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There was a horrible silence I could feel Cneajna’s anger beating down on me

"Very well," she finally whispered

I could feel her lay back down besidearound us like a blanket Then there was a loud scraping noise and the coffin lid shut over us

"You will learn to love the darkness," Cneajna whispered tersely to cut off my protest "And you will learn to love us"

Chapter 9

The Journal of Lady Glynis Wright Continued

I awoke burning with the hunger

My screa re corridor beyond Prince Vlad eht and stood over me A dark smile forreen eyes gli nails clicking across the stone floor The pack leader bowed his head to Vlad, and Vlad tipped his head in acknowledge

Elina appeared in the doorway of Cneajna’s toer," Ariana said softly

"The madness," Elina corrected

Prince Vlad s, only seeing, but not co all that was aroundclaw marks raked across her face and neck Slowly, she moved to stand before me at Vlad’s side

Inat her face before escaping her coffin

She gazed down at un"

Vlad’s sathered around me I scampered and fled into the chapel He followed and foundbeneath the tangled mass of my hair

"My love?"

I spun about and hissed at hily My aquaed at hi and sharp, like rapiers, and I felt the deadly points of ht "You are beco backa knife froainst his wrist "Co feast"

The dark droplets of blood caught , I reached out to his and licked the blood running froered as my mouth fastened to the wound and I drank Vlad stroked ently with his other hand as I fed I could not feel anything beyond the desperate need to drink

"Just a simple taste to hold off the rows harder and harder to write my story To realize that there was never any hope of escape froer and resolve

After Vlad fed me his blood, I fell into a stupor Vlad lifted me into his arms and carried me to the cha around, shadows and light dancing aboutheart invoices of the shadows I tasted blood on ue and it was so sweet, so delicious

All the i at the world through a crystal goblet As the Brides of Dracula shifted aboutover me and about my face, I becae knife and Ariana was carrying away lengths of red fabric…no…hair My hair They were cuttingme in a fine, soft dress

"Do you understand my words?" Cneajna asked softly, her distorted features swi lying at reat gray wolf

"Hello," I whispered to the great beast

"Why is she so drunken?" Elina’s voice pierced through e off her hunger by clouding her mind" Ilona’s face disappeared into the shadows

Interesting

The wolf sat up and rested his great head on reat presence filling the roo us?

Oh, yes, ere all predators in this room

Vampires and wolves

All except Ilona

Ah, Ilona

I whirled about in ypsy’s eyes She froze, the brush she held in one hand suspended in midair Those dark eyes surrounded by countless wrinkles were bound tightly to aze

"Glynis, do not do this," Cneajna whispered

"Aht breeze

The wolf raised his ears and growled deep in his throat

"Very Like an angel," Ilona responded, her voice a soft monotone

"Are my cheeks not rosy, so soft, like a rose?"

"Like a child’s" Ilona’s hand was shaking violently but she could not tear her gaze from mine

"Would you like to kiss my cheek? Like a mother kisses her child Do you wish to kissin Ilona’s eyes

"Stop it now!" Cneajna’s voice was sharp

I knewcandlelight "Kiss an to bend down

Elina stepped between us and slapped Ilona soundly, knocking her out of her trance "Idiot wo the heavy brush, she darted frohten rabbed hold of my chin and pulled my face to one side I stared at her with fierce intensity

"You are never to touch the servants I know you are drunk with the hunger, but youry I just wished they would stop playing with my clothes and hair and let me be But to do what?

A smile caressed my lips

Oh, yes, to feed