“Oh, cara mia, my darling Glynis, God forgive me for ever bringing you to this horrible place! God forgive me!”

Glynis lowered her lovely face into her hands and stood there as beautiful as any Roman goddess in her fine garments and jewels. I could not help but stare at this strange, beautiful deadly creature that wore the guise of my daughter. But it was my daughter! I felt it in my heart! This fearsome creature of the night, whose skin was as pale as moonlight, with eyes as fierce as a hawk’s, was my eldest daughter: transformed, damned, but still my daughter.

I felt myself crumbling. I had done this. I had let this horrible thing happen. Why had I not let Glynis live her own life? Find her own way? Why had I been so determined to find her a husband? My actions had born bitter fruit for now my daughter was the bride of the Prince of Darkness and all that I had held dear was gone.

“Glynis,” I whispered, love filling my voice.

The creature looked up. The fierce, mesmerized expression was gone and was replaced by a fearful, desperate one. “Mother, help me!”

I hesitated, then tucked my rosary into my blouse. I held out my arms to her, knowing that I was welcoming death.

Glynis moved ever so swiftly across the room and into my embrace. Holding her closely, I trembled. Tears slipped down my face, tasting bitter on my lips.

“Your sister,” I began.

“She is in heaven with the angels, Mother. When I was dying, she came for me. I saw a great light and she came from it. But then…but then…” Glynis’ voice faded.

“Then she is safe with the Saints.”

“Yes,” Glynis answered.

My child’s flesh was so cold to my touch. The body I held in my arms felt far different from the one I remembered holding before. I kissed the top of Glynis’ head. “I’m so sorry. I am sorry for all I said and did, cara mia.”

The vampire sobbed in my arms. “Oh, Mother, I am so sorry. I am so very sorry! This is my entire fault.”

“No, Glynis, it is not your fault. I should have let you be.”

“Mother.”

“Yes, my darling.”

“I am so hungry, Mother.”

Those simple words were now twisted to strike fear into my very soul. “Yes, I know, my darling. That is why he brought you here. He is a monster.”

“I hate him! I hate him! He forced me to do horrible things, Mother! I hate him for what he did to Father and May!”

“And I hate him for what he has done to you!” I held her tightly. “To us.”

Glynis raised her head, her beautiful eyes rimmed with tears. “I am so hungry. Do you understand?”

I nodded, my lips pressed tightly together. “He has chosen you as my death. Just one more monstrosity.”

“I am fighting so hard! I feel so weak! If it were anyone else, I know the hunger would have overwhelmed me by now. But I am fighting it!” Glynis pulled away from me and wrapped her arms around herself. She walked to the far side of the cell and slid down into the corner.

I clasped my hands tightly together and whispered fervent prayers.

And here I now sit, writing in my little journal, my rosary glowing in my hand. I watch her writhe and sob in the corner.

I will ask of her one thing before she takes my life. Just one thing.

I know now this is my end. I will die now. Tonight. At my daughter’s hand.

May God have mercy on us both.

The Journal of Lady Glynis Wright

I read my mother’s letters and journal in the aftermath of the horror that transpired in her cell. I read them and wept.

For as I huddled in that corner of her cell, trembling, fighting, trying to win against the hunger, I knew I would feed. I knew her death would be upon my lost soul, and I cried with rage.

How serenely she sat on the floor, writing in her journal, her rosary glowing in her hand. Somehow I knew that her faith made the tiny cross glow with divine power. I could feel it pressing me away from her.

And I hungered...how I hungered.

My mother’s eyes lifted to gaze upon me. “Glynis, promise me one thing.”

I nodded my head. “Anything you ask.”

“Fight him. Escape this place! Do what you must to escape! Please, cara mia, I can die in peace if I know you will find a way from this place. That you will fight him and be free!”

I nodded, whimpering as the hunger tore at me. I could hear her heart beating, summoning me to feed. “I swear it. I will escape! I will!”

She forced a smile and laid her journal aside. Calmly, she dug a little hole in the dirt, filth and straw that littered the floor. She genuflected, and I had to look away for my eyes burned as for a moment her body flashed beautifully white. She kissed the rosary tenderly, laid it in the hole, and covered it.

“Mother,” I whispered.

Calmly, she stood up, brushing her skirts with her hands. Gently, she tucked her hair back from her face and neck, turning to gaze fully upon me.

“I can die now, in peace, my darling one.”

“Mother, I cannot!”

Without her cross, I felt released to move toward her, to take hold of her, but I fought that desire.

“If you do not take my life now, Glynis, he will slaughter me as he did your father. I know it. I do not want to die like that.”

“Do not ask this of me!”

“And if you wait any longer, you will go mad with the hunger. Already it is tearing at you. I have heard you howl in the night with the agony of it. He waited until this night when it would seize hold of you to bring you here. If you wait any longer, will you even care that I am your mother?” She looked so brave and beautiful, my haughty, lovely mother.

“I cannot!”

She gave me her most stern look. “I ask you to take my life now before you go mad. I see it in your eyes. You will not care who I am when the hunger overwhelms you. I do not want to suffer that terror. Spare me that agony. Give me release!”

“Never!” I covered my face with my hands. “I will not take your life!”

But you will, my love.

The low, seductive voice of my Master whispered ever so softly into my ear, his cold breath chilling my cheek.

I whirled about, but only shadows surrounded me.

Mother was fidgeting, her hands trembling at her sides. “Please, Glynis, help me escape this place.”

She begs for death. Will you not you grant her what she desires?

I could not see my Master, but his presence filled the cell. “I will not!”

My Mother held out her arms to me, her hands beseeching me. “Please, Glynis, release me from this place.”

“Stop it, Mother,” I screeched at her. The hunger was ripping me to shreds and the soft, haunting voice of my Master filled me with dread. I could not do this thing. I would not!

If you do not take her, I will stake her through and leave her body to rot in our resting place. I will make her suffer as only I can.

I began to scream, my hands raised out against my invisible tormentor. As quickly as his presence had filled the chamber, it was gone, just the echo of his laughter remaining.

My mother was terrified by my actions, but she remained trembling before me, determined and strong. Grasping hold of me, she forced me into her arms, clasping me tightly. I shrieked in agony, throwing back my head in anguish.

Stroking my hair, my mother whispered, “Cara mia, cara mia, I love you. Shush now, be strong.”

Overwhelmed, I fell against her. We collapsed to the floor together, my face buried in her lap. Weeping, my mother held me tightly, rocking back and forth. Whispering prayers fervently under her breath, my mother slowly slid her hand under my lowered head and lifted my face.

“As I gave you life before, I give you life once more,” she whispered. “Do not forget me. Do not forget that I love you.”

“Mother, I will not forget you, Father or May. If I should live until the world dies, I will not forget. Pray for me in heaven. Pray for me.”

“I promise,” my mother sobbed. “I will pray before the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. I will beseech the Blessed Virgin to watch over you. I pray that they will have mercy on your soul. I promise you.” My mother took a deep breath. “Now drink, my darling. Drink and live. And do not forget your promise to me. You will escape this place.

“I will. I swear it.” I raised my eyes and captured her gaze. “Now rest, my mother. Rest and feel no pain. Rest.”

“Yes, I think I will rest,” my Mother whispered, her expression dazed.

“Rest.”

“Yes.”

“And feel no pain.”

“Yes.”

Her eyes fluttered shut and she dropped into my arms. Tenderly, tears streaming down my face, I lowered my head and kissed her throat. My fangs descended beneath my red lips.

“I forgive you,” she whispered.

The hunger rose.

My pearl white teeth, sharp as daggers, descended into her soft flesh and blood flowed. Feeding as hungrily as a babe at my mother’s breast, I drank in my mother’s life. The shadows roaming the darkened cell pressed close as the wolves’ howls echoed through the night.

In that filthy chamber, my mother held me in her arms and gave me all that she possessed of worth in this dark world: her life’s blood, which flowed in a dark red gush. It became a sacred moment, and I wept as she weakened against me.

“I forgive you,” she whispered again softly.

The hunger would not release me. I fed despite my sobs of anguish and my tears.

“A light is coming,” my mother said.

As the hunger abated and died within me like the last embers of a great fire, the true horror of what I was doing washed over me. Forcing my mouth from the bleeding wound, I glanced about the cell. No great wondrous light filled the cell with ethereal beauty.

My mother smiled, her lips pale and blue. “May, dear May…”

I looked up sharply, but did not see the an angelic apparition of my sister.

“Mother, do you see her?”

There was no response.

“Mother?”

Silence greeted me. Not even the darkness whispered to me.

I looked down at her and saw that her eyes were staring.

“Mother! No!”

I wept into her hair and held her tightly. I do not how it happened, but when I gazed down upon her again, her eyes were closed. She appeared to be sleeping, but I knew she was truly dead.

“Forgive me, forgive me.”

Cradling my mother’s body, I wept into the darkness. I could not bear this agony, this horror. But the hunger was now gone, and the horrible all consuming desire to feed was appeased.

“You are free, Mother. You are free.” I covered her face with kisses, holding her. “I will escape. I swear it. I will.”

As the wolves once more began to howl, I held my mortal mother’s dead body and wept.

Hours later the door yawned open and Vlad Dracula swept into the cell. I rose up before him, my flesh was now rosy from my feeding. Behind me, meticulously laid out, was my dead mother.

“It is done,” I said somberly.

Vlad smiled at me. “I knew you would not disappoint me.”

My lips spread into a dark smile, not that different from his own. “Oh, but I will.”

He was startled. “In what way?”

“You will see. Someday.”

In the hours after my Mother’s death, I had taken upon myself her sacred edict. I would escape. I would be free. Her body had given birth to me. Her blood gave me life. Despite Vlad’s dark power, the power of her flesh and blood gave me strength to endure all that he would inflict on me. He had meant for me to defile my mother by feasting on her. Instead, she had given me a holy sacrament of flesh and blood.

Vlad stared at me for a long moment. I could see he could not read my expression. “I won here, did I not?” He suddenly seemed less sure of himself.

I smiled at him. “I wish to go be with my sisters now.”