The Tale of the Vampire Bride (64 page)

“Hurry,” Ignatius shouted.

My feet were barely touching the ground when we reached the massive doorway and leapt into the light. I was blinded by its brilliance as I tumbled to the floor. A soft carpet was there to cushion my fall. Ignatius stumbled as Magda and her child slid from his shoulders to fall down beside me.

Whirling about, Ignatius reached out his hand. A servant was already standing there holding a silver sword. As always, the haven was prepared to deliver whatever was required of it. Ignatius immediately took it and rushed back out into the street.

Vlad appeared bleeding profusely as he staggered down the street. He was covered in blood and I was certain he had beaten the dhamphir. To my horror, Gregor appeared behind Vlad. Both daggers raised, he plunged them into Vlad’s back several times. In a flash, the dhamphir was gone.

Vlad fell to his knees growling. He struggled to stand as Gregor again appeared before him. This time, the hunter held a sword.

In retrospect, I am not sure why Ignatius did what he did. Most likely it was instinct or perhaps a sense of loyalty, but if the blade had fallen, we would have been free.

Instead, Ignatius moved swiftly to defend Vlad. He was a blur of shadow darting across the street as Gregor drew back to strike Vlad down. With a swiftness I could not even see, Ignatius’ sword blocked the downward sweep of the dhamphir’s decapitating blow.

Gregor raised his pale eyes to gaze at Ignatius and he laughed in his mocking tones.

“Well done,” he said, then attacked Ignatius in a fury of blows.

Ignatius matched the dhamphir’s frightening speed. I watched in utter terror as they fought before the open doorway. The clang of metal striking metal resounded through the night.

Vlad rose slowly to his feet and staggered toward the haven. I could see that he would have been fatally wounded if he were mortal.

Reaching the doorway, he leaned in, his eyes red coals of fire, and demanded in a low voice, “Give me a sword.”

“Oh, no, my dear friend, the battle is over now,” Astir said, finally appearing as he flowed past me in long red satin robes.

“A sword,” Vlad demanded again.

Astir reached out, plucked Vlad from the doorway, and glided backwards, drawing my Master with him.

“Release me at once,” Vlad ordered.

“Not if you plan to do anything rash,” Astir answered.

Ignatius and Gregor continued to battle beyond the doorway, their swords flashing with preternatural swiftness. Ignatius was the stronger of all of us now. But he, too, had been wounded by the blessed daggers and did not seem as swift as he should have been. A few times Gregor almost seemed to gain advantage over my love and it made me gasp in horror.

“Fall back, Ignatius,” Astir ordered in a low voice that rumbled and seemed not one voice, but many. “We must protect the haven.”

Ignatius hesitated as he managed to shove Gregor off balance, then drew back, slipping over the threshold, walking backwards toward us.

Gregor regained his balance and narrowed his pale eyes on the alcove before him. Swinging his sword back and forth before him, the dhamphir cocked his head as if to listen. His keen gaze peered into the haven. His narrow face wore an expression of slight surprise, but his eyes glittered dangerously. With a confident stride, he approached. His thin lips twisted into a feral smile.

I climbed to my feet as Magda seized hold of me. We clung together in the opulent hallway of Astir’s haven, watching the deadly dhamphir moving resolutely toward us.

If all the vampires had been at full power, I know we could have easily taken him, but we were not and he seemed glutted with power.

Beside me, Astir released Vlad and began to drift toward the doorway. “Stay here, Vlad, and do not violate my domain.”

Vlad growled with frustration, but he was weakened. With an angry growl, he fell to one knee. Blood poured from his wounds as he gazed at the doorway and the view beyond through matted tangles of his hair.

Ignatius looked back toward the Fallen, questioningly.

“Let him enter and know true power,” Astir answered in that ominous, choral voice.

Ignatius bowed his head to Astir and backed up to where I stood with Magda. He flicked his gaze toward me. I wanted to flee into his arms, but I restrained myself. He did not touch me, but his presence beside me was a comfort.

Gregor sauntered up to the doorway and peered in curiously. I wondered if he could see the hallway or if it was the darkened entry I had encountered in the past. Twirling his sword in one hand, he narrowed his eyes, staring into the foyer.

“Can he see us?” I dared to ask.

“No, but he senses you are here,” Astir answered.

Gregor hesitated, the stepped over the threshold.

Quite suddenly, Astir was as tall as the ceiling and his wings of flame filled the hall. His robe was no longer scarlet, but a pure glowing white. Like a great halo his long golden hair floated and twined around his head. I could not see his face, but somehow I knew his eyes were pure white flame. With ominous intent, he lifted one hand out toward the dhamphir.

“How dare you enter!” Astir thundered in a million voices.

A look of sheer terror flowed over Gregor’s countenance as he stumbled back and fell against the now closed door. Crying out, he covered his face with one hand. The sword fell from his fingers as he collapsed to the floor.

“Kill him,” Vlad ordered.

Astir cast a sharp glance over his shoulder at Vlad with his terrible flame eyes, then floated closer to Gregor. The dhamphir sobbed, terrified, and unable to even move. Drawing his knees up tightly against his chest, the dhamphir extended one hand as if to ward off the glowing creature before him.

“We do not kill here,” Astir hissed.

“He knows of the haven now,” Vlad protested.

“No, he will not remember where it was. He has entered my domain. He is now in my power,” Astir assured Vlad.

Gregor continued to cower, sobbing in terror as the angelic creature before him hovered, glowed, and burned.

“And what is even more important is that he now knows fear,” Astir said with a satisfied smile.

Astir must have compelled Gregor to look up at him, for the hunter raised his eyes and let out a shriek so terrible that it made me flinch and look away.

Magda sobbed in my arms and pressed her face into my shoulder as her son gripped our legs in terror.

Gregor’s scream was long and terrified before it was sharply cut off. I looked up to see Astir looking at me in his quiet calm way, once more clad in his red robes, and the dhamphir gone.

“Well, that was entertaining,” Astir decided.

“Where is he? Did you kill him?” Vlad’s voice was imperious as always.

“He is sputtering and wailing as he swims his way out of the Danube,” Astir answered with a satisfied expression.

Ignatius gently touched Magda’s cheek, and then knelt to gaze at her son.

“How are you, little man?” he asked.

The little boy stared back at him. “The angel saved us.”

Ignatius smiled. “Indeed he did.”

“Oh, it was nothing,” Astir said, but looked mightily pleased with himself.

“Thank you, sir, thank you,” Magda said in a fervent voice.

“Really, it was all too much fun. I despise the hunters,” Astir responded. “They are so…tedious.”

Ignatius ruffled the boy’s dark hair, then stood up to gaze at me. “Are you all right, Countess?”

Vlad reached out and pulled me from them. “She will be fine. Once we feed, we shall both be fine.”

Astir swept some imaginary dust from his arm. “Oh, yes. Of course. And we must let this dear lady and her son retire to their new chambers. Far too much excitement for a little one. Yes, yes, let him forget all that has happened. There. That is better.”

Glynis looked toward Magda’s son to see he was giggling and snuggling into her skirts. The look of shock was gone from his gaze.

“Thank you,” Magda whispered as she was escorted away by Astir’s butler. “Madam, please do not leave without saying good-bye.”

“Of course I will come see you,” I promised.

Vlad’s fingers tightened on my arm. I could feel the coldness of his gaze upon me.

“Now to feed my hungry vampires. You all look simply awful and bedraggled,” Astir sniffed. He motioned us through one of his many curtained doorways. “Please, go feed, then we shall make sure you have some nice new clothes to wear. You look simply terrible.” With a wave of his hand, he vanished through another doorway.

Ignatius pressed open the curtained doorway to reveal a small room filled with pillows and cushions of all shapes and colors. Lying among them were a collection of beautiful young men and woman, barely clothed, lounging about sipping wine and eating fresh fruit. All their eyes turned upon us as the curtain was drawn back and their eyes burned with the fever of anticipation.

Vlad did not even hesitate. He swept into the room, knelt down, seized a young man, and bit into his throat. The man’s eyes fluttered with pleasure as he gripped Vlad’s strong arms with his pink hands.

I stood in the doorway in shock. To see such a bounty of willing victims was startling.

“Feed, Glynis,” Ignatius whispered, and gently nudging me forward.

Then, he, too, swept into the room and went down upon his knees among the willing victims. Two women reached out to him, their hands gliding over his arms and chest. I felt anger at the sight, but then my hunger began to speak . I looked away just as he bit into the throat of one of the young women.

Hesitantly, I stepped deeper into the candlelit room and the smell of rich blood filled my senses. Vlad let go of the young man. His victim fell back in a swoon as Vlad seized the nearest woman. His fangs flashed in the dim light, then she cried out as his sharp teeth pierced her neck.

Turning away, I walked among the humans lounging on the floor, my dirty, burnt skirt brushing against their naked skin. They reached out to me with eager hands, beckoning to me in soft voices. I knew not what I was looking for but I looked down at all the upturned faces searchingly.

A fine, tall, well-muscled African lay toward the back of the room. He was handsome with his black skin and clean-shaven head. His dark eyes looked up at me, keen and eager. Two women lay with him, twined about him like vines.

Silently, he reached out to me and I went to him. He tilted back his head and I bit deeply. When his blood filled me, I knew then I had been seeking out a warrior, a man of strength, and I fed from him until he could give no more.

His women tried to hold me to them, but I slipped free of them and stood up. My men, my vampire lovers, were moving from one throat to the next, taking small, but healing drinks. I felt angry at the two vampires as they moved over their victims, taking so eagerly what was needed. I had nearly drained my victim. He now lay sleeping, weakened from my feeding.

I swept past both of them into the foyer.

“We do not kill here,” Astir said as the curtain fell back behind me.

“I did not kill him,” I answered.

“You nearly did,” Astir pointed out.

I licked my lips as tears sprung in my eyes, then shook my head. “I did not though.”

“He will not die. I will see to that, but you must be careful, Glynis. Your anger may spur you to dangerous decisions,” Astir advised.

“Where is my chamber?”

Astir frowned at me. “You truly are a stubborn woman.”

“Yes, I truly am.” I covered my breasts with my cloak and gave him my most imperious look. “I want to change, please.”

“Very well.” Astir waved a hand. “Go to your chamber. But remember what I have warned.”

“Your words sting my soul, sir. I cannot forget them,” I said.

Astir laughed, shaking his head. “Oh, I so do like you.”

I stomped my foot, turning away. I found myself gazing at a beautiful blue gown resting on an opulent bed. I twirled about again to find Astir and the hallway gone. Once more, he had transported me into one of the haven’s many chambers.

Moving to the bed, I looked down at the gown and saw that in its folds was my journal…this journal in which I now write.

Astir, it seems, wields power beyond even his haven to produce that which his patrons most desire.

So now I write. I write of tonight’s events as I wait for Vlad to return from his gluttony. I feel strangely angry at Ignatius. Perhaps because I have never seen him feed off of such beautiful young women, I have never had the opportunity to be jealous. I do not know what shall happen next, but I feel a great sense of foreboding.

The world as I have known it has once more ceased to exist.

Chapter 34

The Journal of Lady Glynis Wright

2nd of May, 1820

I now know that all Astir prophesied is true. All that he warned me of has come to pass. My soul feels numbed by all that has happened, but at last I see the painful truth.