#Free October 22nd-26th

BLOOD TIES TESTED - FIFTH BOOK OF THE WITCHES OF GALDORHEIM SERIES
Unfortunate events lead a half-vampire boy into indulging his vampire side, leaving him with regret and sadness. Can dear old Dad help him forgive himself?

Following the events in the series Witches of Galdorheim, this additional tale relates what happens to Katrina the Witch's younger brother, Rune. Half vampire and half warlock, he faces life with a wisecrack and some powerful magic. Whatever happens, he does not want to be a vampire like his father. Unfortunate events lead him to fatally call on his vampire half. This failure leaves him in anguish. How can he assuage the guilt he feels? His mother thinks he needs to visit dead old dad, a vampire residing in the Tatras Mountains of Slovakia.
THE VAMPIRES OF THE F.O.B. CLUB (Forever Off Blood)

ELIZABETH BATHORY

She’s a little old-fashioned and wears clothing appropriate to the17th C.

Elizabeth Bathory regretted she had thrown away the chance forherself. She had forever forsaken the idea of a family. Her mindcruelly flashed to the sight of her lounging in a bathtub, the watercrimson with blood. She shook her head to relieve herself of theflashback to her evil days. She had used the girls brought to herfrom the village. She paid well. The peasants didn’t want girlsanyway and turned a blind eye to the Countess’ dire use. When thegirls disappeared, their parents accepted the gold purse and the liethat their daughter had gone off to the city to find work. Theyaccepted they shouldn’t expect to hear from them again.

Finally, the other nobles could no longer turn a blind eye. Triedfor murder, she stood mute while the servants who had aided herbegged for their own lives with their testimony. It did no good. Theywere hung in the village square after the jury announced the guiltyverdict. But she was a noble and the rope wouldn’t cut her lifeshort. She knew it wouldn’t in any case, but pretending to be dead,getting buried, then having to claw her way out again would have beenannoying, but survivable. Instead, they put her in a high tower withthe windows and door closed with bricks. One small opening, just bigenough for a plate was left to serve her meals.

ANGUS MAC BEATHA
Scottish, 11th C., Mac Beatha - means "son of life." The ancient Scottish Vampire was Glaistig's lover. Glaistig, the Gray Lady, met Rune in Scotch Broom. Angus departed from Scotland when he failed to control his vampire tendencies.

When he learned of Glaistig's death, he was devastated. When her killer arrived on Drakos' castle doorstep, he vowed to kill the youth. In his desire for revenge, he also harms those he loves the most -- his fellow vampires.


COUNT LYONEL PERABO

Lyonel Perabo, with his long black hair, goatee, and mustache wastall and elegant—the consummate Frenchman, except for one littledifference. He had left France to join the Viking raids a thousandyears before. He had thought it a convenient way to sup on humanssince the battlefields were strewn with the near-dead lying in poolsof blood. When the Norsemen settled treaties and stopped their raids,Lyonel had to go elsewhere for his supply. To his perplexity, aDraugr followed Lyonel from the battlefield. Eventually, he spoke tothe monster and discovered he was a man turned to a monster calledThorolf Draugr. The two became friends and hunted together—Lyonelfor the blood and Thorolf for the flesh.

It became more difficult as the years went by. Lyonel and Thorolfhad stumbled on Drakos’ villa whilst stalking a Gypsy caravan. Theythought it would be nice to stop in for a visit with Lyonel’s ownkind, and stayed, converted to Drakos’ philosophy. Thorolf didn’twant blood, so it made no difference to him. Eating an entire elk ata sitting suited him fine.

The Legend of Thorolf Draugr
Drauger- Icelandic Saga- this is an animated corpse that comes forth from its grave mound or shows restlessness on the way to the burial place. This creature is also known as an Aptrgangr (after-goer or one who walks after death.) The Draugr is the roaming undead most frequently encountered in Icelandic Sagas. Whichever name was used, the undead of Scandinavia was a physical body, the actual corpse of the deceased.

TAO LUNG:
Tao Lung, like the others, had spent years terrorizing the Chinvillages for victims. He came across a scholarly man named Zhu Xisitting silently in a beautiful garden. He crept toward the man,believing him to be asleep. Tao Lung was surprised when theConfucian philosopher raised one hand, palm outward. Tao froze,unable to move, and realized he was in the presence of a powerfulmagician. The old man allowed Tao to sit cross-legged before him,arms resting on his knees, and strangely his index finger and thumbtouching forming a strange shape. They remained in this position fordays. When Zhu Xi allowed Tao to move again, the vampire felt atpeace. He was no longer driven by blood lust. Zhu Xi died, as humansdo, and Tao Lung wandered through the countryside imparting the samepeace of mind Zhu Xi had given him. His wanderings brought himeventually to Drakos’ door. As their spiritual guide, he was thekey to the family’s success. When the others wavered in theirresolve, they went to Tao Lung. He need say nothing. The one whoneeded strength sat with Tao Lung as he had sat with Zhu Xi. Whentheir mind was at peace, he released them. They bowed and went abouttheir daily business.

The Legend of the Ch'iang Shih
In China, vampires had long, hooked claws and red eyes. They were known as ch’iang shih, which translates to “corpse-hopper.”

* * *The Cellophane Queen