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He lowered himself over me, burying his face in my neck and hair, his hand lying upon my breast.

“And who are you?”

In my drunken madness, as the reality of his mortal life mingled with mine, I sobbed and laid my hand on his hair.

“Yours,” I whispered in agony. “Your wife. ”

And he kissed me and I knew then we were both damned.

Chapter 30

The Journal of Lady Glynis Wright

24th of April, 1820

Buda, Hungary

I have not even begun to fully understand what I experienced with Vlad. I still have Vlad’s memories haunting me, and his presence seems to always be near me even when he is absent. Slowly, the strength of his power is fading, but it has left me feeling frightened and disillusioned.

Yet, he has released me to live my new life. I have settled into running the household, even if it is by night, and he is allowing me to redecorate the parlor. I almost feel like a true aristocrat. And, sadly, I now truly feel like his wife.

I now loathe him more than I did before. I feel a bond to him that I despise. Meanwhile, he seems content in the new order of things. But I am not content. I do not wish to be his wife. I do not wish to know him as anything more than the monster that murdered my family. I do not want to know him as a man or understand his motivations as a mortal.

I have no desire to be sympathetic toward him.

Tonight, he entered the sitting room where I was busy arranging a bouquet of flowers. He drew near and stared down at me.

“What is it?” I asked him sharply.

He merely looked bemused. “I am going out of town for a few days to tend to matters. ”

“The sisters?”

“No. Business matters,” he answered.

“How long will you be gone?”

“A few days. No more than four,” he answered me.

I frowned at him. “Are you leaving with the Baroness?”

“Jealous?”

I merely shrugged.

“I will return in a few nights,” he said simply. He leaned over and kissed my lips softly.

I followed him out of curiosity and saw the servants taking his bags to the carriage. Sir Stephen stood nervously near the horses dressed in traveling clothes.

“Good evening, Sir Stephen,” I said as I drew near, my eyes narrowing.

“Countess Dracula,” he said nervously. “How are you this evening?”

“Well, thank you,” I answered. I could feel my teeth sliding down to flash between my lips.

He gulped and forced a smile. “That is good to hear. ”

“Glynis, stop terrifying Stephen,” Vlad said, slipping past me.