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Ariana spun about, her arms above her head, her hands tr

acing intricate designs. “I love to dance!”

“You look so lovely when you do,” Cneajna assured her. She reached out and caught Ariana’s hand as she danced by.

Ariana giggled with delight and embraced her.

I made a face. “Well, then, you can dance and I shall watch. ”

“He will not like that,” Elina said from the shadows.

“I do not care what he likes,” I said rather haughtily.

“You should, because if you do not do as he wishes, he will make your life so miserable you will wish you had never been born. ” Elina appeared on the edge of the darkness, her eyes glinting with red fire.

“Maybe I already do. ” I moved across the room to an old worn divan. Reclining on it, I pointedly ignored Cneajna’s disapproving gaze and Elina’s angry one.

I was growing frustrated within the confines of the castle. The madness was gone, but now I knew the torment of sanity. My former life was a distant beautiful memory and my new life consisted of this damned castle. Now I had to figure out how to survive this place until I found a way to escape. My brief existence thus far as a Vampire was torment after torment. I was obviously a slave to Vlad Dracula and learning the rules of this place was so tiresome. The fact that I had to change out of my real clothes and into an outfit, that in my opinion, made me look like a Middle Eastern whore, was frustratingly stupid. I had escaped one restrictive society to find myself trapped in another. Another of life’s cruel ironies.

The desire to feed was a torment that yielded what little pleasure there was in this world. I considered the gypsy girl to be my first kill even though I had been forced to take my mother’s life. In retrospect, I had enjoyed the hunt and the rush of power the feeding had given me when I had killed the girl who had taken my ring. That, in itself, was somewhat disturbing.

Rolling onto my side, I extended one foot to stare at a sparkling anklet.

Heathens, I thought. They’re such heathens.

Then I began to giggle to myself. And what was I? A vampire! How much more heathen could you get than that?

Bless me Father for I have sinned.

What is your sin, my child?

I’m a vampire whore who drinks the blood of young gypsy women and feels no regret.

Oh, yes, that would be fabulous. I could see the Priest’s flabbergasted expression now. If I ever escaped, I was rather tempted to go and do just that.

I furrowed my brow.

Could I enter a church?

Sighing, I jiggled my foot, listening to the sweet tinkling of the tiny bells on my anklet. So many questions and such a long time to learn the answers.

The door to our chambers swung open. Ilona’s small frame was silhouetted in the doorway.

“The Master desires company tonight within his bed chamber,” Ilona said.

I felt my breath catch in my throat as I swung about on the divan. Ariana had stopped in mid-turn of her dance, and Cneajna sat up a little taller in her chair. Elina merely smiled as she stepped firmly into the firelight.

Ilona ventured a few steps into the chamber, holding her lantern high above her head.

“Who has he called?” Cneajna asked the question softly, almost reluctantly.

“The new Bride. ”

They all looked at me sharply.

“Come along,” Ilona said to me.

“Me? Why me? What does he want?”