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Maria quickly stood and Emil and I followed her at her beckoning. I walked nervously with the doctor, glancing back at Vlad for assurance as I moved through the doorway. He merely nodded.

Vlad had told me what to do if this was requested, but I was still a little frightened. I had not fed well the night before and the Hunger was growing. My powers were weakening and I did not dare tell Vlad I was afraid I would not be able to carry out his instructions without a fresh infusion of blood.

“Here you are,” Maria said opening a door. “The servants already put your medical bag on the bed, Doctor. ”

“Thank you, kind lady,” Emil said with a smile. “Come now, Glynis. ”

The doctor shut the door behind us and gave me the warm smile I remembered him gracing upon me when I was a small child. May had hated all doctors but Doctor Baum. She had seen him far more often than I had. This memory only made me feel even guiltier about what I had to do.

“All right, Glynis, sit down on the edge of the bed and I shall take a look at you,” Emil said in his cheery voice. He moved several candles over to the side of the bed for more light and pulled a chair over. Sitting down on the edge of the chair, he reached out his pudgy, wrinkled hands and took hold of the veil.

I took a deep breath and steeled myself for what was to come.

Dr. Baum lifted the veil until my chin came into view, then he hesitated. Obviously expecting the worst, he flipped the veil back over my head. His expression changed from anxious to dumbfounded.

“I do not understand,” he gasped as he gazed into the beautiful perfection that is my face.

I knew from Cneajna’s description of me that I had blazing aquamarine eyes, flawless skin, and ruby lips. I must appear magnificently exquisite, for he could scarcely comprehend what he was seeing.

“I do not understand,” he repeated.

“You will,” I responded.

“It is all a lie,” Dr. Baum whispered in shock. “A lie. But why?”

I could stand it no more. The tension was unbearable. My hands lashed out and gripped the poor doctor tightly. I flung him down onto the bed next to me and straddled him before he could even catch his breath.

“Glynis!”

The hunger welled up within me, fierce and demanding, as I gripped the man tightly by his thinning hair.

“What are you doing? This is madness,” Dr. Baum exclaimed, fear finally rising in his gaze.

“I have to do this to protect Andrew. Forgive me,” I answered passionately.

I drew back my scarlet lips and my fangs descended.

The terror of the moment gripped the poor doctor so tightly he could not scream.

I reared up, then fell on him, my fangs ripping through his throat. His blood welled up through the wounds and into my waiting mouth. I drank with feverish intensity as my victim swooned under my body.

Even though the hunger was terrific in its force, I fought it sufficiently to project thoughts of erotic pleasure into the doctor’s terrified mind to calm him. His blood was not as fresh or tasty as I would have desired, but as it flowed down into me, it renewed my body and fed my powers. As he weakened, I forced myself to pull away from his throat. The hunger was still within m

e, but was sated enough to stave off the madness.

Staring down into the doctor’s face, I felt terrible remorse, but brushed it away. I had to finish what I had been instructed to do. Leaning down, I licked the two small wounds on his neck until they closed to small white dots. Rising up, I stared into the doctor’s dazed eyes, pressing my hand against his forehead.

“Listen, Emil. You lifted my veil and you saw a horribly scarred face. It was so terrible it broke your heart. The eyes were nearly blind and my features were horribly disfigured. It is nightmare face. It was a violent trauma and you are amazed that I am alive. Do you understand?”

The doctor nodded. “Yes, it is horrible. I wanted to weep. ”

“Yes, and you realize that Vlad is a very good man to care for me. You must tell Andrew this. Insist on this fact. Vlad Dracula must be a very good man to marry such a horribly scarred woman. ”

“Yes, yes, a good man,” the doctor repeated.

“And what happened here, just now, it was a dream. A dream that you cannot truly recall. Do you understand?”

“A dream. A dream. ” His gaze was distant, lost in my power.