I stared at her.I stared at her. "Who are you?" I demanded, shocked and amazed. "I asked first. It's not polite to enter someone's home without even introducing yourself," she lectured gently, waving a finger at me. There was an amused lilt to her voice. She wasn't reflecting in the mirror, even though I was. Before I could say anything else, the door opened, and there was a loud gasp. "Marta!!!" Victoria exclaimed. The blonde vampire turned to face my wife. I could not read either of their expressions. "Well. If it isn't my little British step-daughter, Victoria." There was a definite smirk in Marta's voice. "I thought you were going to be a British vampire, and that you would never return to Carpathia. It was too... rural and dull for you." "I am here to claim my birthright," my wife replied. "Nice of you. Where in the hell were you when they were turning this place into a tourist trap? Do you know that there's a certain magical item buried by the front door? I've been reduced to cows and the occasional stu- pid tourist who tries to spend the night after the castle closes. That's who I thought _he_ was." Marta's tone was one of frustration more than anger. She paused a minute, then pointed at me. "Who is he, anyway?" "My husband." Victoria turned to me. "David, this is Marta, my father's -- wife." "I was his favorite until Mina Harker, that..." Marta's voice trailed off as Victoria's eyes narrowed. |