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Elina appeared in the doorway of Cneajna's tomb as Ariana joined her.

“The hunger,” Ariana said softly.

“The madness,” Elina corrected.

Prince Vlad smiled as I sat at his feet, tearing at my hair, screaming, only seeing, but not comprehending all that was around me. Cneajna stood over me, long claw marks raked across her face and neck. Slowly, she moved to stand before me at Vlad’s side.

In my terror, I briefly remembered tearing at her face before escaping her coffin.

She gazed down at me, then said, “It has begun. ”

Vlad’s smile broadened as his wives gathered around me. I scampered and fled into the chapel. He followed and found me huddled in the corner of the room. I was violently shaking beneath the tangled mass of my hair.

“My love?”

I spun about and hissed at him threateningly. My aquamarine eyes felt wide and they burned as I raged at him. My nails were long and sharp, like rapiers, and I felt the deadly points of my fangs against my lips.

Vlad laughed with utter delight. “You are becoming. ”

Throwing back my head, I shrieked with the pain of the hunger.

Drawing a knife from his belt, Vlad drew the edge against his wrist. “Come, little one. Come and have a little taste of the coming feast. ”

The dark droplets of blood caught my gaze and with feverish yearning, I reached out to him. My tongue snaked out from beneath my glistening fangs and licked the blood running from his fingers. My rabid mind only hungered as my mouth fastened to the wound and I drank. Vlad stroked my red tresses gently with his other hand as I fed. I could not feel anything beyond the desperate need to drink.

“Just a simple taste to hold off the madness,” he whispered to me.

It grows harder and harder to write my story. To realize that there was never any hope of escape from this madness only fuels my anger and resolve.

After Vlad fed me his blood, I fell into a stupor. Vlad lifted me into his arms and carried me to the chamber of the Brides.

The world was fluid, spinning around, shadows and light dancing about me. All I could hear was the sluggish beating of my pounding heart in my ears and the soft whispering voices of the shadows. I tasted blood on my lips and tongue and it was so sweet, so delicious.

All the images around me were disfigured, as if I was peering at the world through a crystal goblet. As the Brides of Dracula shifted about me, their hands moving over me and about my face, I became aware of their presence.

Ilona was wielding a large knife and Ariana was carrying away lengths of red fabric…no…hair. My hair. They were cutting my hair. And I was naked. . no…they were dressing me in a fine, soft dress.

“Do you understand my words?” Cneajna asked softly, her distorted features swimming into view.

I did not answer, but stared at the dog lying at my feet. Did I own a dog? No, it was not a dog. It was a great gray wolf.

“Hello,” I whispered to the great beast.

“Why is she so drunken?” Elina’s voice pierced through my fuzzy thoughts.

“The Master’s blood took the edge off her hunger by clouding her mind. ” Ilona’s face disappeared into the shadows.

Interesting.

The wolf sat up and rested his great head on my naked knee. I stared down into his dark eyes and felt his great presence filling the room.

Why was this dangerous predator among us?

Oh, yes, we were all predators in this room.

Vampires and wolves.

All except Ilona.