The first thing you should know is that those men, the British doctor, that crazy American cowboy, all of them, didn’t understand what was going on. I can explain it all to you. You want to know, don’t you? You can put down that crossbow. I won’t kill you. Neither will my sisters. Yes, they are behind you. Yes, the sun is going down. Don’t worry. You can see my hands. No weapons.

 

I’ll tell you everything, all the secret knowledge. You writers like that. Wanting to know everything and telling the world. Even that nice Harker fellow didn’t know everything, I’ll tell you everything. I rather liked him, Harker. If he hadn’t had such a hard time understanding things; I was going to ask Father for him. My sisters told me I didn’t need a flighty guy. But still he was handsome, and we’ve been so lonely lately. No one comes by and…Yes, sisters. I’m getting ahead of myself.

 

It was Harker who started that stupid rumor. He told his story to some Irishman, who published that stupid book. Yes, we followed Father into this life (death, whatever) out of love. But there are many forms of love. Our love was the sort of filial duty and love we were trained for as soon as we could toddle. A woman stood by her father until she was married and then she supported a husband she may not even have meet before their wedding night. We were engaged to men when we were young. I think I was ten; he was twenty.

 

He died when I was twelve. I think I meet him once. Of course, I was too young to actually marry him.

 

The next one was almost forty. I met him, several times. We even made plans together for the wedding. When Father lost that last battle; all of our allies left us. There were three of us sisters who were also widows. One of us intentionally, but that isn’t important. She isn’t interested in you. Our sisters who were married renounced father so they wouldn’t be attacked but the three of us didn’t have a chance. We moved back to father’s castle and waited to find out what would happen to us. At least that’s what everyone thought we should do. Waiting to be carried off, given to a small lord or a guardsman as a gift or just killed. You see this life is not so bad compared with some.

 

But we are boyars as much as our men are. We trained as much as any man. I can manage a castle, defend that castle during a siege, speak five languages, know how put food out for a Muslim, a Jew or a Catholic: without offending anyone else at the table. And defend myself with knife, sword or gun. Yes, I’m holding your crossbow. You’re safe.

 

So, when father mentioned his plan, we agreed. Of course, the church wouldn’t approve of what he was doing but what’s unusual about that? If you piss off the priests enough you just pay for a monastery like the time father drafted the dead. He founded a lovely monastery on an island. We figured it would cost a couple of churches but that seemed a small price. For keeping the country safe and us in power. Well, we got one of those. You haven’t heard of the Turks coming around here, have you? Even the Germans didn’t stay long. Of course, we’re still in power, just not in this country. Even vampryes need someone to rule them.

 

We had heard of strygoa, ugly shambling monsters that suck human blood. Father said we wouldn’t end up like that unless… He took precautions.

 

Cheating? No. We, our family, doesn’t bet on things unless we know we have an edge. Could we still lose? Well, there can’t be reward without risk. That’s just the way the world is. Could he have lost? I suppose but he was very good at setting up the rules. We didn’t ask who or what he was gambling with. I mean it was obvious, why ask questions? But we pledged to go with him. We took precautions. When we took the draughts he had given us and laid down in our coffins; we each had a servant standing by.

 

Souls? Have ever seen your soul? Are you sure you have one? If we did lose souls, well, we still have our beauty, and power. Your soul? Don’t worry. The locals would still bury you upside down even if we didn’t do anything to your soul. Everyone around here knows you aren’t Catholic or Orthodox. Not even Muslim. Don’t worry. We don’t care what religion you are. Just, well it does help know how to bury… Don’t worry you could live for many years.

 

It was the same thing he did for our mother. Something went wrong that time, too. Not that any of us remember, but stepmother always said the rider was late. Which was why she threw herself off the tower. She might have planned to take us little ones with her, but the servants didn’t let her. We often wondered if stepmother had something to with that; it was her brother who was the courier.

 

Her? She left Father before that last battle. Years before. Anyway, if no word came by the last stroke of midnight, the servants were to open our coffins and cut off our heads. He kept his most loyal guardsman with him. We watched them ride off as the sun set. Our last sunset.

 

We drank the potions and lay down in the coffins. I remember thinking the coffins were very comfortable, but I suppose father had them padded. It should have been obvious somethings just aren’t safe but, —Father says we may have sacrificed ourselves, but we have saved our country.

 

That part of the plan didn’t really work. I mean it did. WE are no deformed, mad, weak things. The hands stroking your back and arms aren’t ugly, are they? We have lovely hands, don’t we?

 

We rose the next night and each of us saw that loyal servant with the ax. Of course, they didn’t do anything. Well, they did stare and freeze. It was a shock for us, too. The light seemed so bright; although the sun was down, and we could hear the pounding blood in their veins. And we were so hungry. When he got back Father praised our restraint. We hadn’t taken enough to turn them. His servant hadn’t been so lucky. Or maybe he was lucky. He’s still around and those others were buried by the church centuries ago. You could ask him. Or maybe not. He’s been hungry lately. You’ll be safe around him, soon. He won’t bother you if he knows I like you.

 

But about that Harker and the rest, it seemed like such a good idea. We needed to move. We have loyal servants who are willing to give us their blood. But there’s only so much to go around. When Harker saw us, father was dropping off a piglet. We would have preferred Harker, of course. It’s just everyone here knows the rules. In England, they are so arrogant they don’t believe in anything. They barely believe in God. Father was going first and then; ah, it seemed like such a good idea. And next to an insane asylum? How handy. Renfield? No, he didn’t make it. Just as well. I’ve always hated bugs.

 

Of course, when you’re the first; it can be hard to find the rules. I mean Father got us powers none had before us. Don’t worry. We know them now. You’re in no danger. Father said he would sleep all the way to England, safe on his home soil. He also brought enough for us. But it didn’t work, and he and his hunger woke on the ship. Sailors are so superstitious. Some jumped overboard… And that was just the beginning of his problems. England was far too dirty and crowded for us.

 

So, you see, we need someone to tell the truth. Our father never had more than one wife at a time. He is a lawmaker, not a lawbreaker. We can’t have that kind of slander going around. You’ll tell the truth. We are his faithful daughters. We live. All you have to do is write this story. English isn’t one of my better languages. Will we turn you into a vampyre? No. Not yet. Come here. It’ll only be a nip. And then you’ll write the truth. As I tell you. You’ll do as I tell you. As long as you live.