The flight back to Castle Dracula was a silent one. Dracula flew between Verishka and the other three to prevent any fighting for the time being. For the brides, this was a confusing issue. A woman who they had never seen before was challenging them, for their master. Once the fight had been explained to the three they decided it would not take place for another night. This was to give time to make necessary preparations. Verishka went out and purchased three silver stakes and hide them in an alley of the town. Killing them by force would take too long and would be too messy. She was certain that they had also purchased such weapons in a futile attempt to outwit her.
When Verishka returned to the castle, there were still several hours of night left. At first, she thought to go back to her room, and avoid all contact with the brides. However, stricken with curiosity as to his reasons for picking them, she decided to seek them out. A short walk through the castle brought her to a room with lightly colored sheer drapes all around the room, with colors of light pink, pale green, and yellow. The three brides did not even notice her entering. They were too busy arguing amongst themselves.
"Who just shows up out of nowhere and challenges us?" Aleera ranted.
"She and the master have obviously know each other for a time," Verona reasoned.
"Three hundred and seventy four years to be exact," Verishka interrupted.
They all jumped for a moment and stepped back, startled that she had entered without them knowing so.
"I'm not going to hurt you, the fight is tomorrow, remember? Or have you forgotten that as well along with your sense of propriety?" she asked. They all nodded nervously. "I came to talk," she continued.
"What could you possibly have to say to..."
"Shut up Aleera," Verona hushed, "have you really known the master for three hundred and seventy five years?"
"Yes, that was the year we were married," she said, with pleasant memories of her wedding.
"You were married?" Marishka asked.
"Yes we were we... still are we just... don't spend much time together," Verishka said, searching for the right words.
"Hmph, I can't imagine why," Aleera sneered. Verishka shot up from her chair at that comment being said. Quickly, she turned her eyes red and brought her fangs down.
"Perhaps you would prefer I take your head off now!" Verishka yelled, in a ragged voice, brought on from the hell beast within her. Under most circumstances, Aleera would not have tolerated being spoken to that way. But there was something powerful about this woman that scared her, so she backed down. Verishka too sat back in her chair and let her appearance return to normal.
"You must know so much about him," Marishka gapped.
"Not as much as you would think," Verishka said. As she spoke, she noticed something. They were all dressed the same. The same harem styled dresses, or in Marishka's case, top and bottom, that were all sheer. Only the brides wore light, pastel colors, whereas Verishka wore black. She and Verona's dress were actually the same but for the color.
"He does dress us all the same," Verona said, reading Verishka's thoughts for once.
"Yes, but why me in black and you in colors?" she asked.
"The master wears black," Marishka then gasped, "perhaps he thinks you better than us!"
"That's ridiculous. Then explain why for one hundred and thirty years we've never heard her mentioned, or why if he cares for her so much she hasn't seen him once!" Aleera snapped.
"For all our sakes Aleera calm down!" Verona pleaded.
"Yes please do, however you're right, he probably doesn't care for me anymore, he's just known me longer," Verishka sighed.
"No you're wrong. You should come with me," Verona said, motioning for Verishka to follow her out of the room. Once Verishka was out of the door Verona looked back in room and snapped, "If either of you two follow us, or listen in on our conversation, I will tear you both limb from limb!"
Aleera and Marishka cowered in fear at their sister's sudden outburst of anger before nodding their heads.
" You know how to handle them, I'll give you that," Verishka said, as Verona closed the door and they began to walk down the hall.
"Thank you, now as I was saying, you're wrong, he does care more for you," Verona sighed.
"Really? And how do you know this?" Verishka asked.
"I've been here longer than they have. I was the first of them. I lied to them earlier. I had heard of you. In the first few years of my life with him, he mentioned you frequently; your beauty, charm, wit, grace. I also believed one time he mentioned the fine children you could have bore him," Verona recalled. Verishka giggled slightly at that and muttered, "If only he knew,"
"What was that?" Verona asked.
"Um, when did he take you?" Verishka asked.
"1700, then it was 1720 when he took Aleera, and Marishka came just five years later," Verona said.
"Wow, he waited," Verishka whispered.
"What?" Verona asked.
"Nothing, where are we going?" Verishka asked.
"My room," Verona said, opening the door in front of them. Verishka couldn't help but let out a small gasp. It was the room Dracula had given her so many years ago on their first night in Castle Dracula.
Walking into the room Verishka sat down in the chair by the vanity and said, "You know, among you three he favors you."
"How do you know?" Verona asked.
"For one, this was my room, and second, you're the most like me," she said.
Verona sat down at the foot of the bed facing Verishka. For the first time since the woman's arrival, Verona relaxed.
"Please, would you tell me of when you met him?" Verona politely asked.
"Yes. But first you should know, you are polite and wise, where the other two are shallow and monstrous, and that is why I'll tell you this. Now, 374 years ago, I was twenty seven, and Dracula was a young knight of the Holy Order. I was just an average noble, when Dracula and his knights stopped to rest in my father's manor. He had some bad cuts to his arm. What you need to know is, since the moment of my birth I was betrothed to him. But, I'd never met him before. While I was tending to him he asked my name, everything spilled out and we fell in love, three months before our wedding. We were married as planned and lived happily until 1462, and I'm sure you know the rest of the story," Verishka told.
"But then did he bite you after he was brought back?" she asked.
"No, I killed myself after his death, and we were both included in the bargain," Verishka said.
"You truly loved him, didn't you?" Verona asked.
"Yes, do you?" Verishka asked.
"I do. But he does not love me back," Verona sighed.
"You've been given the 'I feel nothing' lecture," Verishka assumed.
"Yes!" Verona said, excited to find someone who understood Dracula's hurtful ways.
"I don't know if you should believe it or not. The uncaring creature he is now only came after he died," she sighed.
"Please, what was he like as a man?" Verona asked.
"He was... very loving and protective. I knew he would do anything for me. But he was not lustful as he is now. He had passion, but it was fueled by his love for me, not lust," she said.
"Now I wish we'd met under different circumstances," Verona admitted.
"As do I, but I do have one idea," Verishka said.
"What?"
"Leave. Before tomorrow," Verishka simply put it.
"I can't, I have to stay, for him and for my..."
"Verona listen to me, by tomorrow Aleera and Marishka will be dead. I don't want that for you. You're smart, and clever, and I know you were an honorable woman in life," Verishka said.
"How do you know that you'll..." but Verishka cut her off again, "You'll be one of the few to know this, they can't kill me. I am as immortal as Dracula, so I'm sure you know my secret," she said.
"We should tell the others, it's not fair," Verona said.
"Verona we're vampires, when have we ever fought fair? Please, give me the chance to spare your life," Verishka pleaded.
"Why do you care for me?" Verona asked.
"I told you, he picked you all for a reason. You're the most like me, your devotion to him would take you to the ends of the earth for him, and I know what I'm asking of you because of that," Verishka said, sounding desperate.
"Why did he pick the others then?" she asked.
"Aleera has my passion and desire for him. Marishka, my determination. And if you notice, the three of you get less and less like me as you go on," Verishka said.
"So I was nothing but his attempt to recreate you?" Verona sighed.
"Don't for a moment think he doesn't care for you. But try to understand, he loved me as a mortal, and I have to believe part of him still does," she said.
"Where will I go?" Verona asked.
"Take some jewels for money, and go where ever you like. London, Madrid, South America, the States. My only condition is, never see Dracula again," Verishka said.
"And if I don't?" Verona asked.
"I'll kill you tomorrow with the other. Do not mistake my willingness to be civilized with you for weakness. Make no mistake, I won't hold back," Verishka said seriously.
"I'll do it. But I hope you know what I'm giving up," Verona sighed.
"I do, and I can't thank you enough," Verishka said, putting her hand on Verona's. Verona smiled and nodded before taking off down the hall to begin leaving. Verishka guessed it had been awhile since she had done anything on her own.
That entire time, Verishka was haunted by unpleasant thoughts of that whore touching her Dracula. However, now she could relax since she had the most cunning of the three of them out of the way. She then began to think again of the reasons Dracula had for picking his brides. From missing her he tried to recreate her. Hoping that it would cause him to forget about her. But it obviously hadn't worked. With three women he still couldn't achieve the level of happiness he had with Verishka. However she wasn't through with making his heart suffer.
She let her mind be occupied with those thoughts as she left the room. Although unknown to her, Dracula had been listening to their entire conversation. Never had he been able to cloak his presence so well, neither of them had sensed him. The only thing that troubled him was the ounce of emotion he swore he felt as Verishka told of their love, which made him wonder: did he still love her?