- XLIV -

The snowstorm outside moaned through the fragile windows of Castle Corvinus in an eerie monotone when Viktor made his way to the mortal nobles' quarters. Tonight he would inform them about the decision he had made yesterday. He would keep Ilona here, turning her into a vampire and making her his wife. Maybe he would turn Semira, too. With the remaining mortals, he would deal as he had done with his soldiers centuries ago, in pretence giving them a choice to become immortals or leave, before secretly killing the departing cowards. His aquamarine eyes sparkled with wicked anticipation as he had a servant open the heavy door of the guest rooms for him.

"...cannot trust them. Please let us leave!" Viktor heard Ilona beg.

The mortals were sitting at a small table, seeming to just have discussed their realisation of their hosts' nature as well as their stay at the castle, with Lajos insisting to wait for better weather, his half-sister wanting to leave as soon as possible, the boy silent and uninvolved as always. Oddly, Semira said not a word, her posture quite tense. When the four caught the eye of their visitor, however, they instantly sprang to their feet and bowed.

A generous smile appeared on Viktor's thin lips. Despite their natural fear of vampires, their acquired subordination to higher nobility would make it a waltz to integrate them into the immortal society as his loyal servants.

"My friends," the warlord began in a benevolent tone. "You surely remember yesterday's conversation, and as you are sophisticated men and women, I am certain you already have guessed what I was intending by asking you all those questions."

"Yes, Milord, of course I have," Semira didn't hesitate to speak up.

Lajos looked bewildered, his eyebrows wandering high up his bald forehead. The corpulent nobleman didn't seem to have any idea what the warlord and his wife were talking about.

Ilona, however, bit down on her bottom lip, her hands beginning to tremble. After the initial shock of realising they were trapped in a castle of vampires, she had searched for a reason why their ruler wanted to know about her family, about women and children. A thought had come to her mind, but she hadn't dared to grasp it, afraid her assumption could be true.

"You are looking for a wife, Sire," Semira now boldly stated.

"Clever woman," Viktor praised her, but the blue flames of his demonic eyes flickered to her sister-in-law.

"Ilona..." the sound of her name rolled from the warlord's mouth sweet and affectionate, but it thundered in the girl's head like the hailstorm outside the windows.

Immediately, she lowered her head, staring at the floor, her lips quivering. The horrible speculations that had been welling up in her worried mind... they were true. The unholy, soulless king of blood-drinkers wanted her to marry him and have his children. She had never had a nightmare as bad as this!

Suddenly Ilona felt ice cold fingers gently raising her chin, and she was forced to look into the devil's burning eyes.

"I have considered my decision well," Viktor continued in a regal tone. "I want you as my wife. Are you willing to become mine?"

Ilona involuntarily held her breath, her vision blurring. Wake me up, please! She thought over and over again.

"No, she is not!"

With a supernaturally swift motion, the lord of the castle let go of Ilona and turned to the one both audacious and foolish enough to disturb his proposal. Semira stood in the middle of the room, fearlessly facing the regal vampire, taking on an equally regal posture, her dark damask dress billowing in the draught from the permeable windows.

"Look at her," the austere beauty pointed at Ilona, the wedding band on her finger glittering in the hearth's light. "She cowers in a corner, trembling in fear, fear of the uncommon, the unknown and unfathomable. She may be raised to become some mortal baron's bride, but do you really think she could be a worthy wife for a great ruler?"

Viktor furrowed his brow, but said nothing as Semira went on.

"I have no doubt that you, Sire, are the most noble and powerful of immortals. You deserve a woman befitting of your rank, beautiful, strong and loyal, someone disposed to leave everything behind just to stand by your side."

The warlord's lips curled into a sneer. What an amusing little speech!

"And that woman befitting my rank are you, I presume," he drawled, feigning a bored tone. "Spare me that self-adulation! As you are lacking in fertility, you do not meet my requirements."

Semira politely listened and seemed undeterred by his words.

"Milord, I assure you, I am not unable to conceive children. It is my husband who is unable to father them." Raising her voice, she turned around, now accusingly pointing at Lajos, whose eyes widened in shock.

"But Semira, I thought we..." he stammered in consternation, but his wife cut him off.

"Be quiet, you fool!" There was both haughtiness and disgust dripping from every syllable she spoke. "I am no longer willing to be wed to a ridiculous coward like you!" With that, she pulled the wedding band from her finger, holding it up so that it twinkled again. "I renounce that loathsome bond of ours!" Semira spat, before throwing the ring into the fireplace.

Lajos now seemed to have overcome his shock, rising to his full height and taking a threatening step towards Semira.

"How dare you, wench! You cannot dissolve our marriage! This is a male privilege by God's law!" The mortal's tone was a strange mixture between an angry growl and a fevered squeal.

An arrogant smile appeared on Semira's beautiful features and an almost insane glint lit up her dark eyes.

"I won't worship a God whose law allows men to treat women like cattle! If it is God's will to rob me of my freedom and imprison me in such a damnable existence, then I shall renounce Him as well!" she hissed in rage.

Lajos couldn't believe his ears. Had his wife just turned apostate? What in all saints' names had gotten into her?!

"Sacrilege!" he cried out, reaching out and roughly grabbing her arm.

Viktor watched the scene with utter amusement. It was really entertaining how Semira was trying to win his favour by demonstrating how strong and determined she was. But now the argument between her and her husband had turned into a religious controversy, and the Elder decided to intervene. He was here to claim Ilona as his wife, not to witness a quarrel about a God he hadn't wasted a thought on in centuries.

Just as he stepped forth, however, something completely unexpected happened. From her skirts, Semira produced a long carving knife, and in a quick motion, buried the blade in Lajos's chest.