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"Ariana," I cried out when I opened the door

She gave ed , I missed you so I tried to find you but I could not," I said in a rush of words

"I a to console, Cneajna She is much better now and wishes to see you in the throne roo to hurt her," I said softly

"Oh, yes, Glynis She is," Ariana swore "She was just distraught until we calain "Will you come with me?"

"Oh, no This is private between the two of you I dare not intrude" She smiled at me sweetly

I returned her smile and kissed her cheek fondly "Very well I shall see you later then"

"Of course, dear sister," she giggled, then dashed off in a flurry of white

Nervously, I sown and tucked up ive htened that she would not I rushed down the stairs to the throne room anxious to speak with her and put the past aside

When I entered the rooolden stake I shuddered at the sight of it, thinking of that terrible opera about Vlad and the death of hts immediately Cneajna looked calreat sapphire eyes, and they were full of sorrow

"Cneajna," I exclai toward her

She hurried down from the throne quickly, her arainst her body We clung together, both weeping

"I do not wish for you to be angry with me," I whispered "I love you so, sweet Cneajna"

"And I you, Glynis," she answered in her lovely voice "Let us not quarrel"

"Yes, please!" I kissed her cheek and held her against ger into ainst her It cracked asped in pain and fell to the floor

She stood over ht in one hand Her eyes were cold, brutal, and deadly "I will not be usurped indoard as she stabbed me over and over I cried out and tried to defend myself, but I admit, I did not try and strike her back Despite her brutal attack on me, I could not see her as er struck over and over again I felt it striking deep into my flesh My blood splattered her as she continued to assault an to heal Still the dagger came at me

"I will cut out your heart and eat it," she snarled "He will not have it, but I will I will have your heart"

"Cneajna!" I screamed her name and still the blows came The pain was quick and fierce I tried to craay froht back I could not believe she would kill me Yet her face isted in hate and fury as she drove the dagger into ain

Now I believe that she wanted me to suffer, to feel pain, and not die quickly Otherwise, she would have taken a stake and pierced

Vlad roared into the roo around hi out, he rode into the roo deripped her slim white throat in his hand

"How dare you touch rowled at her, his eyes fierce fires

"I a nails sank into the flesh of her throat and he ripped it open as he flung her aside Blood bubbled from the wound as she lay close to azed atto me now," Vlad hissed His eyes were co and wolf-like

Curled up on the floor,back into my body, I healed myself I shivered with pain and the loss of blood As I watched, hedown

Cneajna reached up to hiaze full of desperate love With a snarl, he slapped her hand away and bared his fangs at her

"She is th of will and power to be , clever, and smart Glynis is all you shall never be in this ht and deed I have no fear that if the hunters struck "

I rose toain reached toward hi itself together, healing, and she ly"

"I want no servant I want someone who I can rise to poith She is my true mate My true equal Never have I met a woman that I could respect as I do a man"

Tears streamed down my face as his words pierced ht I had always desired the world to see me in He sawThe truth of that tore through ed Cneajna by the throat and lifted her off the ground She dangled fro his wrist He looked toward me, his expression fierce I stood, unsteady, my dress tattered and covered in my own blood

"Glynis, I will kill her then we shall leave I will never allow another to harer filled the roo onto Vlad’s back They unleashed a fury of blows so fierce it drove hirasp onto the floor

With a roar, he rose into the air and flung the wo nails ripping across her throat

"Vlad, no," I wailed I could not bear for him to kill her I just wanted us to leave and be free of this madness

The dark sisters launched themselves at him and he deflected Elina with one arm She hurtled across the roo crack Ariana ed to land on his back and stabbed hi her hair, he threw her away from him She struck the wall, then scra Cneajna by the throat, he hoisted her off the ground "I shall tear your head from your body then I shall do the same with your sisters," he snarled His razor sharp nails bit into her skin