The Tale of the Vampire Bride (53 page)

I entered.

The room was utterly dark. When I shut the door behind me, only the moonlight slipping through the curtains gave any illumination. I blinked a few times, then I could see a bit better. I was in need of blood and my vision was poor. Slowly, I realized he was seated in the corner of the room in a chair.

Moving toward him, I suddenly stopped. He was deliberately keeping his face shrouded, but I could plainly see his pale white hands on the arms of the chair.

“You…you…”I stammered. “You were in Bistriţa ! You followed me here!”

“Truly, I was only trying to converse with a lovely young woman after a long journey,” he answered.

“Nonsense! You followed me to Buda. Who are you?”

“Father Ignatius,” he answered, standing up slowly, letting the shadows fall from his face.

“Liar,” I answered.

“Are we not both liars?” he said with a smile, then caught my wrist, drawing me near. “Why the veil, Countess Dracula?”

“Why the cassock?” I tried to pull away, but he was stronger. He was warm from feeding.

“Are you scarred? Did the hunters hurt you? Or your husband harm you?” He reached for the veil as I pulled back. “Tell me, dearest Glynis…or shall I say Countess…why is your face covered? Are you truly mourning your family?”

Despite my absolute desire to kiss him, I was angry with him, so I fought him and tried to draw away once more. He pulled me about and pulled back the veil.

“Your face is whole,” he whispered, and I realized he was quite relieved.

I was going to make a flippant remark, but he kissed me, passionately, desperately, and all words were lost as I responded.

Finally, his lips left mine and he said softly, “I feared the worst when you did not come to me that night.”

“I could not. My brother is in town and Vlad…”

“Your husband-“

“My Master. He merely calls me his wife. Vlad would have suspected me that night if I had canceled my brother’s visit.”

“You could have sent notice,” Ignatius said reproachfully.

“No, I could not. I do not trust my servants. They are in league with my Master.”

“So you do not love him?”

“I despise him. I play this charade to keep my brother alive. There is much you do not understand and I have not the time to tell you. But it is true my family is dead save Andrew. And I will do what I must to keep him safe.”

“So your family did die at Bârgãu Pass?”

“No,” I shook my head, my eyes filling with tears. “No, he killed them.”

Ignatius pulled me tight against him, his fingers stroking the nape of my neck. “I am terribly sorry, Glynis. For a moment, I was not sure what to believe of you.”

“I cannot tell you of all that I have endured. Even now I fear that Vlad may find us and realize the depths of my betrayal.” My voice was but a mere whisper. Tears caught in my lashes.

Ignatius leaned down to kiss me softly. “I am saddened by your predicament and wish to save you from it.”

I looked up at him as I said in a tremulous voice, “But how? He is powerful and cruel. He holds me to him by his blood in my veins. I am but a pawn in his game and so is my brother. The web in which I am entangled threatens all I love. Even you now.”

He looked thoughtful, his expression quite distant. His hand stilled against my neck. At last, he said, “I am at a loss. All I know is that in this moment I wish nothing more than to take you with me.”

“Tell me you are stronger than Vlad and that you could crush him and I will go with you.” I knew his answer before he spoke, but I had wished to hear other words.

“It is more complicated than that. Your Master has woven a greater web than you realize.” He sighed softly. “I am restricted by that which I cannot explain to you.”

“You do not trust me?”

“You are Vlad’s child. You know what he can do to make you do as he desires. He must not even know I am here.” Ignatius sighed wearily, then sat down on the arm of a chair. His hands rested on my waist as he gazed up at me. “You would be truly the most complicated creature I have ever met, in personality and circumstances. And I, of course, would have to fall madly for you.”

I could not help but smile at this. “I am rather much, am I not?”

“Exactly,” Ignatius laughed. He grew somber and pulled me close to him. Resting his head against my bosom, he whispered, “I would take you with me in this moment if I could. We shall find a way to free you of Vlad. I swear it.”

Sliding my hands up to cup his face, I kissed him. “I wish to be with you. Free of him.”

Laying his hands over mine, he whispered back, “And you will be.”

We kissed a chaste kiss despite our passion for each other.

“I am saddened by your status, yet enthralled to be with you,” Ignatius said, standing to take me fully into his arms.

“I dreamed of seeing you again and it gave me hope,” I confessed. “I wanted desperately to come to you.”

“I understand now. Do not worry yourself about that,” Ignatius smiled wryly. “I must confess, I came here tonight seeking you. I saw you in passing, in the carriage with Vlad, coming here. I could not see your face, but I felt your presence. And I had to know if you were all I believed you to be.”

I was hurt by his words.

He touched my face to console me. “I know who Vlad is. I know what he is capable of. I had a moment of sheer panic, I admit to that.”

How could I not forgive him?

I kissed him and felt our passions growing. I knew, in that moment, all I wanted was to flee into the night with Ignatius and risk Vlad’s wrath.

Ignatius suddenly withdrew. “Someone approaches.”

The doors to the balcony slammed open and the chill night wind howled into the room.

I heard the door open behind me.

As quickly as the wind had rose up, it dissipated, leaving me standing alone before the open doorway staring up at the night sky. My arms were empty and my lips felt naked as the cool breeze brushed against them.

Ignatius was gone.

“Countess Dracula, I have been searching for you,” a very prim and British voice said from behind me.

I turned around to see a tall man framed in the doorway. It was the servant who had spoken with the Baroness earlier. I recognized his rugged handsome face instantly and I smiled at him.

His face went slack and his eyes widened.

It was then I remembered my veil. Reaching up, I drew it down over my features quickly.

“Madam, forgive me! I am so sorry to interrupt your…moment alone.”

“There is nothing to forgive,” I answered quickly. “But, why were you searching for me?”

He stepped tentatively into the room, his eyes darting about, searching the shadows.

I was certain he had seen Ignatius vanish.

“My name is Brice, Madam. I am also from Great Britain. When I saw you last year, madam, I knew you were in danger, but I could not warn you. Forgive me, but it was already too late. But tonight, I can warn you. Your husband is a most evil vile man and my mistress is his faithful servant. Even now, she caters to his every wish.”

I was so shocked by the servant’s bluntness, I could not think of what to say.

“Forgive me, please,” he said in a voice that was desperate and yet reserved.

“You saw me when I was here last year?”

“Yes, Madam. I was at my mistress’ side when she greeted you on the banks of the Danube. There were a great many people there that afternoon, so I am not surprised you do not recognize me. I attempted to speak with your father, but I was thwarted.”

I felt chilled to the bone and whispered, “What do you know? Of my...husband?”

“That he is not human. That you and he are what the Baroness yearns to be. It is all she desires. To live forever.”

I was stunned at his words. “And why, pray tell, are you telling me all this? Do you not fear me?”

“No, I do not. I have seen how you are still a sweet young woman with your brother tonight. I know that you may be changed into something other than human, but you are still the spirited young woman I saw last spring. I saw it in your smile when I entered the room. Honestly, madam, I have seen things so horrible here, I cannot bear it. I came here from England to have a good life, instead it has been just shy of hell. The Baroness is an evil woman and your family is not the only one she has conspired against.”

“What do you mean? What do you know?” I demanded.

“I know you were trapped into this fate, Madam. I know what they did to you and your family. That you are but a victim of an evil plot against you.”

I felt my rage growing and fought to draw it in, suppress it. “You are saying the Baroness had something to do with the fate of my family?”

“Come with me, madam. I will show you. Please, come with me.” Brice held out his hand to me, imploring me with an expression both sorrowful and anxious.

“Very well. Show me what you must,” I responded.

I admit as I write this I am still quite mystified by my newly acquired ally. As I walked behind him, staring at his stiffly held frame, I could only wonder at his motives. Of course, it was such a strange evening from the very beginning, and at that time I suspected it would be to the very end, that I could only follow this man who promised me a clearer portrait of the truth. It was a night of revelations and my curiosity spurred me to discover what more might be unveiled.

I followed Brice through darkened hallways to the gloomy domain of the servants. He motioned to me and we brushed past the house servants that were still on duty. One maid was seated on the bottom steps of the servants’ staircase her head slumped to one side as she dozed off from exhaustion. I stepped gingerly around her and moved up into the dreary shadows above her.

Brice motioned to me and pushed open a doorway. Beyond it, lay a long narrow hall.

“What is this?”

“The Baroness is a peculiar woman. She likes to know everything that happens within her household.” He hesitated, for emphasis. “I do mean everything.”

“She spies on her own guests,” I asked in surprise.

“You could say that. Come along.”

The hall was extremely narrow and I could feel my dress brushing against the walls on either side of me. Tiny little slots were in the walls at various points. Nervously, I avoided looking through them and followed Brice closely.

I drew my power tight around me, shielding myself from Vlad or the Baroness, should she be a vampire. I must have vanished from sight, for Brice looked back down the hallway with confusion. I reached out to touch him and he looked quite startled.

“Madam, that was quite terrifying,” he said in a low voice.

“I apologize,” I said briskly, trying not to vanish from his view again.

He took a few more steps, then motioned. “Here. They are in here,” he whispered softly.

I moved closer to him. Turning my head, I peered through the tiny slot. Slowly, my eyes adjusted to the candlelight beyond and I could see into the dark cavernous room that was the Baroness’ bedroom.

A woman, very young and beautiful lay on a table, her eyes wide and unseeing. She was pale and lifeless, her throat and wrists baring the marks of a vampire’s bite. The Baroness languidly lounged on her bed, watching Vlad as he spoke with her. The curtains in the windows rustled as the night air flowed through the room causing the candles to flicker, throwing ghastly shadows along the walls.

Vlad’s fingers trailed over the Baroness’ cheek as he smiled down at her, his teeth still tinged with blood. “Good things come to those who wait.”

“I do not wish to wait,” the Baroness pouted. “But if that is what you desire…so be it.”

“It is what I desire,” Vlad assured her.

The Baroness sighed, then slid from the bed. She wandered across the room to the dead girl and smiled down at her with contentment. “And when will I join you, my love?”

“When the time is right.” Vlad fell back against the pillows on her bed, looking quite flushed and content.

“It pains me to see you with her,” the Baroness said in a low voice.

Vlad’s eyes narrowed, but she did not notice.

In the tiny hallway, I pressed closer to the slot, trying to see all that was happening, yet pulling my power in tighter around me.

“I know I chose her for you, but it hurts me that she is immortal and I am not.”

“I chose her,” Vlad said in a voice that was edged with anger. “You may have directed my attentions toward her, but I alone chose her.”

“Forgive me,” the Baroness said with a winsome smile. “I spoke hastily.”

“You know I need her. I wish to move to England and I need her to establish a mortal life there. Glynis can give me the life of a mortal man,” Vlad reminded her.

“I long to be what she is,” the Baroness whispered. Her fingers trailed through the thick blood congealing on the table and pressed them to her lips. “I wish to take life as you do and make it my own.”