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“I suppose that it was utterly necessary for us to depart a perfectly lovely hotel with a nice comfortable bed,” I said, not able to help myself. I was very discontent at the prospect of sleeping in the carriage. “I am sure it will be perfectly lovely sleeping in a lurching carriage. ”

Vlad regarded me for a moment, then ignored me.

I frowned at him.

He reached out and drew a thick heavy metal sheet down over the window across from my seat. I watched as he secured the metal blinds to the windows with heavy locks.

“Close the window beside you,” he ordered.

“Should we not turn back and take shelter at the hotel?” I answered. I admit that I was desperate in my curiosity to know why we had fled.

“It is too dangerous. We will continue on in safety. The driver will only stop to change the horses and pick up our escort at the edge of the forest,” Vlad answered. “Now, hurry and close that window!”

My fingers found the edge of the metal plate and began to pull it down over the window when a light glimmered through the trees and I hesitated. It was then I realized that the sky was brightening above the horizon. Soft pink clouds slipped across the now tranquil sky over the tops of the pine trees.

“The sun,” I whispered in awe.

How long had it been since I have seen its wonderful, beautiful light and felt its warmth?

“The sun is rising,” I said in awe.

Vlad finished double locking the carriage doors and swiveled about. “Glynis!”

Sunlight struck the hand I had pressed against the glass of the window. I screamed as my flesh began to burn. Vlad dove over me and slammed the metal shielding down, blocking the sun's deadly brilliance. He quickly twisted the latches into place and locked them, effectively obstructing the rays of the rising sun.

I lay where I had fallen over on the seat, staring at my hand in shock. It was a terrible sight and dreadfully painful. Huge blisters covered my palm and my fingertips were singed.

“Damn you, Glynis! Are you trying to kill yourself?”

“I have not seen the sun in so long,” I answered in a hushed tone. “I had forgotten its appearance and how it felt on my skin. ”

Vlad fell back into his own seat and sighed with exasperation. “Well, now the sun is death, Glynis. You know this! Should you ever be caught in the sunlight

, you shall die. ”

I sat up and extended my hand to him. “Look! Look! Look what the sun has done to me!”

“Vlad took my hand gruffly and twisted it this way and that to examine my burns. “Yes, yes, you burned yourself. ”

“It hurts dreadfully,” I told him. But it made me happy to feel such pain. It felt like mortal pain and it made me feel wondrously alive. I was transfixed by the sight, yet mortified. It slowly dawned on me how stupid I had been. The sunlight could have struck my face and caused me enormous harm.

Vlad grabbed my wrist. “Never do this again. Understand?”

“Yes, yes, I promise. ”

Vlad slashed his own cheek with his long nails. He bloodied his fingers, then spread his blood over my burned hand. The burns ceased to hurt and began to fade away. My hand healed until it was perfect and whole.

“There. Now, sleep. I know it will be hard. When I travel, I am never able to fall fully into the depths of our vampire slumber, but we must rest ourselves. ”

“What about vampire hunters? Will they attack the carriage,” I asked.

“That is why we are about to meet our armed escort. They will protect us by day,” Vlad answered. He sat back in his seat and placed his hands on his knees. With a soft sigh, he closed his eyes and began to sink into the vampire sleep.

I sat in silence, staring at my hand. The carriage was still traveling quite fast and rocked gently. I was beginning to feel very tired. Finally, I curled up on the cushioned seat and closed my eyes. The darkness within the carriage was absolute, yet soothing. Yet, I was starkly aware of the searing sunlight beating down on the carriage. It frightened me to think of it pressing down all around me.

“Don't think of it. Just sleep,” Vlad muttered.

Before I could think another thought, I was asleep.