The Tale of the Vampire Bride (52 page)

To my surprise, the room erupted into applause. The Baroness moved to clutch my hand tightly and gave me an enthusiastic smile. “It was magnificent, was it not?”

I looked toward Andrew, who raised an eyebrow at me. He was obviously just as unimpressed as I was. As the guests rose up into a standing ovation, my brother and I reluctantly joined in. We were both on the verge of hysterical laughter and it took all our willpower to maintain our composure.

Vlad was positively radiant over the whole production. I thought he was far too obvious with his brilliant smile and triumphant expression.

I whispered in his ear,” You are supposed to be your own descendent, remember?”

“Vlad took my hand, kissed it, and whispered back, “And as his descendent, I am a proud man.”

I rolled my eyes beneath my veil. ‘You were a butcher.”

Vlad grinned, flashing his deadly, white canine teeth. “I was a hero.”

The Baroness made a great show of praising her awkward composer and called the opera company onto the stage. The Baroness swept toward me and before I could even react, the Baroness led me up the steps to the stage. Vlad followed, along with Andrew. I found myself confronted with a receiving line of all the performers and I raised my eyebrows beneath my veil. I felt rather like royalty.

For nearly thirty minutes, I greeted all the opera performers, the musicians, countless stagehands and finally the composer himself. From the reek, it was obvious he had rushed back stage to calm his nerves with a bit of liquor.

“Countess Dracula, it means so much…so much…to me for you to be here...so much,” Mihaly said breathlessly, and then kissed my gloved hand over and over again.

“You do very interesting work, sir,” I responded.

“Thank you, thank you!”

“I enjoyed it tremendously. You really captured the essence of the man that was Vlad Tepes,” Vlad said to the trembling man.

Mihaly gulped visibly as his hand began to shake even more. “Sir, my mother was from Wallachia and my family has told stories of Vlad Tepes for generations. To meet his descendent is the greatest of honors.”

“He actually completed a sentence,” Andrew whispered in my ear.

I hit him with my fan.

The Baroness took Vlad’s arm and I noted a certain possessiveness in the Baroness’ eyes. Andrew was busy trying to find a way to escape and was oblivious to the subtle change in the atmosphere. I felt a chill flow over me. The Baroness spoke in excited melodic tones, but I could see how her gaze continually flicked toward Vlad.

Coyly, I took Vlad’s arm, drawing him to me. “She knows about you, does she not?”

Vlad lightly kissed my lips through my veil and whispered to me, “Do as you were told. Go mingle.” His eyes were dark and warning.

I raised my chin, drew away, and went to my brother.

It was just the beginning of a very eventful night.

Chapter 28

The Journal of Lady Glynis Wright – Continued

After the opera there was a wonderful spread of food, that I pretended to eat from, as well as lots of laughter and dancing.

“Oh, the Baroness’ parties always last until dawn. I believe she abhors the daylight,” a woman said as we sat side by side watching the dancers in the ballroom.

“Truly? I assume there is no Baron or is he out of town?”

“The Baroness has been a widow since one month after she married. Her husband died suddenly and left her all his wealth. She has never bothered to remarry, even though many a man has tried to woo her,” the woman with the bright canary turban responded snidely, innuendo dripping from her voice.

“It must be difficult to live alone,” I said lightly.

“I am sure it is,” the woman responded with a coy smile.

As the night moved on in glorious fashion, not one guest seemed interested in departing. There was much food, drink, dancing, and lively conversation. I drifted about the room for a time on Vlad’s arm, recounting our fabricated tale of my family’s demise and his heroic rescue of me from the river. We explained the veil away by the excuse of my mourning. It was a dramatic story that enthralled all who listened to it. After awhile, the gossips were recounting my tale throughout the party.

Vlad soon left my side to speak with Sir Stephen. I noticed that my family’s betrayer stayed far away from me, which was rather wise. I was feeling a bit agitated. As ridiculous as it may sound, I was very much annoyed by the Baroness’ possessive behavior toward Vlad. His attention toward her did not just feel like a betrayal of me, but of my vampire sisters as well.

By the furtive glances and the many whispered conversations taking place all around me, I knew I was the main topic of conversation. I cut a mysterious figure in my black gown and lace veil, and I quite enjoyed all the attention.

The dancing was festive and the conversations boisterous. I moved through the outer edges of the dance floor, dropping in to chat with the different groups of guests. Andrew and Dr. Baum were well on their way to getting very inebriated with a group of men at the far corner of the room, the thick smoke from their cigars hovering lazily over their heads.

I slipped into the shadows behind a marble pillar and stood watching the gay dancing of the younger guests. To my disgust, Vlad had disappeared with the Baroness. I had not noticed, until the shock of their disappearance had reverberated throughout the room. Everyone obviously believed that the Baroness was Vlad’s mistress. I was beginning to believe it myself. I also began to wonder if the Baroness was a vampire, but I was undecided. The Baroness was beautiful, but lacked that special aura of a vampire. Of course, if she was a very young vampire and not very strong, perhaps she would appear more human.

I heard Maria’s gay laughter nearby. “Oh, please do not say such things. Count Dracula departed with my husband and the Baroness to discuss business.”

At this, I pouted a bit. Vlad could have at least pretended to be a faithful husband by not causing such a ruckus, but Maria seemed to be doing her best at diffusing any titillating rumors.

I felt a chill pierce through my body, and I looked about curiously. I sensed someone was watching me and my flesh prickled in response. No one stood near me in the shadows, so my gaze swept over the lighted room. Leaning against the cold marble of the pillar, I attempted to discreetly search out the new presence that seemed to be growing in the room.

The party was still in full swing, loud laughter echoing throughout the room as the orchestra played on. The women in their stiff, ornate gowns glided over the marble floor on the arms of their well groomed partners, swinging first this way then that. I studied every face and shadow, searching desperately for the dark power that had suddenly made itself known.

To my growing sense of horror, I felt the power near my brother. I moved out of the shadows and along the edges of the dance floor. I could almost feel it drawing me in, pulling me closer. My brother’s back was to me and Dr. Baum was seated near him, laughing affably. Moving just a little faster, I drew close to my brother and reached out to touch his arm.

It was then I saw him.

Seated in the corner in a comfortable chair, Ignatius looked up at me and smiled. He was clad all in black, his long hair falling around his face. I blinked, startled, as I realized he was wearing the long coat of a priest.

“Oh, Glynis, I am so glad you are here. You must meet Father Ignatius. He has traveled all of Europe and has even been to our quaint little town,” Andrew said with a wide grin.

Ignatius rose smoothly to his feet and reached out his hand in greeting. “I have heard much about you, Countess Dracula. You are the talk of the ball.”

“Father Ignatius, a pleasure,” I said, probably sounding far too startled.

Ignatius took my hand, bowing over it. “The pleasure is mine.”

“The Father was telling us about his research into folklore and it is fascinating. He was telling us of something called a vampire. Did you not read a story by Lord Byron about such a creature?” Andrew asked me.

“Yes, yes. But it was actually Polidori who wrote it,” I answered. I felt disconcerted and completely at a loss as to how to act. I was sure I was acting quite ridiculous. I was glad for my veil or else they would have seen my utter astonishment.

“Oh, yes, John Polidori. That half-Italian chap who hangs out with that scoundrel Bryon,” Emil said. His nose was so red, I was quite sure he need not drink more.

Ignatius was just as handsome as I remembered with his long raven hair and intense dark blue eyes. He smiled kindly, but his eyes were slightly wicked as he gazed at me. I instantly desired him as much as I ever had, despite his façade as a priest.

Is it possible that no one else felt the fire that burned between us? Evidently not, because the conversation continued around us.

“It was a gruesome tale,” I said softly.

“Was it? I never read it,” Andrew said and took another sip of his wine.

“You know the rubbish they publish these days is geared toward the more foolish, uneducated minds,” Dr. Baum declared, waving his cigar about.

“I disagree. I rather think it is aimed toward those aspects of human nature that we tend not to embrace,” Ignatius responded. “We are not privy to each other’s deepest thoughts. Our fears, our desires, our passions.” He gazed solemnly at me as he said these things, his expression quite thoughtful.

“Ah, yes, the human mind is quite complex. We are always far too ready to divulge in idle gossip or retell the most lurid stories,” Dr. Baum agreed. “But, as a priest, surely you believe we should shy away from such things.”

“As a priest, I think we should not lie about our true natures,” Ignatius answered with a wry smile. “Do you not agree, Countess Dracula?”

I frowned at him from behind my veil, but managed to keep my tone light. “Oh, we should not lie about our true natures, but I really do not think we should expose all our deepest secrets to those around us. There is something to be said about discretion.”

“Should we not acknowledge our true natures, then try our very best to make better men of ourselves?” Andrew said.

“Better men and women,” Ignatius said. “Do not discount the power of a woman. They carry much more weight in the lives of men than we give them credit for.”

I laughed at this. “Well, I cannot disagree with that.”

“I am sure you are an intricate part of your husband’s life,” Ignatius said to me. “Do you not feel by embracing who you are, you are a more powerful helpmate?”

I remember that I had thought him rather far too clever. He was trying to draw out information about me.

“I try to be what he needs me to be,” I answered with a wave of my fan.

“My sister is a devout and good wife to Count Dracula. The man is absolutely terrifying, yet she is loyal and loving,” Andrew said with great emotion.

He was quite drunk, I could see now.

“And that she has endured all that she has and continues to be the light she always was in my life speaks volumes,” Andrew continued.

“Yes, I heard of the terrible tragedy of your family,” Ignatius said softly. “I am glad that your husband was able to recover you from the wreckage.”

I frowned at him behind my lace veil and almost stomped my foot at him. He seemed to love saying the word “husband” over and over again. Most likely to peeve me.

“I cannot remember too much of that time,” I said briskly.

“No, no, of course not,” he answered. “It was a great tragedy.”

“Greater than you know,” I said, my fan fluttering quite quickly before me. I was nervous, yet I wanted to be alone with him.

“My sister is a good and brave woman,” Andrew said firmly.

“Here, here,” Dr. Emil said, toasting me. “A good fine Englishwoman. May you soon return home.”

“But are you not home? Is not Buda your home now?”

Ignatius definitely was trying to procure too much information.

“Buda is my home,” I said quickly. “But England is my heart’s home.”

“Ah, there is Sir Stephen,” Dr. Baum said standing and swaying slightly. “Stephen, Stephen, over here!”

I looked sharply toward the man whose name made my still heart clench. He moved toward us slowly, winding his way through the crowd of guests. I could see he was nervous and I wondered where Vlad was.

“Stephen, you must meet Father Ignatius,” Dr. Baum said as Stephen joined us.

“Father Ignatius?” Stephen asked in confusion.

It was then my brother, Dr. Baum, and I, all realized that Ignatius was no longer among us.

“Oh, he must have slipped away,” Dr. Baum said with some consternation.

Andrew finished his drink and signaled for another. “We are far too drunk to be very observant, Emil.”

“True, true,” Dr. Baum said with a great laugh.

“Excuse me, gentlemen,” I said, then slipped away into the crowd.

I could feel Ignatius' power still in the room. Moving in its wake, I tried to seek him out. My gaze swept back and forth, but he was nowhere to be seen. I was drawn to a door on the far end of the ballroom hidden behind the huge marble pillars that lined the room like sentinels. Hesitating, I laid my hand on the doorknob.