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Silently, I said my prayers and closed my eyes

Soon, I was asleep

I stirred when soft voicesto the di my eyes, I peered into the shadows

A woman’s voice uttered words softly, drea arounddown on me Their backs were to the fire so it was hard to make out their faces, but two appeared to have dark hair and third, long blond hair All were dressed in flowing ivory gowns that seemed to sparkle like fresh dew on a lily

One of the wo over ether as one of the dark haired women moved closer to me I tried to sit up and demand to knohy they were in my chamber, but I found that my limbs were leaden I could notbeautiful features of the woht Her voluptuous e wo, fine hand and ran it overin her own language to the others and they laughed together

Frightened by the bizarre woain I could not move My body was limp All I could do was move my eyes about beneath er than I - stretched out besidechains of gold adorned with jewels Fingertips trailed over my face, then downI tried to pull away frohtly drew them up my arm, then down over ently pressed her pal to swoon, she hu of ed to whisper

The woman’s eyes flicked open as she leaned down close over old, and her lips were so red they see with fresh blood She continued to hu faster and faster

The blond woe The younger wo the hand of the other dark haired wo her sister behind her The shadows seeone

My heart was thudding so hard in my chest it alh And still, I could not olden haired lady touched my face with a soft, cold hand Her face was exquisitely beautiful, and her eyes shimmered like jewels "You are so alive I can feel your warmth" Her voice was soft, lish "I can al like a pulse in htly stroked htly "You are so warm, alive…but soon you will join us It is the Master’s desire Soon, you shall be our sister,violently beneath the covers Was this the saht here? I was sure it was Her hands were so cold just like those of the apparition She ht!

Suddenly, she seizedBlue eyes, burning with fire, stared down intoainst her

"Release littered as she smiled then kissed me Her lips were cold like ice as they slid from my lips over olden locks slid overmy name as I was suddenly crushed between two cool bodies Sorazed my throat and hter, as the pain becareater

"Release me!" My voice erupted from my lips

A sharper pain pierced the other side of my throat I are of two people on either side ofdrawn back sharply by one of them

They suddenly released me, and I fell back on the bed, my body limp as my head fell painfully to one side My breath seemed shallow in ed and raw, so down betweennext to the bed whispering as the shadows danced around them The blond apparition’s mouth was smeared with blood One of the dark haired women licked away a bloody drop froue

Prince Vlad littering in the firelight Slowly, he lowered his head, sweeping his tongue up over my chest When he raised his head, I saw his lips smeared with blood

"Sleep," the Prince whispered and the world grew di I saas the three wo wicked teeth

Chapter 5

The Journal of Lady Glynis Wright - Continued

The next e when uide, and the driver were busy checking over the harnesses and horses, having already loaded our luggage onto the carriage As we hurried across the courtyard, I gave the old decrepit castle one last dark glance

"It is all right, Glynis We are leaving,"hold of htmares, and I know she saw htht little ball beneath lass to study my throat only to find it smooth save for tiny insect bites on either side My bizarre nightether

"I had such an awful fear that I would never leave here," I confessed

"Well, you are leaving Up with you!" Father caught e

Gratefully, I settled intocoat, scarf and skirts as my mother climbed in I tried not to look at the castle, but e things had happened here My drea, full of terrible visions and wanton lusts

The cool crisp air of the gray ht with the excite away from this awful place Much to my relief and that of my faeted with her bonnet as I finally settled intous in the safety of the coach, and he sat back in his seat with a sigh of relief I tucked e rolled forward and slowly turned about, the horses’ hooves clapping against the flagstones