I struggled to move, my body protesting, but I was determined. I found some rubbish in the corner and sorted through the rags. Slowly, I realized it was not rags, but clothing. Rotting clothing that reeked of dried blood. I tossed them away from me and hurried back to the door. Grabbing hold of the handle, I attempted to shake it open. I felt May's arms go about my waist as she clung to me.

“Glynis, I am so frightened. Why will you not tell me what is in the chests?”

I released the door, turning toward her. Her hair was mussed and it fell across her tear streaked face. I smoothed her hair back and kissed her brow gently. “I dare not. Just know that we must be free of this place. Help me with the door.”

Her hands joined mine and we strained, trying to somehow jar the door free of its hinges. It did not move.

“Stay here,” I whispered to May, moving on trembling legs to search the room.

It was quite small and empty save for the three chests. I returned to the chest where the fair haired vampire lay and rested my hand on the cover. I wondered if I could manage to wrench off the lid and use it somehow.

“Glynis, I cannot see you. Please come back to the door,” May called out softly.

I turned to see her clutching the door latch, straining to open it.

“I will in a moment. I think I have a plan,” I answered her.

I hesitated, then lifted the lid. It was quite heavy, but if I shoved it off the chest, I was sure I could manage to splinter it.

It fell back with a sharp bark. I tried hard not to look down at the beautiful woman still slumbering within.

“Please hurry back,” May's plaintive voice responded.

Before I could answer her, the woman’s eyes snapped open. The sapphire eyes slid over and captured my gaze. I found that I could not speak. Slowly, she extended her hand out to me.

I do not know how I managed to break her gaze, and therefore free myself of her power, but I found myself turning and rushing to the door.

Completely panicked, I banged my hands against the door and tried to open it. May was caught up in my hysteria and joined me as the room echoed with our panicked cries. We pounded on the door begging for mercy, but none came.

Glancing over my shoulder, I saw the blond vampire standing in her chest. She shone like a jewel in the darkness, and I cried out in terror.

Beside me, May turned, but she could not see what I could. Yet, she must have felt the menace. Her hands were bruised and her nails split from her desperate scrabbling at the door.

I had seen my father's dead body, and I knew not where my mother was. My throat tight with emotion as I moved to stand guard over my sister as she desperately jostled the door latch.

“Leave us be,” I begged the blond woman.

“He has given her to us,” she answered.

It took me a moment to realize the woman's lips had not parted when she spoke. Beside me, May tugged hard on the door latch, whimpering. She had not heard the woman speak.

“Leave us be,” I repeated.

“Who are you speaking to?” May's voice was a bare whisper.

Elegantly and terrifyingly, the blond woman flew out of the crate to land lightly before me.

Shoving May hard behind me, I pressed my arms back trying to keep my sister protected.

With a languid smile, the golden haired vampire raised her hand and gently stroked my cheek.

“Who's there?” May's strangled voice cried out in terror.

“May, stay behind me,” I ordered, slapping the blond woman's hand away.

She slightly recoiled, but her sly smile returned as she ran her fingertips lightly over my wounded throat.

“Glynis!” May screamed. “Glynis, answer me! Answer me!”

I could not move to comfort her. I was transfixed by those beguiling eyes.

“Glynis!”

I felt the cold hand take mine and I stared into the deep glowing embers of the vampire’s eyes. She drew me away from the door, away from May, and I followed, unable to resist.

Night is falling over the valley. The sisters shall soon awaken.

“My sister,” I whispered. “Don’t hurt her!”

He has given her to us.

“Please,” I begged. “Please.”

“Who are you talking to?” May screamed. I could hear her languishing behind me, trying to find me in the darkness. “Why are you leaving me? Glynis!”

He has given her to us. To you. Do you not feel yourself changing?

I did feel different. Something was deeply wrong within me. It was as if a deep cold was spreading through me, stealing away the warmth of my human soul.

“I’m afraid,” I said.

“Glynis!”

I felt May crawling nearer to me.

His blood is in you now. It is already spreading through you, changing you? Don’t you feel it?

“Yes, yes.” Misery filled my voice.

I felt May clutch my skirt. “Glynis, who are you speaking to? You are frightening me!”

Her cries of terror seemed to be fading as my blood roared in my veins. I was changing. I was dangerous. Bending down, I gripped her arms tightly.

“May, you must hide! Hide now!”

“Glynis, please!”

“I love you, May, but hide! Now!”

“Glynis!”

She is for us. The voice was soft in my mind, but firm, hungry.

I was hungry, and May smelled sweet and delicious.

“May! Crawl away and hide! Please!” I shoved her away from me, turning back to the Bride.

You must join us and feast.

“I would rather die,” I answered.

May was screaming and crying incoherently, seeking me out in the darkness. I could not stand the sound of her cries and tears slipped down my cheeks. The blond vampire's eyes softened and, suddenly, her grasp on my hand tightened. She slid effortlessly into the trunk and pulled me down with her. The lid shut with a loud boom as the vampire wrapped her arms tightly around me.

“The night has come,” she whispered in my ear. “Our sisters awaken.”

May found the trunk and beat at it with her hands. “Glynis, Glynis, Glynis, please come out! Where am I to hide? Why am I hiding? Glynis, Glynis! Let me hide with you!”

I reached out to shove the lid upwards, but I was restrained by the vampire.

“You cannot save her, my darling child. You are too weak to defend her against Ariana and Elina. Listen. They are rising.”

I could hear the sound of the lids being shoved open with loud thundering clashes. May began to scream in terror and beat on the lid of the coffin.

“Glynis! Glynis!”

The soft murmuring voices of the other two Brides wafted through the darkness as May pounded on the lid of the trunk.

I struggled to free myself, to lift the lid to defend my sister, but I was too weak and the vampire held me firmly

“May, May, hide! May!”

May’s terrified screams echoed through the room. I could hear the rustling movements of the other two vampires and knew they were coming for my sister. I could taste May’s fear and it was delicious.

I wept.

“Hide, May, hide!”

But I knew it was in vain.

She screamed, then there was a loud thump as her body struck the trunk.

The sly, delighted laughter of the dark Brides made me cry out.

“Stop them, please, stop them!” I fought the blond vampire, but she easily overwhelmed me.

“I cannot. Our husband has given her to us. It is his will. But I choose not to feed,” the blond vampire whispered to me. “And you will not bear witness to your sister’s death.” She clamped her hands over my ears and covered me with her body. It was later, when I saw her dress stained with blood that I realized she had kept my sister’s blood from falling onto me through the cracks in the lid. In a soft voice, she began to hum to me a sweet, sad tune.

I lay beneath her and cried. Though I cannot explain it, I found comfort in her touch. Somehow, I felt this beautiful, ethereal creature was trying to protect me from the horror of my sister’s death. And, strangely, I accepted this.

The sight of my dead father was still strong in my mind. That May would be spared that horrible death was a great relief. I knew May had fainted away and was oblivious of her fate. She was so frail her death would come quickly.

“Fly to heaven, May. Fly with the angels,” I whispered, crying in the arms of my new vampire sister.

The Journal of Lady Glynis Wright - Continued

I have locked myself away and will refuse their invitations to join them. I shall write until I can write no more. Damn them all.

The night of my sister’s death, the wolves howled and the voices of the eternal night whispered in breathless anticipation as my sister’s life drained away. The only sound within the small chamber was the sweet humming of an ancient lullaby and the muffled slurping of rich, dark blood.

I lay in the arms of the blond vampire, listening to her hum, weeping, for I knew that I had lost my sister. I wanted to die and join her.

Abruptly, the door of the chamber slammed open. I felt Vlad Dracula's presence fill the room. I raised my head to peer through a crack in the trunk’s side. The torchlight from the hallway illuminated his face. It was clear that his eyes were not greeted with the gruesome sight he had anticipated. The frail body of my sister lay draped over one of the large trunks in the room. Her pale blue eyes were fluttering as death approached, her blanched face framed by the dark hair of the two dark Brides.

“What is this?” he shouted furiously.

One of the Brides, the one with the long curly hair, raised her head and hissed at him.

With a fierce expression, Vlad grabbed hold of the Bride and hurled her across the room. Frightened, the other Bride shrank away from him, her tongue licking her bloody lips.

“Mercy, Master, forgive our wrongs,” she said. “But we are so hungry. Did you not give us the girl?”

“Where is Cneajna? And where is my new wife?”

I felt the brush of the blond vampire’s hair as she too peered through the crack.

“He is angry. Let me take the brunt of his anger.”

“We saw them not! Please, we are so hungry, Master,” the dark haired Bride said, falling to her knees.

The second Bride crawled back into view, hissing softly.

“Glynis was to feed from the girl. This was to be her first kill.” His voice was harsh, his eyes cruel. I could see that his anger was barely restrained.

Cneajna, for I now knew that to be her name, reached out one long hand and touched the crack. Suddenly, she seemed to simply slip through it, her body dissolving into vapor, then rapidly solidifying on the other side. “I feared for her sanity,” she said. Her long pale hair fell about her like a golden cloak.

Vlad glared at her with harsh eyes. “Where is she? Where is Glynis?” His voice had taken on a dark menacing tone.

Cneajna raised her chin slightly. “She is not ready for her first kill. She is not yet as we are. I feared the madness would descend on her.”

“Enough explanations! Where is she, Cneajna?”

Cneajna seemed about to defy him, but thought better of it. Her eyes slid to the trunk I was hiding within.

Clearly furious, Vlad viciously shoved her aside, striding swiftly toward the trunk. As he passed May’s body, he flung it aside as if it were nothing more than a nuisance. With a low growl, the curly haired vampire scuttled across the floor and hunched over my sister hungrily.

I shrank back into a corner of the trunk, drawing my legs up to my chin, covering my face. Vlad wrenched the lid off the trunk and peered down at me. I cowered before him, trying to curl myself into a small ball. Trembling violently, I tried to avoid his gaze, cowering in the shadows.

“You were to feed,” he said in a hard voice.

I hugged myself tightly, my lips quivering.

Cneajna humbly approached her angered husband and knelt before him. Taking hold of his hand, she stared up at him imploringly. “Please, Master, she is yet human, not fully changed. She would not feed. And her sister-“