Castle Dimitrescu, Cassandra's bedroom - November, 2021

In that moment, Cassandra should be hunting the Bio Weapons with her sisters. Or she could've gone after Ada Wong, what would be even more satisfying. Murdering a human who had connections with the BSAA would be a lifetime achievement. The perfect revenge for the time they planned to blow up the castle, months earlier.

But she wasn't. She was in her bedroom, holding Gabriela in her arms after they had sex. Sex always had been a meaningless entertainment so far. But not this time. This time was different from all the others. And Cassandra still couldn't figure out why.

"Know what's funny?" The foreigner spoke while they laced their fingers together playfully. "You spend years imagining vampires would come to take you wrapped in a mysterious fog or in a flock of bats, and then you finally meet them and they come as a single fly, buzzing in your ear."

"Did you often imagine how a vampire would come to take you?" Cassandra stared at her, curious. "Tell me, did you ever thought they'd be so attractive and charming as I am?"

"Of course, vampires are all attractive and charming! It's a rule."

"How many others have you met before?"

Gabriela let out a long and relaxed laugh. Cassandra couldn't resist, when she noticed she was laughing too.

"C?" The girl turned around with a serious expression. They were face to face now. "I would. I would be able to handle it."

"What are you talking about?"

Cassandra knew exactly what she meant. She was afraid to hear the answer. Gabriela's next words would change everything. They would break through an emotional barrier that would shied the Dimitrescu sister for over six decades.

"The question you asked me earlier. You gave me no time to answer. I like you exactly the way you are. And I think about you all the time. When we're apart, I can't wait to be with you again. I think... I think I'm love with you!"

Foolish girl! She wasn't supposed to feel this way. It would never work!

Cassandra wasn't like Bela. She was incapable of loving. Someday, she'd lose control of her temper and she'd kill her exactly like she did to every maid, every human she murdered before. And maybe her heart wouldn't be able to take it. It would cause her an immeasurable pain she wasn't ready to face. A pain she wasn't ready to feel.

Would Gabriela feel the same if she had ever witnessed Cassandra slaughtering one of her prey? Of course not! She'd see her as monster, like everybody else. She'd be scared. She'd go away.

"C?" Gabriela insisted. "Please, say something. Don't leave me hanging like a fool."

"You..." Cassandra stood up, her naked body wrapped on the bed sheets. "You shouldn't have said that."

"But you asked me. I thought..."

"You misunderstood it. Like you never understand a single thing people say because of this defective brain of yours."

Yes. Using her issues to hurt her was the best manner to push her away. Gabriela would be safer if she hated her. If she just stayed away from her.

"Well, it seems like I'm not the only one with a defective brain here. Because until five minutes ago you were behaving like a normal individual, instead of a sadist monster."

That was exactly what Cassandra wanted to hear. But she still needed more. She needed a manner to make Gabriela go away for good.

"Know what I think?" The foreigner continued. "You're afraid. You're afraid to admit there's something going on between us."

"Afraid?!" Cassandra let out a sarcastic laugh. "I'll show you who should be afraid."

In a blink, she pinned Gabriela against the wall. After using her flies to grab a dagger from the desk, she pressed it against her neck.

"Quit the show, Cassandra. Your old tricks aren't enough to convince me. You're acting like child fighting against your feelings."

The door opened in a slam. Both Cassandra and Gabriela immediately turned around. If her move wasn't enough to convince the girl of her intentions, that was the opportunity Cassandra needed.

"Cassandra!" Lady Dimitrescu shouted as she stomped into the chambers. "There you are! I've been calling you for minutes and..."

She paused, shooting a long and displeased gaze at Gabriela. It wasn't the first time she caught Cassandra with a servant. It had happened many and many times before. However, even the Countess seemed to know there was something different in the air.

"Mother," she spoke. "I couldn't hear you."

"Of course you couldn't," Alcina said this last part with a short and ironic laugh.

"You came in the right time, mother. Not only Gabriela allowed a member of the BSAA into the castle, but she also let her escape. I had to seduce her to make her confess, but now, I was about to punish her properly."

"Oh daughter, I appreciate that. But there were other manners to make them confess."

Lady Dimitrescu let her claws out and started to approach the scene. Cassandra held Gabriela stronger against the wall, covering her mouth so no one would hear her screaming.

And then, their eyes crossed. For the first time since her arrival, the foreigner seemed to be genuinely terrified. Her eyes begged Cassandra to let her go.

"It's better this way," the brunette closed her eyes, mentally repeating those words to herself.

The door opened again.

"Cassandra? Mother?" It was Bela's voice. "I found something in the woods."

The blonde walked in before Lady Dimitrescu could harm Gabriela. Cassandra inhaled deeply. She couldn't quite tell if she was frustrated or relieved.

"What the hell is going on here?" Bela's eyes went wide in shock. "Let her go! Now."

She immediately advanced forward, pushing Cassandra away from Gabriela. The middle sister didn't fight back. She didn't react. Her mission was already accomplished anyways.

"Bela, stay back," Lady Dimitrescu angered. "She has betrayed us! She allowed a member of the Alliance into the castle."

Bela glanced at Gabriela, how shook her head in denial while the tears streamed down her face. That was enough to bring the eldest daughter's merciful side to surface.

"I hired her," she told. "She's my responsibility. I'll deal with her."

She escorted Gabriela out of the room. Cassandra exchanged a look with her mother before she started collecting her clothes.

At least they'd hunt the Bio Weapons. She'd definitely need that to cool off her head.

Castle Dimitrescu, Bela's Bedroom - November, 2021

"Please, don't kill me," I begged as Bela locked her bedroom's door. "Cassandra lied. I... I didn't let Ada Wong in. She used one of the secret entrances."

I also told her about my past with that mysterious woman and how I could barely act when I confronted her outside the castle. I also told her about my situation with Cassandra.

The blonde gave me some clothes to wear and offered me a glass of water. She listened to me patiently, without showing any signs she planned to kill me.

"Cassandra..." Bela sighed deeply and shook her head in a mix of disappointment and denial. "I'm sorry about that. My sister she..."

"She's a monster. I thought I could trust her, that I could learn to love her the way she is, but now? I don't want to ever see her again!"

"Listen, it's a lot more complicated than it seems. I'll have a conversation with Cassandra but for your own sake, you should go back to London. My mother will never let you get away."

Complicated? That wasn't the word I'd use for Cassandra. She was a coward. There was no better word to describe someone who would rather kill me than face her own feelings.

"I need to go now," Bela told me. "I'd like to talk to you again tomorrow, before you leave."

"Oh great..." I wiped away the tears that insisted on keep falling. "I'll be alone here in the castle with your psycho mother. I'll certainly last until the morning."

"I'll ask someone in the village to let you spend the night. You'll be safe there, I promise."

"Thank you."

I went to my bedroom, where I started to collect my stuff. When I noticed, Cassandra was standing right behind me.

"What do you want?" I angered. "Came to finish what you started back in your bedroom?"

"I'd like to," she answered. Her expression looked completely different from the one I saw moments earlier. There was no cruelty. There was no sarcasm. There was no confidence. She seemed... broken. "But I can't. For some reason, I just can't."

"Yeah, because you're a coward. So you had to ask your mother to do it."

"Can we... Can we just talk, please?" That should be the first and only time that word slipped from Cassandra's mouth. "There's a lot in my head right now. You wouldn't understand."

"Right. Because my brain is defective."

"It's not. I didn't mean that."

"You were crystal clear on your words."

"Come on, can you stop playing tough? I'm trying to fix it before I leave to the woods with my sisters and you're not helping."

"Go, Cassandra," I opened the bedroom's door, showing her the way out. "I hope you die. I expect to never see you again. I hate you!"

"Okay," she didn't react. She closed her eyes and sighed deeply. Then she turned into flies, leaving me alone. I slammed the door behind her and cried.

I was in love with that woman. I expect her to have a good side, under all those layers of darkness. I believed we had a connection. I believed she could be different for me. But I was wrong.

There was no salvation for Cassandra Dimitrescu. She was nothing but a sadist monster.

Castle Dimitrescu, Woods - November, 2021

Cassandra never cared about anything that was ever said about her. Who cared if the humans labeled her as a freak, a monster or a witch? They were usually right. Each one of them that ever dared to enter the castle became her prey.

The only words that ever caused some harm came from her mother's mouth. Sometimes, Lady Dimitrescu would be very harsh on her. But it wasn't like she didn't deserve it anyways. She was always causing trouble.

"I hope you die! I expect to never see you again, Cassandra. I hate you!"

Those words weren't supposed to be bothering her. She should be laughing. She should have enjoyed it. But she didn't. She was extremely upset and angry at herself. Gabriela was right. She was a coward.

"Why do you always ruin everything by being a jerk?" Bela asked as they started walking to the forest.

"Because I'm not you," Cassandra shrugged. "Being a jerk is my specialty."

"What did I miss?" Daniela wanted know.

"Gabriela confessed her feelings for Cassandra after they had sex. Cassandra freaked out, called our mother and they both were going to kill the girl."

"WHAT?" It was Daniela's turn to smack Cassandra's head. She allowed it. She deserved to be smacked. "Why are you such a jerk?"

"I wasn't going to kill her," Cassandra admitted. "I just wanted her to be scared enough to go away. She... misinterpreted things. She can't be in love with me."

"It's up to her, don't you think?" The younger sister asked. "Why do you think she can't be in love with you?"

"Because Cassandra thinks she doesn't deserve to be loved," Bela answered the question for her, which annoyed the brunette deeply. That cocky bastard was always assuming she knew everything about everyone. "The old vampire dilemma."

"Why don't you two leave me alone and focus into finding these Bio Weapons?"

"Sure, but you know you're gonna have to face it. Sooner or later."

"I won't. Gabriela hates me now. And honestly, it's better this way."

From distance, they heard a buzzing sound. Cassandra immediately recognized it from the day she was attacked in the woods. She gave her sisters a signal.

They went silent and waited. Some minutes later, the three humanoid figures were standing in front of them again.

"Remember, we need to cause extreme harm to the swarm to force the queen to show up," she reminded her sisters.

"Got it," they said, also pulling their sickles and get ready to fight.

It was impossible to cause any harm to the creatures when they kept turning into swarms of bees. Not even when they sisters also adopted their alternative form, they were able to inflict enough damage to attract the queen.

"Anyone has any ideas?" Bela asked. "This way, we're gonna get exhausted in a couple of hours and I have a feeling this is exactly what they want."

"We should take their humanoid form to the lake," Cassandra suggested. "They won't be able to turn back into bees. Or they'll die."

"I have a better idea," Daniela, who had been away from them for a few minutes, returned to the scene carrying a weapon neither of the sisters recognized. Bela and Cassandra exchanged a gaze, wondering what their younger sister was planning.

She pulled the trigger, revealing a flamethrower.

"Haha! DIE!"

In a matter of seconds all the bees had turned into ashes, forcing the queen to finally show up to complete the job.

"Are you training her while I'm away?" Bela asked Cassandra, while they both attacked the Bio Weapon with their sickles.

"No," the brunette told. "Actually, I have no fucking idea where she got that from."

As soon as the creature shaped into a bee swarm, Daniela used the flamethrower again. Killing it instantly.

"That was easy," she told, proud of herself.

"My little sister is finally growing up," Bela patted her on the shoulder. "Mother will be very proud of you."

Cassandra sat down on the floor, resting her back against a tree. She started wondering what she could even do to fix her situation with Gabriela. Would she even be able to forgive her? She didn't seem to be the type who gave second chances.

"She's in Elena's house," Bela approached her. "You should go after her."

"Maybe I should wait until tomorrow," Cassandra said. "I'll tell mother I lied and then I... I have this speech inside my head. I don't even know how I'm gonna make her listen. When she starts yelling at me, there's nothing in the world that will make her shut up."

She could write it down and send Gabriela a letter but she remembered she'd hate it. She hated long and exhaustive texts. Cassandra let out a small laugh, remembering the moments she shared with Gabriela before.

"You could shut her up with a kiss," Daniela suggested.

"I'm sure you'll find a way," Bela told. "You could steal some of mother's flowers to give her. She'd love it."

Cassandra considered the idea for a second. In case the flowers didn't work, she should try it with one of Lady Dimitrescu's jewels. Every women loved jewels. Gabriela wouldn't be different.

"Hey, you two can go back to the castle. I'm going to the pub for a drink. I have a feeling this speech will work better while I'm drunk."

After parting from her sisters, Cassandra started walking headed to the village. She never imagined someday she'd be planning an apology speech to give someone. But Gabriela wasn't a simply someone. She was the someone who made Cassandra laugh. The someone who drove her crazy everyday. The someone who made her ignore even her mother's calls.

"That's where I should start," she thought.

A projectile coming from the forest hit her back, causing a sting sensation. At first, she assumed it could be one of Daniela's pranks. They were always playing pranks on each other. But when she removed it, analyzing it in her hands, it was already too late.

"It's a... tranquilizer dart..."

Castle Dimitrescu, Dining Room - November, 2021

I was used to sleepless nights. Due to my extended list of trauma, I often experienced insomnia. But falling asleep after crying until exhaustion made me wake up feeling like a zombie that morning.

As life wasn't any kind to me, Bela arranged for me to sleep at Elena's house. The villager who looked exactly like Cassandra. A good and human version of her.

I turned on my phone when I woke up. Samuel had called me on the previous night. I sent him a text as response. I didn't want him to notice my voice was a complete mess.

"It's time to go home," I finally concluded. There was nothing else in that place for me. I already knew what happened to my family and I'd never be able to make that information public. And even if I did, there was no one left to be punished.

It didn't mean I hadn't made a copy of the files for myself. Before I left the castle, I broke into Lady Dimitrescu's office and copied the data to my own laptop. Later, I could decide what to do. Maybe I should go after Ada. Or even Leon.

"Gabriela," Elena knocked on the bedroom's door. "Mrs. Petrova is here. Lady Dimitrescu is requesting your presence in the castle."

I sighed weary. That maniac gigantic vampire bitch should be planning to kill me. Even when she was only able to find the Bio Weapons because of me.

As I followed my way to back to the castle, I hoped Bela and Daniela would be there too. I believed they'd protest against my death. If they hadn't been playing a twisted game with me in the last few days too.

When I opened the door, they were all having breakfast. Except for Cassandra.

"Sit," Lady Dimitrescu ordered as soon as I entered.

I picked one of the chairs in front of her, by the side of her eldest daughter.

"Good morning, Gabriela." Bela greeted me. "Serve yourself."

Before I could say no, Daniela handed me a plate she filled with some of her favorite food. Bela served me a cup of tea. The Countess was still glaring at me. If her eyes could shoot daggers, I'd be dead right now.

"Where's my daughter?" She finally asked.

"Excuse me?" I asked, confused, while I sipped my tea.

"She isn't in her bedroom. Since you two have been engaging in sexual activity very often, I assumed she could only be with you."

I choked on my tea. The other servants started to exchange looks and giggles. Mrs. Petrova eyes went wide in shock.

In that moment, I wished I could just drop dead.

"I haven't seen Cassandra since last night, before she left to fight the Bio Weapons. I'm sorry, maybe you should take a look in another servant's bedroom."

Daniela burst into laughs. Bela elbowed her ribs when she noticed her mother went red in rage with my answer. We were in silence for a moment, before Lady Dimitrescu finally yelled at the housekeeper.

"What are you waiting for, Mrs. Petrova? Inspect the servants' bedrooms. Find Cassandra, now!"

"What was the last time you saw her?" I asked Bela. I hated myself for feeling worried, but I couldn't help it.

"We were coming back from the woods," she told, pensive. "Cassandra said she was going to the village for a drink."

"Well, somebody should check the villagers' beds too."

"Oh my god!" Daniela shouted. "I hope it's not Elena. That would be awfully weird."

I was about to tell her it wasn't Elena when I noticed Bela's face. Her expression turned serious and dark. Cassandra's older sister knew her better than anyone in that room.

"Something happened," she immediately told. "She wouldn't do that. She would have returned by now."

Lady Dimitrescu went even more enraged than she already was. In the depths of her eyes, I could finally see how worried she was.

"I'm gonna murder each one of those villagers..." she stood up, exhibiting two huge metallic claws coming out from her hands. "They'll pay for that!"

"Mother, I should talk to them first. If anything happened, Aleena's friends are informed and they'll tell me about it."

In the end Bela managed to convince her mother, but they both agreed Daniela should stay in the castle. I followed her outside, announcing I was going with her.

"Do you think the villagers really did something to Cassandra?" I asked.

"No, I don't," Bela seemed certain of her words.

"Then..."

"We caught the Bio Weapons, not their maker. Whoever was behind them is still out there and I believe they did something to Cassandra."

Eastern Europe, Woods - November, 2021

"I should've brought a weapon or something," I thought as I tried to follow Bela into the woods. It was hard to keep her rhythm, especially when the girl decided to turn into a swarm of flies to observe the area from above.

"I found something," she said when she returned to my side. She extended her palm, showing a dead fly. Which was exactly like hers. "This is one of Cassandra's flies."

"Are you sure? And she could've lost it yesterday, during the fight. It doesn't mean..."

I was trying to be optimistic. After all, Cassandra was also missing days earlier, when she took me to the hospital. The thought made my heart ache a little bit. I remembered how caring, how supportive she was that day.

I remembered the last time I saw her. The last words that came out from my mouth - 'I hope you die. I expect to never see you again. I hate you!'. I started regretting them. What if Cassandra had really died? Was that even a possibility?

"I'm sorry," I apologized. "I'm just trying to follow what I learn in therapy for once. I'm trying to see the bright side of things. This is bullshit, I know."

"You're worried," Bela concluded. The corners of her lips curled up a little bit. "This is what our minds do, when they don't want to accept reality. I felt the same when Miranda captured my girlfriend."

"Y-Yeah but... it doesn't even compare. I mean, there's nothing between us. I just..."

The blonde gave me a knowing smirk. I blushed.

"There's no need to hid that. Cassandra likes you too, this is why she's being a jerk. It's her way to show affection. Trust me, we're always arguing over the silliest things."

"Oh," I looked down to my feet in embarrassment. "I don't think this is the case. She was going to serve me as your mother's dinner last night."

"She's trying to runaway from her feelings," Bela told as she inspected the perimeter around us. She lowered her voice. "I'm detecting a human presence nearby. Quiet!"

I tensed up, carefully paying attention to my surroundings. I got in a fighting position, even though I knew it was useless. If someone was able to take Cassandra, they could easily take me too.

"Bela, are you..." before I could even finish my sentence, I noticed Bela had vanished. Great, I was on my own against our enemy.

I could finally hear their footsteps closer and closer in my direction. I did the only thing in my reach, I hid behind a tree and waited. I took a quick glance. The culprit seemed to be examining the area with some kind of device, searching for something. Or someone.

"Stop," I yelled as I emerged from behind the tree. "Right there!"

They turned around. I was kinda surprised, but not too much. Ada Wong was standing in front of me again.

"Are you going to follow me everywhere now?" She sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Me?" I let out an ironic laugh. "Trust me, you're the last person I wanted to see."

"Then go home. I have important stuff to do here and you're disturbing me."

As Ada started to walk again, Bela suddenly re-appeared, landing on top of her and pinning her on the ground.

"Where's Cassandra?" She placed a sickle against Ada's neck. "What have you done to my sister?"

Eastern Europe, Woods - November, 2021

After I prevented Ada and Bela from killing each other - which wasn't easier, considering they both had some impressive fighting skills and one of them is a vampire - we finally concluded we were searching for the same thing, the person behind the Bio Weapons.

Yet, the Dimitrescu daughter only felt safe after she took every weapon Ada was carrying and handed them to me.

"You two should head back to where you came from," Ada told us. "This is a job for adults. You'll get killed."

"I'm over eighty years old," Bela responded. "And immortal. If someone is surviving this, it'll be me."

"Your sister was supposed to be immortal too and right now, we could be walking on her ashes."

"Stop!" I yelled. I couldn't put up with her arrogant voice anymore. "Cassandra is not dead. We'll find the maker and I'll make them pay for what they did."

The two women exchanged a gaze.

"She's definitely getting killed," Ada whispered to Bela, still loud enough so I could listen. "With her attitude and the lack of skills, she won't last five minutes."

"I do have skills. You have no idea of the things I went through - because of you, by the way. I had to learn how to survive, how to fight."

"Awe-inspiring speech, cariño. But I did not force you to be a car thief."

"Wait... how do you even..." Did she make a research after our encounter in the previous night? Or she kinda kept track of my steps after abandoning me in London? I needed to hear an answer.

"What is the story between you people?" Bela interrupted us, clearly annoyed. "There's a lot of unresolved tension here. Are you exes or something?"

"Ada rescued me from the village I belonged to, after helping her boyfriend to murder my entire family," for some reason the word 'boyfriend' caused a certain discomfort on Ada. She tried to protest, but I didn't let her. "Then she abandoned me to my fate in London, where I went through the most horrible and traumatic experiences."

"What did you expect me to do?" She asked. "You were not my responsibility anymore."

"Yes, I was. I was seven, I couldn't survive on my own! If you planned to throw me at some random street, you should've let me die."

"You two need therapy," Bela sighed weary, shaking her head in denial.

"Okay, I'll start," Ada was finally ready to join the argument she had been avoiding. "Gabriela wasn't able to pass the 'anger' stage of grief. She still mad at her parents for abandoning her somehow. And since then, she has been projecting her feelings onto me."

"I'll go next," I wouldn't quit, not this time. "Ada is an egotistical bitch, shady as fuck, who betrays everything and everyone around her for money. When she discovered I had no mutation she could benefit from, she discarded me like trash."

"This time, I'm totally letting you die."

"You won't have to," I started to walk away before I jumped on her throat. "I'm going to find Cassandra on my own!"

"Good luck taking down some Bio Weapons with your barehands."

"Gabriela," Bela called. "Come back here."

I ignored it. I could do this. Somehow I felt responsible for Cassandra getting in trouble, so I'd be the one to take her back to the castle in safety. I owed her that. She saved my life.

"I'm sorry, C," I spoke to the void as I walked distracted. "I don't want you to die. I just want to hear that stupid laugh of yours again. Please, I need you."

I tripped into something, almost falling on the ground.

"What the fuck..."

I removed the leaves and dirty with my foot, revealing a huge metallic door. A bunker. Right in the middle of the woods.

You lost it, Ada. I had found the maker's hideaway.