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“Our sister,” Ariana said with a smile.

Vlad began to laugh fiendishly, until his voice rose into one long, piercing howl of victory. I lifted my head and screamed into the night as madness descended upon me.

Chapter 7

The Journal of Lady Glynis Wright

My vampire birth was violent and full of rage. Madness overwhelmed my senses, sending me spiraling into a world of delusions. My screams rent the night for hours as my body continued to transform.

Vlad carried me down into the bedchamber and hurled me into the room. Locking me in, he left me alone to suffer my rebirth.

Madness ruled my mind during those hours. I cannot remember exactly how or why I destroyed every bit of furniture in the room. I cannot remember how I managed to rip the door from its hinges, or how I came to be subdued by Cneajna.

It was the sudden awareness of the blond vampire holding me tightly and rocking me back and forth that finally brought clarity back to my mind. Confused, I stared down at my new vampire body. Every imperfection had been smoothed away and my skin was pale and flawless. My body felt strong, yet soft and my red tresses fell to my waist appearing more vibrant than ever before. Lifting my hands, I stared at the long, fierce nails shimmering in the light from the fire burning in the fireplace nearby.

Cneajna smoothed my hair back from my forehead and peered into my face. “There, you have come back to us. It is over now. The madness has fled. ”

“I do not understand,” I stammered.

“Every vampire birth is different. Some of us simply die our mortal death and reawaken later as a vampire. That is how Ariana was born. Elina slowly transformed until one day she was no longer mortal. My birth was like yours. A sudden awakening into this world. It is overwhelming, is it not? I, too, bore witness to my rebirth. I, too, saw my body transform. I, too, suffered the madness. But it passed. We are blessed that it did. Sometimes it does not pass. Then the vampire must be destroyed before it attacks those around it. ” Cneajna smiled at me softly. “But that did not happen to you, my child. ” She rose and walked over to a trunk in the corner of the room. She pulled a velvet cloak from it and laid it around my shoulders.

“I am no longer who I was, am I?”

“Oh, you are still Lady Glynis, but now you are immortal. ”

“You are our sister now,” Elina said from where she stood at the far end of the room. She was staring out the windows across the great valley.

“You now belong here with us. ”

I looked over to where the sweet voice of Ariana had come. In the shadows, I saw the dark little Bride lounging on a couch, her eyes reflecting the red fire in the fireplace.

“I do not belong here,” I exclaimed.

“Yes, you do. You are immortal now. A vampire. This is where we live. ” Ariana languidly rolled over onto her back and stretched out her limbs. “This is where the Brides of Vlad Dracula live. And we,” she pointed at all of us individually, “are his Brides. ”

“Just remember that we came here first. You do as we say,” Elina said firmly. Her gaze was sharp, verging on hostile.

“Elina,” Cneajna said in a low voice. “I will not have you intimidating our new sister. ” She stirred the fire with a poker, her long hair golden in the firelight. “Glynis, this is our home. You are our sister. Vlad is now your husband. There are things you must accept. You are a vampire. You will live forever. With us. This is now your life. ”

I tore my gaze from my transformed hands to the blond woman gazing at me. “I-this cannot be. I-I must be dreaming. ” I sank down to my knees and pulled the cloak tightly around me. “I must be having a nightmare. ”

Cneajna drew near. Tenderly, she took my face in her hands. “No, this is no dream. I am Cneajna, the First Bride of Vlad Tepes, Dracula. Therefore, I am the strongest, the oldest, and the most powerful. ”

“Whatever she says, we must obey. She is our mother,” Ariana said.

Elina moved closer, casting a wary look upon me. “And I am the second Bride of our husband. ”

“I am the third,” Ariana giggled.

“You are the last. Therefore, you are under us. You will do as we say. ” Elina’s face looked fierce. “He chose us first. He was our husband first!”

“Elina!”

At Cneajna’s warning tone, Elina shrank back.

“I do not want anything to do with Vlad. I do not like him. I do not like this place. I hate it. I hate it! I hate all of this! I hate what you have done to me. To my family. I hate you. I hate all of you!”

Cneajna moved to comfort me, but I scrambled away. Climbing to my feet, I ran toward the nearest door. Elina suddenly stood before me, teeth bared. I darted toward another doorway. I felt something brush past me then Ariana appeared in my path. Frantic, I whirled about and ran toward the large window Elina had been standing before. I scrambled onto the ledge and stared down at the sheer drop.