knew that I looked a walking corpse and far from lovely. Her kindness touched me, and I managed a wavering smile as Vlad without protest, to my surpriseat once bowed and said:
Countess Elisabeth Bathory of Csejthe. May I have the honour of presenting to you my niece, Zsuzsanna Dracul.
Elisabeth held out a hand, gloved in powder-blue and marvellously perfumedand, to my utter astonishment, warm. I took it and made with difficulty a small courtesy as she said to Vlad, And not Tsepesh? Have you discarded the name entirely, then?
He gave a solemn nod. His anger seemed to have entirely evaporated, as if he was actually hesitant to berate me in front of this woman, seeing as my presence pleased her. While living, I was famed as the Impaler, the tsepesh. But now that I am immortal, I have other interests, and am more pleased to be known as Draculathe son of the Devil.
So the Dragon is indeed a Devil? she asked cockily, then laugheda sound as sweet as her perfume. But she fell silent and turned her attention to me the instant I murmured: Your hand. It is warmare you vampire or living? But you are far too beautiful to be mortal
At that, her pink lips curved slyly, and she peered sidewise at Vlad from beneath a fringe of golden lashes, with an expression that said, Shall I tell her? But he lowered his gaze with a grave expressionand I felt she withheld something from me as she laughed ruefully and replied, I am neither young nor mortal, my dear, but I suppose that, compared to Vlad, I am still a girl; I died a mere two hundred and eighty years ago.
As she spoke, the sensation of swooning overtook me again, and I would have fallen backward had she not caught my arms.
Why, my dear Zsuzsanna, you are so weak! And how thoughtless we are to insist you remain on your feet. And she favoured Vlad with another enigmatic glance, saying, I should like to be alone with her for a time.
Reluctance flitted over his features, but it was soon replaced by a look of maliciously smug understanding, as if some wicked revelation had just come to him. Ah. Of course She can lead you to her chambers. There is another one there toothe serving-girl
Even better, answered she, and coiled a satiny arm round my waist. Lead on, Zsuzsanna. Her aspect was one of helpfulness, as I was still unsteady on my feet; and so I permitted myself to lean my cheek against her shoulder that I might study that magnificent porcelain neck and breathe in her perfume. It had been so long since Id laid eyes upon immortal beauty that her striking appearance quite overwhelmed me.
We made our way down the winding stairs while I listened to the music of Elisabeths cello voice. She chattered on about her home in Vienna, of how wonderful that city was, and I whispered in reply that I had travelled to that city once and fallen in love with it.
Well, then! You will come to my house there, and enjoy all that I have at your leisure. You are exhausted now for lack of power, but I can see beneath this premature aging. You are far too beautiful a creature to languish here in this desolate ruin of a castle. She glanced over her shoulder as if in recognition of Vlads keener hearingbut I said:
Do not worry. He can no longer hear so well as
I know precisely how well he can hear, and he cannot detect us at this distance. Perhaps you were too weak to notice, but I did restore a modicum of his former strength to him tonight. She paused and turned her delicate features towards me, the long gold-gleaming curls falling forward from her shoulder onto an ample mother-of-pearl bosom. We can speak in confidence now. My deardid you know that he directed me not to restore your power to you?
My lips drew back in an angry grimace; I managed to press them together, but still they quivered with rage. He has been so cruel and heartlessyou cannot imagine! I have only been good to him, and obedient
Obedient . She spat it out like the most onerous curse.
but he has tricked me, starved me until I was too weak
Countess Elisabeth Bathory of Csejthe. May I have the honour of presenting to you my niece, Zsuzsanna Dracul.
Elisabeth held out a hand, gloved in powder-blue and marvellously perfumedand, to my utter astonishment, warm. I took it and made with difficulty a small courtesy as she said to Vlad, And not Tsepesh? Have you discarded the name entirely, then?
He gave a solemn nod. His anger seemed to have entirely evaporated, as if he was actually hesitant to berate me in front of this woman, seeing as my presence pleased her. While living, I was famed as the Impaler, the tsepesh. But now that I am immortal, I have other interests, and am more pleased to be known as Draculathe son of the Devil.
So the Dragon is indeed a Devil? she asked cockily, then laugheda sound as sweet as her perfume. But she fell silent and turned her attention to me the instant I murmured: Your hand. It is warmare you vampire or living? But you are far too beautiful to be mortal
At that, her pink lips curved slyly, and she peered sidewise at Vlad from beneath a fringe of golden lashes, with an expression that said, Shall I tell her? But he lowered his gaze with a grave expressionand I felt she withheld something from me as she laughed ruefully and replied, I am neither young nor mortal, my dear, but I suppose that, compared to Vlad, I am still a girl; I died a mere two hundred and eighty years ago.
As she spoke, the sensation of swooning overtook me again, and I would have fallen backward had she not caught my arms.
Why, my dear Zsuzsanna, you are so weak! And how thoughtless we are to insist you remain on your feet. And she favoured Vlad with another enigmatic glance, saying, I should like to be alone with her for a time.
Reluctance flitted over his features, but it was soon replaced by a look of maliciously smug understanding, as if some wicked revelation had just come to him. Ah. Of course She can lead you to her chambers. There is another one there toothe serving-girl
Even better, answered she, and coiled a satiny arm round my waist. Lead on, Zsuzsanna. Her aspect was one of helpfulness, as I was still unsteady on my feet; and so I permitted myself to lean my cheek against her shoulder that I might study that magnificent porcelain neck and breathe in her perfume. It had been so long since Id laid eyes upon immortal beauty that her striking appearance quite overwhelmed me.
We made our way down the winding stairs while I listened to the music of Elisabeths cello voice. She chattered on about her home in Vienna, of how wonderful that city was, and I whispered in reply that I had travelled to that city once and fallen in love with it.
Well, then! You will come to my house there, and enjoy all that I have at your leisure. You are exhausted now for lack of power, but I can see beneath this premature aging. You are far too beautiful a creature to languish here in this desolate ruin of a castle. She glanced over her shoulder as if in recognition of Vlads keener hearingbut I said:
Do not worry. He can no longer hear so well as
I know precisely how well he can hear, and he cannot detect us at this distance. Perhaps you were too weak to notice, but I did restore a modicum of his former strength to him tonight. She paused and turned her delicate features towards me, the long gold-gleaming curls falling forward from her shoulder onto an ample mother-of-pearl bosom. We can speak in confidence now. My deardid you know that he directed me not to restore your power to you?
My lips drew back in an angry grimace; I managed to press them together, but still they quivered with rage. He has been so cruel and heartlessyou cannot imagine! I have only been good to him, and obedient
Obedient . She spat it out like the most onerous curse.
but he has tricked me, starved me until I was too weak
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