Thanks to Medusa Sparrow-Descouedres for the beta-read, and also to Gothic Girl 3000 and Stacy Vorosco for the review.
3. Verona
Transylvania 1768
A young lady of nineteen years who was brought up as a noble, Verona does not like the life she lives. Unable to interact with people whom she counts as friends, and restricted to do many things a lady is forbidden to do, Verona longs for more than what she has. Her wish is granted when she meets an enigmatic Count and his entourage…
Verona laughed and spurred her horse on, her mentor, Gavin, riding besides her.
"May I ask why you invited all the peasants to the ball, Lady Von Imbroglio?" Gavin asked, his nose wrinkling in distaste.
Verona laughed. It wasn't like she would tell him that she was doing it mortify her parents who hated the peasants. He would just go and tell her parents what she had said. Though not that that was the only reason. Her friends were in the village, and she liked to have someone to talk to at the boring evening balls her mother hosted, as there was none who attended that she could relate to.
"They are my friends."
Gavin sniffed. "Your parents would indeed be disappointed with you, my Lady."
Verona laughed, shaking back her long ebony hair. "So? The peasants are nice people; mother and father should not be so high and mighty all the time."
Gavin gasped. "Lady Von Imbroglio!"
Verona rolled her eyes. "Well, they do. It is the truth!" she sent her horse into a canter and raced along the field, leaving Gavin behind.
"Jeanine?" Verona called.
Verona's maid came running into the chamber. "Yes, my Lady?"
"Do my strings for me, please?" She asked. Jeanine nodded and tied up the ribbons at the back of the ball gown, then stood back, smiling.
"You look wonderful, my Lady."
Verona smiled at her. "Thank you."
Jeanine smiled back, and exited the room to call on the mistress of the manor. Verona looked at herself in the mirror, at the long flowing cream gown with the crimson lace, and placed a band of crimson around her neck, slipping ruby slippers onto her feet and taking her ebony hair out of the ribbon, letting it fall past her shoulders. Satisfied, she listened attentively, hearing the sound of voices filtering from below, and went down to greet her guests.
As Verona came down the long winding stairs everyone in the room looked up and a collective sigh went round. All the males looked at her with interest in their eyes and Verona rolled her eyes and went over to Marian and her mother, Cerise. Both were dressed in their best clothes, and Verona smiled as she neared them.
"Marian! Cerise! So wonderful of you to join us!" She beamed at them.
"I'm glad to be here." Marian smiled.
"Thank you for inviting us." Cerise murmured, her eyes flickering to Verona's parents, who were in the corner looking disapproving.
Verona followed Marian's eyes, and noticed her parents. She raised her glass, smiling cheerfully at them, and turned back to Marian. "You know, Nathaniel is here with his father. Go and talk to him!"
Marian blushed and looked up at her mother.
"Go." Her mother encouraged her.
Marian smiled. "Excuse me." She went over to Nathaniel and a minute later he led her onto the floor for a dance.
"It would be wonderful if they married." Verona remarked.
"Of course." Cerise smiled. "I have heard that he intends to propose to her this eve."
Verona glanced at her. "Really?"
Cerise nodded. "His father, blacksmith Apollo, informed me."
Verona looked at the happy couple whirling around the room. "Lucky Marian."
The doors opened and a Count came in, dressed in dark clothes, with a woman on each arm. All eyes in the room automatically turned on them. The Count, with his dark hair and eyes, similar to a Prince of Darkness, contrasted with the women besides him, one with golden curls dressed in gold and cobalt resembling an angel, and the other with crimson curls dressed in scarlet, like a goddess of love.
"Count Dracula and his Countesses." Verona whispered, confused. "They actually…attended?"
Cerise glanced at her. "They were invited?"
Verona nodded. "My parents sent the invitations."
Cerise's eyes narrowed. "Extraordinary that they came."
Verona watched as the Count said something to his companions and then came over to Verona.
"Lady Verona Von Imbroglio." His voice wrapped around her name like a caress. "May I have this dance?"
"Of course." Verona held out her hand and he took it, leading her to the floor.
His arm wrapped around her neck, his other hand touching her waist lightly as they waltzed across the floor.
"So Count Dracula." Verona said. "What brings you here?"
Count Dracula chuckled. "You will soon find out."
"I have heard you are a man of many secrets." Verona told him.
"Pray tell from whom?"
"Not just the villagers; none may go near the castle that is so far yet part of the town. All fear you."
The Count smiled, and something about his teeth disturbed her. "Do you fear me?"
"Yes." She replied softly.
The Count's eyes darkened. "That is a dilemma, but I assure you, there is no need to fear me. After all, I do not bite."
Verona's heart thudded against her ribcage, and she swallowed, paler than usual. She looked around and saw that the Count's companions, Marishka and Aleera, were nowhere to be found. She looked back at the Count and saw him watching her, a gleam in his eye. She remained silent, and when the dance ended, the Count led her to the edge of the floor.
"May I ask you to step outside with me?" he asked.
Verona nodded. "Of course."
The Count held her arm and led her out the door into the garden. The cool night air felt fresh against her face, and the moon shone down on them, illuminating the ripples on the pool.
"A lovely night." the Count said, looking up at the moon.
"Most definitely." Verona agreed.
The Count looked at her, and the expression on his face was intense. His face loomed closer to hers, and Verona's heart speeded up, making it harder for her to breathe.
Suddenly, two figures came flying out of the sky and knocked her backwards. She crashed into a tree and slumped to the ground, her head spinning. She regained herself and looked at the scene that was unfolding in front her.
"Marishka! Aleera!" the Count growled. "What is the meaning of this?"
"She is Verona Von Imbroglio! To turn her would be to have the world come upon us!" Marishka, the golden one, hissed, her face contorted.
Verona realised with horror that the Count and Countesses eyes were glowing with an eerie light, their lips pulled back to reveal pointy incisors.
"All in the world would notice if she were to disappear!" Aleera added. Aleera was the beauty with the crimson curls.
The Count snarled and made a move towards them. The two women hissed, cringing back, and he lowered his hand. "None would know what were to happen. None noticed she has gone, and if we were to leave soon, none would suspect us of spiriting her away."
Marishka was defiant. "No!"
"You disobey me, I, your maker!" the Count roared. The two women clung to each other, hissing. The Count's anger faded as he looked at them. "Come. Do not be afraid of me; I will not hurt you."
The two women went over to him and buried their face in his neck as he held them to him.
"I need a third bride. Verona Von Imbroglio is perfect." He murmured. The two women drew away from his neck, though still clinging onto him, and looked up at his face.
"Do what you must." Marishka told him. They stepped away from him and he walked over to Verona, holding out his hand.
Verona had understood all he had said, and understood what he was offering her. Eternal life. Silently, she took his hand as he wheeled into the night sky and towards his castle.
A few hours later, Verona awoke, the transformation complete, and saw the Count and the Countesses at the foot of the bed, staring down at her. Verona smiled at them; her lips pulling back to reveal her newly acquired fangs, and slid off the bed, joining them as they went out to hunt.
As she wheeled above the town, she could see everything clearly in the night that is never dark for those like her. Like them.
And as she smiled, her eyes glowed a brilliant, eerie white.