“She sent me to recover your rosary so she may lay you to rest properly, my lady.”

A feathery touch across my brow startled me, but I felt no threat from what I perceived to be the ghost of Lady Antoinetta. When she did not speak again, I returned to my quest. Directing the light onto the floor once again, I was surprised to see the rosary lying in plain sight near my hand. Gently, I picked up the delicate beads, the gold crucifix glinting in the torchlight.

“Thank you, my lady. This will bring her great peace.” Standing, I called out. “Magda, I have found it.”

There was no answer.

I called out again. “Magda, I found the rosary. We can depart now.”

Silence was the only response.

I strode swiftly from the cell to find I was alone in the dungeon. There was no sight of Magda’s flickering candle, nor the sound of her footfalls. Rushing up the stairwell, I thrust the rosary into my trouser pocket as my heart began to beat harshly within my chest. If Dracula or his fiendish Brides had dragged off the maid, I would never forgive myself.

I reached the long corridor lined with armor and listened for any slight sound that could lead me to her. The torch clasped in one hand, my sword in the other, I strained to hear. I was rewarded by a startled scream then low, wicked laughter. It came from the stairwell that led down into the chapel.

Sprinting down the hallway, I resisted the urge to call out her name. I hurried as quietly as I could down the spiraling stairs into the depths of Dracula’s resting place.

The low cackle of one of the vampire Bride’s echoed from below.

“Get back!” Magda ordered.

I heard a gasp, then an angry hiss.

Rushing into the ruined chapel, I found Magda holding her hand aloft, fire burning in her palm. A blond vampire, beautiful beyond compare, draped in a gauzy white dress and adorned with jewels, crouched in the opening of a crypt. Above her head was one word: DRACULA. She hissed, her long teeth glimmering in the light from the flames.

Magda hurled the fire at the Bride. The vampire darted back, the ball of fire smashing into the stone wall and showering embers upon her. The blond Bride rushed forward, seeing Magda disarmed. She cowered as Magda’s palm erupted in flame again, and retreated.

“I have to kill him,” Magda said in a determined voice.

I was not certain she was speaking to me or the vampire she was confronting.

“I will tear out your throat and feast on you,” the vampire threatened.

I sensed movement and whirled about to see another Bride crawling on the wall. Her long raven hair fell over her shoulder as she scuttled along like an insect. I raised my torch, illuminating her face and she hissed at me in fear and hunger.

“Magda,” I called out. “We were not to disturb them!”

“He must die so she can be fully free! She cannot do it, but I can!” Magda exclaimed defiantly.

The blond vampire laughed mockingly. “You cannot kill him. He is too great for you.” Her tongue snaked out to caress her long teeth and red lips. “I will enjoy drinking your blood.”

Another vampire rushed toward Magda, her tiny feet silent on the floor as she moved. I charged forward and caught the creature about the waist. She was so astonished, she only had a second to cry out before I tossed her across the chapel. She skidded along the floor before she caught herself on her toes and fingertips.

“He’s mine, Ariana!” the dark Bride declared behind me.

As I turned to meet the vampire’s assault, Magda threw her globe of fire at the attacking Bride. It caught her dress afire and the creature screamed as she flailed about.

“Elina!” The tiny, curly headed Bride hurled herself over my head, ripped a tapestry from the wall, and threw it over her sister to douse the flames.

The blond Bride rushed us as Magda withdrew to my side. Sweat beaded her face and her straining fingers curved as she attempted to summon more fire. I threw the torch onto the remains of a broken coffin near my feet as I shoved Magda aside. My sword swept toward the blond Bride and she arched her back so the blade swept over her. Catching herself on her hands, she raised her head and shrieked before attacking again.

I lunged toward her, my sword flashing in the light. I was startled by her swiftness as she dodged and ducked past the sweep of my sword. Her clawed hands lashed out, but I was quick on my feet and evaded her. I caught sight of Magda finally drawing forth another orb of fire and throwing it at the two dark Brides rushing her. They both screamed and retreated, scurrying up the walls like insects.

“Where is Vlad?” I demanded as Magda backed against me. Her hand was full of fire again.

“In his coffin. Where the countess left him, drained and powerless. Let me kill him! Help me kill him!” Magda fervently begged.

The blond vampire circled us slowly, readying herself for another attack. The fire and my sword were worrisome to her, but I could see that hunger and her devotion to Vlad would provoke her to attack. Grabbing hold of Magda’s wrist, I pulled her along as we rushed in the direction of the crypt. The fire in Magda’s other hand was wavering and I feared she was nearing the end of her ability. Her face was pale and covered in a sheen of perspiration. She was trembling, not only from fear, but exhaustion.

“Do not kill him!” the blond woman shrieked. She darted forward to attack, but Magda hurled fire at her. It burst over the vampire’s bosom. The Bride screamed and flung herself up into the darkness above us, vanishing.

“I will not kill him!” I vowed as I pushed Magda to Dracula’s crypt.

The coffin I had ignited was burning brightly now. The light licked up the walls, but did not touch the blackness enshrouding the roof of the desecrated chapel.

“We must!” Magda cried out.

“We cannot!” I told her.

Her palm caught afire again, but this time the flame was low and weak. I gripped her wrist, holding it firmly as I dragged her into the crypt with me. Her dark eyes were fierce, but terrified. I could see her desire was strong, but her fear was eating away at her resolve.

“There are greater powers than you and I at work here and we dare not strike him down,” I growled at her.

It was then we caught sight of him resting in his coffin, a shriveled corpse clad in his royal robes. Two candelabra adorned with red candles burned low in the darkness of his crypt. The dragon of the House of Dracula adorned the family crest that hung over his head. Drawing near Vlad Dracula, I could now feel his familiar presence though it was greatly weakened.

“Princess Cneajna of Hungary,” Magda read aloud, looking at the coffin set beside Dracula’s and the inscription on its side. “Beloved first Bride of Prince Vlad Dracula.”

“She lays here to protect him,” I noted.

“She did this to him!” an anguished voice cried out behind us.

I looked toward the doorway to see the three women gathered under the arch. They were clearly fearful of our intentions and hungry with their blood lust. The fire had burned away the dress of the dark haired Bride named Elina and her nakedness enticed me. Princess Cneajna’s bodice was burned away, her breasts bare under her long golden hair. The third bride, Ariana, tiny and seductive, giggled as she clung to the waist of the blond vampire.

“He is our husband,” Princess Cneajna said in a husky voice. “I care for him. Do not touch him or I will crush you.”

Magda raised her flaming hand higher and the three women shrank back.

“We are not here to kill him.”

“I am,” Magda declared.

“I will not allow her to do it,” I vowed, my gaze steady upon the Princess. “It is not our place.”

“If they let him rise, he will hurt the Countess!”

“Glynis!” Elina hissed. “That foul betrayer! She does not deserve the title Countess Dracula!”

Ariana wailed in distress as Cneajna’s eyes flamed red.

“Do not speak of her! That traitor impaled our husband and took his power!” The princess’ words were full of venom.

“Then why do you not let him rise again?” I asked pointedly.

“She bound us to the castle and we could not feed!” Cneajna seethed with anger. “How could we feed him?”

Ariana cried out. “The gypsies wouldn’t let us eat them! They were so cruel! And now they have left!”

“Did she send you here to kill us all?” Elina demanded.

“We are here to recover something that is valuable to her.” The rosary in my pocket would be my final weapon against them should they approach.

“We have to kill him! We cannot let him rise!” Magda moved as if to cast her fire on him, but I spun her about, forcing her to face the vampire women who were creeping nearer.

“We cannot!”

“If he rises he will go to her!”

Cneajna hissed with anger at Magda’s words. “I will not let him!”

“If he rises he will kill us,” Ariana wailed. “He will slice off our heads!”

“We cannot let him enslave her once again.” Magda’s voice was rough with her fear and grief. “He wants her. He will do anything to possess her.”