"Kiss you..?"
Ethan simply stared at the vicious vampiric monster in disbelief. She wanted him to kiss her?
"Uh-huh."
The girl nodded her head eagerly, while finally letting go of his hand. In turn, the man did not hesitate in taking his freed hand off her breast and moving several tentative steps backwards. While he would not deny the fact that touching her supple bosom was more than a little pleasing at some base level, it was simply wrong on so many others. Even if Daniela was not a murderous man-eating aberration, he still wore his wedding ring on his half-eaten finger, for Christ's sake!
At the loss of contact between their skins, Daniela's joyous expression toned down a little, with a small frown taking the place of a lustful smile. Still, seeing Ethan wetting his lips with a pensive look on his face was enough to reignite her mirthful spark.
Watching her carefully, the lone father had to seriously weigh the pros and cons of this insane offer. Her help could prove invaluable and a single quick kiss didn't sound too bad… Mia would surely understand his predicament.
As if reading his mind, the erratic redhead promptly straightened up her right hand in a 'stop' sign, before correcting his unvoiced thoughts.
"But it can't be just any silly little smooch! I'll be risking my buns for you here! The kiss has to reflect that!"
Scowling at her suddenly dramatic tone and expressive gestures, Ethan, nevertheless, played along, "So… a deep kiss?"
Daniela simply shook her head vigorously, before letting out a frustrated sigh and continuing, "Nuh-uh. It has to be…" the witch paused for a second, locked her gaze with his - Ethan could swear that her vicious amber orbs almost sparkled at that moment - and finished her thought.
"...the Kiss of One True Love."
That settled it in Ethan's mind. Daniela Dimitrescu was officially batshit crazy. Even if she was merely 'playing around' with him earlier and had no intent to actually kill him, her sisters and mother totally did! And now, she wanted him to kiss her as if he loved her? Suddenly feeling enraged by her delusional romantic fantasies, the man proceeded to bash his fist into the wall - right next to her head, even as he roared his many grievances out in anger.
"You fucking crazy bitch! My wife was gunned down in front of my eyes - hours ago! You people have kidnapped my baby girl! Your fucking 'sisters' tried to eat me alive! And now you want me to kiss as if you were the love of my life? She is gone and I don't have time for your bullshit games! And even if I did - I don't love you, I fucking hate you, you goddamn monster!"
Momentarily stunned by his angry tirade, Daniela did not respond for several seconds, though Ethan was not blind to the fact that her expression was rapidly hardening. Even though her amber orbs started to glisten with wetness, her small gloved hands curled into tight fists, making Ethan question the wisdom of verbally assaulting this dangerous creature.
Before he could consider apologizing for his outburst, Daniela roughly pushed him away from herself with both hands, causing the man to tumble backwards and land on his rear a couple of feet away from her. Again, displaying her erratic personality, she hissed out at him with nothing but somber scorn - her previous playful or flirty tone forgotten.
"You think you know pain, Ethan? You think you know loss?"
The man wanted to immediately launch into a lecture about all the loss and pain he had, as a matter of fact, suffered, but the witch gave him no chance to do so.
"You had a beautiful wife and you had a beautiful child with her. Even if you lost her, you still have all these wonderful memories of the love you shared, the passion you had, the time you spent together - whole."
Now it was Ethan's turn to be stunned into silence, even as he watched the witch fumbling with her key-ring necklace - detaching it from her graceful neck and clutching the singular key in her gloved fingers.
"You don't even know how fortunate you are, Ethan. I have nothing. I had nothing! I will never have anything! I am destined to remain in this castle forever and the experience of ever sharing a kiss with your one true love or to hold your own child in your arms, next to your chest - it's forever out of my reach. An eternity of solitude is a curse you had never known, Ethan. You don't get to fucking judge me."
With a scoff of derision, Daniela tossed the key in Ethan's general direction and the small object fell on the floor next to the man with a clung. Ethan didn't even glance at it, however, as he simply gaped at the redhead who poured her entire soul out at him. And he could tell that her emotions were genuine - and the amount of suffering she held within her black heart was utterly staggering.
Is it all a mask? Her insane laughter and wicked smiles? Is it all a mask to conceal the hurt inside of her?
Daniela was not even looking at him anymore, as she merely stared at a toppled bookshelf nearby. Her voice now betrayed an unfathomable sadness and resignation.
"Go. Leave. You will never get past Mother. Rose will never be reunited with her father. I will never know the joy of being loved. There is no such thing as a happy ending in this forsaken valley."
Somehow, in this moment, Ethan could do nothing but stare at this monstrous creature, even though the path to freedom was open to him. It was simply befuddling to the man how human Daniela appeared now. How vulnerable. It was true - he could not even comprehend the scale of her suffering, not when he grew up in a loving family of his own, or when he met a beautiful girl who would eventually become his wife and later give birth to their child. Daniela was denied even a chance to have the same, and Ethan found himself wanting to do something he would've never even entertained before.
Ethan Winters wanted to comfort the vicious, man-eating bug-swarm that was known as Daniela Dimitrescu.
And so he did. With slow and steady motions, the lone father got back to his feet, only to unsurely approach the hooded vampire and to take her into a tender embrace. At the surprisingly gentle gesture, Daniela froze, but did nothing further to indicate her discomfort.
As he gently coiled his arms around her smaller torso, Ethan whispered into her ear, "I am sorry, alright. I am going through some tough shit right now, but you're right. It does not give me the right to judge you when I have no idea what it was like for you, Daniela… Dani."
Trailing tender circles around her back with his fingers, the man felt the tense girl slowly relaxing in his embrace, with her head soon finding respite on top of his still-sore shoulder. For a couple of moments they just stood like this, before Ethan had to give in to the relentless passage of time - the commodity he was not rich in.
"Do I have your word that you will help me save Rose if I… if I do what you have asked?"
At his meekly-sounding inquiry, the girl finally gazed back up at him and Ethan was struck speechless by how vulnerable she appeared at that moment. With her mascara mixed with freshly-spilled tears and her expression betraying decades of anguish, Ethan did not miss a spark of hope that sparkled in her expressive eyes.
"I promise. If you can grant me just a taste of what it means to be truly loved, I'll see you safely out of our castle, with your prize in tow."
Closing his own eyes for a second, Ethan could not help but note how comfortable it felt to hold her lithe body in his arms. Almost… right. If he could just pretend that it was Mia he was holding here, perhaps he could give Daniela what she sought so badly. And perhaps, if he could entertain her desire, he would finally win an ally in this God-forsaken alley. All he had to do was pretend.
"Alright."
Mumbling his consent and opening his eyes, Ethan was momentarily taken aback by the sheer difference Daniela's face had adopted. Gone was the depression and sadness - only to be replaced by giddy anticipation as her lips parted ways in preparation and her eyelids fell shut.
Her capacity for shifting emotions around was truly incredible, and the man could not help himself but consider that her previous dejected state was just a well-put act… yet the genuine outpour of emotions from the girl spoke otherwise. Either Daniela was an incredible actress or the rapidly shifting mood was the way her adaptable mind had dealt with all the accumulated trauma over the years…
Regardless of that, Ethan was now set on his course. If it took one performance to get out of this place in one piece and continue his search for Rose, he would do it.
Licking his chapped lips, the man proceeded to gaze at her own - black and bloodied from his own blood.
I must be fucking crazy…
Shaking the thought off, the man let out one last unsure sigh, before closing his eyes and tenderly placing his lips over her own.
The coppery scent of blood was the first thing that had assaulted the man's taste buds. The odor was overwhelming - almost making the man gag and break the kiss right then and there.
Daniela won't give me another chance if I do that… I have to do this the right way. For Rose. Just pretend she is Mia… That's all I have to do.
Fighting through the stench and now resolute in his chosen course of action, Ethan proceeded to place gentle smooches all over her lips. At his gentle ministrations, Daniela let out a satisfied hum before coiling her own arms around his stocky frame. Her hold was firm, but gentle and before long she started to follow his lead by returning the kisses all over his own lips.
Still with his eyes closed, Ethan sent his brain into an overdrive in an attempt to picture that it was his beloved wife of ten years he was holding now and not a murderous cannibal. It was hard, since not only her body-type was different, but her mannerisms as well. Neither were the pleased sounds she was producing nor the way she held his body in an almost possessively tight grip were akin to Mia's. Nothing about Daniela reminded Ethan of Mia.
Still… somehow, his brain managed to get over the coppery scent of blood that permeated the whole encounter and Ethan found himself starting to… enjoy the process. His own body was craving for affection, that much was obvious, especially after the traumatic effects of tonight. And Daniela was providing it all, eagerly. He was only human, after all, and his body was almost as desperate for comfort as Daniela was for a loving touch. And so both of them started to slowly give in to this incredible moment, letting the world around them - with all its worries and hardships - meld into the background.
After less than a minute of covering each other's faces with tender kisses and against all odds, the lone father realized something with a start. Ethan loved the way Daniela held his body - with both strength and affection. Ethan loved the way her soft lips placed delicate smooches all over his own outer mouth. Ethan loved the way her warm skin felt under his own chapped lips.
To the horror of his rational mind - which was soon completely overridden by passion of the moment - Ethan found himself not needing to imagine Daniela as Mia, because he was enjoying Daniela as Daniela.
Soon, whether out of his desire to fulfill his end of the bargain and guarantee their makeshift alliance, or from his burning need to taste her further, Ethan's tongue demanded entrance into her mouth - and she obliged.
This is insane… but it feels so right…
Disregarding his last rational thought and giving himself fully to the throes of the kiss, Ethan explored her warm mouth eagerly, even as his tongue wrestled with her own - it was so deliciously wet and hot... And she mirrored his passion perfectly, with her soft moans of pleasure only fueling Ethan's desire to discover every inch of the girl's delectable mouth. His roaming hands could no longer help themselves and instead of remaining on her back, went lower - only to squeeze her supple butt through her thin dress, eliciting a gasp of delight from the redheaded vampire.
The raw passion Ethan felt in this moment was enough to eclipse the agony of this horrible day. The trauma of his broken body, as well as his shattered spirit gave way to pure bliss - if only temporarily - as long as Ethan kept exploring this forbidden comfort Daniela provided. As their restless arms traversed across each other's backs and their famished tongues investigated every nook and cranny of each other's mouths, Ethan felt a spark of connection - born out of mutual suffering between them. Like they were kindred souls… meant to meet during these harrowing times...
...Unfortunately, the need to breathe was soon to rear its ugly head, interrupting Ethan's almost euphoria-like state from having her hot and wet tongue exploring his own mouth.
Breaking their kiss and panting heavily, Ethan did not miss how flushed Daniela's cheeks had become or the lusty haze that had fallen upon her own amber orbs. She wanted to take it a step further… and so did he.
But as the air had returned to his lungs and oxygen restarted these pesky higher-brain functions, Ethan was swift to comprehend the horror of this situation. His recently-slain wife was not even buried yet, and he was entertaining that notion with this unbelievably attractive yet undeniably monstrous girl - the girl, whose family had abetted Miranda in kidnapping his baby daughter, of all people!
Get your shit together, Winters. You did what she asked for, now get the hell out of here and save Rose!
Recovering her own breath, Daniela gazed at him up with a curious mix of adoration and dismay - likely understanding that they were never meant to be, after all. Regardless of her own current feelings, however, the girl spoke in a voice barely above a whisper - conveying an incredible range of emotions she had experienced during their brief but unforgettable moment - making Ethan hold his own breath in an attempt to not miss a single word that escaped her parted lips.
"I know how it feels now… thanks to you, Ethan. I will honor my word. Wait for me here and I will bring you that which is most precious to Mother Miranda… and to you."
Before he could protest her departure, the woman dispersed into a cloud of flies that promptly fluttered off - passing through and underneath the cracks of the locked door. Her parting words left the father with more than a little anxiety, however, which was not helped by the errant thought that she would return with her sisters and mother in tow - leaving him ripe for the slaughter.
Still, the man found himself wanting to trust her, for some unknowable reason. Taking the moment to unlock both of the library doors - therefore leaving himself an opportunity to escape if his trust was misplaced - Ethan proceeded to plop into the nearby chair, while picking up a random book from the shelf next to it. It turned out to be some kind of romantic novel, published in 1905, making the man let out a chuckle. Reading a couple of pages and feeling an unexplainable solace, the man proceeded to black out - with his exhausted and injured body simply giving in now that the adrenaline was no longer coursing through his veins.
"Wake up, Ethan… It's time to go…"
Through the slumbering haze, Ethan could barely discern the words spoken, much less the identity of the speaker. Still, who else but his wife could address him with such kindness in her voice?
"Mia..? Where are we going..?"
"..."
A beat of silence passed before that same voice said something that made the memories of this horrible night - the memories his own brain tried to forget in an effort to spare his mind the trauma - came flooding right back.
"...Your daughter needs you, Ethan."
Mia was dead. Rose was kidnapped. Everyone within miles wanted him dead. Everyone but…
"Daniela..?"
Opening his weary eyes, Ethan gazed at the redhead that knelt right next to his armchair. A veritable kaleidoscope of emotions poured out from her expressive orbs - betraying the tumultuous state the girl herself was in. Locking his brown-gray eyes with her own molten-gold orbs, Ethan could see everything - hurt, sadness, anger, resignation… but also contentment, joy, happiness and fulfillment.
Suddenly, the clicking of heels upon the marble floor forced the man to whirl his head around to glance at the library's entrance - only to behold a flowing black cloak - not unlike Daniela's own - vanishing from view.
"It's alright, you're safe."
Daniela's calming voice was not enough to soothe Ethan, however, and the man waited until the clicking noise faded completely, before trying to stand up from his admittedly soft and comfortable armchair.
"How long was I out..?"
"A bit over an hour. Your body really needed some rest. It still does."
Ethan did feel somewhat tired, yet upon regaining his footing, he also started to feel energized. That unmistakable feeling of surprising solace, when you've gotten used to being hurt all over. And then, It's like a dozen sore spots all over his body suddenly faded, allowing him to experience what it is to be healthy and hearty once again.
Checking his body, the man was shocked to find that every scrape and bruise was treated, with a number of antiseptic bandages now covering his frame. That was likely the reason for his newfound vitality. Inspecting the bandages further, Ethan could tell that they were all applied with a professional's touch. Glancing at Daniela next, who also stood up and was now wringing her hands, Ethan couldn't help but ask the question.
"You did this..?"
The girl let out a meek giggle while giving a brief glance at the library's door, before providing a vague answer.
"You couldn't possibly hope to face Mother Miranda in your condition… So yes, I had your injuries treated… Cassie can be a little mean, sometimes..."
Letting out a disbelieving scoff at the understatement of the century, Ethan glanced at a small laboratory flask that was now placed upon a side table - the father was pretty sure that before his nap only a dusty old book was on it.
Meeting his gaze, Daniela quickly offered a tidbit of non-committal information about it - while avoiding meeting his gaze, to the man's discomfort.
"This is what Mother Miranda had entrusted to House Dimitrescu after she had returned from her long journey. The Duke - have you met the Duke?" Seeing Ethan nod, the vampiric girl continued, "The Duke will tell you what to do with it in detail… but I am sure that this will be instrumental in saving little Rose…"
"Wait, what the hell is this? How can you be sur…" Not convinced, Ethan attempted to elicit more information about the enigmatic object, only to be hushed by a suddenly very animated Daniela.
"No time to explain! Mother will surely find something amiss soon enough, and boy, will she be angry when she does! And you really don't wanna be here when mama gets angry!"
Stuffing the mysterious flask right into his backpack, Daniela proceeded to unceremoniously grab Ethan by his right hand before dragging him towards the library's exit.
Following the erratic redhead and struggling to match her brisk pace, Ethan couldn't help but worry about the vampiric woman herself.
"What about you? Will your mother get mad at you?"
The girl just giggled, before offering a chirp response.
"Awww, you're worried about me, lover? That's so cute!"
Ethan couldn't help but flush at her response. After her depressed and solemn moods, it felt nice to see happy Daniela, again. Rationally, Ethan couldn't explain the reason for him caring about her in the first place - he knew her for all the ten minutes she was trying to kill him and ten minutes they spoke… and kissed. Then again, it was not every day he met someone who was willing to go against their family for his sake… or his child's sake. Daniela was not just some random murderous monster, he could tell that much…
"You're gonna be alright, then?"
Ethan's repeated inquiry resonated across the dungeon tunnel they were passing. To his chagrin and not a little amount of fright, several Moroaice responded to it with their hoarse moans, making the man startle and reach for his pistol in preparation for inevitable combat, only for Daniela to playfully slap his hand away from the gun.
"No need for that, hon. They won't touch you while you're with me. Ah, there are just so many benefits of having Daniela around! You should consider yourself lucky!" Taking a moment to giggle at her own joke, Daniela addressed his previous inquiry in that same playful voice, "And don't worry about me, Ethie-boy! Mama will probably bend me over her knee and give my buns a good spanking; maybe a month of cleaning dungeons… or two; but it's all gucci." Feeling mischievous, Daniela flashed Ethan a playful grin before lightly smacking her hindquarters against his side while letting out a mockingly serious rhetorical question, "But I guess mama isn't the only one who will be looking to deliver some spanking to my sweet buns."
Gaping in sheer astonishment at her smiling face, which was illuminated by nothing but an occasional torch they passed, Ethan felt heat creeping to his face. She was definitely right about that last thing…
Oh, God, what am I thinking!?
Shaking off the overly-kinky and completely situation-inappropriate imagery, Ethan still couldn't help but note how the blood-smeared girl somehow made a harrowing trek through the monster-infested dungeons as joyous and carefree. It's like she was some kind of portable rainbow, who dispelled the darkness wherever she went - with her mirthful presence alone. Moreover, even in these poorly lit conditions and with drained mascara and bloodstains covering her face, Ethan had to struggle to avoid shamelessly staring at her undeniably cute face or down below… into her fair bosom. The man could only imagine how beautiful she would be if she just washed off these bloodstains and smears of ruined make-up.
"Can't have enough of me, huh? That's understandable..."
Her flirty comment implied that she was quite aware of all the attention the man was paying to her shape… and that she reveled in it. Still, confronted by the fact that he was caught red-handed in his shameless ogling, the man turned his head straight forward as they continued their trek in awkward silence, with only an occasional zombie grunting from its cell to demonstrate its displeasure at Ethan's continued survival.
Finally exiting the forlorn dungeons only to emerge in the kitchen, the duo hurried to cross the majestically decorated Dining Room, before entering the Grand Hall. For a second there, Ethan was afraid that this was all a cruel trick, that both sisters and their giant mother would be waiting for him right there, with Daniela turning around and yelling - Haha, gotcha! - but no. The girl kept her word - so far. The Grand Hall was empty, and the pair soon approached the Entrance Hall, where Daniela finally detached herself from the lone father - in a bid to fumble with the locked door. As she worked, she let one more phrase out - in that same mirthful tone, yet it still chilled Ethan's blood in his veins.
"But, yeah, if Mother Miranda finds out we have betrayed her and you don't actually succeed in taking your baby girl from her dead hands, she will probably come here and kill us all! So I am crossing my fingers for your success, Ethan! Not a big fan of dying, here! No pressure, though."
Letting out another awkward giggle, the girl finally managed to unlock the gate, only for chilly wind to immediately burst in, making the ditzy vampire yelp in pain, before slamming the large doors shut again.
Recovering swiftly and dusting off a couple of snowflakes from her dress, Daniela graced Ethan with another of her charming smiles and the man could not help himself but reciprocate - hey joy was just that damn infectious. Seeing Ethan smiling in turn was enough to embolden the vampiric woman and swiftly closing the distance between them, she took both of his hands in her own.
"I guess this is a farewell, huh?"
Even through her wide smile, the girl spoke with a kind of resigned sorrow that made Ethan feel a lump growing in his own throat. Daniela was a stranger and an enemy, yet Ethan knew that he would never forget her, and even more than that - he would miss her dearly. Giving her hands a gentle squeeze, the man knew that she deserved more than just his enmity, despite the unfortunate circumstances of their first encounter.
"I guess so, Dani. But I want you to know that I appreciate everything you have done for me. It's not easy to go against your own people - especially for some filthy outsider like me… but you did it, anyway… I'll do my damnedest to put an end to Miranda - for both of our sakes - you can count on that."
The girl just shook her head vigorously, even as she squeezed his hands back - with that same kind of possessive fierceness from before; Ethan could see wetness glistering in her amber orbs even in the dim hall.
"I've just kept my word, Ethan… but you? You gave me something truly precious - you can't even imagine it's worth to me…"
Completely mesmerized by her expressive amber orbs, Ethan could only gaze into them, even as Daniela continued speaking in that somber voice, with her every word playing on his own heart-strings.
"Thank you, Ethan. Thank you, for showing me what mercy is. Thank you, for giving me a taste of what true love feels like… I will remember it… always."
Ethan could not believe the fact that a mere hour ago, he considered this beautiful, empathetic girl as nothing but a cruel monster to be put down. Talk about not judging a book by its cover…
If he ever managed to rescue Rose and to make their way out of this accursed valley - he was determined to never forget about Daniela and the unexpected humanity he had found in this castle of death and misery.
"DANIELA DIMITRESCU!"
The booming shout that resonated throughout the castle was enough to return mortal fear right back into Ethan's moldy heart, however, putting a swift end to his musings. It appeared that Lady Alcina Dimitrescu was less than amused by her youngest daughter's latest escapade…
"Oops, she sounds a little bit mad!"
The sheepish statement was succeeded by an awkward giggle, but Ethan could tell that the girl was more than a little afraid. As Daniela warily glanced towards the direction of the shout, Ethan was tempted to invite the redhead to escape this God-forsaken castle with him - to leave this fate of bloodshed and misery behind… before remembering that the creature in front of him would likely not be able to make two steps outside the castle before collapsing - thanks to the raging blizzard that was her greatest weakness… She was stuck here, and Ethan could do nothing for Daniela, no matter how much he wished for it to not be the case.
The sound of heavy clicking heels was soon heard - originating in some distant room - but coming their way swiftly and Ethan knew that they were out of time. Wanting to make the remaining seconds count and feeling exhilarated and emboldened by his experience in this forlorn castle, the man surprised himself with his next words.
"How about a good luck kiss - for both of us?"
The redhead whirled her head to face him in a heartbeat, before nodding eagerly, closing her eyes and presenting her pouty lips forward. Ignoring every voice of reason in his head that screamed about how wrong this was, Ethan slammed his lips against hers akin to a starved man who saw an untended loaf of bread.
The kiss was painfully short, as the angry-sounding footfalls were edging ever closer to the star-crossed lovers, but Ethan made the best out of the time available in his effort to taste the very essence of this erratic creature known as Daniela Dimitrescu.
Breaking their kiss, Daniela gave the man that had changed so much in such a brief period of time one last fond glance, before mumbling out a quick but affectionate farewell.
"Good luck, Ethie! Save Rose, get out of here and live your life to the fullest - for both of us!"
And just like that, not letting the man to even respond, the flighty woman that had somehow wormed her way firmly inside his own heart - despite their brief acquaintance - turned away, and with a hearty yell of, "Coming mother!" morphed into a swarm of flies and fluttered away - both from the entrance room and Ethan's life… but not his mind.
Godspeed, Daniela Dimitrescu.
Determined more than ever to put an end to Miranda and to rescue his beloved child, the lone father proceeded to leave the Castle Dimitrescu behind, even if a part of it would remain with him, forever.