“I shall give you all you desire,” Vlad promised.
Ignoring him, I watched as the carriage turned down a narrow lane. We passed an overturned cart that had cut off our passage home. Two men were attempting to right it.
“You shall see that I can make amends for what happened to your family. I
will grant you the life they desired for you,” his voice droned on.
The squalid housing of the poor rose up around us. The stench of the streets assailed my senses.
“I realize you do not understand fully all that you are, but I shall correct this,” Vlad’s voice continued in his native tongue.
Keeping my back to him, I watched the dismal dwellings slip past the window. I heard something and turned my head slightly trying to concentrate on the sound.
It sounded like a man speaking in English.
“I shall return you to the life you deserve,” Vlad vowed, then kissed my hand.
“You mean the life you stole,” I said sharply, turning toward him.
Then fire enveloped the carriage.
Chapter 33
The Journal of Lady Glynis Wright - Continued
Glass shattered, then flames roared up and engulfed me. I screamed in pain as my dress caught fire. Vlad ripped me from the seat and tossed me onto the floor. Using his cloak, he tried to put out my dress as I continued to shriek in pain. Flames licked the interior of the carriage, the ceiling setting afire.
The horses screamed as the carriage crazily rolled about. We slammed into a building when the carriage lurched to one side. Vlad hooked one hand under my arm and with his other hand ripped the burning door off its hinges and hurled it away. Flinging me out of the carriage before him, we fell into the street.
The horses fought with the reins, making the small carriage careen wildly from side to side. The driver was pitched headlong into the street. The carriage began to shatter apart into burning wreckage. The terrified horses raced away into the misty night with the remains of the carriage trailing in fiery debris behind them.
Vlad rose to his feet and staggered to the driver. The man was quite dead, his neck broken.
Again, there was the shatter of glass and flames sprang up around me. I screamed in terror and Vlad was instantly at my side. Grabbing me tightly, he sprang into the night air. The loud cracks of rifles filled the night and sharp, terrible stabs pierced my torso. I choked as blood flowed from my lips.
Looking down, I saw the vampire hunters on the rooftops of the homes of the poor wielding torches and rifles. We had been ambushed.
Vlad swung low over the rooftops and onto the shingles of a large building. I vomited blood all over him as I staggered, unable to stand. With horror, I realized my dress was burned to tatters and that my arm and chest were blackened. The pain was immense. Wounds were seeping blood and I realized I had been shot more than once. Vlad, too, was injured, but not nearly as badly as I.
“Vlad,” I gasped, falling to my knees.
It was not Vlad who caught me, but Ignatius. His arms came about me and he gently lowered me to the roof. His dark blue eyes were full of fear. I almost uttered his name before I realized what folly that would be.
“Vlad, you must feed her at once,” Ignatius said urgently.
Vlad fell to his knees beside me, his hand sliding over my hair. He gave Ignatius a sharp look, and said in a demanding voice, “What are you doing here?”
“I happened to be in the area when I saw what remained of your carriage go rushing past,” Ignatius answered. “I immediately hurried to find and assist you. ” His dark blue eyes were eerily bright and he looked fierce.
Vlad growled, “Such consideration, brother, for the safety of one you despise. ”
Gripping my unburned hand tightly, Ignatius glared at Vlad. “I despise you no more than I do myself. Now, feed her and let us be off before the dhamphir comes. ”
Vlad slashed his neck. “Drink, Glynis, and heal. ”
Weakly, I wrapped my arm about Vlad’s shoulders and pressed my lips to his throat. His blood filled my mouth and soon I was gulping down great draughts of the rich, thick vitae.
“Do not let her drink too much, Vlad,” Ignatius urged. “You must be strong enough to fight. ”