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"But you will be merciful?"

"When it suitshis sharp teeth "You a with hed, and released ht, I shall indulge ht against him She cooed and wrapped her limbs around him

I turned froe that lay about er, but I would find er for it

Slick with blood, but strong in spirit, I walked from the throne room, transfor, and knowing fully that my resolve to escape, to fulfill my promise to lith and cunning

If I am wise, if I ah I have given into the beast that is the hunger, I aht

Chapter 15

The Journal of Lady Glynis Wright-The Castle

12th of October, 1819

I have not written inI have tried to set pen to paper on several occasions, but could not bear to record the drudgery that has becoht of our feast, I have played a dangerous game with Vlad I acquiesce to his de stronger as tioes on, and if he believes me to be obedient, he is ry

At first I felt very clever in ned to be his Bride, but of late I have begun to chaff at the restrictions onto doubt my plans, but now I see I ht, a new ht and darkness dwelt heavily over the land As soon as I awakened I was in a pensive mood A heaviness in ht When I slipped fro to find the will to venture out into the night I had grown so weary of this new life with its constraints and I yearned for England and my family

At last, I followed the sounds of h the castle Their gaiety was repugnant to et ht

I followed the sound of the vaht Within the tangled web of the gardens of the castle, Dracula’s Brides played with no regard to the lack of h the darkness, peering under decaying benches and pressing the dead foliage aside with her hands Her eyes glimmered with red fire as I watched her seek out ht sky I was in no a the floor like a strange insect on her fingertips and toes I looked away fro form into the dank, still waters of the fountain A faint reflection gazed up at hed sadly

There ild laughter when Cneajna uncovered Elina hiding behind a tree and there was ahair and skirts flowed around thelooaze to the night sky I watched for any sign of the stars to give aze were thick, heavy clouds that loo hand Then, out of that dismal sky, fell a small speck of silvery ice I watched in silent reverie as the first snowflake fell to earth Then another followed, dancing on the night breeze, twisting as it fell I stepped into its path and felt its cold little kiss on my cheek

Then the sky opened and the snow fell, sweetly, softly, to hide away the dead plants of the garden and fill the night with glowing brightness

Vlad found arden, enraptured by the beauty of the snowfall My gaze was turned upwards as I watched the dance of the snowflakes

"Glynis," he said softly fro I kneas visibly upset with his interruption of my small moment of peace

"Yes?"

"A ith you," he said, beckoning to azed upontoward him There was a soft crunch beneath round was already covered in a fine layer of powder

"Co, Glynis I have some business that must be attended to and I need your assistance" He looked past lanced overfro flakes

"Ariana and Elina, I need both of you to leave the castle There is afor you I will soon have a parcel ready for you to take to him Dress as Gypsy women, then wait forpast hi a curious glance inVlad curiously "You look pensive, my husband What concerns you so?"

"You need not worry, Cneajna," Vlad responded in a distracted tone, his fingers lightly stroking his beard as he gazed intently at me

I could see the apprehension in Cneajna’s blue eyes Her lush redof sorrow for her There was soaze It was so beautiful, so potent, so lonely, and I knew nothing I did or said to her would make it fade from her lovely features

"Glynis, coo to my library"