Page 24
As I turned to meet the vampire’s assault, Magda threw her globe of fire at the attacking Bride. It caught her dress afire and the creature screamed as she flailed about.
“Elina!” The tiny, curly headed Bride hurled herself over my head, ripped a tapestry from the wall, and threw it over her sister to douse the flames.
The blond Bride rushed us as Magda withdrew to my side. Sweat beaded her face and her straining fingers curved as she attempted to summon more fire. I threw the torch onto the remains of a broken coffin near my feet as I shoved Magda aside. My sword swept toward the blond Bride and she arched her back so the blade swept over her. Catching herself on her hands, she raised her head and shrieked before attacking again.
I lunged toward her, my sword flashing in the light. I was startled by her swiftness as she dodged and ducked past the sweep of my sword. Her clawed hands lashed out, but I was quick on my feet and evaded her. I caught sight of Magda finally drawing forth another orb of fire and throwing it at the two dark Brides rushing her. They both screamed and retreated, scurrying up the walls like insects.
“Where is Vlad?” I demanded as Magda backed against me. Her hand was full of fire again.
“In his coffin. Where the countess left him, drained and powerless. Let me kill him! Help me kill him!” Magda fervently begged.
The blond vampire circled us slowly, readying herself for another attack. The fire and my sword were worrisome to her, but I could see that hunger and her devotion to Vlad would provoke her to attack. Grabbing hold of Magda’s wrist, I pulled her along as we rushed in the direction of the crypt. The fire in Magda’s other hand was wavering and I feared she was nearing the end of her ability. Her face was pale and covered in a sheen of perspiration. She was trembling, not only from fear, but exhaustion.
“Do not kill him!” the blond woman shrieked. She darted forward to attack, but Magda hurled fire at her. It burst over the vampire’s bosom. The Bride screamed and flung herself up into the darkness above us, vanishing.
“I will not kill him!” I vowed as I pushed Magda to Dracula’s crypt.
The coffin I had ignited was burning brightly now. The light licked up the walls, but did not touch the blackness enshrouding the roof of the desecrated chapel.
“We must!” Magda cried out.
“We cannot!” I told her.
Her palm caught afire again, but this time the flame was low and weak. I gripped her wrist, holding it firmly as I dragged her into the crypt with me. Her dark eyes were fierce, but terrified. I could see her desire was strong, but her fear was eating away at her resolve.
“There are greater powers than you and I at work here and we dare not strike him down,” I growled at her.
It was then we caught sight of him resting in his coffin, a shriveled corpse clad in his royal robes. Two candelabra adorned with red candles burned low in the darkness of his crypt. The dragon of the House of Dracula adorned the family crest that hung over his head. Drawing near Vlad Dracula, I could now feel his familiar presence though it was greatly weakened.
“Princess Cneajna of Hungary,” Magda read aloud, looking at the coffin set beside Dracula’s and the inscription on its side. “Beloved first Bride of Prince Vlad Dracula. ”
“She lays here to protect him,” I noted.
“She did this to him!” an anguished voice cried out behind us.
I looked toward the doorway to see the three women gathered under the arch. They were clearly fearful of our intentions and hungry with their blood lust. The fire had burned away the dress of the dark haired Bride named Elina and her nakedness enticed me. Princess Cneajna’s bodice was burned away, her breasts bare under her long golden hair. The third bride, Ariana, tiny and seductive, giggled as she clung to the waist of the blond vampire.
“He is our husband,” Princess Cneajna said in a husky voice. “I care for him. Do not touch him or I will crush you. ”
Magda raised her flaming hand higher and the three women shrank back.
“We are not here to kill him. ”
“I am,” Magda declared.
“I will not allow her to do it,” I vowed, my gaze steady upon the Princess. “It is not our place. ”
“If they let him rise, he will hurt the Countess!”
“Glynis!” Elina hissed. “That foul betrayer! She does not deserve the title Countess Dracula!”
Ariana wailed in distress as Cneajna’s eyes f
lamed red.
“Do not speak of her! That traitor impaled our husband and took his power!” The princess’ words were full of venom.
“Then why do you not let him rise again?” I asked pointedly.
Table of Contents
- Page 1
- Page 2
- Page 3
- Page 4
- Page 5
- Page 6
- Page 7
- Page 8
- Page 9
- Page 10
- Page 11
- Page 12
- Page 13
- Page 14
- Page 15
- Page 16
- Page 17
- Page 18
- Page 19
- Page 20
- Page 21
- Page 22
- Page 23
- Page 24 (Reading here)
- Page 25
- Page 26
- Page 27
- Page 28
- Page 29
- Page 30
- Page 31
- Page 32
- Page 33
- Page 34
- Page 35
- Page 36
- Page 37
- Page 38
- Page 39
- Page 40
- Page 41
- Page 42
- Page 43
- Page 44
- Page 45
- Page 46
- Page 47
- Page 48
- Page 49
- Page 50
- Page 51
- Page 52
- Page 53
- Page 54
- Page 55
- Page 56
- Page 57
- Page 58
- Page 59
- Page 60
- Page 61
- Page 62
- Page 63
- Page 64
- Page 65
- Page 66
- Page 67
- Page 68
- Page 69
- Page 70
- Page 71
- Page 72
- Page 73
- Page 74
- Page 75
- Page 76
- Page 77
- Page 78
- Page 79
- Page 80
- Page 81
- Page 82
- Page 83
- Page 84
- Page 85
- Page 86
- Page 87
- Page 88
- Page 89
- Page 90
- Page 91
- Page 92
- Page 93
- Page 94
- Page 95
- Page 96
- Page 97
- Page 98
- Page 99
- Page 100
- Page 101
- Page 102
- Page 103
- Page 104
- Page 105
- Page 106
- Page 107
- Page 108
- Page 109
- Page 110
- Page 111
- Page 112
- Page 113
- Page 114
- Page 115
- Page 116
- Page 117
- Page 118
- Page 119
- Page 120
- Page 121
- Page 122
- Page 123
- Page 124
- Page 125
- Page 126
- Page 127
- Page 128
- Page 129
- Page 130
- Page 131
- Page 132
- Page 133
- Page 134
- Page 135
- Page 136
- Page 137
- Page 138
- Page 139
- Page 140
- Page 141
- Page 142
- Page 143
- Page 144