The Bride of Dracula: The True Story Chapter Six

For the longest it seemed as if I were floating. It was peaceful and when I awakened I saw beautiful faces surrounding me. Was this Heaven? All my life I had read its description in the Bible. All of a sudden I heard horns blaring. The beautiful faces were disrupted by skulls with red eyes. I heard a booming voice, "You cannot enter here!" I saw the entrance to Heaven, those golden gates that I had only dreamt about in my lifetime on Earth. The skulls with red eyes were chasing me and had me by the arms. I floated down to a dark pit. I entered there and on a throne sat a six headed demon. I knew who it was. He spoke, "Why did you take your own life when you knew the rules of Heaven? You know what the sentence is for someone who takes their own life. You have an eternity in Hell."

I was clearly scared but I didn't feel myself shaking. All I could picture in my mind was Vlad, and the killing, and our son Mihnea who wanted nothing more than to be the killer his father had become. I shook my head, "It cannot be! Who are you?" He laughed his eyes glowing that red color, "You know who I am, Athalia, daughter of mine. You deny your destiny so tell me what your own will is? What would you have me to do? Who will be willing to give their soul for yours?"

I looked at him and sighed, "I know of one person who would be more than willing. My husband Vlad Tepes. We call him the impaler because that is the method he uses for killing. He has killed thousands of people. He would be willing to take my place..." He waved his hand and I felt a burning sensation in my gut. I awakened to the world all around me more clear. I looked at Lucifer and said, "You have done something to me and you will not state it. So what have you do with me?"

He laughed and circled around me, "My children of the night...they live forever. You will never die, never age, and drink blood from God's precious living children. Your first goal is to find Vlad and turn him. Wait for the perfect moment. If you do, I will reward you by returning you to face God instead of myself. Do you understand? His soul for your own?" Could I ever do such a thing as taking Vlad's life and condemning him for the rest of eternity? I thought of all the things he had done to myself. Would any of those things be worth spending eternity in a hellacious manner? Would it be worth putting the man who desperately held my heart forever, in jeopardy?

Something in me snapped just then. Something I couldn't control, didn't bother to. I had to go back, and drag Vlad's soul to hell with me. It was my act of revenge upon everything he had done to me in my life. He had done this had he not? I was the bride of Dracula and I had the power within me now to give him a taste of his own destiny. I nodded, "So be it, Lucifer. I shall do as you bid me do. You shall have the prince's soul for mine. I want your word and your signature on something binding." I knew of his lies and deceit. He shrugged and took a right-handed claw to a piece of parchment paper. He signed his name in latin across a line at the bottom. "Read it, it's there, Athalia Dracula. May you find what you are seeking."

He waved his hand and I was sent back to Earth. Back on Earth I learned that the Turks were soon to attack Vlad's fortress. In the midst of that, Vlad had sent Mihnea back with my parents to Bulgaria. I went to my son before Vlad. When Mihnea saw me, he was shocked. "How did you come back, Mother? I thought you dead!" I looked down at my hands and into the mirror at my eyes, "Forgive me for startling you. While it is true, that I did die, I have returned. I do not know how to explain this. I made a bargain with Lucifer, Mihnea. Our family is cursed...I am talking about the whole Dracula line. Dracula means son of the devil. As soon as I married into the family, I became cursed too. In order for my own salvation to be redeemed I must find Vlad. I must make him take my place in Hell."

Mihnea's eyes darkened, "I saw you die, Mother, but what sort of creature makes a bargain with the devil himself? You taught me all my life that the church was what was important. Now its as if you go back on your own teachings and become a cursed creature. You are one of the undead now. You search for Father for your own selfish needs. I despise you for that." My heart shattered. I didn't want to hear the words my son so clearly spoke. I was being selfish I thought and turned away. I looked back at him, "You are right my son. I am being too selfish for my own good. I will search for your father but not right now. I will give him the opportunity to learn that I am not dead."

I flew out into the night. For weeks afterwards I watched Vlad and Mihnea. I watched as Vlad remarried again, this time to a noble woman named Ilona Szilagyi, in favor of King Matthias Corvinus. She bore him two sons, one called Vlad the Fourth, and one called Vadu who later lived in the presence of monks. The whole entire time Mihnea never once mentioned to Vlad that I had come to him. Vlad once more took over the throne. This time I went to his wife, Ilona. She was in their bedroom at the loom when I entered through the window. I spoke, "You think to take my place? You think that you could just waltz in here and take what is mine? My husband, my kingdom, my inheritance?"

She paled and looked closer at me, "Who are you?! My husband would kill you if you threaten me! I am the princess!" I walked out of the shadows, my red eyes flashing. "No Ilona, you are no princess. You have no power here and neither does Vlad over me. I am Princess Athalia Dracula of Wallachia. I am not dead and you will be the first to witness what I say is the truth." I flew at her and she screamed. I bit into her neck and drank deep of the poisonous blood in her veins. When she lie near to death I let her go and snapped her neck. Her lifeless body lay at my feet as guards entered the room. One of them I recognized right off. It was Vlad's right hand man. He looked at me and gasped. "Princess Athalia!"

I smirked in the semi-darkness and flew out the window. Vlad buried Ilona and the other two sons were raised by Mihnea and Vlad. I overheard Wilbert talking to Vlad that evening in the dining room, "Your highness, I saw her! Princess Athalia killed your wife! I swear upon my mother's grave!" Vlad looked down into his eyes, "Do not swear upon such things! That is utterly ridiculous because princess Athalia is dead. I prepared her body myself and I felt no breath within her body." Wilbert was on the verge of weeping. I swooped down from the rafters and looked at Vlad. My black hair hung in a braid down my back, my red eyes flashed with blood lust, and the necklace I wore around my neck was the one he had given To me years ago.

It bore the symbol of the dragon on it. I wore black leather breeches, a leather tunic that was attached together by a crimson corset. My black leather boots were some I stole from someone. I smirked as he saw me and paled himself, "Athalia! It is impossible! You cannot be alive!" I shrugged and looked at him, "Oh do not worry Prince Tepes! I am not alive and never will be again. I am the undead called Nosferatu! Vampire! I am the child of the devil and night. I sing with blood lust upon the lips of the living. I prey on those who step into my territory. It was I who killed your precious Ilona. I won't deny blood Vlad! It was so rich in falling over my lips and tongue. The rush was very satisfying. But pray tell, what will you do to me? You cannot kill me because I can never die. I will live forever because of the curse that haunts your family."

He smirked himself, his dark eyes following my every move, "So what have you come for? To kill me also?" I shook my head and laughed, "No I have not. That would be too simple and that is not me. I do not kill just to do it. I kill to satisfy my thirst for blood. I came here to see your reaction, Vlad. I will not lie. I wish you would fall before my feet and beg for mercy but I know that is not you. You would rather have me do it as I did when I was alive. Why did you marry Ilona? Oh and Wilbert...leave us. I will not hurt your master. You have my word as I love this country and my people."

Wilbert left and this is where the conversation went with Vlad and myself. He sat down on his throne and took out a dagger, "Just to take precautions in case you were to decide that you aren't feeling too friendly anymore. So tell me, Athalia, why have you come back? To Poenari?" I looked into his eyes, "It's simple Vlad. You know why and you will find the answer just look into your heart." He didn't say anything so I continued, "Because I love you. Mihnea has seen me and would not tell you because he thought I was a dream. I was no dream. I am here." He hesitated and threw the dagger into the wall behind me. I did nothing not even flinch. "So you are telling me you are here because you love me?"

He got up and came to me in two long strides. He took my hand into his, "I have always loved you Athalia. You should have never doubted me being dead. I would never die without telling you goodbye..." My heart flooded with love for him. His blood lust had become my own just then. I leaned into him and kissed him upon the lips. "I have always loved you Vlad and I will forever. Please understand I cannot be near you but I am watching...and this is my punishment for you taking Ilona as a wife." He growled as I flew off into the night once more.

I stood the longest watching him from the tower roof. I knew my love for him would never die, but now his sons would fear me. And they had every right to, because I was the bride of Dracula...