noted she avoided eating the
spicy meat and settled on a potato dish, fruits and her
sweets.

I pretended to eat, bringing small
portions up to my mouth, but never taking a bite. As the
conversation steered away from the buffet to Laura’s recent return
from abroad, I found it easier to avoid the food.

“After my governess married, father
sent me to a finishing school,” Laura said around small bites of
her dumplings. “Mother attended the same school. She felt it would
help me be much more sophisticated and worldly so I could attract a
good husband.”

Percy studied her delicate face before
saying, “Perhaps I am just far too old now, but you seem a bit
young to marry.”

“I am seventeen,” Laura responded with
a sigh.

“Ah, a prime age for many young girls
to be married off.” Percy nodded his head somberly. “My own wife,
Abigail, was not that young when I married her. She was an old maid
of twenty-six.”

“How did she so deftly avoid marrying
for so long?” Laura wondered.

Percy laughed with amusement. “I take
it you dread the prospect of marriage?”

“I desire nothing more than to be a
spinster,” Laura admitted.

“A noble calling, I dare say.” I
grinned at her affectionately.

Percy settled back in his chair and
gestured at me with an accusing finger. “Shouldn’t you, a happily
married woman, be encouraging her toward matrimony?”

“Most certainly I should be, but I will
not. A woman should be able to choose her own lot in life, whether
or not society, the church, or her family agrees.”

Percy’s blue eyes gleamed with
merriment and wine as he folded his arms over his chest. “I am in
the presence of rebels. What are young women coming to these
days?”

“You’re not so horrified as you pretend
to be.” Laura helped herself to one of my plum dumplings and
nibbled on it as her large eyes regarded Percy with open
defiance.

“True, true. Abigail refused to marry
for comfort. Her family tried so very hard to marry her off to an
assortment of suitable types only for her to turn them away. The
family was gentry, but had lost most of its money. Abigail became a
governess instead of marrying.”

“But she married you.” I drew my shawl
around my shoulders as I regarded him thoughtfully. I instantly
liked him and the more he spoke, the more I suspected we could be
friends.

“That is because she married for love.
Abigail was an idealist and did not believe that marriage, such a
sacred union, should be for anything other than love. She was
perfectly content with her post when we met by chance while she was
on a walk.”

“And why hadn’t you married yet?” Laura
was clearly enraptured by his tale, her face so very pretty and
flushed.

“Well, a man does have a bit more
leeway as to when it is a proper time for him to marry, but I shall
be honest. I also had no desire to marry if it was not a union
based upon love.”

“So you’re a romantic at heart,” I
teased

“Completely.” A shadow of sadness
flitted over his features, but he quickly sipped his wine to hide
it away.

“Well, I have no desire to marry at
all. Not even for love. For I shall never love any man.” Laura
shrugged her delicate shoulders.

“You should not speak rashly,” Percy
warned her. “Some dashing fellow may make you a liar one
day.”

“I know my mind and heart. No man shall
ever take my heart.” Laura’s confidence in her words was
mesmerizing. I could clearly see that she believed her words
completely. “I shall never marry. I shall never have a child. And I
will never love a man.”

“That almost sounds like a curse.”
Percy frowned slightly at her. “Do not curse yourself.”

“I am merely declaring my independence.
And I don’t believe in curses.” Laura giggled and tilted her head
so the moonlight rested on her face and she took on a rather
angelic appearance.

“I used to believe myself to be
enlightened until I came to this country. Now I tend to believe in
curses and all manner of monsters.” Percy’s gaze lighted upon me
for a mere second, but it was long enough for a bit of dread to
seep into my consciousness.

The three of us continued to talk until
Laura’s parents came to claim her and whisk her home. Percy, quite
drunk, returned to the city on another boat, but not before asking
if he could call on me. I agreed and, soon after, I departed with
the Baroness Dosza on her private boat. Though she had not been
victorious in her pursuit of Percy, she had managed to cause enough
of a ruckus to be pleased with herself. I listened to her ramble on
about her spiteful revenge against a reveler while Adem gazed at me
solemnly from the side of the boat. I was accustomed to him being
my shadow, but tonight I felt annoyed by his presence. It was a
reminder that Vlad still influenced my life.

Realizing that such morose thoughts
only stole away my happiness, I relished my new found friendships
instead. I was certain that Laura and I would be fast friends and
Percy intrigued me. Despite the loss of both my mortal and vampire
families, I could not allow myself to become a sad and lonely
creature.

Comforted by the prospect of fresh
beginnings, I watched the stars glittering on the dark waves of the
Danube and felt at peace.

Chapter 16

The Journal of Countess
Dracula

August 2, 1820

The Dosza Palace,
Buda

I adore the spring and the
early summer, but loathe the height of the summer months when the
wind grows still and the heat becomes unbearable. Even though I
live my life by night, the humidity and heat still linger in the
darkness.

If I was still mortal, I
would have spent many afternoons walking along the Danube,
picnicking, and laughing under bright blue skies. Instead, I am
heavily tethered to my nighttime existence and only attend the
social events that occur once the sun has set. This has made it a
bit difficult to nurture my new friendships with Laura and Percy.
Happily, both seem committed to forming relationships with
me.

I am glad for the
camaraderie. Though Magda and Adem have proven to be valuable
allies as I carve out a new life for myself in Buda, I often miss
my family and friends in England. Though I am haunted while I sleep
by the specter of Vlad Dracula, the nightmares fade away when Laura
or Percy visits. Though I continue to be social at the
encouragement of the Baroness, it is these two friendships that
have begun to instill within me a semblance of normalcy.

I have noted that Adem
approves of my mundane life as a mortal countess, and Astir sends
me the occasional note of encouragement. Magda also appears content
with the new state of things though she despises the baroness.
Twice a week, while I sleep, she visits Astir’s haven to see her
little boy. I have asked her to bring him to the palace, but she
refuses. In Astir’s haven she knows her little boy is truly safe
and I cannot blame her for worrying.

My life would be wonderful
and complete if Ignatius were here, and I did not have to endure
nightmares filled with Vlad Dracula. Astir continues to warn me
against contacting my beloved. I do not think I can endure this
separation much longer.

Only my new found
friendships give me true solace.

Percy sometimes calls in
the early evening and Csilla acts as our hostess. I enjoy his even
temperament and he reminds me so much of my father that we
discussed our family histories one night. It is possible we are
distant cousins. It feels lovely to speak and spend time with
someone from my own country. Though Brice is from England, he is a
servant, and therefore I cannot truly form a friendship with him. I
often think how lonely he must be.

“Will I ever meet your
husband?” Percy inquired on the night of our first excursion
without the wildly flirtatious Csilla. The baroness was occupied
with another conquest and we were alone.

I hesitated in my step as we walked
into a cafe we had discovered that serves proper English tea. It is
close to the Danube and near the heart of the city. Carriages
rattled past us carrying their charges to other exciting locations
and people flowed along the walks. Adem followed behind us, his
dark eyes ever-watchful of any dangers.

“I should think so,” I lied. “He is
quite busy, so I am not certain when that shall be.”

Tucking his warm hand under my elbow,
Percy said, “I would think he would not wish to be far from
you.”

I floundered, unable to find the words
to answer.

Once inside the cafe, we were escorted
to a neat little table and Percy immediately ordered tea for both
of us. Adem sat down at a table near us and ordered coffee. I set
my small purse on my lap and raised my fan to stir the warm air
into a gentle breeze. Percy’s bright blue eyes gazed at me
speculatively and I arched a brow.

“I was just wondering if our friendship
and appearances in public together without a proper escort might
tarnish your reputation.”

I shrugged. “We have Adem with us and
my reputation is already scandalous due to my marriage.”

“Count Dracula is definitely a man of
intrigue from all I have heard.” Percy sat back in his chair,
trying to find a comfortable position, and regarded me with some
concern.