The howls rang loud and clear as Ethan ran and hid, he really didn't know if it was his imagination playing tricks or if he really did hear a woman scream.
"I've got to get to that castle," he thought aloud to himself, seen as no one was interested in his cause.
Waiting for the right time or what his expectations were of the right time was him now standing, only to now be met with a werewolf. The creature sniffed the air and Ethan quickly ducked down.
"This village is damned," he now panicked at the thought of Mia and Rose, possibly murdered? No, he couldn't think like that.
Standing once the coast was clear he ran, only a beast caught sight of him and gave chase.
"Leave him alone!" he now heard a familiar voice shout just as the creature lunged.
He found himself pinned to the floor, his only means of keeping the creatures long fanged maw from his face were his hands and that was proving difficult.
"Papa!" Elena now came into view, pumping the shotgun in her hands before firing.
Half the creatures head was blown clean away, blood, brain and bone rained down upon Ethans face.
"Ah!" he now scrambled to free himself as Elena now collapsed, crying over what she'd done.
"Papa," she sobbed.
"You did the right thing," Ethan tried to ease her.
"Leave me alone!" she snapped at him.
He backed off to then turn around, leaving her to it. The castle was going to be a hell of a walk, but if it meant he'd find Rose there, all the better. Heading up the path, he willed himself to keep going for his daughters sake. Mia knew damn well how to protect herself.
oOo
"Bring her more blood," Bela ordered as she sat by her mother's side, dabbing her head with a cool cloth.
Cassandra swarmed out, grabbing the first maid she set eyes on to drag her back to her mother's room.
"Blood delivery," she smiled sadistically as she summoned her sickle to raise to the woman's throat.
"No, please." The maid begged, wetting herself in fear as the last thing she saw was the shiny metal tucking under her chin.
Cassandra ended her quickly to now hold her up while Daniela set up the chains to drain the woman. They hooked her up by the feet, placing a bucket underneath to then watch as the life left her.
"They always die too quickly, it's rather boring." The brunette frowned as Bela grabbed mother's glass to fill before handing it to her.
"Drink mother," she offered up the blood.
Alcina gripped it to bring to her lips, drinking it back in one go.
"Are the pains still troubling you?" Bela asked as she continued to dunk the cloth.
Alcina shook her head. "They're easing."
"Good."
oOo
It felt like miles, but he was making steady progress. However, he still needed a short break to catch his breath. Doubling over he was shocked to feel a hand now on his back. Quickly standing upright, he raised his gun to now see; "Elena!"
The young woman gave him a worried look. "I didn't want you to go alone."
"What? No! You're not..."
"Ethan, who's native here?" she asked.
"Yeah, you're...no, I still won't let you."
"You're not stopping me," she scowled as she passed him.
Once the pair had made it to the entrance, they were first met with a small vineyard with scarecrows, only they weren't made of hay.
"What's with the creepy looking scarecrows?" he questioned as he neared one to find out the hard way. "Fuck! They're real human's!"
"I warned you, nothing but blood and death awaits us here."
"Just what kind of freaks am I dealing with here?"
Elena moved on just as a jolly fat man rolled out of his caravan.
"Ah, my dear Elena. Whatever's the matter, my child?"
Elena suddenly broke down in tears. "H-he's gone!"
"Who's gone, petal?
"My father," Elena sobbed loudly.
"Oh my dear, I'm so sorry." He offered up his condolences to her.
Ethan made his way over, offering Elena a little support.
"And who is this?"
Ethan looked up at him. "Ethan. Ethan Winters."
"Hmm, never heard of you." The man thought. "Are you here on business, Mr Winters?"
"No, I came to get my baby back."
"Baby?" the man questioned.
"Yeah, my daughter. Have you seen her?"
"I can't say I have," the man sighed.
"Doesn't matter, I'm going in there."
"Then you'd better be careful, Mr Winters."
"Yeah, whatever. Take care of yourself whatever your name is."
"The Duke," the man informed him.
"Yeah, whatever, Duke!"
Pushing open the doors, he headed on inside.
"This place is h..." A scream cut him off. "What the hell was that?"
Pushing open the door he was now met with women, maids. "Scuse me," he tried to get their attention.
"Don't talk to us!" one scowled at him.
oOo
Sensing something the three now raised their heads.
"He's here," Alcina frowned. "Girls, do not harm him. Is that clear?"
"Yes, mother." They all spoke in unison before swarming out.
It didn't take long for them to find him. The three laughing loudly as if he were the joke.
"W-what the..."
He fired off a few rounds, something which the three didn't take a fancy to.
"Mother told us not to harm you, yet you strike us?" Bela snarls as she pushes him to the floor.
He fired off a few more shots at the blondes head, forcing her to reel back a little.
"You dare scar a woman!" she growled.
"Stop overreacting, Bela." Cassandra rolled her eyes.
Bela growled and lunged at her sister.
"He shot me!" she snapped.
"You know it doesn't do much to us," the brunette glared back as Bela now swarmed over to grab Ethan by the hair.
"You're so lucky, man thing!" she snarled in his ear before striking him through the leg with her sickle to start dragging him off.
Daniela struck his other leg to help her sister, while Cassasndra followed on after them.
"He's here, mother." Bela announced.
"Good, but girls I told you not to harm him."
"He shot at me, mother."
Alcina made a disapproving noise before the bed was heard creaking as she now climbed off it to stand.
"Where is she?" was Ethans first reaction to seeing the woman now heading over.
"Your Rose," she frowned at him.
"Where is she?" he asked again, aiming his gun at her.
Bela summoned her sickle to cut his hands off, but Alcina stopped her.
"No, darling." She shook her head at her daughter.
Bela backed down, vanquishing the sickle from her hand.
"I have your daughter right here," she told him.
"Where? Where is she? Tell me!"
"Daniela, dear."
The youngest walked to the table to grab the glass container to hand to her mother.
"Well!"
"Here's your daughter, Ethan Winters." She said while lowerng the container. "Well a part of her that is."
"Is this some kind of sick joke?" he asked until the woman dropped it, he just managed to catch it without it falling to the ground.
"Oh this is no joke, see for yourself."
Looking to label on the side he almost fainted. Subject: Rose Part: Head
"What is this?" he questioned forcefully, still not understanding.
"Your daughter Rose as I said. Each of us have four parts. Miranda gave them to us in hopes you of all people could possibly defeat us and take them."
It was considered a joke as the four now laughed.
"So, my daughter's just a subject to you sick freaks?" he yelled.
Alcina raised her hand to stop her daughter's from attacking like guard dogs.
"You call us freaks, when we were also used by the woman!" she gave back as much as he gave her.
Ethan knew his place, he knew what he was dealing with, yet he still tried to act tough.
"What if I do..."
"What if you do what?" Alcina frowned.
"What if I kill you? The lot of you."
"Then you'd be killing us in cold blood."
"How is it cold blood when you all played a part in keeping parts of my daughter."
He was right, but Alcina had now come to see the light.
"Kill us, if you can of course, and you'd be playing right into Miranda's hands."
He looked up at her now, watching as her hand now rubbed soothing circles upon her swollen belly and in that moment he was reminded of Mia.
"God damn it all," he collapsed in front of them. "Mia, where are you?"
Alcina's daughters looked to their mother now, who waved them out of the room.
"The choice is yours, Ethan." She warned as she stepped out behind her three girls.
Ethan was given a moment or so to calm down while looking to the part of Rose in his hand.
"Mother, are you alright?" Cassandra now asked as Bela gazed out of the window and Daniela stood by the door.
"Hmm, I'm fine." Alcina smiled, until gasping just as Ethan walked in.
"I want you to tell me everything," he demanded as he placed Rose down on the table before him.
Catching her breath, Alcina nodded. "Miranda expects to resurrect her dead daughter through your Rose. In order for her to do so, she had to cut the child up into parts, to see how resilient she was." At this Eva kicked her pretty hard.
Gasping again, Ethan looked to her and it finally, just finally clicked.
"You're pregnant?"
The three daughters swarmed closer to their mother, teeth bared as a warning for him to keep his distance.
"You know Ethan, I could never become pregnant before because of my illness. Now with the gift Miranda gave me, it suddenly became possible." She smiled at Ethans cluelessness.
"You mean she implanted something in you all?"
Alcina nodded as she lifted her hat from her head. "See this scar," she told him, getting a nod. "Miranda cut upon our skull and implanted a piece of the cadou in us."
"You mean," he pointed to the three guarding her.
"I created my own daughters," she corrected.
It was all too much to take in, especially women that could transform into flies.
"I really don't have much more time to go into depth with you, Ethan." She grimaced again.
"How do I get the rest of the pieces? I doubt the rest are as willing as you."
Alcina shifted slightly, a small groan leaving her without her permission.
"You're right," she said upon composing herself. "My 'siblings' aren't as willing as I am."
He shook his head, sighing in defeat.
"I can try to convince one," she told him, sounding a little strained.
Two out of four wouldn't be too bad he supposed.
"Maria!" Alcina shouted as shortly after a young woman walked in.
"My Lady?"
"Get Donna Beneviento on the phone, I wish to speak to her."
The maid nodded to head out, Alcina now stood to follow on only she nearly collapsed in pain.
"Mama!" Bela quickly rushed to her.
"Its nothing," she breathed.
"Hm, are you starting with contractions?" he asked.
Alcina glared at him. No man should interfere in a lady's business.
"You're walking a very thin line, Ethan." She glared at him before heading out.
Ethan sat back, letting out a breath. Just what was going on? Everything was just too much to take in. Lifting his head again, he looked to Rose and vowed he'd put her together again, himself. Even though he had no idea how to.
"Don't worry Rose, seems I have someone on my side to help me." He thought with a smile.
