Chapter 8: Lust Unleashed

My heart races in my chest as I cringe against the stone wall, my breath ragged and my mind spinning.

This is it, I think. This is how I die.

I shield myself with my arms, a futile attempt to protect myself from her imminent attack.

I fall to my knees, my back hitting the hard wall with a thud. I squeeze my eyes shut, bracing for impact, for those razor-sharp teeth to sink into my throat at any moment. My heart hammers against my ribcage, and I swallow a scream that threatens to escape.

But then, something unexpected happens. The blow never comes. A high-pitched sound cuts through the air – laughter. The laughter of a little girl, filled with delight, joyful glee that echoes through the corridor like tinkling bells. I open my eyes slowly, the tension in my body still gripping me as I look up.

Seraphina is doubled over with laughter, her tiny form shaking with mirth. My confusion grows as I watch her, my heart still pounding, but the sense of immediate danger fading.

Eventually, her laughter subsides, and she straightens up, still wearing a wide, mischievous smile. “I was only joking, silly,” she says, her voice light and sweet.

I stare at her in disbelief, my chest heaving with the adrenaline of the moment. “That was a joke?” I manage to utter, my voice shaky.

Seraphina nods, her dark eyes twinkling with amusement. “Of course! It’s no fun if I don’t play tricks on our guests.”

I take a moment to gather my thoughts, trying to make sense of the situation. Am I supposed to laugh along with her? Is she actually harmless? I find myself unable to articulate a response, still grappling with the shock of the encounter.

“Don’t you like games?” Seraphina asks, her voice filled with innocent curiosity.

Games? I think incredulously. What kind of twisted games involve pretending to attack someone? I shake my head slowly, my voice wooden. “I… I don’t know.”

“Too bad,” Seraphina says with a playful shrug. “Anyway, her ladyship sent me. I’ve been instructed to escort you to your chambers.”

Her ladyship? That must be Anya. The woman who seemed so kind at the wedding, the one who embraced my mother as family, is now sending her unsettling little companion to guide me. The urgency to find my mother still gnaws at me, but for now, I decide to comply.

“And what if I don’t want to go to my chambers?” I challenge, my voice tinged with defiance.

“Then I’m to take you there by force,” Seraphina replies, her sweet tone contrasting sharply with her words. “Don’t make me use force, please. You’re our honoured guest. I’d rather not hurt you.”

A sense of unease settles over me, as I grapple with the choice before me. I could resist, but the threat of violence looms in Seraphina’s words. To all appearances, she’s just a sweet little girl, totally harmless – but I’ve seen those nasty razor sharp teeth. I don’t want to risk further danger, especially if Anya’s reach extends to even her companions.

With a resigned sigh, I nod slowly. “Fine, I’ll go.”

Seraphina’s smile returns, and she gestures for me to follow her down the corridor. We begin to walk, the rhythmic tap of our footsteps echoing through the shadowy halls. Blue-flamed candles line the walls, casting eerie shadows that dance along the stone. The walls are adorned with old portraits, the faces within them staring out with a mixture of curiosity and judgement. Suits of silver armour stand at attention, their metal surfaces glinting in the candlelight.

As we ascend numerous staircases, I find myself lost in a labyrinthine maze of stone passages. My surroundings are both grand and unsettling, a strange mix of faded opulence and lurking shadows. The sense of time seems to blur as we walk, and my thoughts drift to the world outside this castle, to my mother, and the life I left behind.

My plan to escape and get help will have to be put on hold for now.

Finally, after what feels like an eternity of walking, Seraphina leads me to a massive wooden door. She pushes it open to reveal a grand and opulent bedroom chamber. My jaw drops in astonishment at the sight before me.

A grand four-poster bed dominates the room, its crimson velvet brocade drapes falling in luxurious folds. Plush armchairs are scattered throughout, inviting comfort and rest. A fireplace stands against one wall, the flames roaring blue and casting an otherworldly glow across the chamber. The hearth’s fire dances in shades of cobalt and indigo, its heat warming the room as the vibrant hues dance and flicker.

Next to a makeshift ablutions area – a large bowl of water and some towels on a low cabinet – there is an ornate gilded floor length mirror. A large round rose window next to the mirror is slightly ajar, letting in a cold breeze.

My gaze is drawn to the centrepiece of the chamber, a towering stained-glass window in the soaring stone wall opposite the bed. The colours are rich and vivid, a stark contrast to the darkness of the chamber. It depicts a bloody and macabre scene, a man being torn into quarters by shadowy figures. The glass is intricately designed, each shard carefully placed to capture the brutality of the scene. Tiny glittering drops of blood wrought in glass spray from the man’s butchered limbs.

Charming, I think sarcastically to myself. I don’t think I’ll be having any sweet dreams tonight.

“Your chambers, milady,” Seraphina says cheerfully, as if this is the most normal thing in the world.

I step into the room, taking in the grandeur and opulence that surrounds me. It’s as if I’ve stepped into a different era, a world that exists beyond the bounds of time. The reality of my situation settles over me once more, the weight of my mother’s secret, the enigmatic Vasiliev family, and the chilling events of the night hanging over me.

The contrast between opulence and unease is striking. The room drips with luxury, draped in red velvet that seems to shimmer under the eerie blue flames of the fireplace. But beneath the luxurious façade, tension gnaws at my insides like a persistent itch.

As I look around the room, my gaze shifts back to the stained-glass window. The image of the man being torn apart is etched into my mind, a haunting reminder of the darkness that lurks beneath the surface of this enchanting castle.

With a sigh, I turn to Seraphina. “Thank you for showing me to my chambers.”

Seraphina grins, her eyes glinting with that mischievous spark. “You’re welcome, Arianna. If you require food or drink at any point, just call out my name and I’ll hear you. Sleep well, delicious human. And remember, there are always more games to play.”

I gulp at her worrying use of the word “delicious” to describe me, and struggle to force a smile as I nod my head.

And with that, her small body instantaneously implodes into a mist of thick black smoke, which writhes in the air for a moment before reforming itself into the shape of a large black bat. The bat – or rather, Seraphina in her bat form – lets out a series of high pitched squeaks that sound a lot like peals of childlike laughter, as she flaps her leathery wings and flies out though the window into the cold night air.

I watch her disappear into the darkness outside, a sense of unease settling over me once again. Alone in the room, I can’t shake the feeling that I’m trapped in a world where reality and fantasy are intertwined, and danger lurks in every shadow. I walk over to the open window through which Seraphina had exited moments ago. A light dusting of snow has settled on the window sill, and I can see snowflakes falling silently through the distant darkness.

Straining my eyes to see, I peer out into the dark and snowy night. Golden lights twinkle in the valley far below, a distant cluster that begs for attention. Town or village? I squint, trying to discern if smoke rises amidst the lights, a stark contrast against the snow-covered landscape. A jolt of hope surges through me – that might just be my way out, a chance to find help and release my mom from this castle’s grip.

“That’s my destination,” I whisper to myself. “Local authorities, anyone who can tear down this fortress of secrets and save my mom.”

My gaze remains glued to the distant lights, thoughts racing as I contemplate escape again. But then reality hits like a gust of icy wind. How far is it? Can I make the journey through treacherous terrain in the dark? The idea of wolves or bears lurking in the shadows adds another layer of unease.

It dawns on me – I might be in Europe, possibly Romania, the supposed homeland of the Vasiliev family. But with every revelation, doubt seeps in, shrouding my once-clear convictions. Their carefully crafted façade, the illusion they present to the world, now stands exposed as a lie, a deceptive mask concealing their true nature.

Weariness creeps over me, dragging at my limbs, tangling my thoughts. I’m beyond tired. My eyes reluctantly leave the distant lights, and I shut the creaky rose window, the chilled air forming visible clouds with each breath. “That’ll keep Seraphina out while I sleep,” I mutter, as if the words alone can keep her at bay. “Creepy little girl.”

Turning my attention to the bedroom door adorned with engravings of hunters and stags, I steel myself for the task ahead. Pushing against the weight of the heavy wooden armoire, its groan seems to mirror my own as I manage to wedge it across the cold stone floor. My makeshift barricade is now in place, a last defence against any intrusions.

My next task is to clean myself up. I head over to the bowl of water and towels, and carefully wash my face. I’ve forgotten all about my broken nose, and the mess of dried blood that now comes away in the cool water. My nose feels numb and tender, and I’m tempted to look at my reflection in the full-length mirror and take stock of the damage, but I decide against it.

I’ve seen enough horrifying sights for one day, and I’m sure I look like hell right now, I think to myself.

Sighing, I shift my focus to the grand four-poster bed that dominates the room. The crimson velvet brocade beckons like a sanctuary, a refuge from the nightmarish situation I’ve found myself in. There’s a long silky white nightgown laid out on the bed, and I slip into it gratefully, discarding my bloodied dress on the floor.

I climb up into the high, massive bed with some difficulty. Nestling beneath the plush covers, I shiver as the eerie blue light from the fireplace casts a gentle glow across the room, revealing intricate details in its soft embrace.

Eyes closed, I surrender to the heaviness of the day. Secrets unveiled, revelations unfurled, danger lurking at every corner – they mingle in a whirlwind of confusion and fear. Sleep extends its hand, offering a brief respite from my reality. Yet even as I drift into slumber, an undercurrent of awareness persists. In my half-awake state, I’m lost in a world between dreams and reality. The plush covers cradle me, their softness cocooning me in a realm of comfort. The eerie blue light from the fireplace still casts a gentle glow across the room.

The sensation of being enveloped in warmth is only interrupted by the distant howling of the wind, a haunting lullaby that echoes through the castle’s ancient walls. The last thing I see before I slip into my dreams is a vision of a perfectly chiselled, cruelly handsome face hovering over me inches from my own, icy blue eyes and hair as black as midnight.

I guess I must be dreaming already, I think through my hazy half-awake daze as Aleksandr’s handsome face gazes down at me. Where did he come from? Does it matter? I’m obviously dreaming right now… no way is he here for real. Aleksandr and his brother are lying, bloodsucking monsters, but they’re still undeniably hot, and I’m going to enjoy this wet dream for all it’s worth. I feel an urgent throb between my legs, and I lift my hips up invitingly as the wetness blossoms between them. I bite my lip, feeling my nipples harden under the silky fabric of the night dress as heat surges through me, a rush of desire. I feel his weight pressing down on me, the thickness of his long hard cock pressing into my thigh, the cold touch of his lips on my throat as he gives me a gentle love bite, marking me as his own. I grind my hips under his touch, moaning in ecstasy. It’s been a while since I last had a sex dream, and I’m sure as hell going to enjoy this one. He pulls down my panties, ripping them away, and then I feel his strong hands forcefully push apart my legs, exposing my now dripping wet pussy. He taunts me, rubbing the tip of his cock against my exposed slit without entering, up and down, up and down, teasing me, torturing me. His eyes burn with a fierce intensity as he teases me with his rock hard member.

But as I moan out his name in my moment of lust, I feel a cold, strong hand clamp suddenly around my throat. The grip of his hand around my throat feels real… too real…

Oh, shit!

I tense, fully awake now, realising that the vision of perfection hovering just inches from my face isn’t a dream – Aleksandr is really there, in my bed… and he’s choking me.

No, not choking me exactly – he isn’t squeezing or exerting any pressure, just holding me down, in place, pinned against the bed. His icy blue eyes glitter cruelly in the dying firelight from the hearth as he bares his fangs, his lips parting in a wide smile.

“It’s time for your punishment, little slut,” he growls, baring his sharp fangs as he smiles wickedly above me.