What's the Name of That Book??? discussion

I really hope somebody can help me with this as it's been bugging me for about ten years. The book I'm looking for was published sometime in the 90's, I'm guessing (I can't remember exactly) and I want to say it was published by TOR or a similarly big/popular publishing house. I can't remember specifics about the cover art, but it was very representative of 90's-era fantasy-fiction: there was probably a rose somewhere, maybe with a drop of blood on one of the petals, with a black shadowy background. Something along those lines. The novel tells the story of Bathory from her childhood through to her death from alternating POVs. I can remember the lover's POV was both admiring of Elizabeth and frightened of her psychopathy.

Now, I have done numerous searches both here and on Google looking for this book and, as far as I can tell, it's not one of the typical titles that comes up. The most vivid thing I remember about the novel was the sex. *Potential spoilers* There were a couple of scenes of incest between Elizabeth and her aunt in which her aunt taught her how to be a sensuous lover. The thing that really stands out (and I apologize for the graphic nature of this section) was the aunt used a wooden dildo to penetrate Elizabeth, which Elizabeth then turned around and used on her aunt. Her aunt also taught her cruelty and to associate pain with pleasure, from what I remember. I also want to say that there was a modern narrator interspersed between the other narrators, a descendant of Bathory's that has come to Romania to find her origins and has visions of Elizabeth, but I could be conflating two separate books into one.

I'm fairly certain the author is a woman and I want to say her name is some kind of -borough, but I could be completely wrong about that. And, yet, I also want to associate Elizabeth Engstrom with the novel and I don't know why because I've looked at Engstrom's history and haven't found anything like the book I'm thinking of in it. I think it's because I got Engstrom's Lizzie Borden at the same time, so the two books are linked in my mind.

Sorry if I've rambled and given extraneous info, but I've tried to think of everything I can remember in association with this novel in the hopes that someone out there knows what book I'm describing.

I know you've probably already checked these, but here are a couple of lists:

http://bathory.org/erzsbib.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabet...

After further Googling: this author might know, since she's a Bathory expert: Kimberly L. Craft. Her website is at http://www.infamouslady.com/

The Blood Countess is a book you may want to look into. The book is described as graphic.

One of the reviews mentions Elizabeth's relationship with her aunt.

Tab wrote: "The Blood Countess is a book you may want to look into. The book is described as graphic.

One of the reviews mentions Elizabeth's relationship with..."

Oh my god, I can't believe this totally escaped my attention. I mean, it came up in every single search I did, yet, for some reason, it never seemed like the right book. Looking at it now, though, I think it's the book I'm thinking of. Lord I feel so silly. Thanks for the help. I'm going to go bury my head in the couch cushions and feel stupid for a few hours now.

Serendi wrote: "I know you've probably already checked these, but here are a couple of lists:

http://bathory.org/erzsbib.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabet...

After further..."

Thanks for the links. I probably have perused them in the past, but, as it has been abundantly proven, my memory is terrible, so a refresher is always welcome. Especially now that someone helped me with the title--I'll have to use them for further inspiration. :)