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The Countess Dolingen reached up her hands to touch my face with a mother’s tenderness as I wept. Drawing me down, she whispered to me in urgent tones. “When he brought you to me, I looked upon your face and I saw my own strong will, my own pride, my own strength. You will escape him. I know this as assuredly as I know I shall die in this tomb. I know it. I have seen it in my dreams. He will not be able to hold you. ”

Tears fell freely from my eyes as I pressed her hands against my face. “I shall. I shall escape him. ”

Erzsébet smiled then reached her hands out to her other vampire sisters. They gathered around her, their love for her a soothing balm to her torment. As we gathered near her and touched her reverently, I realized I had fully become a true sister in this strange family of vampire women.

Then the serenity of the tomb was broken. I felt an incredible pain rip through my abdomen. Gasping, I fell to my knees. It felt as if I was being torn apart.

Elina helped me back to my feet and steadied me. “It is the beckoning. He is pulling you back! If you do not go now, the pain will only worsen. You must go now!”

“What do you mean? I do not understand!”

“He is calling you to him. You must go! I can feel his power all around you,” Cneajna urgently. “You must go now! He must not come looking for you and find us here!”

I could feel the pain of the Beckoning ripping through me as I stumbled out into the graveyard. The wind ripped at me, no longer my friend, but my enemy. It tore viciously at my hair and dress, pushing and pummeling me along. Above me, the glorious moon was overcome by the menace of quickly forming storm clouds. The night was transforming all about me: growing darker and more menacing with every passing moment.

“Glynis!”

I heard his voice loudly, echoing within and without me. Again I felt a sharp pain within me, as though someone had wedged an anchor within me and was now pulling on the chain, wrenching me forward. I threw myself forward into the wind, letting the pull of the beckoning guide me. Hurtling forward, the world became a blur as I willed myself back to the castle. The forest and the sky became a surreal panorama as I flowed through the wind back to the place of my captivity.

It was not until I finally fell against the great door of the castle that the pain of the beckoning lessened. The door swung open and I fell into the great hall. Rolling onto my back, I looked up into the cruel face of Vlad Dracula. His eyes were cold and he motioned to me briskly.

“Come to the library,” he said.

I struggled to my feet, but the pain was still great within me. I could feel the invisible cord that tied me to Vlad still pulling me along behind him. Staggering forward, I reached out to him.

“Master, please. Please, release me of this pain!”

Falling against him, I inadvertently clutched his medallion to keep myself from falling. Vlad held me close and I could feel the bond between us flare hot within me, then ebb away. Fully released of the power of his call, I stood trembling. He did not even look into my face, but brushed me aside and moved through the gloom of the castle.

“Come, Glynis. Now. ”

“I am coming,” I snapped irritably.

Anger, fresh and raw, was ignited within me. I hated his power over me. The power he had to keep me trapped in this damned castle. His power to call me back against my will to his side. The power he wielded over me to frighten me and force me to obey his commands. I hated him with every step I took. I hated myself for my weakness.

Somehow, I will rise up and rob him of his power.

“Hurry,” Vlad barked.

I gritted my teeth as my eyes burned with rage, but I obeyed. I followed his dark, pensive form down the decaying corridors of the castle to the library he spent so many hours within planning and plotting his way to England.

As Vlad entered the library, he threw off his long cloak and fell into a chair next to the table. His face was impassive, not a single emotion escaping his cold green eyes. He motioned me to the chair opposite him with a quick jab of one finger.

Obediently, I sat down.

Vlad stared at me for a long time, his gaze penetrating, yet devoid of emotion. The room was so silent, so dead, like a tomb, that when he did speak, his voice was like a peal of thunder.

“We have a matter to discuss, dear wife,” he started. His hands slid a stack of papers across the table to me. “It has been more than half a year since you joined my household. ”

I started in my chair, my mouth agape in surprise. “It cannot be!”

“Oh, but it is. ”

I quickly sorted through my thoughts, remembering my journey here, my rebirth, the events since that time, the dates at the top of Andrew’s letters, the change of the season. Over seven months of torment had passed, feeling more like the passing of a month or two.

“Glynis, please pay attention,” Vlad said shortly.

I snapped my head up, fastening my gaze upon him. “I apologize. I was lost in thought. What were you saying?”