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“Laura just returned from finishing school in France,” Maria explained, her arm delicately looped about her daughter’s. There was a nervous edge to her voice and her eyes darted toward her silent husband.

“Did you enjoy studying abroad?” I asked, scrutinizing the daughter of my enemy.

“Until I had to return home, yes,” Laura answered boldly.

“It is time to find her a good husband,” Sir Stephan said in a voice sharp with the history of many arguments.

Laura’s eyes narrowed at his comment and I instantly liked her. There was a spark within her that reminded me much of myself.

“We were hoping that perhaps she could find some eligible young man in the coming months,” Maria continued in a jovial tone. “Of course, now that Count Dracula is married, she will have to settle for someone else. ”

I detected a hidden message in her voice and I studied Maria’s too bright expression. She was afraid for her daughter, I realized. Slowly, it occurred to me that they were pleading not only for their own lives, but their daughter’s. I had threatened to destroy them after all.

“Do you desire married life, Laura?” I watched her face with great interest.

Sir Stephan cleared his throat as Maria’s smile diminished ever so slightly.

Laura graced me with an earnest expression. “My parents would be quite happy if I found a suitable man to marry. ”

I liked her elusiveness. She was not as outspoken as I was when I was chaffing against my parents desires to marry, but I was impressed. Her parents were clearly relieved she had not said something horribly shocking and it amused me. Taking Laura’s arm, I guided her away from her mother to sit upon the couch with me.

“My parents felt exactly as yours,” I told her. “All they wanted for me and my sister was to marry well. ” I glanced toward Sir Stephan who was growing ever more pale. He sat down heavily in a high back chair as his wife lingered at his side. “They even journeyed across Europe in pursuit of a suitable husband. ”

Laura tilted her head, her gaze fastened upon me. “And they settled on Count Dracula?” She sounded incredulous; therefore, I assumed she had most likely met my vampire master in the past. I could see the distaste in her eyes.

“Actually, they died. As did my sister. It was a tragedy. In the aftermath, Count Dracula took me as his bride. ” I flicked my gaze toward her parents to see that Maria was looking quite anxious now.

“So they got what they desired in the end,” Laura decided, her tone cautious.

“In a sense, yes, they did. ” My sadness crept into my voice.

“But all is well now,” Maria said quickly. “Is it not?” It was obvious she wanted some sort of assurance from me. I was not in the mood to give it.

“As well as can be expected considering my family is dead and our home in Buda burned mysteriously,” I said with a tight smile. “And our castle in the country is not suitable for long term habitation; therefore, that is why I am visiting with the Baroness. ”

“It sounds like such a traumatic time!” Laura declared. “So much unhappiness. ”

“I often wish that circumstances were not such as they are,” I confessed, my gaze sweeping toward Laura’s parents, the conspirators that had doomed my family and me. “Yet the hands of fate moved against me and my family and I am left with ashes of a former life. ”

“Surely your husband and new life bring you some joy,” Maria said, her voice quavering ever so slightly.

“I have found love and it does bring me joy, but there is so much sorrow it is hardly balanced,” I said, dropping my gaze dramatically.

“Oh, Countess, how dreadfully sad!” Laura clutched my hands with her own. They were soft and warm. I found her touch reassuring and soothing.

“We all bear our burdens,” a voice said from the doorway.

“Baroness!” Sir Stephan exclaimed with obvious relief.

Striding into the parlor, the baroness was a vision of beauty in her crimson traveling clothes and jaunty bonnet decorated with a spray of black and white ostrich feathers. Her fine porcelain skin contrasted with her raven black hair and dark glittering eyes. Lips red as a cherry smiled brightly as she pulled off her gloves and tossed them at Brice. “How lovely to see you, Countess Dracula!”

Even I was swept up in her charismat

ic beauty as she leaned over and kissed me tenderly on both cheeks, her hands lightly touching my face.

“Baroness, it is kind of you to invite me into your home.

“You are always welcome, my dear Countess! Laura! My, you are far from the scrawny little colt you once were. So lovely!”