The Vengeance of the Vampire Bride (Vampire Bride 2)

I reached for the bottle, but he quickly hid it away in his pocket. “If you will not kill her, Countess, I will. ”

“You have been giving her the poison, haven’t you?” I was shocked by his disclosure, but Laura’s rabid fevers and quick demise made all the more sense now. Yes, she had been ill with a lung ailment, but the belladonna had hastened her death.

Brice’s face contorted with barely contained fury. “I trusted that you would release us all from her tyranny. You do not witness the things she does. You live in opulence and do not see how she beats the maids or holds us here by threats. She often tells us that if we leave, she will report us to the authorities for thievery. You promised me you would help me return to England. I have waited patiently, but now I believe you to be a liar. ”

“I am not! I will return you to England, I swear it. But this is neither the time nor the place to discuss such things. ”

“If she dies, you inherit her wealth and we will be free. ”

“Do you not think it suspicious if she dies so soon after the deaths of Sir Stephan and his wife?”

“The city is full of illness. This winter will be the death of many. ” Brice’s tone was laced with venom and his eyes were cruel. “Kill her and none will know the difference. ”

A strangled cry from within the room drew my attention. Pressing past Brice, I pushed open the door. Csilla stood near the window, drawing back the heavy curtains to gaze down into the frozen gardens.

“Csilla?”

“A wolf was dancing in my dreams and when I went to the window, it was on the ledge staring at me. ” She turned to look at me with a dazed expression, and I was not certain she was truly awake.

“Madam, you were sleeping,” Brice said as he hastily rushed to help her back to bed.

She clung to his arm as he guided her back to her enormous canopy. Confusion and fear played across her face as she settled back beneath the covers. “There was a dragon, too. It kept calling my name. ”

I wedged myself between Brice and Csilla to lean over her. Her skin was hot to the touch and she was flushed. Though she did not have the horrible cough Laura had endured, her other symptoms were strikingly similar. I glanced at the cup of tea set next to the bed and then at Brice. He merely stared at her with barely disguised contempt.

“Vlad is sending you nightmares again. Pay them no heed,” I urged her.

“He doesn’t want me. He wants you,” she whispered as her fingers tangled in her hair and she tugged at it in her distress. “He cries out for you. ”

“Sleep, Csilla. Sleep. ” I did not want to feed from her if she was poisoned. I was not certain if the belladonna would affect me. I ushered Brice out of the room and took hold of his arm. “Listen well. I will deal with her in my own time. Do you understand?”

With a curt nod, he stormed off.

Frustrated and disturbed by his words, I hurried back down stairs to speak with Ignatius. When I reached the final step of the staircase, I was surprised to see Percy standing in the foyer speaking with Ignatius. Percy’s hat and shoulders were covered in snow and he stamped his frozen feet as he shivered.

“Percy! What on earth are you doing out on such a night as this?” I rushed to him as he smiled at me ruefully.

“It appears we shall soon be snowbound and I wanted to give you and Laura gifts for Christmas. I was just telling Father Ignatius that I can only stay a few minutes. The storm is worsening and my driver will not wait long. ”

“I am pleased to see you, but you shouldn’t have. ” I was a little nervous about Percy seeing Ignatius in my new home, but I tried to not let my feelings show.

“I sent Magda to get Laura,” Ignatius informed me.

“Thank you, Father Ignatius. Percy, you are so pale!”

Percy pulled off his gloves before taking my hands, but still they were icy and chapped from the cold. “Don’t fret over me. I am fine. ”

Laura rushed out to greet him. I stepped aside so she could embrace him warmly. It was as if we were all family and I could not help but smile.

“I must hurry, but I brought you gifts. I was telling Father Ignatius that I found the perfect gift for both of you, and I had to bring them over tonight before the blizzard snow bounds us all. ” He produced two small matching jewelry boxes and placed them in our hands. “Open them now. I doubt I shall be here for Christmas, so let this be a little celebration for all of us. ”

Together, we opened the small boxes to reveal elegant cameos. Mine was a beautiful ivory relief upon a blue background with a gold filigree setting, and Laura’s was ivory upon coral, and both cameos were strung on delicate gold chains. Laura and I gasped with delight

“They’re lovely!” I exclaimed, embracing him.

Laura also tossed her arms about him, elated with the gift. “But we have nothing for you!”

“Your smiles of delight are the only gifts I would ever ask of you,” Percy answered.