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She shrank back at my hiss and the sight of my sharp teeth.

I would suffer my desecration, then flee back to my vampire sisters. It was vividly apparent that I would have to endure the humiliation and pain of Vlad ravaging my body once more.

She turned the latch, and the door swung open.

“Come,” Vlad’s voice commanded from within.

As I passed by Ilona, I flicked my gaze toward her. She tried to hold her ground and stare me down. “I will not forget this,” I said, and was rewarded with the slight trembling of her bottom lip.

I glided into the room, the firelight catching the fiery shimmer of my hair and the sparkling in the depths of the many jewels decorating my body. My eyes were hard and fierce, fear hiding behind my anger.

“Ah, my new Bride. Now you appear as you should. Much better. ” His tone was lightly clipped and his polite façade from an hour before was slipping away. His eyes were darkly menacing and his lips bore a cruel sneer. “Why have you kept me waiting?”

“I did not want to come,” I answered truthfully.

Ilona shut the door behind me, and I heard the distinct sound of the door locking.

He laughed. “Yes, I assumed as much. ” He sat by the fire that raged within the fireplace. His eyes were cold and malevolent. “You are a strong willed creature. I shall enjoy breaking you. ”

“I-“ I began to retort.

In a blur, Vlad was across the room. His arms clamped about me painfully as his full lips crushed against mine. I tried to scream but my mouth was being ground against his. I could feel his fangs ripping across my lips and my own fangs descending. Trying to push him back, my long nails ripped the fine black silk of his clothing.

Suddenly, I was alone, my hands flailing at cold empty air. Vlad’s laughter filled the chamber.

“Such a spirited girl. Such a lovely conquest,” his voice taunted from the shadows.

I whirled about, searching for my foe. The ancient bed, the burning fire, the dragon banner, the narrow windows, all spun by as I tried to spot my Master, spinning and spinning in desperation. The room appeared empty, I alone inhabiting this room of decaying grandeur. And yet, his low, angry laughter taunted me.

He seized me from behind, his hands closing over my breasts, his sharp teeth ripping into my throat. I screamed in horror as his long nails sank into the soft flesh of my breasts and blood began to stain my dress. My hand closed on the long, thick coils of his auburn hair and frantically tried to pull him from me.

His strong body pushed me forward toward the bed. Hissing, I tried to push back against him. It only fueled my anger when I realized he was much stronger than I. I could feel his heart beating against my chest, and I knew he had fresh blood pumping his heart. My heart was sluggish and cold. I was enraged by the thought of him feasting so he would be the stronger.

His long tongue licked hungrily at the wound he had inflicted on my throat and it repulsed me.

“Let go of me!”

Again, I found myself suddenly alone. Half fallen on the bed, my hand closed over the wound on my neck. Beneath my trembling fingers, I felt the ragged edges of the torn flesh drawing close.

“Let me be!” I was shaking violently from anger and fear. My voice wavered and that made me angrier.

“Never,” his voice hissed.

There was a flash of blue fire then I was on my back, pinned to the rotting bedclothes of the bed. Screaming in rage, I flailed against the vampire, but he paid me no heed. He was biting me savagely all over my body, drawing blood that pooled in the wounds. To me, his tongue seemed too long, like a snake’s, as it lapped away my blood, my life.

“Damn you,” I screeched and ripped at his face with my nails.

But our bodies were not longer human. Every wound seemed to almost immediately draw closed and the vampire flesh absorbed every drop of blood that was not licked away.

Vlad’s long hands slid between my legs and tried to part them. With renewed strength, I slammed my fist into his face. His cheek split open, blood splashing over my body. I felt a rush of strength as my skin absorbed his blood, and my heart beat more fiercely in my chest with renewed vigor. Vlad hissed at me angrily and struck me so hard my world went black.

My awareness came abruptly back when I felt him pierce me. Gasping in pain, I grabbed hold of his hair and pulled his head back sharply. Thrashing about beneath his body, I tried to free myself. He was thrusting into me with frustrating ease. I screamed in his face and bared my fangs. He laughed as nothing I tried seemed to be able to prevent his violation of my body.

Screaming in rage, I began to beat on him with all my might. Ripping and shredding flesh with my long nails, biting and tearing at his face with my teeth, I f

ought with all that I had within me.

Still he panted and heaved with dark pleasure above me.