The Tale of the Vampire Bride (55 page)

“Truly.” He reached out and ran his fingers lightly down my cheek. “Feed and renew yourself. But be mindful of the hunters.”

I was unnerved by his gesture. I could not help but think of his words to the Baroness and her words to him.

He drew me to him and kissed me deeply. I remained limp in his arms, not responding. He licked my lips then turned my head and bit into my throat. I could not help but swoon and fell back in his arms. He lowered me to the floor and drank just a little from me.

I felt the hunger grow fierce in my belly.

“Go and feed your beast. Feed it well. Remember that you are more than Lady Glynis of England, but a vampire and my Bride.”

I could taste my blood on his lips when he kissed me again, and I boldly bit his lip and took a bit of his blood into me. He crushed me to him and let me drink just a little then pulled free. Climbing to his feet, he motioned to me. “Go feed and return before sunrise. And do not fret over your brother. In a year’s time he shall be a part of our life and we a part of his.”

I rose to my feet and he traced his fingers over the healing wound on my throat.

“Did you even like my brother?”

Vlad laughed and walked to the door slowly. “He was much like you, dear Glynis. How could I help but not like him. He will be a worthy servant and ally.” And with that, he was gone.

His words angered me and hung in the air like a threat. Whether he meant it to be or not, his prediction of my brother’s fate in our lives terrified me. I could not bear the thought of Vlad wielding power over Andrew. Fighting down my fear and anger, I quickly formed a plan in my mind.

With quivering, desperate hands, I pulled on the fastenings of my dress and climbed out of the layers of blue silk. I quickly donned a frothy black gown that made me even more pale and striking. It was very lightweight and would allow me to move quickly, without restraint. I combed out my fussy hairstyle and allowed my long hair to hang down to my waist in gentle waves. Finally, I pulled off all my ornate jewelry; save the ruby ring Vlad had given me.

As I hurried from my bedroom, I wrapped a long black cloak around my shoulders and drew the hood over my long unfettered hair. Then I fled into the night, determined to save my brother.

The Journal of Andrew Wright

20th of April, 1820

I had the most frightful nightmare just now. I awoke with a start and I find I cannot return to sleep until I have written down what I saw in the dark world of dreams.

In the dream, I saw a drunken butcher staggering down the street, his bleary red eyes squinting through the thick fog rolling off the Danube. Mumbling incoherently to himself, he fumbled through the night. His meaty face was puffy and red from the strong liquor he had consumed and he stank of urine. He was an unpleasant sight and, in my dream, I knew he rather reveled in that fact.

Several common whores scampered away from him as he materialized out of the fog and he lewdly sneered at their fading forms.

He was nearly to his shabby home when he hard a strange noise whispering out of the misty darkness. It was a strange slurping noise, vaguely similar to his style of gulping down liquor. Staggering forward, he saw a dark shape emerge from the foggy night. It was a strange voluminous figure lying across the narrow alley. He stared at it for a long moment then he made out a slender hand emerging from the dark shape. It was a woman’s hand, pale and very dirty in the faint light from the gas street lamp behind him.

Trapped within this lewd creature’s mind, I knew he loved to hurt women and he was ecstatic at the thought of harassing some poor woman sleeping on the street.

“Hey, you there! You shouldn't be sleeping on the street, whore,” he declared in a brash voice.

The shape shifted and a white face rose up from the blackness. It was a beautiful face, pale and fierce, with blazing eyes and a huge red mouth. No, no, dear journal, the mouth was not huge. Now I remember. It was smeared with blood.

The butcher, with me trapped within him, stared stupidly as that red mouth opened and two long sharp teeth stood out starkly as the woman hissed at him.

“What are you doing?” the butcher asked in confusion.

The woman rose up and stood over the whore sprawled out on the cold ground. “You should have turned around and run.”

The woman’s voice was soft, yet it sent chills down my spine and that of the butcher. Somewhere in the man’s muddled mind, the order to run resounded fruitlessly. But he stood there, gawking, not moving. The last thing he ever thought in his meager life was that a woman could never strike him down.

Then he was tossed through the air against the wall and his skull cracked open with a resounding crack.

Then I was free of his body and hovered over him as the woman drew closer.

It was then I saw my sister’s face within the dark hood as she knelt down and sank her long teeth into the man’s throat.

I awoke with a gasp, horrified beyond comprehension.

What madness is this? What madness has taken me to this darkest of nightmares! I am tormented and I do not know how I shall sleep!

What does it mean? Dear God, in heaven above, what does it mean?

Later-

I am quite mad. I know it. After my last entry I finally fell into a deep, yet restless sleep. Once more, I had a nightmare. This one torments me even more.

In my dream, I could see myself sprawled across the bed, one hand thrown casually over my head. My chest rose and fell with the rhythm of my breathing as I sank further into the depths of unconsciousness.

Across the room, the curtains danced a little jig on the night breeze. Softly, in the distance, a night bird called out into the serene darkness of the night.

I sighed languorously.

The curtains slowly calmed their dance until they were slowly billowing in and out to match my breathing. Slowly, silently, a mist began to pour over the window ledge, wispy tongues licking at the wall and floor. The mist rose up and swirled with sensual, exotic movements, twisting about as if to some unheard music of the night.

I whimpered slightly.

The curtains suddenly fell flat as the mist began to rise up, slowly blossoming into a pillar of swirling blue. With dramatic flair, the curtains suddenly unfurled as the mist parted and a woman moved into the room.

The long black dress trailed slightly behind her and a long cloak slipped from her pale shoulders and fell to the floor. Silently, stealthily she moved across the room until she stood over the bed. With fierce blue eyes, she stared down at my sleeping form.

In my dream, my nightmare, I hovered like a spirit in the corner of the room watching all that was occurring.

“Andrew,” the woman whispered.

I saw myself stir slightly, then lapse back into the world of dreams.

The mist flowed around the bed, undulating with dark power.

“Andrew, open your eyes,” the woman repeated, then I recognized the voice of my sister.

Slowly, almost reluctantly, I opened my eyes in the dream. Abruptly, I was in my own body staring up at my sister. The room was strangely transformed, the atmosphere languid and heavy against me. I had to fight to keep my eyes open to see my sister standing at the end of the bed.

“Glynis?” I queried in confusion.

The creature before me was incredibly beautiful. The skin of the woman was so pale and translucent it almost seemed to glow with unearthly light. Her eyes were glittering like aquamarine jewels and there was a certain determination in them that made my hair rise on end. Her lips were red as blood and drawn into a somber line. As she stared down at me, I could see my sister’s features clearly, but yet, I was confused, for this creature oozed a sensuality my sister had never possessed.

“Andrew, it is I, your sister,” she said softly.

“Your face, Glynis, it is whole,” I answered. I tried to sit up, but I felt as though I was restrained by the wisps of mist flowing over me.

“Andrew, listen to me. This is a dream. A strange, exotic dream in a strange exotic land. But every word in this dream is truth and you must listen carefully,” Glynis said in a low voice.

I nodded slowly, unsure of what was happening, but I knew I must listen to the apparition of my sister.

“Andrew, your instincts were correct. Something is wrong here. Vlad is evil. He will destroy you and your family should he ever reach England. He already killed our parents and our beloved May. Do not fret over me, my darling brother. I am more powerful than you realize. It is important for you to move very slowly to assist Vlad. He cannot reach England. You must not help him move. Delay him, make excuses, but give me time to escape.”

“But Glynis you said you loved him,” I protested.

“Oh, Andrew, I loathe him. He holds me in his power and I cannot escape. At least, not yet. I need you to do as I say. This dream will haunt you, but you will not speak of it to another. You will do as I say but you will not give voice to your reason. I need time, Andrew. Time to escape. And when I do, I will come to you in England. Do you understand?”

This woman who was my sister, yet something more than human, terrified me. “I want my sister to come home.”

“I will. When I can. But not with Vlad. If I go with him to England it will mean death for you, Angeline and your child.”

I felt a pressure against my head, and I fell back on the pillows breathing heavily.

“Do you understand? Please, Andrew, tell me you understand.”

“Yes, yes, I understand,” I whispered through slackened lips.

She moved through the thick mist and leaned over me. Her beautiful face was so ethereal and deadly, but there was a kindness in those sparkling eyes.

“What are you?” I gasped.

“A dream with truths woven within. Remember,” Glynis whispered, then pressed her lips to my forehead.

I fell back onto the bed, then once more I was outside of my body, hovering in the corner.

I watched as my sister, beautiful and not human in anyway, stood over me weeping tears tinged with blood.

Then with a sudden whoosh, the mist rolled out of the window and the curtains fell flat against the wall and she was gone. Then slowly, they once more began to dance on the night breeze…

I awoke, truly awoke, but still I was confused and frightened. I crawled from the bed and staggered through the room to the desk where I now sit writing.

A dream interwoven with truths…

I believe that, even if I cannot accept the ungodly creature in my dreams as truly being my sister. I believe what she said in my slumbering mind. It makes no sense, I know this, but I believe the dream.

Even though it makes my heart weary, I shall do my best to delay Vlad Dracula from moving to England and give my sister the opportunity to escape him.

Oh, God, dearest journal, this may sound insane, but my sister in my dream, I think she was a vampire and now my sleep-addled brain wonders, truly wonders, why was she veiled. Did her veils hide a terrible secret more horrible than scars? And what happened to me that first day in my sister’s home when I was gripped with that strange paralysis?

I must sleep, truly sleep, and get far away from this land and recover my sanity.

Then I will consider everything that I have endured here.

The Journal of Lady Glynis Wright

21st of April, 1820

Buda, Hungary

I have done what I must to ensure that my brother is safe. I went to him as he slept and whispered into his dreams. I left him sleeping peacefully, but also with a heavy heart. I believe he will obey and delay Vlad, but I fear that I have revealed myself to him. He is as perceptive as I, and even as I pressed myself into his dreams, I could feel his own power pushing back, seeking to reveal me fully to him. I fear he has seen my true face.

I am unsure of what fruit my actions will bear, but I now feel that Andrew is at least safe from Vlad’s manipulations. My words should haunt him and prompt him to obey my instructions. I know that I have only confirmed his doubts concerning my new life and that terrifies me. I know he can be as headstrong as I, but I have to believe he will protect Angeline and Johnny and allow me to save myself.

As I waded through the fine mist trailing over the lush lawn, a night bird called out questioningly. It was a sad, forlorn sound, and it echoed in the hollowness within me. I drew near the front gate and my hands lifted to draw the cloak more tightly about my shoulders. The night was so still that the only movement was the gentle swaying of the trees standing guard near the gate.

Shadows slinked along the wall encircling the estate and as I drew near, I realized that one particular shadow seemed to remain stationary. I stopped in mid-step, my eyes focusing intently on this one shadow. My skin began to prickle as I realized I was being watched by another dark power. A stab of terror pierced through me as the horrible thought that Vlad might have followed me came sharply to mind.

The shadow took on the form of a man as I watched in fearful anticipation. The fear that Vlad had found me overwhelmed me, and I began to draw up my power around me, preparing to flee. I knew that the dark power had seen me, but if it was Vlad I could think of nothing else but to run.