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He laughed at my foolish resolve.

“Do not mock me!”

“But you enjoy feeding, do you not?”

I averted my gaze, my mouth setting into a harsh, bitter line.

“You do enjoy feeding, do you not?”

“The hunger compels me…”

“Yes, it does. But, my darling one, the feeding itself, you do enjoy it, do you not? Their blood giving you life. You love it as much as I. ”

“Please stop! Please be silent! It is not true!” I did not want to hear his words. They were brutal and they were, unfortunately, true. I was loath to admit it to either one of us, especially, myself.

Vlad slowly stood, laying his book down. Turning to me, he fastened his fierce green eyes upon me and said in a low voice, “Do not lie to me, woman. You are a killer the same as I. ”

I turned away from him, hiding my face in my hands. I trembled with the passion of my anger and shame.

“I thought so, dear Lady Glynis. ”

The wolves began to howl. Angry voices began to shout from below. I lifted my face to see Vlad standing near the windows, peering down into the night.

“What is it? What is wrong?”

I joined Vlad and gazed down. Several men with torches and rifles were moving toward the main entrance of the castle. A priest was among them carrying a large crucifix. As I gazed upon it, my eyes felt as though hot needles were stinging them. I quickly slid my gaze away from the cross and fastened it on the men warding off the wolves with flaming torches.

Vlad began to chuckle. “Once more they try to defeat me. ”

“Who are they?” I asked, but turned to find myself alone in the room.

Curiosity seized hold of me, so I rushed out the door and down to the great hall. Who was brave enough, nay, foolish enough, to defy Vlad?

When I reached the great hall, Prince Vlad’s heavily armed gypsy guards were already spilling out the front door. Their expressions were fierce and determined as they prepared to defend their Master.

“The priest is mine,” Vlad’s voice drifted through the air, disembodied and cold.

I rushed toward the open doorway, anxious to see what would happen next. As I reached the courtyard, the gypsy guards opened fire on the villagers. Several of the men fell immediately. Others began to return fire striking one of the gypsy men. With a cry, he fell to the ground. The smell of blood, warm and inviting, began to waft on the night breeze.

The priest began to chant as the gypsy guards approached him, but he was fighting against mortals not vampires. A gypsy seized the crucifix and began to wrestle it from his grasp.

The wolves raced into the courtyard, evading the torches and leaping onto one man who had wandered too far from the rest of the attackers. They overcame him and ripped him to shreds.

The scene was chaotic and brutal. I was dazed by the noise, the violence, and the scent of blood. I stood in the doorway, my mouth agape, unsure of what to do.

A man raced at me, a wooden stake raised high above his head with both hands. He screamed with fury, his face contorted as he bore down, determined to strike me down.

Perhaps it was because I was haunted by my conversation with Vlad in the library, but I reacted in a way that I never anticipated. I grabbed hold of my bodice and ripped it open, exposing my chest. Throwing back my head, I waited for the stake to plunge between my breasts and into my heart, ending my misery. Tears streamed down my face as I gazed upwards, praying fervently that God would let me into the Kingdom of Heaven so I could be with my family.

It was not the pain of death that jolted me out of my self-pitying reverie, but a moan and large, grimy, callused hands grabbing hold of my flesh.

Startled, I staggered back as the filthy man tried to pull my dress down my body. His ugly face strained to reach mine as he fumbled with one of my breasts. Screaming with rage at his violation, I seized hold of his head with both of my hands and twisted his head clear about. There was a loud snap and he fell dead at my feet.

Anger burned in me as I looked up to see several village men stumbling toward me. One shielded his eyes from me, turning away. The others moved toward me, struggling with desire as they were beguiled by my appearance. Yet, they were prepared to strike me down.

It was then that the heat of my power enveloped me and I understood the magnitude of my new abilities. Despite their fear, despite their desire to strike me down, they wanted me.

I began to laugh at their stupidity. How feeble and weak they were! I extended my arms and a young, handsome creature fell into them. He tried to kiss me, but I yanked his head to the side and bit down savagely. Crushing him against me, I fed deeply, pulling his life blood into my undead body. The blood flowed hot and glorious into me, empowering me, renewing me even as the other men groped at me.