Chapter 8
The evening air was crisp as Ian drew up in front of the castle; he assisted Julia and Timothy out of the car. The front of the castle was lit up and there were servants at the front door dressed in livery with the insignia of the Dragon on their vests.
The sound of laughter and music could be heard from inside. Julia pulled her fur wrap closer to her as she looked anxiously around.
"Julia may I tell you how utterly enchanting you look this evening."
Julia flushed and said softly, "Thank you Elliott. I am rather fond of my new dress."
She looked down at the black and white flowing gown of chiffon accented with sequins. The slender cut of the dress accented how tiny Julia really was.
"It is a step up from your two piece business suits. I particularly like the way you have styled your hair."
Julia looked down at her shoes and then up, she had taken time to put curls in her hair and fluff to accent her high cheekbones and expressive eyes.
"Thank you again Elliott."
He offered his arm and escorted her up the long stairs to the front doors of the castle. Handing over their invitations, the livery immediately bowed and opened the door for them.
Upon entering the foyer, a maid dressed in a long black dress with white apron and hat took their wraps. Julia hugged her purse close to her and Elliott noted she let her thumb play with the rhinestone-encrusted catch.
"I take it you have our special cocktail in the ready?" He whispered softly in her ear.
She nodded. The maid then escorted them down a long hallway to the rear of the house and to a large ball room with an atrium above looking down on the festively dressed people on a dance floor below.
A man at the top of the stairs announced them to the room. "The Honorable Professor Elliott Stokes and Dr. Julia Hoffman."
From below they saw a tall elegantly dressed man move towards them. "Taller than I expected." Elliott said as Vlad dressed in black tux with his coat of arms on the breast pocket moved to their side.
"Ah, Professor Stokes and Dr. Hoffman so glad you could make it. I was expecting Mr. Collins to be with you."
Julia felt her gloved hand taken and he kissed it and then shook Professor Stokes hand. "I have read your books Professor and find that your take on the black arts to be quiet prolific and amazingly correct. Where do you get your information?"
Stokes laughed, "From experience dear boy. I must say I am surprised that you took the time to read something as mundane as my take on the occult."
Vlad tucked Julia's hand in the crook of his arm and lead them down the stairs and across the room where two throne chairs sat. Vlad moved to seat Julia in a side chair and then extended his hand to Stokes and invited him to sit next to Julia.
"I see you are seating me to the right of the Queen's chair. You are doing us great honor."
Vlad laughed. "I do honor to my sweet Elizabeta, she thinks of the two of you as parents. How could I not treat you with nothing but honor."
The music stopped and all eyes turned to the top of the stairs. The courtier announced.
"Her Highness Princess Elizabeta of Wallachia." Vicki appeared at the top of the stairs and stood resplendent in a gown of soft gold trimmed in ermine with a red day coat.
On her head rested a crown of gold with rubies embedded in it. "Ah, my Princess has arrived, excuse me. I am sure you will wish to speak with her, but you must wait until I have officially welcomed my guest and we do the opening waltz. I know it is not of my era but it is a lovely dance to open a ball."
Vlad glided across the room like a giddy groom. He moved up the stairs and took Vicki's hand and laid it on top of his and escorted her down the stairs.
"I see he has dressed her in the 15th century gown of the royal wife of his house."
Julia watched to see if Vicki showed any signs of being bitten. "She appears to be untouched."
Elliott glanced at the open neckline of her dress and looked at her throat. As they passed in front of the mirror, Vicki's reflection was plain, Vlad's was not.
"She has not been turned, she has a reflection." Julia mused and stood as Vlad and Vicki moved to them.
"Julia!" Vicki was genuinely happy to see her and then she looked up at Professor Stokes. "Professor! You both are here, where is. . .' she glanced around with eyes that shined with hope.
Julia reassured her, "He was not feeling well, he did promise to be here later." Vlad stiffened and Vicki could feel his displeasure at her being so excited about Barnabas coming later.
"Come Elizabeta, our guests would like to enjoy the music. We must open the gala by doing the first dance."
Vlad led Vicki to the floor and the maestro began the music. Vicki felt herself being twirled in a waltz around the room. She had lifted the train of her skirt, took his hand and felt his hand on her hip and he pulled her closer and then began to move.
"She looks very striking in that gown. If it were not for the fact that I know the waltz was not introduced until 1799, I would almost believe she had stepped out of a portrait of the 15th century. Look at the detail on the gown. Why I believe they are originals from that period. Elliott had lifted his monocle to study the detail of her dress.
Julia watched Vicki and noted the intense concentrated look she had. "Elliott, look Vicki is fighting him for control of her mind. When she looked into his eyes, she looks away and begins concentrating. He is trying to exert his will on her."
Elliott studied the two on the floor and nodded. "She is fighting him. I fear we must make our move tonight or she will succumb to his will and we will lose her forever."
Julia nodded her agreement. "We must act soon. When you see me leave with her, you will need to go and get the car. Have Barnabas meet us in the rear garden. He will need to carry her to the car and then we can leave."
With the fading of the music and the end of the dance, Vlad escorted her back to the chair on the daïs. Seating her in the right chair, Vlad turned. "Dear Friends, please enjoy!"
The floor began to fill with dancers as more people arrived. The partygoers read like a blue plate special. With the arrival of each new couple or group that entered the room. They came with titles of her grace the Duchess or his grace the Duke, Count and Countess and on and on. Each arrival brought Vlad to the floor to welcome his guests with his courtly and effusive way of the host; he shook hands or kissed the back of the ladies' hands and welcomed and then thanked them for coming.
With Vlad leading them back to meet his wife, and Vlad making it a point to introduce Vicki as Elizabeta. Vicki was showing her reserve as she accepted the introduction, holding herself stiff and proud as she sat with hands folded neatly in her lap. Her mood was pensive and she appeared to be anything but the happy wife of the Prince of Wallachia.
Expectantly, Vicki watched the top of the stairs and as the major domo announced the arrivals and the one she hoped would be announced was not. The moment left her heart with a heaviness and the look of hope dying with each new name spoken.
In her deepest recesses of her mind she began to feel she was lost and would not be rescued by that knight in shining armor she had dreamed would appear and take her from this madness she had found herself trapped and afraid.
Julia stood and moved to Vicki's side. "Vicki, would you like to take a stroll and get some fresh air?"
Vlad looked at Julia and then to Victoria. "Elizabeta? Are you unwell?" He had narrowed his eyes and Vicki had been around him long enough to know that look was a dangerous one.
Hoping to placate him, she spoke softly, "I am a little warm, my lord husband."
Vlad motioned for a servant. The servant was at his side immediately, "Please escort the good Doctor Hoffman and my wife while they stroll in the gardens."
Leaning into the servant he whispered, "Do not leave them alone for any reason." The servant bowed to his master and offered his arms to both women.
Julia sighed; she had hoped to get her alone long enough to tell her they were there to rescue her. That Barnabas was waiting for their signal to whisk her away to home.
"Your grace." He said and bowed to Vicki and then to Julia. Julia took his arm and Vicki hesitated and then took his arm.
"Thank you." They moved in tandem towards the patio doors and out into the evening. The air was crisp and cool and Vicki could feel her cheeks cooling with its caress.
Walking slowly she glanced at Julia, "I am so happy to see you and Professor Stokes. You said Barnabas was feeling ill?"
Julia nodded and spoke softy in return. "He had a long flight here and I fear he stayed too long awake. I believe he is suffering from jet lag. He did promise he would be here later."
Julia pressed the little button on her ring and carefully moved her hand so it rested against the servants arm. She knew that the jacket he wore was too thick to press the needle into his arm and the gloves on his hands would not let penetration of the sleeping medicine.
Pausing she moved to in front of the servant to face Vicki. "My dear, I could not help but notice the lovely ring you were wearing is that a ruby?"
She reached for Vicki's hand and pressed the needle from her ring into Vicki's palm. Vicki blinked feeling the stick then look at Julia's ring. Hiding the confusion over what just happened she nodded.
"It is the wedding ring Vlad gave his wife. He felt I should have it." Julia smiled and then stepped back to the servant's other arm. "It is lovely my dear." They started to move again, strolling slowly towards a multi level water fountain..
"Yes, it's very pretty." Vicki nodded and then stopped. "Oh, I feel kind of woozy"
She swayed and the attendant caught her before she fell. Julia bent to her. Checking her pulse and then pressing her fingertips to her face, she looked at the servant.
"Put her over here on the bench and go fetch some water, she is very dehydrated."
The attendant looked around not knowing what to do. "Go and get your master if you must, but do not return unless you have some water. Hurry man, she could need a hospital if she is not hydrated."
Hearing the sense of urgency in her voice, the servant placed her on the bench and turned to sprint to the ballroom. Julia looked around and saw Willie moving at break neck speed to them.
"Julia, we gotta hurry."
He lifted Victoria and carried her towards the back gate. From the ethereal world another watched Vicki leave with Julia and Willie. The other form shimmered into view. She had taken on the appearance of Victoria and took Vicki's place on the bench.
Barnabas appeared beside her. "Thank you Josette." The figure peered at him winked and smiled. "Go Barnabas, I shall gain you some time until you can get to the airport, after that, I will not be able to hold this form for long. Did Julia give you the . . ."
Barnabas nodded and reached into his pocket pulling out a syringe.
"You know what to do?"
Josette took the syringe and hid it in the folds of her dress. "I will take care of it."
There was the sound of angry voices as Barnabas looked up to see two men rushing to where Josette lay. Shifting to mist form, Barnabas faded from view.
Vlad with Rudolph moved to the unconscious figures side. "Elizabeta! My darling." He lifted her into his arms and looked at Rudolph, "Find the good Doctor Hoffman."
Rudolph looked around and the faux Vicki opened her eyes. "Oh Vlad, Julia said the servant was taking too long and she went to get me some water." He kissed her forehead and carried her to the ballroom.
Moving with speed he waded through his guests up the stairs and to her room. Laying her on her bed, she looked at him and spoke imploringly, "My love, do not leave me. I feel so strange, I need you."
She held her arms up to him and as he gathered her into his arms. She slipped the syringe out of her sleeve and plunged it into his back depressing the fluid into his body. He screamed in shock as the burning liquid filled him. He staggered back and watched horrified as the figure he thought was Vicki shimmered into Josette.
"I told you before this had to happen. She is not for you. Now you will know what it is to feel human, to grow old and face your own death."
Vlad held his hands out in front of him screaming. "What have you done!" His hands were beginning to age growing old and wrinkled. Turning he could see his reflection in the mirror, his face was beginning to age. He screamed again feeling his body beginning to age.
"No, what have you done." Josette slowly faded from view and Vlad was left alone.
The door opened and Vicki's maid entered the room. Vlad reached for her and pulled her to him, she screamed in freight as the old crone of a man held her and pulled her hair aside and bit deeply into her neck, He drank of her blood, and dropped her dead body at his feet and staggered to the nearest chair and slumped into it.
"Collins you will pay dearly for this betrayal." He was feeling weak and closed his eyes, "Elizabeta! My Elizabeta! I will get you back." He felt his life slipping from him as his supernatural abilities began to fade, the blood had not helped him and he was aging becoming a 400-year-old man and would soon turn to bone and dust.
Closing his eyes he saw his life pass before him. "I will come back. When I do, I will seek my revenge and reclaim what is mine."
His skin drew against his body, and then he was nothing more than a skeleton, and then dust. His clothing sagged and folded with the dust of his body.
Rudolph entered the room, "Vlad? Vlad!" He rushed to the chair and saw the dust of his son-in-law. "Vile creatures, you think this is the end of Vlad?"
Collecting all the dust, into a vase, Rudolph moved with haste. He knew what he needed to do and he would have to move quickly.