I was not certain what this meant and began to protest, but Ignatius said quickly, “I will make sure he gives her a good position in his household.”
Vlad nodded. “Once I am at the castle, I will send him compensation if he desires it. She alone survived the slaughter of my servants and deserves to be treated well.”
Ignatius agreed silently and moved toward Magda.
“Please, sir, let me go with you and my Mistress,” Magda begged Vlad.
“It is best you go with my brother,” Vlad answered her. “You will not be harmed.”
I kissed Magda’s cheek and tried to console her. “All will be well,” I promised her.
“Please, let me go with you. Please!”
I doubt Vlad was touched by her pleas, but he hesitated, then said, “We shall take you to your new haven. It shall be to my advantage for I need to appeal to Astir for a carriage and a driver.”
Ignatius helped me get Magda to her feet. The child clung to her so tightly we did not dare try to remove him. Ignatius swung up onto one of the horses and reached down for her and the child. I lifted them easily, despite my weakened condition. My maid settled into the strong arms of my lover.
“Should we be attacked again, flee immediately. I will find you,” Vlad instructed me.
I started to protest, then realized he feared that I would be easily killed in my weakened state. With a nod of my head, I let him lift me onto another horse. His hands lingered on my waist as he gazed up at me intently.
“I shall be fine,” I promised.
Ignatius’ horse drew near mine. Magda gazed at me sorrowfully as she rocked the boy in her arms.
Vlad leapt onto the last horse and expertly drew it about. The horse was sleek and black, its dark eyes flashing. Despite my hatred of him, I had to admit he cut a dashing figure on his mount.
“Ignatius, lead. Glynis follow. I shall be last. Go straight to Astir’s haven and do not detour. They will be watching the skies, not looking for us on horseback.”
Ignatius nodded, spurring his horse. Instantly, he was off. I followed on my own mount, my reins clutched in my hands. The thundering of horses hooves filled my ears, then slowly faded as Vlad cloaked us in his power and muted any sound we might make. We rode swiftly through the cobblestone streets under the canopies of the great trees and past the silent homes and businesses of Buda.
I could not take my eyes from Ignatius’ form as we rode. I loved him so, yet I could not touch him or speak to him. The danger we faced was terrifying and I wished to touch him to console myself. But Vlad’s anger was a living force at my back, and I knew he suspected us.
The horses wound their way through Buda, up and down lanes, darting around corners, plunging deeper into the heart of the city. The wind tore at my hair and face. I was glad, for it dried the tears I could not stop from slipping down my face.
I was at last beginning to feel a tad safe when Gregor, the dhamphir vampire hunter, materialized abruptly in the center of the street before the horse bearing Ignatius. The deadly hunter was just as pale as when he had first attacked me and was clad all in black. His pale countenance was determined as his fingers twitched over the daggers sheathed in the arm of his coat.
“I do not take kindly to those who killed my sister,” he hissed.
There was a glimmer of silver, then Ignatius’ horse reared back, screaming. It fell over, legs flailing as both Ignatius and Magda were thrown. Somehow, Magda managed to hold onto the boy and cushioned his fall with her body as she tumbled to the road.
I do not think the dhamphir realized there was more than one of us. He moved quite resolutely toward Ignatius with no heed to my swift approach. Gregor strode with ruthless determination toward my lover with daggers in both his white hands.
My horse leaped over the its fallen comrade toward the dhamphir.
Purely on instinct, I looped my reins in one hand. As I sailed past the hunter, I caught him about the throat and dragged him off his feet. Gregor’s hand came up to grip my wrist as he struggled to free himself as the horse swept him down the street. Anger, hot and raw filled me. I remembered all too well his assault and knew he would have slain Magda and her child. Yearning for a weapon to cease his life, I did what little I could and drew the reins tighter around his throat.
“Bride of Satan,” he gasped as he recognized me.
“Die, you little worm,” I hissed, trying to either break his neck or strangle the life from him.
I saw the flash of his blade in his other hand. “After you, my lady.”
With a cry of frustration, I flung myself from the horse to evade the blade and tumbled off the street into the bushes nearby. I remembered all too well how those daggers burned and rendered me helpless before.
The loud neighing of the horses mingled with the shouts of men as I rolled out of the bushes. Looking up, I saw that the dhamphir had cut himself free and attempting to climb to his feet. My horse was in a fury. It reared up and struck at him with its front hooves.
As I managed to stand, I saw the horse rise up again and, at last, land a hard blow to the dhamphir. It knocked the hunter back onto the ground before whirling about and fleeing.
“Run to the haven,” Vlad’s voice ordered from behind me.
Ignatius rushed toward me and grabbed my hand. Already he carried Magda and her child across his shoulders. He drew me along behind him as we ran swiftly through the streets, leaving Vlad behind to battle alone with the dhamphir.
“Can he win?” I asked as Ignatius raced us through the narrow streets.
“I do not know,” Ignatius answered in a terse voice. “We are all weakened from lack of blood. And the dhamphir is glutted with it.”
We turned down the familiar back street and I let out a cry of relief. I had not realized how close we were to Astir’s haven. As we rushed toward the alcove set in the wall, I saw the small door open. The darkness beyond its threshold was a welcome sight to say the least.
Quite suddenly, the doorway filled with brilliant white light. The light not only filled the doorway, but also seemed to press against the sides of it, stretching it wide.
“Hurry,” Ignatius shouted.
My feet were barely touching the ground when we reached the massive doorway and leapt into the light. I was blinded by its brilliance as I tumbled to the floor. A soft carpet was there to cushion my fall. Ignatius stumbled as Magda and her child slid from his shoulders to fall down beside me.
Whirling about, Ignatius reached out his hand. A servant was already standing there holding a silver sword. As always, the haven was prepared to deliver whatever was required of it. Ignatius immediately took it and rushed back out into the street.
Vlad appeared bleeding profusely as he staggered down the street. He was covered in blood and I was certain he had beaten the dhamphir. To my horror, Gregor appeared behind Vlad. Both daggers raised, he plunged them into Vlad’s back several times. In a flash, the dhamphir was gone.
Vlad fell to his knees growling. He struggled to stand as Gregor again appeared before him. This time, the hunter held a sword.
In retrospect, I am not sure why Ignatius did what he did. Most likely it was instinct or perhaps a sense of loyalty, but if the blade had fallen, we would have been free.
Instead, Ignatius moved swiftly to defend Vlad. He was a blur of shadow darting across the street as Gregor drew back to strike Vlad down. With a swiftness I could not even see, Ignatius’ sword blocked the downward sweep of the dhamphir’s decapitating blow.
Gregor raised his pale eyes to gaze at Ignatius and he laughed in his mocking tones.
“Well done,” he said, then attacked Ignatius in a fury of blows.
Ignatius matched the dhamphir’s frightening speed. I watched in utter terror as they fought before the open doorway. The clang of metal striking metal resounded through the night.
Vlad rose slowly to his feet and staggered toward the haven. I could see that he would have been fatally wounded if he were mortal.
Reaching the doorway, he leaned in, his eyes red coals of fire, and demanded in a low voice, “Give me a sword.”
“Oh, no, my dear friend, the battle is over now,” Astir said, finally appearing as he flowed past me in long red satin robes.
“A sword,” Vlad demanded again.
Astir reached out, plucked Vlad from the doorway, and glided backwards, drawing my Master with him.
“Release me at once,” Vlad ordered.
“Not if you plan to do anything rash,” Astir answered.
Ignatius and Gregor continued to battle beyond the doorway, their swords flashing with preternatural swiftness. Ignatius was the stronger of all of us now. But he, too, had been wounded by the blessed daggers and did not seem as swift as he should have been. A few times Gregor almost seemed to gain advantage over my love and it made me gasp in horror.
“Fall back, Ignatius,” Astir ordered in a low voice that rumbled and seemed not one voice, but many. “We must protect the haven.”
Ignatius hesitated as he managed to shove Gregor off balance, then drew back, slipping over the threshold, walking backwards toward us.
Gregor regained his balance and narrowed his pale eyes on the alcove before him. Swinging his sword back and forth before him, the dhamphir cocked his head as if to listen. His keen gaze peered into the haven. His narrow face wore an expression of slight surprise, but his eyes glittered dangerously. With a confident stride, he approached. His thin lips twisted into a feral smile.
I climbed to my feet as Magda seized hold of me. We clung together in the opulent hallway of Astir’s haven, watching the deadly dhamphir moving resolutely toward us.
If all the vampires had been at full power, I know we could have easily taken him, but we were not and he seemed glutted with power.
Beside me, Astir released Vlad and began to drift toward the doorway. “Stay here, Vlad, and do not violate my domain.”
Vlad growled with frustration, but he was weakened. With an angry growl, he fell to one knee. Blood poured from his wounds as he gazed at the doorway and the view beyond through matted tangles of his hair.
Ignatius looked back toward the Fallen, questioningly.
“Let him enter and know true power,” Astir answered in that ominous, choral voice.
Ignatius bowed his head to Astir and backed up to where I stood with Magda. He flicked his gaze toward me. I wanted to flee into his arms, but I restrained myself. He did not touch me, but his presence beside me was a comfort.
Gregor sauntered up to the doorway and peered in curiously. I wondered if he could see the hallway or if it was the darkened entry I had encountered in the past. Twirling his sword in one hand, he narrowed his eyes, staring into the foyer.
“Can he see us?” I dared to ask.
“No, but he senses you are here,” Astir answered.
Gregor hesitated, the stepped over the threshold.
Quite suddenly, Astir was as tall as the ceiling and his wings of flame filled the hall. His robe was no longer scarlet, but a pure glowing white. Like a great halo his long golden hair floated and twined around his head. I could not see his face, but somehow I knew his eyes were pure white flame. With ominous intent, he lifted one hand out toward the dhamphir.
“How dare you enter!” Astir thundered in a million voices.
A look of sheer terror flowed over Gregor’s countenance as he stumbled back and fell against the now closed door. Crying out, he covered his face with one hand. The sword fell from his fingers as he collapsed to the floor.
“Kill him,” Vlad ordered.
Astir cast a sharp glance over his shoulder at Vlad with his terrible flame eyes, then floated closer to Gregor. The dhamphir sobbed, terrified, and unable to even move. Drawing his knees up tightly against his chest, the dhamphir extended one hand as if to ward off the glowing creature before him.
“We do not kill here,” Astir hissed.
“He knows of the haven now,” Vlad protested.
“No, he will not remember where it was. He has entered my domain. He is now in my power,” Astir assured Vlad.