“It is the end for her, poor girl,” he whispered softly.
I moved to his side and raised my eyes to gaze upon his face. His skin was so pale and smooth that I had this rash desire touch him. The wind whipped his long, black hair about his face, but he took no notice. His gaze was concentrated on the drama below, his dark eyes full of frustration and pity.
A scream drew my attention downward and away from my savior.
The hunters were done discussing the other vampires they had seen and were once more concentrating on the poor creature cowering before them. Slowly, they advanced on the disheveled creature, crosses extended before them. The priest, Arminius, took up his chant again. The vampire screamed in horror and pain. She sank to her knees, her hands held out before her in a futile attempt to shield herself. The priest lunged forward to wave his cross threateningly at her as his voice rose in a rush of indecipherable words.
Groaning miserably, she clawed at the ground. The hunters had now closed within two feet of her and she darted at the weakest point of their line. A shriek of pain was torn from her throat and she fell back, her hands and arms scarred with blisters from the where the hunters had pressed their crosses against her skin.
“Bastards,” my companion muttered under his breath.
A vampire hunter moved forward and threw Holy Water into the vampire’s face. She cried out agony as her face began to melt away.
I grabbed hold of the male vampire’s arm with a trembling hand. His long smooth hand closed over mine. “Can we not help her?”
He looked down at me, shaking his head. “She is mad and we must not expose ourselves further. We must think of our own safety. ”
Below, the vampire fell to the ground, quivering with pain and fear. We lost view of her as the hunters closed in tightly around her. I watched as the Gaelic hunter named Gilchrist moved closer to where the vampire huddled on the ground. Franco disappeared as he knelt down and my fingers dug into the fine silk of my companion’s coat.
Gilchrist lifted up his long arm and the mallet fell downward. A piercing, agonizing scream broke forth. Gilchrist lifted the mallet and brought it down one more time. There was no scream, just a soft whimper.
Svend, his pale face flushed with excitement, moved forward and I saw the blade streak downward.
“It is finished,” the male vampire whispered.
Svend raised the decapitated head of the vampire over his head in triumph, his fingers gripping her long matted tresses. The fresh blood drizzled from her severed head onto his pale blond hair, but he seemed to take no notice.
The hunters broke into cheers.
Chapter 22
The Journal of Lady Glynis Wright-Continued
I was so overcome, I could not even move. Tears flowed freely and my lips trembled with emotion. The vampire gently took hold of my arm and pulled me away from the ghastly view. His hands were smooth and comforting against my face as he wiped my tears away.
“There, there, do not cry,” he said soothingly.
His words only made me sob all the more. His gentleness reminded me of my own poor dead father.
“Was she your sister?”
I shook my head. “No, no. I had never seen her before tonight. I have only arrived in Buda. I saw her just before those…those…beastly men…they…how could they? How could they do that to her? How?” I fell against him, burying my face in his shoulder. I felt his arms go around me and he held me tightly against him.
“Do not be afraid. They cannot reach us here. We just need to be wise in our endeavors. They know about us now and will be searching for us,” he said softly against my hair.
I nodded dismally. It had been horrifying to see another vampire destroyed. It was as if I had witnessed my own death.
The gentleman vampire smoothed back my curls from my face, rocking me gently in his arms. “It shall be well once more,” he promised me.
The trembling of my body stilled as I felt an unexpected peaceful calm settling over me. Something wondrous began to happen. I felt a pleasant warmth spreading through me. It seemed to seep out of the very depths of my soul and flow through my veins. The fear and pain of the death I had witnessed fell away from my mind as all I could feel was the tender embrace of the vampire. The strong arms around me were so comforting, so wonderfully comforting.
Slowly, I became aware of the hard, lean muscles of the vampire’s body beneath his clothing as it pressed against me. Desire, bright and delicious began to blossom within me. His long silky hair fell over my brow and into my eyes. His warm breath caressed my face as gentle as any kiss. I luxuriated in his powerful embrace and wished it to never end.
“Who is your Master? I shall take you to your Master, if you wish it,” the man said, his voice breaking through my repose.
I started, nearly drawing away. I could not tell this vampire of Vlad or our home! Vlad would beat me without mercy if a male vampire returned to me to the safety of the mansion. I knew he would be venomously jealous. I just knew it with every fiber of my being. There was absolutely no way I could allow this vampire to endanger us both by returning me to Vlad.
“Your Master should know you might be in danger. You did a very foolish thing rushing after that girl in front of the hunters,” the vampire chided me.