Sorry its taking me longer to update! But I hope this chapter can let you forgive me. :)

Chapter Six- Death

The attack on Sulpicia's home along with others in the village made everyone on a higher alert than what they had been before, they were taking things more seriously and most of the men wanted to hunt down whatever animal that had caused their suffering.

Although the others thought it was an animal, Sulpicia knew better. She had felt its hands, felt its breath against her, and heard the sick and twisted hiss that came from its mouth. Sulpicia tried to tell this to Aldo, but only was ignored or threatened to keep her lies silent.

Many villagers were buried the following days of Adelie's and the other humans deaths, prayers were said for the families or widowers and life was meant to continue as normal. But how was any of this exactly normal?

Aldo became more controlling to Sulpicia, claiming that as her caretaker, she would listen to him or else. Sulpicia never really cared for his threats, she never gave them the time of day before but this time it was different. Adelie wasn't there to hold him back or calm him, he had nothing except his ill temper and feelings about Sulpicia, whom he still saw as a harlot.

Currently, Sulpicia was scrubbing the floor in Aldo's bedroom, attempting to clean up all the stains of blood that Aldo refused to be near, he'd forced Sulpicia to go into the room with a bucket and ripped rags to make an attempt to get at least some of it out of the floor.

She was sitting on her knees, trying to not let her tears fall but found it being very difficult. The bucket was full of red stained water as she scrubbed with all her strength at the floor, she didn't feel like family to Aldo or anyone for that matter. If she was being honest with herself, she was just his peasant now to order and be forced to listen.

With a loud, sickening sound, Sulpicia threw the rags down on the floor and stood up straight, she wasn't meant to scrub floors like a maid! She turned from the room and ran to the kitchen, and towards the door. But the bell that Aldo attached to the door that morning, betrayed her as she opened the door.

She froze in her tracks as she heard his footsteps and then the following 'tsks' from his mouth, she slammed the door closed and turned to face the old man, he was looking at her with disapproval and began shaking his head slowly at her.

"Sulpicia...you are not finished with the floor." He said, his voice thick with his Italian accent as he took a seat at the table. He picked up a rag and began to fold it and unfold it as he watched her closely, narrowing his eyes. "You know there will be trouble if you walk out of that door, harlot." He spoke the words with distaste, ignoring the flinch that Sulpicia had at the word 'harlot'.

"...I...am not some maid that you will order to do your bidding. I am leaving you." Sulpicia stood straighter, keeping her voice even despite the anger that she held for this man. She could understand that he'd be feeling rage from Adelie's death, or even in a state of depression for that matter.

But all he had done since her death, was use his given freedom to make her life a living hell. He was like a demon that wouldn't go away no matter how much she prayed. He stayed beneath her skin, no matter how much she scratched or wished, he wouldn't go away.

Aldo's laughter broke her out of her thoughts as she saw him stand up and walk slowly towards her, a grin placed on his features as he stopped in front of her. "You are a peasant, all which is a maid. Women will follow by men's orders, it is how it has always been and will be. You cannot leave me in life, only in death." He held his gaze with hers and showed a soft smile that would look innocent to anyone else, but Sulpicia knew better. "Which do you choose il mio contadino? Life or death?"

Sulpicia became silent at his words, she knew that she should take him seriously, but she could not stand to be near him any longer. She raised her hand as if to touch her hair or face, but quickly moved it back and slapped him as hard as she could. She hadn't noticed that her nails had striked his face until blood began dripping down the side of his cheek. His head had snapped shortly to the side, shock taking over his expression.

She backed away and quickly ran from the house after throwing the door open, she continued to run knowing full well that when he recovered, that this wouldn't end well for her. She ran into the village and only stopped when she was in a small crowd of people, her breathing was fast as she leaned against a stand to calm herself down.

She noticed that it was a cloudy, the sun was hidden so well that the weather was perfect for sleeping, or staying in doors. But many of the villagers had work to be done and weren't bothering with thinking of home. Sulpicia glanced between a few of the people until she noticed Aro. She somehow felt relieved to see him, and also surprised.

"Aro!" She called out, he turned at once and looked around until his eye rested on her. He walked over to her slowly and gave a proper bow before taking her by the hand. "I'm sorry for your loss Sulpicia..." His gentle tone was a relief to hear against hearing the cruel man's voice to her. She pulled her hand away and suddenly hugged him, hiding her face against his chest.

Aro hesitated for a moment before he wrapped his arms around her softly, he tried to ignore the looks that people gave him, or her for that matter and focused on her. He moved his hands so they made soft contact with her skin and he took his time to see her thoughts. He could see how much pain she was in, not physical pain but emotional and mental.

She saw what Aldo was doing as a way of torture, and he saw she was afraid of what he may do to her. Aro moved his hands to her shoulders and stepped back, looking at her as she frowned. The look of hurt was fast on her face but she was also quick to hide it.

"We should..." He began to say as he looked around, he noticed a sitting area nearby and nodded his head towards it, Sulpicia was confused for a moment before she looked over her shoulder at it, she let out a soft sigh and turned, walking over to the area and taking a seat.

Aro followed her closely, sitting down beside her as she looked down at her hands which she had placed softly into her lap. "I hate Aldo.." She whispered quietly to him, like she was afraid of anyone overhearing.

Of course this was no problem for him, but he leaned closer pretending the look that he needed to hear her this way. "You do not hate him." He said to her and slipped his arm around her waist, pulling her closer to him. Sulpicia quickly took this advantage to lean her body against his, laying her head onto his shoulder.

"But I do...I wish he were dead." She spoke lowly, sighing more at herself than the topic of conversation. Aro thought about this, as much as he wanted to smile he kept his blank expression and leaned his head on hers. "Shh...close your eyes." He whispered to her and watched as she did. "You need to rest." He held her against him as she kept her eyes closed, she didn't mind it, she felt exhausted both physically and mentally. And for some odd reason, she trusted him around her.

She barely caught what he said as she drifted off to sleep.

Aldo stood with a small group of men from the village, these men were the most important ones that could have been there, they hunted for the village, kept everyone safe. They were a small council that dealt with matters that hurt or helped the village, and seemed very irritated that Aldo called them away from the other business in town.

They were all looking at him as he was explaining his little story.

His story about a young woman who, for some odd reason was becoming different, like she was possessed with an evil. That, since she could not be getting her way, all these deaths were occuring.

"I think...Sulpicia may have the diavolo..."

The men all tensed at that statement, the diavolo? If this was true then there would be no choice but to...

"...Noi la dobbiamo mettere a morte."

I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Let me know what you thought with a review!

The Translations (again forgive me if they are not 100% accurate, I am using Google Translate for all of them):

il mio contadino- "My peasant."

Diavolo- "Devil."

Noi la dobbiamo mettere a morte- "We must put her to death."