Once my village was out of sight Marishka tossed me into the air and caught me in her arms. I screamed in fright and was about to punch her in the face for doing that. But if I did she might have let me fall to the ground. The three brides laughed when they heard me scream.

“Do you like to fly, Anna?” asked Marishka in a mocking tone of voice.

“I told Aleera that I didn’t so I’m telling you the same thing!” I snapped. “No! I don’t!” Marishka shook her head and clicked her tongue at me.

“Poor, Anna,” she said. “You must be tired out from all that crying and saying good bye. Get some rest for now, it will be a very long time before we arrive home.” I wouldn’t have said so for all the wealth in Europe but I was actually quite comfortable in Marishka’s arms. I closed my eyes and fell into a troubled sleep.

~*~

I was in a magnificent ballroom dancing while a masquerade went on around me. I recognized no one because all the faces I saw had masks covering them. I and my partner were the only ones who did not hide our faces. My heart beat sped up when I saw that I was dancing with Count Dracula. He danced over to a great mirror and dipped me in a way that made me gasp for breath.

“Don’t we make a lovely couple?” he asked in amusement.

My heart beat faster still. In the mirror it looked as though I was holding onto air. When the Count brought me back up I looked like a lone figure in a music box trapped in dance.

“I am looking for a new bride, Anna,” said the Count. “Someone strong, and beautiful.” The way he smiled at me said it all. He was going to bite me!

~*~

“Wake up, Anna,” whispered Marishka. “We’re home.”

I opened my eyes feeling a little shaky. I still dreamt about that fateful masquerade long after it happened. The memory of when the Count kissed me made me feel ready to throw up.

The sight of the great castle up ahead brought me out of my thoughts. Castle Dracula. My new home. Marishka landed in front of the door and set me down. Then she shifted back into her normal form. I followed as the brides opened the door and walked in.

I was greeted by a dim light that only came from some torches here and there. It all looked the same as it had the last time I saw it, minus the empty sacks containing Dracula’s children. It all seemed the same but something about it also seemed different. I couldn’t put my finger on what it was.

“Sweet Count!” called Verona. “We have returned. Anna chose to come and stay with us!” I heard a dark laugh. I knew at once who it was.

“Well done, my sweets,” the Count said.

Count Dracula emerged from the shadows. He looked the way he always did. Long black hair tied in a pony tail with a gold clip, black clothes, dark blue eyes, and a smirk that sent chills down my spine.

“Welcome home, Anna,” he said with a bow. “It is wonderful to see you again.” He turned to his brides. “You three may go now.” The brides curtsied and then left. “I trust your trip up here was comfortable.”

“I was barely able to say good bye!” I snapped, feeling the urge to release my anger. “Now I’ll never see my people again!” The Count sighed heavily and shook his head.

“I’ll show you to your room,” he said, taking down one of the torches.

“My room?” I asked, feeling puzzled. “But I thought-” he cut me off.

“Do you want to stay in the lobby?” he snapped.

“No,” I replied.

“Then follow me,” the Count said in return.

Wordlessly I followed after him. I kept looking around the different corridors we passed by. With each step I felt more and more frightened. This was a really silly thing considering I should have been more frightened of the man in front of me more than anything else. I tried to hide my fear but I thought it made no difference since he could hear my heart beat.

“I hope you will learn to like it here,” said the Count. I said nothing so he went on. “The castle is your home now so you can go any place you want. Except the West Wing.”

“What’s in the West-” he cut me off again.

“It’s forbidden!” he snapped.

After that I said nothing else for fear of stirring up his anger once more. Finally he stopped in front of two large black doors with brass handles. The Count opened one of them and stepped aside to let me in.

“Now, if you need anything, my brides will attend to you,” he said. I didn’t reply. “Later tonight you will join me for dinner. That’s not a request!” The Count slammed the door shut behind me. I gasped a little before running over and throwing myself on the bed. There I burst into tears.

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