Notes:

- My second Resident Evil fic - I've been replaying most of the games of the series to give me some new ideas and improve my fics. I can't believe I've been playing this game for over 20 years now!

- You voted and there was a tie between this fic and a sequel to my BelaxOC fic, The Devil In I. I started to write both, but decided to work on this one first as it's set before the sequel.

- Both fics are connected and in the same universe. There are mentions of the events of The Devil In I in this fic, as well of Bela's OC. So I recommend reading it, if you haven't yet.

- English is not my native language. I apologize for any mistakes.

- Your likes and comments are always appreciated!

London, United Kingdom - June, 2021

I stood frozen in place as I heard the sirens approaching. I always found the sound of them soothing, like a lullaby. Somehow I felt like someone was coming to my rescue again, just like in my first day in the city.

I thought about the woman who rescued me when I was seven years old. After we escaped from the village in a helicopter, she dropped me at some random street in London. After giving me some food and money, she briefly explained, in my native language, she could no longer take care of me. She had more important business to take care of.

I sat down and cried until I heard the sirens. Somebody called the police when they realized I was a foreigner child abandoned in an unknown country. I thought I'd finally be safe. I had no idea of what was about to come. The things I would have to face.

I hated my savior for a few years. But as I grew up, I understood her reasons. I never saw her again, but I still remembered her perfectly. She was strong, fierce and willed. I was determined to work hard to become a version of her.

And it was obvious I was failing.

"Hands in the air! You're under arrest."

I didn't resist. Somehow I expected to be taken to prison this time. No more community service or therapy. I was looking forward to something new. And unhealthy.

Unhealthy hobbies and coping mechanisms were my specialty.

"I hope you'll rot in prison this time, chica," I felt his hot breath whispering in my ear as he shoved me hard against the car.

"Well," I smirked sarcastically. "Me too."

He twisted my arm while he handcuffed my hands behind my back. I let out a pained groan, what seemed to annoy him even more, to the point he decided to inflict me some more pain.

"Hey!" I heard a familiar voice shouting from a distance. "That's enough. I'll take this from now."

I closed my eyes, knowing I was safe. Safe, not satisfied. Now I knew I wouldn't be going to prison. The Police Chief would assure it wouldn't happen. He would always clean up my mess.

"Again," Samuel sighed. I rested my feet on his car's panel and started to light up a cigarette. Before I could do it, he took it from my hand and threw it by the window.

I had been in trouble enough times to know the Chief by his first name. In fact, he was the one to find me when I arrived in London. When he first heard of my story, he felt sorry for me and we became close. For pity, affection or because I reminded him of his own daughters - I'd never know, but he was the closest I had of a father figure.

"I thought you'd be happy to see me."

"I am happy to see you, Gabby. When I visit you on your birthday or when you decided to show up at my house for the Christmas dinner. Not when you get caught stealing luxury cars!"

"So, I assume you still won't send me to prison this time?" I asked, as he continued to drive.

"No," Samuel calmly responded. "I still got the hope, you know? That you'll make things different, that you'll choose another path."

I recognized the route, he was taking me back to the place I had just escaped from.

"I... I don't live there anymore."

"I knew it. What was his name? Ryan, Hank...? What has he done to you this time, Gabby? I noticed the bruises around your neck!"

I closed my eyes, avoiding to give him an answer. Samuel changed the route to his own house. He'd let me spend the night like he usually did everytime I had nowhere to go.

"It explains why you were stealing again," he told, shaking his head in denial. He knew me too well. "Everytime something bad happens, you try to destroy yourself somehow. Why do you even do this to yourself? It's almost like you feel you don't deserve better. That you don't deserve happiness."

"Don't have such high expectations about me, old man," I finally opened my mouth to say something. "You'll get disappointed."

"Maybe. I'm giving you the benefit of doubt."

I had given up on happiness a long time ago. I had accepted my fate, I'd die young, alone and empty. My biggest accomplishment in life would be surviving what they called 'the incident'.

I had a hard time to sleep that night - no pills seemed to be effective in my case. When I finally managed to rest, Samuel's wife, Sarah, woke me up to have some breakfast. That woman had the kindest heart I've ever seen. She always accepted my presence in her house and treated me just like any of her daughters. Even when I was at my worse, she was always taking care of me.

Once I finished, I went to Samuel's home office to see him. He was sitting behind the desk, reading the daily news while drinking some coffee.

"Good morning, Gabby," it was impressive how he could sense my presence without even taking his eyes off the newspaper.

"Morning," I sat down in front of him, wondering what I should say next. I was torn between an apology or another lame excuse for my behavior.

"Want to give it a try?"

He finally dropped the newspaper to finish his coffee, offering it to me.

"Jeez, no. I can watch the news on TV later."

"But I have something here that will interest you," Samuel pulled a file from one of his drawers and threw it on desk. I read the label 'Castle Dimitrescu - Romania'.

"What is this?" I asked curious.

"A group of tourists who just returned from Romania were at the precinct a few weeks ago. Obviously no one believed them, they were going to discard this file, but I thought you'd like to take a look."

I opened the file and stared at the page, trying to focus my attention on the first few lines. I read them several times before moving on. Samuel anticipated an explanation before I even attempted to read the rest, which was nice of him.

"These tourists were exploring some secluded locations in Romania. They reported to have found a village where people worshipped a woman, who they called 'Mother Miranda'. Later, a stranger conducted them to this castle. The Countess and her daughters were reported to be vampire-like creatures, infected by a parasite. Somehow, they managed to escape unharmed."

A few specific words on that long report caught my attention: 'village', 'cult', 'creatures'. That was exactly what I had been looking for my entire life. No one would ever believe such a story, unless they went through something similar.

"See it, Gabby? You wanted to confront your past and prove people you're not crazy. This is your chance."

I was ready to expose that reality to the whole world. My people's history would finally be told. Their death would not be in vain.

Eastern Europe, Castle Dimitrescu - November, 2021

Cassandra never cared about the concept of time. She didn't have to, she was immortal. The days in the castle were always the same, which she enjoyed. She hated changes. Even a minor alteration in her routine would get her in the worse of the moods. However, during one of her visits to the village she bought a calendar. All the previous days, until now, had been marked with a red 'X'. Nobody knew what that meant and they shouldn't know. That was her secret.

She knew the day had arrived right when she woke up, very early in the morning. That unexpected event was making a fuss among the new servants. It was everything they'd talk about in the last few days. As soon as she left the bedroom, she observed as two or three maids exchanged whispers in the corridors.

"Ms. Bela has arrived."

"Oh my god, you were right. She is so gorgeous!"

Cassandra cleared her throat, making them widen their eyes in panic. She had that effect on humans. She scared them quite easily.

"Shouldn't you be performing your tasks?" She angered. "You're not getting paid to gossip around the castle. Go! Now!"

They quickly obeyed. She let out a small victorious laugh.

When she arrived at the staircase, the scene in front of her caused her nausea. There was a pile of Dimitrescu women in the main hall. She could barely see her older sister, as her mother and Daniela squeezed Bela in a group hug.

"Ughhhhh," she muttered to herself as she discreetly approached. "I should burn that calendar."

"Hello to you too, Cassandra," Bela spoke when she finally freed herself from Lady Dimitrescu's enormous arms. She patted her on the shoulder. They wouldn't hug. That was not how it worked between them. No displays of affection, except in desperate occasions. Very desperate occasions. "I know you missed me."

Obnoxious bastard. She knew nothing.

"Not even for a day."

Cassandra continued to follow her sister until her bedroom. For Bela everything came easier, all she had to do was smile. That goddamn perfect smile that seemed to hypnotize everyone around her. In the moment, the servants were bickering to decide who'd carry her bags inside the bedroom and earn a position as her chambermaid.

"Where's your pet?" She asked, even though she knew the answer. She was in the office when her mother and Bela were talking through a video call, but every opportunity she had to taunt her older sister was precious. "Didn't she want to come with you?"

"If you're talking about my girlfriend," Bela corrected. "Aleena is spending the holiday meeting some relatives in New England."

"Oh and obviously, she didn't want you to be there."

"Nice try, but no. I was the one who wanted to give her some space during this moment."

The servants were paying too much attention to their conversation. Bela dismissed them and started to unpack her clothes herself. Cassandra watched in silence, feeling a hint of jealousy. Her sister looked different. Not only Bela seemed more mature and grown up, but she also looked prettier. All her clothes were new and modern. She was also wearing a hairpiece to cover the scar on her head. Maybe living in the civilization wasn't so bad after all.

"Be careful," Cassandra smirked. "You know what happens when you give them too much space."

She didn't hate Aleena Novak, but she wished she'd vanish, disappear. Then maybe things would go back to the way they were before. She blamed that kid for all the unpleasant changes she had been dealing with. But who was she trying to fool? Nothing would ever be the same and the only one to blame was Miranda.

"Don't worry," Bela adopted the same sarcastic tone she was using. "I'm only staying for one or two weeks, not enough for Aleena to forget me. We have a relationship based on mutual trust and respect."

Cassandra let out a groan, that was absolutely gross. Only a fool like Bela could've fallen into that human trap.

"Is that how the Americans call it?"

"No. It's called 'love', Cassandra. Maybe you should try it someday."

"I'll pass."

In the end, she decided to help her sister to arrange her stuff. No displays of affection. But who would know it wasn't an accident when brushed her fingers on Bela's arm?

"I missed you too," Bela spoke when they were almost done.

This time, she didn't deny it. But she didn't confirm either.

It was an accident.

Castle Dimitrescu, Lady Dimitrescu's Room - November, 2021

Mother Miranda was dead, but she definitely left them a legacy of consequences and punishments. If a small part of her conscience was still inhabiting those fungal roots, in that moment she should be laughing. None of the Lords was struggling so hard to survive as House Dimitrescu.

They no longer had someone to find and capture humans for them to consume. There was a person who did that under Miranda's orders, but since her death they no longer showed up. Without consuming blood for such a long period, Cassandra and Daniela were weakened, losing their regeneration skills and their ability of turning into flies. It was Lady Dimitrescu who was struggling harder. The lack of blood was making her suffer from the symptoms of her blood disease all over again.

She had good and bad days. That was being a terrible week.

"She refuses to feed from the blood bags I brought," Bela lamented, shaking her head in denial. Cassandra knew her concerns about their mother's health was the only reason of her visit.

She glanced at Daniela. Her younger sister had no problems to adapt to Bela's new pathetic habits. Traitor.

"And so do I," Cassandra told. "I refuse to feed like a moron."

"Then die like an idiot."

"It won't be enough to supply all of us for too long."

"I know, Cassandra," Bela stood up, ready to leave Alcina's chambers. "I'm only trying to do something to help while I'm here. If you have any better ideas, I'd appreciate."

Her older sister was wearing a dress and a matching hat. She was trying to appear formal, but instead she looked like a bad version of their mother. It was almost like Bela was starting to think about the possibility of replacing her, in case the odds remained against them.

"What are you doing dressed like this?" The brunette Dimitrescu sister asked. "You look ridiculous!"

"Mother asked me to find a new servant to replace that one you 'accidentally' murdered a few weeks ago," Bela answered. "I'm going to interview the candidates."

"We're coming with you. It should be a task for all the three of us. After all, you don't even live here anymore."

Sitting on the couch, in the middle of her two sisters, Cassandra couldn't feel more annoyed. And bored. Forty five minutes passed and apparently no candidates had applied for the job.

"The rumors are spreading fast," Bela was ready to give up. "Nobody wants to work on this damn place anymore."

The door opened, the new housekeeper announced their only candidate, an old man. The eldest Dimitrescu daughter rolled her eyes. They clearly stated they were searching for a woman, with some experience with gardening. Besides performing the other basic tasks, the new employee would be responsible for tendering for the garden while Lady Dimitrescu was feeling ill.

Cassandra grinned ear to ear. They didn't have a candidate for the position, but they certainly had found something much better. A candidate for that night's main dish. She didn't bother listening to the interview. She had other plans in mind.

"We can tell his family he had a heart attack," she shouted when the three sisters were alone again. "He's old as fuck!"

"Pretty please," Daniela made her puppy dog eyes. They always seemed to work on most of the people. Bela was an exception though. "I promise I'll never steal anything from your bedroom again."

"No," Bela sighed weary. "We can't do that. It'll raise the attention of the other servants, as well of the villagers. If they call the BSAA, it'll end badly for all of us."

"Screw the servants! Screw the villagers! Screw you, Bela! I'm going to save mother's life."

Cassandra stood up and headed to the door. Her sister was ready to stop her when the housekeeper returned, getting her attention. They had another candidate. A young woman that was late for the interview.

"Screw her too," Cassandra proceeded with her plan. If she calculated it right, the old man should still be in the castle's grounds. It would be a piece of cake. No one would even notice.

Castle Dimitrescu, Living Room - November, 2021

I heard many things about Castle Dimitrescu around the small village in Romania. None of them were good. There were many reports of people who disappeared in the castle's surroundings and were never seen again. There were stories about the Countess and her daughters consuming human blood to live. There were rumors about them being able to turn into insects.

Okay. I was at the right place to obtain all the proof I needed.

When I found the advertisement on the newspaper I couldn't miss the opportunity. They were searching for a new maid and I had just been fired from my job. It was destiny.

"Good afternoon. I'm Mrs. Petrova, the housekeeper. And you are?"

I took a while to answer. I was too focused on observing the environment around me. Obviously, everything appeared normal. What did I expect to find? A puddle of blood in the middle of the main hall? Coffins? Skeletons?

"Oh, I'm sorry," I smiled and shook the woman's hand. "Gabriela. Gabriela Rodriguez."

"Follow me. The Mistress' daughters are waiting for you."

I checked down my watch as I followed the woman. Fuck, I was late as usual. Pissing off the Volturi coven wasn't a great start. Mrs. Petrova knocked on the door and announced my presence. A female voice told her to let me in.

"Hi," I waved and smiled. "I'm Gabriela. And... I'm late."

I couldn't allow myself to get nervous. I tended to do and say stupid things when I was nervous. I had the impression I should've kept my mouth shut, but then one of the two sisters smiled and waved back at me.

"Hi, Gabriela. I'm Daniela," the red haired sister said. "Oh my god! Our names match!"

The other sister censored her with a nasty look. She should be the one in charge. The Countess' heiress. She was the one I was supposed to earn the trust.

"Good afternoon," she finally greeted, after analyzing me head to toe. "Bela Dimitrescu. May you have a sit?"

I nodded. As I moved to the couch in front of them I wondered if I should do something special, such as curtsy or kiss their hands. I didn't. I just smiled again and sat down. None of them looked at me in disapproval. Good, I did it right at least once.

"Where are you from, Gabriela?" Bela asked while serving me a cup of tea. All I could do was noticing how gorgeous both of the sisters looked. That was how so many people managed to get kidnapped and killed inside the castle. It was easy to get hypnotized by their beauty. I'd have to remind myself often they were creatures, not humans, in case I got the job.

"I'm from London," I told, forcing a little bit my British accent. "But I was born in Spain."

"So cool," Daniela attempted to join the conversation. "Can you tell us more about the places you lived? I mean, we've never left..."

The blonde Dimitrescu daughter censored her again, before proceeding with our interview.

"Why are you interested in the position?"

"I... I was just fired from my last job," No! Bad answer! I had to find a way to fix it. "And I can do literally anything you ask me. I learn fast, you show me once and I'll immediately learn how it's done."

Then I remembered they wanted someone with some gardening experience. I repeated all the information I learned through some videos on YouTube, trying to sound like I was a botany enthusiast. Truth be told, I knew nothing about gardens.

"Do you have any experience in the area?"

My experience was limited to all those little plants I accidentally killed in my apartment. I handed her my resume. Her golden yellow eyes scanned it for a couple of minutes before they focused on me again. She knew there was something shady about me. Her vampire senses should be telling her there was something wrong. Nobody changed jobs so quickly as I did. Would she check my criminal records too? She was a murderer, for god's sake! Compared to any of the sisters, I was a saint.

I couldn't show any weakness. I had to keep a straight face. I had to appear confident. I took a sip of my tea and smiled again.

"Okay..." she finally sighed. "You can stay for a few days for practice. If you adapt well, the job is yours."

"I won't disappoint you, Ms. Dimitrescu."

"Don't worry about me. It's my mother you need to impress."

Alcina Dimitrescu. Her daughters weren't so scary after all. I couldn't say the same about her. Even the huge portrait hanging on the wall scared the shit out of me. Was she really that tall? Only a mutation would make that possible.

I headed back to the village, where I'd collect my bags, and I started to think about their names. Alcina, Bela and Daniela. A, B and... D. If the stories I heard were true, there was supposed to be a third daughter. But where was she? Where was 'C'?

Castle Dimitrescu, Living Room - Present Days

That old scumbag gave Cassandra a lot more trouble than she initially predicted. With the lack of blood, she was slower than usual. She had a hard time chasing him through the vineyards. Her mother would freak out when she discovered she had damaged some vines. At least she granted her a decent meal for dinner.

When she returned to the castle, she was dirty and sweaty, leaving a trail of muddy boots behind. The displeasure at Mrs. Petrova's face was priceless. Tormenting the servants was one of her favorite hobbies.

"Here we go..." the smirk from Cassandra's face immediately faded away as soon as she reached the first corridor, headed to her bedroom.

Bela was also waiting for her, with her arms crossed and a frown. She was judging her, obviously. She always did. Even if her sister was only one or two years older, she still acted like she was a superior being.

"Don't give me this look, okay?" Cassandra anticipated. She tried to pass through Bela, only to get stopped. "Don't you even dare to call me irresponsible and selfish. I'm doing it for us. For our family."

"Not only you ignored my order, Cassandra, but you killed that man in the daylight," she scolded. "I could hear the screaming from the living room! What if any servants had seen you? You were absolutely reckless!"

"Okay, Bela... Let's talk about being reckless. If someone hadn't fallen in love with a certain stupid human, that fucking Alliance would've never gotten involved. We'd still be living in peace."

"Oh, is it Aleena's fault now? Mother was the one who brought her to the castle in first place. And did you forget that if it wasn't for her Miranda would've killed all of us?"

Deep down, Cassandra knew it. But the anger inside her was getting out of control. She had to burn some of that chaotic energy somehow. She wanted to pick a fight with her older sister. She wanted to hit her right where she knew it'd hurt.

"It doesn't matter! I should've killed her as soon..."

Their discussion was interrupted by a loud, familiar scream.

"CASSANDRA!" Lady Dimitrescu was feeling ill, but it didn't made her voice any weaker. The brunette's name echoed through the whole castle.

"You already told her," Cassandra sighed in disbelief. She couldn't expect better from Bela. If she had an opportunity to look good to their mother, she'd certainly take it. "You're a traitor."

"I'm sorry," Bela apologized. "It was the right thing to do."

She walked away, ready to meet Alcina. She inhaled deeply, preparing for what was about to come. Differently from Daniela, Lady Dimitrescu wouldn't take it easy on her. She always received the worst scolds and punishments.

"What you did was extremely stupid, childish and irresponsible! And you still question my decision of leaving your sister in charge in my absence?!" Her mother yelled. "You're disgracing this family, Cassandra! Someday you'll get all of us killed."

Ouch. That one hurt.

"Okay, mother," she lowered her head. "I made a mistake. It won't happen again."

"It's not enough, Cassandra. You need to act like it! You need to grow some responsibilities. There will be a punishment this time."

"What is it?"

"I don't know yet. I'll think about it."

Deep down, Cassandra had no regrets. At least now her mother would feel better from her illness. She wouldn't have to fear losing her again. She wouldn't have to fear losing one more member of their family.

Eastern Europe, Pub - November, 2021

I spent the last few hours in the village's pub, attempting to charm Elena, the cute bartender, into telling me more about that place, the Four Lords and Mother Miranda. I could tell she was lying, pretending to be ignorant to the truth. But I could see it in her blue eyes. They had the same shade of trauma and fear as mine. She probably witnessed things she wouldn't share with anyone, especially a foreigner.

"You can trust me, Elena," I softly reached for her hand. "I won't think you're crazy. I've been there too."

"D-Did you?" She bit her lower lip. "How?"

"I was born in this village in Spain. We lived in peace until..."

My line was interrupted by the pub's door being opened. Elena's eyes immediately stared at the figure that walked in. The woman was wearing black vests and a hood covering her head. If everything in that village was so normal, then what the hell was that? A late Halloween party?

She walked to the counter and sat right next to me. She didn't noticed me. In fact, if I'm being honest, she didn't notice anything around her. That lady was focused on one thing only - herself.

"Serve me," she ordered to Elena, as if she owned the place.

"You're always so nasty," Elena complained with an annoyed moan, while she turned around to grab a bottle of bourbon and a glass.

"Don't test me. I had a bad day."

Was that a threat? Was she seriously threatening the bartender in front of me?

"Hey," I interrupted. "Is that how you treat every person you come across?"

The woman finally looked at me. I noticed how she and Elena looked like. They could be related. Sisters maybe.

"Only the idiots," she answered, before drinking the entire glass in one sip.

"Apparently you come here often, treat people like shit and they still serve you like you're a VIP guest or something. You should at least treat them decently."

"Please, save your manners for somebody who cares."

She stood up, showing no intentions of paying for what she consumed. That annoyed me more than anything else. I stood up too, accidentally spilling my drink all over her dress.

"Oh! I'm sorry," I said sarcastically. "Or not. After all, you don't care. So it means I shouldn't bother having any manners around a douchebag like you."

"You are so dead!" She grabbed my wrist. Her hand was cold and firm. I could almost feel her nails digging into my skin. "Useless human-thing"

"Let me go, your creepy asshole."

"Cassandra!" Elena called. "Let her go, now!"

The woman was much taller than me. I looked up, gazing directly into her golden yellow eyes. They were familiar somehow. As well as the symbol tattooed on her forehead.

"I'm going to call Bela!" The bartender insisted.

Bela? The Dimitrescu daughter that interviewed me that afternoon? Why would she have anything to do with that?

"What?" Cassandra let out a small, sarcastic laugh. "Do you think I fear Bela?"

She let go of my wrist, pushing me with some strength. I held onto the counter to keep myself steady. The whole pub had stopped to look at us.

"Idiots. All of you!"

Cassandra stomped out of the place, leaving everyone paralyzed in shock. I turned back to Elena.

"I'm so sorry about that. Who is she anyways? Is she your sister or something?"

"Oh god, no!" She told. "That's Cassandra Dimitrescu. One of the Countess' daughters."

That was when I realized. I had just met 'C'. And we didn't have such a great start...

Castle Dimitrescu, Cassandra's Bedroom - November, 2021

Hangover wasn't something vampire-like creatures should experience. However, Cassandra had emptied one of the secret stocks of booze her mother kept in the castle. And she hadn't had any blood yet. She refused to stay and have dinner with her family after the discussion in the previous day.

"Ughhhh," she moaned in bed. "I hope there's still some for me."

The rays of sunlight were entering through her windows, making her head hurt even harder. Some incompetent servant probably entered her bedroom and opened the curtains before she woke up.

"I'm surrounded by morons!"

She walked to the windows, ready to close the curtains, but then, something caught her attention. A short, dark haired woman wearing too much black leather right at the castle's entrance.

She recognized her immediately. The meaningless little human that dared to insult her at the pub. What was she doing in her territory? Why was she carrying her bags inside?

Cassandra didn't even bother getting changed. She rushed to the stairs to see it for herself.

"Welcome to Castle Dimitrescu, Gabriela," Mrs. Petrova helped the bitch in leather with her bags. "I'll show you your new accommodations."

The interview. Cassandra missed the interview while she was hunting that old man.

Her mother was right. She had made a big mistake and she had to find a way to fix it. Nobody dishonored her like that girl did and lived. Nobody.

She couldn't be impulsive. Not this time. She had to act carefully. They had to believe it was an accident.

"CASSANDRA!" Her mother's voice echoed through every corner of the castle again.

"Yes, mother?" She appeared calm and composed when she entered Lady Dimitrescu's chambers.

"You have a job. The punishment for your latest actions."

"Anything."

"Bela hired a new servant yesterday," Lady Dimitrescu told. "You'll be responsible for helping her to settle down, as well as showing her the new tasks. Do you understand?"