My words returned his smile and he reached out to touch my cheek affectionately. Above his head, I saw Magda’s lips turn up slightly as she lifted a jug of warm water to pour over Ignatius.
My lover appreciated the bath so much that he only pulled himself from the tub when the water grew cold. Magda left us so he could dress. As she closed the door, she gave me such a sweet smile it warmed my heart.
I could not help but watch Ignatius as he dressed. I wanted to savor the vision of him within my room and a pang of sorrow slipped through me as I realized how short our time together had been. I was mesmerized by his every movement. I loved the way his hair fell about his face and how his muscles moved beneath his pale skin. When he saw me observing him, his smirk of amusement made me giggle.
“Enjoying yourself?”
“Immensely.” I was tempted to drag him back to my bed, but I could see the growing tension in his posture and knew he would be leaving soon. Instead of seducing him, I helped him button his shirt and waistcoat before arranging the cravat around his neck. Every piece of his clothing was black. “You look rather morose.”
“Every bit of camouflage is necessary when dealing with the spies of Gavril.”
“You do look handsome.”
“I’m glad it pleases you.” His kiss was passionately loving.
“You always please me.” Again, sorrow stabbed deep within me and I forced myself to smile.
A soft knock on the door made me shiver and I called out, “Yes?”
“Lady Astir is here,” Adem answered.
“It is time for me to depart.” Ignatius plucked his tall hat off my vanity and sighed.
I took him in my arms and rested my head against his chest. His heart was stilled. He had not fed, nor had I. We were cold dead creatures. Yet, we loved each other and when we kissed our passion was alive and warm.
Together we stepped out into my sitting room where Lady Astir was seated on my blue couch. Clad in an ivory gown with thick, ornate gold embroidery, she was quite the sight. Her golden hair was twisted and braided into an ornate style beneath her fashionable hat adorned with large ivory bows and gold feathers.
“Lady Astir,” Ignatius said, bowing slightly. He was obviously not surprised by the fallen angel’s change in gender.
“Father Ignatius, are you prepared to depart?” Astir rose, her tall, slender form an imposing sight as always.
Adem lingered at her side, his dark, scarred face a mask of indifference. Yet, I suspected he would have much to say once my lover departed. Magda stood a little apart from us, her head bowed, and her eyes sparkling with tears.
“Regrettably, I am.” Ignatius squeezed my hand before releasing it.
Astir leaned over to kiss his cheek before moving on to greet me with a kiss on either cheek. “I did this despite my better judgment, you know.”
“I thank you.” My voice was hoarse with emotion. “With all my heart, I thank you.”
“Hrmm,” she merely said, then turned to Ignatius. “All has been said that needed to be said?”
“Yes.” Ignatius gazed at me somberly, his lips slightly twitching with emotion.
“Then it is time for you to return to Vienna. Close your eyes, see your haven, and give yourself to me,” Astir instructed, her low voice purring with her power.
I moved toward Ignatius, a protest forming on my lips, but Adem stepped between us. I gripped my guard’s arm tightly, my eyes filling with tears, and he gently guided me away from Astir and Ignatius. My gaze did not leave my love as he reluctantly closed his eyes, concentration furrowing his brow. He gave a brief nod and Astir raised her hand over his face. I heard her voice whisper words in an unknown language as she slowly circled about him. On her third pass around his still form, he vanished.
“Ignatius!”
Astir turned slowly toward me, her eyes full of fire. “No time for tears, little one. It is time to talk.”
“Have you no heart? You have taken him from me, and I am in pain!”
Adem crushed me against his chest and I clung to him for comfort. I felt Magda’s gentle hand on my back, her touch soothing. I sobbed as my tears came. My dead heart gave a shuddering gasp as I glared at Astir.
“I gave you a gift against my better judgment! When he summoned me, I refused him until Adem told me how desperately you needed him.” Astir’s words were clipped and harsh. “Sit down and stop being a foolish child. If you want him to return then dry your tears and stop being a simpering foolish woman.”
The fallen angel’s words enraged me, but also saved me from wallowing in my despair. Anger rushed up to chase away my tears. Lifting my chin, I withdrew from Adem’s comforting embrace and walked over to my favorite chair. Securing my dressing robe tightly around me, I sat down and glared at Astir.
“That is much better,” she decided, her thin lips twisting into the semblance of a smile. She seated herself on the sofa and arranged her heavy skirts around her. Once she was done plucking at her shawl and setting it right about her shoulders, she turned her fiery gaze upon me. It was disturbing to see the fire burning where her eyes should be, but I refused to look away and be cowed by her.
“Did you tell him about Ilinca?”
I was startled by the bluntness of her question and blinked my eyes in confusion.
“I am certain by now you have pieced together that the vampire that assaulted you and Adem was Ilinca. Correct?”
“Yes.”
“So did you tell Ignatius about your encounter with her?”
“No, I did not. If he knew that Ilinca had interest in me, he would immediately return to Buda and risk his life to be at my side.”
Astir threw back her head and laughed with delight. “Ah, you have grown wiser, my little vampire. You are exactly right.”
“Why did you not respond to my requests to see you after I saw Ilinca? You abandoned me!”
“You had Adem at your side. My instructions were clear that you should remain in the role of a mortal countess. By all accounts, you have done just that. Well, done, Countess Dracula. So far you have fared well. Do not disappoint me now.” Astir pointed a long finger at me. “Do not make me regret assisting you.”
“I have done all you have instructed. I have established a mortal life in this city. I even have mortal friends who visit often. I attend parties and concerts. I am well respected among the mortals, even if I am seen as a bit scandalous by some due to my marriage. I even have sympathy from those who believe my husband has abandoned me for far too long while he travels abroad. So do not threaten me, Astir!”
She snorted and looked away, appearing to be the wounded party.
Adem moved to stand behind my chair, his hands resting on the back of it. It was a subtle move of loyalty I did not expect and it touched me. “She has not been foolish, Lady Astir. She has been wise. But you have kept her ignorant of facts that could adversely affect her for far too long. I strongly advise you to tell her all.”
Astir snapped her head about to glare at him. I was surprised to see she appeared hurt by his show of devotion. “Don’t tell me you’re in love with her!”
Magda, lingering in the shadows, stepped forward. “No. He is in love with me. But we both love her. So please tell her the truth.”
My mouth dropped open in surprise, though I should have realized much sooner that they had formed a close bond. How many times had I seen them talking and smiling together in the shadows? I glanced up at Adem and he reached down to squeeze my shoulder.
“Very well. Ignatius has told you most of the story, I am sure. Now for the rest. There is no order to the vampire world. They do as they please and that has always been the way of it. It is rare, but sometimes vampire cabals claim certain cities or territories as their feeding ground and defend it against all outside supernatural forces. This is most common in areas of the world where there have been recent conflicts that flow over from the mortal world into the realm of the unnatural. Buda has been one of the cities that has always borne conflict in both the mortal and immortal worlds. There are other parts of the world where conflict is rare and vampires and other supernaturals merely live their lives as they see fit. London is one of those cities. That is why Vlad desired to go there. There was a brutal conflict many centuries ago that wiped out most of the supernatural creatures in the British Isles. Those who remain keep to themselves, remembering far too well the violence and death that nearly destroyed them all.”
“And where do you sit among all the violence and intrigue, Lady Astir?” I stared at her angrily, wishing she had told me all this before.
“In the center of the web, of course,” she answered with a smirk. “But, I must admit Buda is my home. I fell to earth here and I am fond of it. I have seen it rise up over the many centuries and it is now on the brink of greatness. When the vampire hunters came, I thought at first that it was merely coincidence. Then Ilinca and Gavril appeared in my haven and demanded that I stand apart from the conflict.”
“You’re afraid of vampires?” I was shocked, but also a bit smug about that fact.
Astir pursed her lips together and cast her eyes away from me. “They threatened to reveal the haven entrance to the vampire hunters and compromise my home. I am powerful, but even I have my limitations. I cast out all the vampires from my haven and it has cost me dearly. But I promised Ilinca and Gavril that I would give refuge to none. That I would not assist any vampire who sought me out.”
