With her body paralyzed, Bela could do nothing but think. The encounter that had just occurred before her was simply stupefying.
Mia Winters, Ethan's own wife, was behind her mother's current condition. That fact alone made Bela's black blood boil in her veins. Helpless as she was, the blonde woman could do nothing but listen to the confrontation and pray that it would work out in their favor.
The despair was quick to set in once Mia offered Ethan a way out - to leave the Dimitrescu family behind and rejoin his own. Surely the man would've chosen his wife over the doomed siblings in their fight against an implacable foe, despite everything they've been through.
Except he didn't.
Once again defying all logic and common sense, Ethan Winters chose to oppose his own wife and her three guards, all in defense of the incapacitated siblings. Against all odds, he emerged victorious too, though grievously wounded. Aiding the four Dimitrescu women was his last act before his much-abused body finally gave out.
The moment Bela regained control of her own frame was the moment she leapt to her feet, her sharp eyes immediately locking onto Ethan's still body. The injuries he sustained in his heedless defense of them were more than merely grievous. They were lethal - several times over. Bela could only thank whatever deity was listening as she noticed that his chest still moved in heavy, labored breaths.
The blonde woman took off his heavy body armor first. It served him well, protecting his vitals against gunfire, yet now it would just be an inconvenience. Next came his formidable arsenal of weaponry, discarded without a thought. Duke would understand.
Out of medicine herself and knowing that the man needed immediate attention, the blonde sister willed her left hand into a swarm, which then proceeded to search the area for any kind of first aid. Thankfully, a bottle of Green Herb-derived gel was just inside the observation room wall-mounted first aid kit.
Before her insects returned, with gel in tow, Bela felt compelled to take one more glance at her poor mother. Cassandra was up as well and already working hard on breaking the metal restraints, making the elder sister grateful for her younger sibling's resilience.
Bela couldn't help but shudder as she once again beheld her mother's form. The noble, powerful, enormous Dimitrescu matriarch was now...this gaunt, frail-looking little woman, dressed in a torn white hospital gown. Her pristinely kept hair was now a tangled and dirty mess of long locks that wouldn't look out of place on some Asian horror movie character. The exposed skin on her face and arms was covered by an unhealthy amount of rashes. Only her eyes still sparkled with that same noble defiance Alcina was known for.
She is so… vulnerable… It's our turn to protect you, mother… I won't fail you this time. I swear it on my own life.
As her flies returned, she focused on the man who had sacrificed so much for them, once again. Mother would be fine. Ethan was the one who so desperately needed aid now. Her keen eyes were quick to inspect the man with clinical, almost professional detachment, born out of years of practice.
His neck cried out for immediate attention, so the woman was swift in applying the gel to the area, hoping that his molded body would do the rest. The bleeding stopped, so her hopes were not in vain. Nevertheless, the torn flesh showed no signs of mending, making it clear that Ethan's moldy regeneration had reached its limit.
Next, Bela's sharp eyes counted fifteen additional bullet holes with only six exit wounds, making the elder daughter gasp at the realization - nine projectiles were still inside of him.
Healing him now would condemn him to unbearable pain, in addition to crippling the man until the metal bits could be removed. After applying gel to the six fully-penetrated wounds, Bela had no choice but to do that for the other ones.
Before starting, the blonde woman let out a relieved breath as it appeared Ethan was fully unconscious now. A small mercy, as she was not looking forward to inflicting this kind of agony upon him.
Now committed to her chosen course, the tips of all ten of her fingers became blowflies, the most deft ones out of her entire swarm. Looking up towards the now standing redhead, who couldn't decide on whom to focus her own erratic gaze, Bela quietly spoke, in an authoritative voice: "Assist me, Daniela."
The youngest was at her side in an instant, looking eager to help in any way she could.
"Apply a ninth of what's left in this bottle into every wound after I am done with it, please."
Not waiting for confirmation, Bela started her work, with her eyes closed and every fiber of her being focused fully on the task at hand.
The tiny but powerful insects made their way inside the first gunshot wound. With uncanny strength, their miniscule feeding tubes chewed and sucked through the tissue in which the bullet and its fragments were stuck. The flies' efforts quickly freed the metal shards from their fleshy prisons, which then were easily pried out by the agile insects. Daniela, seeing the blowflies vacate the wound, with bullet fragments in tow, promptly applied some gel into it, hopefully disinfecting and sealing the injury.
Repeating the intense procedure eight more times, the elder daughter finally opened her hazy eyes, sighing in obvious relief as her flies returned to reform the fingertips. She might've made it look easy, but it was anything but that. Directing her deftest flies, with both speed and precision, to inflict the least possible amount of damage to the tissue as they pulled the metal bits out was exerting to the point of sweat that now poured down her tattooed forehead.
Looking up towards her family, she gave them a tired smirk as they all watched her in silent fascination, keeping quiet all throughout the procedure, knowing how important focus was for the 'operation'. Wasn't the first time Bela had to play doctor with a human patient. Far from it.
Bela knew that the extent of Ethan's injuries went beyond what she had just fixed, yet she did all she could for his internal damage. The blonde woman could only hope that it would be enough to get him to a proper medical facility in time.
Raising up to her feet, the eldest sister did not miss a beat in rushing towards the now freed Alcina and embracing her in a loving hug. A gesture she performed a great many times, yet today it felt...unusual. Most unusual, indeed.
Before, Bela would barely reach mother's abdomen, now her hands were engulfing the smaller woman's frame. As curious as that was, that didn't really matter to the elder daughter as tears were freely spilling from her eyes. Alcina eagerly embraced her child back.
"Mother… I am so sorry we were so late… if only we could've caught up to these people back in Cuba… you wouldn't have to go through this nightmare…"
Alcina squeezed Bela hard at that. Or it would've been hard if she wasn't so damn weak right now. The elder daughter tightened her own hold, tears mixing with blood on her ruined black shirt.
"How can you be so harsh on yourself, my dearest? I still can't believe my own eyes to see you three here, my precious little flies, crossing half the world for their foolish old mother…"
Cassandra would have none of it. She snapped with such intense passion in her voice that even Bela was pleasantly surprised.
"How can you say that, mom!? You took care of us for so long… you gave us life, shelter, purpose! How could we not do the same for you in your own hour of need? We owe everything to you!
The middle child rushed to join their embrace, her own bloodied eyes glinting from fresh wetness. Alcina's hoarse response was unsteady, as her emotions ran rampant, as well.
"My dearest daughters… What did I ever do to deserve you… How can I protect you now… like this?"
It was Daniela's turn. Her uncharacteristically fierce yet still high-pitched voice filled the cell as she completed their family's reunion.
"You don't need to protect us anymore, mama! You did it for so long! From both Miranda and everyone else who wanted to do us harm! Let us return the favor, please!"
Even though there were a few things Bela still felt bitter about, right now, she felt nothing but warmth and affection as their whole family clutched together. Regardless of Alcina's current state and questionable past deeds, the three daughters still felt unconditional love towards her. They were determined to keep her safe, now.
Unknowingly to Dimitrescus, Ethan has regained consciousness shortly after Bela finished her procedure on him and was listening to their passionate reunion in respectable silence, his own heart melting at their genuine outpour of emotions.
He had no doubts that he had made the right choice now. Despite his obvious desire to return to being happy together with Mia and Rose, just the three of them - he knew that it was a mere dream now, never to become reality once again. The man was almost content as he gazed upon the blonde vampire that was now holding her family in such a warm embrace.
As much as Bela herself wanted to remain in this position forever, she knew that time was against them. The elder daughter gently broke their embrace, and muttered softly, even as she graced her loved ones with a serene smile.
"We cannot tarry, I am afraid… no telling when our foes will be back for our heads. Let us make our way to the surface, hopefully the Duke's escape vehicle will be waiting for us… I'll carry Ethan.
A million questions rushed through Alcina's mind, as she heard the affection at that crass man's name in her beloved daughter's spoken words, yet the woman knew that there would be a time and place for them later.
The noble lady made a motion to step forward, yet her weak, jelly-like legs betrayed her and she would've promptly collapsed on the floor, if not for a pair of firm hands quickly steadying her.
Both Cassandra and Daniela held her securely with their hands under her arms and worry in their soft amber eyes. How Alcina hated her weakened body at that moment. To rely on the strength of others was a painful reminder of her old human life, filled with nothing but bitterness and regret. More than that, to burden her own children with her weakness was a completely alien feeling to her. She felt bile coming to her throat as she whispered, dejectedly.
"Oh...to be such a burden on my beautiful daughters…"
"Stop it, mom! You can never be a burden to us!"
Cassandra's firm voice brooked no argument, especially with Daniela nodding vigorously, fully supporting her older sister's statement.
Bela could only smile gently at Cassandra's words as she knelt before Ethan's broken body. The man surprised her by giving her a sheepish but clearly pained grin. The tall woman didn't expect him to be awake… Blackish-red liquid trickled down his mouth as he spoke... blood, mixed with liquid mold.
"We should stop meeting like that, Bells…"
"Hush, Ethan, don't talk. Your internal damage is beyond even your mold to fix. But, I'll get you out of here…"
Not hesitating, Bela gently but firmly placed her arms around his back and legs. Ethan hissed in pain as his wounds were disturbed by the motion, with the blonde woman giving an apologetic wince before lifting him up.
Despite the horrific, world-turning events that had just transpired the man felt himself completely safe in her tender but strong arms. Still, Ethan felt heat creeping up to his dirtied cheeks at this awkward position he suddenly found himself in.
"Come... on... Bells, I can walk by myself...ugh. Just slap some... green herb on me..."
In truth, even speaking hurt and his legs felt like deadweight, with muscles unresponding. Nevertheless, swallowing one's masculine pride was not something easily done. Bela would have none of it, however.
"Shush, Ethan! I've seen firsthand the extent of your injuries as I treated them! Your mold-based regeneration is completely exhausted!" Not hearing any more arguments from the man in her arms, Bela glanced back towards the other Dimitrescu women.
"Let's get moving, girls, the faster we get the hell out of here - the better!"
And so the small group proceeded, slowly and steadily leaving the cell and its observation room. Cassandra was their vanguard, armed and dangerous as she prowled ahead, checking for threats. Bela was next, carrying blushing Ethan, bridal style. Finally, their little column was concluded by huddled forms of Alcina and Daniela, the latter carefully supporting the smaller woman.
Peeking behind her shoulder, Bela couldn't suppress a small gulp at this incredulous, unbelievable sight - she still was so shocked by it! Daniela - their little Daniela, was now towering over her mother!
The moldy gang reached the bulkhead doors that led out of this accursed facility in peace, with Millie waiting for them right there. The dark-haired woman was clearly impatient, as she scoffed at their approach, with her arms folded. A large backpack, apparently filled to the brim with stuff, was now behind her.
"About damn time! Where the hell were y...oh! Greetings... Lady Dimitrescu…?"
Millie's shock went unaddressed, as the Dimitrescu women walked past her. Clicking her tongue in annoyance, she followed along.
Nobody said a word, as their party of six walked through the forlorn and dark mines, Cassandra lighting the way with a flashlight this time.
As she trudged along, Bela gazed at the man in her arms with a fond, serene smile, her mood uplifted. They were finally whole, regardless of anything else. The blonde woman couldn't keep the happy thoughts from running through her head.
Mother is diminished, true, but she is alive and that's what truly matters. Perhaps, one day, she could recover her former glory… Until then, we will make sure that no harm will befall her. Despite everything, we all owe so much to her...
And Ethan… he sacrificed everything for us. What awaits us next, I wonder… Could we… truly be something special together? Let's find out!
Feeling playful and upbeat, she leaned her head forward to place a quick kiss on Ethan's cheek.
"You don't know the depth of my gratitude for what you did for us, Ethan. But you will find out!"
"Hah, Bells... can't wait to see... what you got... in store for me… ouch…"
His voice betrayed the pain he felt, but also more - his fondness for the woman that now carried him. The blonde daughter herself felt so much love towards this man at this moment, she would've struggled to express it with words. This handsome, kind-hearted, brave man. She was determined to return his kindness twofold.
As they approached the mine's exit, the atmosphere suddenly shifted. Bela felt something heavy settling in the air and her stomach churned at this peculiar feeling. A strange form of buzzing; a white-noise kind of sound was becoming audible at the edge of her consciousness. It only grew in intensity as they saw the rays of sunlight on the horizon, through the exit, still some way in the distance.
Bela shivered as the feeling of dread engulfed her completely. Something was wrong. Malevolence was palpable in the air.
Judging by the suddenly unnerved brunette ahead, whose burning eyes were jumping all over the mine shaft, Bela was not alone in her foreboding. Ethan himself appeared to be unconscious, once again, likely passing out due to immense strain placed on his body.
Glancing behind her shoulder, Bela noted that Daniela was similarly affected, but both Alcina and Millie seemed to be none the wiser.
As they finally reached the mine's entrance, Cassandra cursed loudly, chilling Bela's black blood in her veins.
"Shit…"
Two more steps and Bela could see the issue for herself. Her jaw opened wide in shock.
Outside the mine, was a semi-circular ring of heavily-armored soldiers, six in total, just waiting for them. The troopers had fully enclosed bodies, with visored helmets. A B.S.A.A. badge was worn on each soldier's right chestplate. Below the badge, a weird symbol depicting two elongated but warped squares with a triangle in between was visible.
Every single trooper looked absolutely identical to the next one, with no way to tell them apart. What was more disconcerting was that all of them had identical poses; they all held their weaponry in the exact same relaxed pattern, not yet aiming at the moldy gang.
Looking closer, Bela was horrified to spot further soldiers - out in the open, inside the dilapidated buildings, on top of roofs… their own little group was hopelessly outnumbered. Making a single step back, the elder daughter couldn't help but consider the possibility of retreat.
Perhaps we can wait out inside that facility? Surely the Duke would send aid soon…
The thought was promptly squashed as four more soldiers came from behind - likely emerging from the branching shafts they passed on their way.
Surrounded? How could we have missed them…
The white-noise static sound in the background was becoming more audible, as well. With a start, Bela realized that she was not hearing it, she was feeling it, as if it was in her head. It was more than a mere sound, it was a presence.
If she focused, the blonde woman could almost comprehend the words through all the ear-grating noise in her own head.
'hiss' ...tar… 'hiss' ...ired… 'hiss'... nd by … 'hiss'
Bela's eyes widened in fear. She clutched Ethan even closer to herself as their little group huddled together.
"What do we do, Bela!?"
Cassandra herself lost her cool. The brunette clearly realized that regardless of their own shimmering forms, no way either Alcina or Ethan could hope to survive this fight if these soldiers proved hostile.
But Bela had nothing for once. She saw no opportunity for escape that included Alcina and Ethan making it out of here in one piece. And she was not going to leave them behind.
"If they attack us...you should flee, my sisters. I will remain behind with mother and Ethan and try to buy you two some time…"
Millie looked aghast at not even being mentioned. For once, both of Bela's sisters had exactly the same response.
"No fucking way."
Bela would've smiled at their shared camaraderie, if the situation was not so grim. At least they would all be together, in the end.
'hiss' ...minate. 'hiss'
As one, moving in perfect, inhuman synchronicity, every single B.S.A.A. soldier brought a weapon up, taking aim and preparing to execute the moldy gang in cold blood.
Bela closed her eyes. She had so many regrets. So many things unsaid. Nevertheless, the woman accepted her imminent demise with dignity, head held high, even as she clutched the man she had grown to love in her arms.
Just as the soldiers were about to squeeze the triggers of their bulky firearms, a thunder without lighting resonated across the mines. A shockwave without any force behind it passed through everyone present, chilling Bela to her very soul, nevertheless.
A sound, or, more precisely, a feeling of sound, unlike any other she had ever heard, suddenly threatened to unravel her very mind. It was… hard to describe in mortal terms. As if every unpleasant sound ever was combined into one horrific cacophony of noise, just to be amplified to a ludicrous, unbearable degree.
A scream of a dying God.
Just as Bela was sure that she would be driven insane; reduced to a drooling, mindless husk, the nightmarish discord relented - gone as swiftly as it appeared.
Greedily taking in a deep breath as if she just emerged from a drowning accident, Bela took a moment to recompose herself before risking a glance at the rest. Cassandra and Daniela had horrified expressions frozen on their faces, with mouths and eyes open wide in unadulterated terror. Alcina and Millie were completely unaffected, just gaping around in surprise, as everyone but them just lived through the most grueling, unspeakable ordeal.
For whatever reason, the effect of this mind-shattering phenomenon was even more pronounced on the soldiers that surrounded them. Their threatening, combat-ready postures slackened and their guns fell to their sides, idle. Moreover, the troopers' shoulders relaxed and their helmeted heads dropped down.
To Bela's wide, shocked eyes it looked as if every single soldier just fell asleep while standing upright, one hand still clutching a rifle. The blonde woman was also quick to note that the annoying white-noise that was in the back of her head for the last couple of minutes was gone. She could no longer feel the malefic presence, either.
Trading wary glances with the others, the small group was more unnerved than ever before by this shocking display that just took place. Daniela's whispered voice implied that the distraught girl was quite afraid of waking the troopers that were still encircling the women.
"What was that…? My head… it was in my head...the noise...I... I... I...can't..."
Alcina, despite not suffering any ill effects herself, clearly saw the strain her beloved youngest daughter was put under. The Dimitrescu matriarch did not hesitate to embrace Daniela this time, cooing at her softly.
"Everything's alright, draga mea… Just listen to my voice…"
"Mama…I am scared..."
The taller redhead cuddled tightly to Alcina, making Bela once again gulp at the shocking sight of her youngest sibling engulfing mother's body by her own. Lady Dimitrescu kept soothing the girl with sweet nothings as well as loving gestures of affection as she ran her skinny, rash-covered hand down the redhead's dirty locks.
Even though she hated to interrupt the loving embrace, the eldest daughter had no idea how long the B.S.A.A. troopers would remain in this state of hibernation, or whatever it was.
"Everyone...we cannot tarry. Let's get moving before these... things wake up."
Cassandra, wild-eyed, nodded in agreement. This whole experience was even more stupefying for her than it was for Bela. Millie was just gaping at a soldier closest to her, disbelief plain on her features.
Bela herself just shrugged off the horrifying episode and let out a sigh of relief at the fact that their imminent execution was postponed, hopefully indefinitely. She gave one more fond glance towards the unconscious man she still carried in her arms, which were getting somewhat tired. Ethan was moaning softly, his face developing an unhealthy red tint. To Bela's experienced eyes, he appeared feverish and in need of proper medical assistance.
I'll get you out of here yet, Ethan! Just hold on...
The small group finally left the haunted dark mines behind, though walking through the semicircular ring of incapacitated soldiers was hardly any more comfortable. Bela could see the slight motions of their bodies as they breathed and their hands still gripped their rifles tightly. Something told the blonde woman that the hibernating troopers could leap into action at the slightest disturbance.
Bela's amber orbs grew wide in fear as she spotted Cassandra's form, sickle raised, approaching one of the fighters, deadly intent clear in her own burning eyes. The elder daughter could only hiss out, afraid to make too much noise.
"Cass, don't!"
The wild-eyed brunette just scoffed, but obeyed as her farming instrument was pulled back to her side. Millie nodded along, before showing Bela's her heavy-duty phone, with a message displayed on it.
Don't disturb them. Proceed to your vehicle.
Carefully moving through the still standing forms of their enemies, making sure not to touch any, the small group advanced through the ghost town in tense silence, uncomfortably aware of all the unmoving shapes near and inside the rickety shacks surrounding them.
With her vision partially obstructed by the man in her arms, Bela didn't notice a small rock in her way, which promptly went flying as her foot hit it on its next step. To the blonde's woman's horror, the rock struck a nearby soldier right in his abdomen, making him do a single jarring twitch, with his grip on his rifle tightening visibly.
The whole party stopped dead in their tracks and held their breaths. A few beats of complete silence and lack of motion followed. Moments later, everyone gave a small sigh of relief as the trooper's grip slackened once more. Quietly and steadily, the group continued towards their destination.
About half-way through the tiny town, the team saw a burning wreck of a small helicopter, the same one Ethan, Rose and Tom used to get to the Duke's ship. The pilot likely died on impact, his face frozen in a fearful and bloodied grimace. A soldier with a large missile launcher was 'sleeping' on a roof of a two-storey stone building nearby - an obvious culprit behind the aircraft's sorry state.
Seeing the ruined vehicle, Millie whispers with curiosity in her voice, still very much aware and afraid of the hibernating troopers all around them.
"That was supposed to be our extraction chopper… who is helping us then?"
Nobody could answer that inquiry, so the group proceeded towards the car they left behind in tense silence. An occasional shadowy silhouette in a doorway or behind a house kept them all on their toes. The grim figures of hibernating soldiers out in the open exuded nothing but unspoken menace and a promise of unceremonious death.
Alcina was coughing and grunting in effort, as her weakened and drained body was put under unexpected strain. Ethan was burning in the blonde's daughter's arms, sickly sweat pouring down his frame.
If someone asked Bela what the most tense and uncomfortable ten minutes of her long life were, she would probably go with this harrowing experience. That one time where she agreed to join Daniela on a prank and ended up stuck in Cassandra's dresser with the redhead as they both observed the middle sibling having her way with a particularly sultry maid was a close second, though.
After a short walk through the mining town, which, nevertheless, felt like an eternity to Bela, their not-so-merry gang turned a corner and ended up where they had left the armored car. The sight that greeted them was surprising, to say the least.
A moderately-sized, sleek-looking aircraft was stationed right next to their own vehicle, a bunch of soldiers in unusual get ups around it, with weapons held steadily but not threateningly. Unlike the identical, Bela would even dare say mass-produced -looking troopers left behind, these ones had an almost casual look to them, as they sported ordinary jeans and shirts, with some armor and equipment over it. Their most glaring feature was the presence of weird multi-visored helmets on their heads.
Upon seeing them, Cassandra immediately snarled and hissed in aggression, sickle already raising; the soldiers themselves made no motion to return the hostile gesture and kept passively observing their battle-weary group.
Bela had no idea who these people were, nor whether they wished them ill-intent or not. Nevertheless, gathering her courage, she spoke, in her authoritative but calm voice.
"And who are you supposed to be?"
The masked grunts said nothing, but not a moment passed before a larger, powerfully built man disembarked from the aircraft and leveled a glare of his own at their ragtag bunch of dirtied and bloodied misfits.
Despite having a rough, almost brutish appearance, the man was objectively handsome. It was his eyes that immediately struck Bela as something truly unique, however. The depthless blue orbs betrayed a lifetime of strife and pain. They were not unlike a beautiful painting depicting a particularly gruesome sight.
The blonde woman instantly realized that this was not a man to be trifled with. His gruff voice that brooked no argument only confirmed that notion.
"Who we are is not important. All you need to know is that we work with the Duke, for now, and that we are the ones who just saved your collective asses from that Replica platoon. And I am here for the person you're holding onto, right now."
The idea was laughable. Bela would be damned if she'd let them have Ethan without a fight. In the darkness of the early morning, her molten-gold orbs flashed in indignation and anger. Somehow, even Cassandra shared that sentiment as her second hand reached for a pistol. The fiery brunette let out a low growl of rage.
Unlike the wall of armored bodies without any obvious weak spots back in the town, these strangers had plenty of skin to carve through. Bela was quite confident that they could take these people on, if they had to. Daniela was quick to join her and Cassandra, as well; with Alcina remaining behind, not yet fit for any kind of a fight. Millie just observed, metallic-grey eyes narrowed in anticipation.
Five of them, no matter how experienced they are, versus three of us. More than doable.
A tense standoff ensued, which proved to be brief as the apparent leader of the strangers relented, his harsh visage turning soft as he spoke.
"Look… Ethan is a friend. I won't lie and say that I am happy to see him amidst a bunch of vicious B.O.W.s but… you clearly care about him more than if he was just your next meal, so just get into the chopper. The man clearly needs medical attention and if that's not enough, the freaks back there won't stay that way forever. I guarantee that you won't want to be here when they wake up."
"He did say that he worked with the Duke…let's just get the hell outta here…please?"
Millie was not shy about her obvious desires.
As much as she hated the idea of trusting some strange, unknown men, Bela saw no real choice here. Ethan wouldn't last long like this, and their hovercraft was his best chance at swift medical attention. Mother wasn't looking too good herself...
Trading a couple of glances amongst themselves, the Dimitrescu family all silently consented to this most unusual of invitations. The small group proceeded to embark into the hovercraft, trading suspicious glares with the masked men in the process. The leader attempted to assist Bela with Ethan, but the woman just scoffed as she jumped inside herself.
Laying Ethan down on a free bench-like seat, Bela's hand immediately shot to his temple. She almost yelped at touching the searing-hot skin. The large man was quick to follow, inspecting the unconscious blonde father himself. Not liking what he was seeing, he produced a small syringe-like object, with a blue umbrella icon on it.
"This should help for now."
The man explained the action as he plunged the syringe into Ethan's wrist. Bela could only hope that he was speaking the truth. Thankfully, the feverish forehead under her palm was quick to cool down, just a little, making the woman breathe out a sigh of relief.
As soon as everyone else got aboard, the aircraft, with a low hum, steadily gained altitude before lurching towards the coast and hopefully - safety.
Bela took the opportunity to glance around at the assembled faces. Daniela sat with Alcina, holding her close, with worry in her amber eyes. Mother looked even more haggard than when they had found her - even this small trek put quite a strain on her exhausted body.
Millie was rummaging through her looted backpack, without a care in the world. Bela couldn't help but narrow her eyes at the shorter woman.
What exactly was your goal, I wonder...somehow I doubt it was to rescue mother, after all. The Duke better have some answers…
Cassandra, surprisingly, was simply staring into the leader's deep blue eyes. Her face was pensive, previous hostility and anxiety already forgotten. The elder sister understood the appeal the brunette saw...the man's eyes were certainly…unusual in the depths of traumatic emotion one could perceive in them.
The large man himself looked a little bit uncomfortable from being an object of so much attention from the vampiric women, as he cleared his throat and offered an actual greeting, his voice diplomatic, but not soft.
"By the way, name's Chris. I believe we have quite a few things to discuss once we get to the ship."
Oh, Chris? Ethan did mention him!
The man pointedly looked at each Dimitrescu as he spoke, each one responding with a stare of her own. Alcina, in particular, looked unimpressed; regal even in her diminished state. Bela's heart soared at the fact that at least mother's mind was apparently intact after the horrible ordeal she had endured. As their group's de facto leader, at least for now, the blonde woman tried to introduce herself first, in an attempt to dispel any lingering hostility.
"I'm Be…"
"Cassandra. A pleasure."
Bela could only close her open mouth as her younger sister so rudely interrupted her. Suppressing a huff of indignation of her own, the blonde woman returned her attention to her beloved ones, instead.
Hopefully, they would soon return to the Duke's ship and leave all this horrible mess behind. Finding solace in that thought, the elder daughter smiled gently upon her mother, caressing Ethan's hair all the while. Alcina clearly had conflicting emotions at that particular sight, as she couldn't decide whether to give her eldest a frown or a loving smile. Bela just giggled in mirth at the confusion she caused. She knew that mother would come around, eventually.
Everything is going to be fine now. We are all together, once again, amongst friends, this time. Ethan and mother will both make a full recovery, I am sure of it! Perhaps… we can find happiness once again...together.
Author's Note:
I hope Alcina's first appearance didn't disappoint anyone who expected a 9 foot tall juggernaut to chop some riff-raff into mincemeat :S
I borrowed this concept from another work - The Killing Cure by TalesOfOnyxBats. Very interesting story, with a unique twist between Ethan and Alcina enemy to lover relationship.
Also, I did want to portray Bela M.D. for a while now, thanks to PotCFan101 for an inspiration on how to do it :)
Quoting a character from the relevant game, a lot of unnatural fuckery happened in this chapter, and I do hope it was at least somewhat confusing - it was supposed to be!
Finally, our cast of characters is expanded and I do imagine Cassandra as someone who doesn't hesitate to go after anything that caught her fancy :D