When Cern and Dema finally left the cavern it was already early morning. There was a faint pre-dawn light in the sky, and as they walked up the access road it brightened rapidly. 

They had not gone far when an old red pickup truck approached. It was old enough to be unidentifiable, but it could have been a Datsun, or more likely a Russian knock-off. The driver was a caretaker for the cavern. They explained how they had been exploring some of the passages the evening before and missed their ride, and had waited for daylight to start walking. He took them back to the fortress.

There they were recognized as guests of Vladimir, and were taken to see his two ladies, Katrinka and Millicent, who would surely know when to expect Vladimir himself to be available. 

 The ladies greeted Cern and Dema with studied reserve, but as soon as the guide had left them alone they both broke into excited smiles. Katrinka hugged Dema. Millicent hesitated, then hugged Cern.

"We were so angry with Vlad we made his driver bring us back here, and refused to let him return for you," said Katrinka. 

"And we were angry with you as well, for stealing him from us. But then when it got so late, and there was no word from him, we got anxious that he had had his 'way' with both of you. We didn't know whether to be fearful or concerned."

"What do you mean?"

"Fearful that he had chosen you to replace us, or concerned that you would simply disappear like so many other nameless tourists." 

 Millicent was nodding in agreement.

"This happens often?"

"As often as the urge takes him. Perhaps every month or so."

"And if he had chosen us to replace you? What then?"

"Then we would either be kept, or disposed of, at his pleasure."

"Kept?"

"Oh yes. He has quite a stable of those who have gone out of favor but who he still feeds from regularly."

"I see. They must be taken care of then. But what happened last night?"

"That is what we wanted to ask you. Since he took us, we have never been free of him. He keeps us, well..."

"Enthralled?"

"Yes, that's the word for it. Even when he is away, we feel bound by his power. If we even think of fleeing from here, we fall into a trance of sorts and the thoughts vanish from our minds."

"Yet you know this about each other? How?"

"Oh, we can speak of it, but only in terms of the danger such thoughts pose. Should we dare to collude...but our thoughts could not advance so far before they would be erased."

"And last night?"

"Suddenly, that was gone. It was as if a spell had been broken. Our minds were free again. We looked at each other, and we knew it was the same for both of us. But how? You must know. What did you do?"

"Well, you were right. He tried to enthrall us. But he failed. He had not expected that. And then he...vanished." Dema chose to omit the part about Cern stabbing him with a stalagmite. 

 "Vanished?"

"Yes. His body dissolved into mist and he disappeared. He was a vampir you know, a strigoi with the power of an incubus to seduce living people, and then use their blood and tissue to make a body of his own. Or a facsimile of one. He was not really alive at all."

She nodded understanding. "He told us as much. He told us he was immortal, and could make us so as well. It was part of his inducement to join with him."

It was Dema's turn to nod in agreement. "So many lies, so many half-truths. Without his ability to enthrall your mind, none of it would have worked."

Cern said, "The others, the stable of kept ones, where are they? Have they been freed as well?"

"We don't know. Come, we will take you to see."

The two ladies led the way through a series of halls and down flights of stairs until they arrived at what can only be described as the worst kind of old-style asylum ward, with rows of closely spaced beds, filthy bedding, and unkempt inmates. 

Of course, with Vlad's enthrallment still in place they might have thought they were living in a palace, but now they were free of that, and wanted to leave. The usual attendants were nowhere to be seen. Probably they had been freed of their spells as well, and had already fled. 

Millicent found the keys, and Katrinka unlocked the doors. Freed, the inmates began wandering away aimlessly. One stopped to talk, and others stopped to listen.

"Is it true? Vlad is no more?"

Katrinka nodded.

"Some of us thought as much. Some were angry at first, but there is not much room for anger when one awakens from a nightmare. Most were content to simply sit and wait for the doors to open."

"And now they have. But you must be taken care of. Come, Millicent and I will see to it."

"You can do that?" asked Dema.

Millicent smiled. "We are the trusted aids of Vlad. In his absence, our word is enough. We will get them cleaned up, clothe them and feed them, and see to any other needs." 

Dema took Cern's arm and smiled at him happily. "Then our mission is done. We are free too. We can go home now."