Page 64

“Well, I think you look lovely either way,” Cneajna said soothingly.

Elina whirled about. “Must you always be such a ridiculous creature! He dresses us as his Brides. ” She flung out her hands, the jewels adorning her rings and bracelets flashing in the firelight. “He made us his Princesses. Before this I was merely a peasant’s daughter. I remember the days of endless toil for the most meager of profits. I remember the endless hunger and the filth we lived in. I remember! And now, I am the wife of the greatest Wallachian warrior of all time, Vlad Tepes, the Dragon, the Impaler!”

I was shocked at the vehemence in her voice. “Impaler? Whatever does that mean?”

Elina drew close to me, her pale face stark in the firelight, her long black raven hair gleaming. “He was a great man. He destroyed his enemies, impaled them for all to see. ”

I blanched, remembering my poor father’s torn body. Anger welled up inside of me as I stepped defiantly toward her. “He is a sadistic monster! He murdered my family!”

“They defied him! Did not give him his due!”

“He is not a Prince anymore! His kingdom is gone!”

Ariana and Cneajna stood in silence, their eyes wide, not sure what to do or say. I could feel my anger spilling out like hot fire and flooding toward Elina. I could feel hers scalding me. We glared at each other.

“He is your Master! And mine!”

“I would rather die!”

“Maybe you should!”

I smirked at her. “Really? What would your dear Master say if you killed me?”

She narrowed her eyes at me. “You should be grateful for what he has done for you. ”

“You mean for making me into a monster?”

“You are a vampire! I remember how exhilarating it felt to fully become a vampire. I remember how I loved the way my body transformed and the power that rose up inside of me. But you… you are weak!”

I tilted my head, arching an eyebrow. “You think me weak?”

“Yes. I watch you. Languishing in your thoughts. Afraid of what you are. Afraid to feed. Afraid to be what you are. Your reticence is weakness and I abhor weakness. Why the Master desires you, such a pathetic weakling, is beyond my comprehension. Not when he has me, a Wallachian Bride that desires nothing more than to fulfill his wishes. ” With a faint hiss, she turned away in disgust.

“That is why you are weak,” I said to her back, then sat down on a chair. I began to paw through the jewelry box on the table.

“I will destroy you,” Elina hissed, taking a step toward me.

I ignored her.

Cneajna stared at me, then grabbed hold of Elina, pulling her away into the shadows.

Ariana sat down next to me and grabbed the jewelry box. Humming to herself, she began to hand me large ornate rings studded with fine jewels.

“Elina is not very fond of you,” she said.

“I noticed. ” I stared down at my hands. The rings and decorative bracelets reminded me of paintings I had seen of the ladies in the exotic lands of the East. Our gowns were made of fine silks and satins: all had a distinctly foreign look. I smiled wryly. How stupid to think of such trivial things as dresses and jewelry. I had to concentrate on how I was going to escape this hell.

Cneajna returned from her talk with Elina, a tight smile on her face. “How does she look?”

“Oh, so pretty! Just like one of us!” Ariana leapt to her feet and whirled around, her dress flowing out around her pretty little ankles. “Now we can teach her to dance!” Her hips swayed seductively side to side as her arms snaked through the air.

“I do not care to learn,” I responded. Standing up, I moved away from the other Brides. “I do not want to learn anything you have to teach me. I just want to be who I am. ”

“You are one of us now,” Cneajna stated.

“True, but I do not have to be like you, do I?”

“There are certain things our husband expects. To dance for him is one of these things. ”