Adem shifted on his feet behind me and I knew he was discomforted by what we were witnessing. I, too, was quite nervous, remembering old tales of witchcraft. But what recourse did I have? I was not certain God could hear my prayers, and I needed to be free of Vlad’s wrath. Desperation had brought me to this moment, and I would not flinch from it.

I did not see the curse the gypsy created, but I felt it. It tingled along my skin like angry insects. The room darkened as the candle brightened. Adem gasped behind me as the buzzing sensation grew in intensity. The shadows swallowed the room save for the tiny pool of light around the candle that was illuminating the bowl. The gypsy woman slowly dragged the bowl out of the circle of candlelight and into the darkness. As the lip of the bowl vanished into the dark, I felt the angry bite of a thousand bugs on my skin.

I gasped.

The room brightened abruptly, the darkness fleeing. The gypsy sat at the table, calmly cleaning the ring on a white cloth.

“Is it done?”

“It is done,” she answered a bit smugly. I could not blame her for feeling satisfaction in frightening a vampire. Holding out my ring, she tilted her chin toward me and I wondered if she could somehow see despite her blind eyes. “Would you like me to tell you your fortune now?”

“The curse is sufficient,” Adem said curtly. He tossed a small purse of money onto the table.

I took my ring and slipped it onto my finger. It felt heavier than before, but it was strangely comforting against my skin.

“But she should know,” the fortuneteller insisted. Her words were slightly slurred and her expression was that of someone that is inebriated. Perhaps she was drunk on her dark gypsy magick.

“Tell me what?”

“You are death, little vampire. Death to even those you love. You cannot escape that truth no matter how far you flee from the dragon.”

“That is enough!” Adem grabbed my arm and forcibly guided me to the door.

“You cannot escape the dragon forever. It will come to consume you and death will be your harbinger.” The fortuneteller smirked with delight as Adem tugged me out of the room.

Adem quickly escorted me down the hallway, his hand tightly holding my elbow. I considered protesting and returning, but I remembered the power in that room and did not want it directed against me. Departing in a rush of activity, I could see the fear in the faces of my hosts. I promised to see Laura soon, then I was ushered into the night and hurrying toward my carriage. Once seated inside, I pressed my hand against my bosom, feeling the ring against my skin. I could only hope that the gypsy’s magicks had worked.

Chapter 21

The Journal of Countess Dracula

October 4, 1820

The Dosza Palace

Tonight I stirred from my slumber strangely refreshed. With delight I realized I had not been tormented in my dreams. I had no nightmares of Vlad slipping into my bed to violate me, nor had I been awakened by a fearsome attack by his specter.

Instead of waking and feeling a terrible sense of dread, I felt light and carefree. I had not discerned how deeply Vlad’s presence had infected my life through our bond. I lay upon my bed listening to the night awakening beyond the covered windows, I felt the absence of a dark and painful aspect that had resided within me. Lifting my hand, I stared at the ring that had been a symbol of my enslavement to Vlad. I had taken pains to use it as a key to open doorways in the pursuit of a life free of him, but its true meaning had always haunted me. But now it was a cursed object that kept the dark tide of power that was Count Dracula from continuing its infection.

Giggling with delight, I stretched beneath the heavy silk and satin coverlets. I missed my pale blue room, but the ivory and pale green of the new suite was lovely. I lounged on my bed, relishing my new found liberation from Vlad’s evil. I wished with all my heart that Ignatius was with me to share in this glorious moment of freedom. I missed him even more keenly now that I was free of Vlad’s lurking bond. Snuggling down beneath my covers, I embraced the feeling of peace filling me. It had been so long since I had felt like the girl I once was, innocent and free. I knew this lovely moment of serenity would be short-lived, but I savored it.

The curse had worked and I felt wonderfully free.

As I suspected, my repose did not last very long. There was a soft knock on the door and I heard Csilla call out my name.

“Come in,” I replied, plumping up my pillows and nestling against them. I detested leaving my bed to face the world. I was content to lie upon the bed and think of Ignatius. I knew now that he would soon be with me. The tides of fate had obviously turned in my favor at last.

Csilla entered and strode to my bed, the silk of her dark green gown whispering against the thick Persian rug. Drawing close to the bed, she lightly touched the thick ivory lace edging the canopy drapery. “Are you pleased with the new rooms?”

“They are lovely.” I was glad my covers were drawn to my chin. There was something about Csilla that always made me feel a bit exposed. Her keen dark eyes were always upon me even when she appeared to be casting her attention elsewhere.

“The blue suite was much more to your liking though, wasn’t it? Vlad told me your favorite color is blue. I shall have it repaired soon.” She smiled slightly as she sank into the soft folds of the brocaded curtains at the end of the bed. “May I ask you how the damage occurred?”

Sighing, I peered at her from my cocoon, wishing adamantly that she had stayed away just a little bit longer. “Vlad.” It was a truthful answer and I was keen to see her response.

Her vivid dark eyes widened and, pressing her hand to her bosom, she gasped. “He’s here?”

“He was here.” I was not truly lying, but it was certainly not the entire truth.

Lips trembling, she stammered, “But he did not come to see me.”

“I am his wife,” I said a bit tartly. I can be cruel at times, I know.

“Yes, of course.” As if her strength had left her, she slid onto the edge of the bed and perched there like a bewildered child. “I just wish he would have come to speak with me. I am at a loss as to what he expects from me. I have done as he asked, taken you in and made this your home, but he has sent me no further word.”

I was surprised at how lost she sounded. I had not considered continuing a false correspondence with her as I had with Vlad’s solicitor. Adem assisted me in the delivery of fake letters to Sir Stephan from Vlad arranging for transfers when I needed more money and arranging for the rubble of our old home to be cleared away, but I had not really thought much about Csilla beyond taking residence in her home.

“Well, we spoke of you.” Not quite a lie. We had spoken about her in the past. Vlad had given her life to me. He did not care if she lived or died anymore.

“Did you?” She raised her eyes, hope filling them.

“Yes, we did.” I measured my words carefully. I did not want to alarm her in any way, but it was time to push her further into the trap I had laid for her. “He is concerned about your loyalty.”

Gasping, she lashed out and gripped my hand. “Certainly you told him that I have taken very good care of you?”

“Of course, but you know how he can be. He has grandiose plans in motion and does not want there to be any question of any of his servants’ loyalty. He was quite adamant when he visited that his plans be set in motion.” I was pleased with how well I was twisting the truth.

“I am completely loyal to him! Oh, dearest Glynis, you must see this!” She bit her bottom lip, fretting.

A thought occurred to me and I took her hand gently. “He is concerned you are not loyal to me. That you are jealous that I am his countess and wife.” A little jab to hurt her, but also to frighten her.

“I am completely loyal to you as well! I admit that I was jealous at first, but I have grown to love you. Certainly you must see how much I desire to be your sister vampire.” She clutched my hand tightly with both of hers and pressed her lips to them. “Oh, please do not let his anger turn against me!” Dark eyes flashing with anger and despair, she appeared on the verge of collapse. “Please, do not let me grow old and die. Please, Glynis! Surely you must see that I do care for you and I will be a loyal sister. Do not let Vlad doubt me. I have loved him and been loyal for five long years.”

I felt a pang of sympathy for the woman when I realized she was yet another of Vlad Dracula’s discarded loves. But my pity for her only lasted a mere second. My anger rose as I remembered her terrible betrayal of my family. It was she who had selected me as Vlad’s perfect English bride and doomed us all. “I suppose he will need evidence that you are loyal and will not attempt to usurp me.”

Her voice catching, she whispered, “I see.”

We sat in an uncomfortable silence as she struggled to regain her composure. Though I attempted to keep my countenance bland, I delighted in her fear and misery. I remembered all too well my sister’s screams before she died.

“You know how he can be.” My voice was remarkably soft and soothing even to my own ear.

“I know he said you were different, but I did not realize the full implication of his words. It is obvious now that you are truly his wife and countess.” Tears dropped from her eyelashes to sparkle on her cheeks. “And though it wounds me to some degree for I longed for that honor myself, I would never betray you or him. I would only hope that you would treat me as a favored sister.”