A/N: Only one more chapter remaining. A thanks to all readers and reviewers for taking interest in the story.
The Terror Within
At Daniel's outspoken words the companions' unease grew as their eyes wandered warily around the room, as if any time the creature could attack. However, each knew such lingering suspicions would only assist the monster's plans, the eventual outcome being all of their demise.
"Enough" Integra commanded, frowning at the dramatic gentleman. "We must focus on the monster's abilities, not his plans."
"Well then, what use is knowing of these abilities?" Daniel demanded, crossing his arms over his chest. "We can't do anything to stop him from using them, and trapped in this castle as we are, the monster could merely lay in the dark, awaiting our foolish attempts to escape this prison."
"We can devise our own keep" Integra revealed, a hint of a smile on her lips. "We merely need to create an area where the vampire cannot harm us until daylight, and then escape by means of the windows" she explained, her hand sweeping toward the few glass panes leading to the outside. "The only difficulty we have is the moat beyond."
However, their arising plans were harshly interrupted by nature's intervention. One of the windows, shut so tightly against the storm raging outside, suddenly gave way against the harsh wind. The panes blew open, sending debris from outside everywhere into the room and nearly blowing out the fire in one fell swoop. Daniel and Walter rushed to close the glass before their only light source was extinguished, but by the time they had succeeded there were only bright, glowing ashes remaining in the fire pit.
A long, misty curl of smoke arose from the dying fire, floating about the room and mingling with the fog drifting uninterrupted from the leaking window. The sight was eerie with the dwindling light shining upon the mist, casting faint shadows upon the walls.
Seras backed away from the storm which had invaded the room, unaware her steps had taken her closer to the threshold. Suddenly she froze in place as she felt a cold hand clamp down upon her shoulder, the burden bringing a heavy weight to her chilled heart.
Quickly turning her head, Seras gasped as two burning scarlet eyes stared back at her, penetrating her soul as her own orbs widened in shock. The young woman attempted to flee or warn her companions, but she felt herself rooted to the spot where she stood. Her voice would neither scream nor would her limbs mov to her will, creating a doll of her body. As the creature slowly looked beyond her toward the group she perceived her own gaze shifting, following his against her efforts. She watched the scene before them unfurl, the horror scalding itself into her mind.
"Mira!" the group suddenly heard Lucy shout, the wind still blowing loudly about the room as the window refused to remain shut. "Please, Mira, listen to me!"
"What's wrong?!" Integra shouted from the bleak darkness of the room, her eyes apparently searching the space futilely for the problem. Seras watched as her mistress drew forth from the folds of her dress what she knew to be a small pistol, ready at hand in case of emergencies. "Lucy, back away from her!" the lady yelled, suddenly realizing what the situation had become. "She is not your friend anymore!"
"But Mira! I can't leave her!" Lucy hysterically argued, Seras watching as the young woman did however slowly back away from her friend.
The young servant gazed on as Mira rose jerkily to her feet, her features spoiled and her manner loose. She began stumbling toward Lucy as the other gasped in shock, apparently able to penetrate the darkness well enough to reveal her former friend's deathly countenance. Integra, within reach of the panicked woman, grabbed a hold of her arm and roughly pulled Lucy toward herself.
"You can't!" Lucy cried out as she noticed the weapon Integra held, her hands reaching up to stop the mistress as aimed at the creature stalking toward them.
With a loud report, while all watched on in morbid fascination, the creature stumbled back but did not fall.
"Damn!" Seras heard Integra curse, apparently having missed her mark in the darkness. The sound and shadows indicated the mistress was attempting to hastily reload the small weapon, the creature stunned for a short moment. "Get away!" she shouted to Lucy, who was repelled with a violent shove away from the woman and toward the servant girl.
Lucy, tears streaming down her face as the fire began to slowly revive itself, turned to Seras for assistance in her desperate endeavor. However, she stood in shock as she looked past the servant girl, her eyes growing wide in fear and her hands raising to cup her gaping mouth. By the faint glimmer of the coals Seras watched as the vampire gestured toward Lucy, as if commanding her to approach his person. To her astonishment and terror Lucy obeyed the silent calling, her hands dropping to her sides as she slowly began to approach them.
"Miss Lucy!" Walter shouted as Daniel rushed from the window toward the entranced woman.
The sound of another shot interrupted the drama as Integra once more attempted to eliminate the ghoul. Fortunately for the companions her mark was accurate, the body of Mira collapsing to the floor with a blood-curdling scream. The monster behind Seras hissed loudly in her ear as Lucy suddenly shook her head, dazed as she nearly fell backwards. Daniel, surprised by the shot, halted in his steps as he watched the corpse of his female friend turn into a pile of dust.
A tall shadow suddenly passed by the servant girl, enveloping Lucy in its dark cloak as Integra turned toward the group.
"Halt, monster!" she hissed, though annoyingly she realized her words were nothing without the proper leverage of weapons. To everyone's surprise, though, the creature merely stood within the center of the room, its eyes roaming about the other occupants. There appeared to be no struggle from the woman beneath his clothing and they could not tell if she was alive or had merely fainted. "Let us alone" she slowly commanded, perplexed by the creature's apparent willingness to hear her out.
"As you wish" the vampire responded with dark humor in his voice, tightening his hold upon Lucy's body.
Within a blink of an eye the creature was gone, spirited away by its ungodly speed. Lucy, too, was gone, taken by the creature in accordance with Integra's wishes.
"Lucy!" Daniel cried out, rushing to the spot where she had stood only moments before. He frantically looked for any sign of his last living friend, his eyes wide in hysterical worry.
"Blast!" Integra muttered beneath her breath, quickly reloading her weapon. "Walter, settle Daniel into a chair" she ordered, the retainer quickly moving into his new task.
Unfortunately the young gentleman proved nearly beyond restraint as he struggled to be removed from his spot, his eyes full of torturous uncertainty for the fate of his female companion. Walter was soon able to take control of the situation, giving Daniel a knock to the head which cleared the haze of hysterics for a moment.
"I-I'm s-sorry" Daniel shakily spoke, holding his head wear the bruise was forming. "I...I don't know what came over me" he admitted, taking deep breaths.
He slowly, with the assistance of Walter, wandered over to the remaining furniture, his eyes confused and distorted in the growing light. His eyes slowly drifted about him, landing upon the sight of Mira's ashes. The pile nearly set him into another frenzy as a choked sob escaped his throat, his hands pushing against the chair's cover to kneel on the ground before the dead. The servant was prepared for the movement, holding his arms to his sides as waited for the calm to rise once more.
Seras, the spell over her dissipated with the creature's leaving, began to stoke the fire to bring light and warmth to the cold room. Fortunately the window had been securely fastened and the storm now remained outside the small space.
"We must find the creature" Integra slowly announced, shaking her head at what had happened. "There can be no safety anywhere within these walls, so we must either try to escape or fight him upon his terms."
"But how can we do that?" Seras argued, stopping her task of stirring the fire. "We cannot leave Lucy nor can we win against the vampire."
"We're not abandoning Lucy!" Daniel chimed in, standing to his feet with great effort and waving the retainer off with a comforting gesture. "She doesn't deserve that fate. Without her argument, none of you would be alive right now. She was the only person in our group who didn't wish to murder you for your horses."
For a long, silent moment Integra gazed at the young man with penetrating eyes, calculating his words and their meaning. Finally she sighed deeply and nodded her head, allowing Daniel to grin joyfully.
"We will do our best, but heed my words" the mistress commanded sternly, receiving an eager nod from the gentleman. "If she is dead or undead, we must leave her to her-"
A sudden cry from the horses within the courtyard rang in their ears as all eyes turned toward the door.
"It's after the horses!" Daniel cried out, rushing from the room with the three other companions following closely behind.
The group sprinted the hallway and soon arrived at the open courtyard, the storm raging above them as a great boom of thunder sounded overhead. By the quick flashes of lightening they could make out the horses fighting against their restraints, desperately trying to escape from a figure laying upon the ground before them. Walter dashed over to the animals, soothing their fears as all eyes focused on the person.
"L...Lucy!" Daniel shouted with mirth, smiling widely as he ran over to her. He kneeled beside her and gently took her in his arms, crying with relief at her safe return to him.
"Wait!" Integra warned, the reckless man not heeding her as he continued to cradle the woman. "You fool!" she harshly scolded, striding up and standing behind the pitiful man. "Back away from her!"
"But look" he argued, his gleeful eyes as he gazed over her untouched body. "There's nothing wrong with her. She has yet to transform into a ghoul and I feel some life in her body."
Swiftly and silently Integra reached down and pulled back the high collar of her dress, revealing two distinct puncture wounds. Daniel's eyes widened in horror at the tiny holes, still bleeding slightly. He slowly shook his head in denial, his mouth silently mouthing his disbelief as his arms shook and nearly dropped her.
"Lucy is dead, Daniel" the mistress coldly explained, scowling at the gentleman and his female friend. "There is nothing we can do for her. Our only hope is to leave this wretched cas-"
Suddenly the horses, who had grown docile with Walter's remonstrations, began to panic. Pawing at the ground ferociously, they whinnied and strained against their tethers. Integra stood straight and quickly peered about the courtyard as the other companions did the same, searching for the source of the animals' troubles. The mistress slowly withdrew the gun she had once more hidden within her dress, her finger on the trigger as she prepared for an attack.
"Lucy" Daniel suddenly muttered with relief, the attention of the group shifting toward the young woman in his arms.
Lucy's eyes had opened, her gaze traveling across the faces surrounding her as she blinked in uncertainty.
"Where am I? What happened?" she asked wearily, allowing Daniel to help her to her feet.
"You're in the courtyard. We found you here after the vampire took you" Daniel joyfully explained, nearly crying with happiness. "Do you feel alright? Did it hurt you in any way?"
"I don't feel any different" Lucy slowly responded, standing on her own and smiling to the companions. "But I am grateful for everyone worrying about me."
"Oh?" Integra wondered aloud, staring with suspicion at the young woman.
"Yes. Now my master may feed on you all so easily."
Integra cursed as she shoved Daniel to the side, aiming her gun at the horrible creature which Lucy had become. The woman's eyes suddenly grew red in the darkness and she hissed at the mistress, grinning ferally as she took a quick swipe forward. The lady, unprepared for the reflexes of the monster, felt her weapon get knocked from her hands. The gun skidded across the floor, out of her grasp, leaving her with few options for defense.
Walter attempted to lend assistance to his mistress but Lucy, noticing him reaching into his vest for the weapon concealed there, turned her gaze upon the retainer. Unable to stop himself, the servant collapsed unconscious to the floor as the vampiress laughed at her doing.
"Lucy!" Daniel shouted in desperation, stepping between Integra, whose hand was now bleeding, and the vampiress. His pleading caught the attention of the undead, her burning eyes turning to him. "Don't do this, please! What's wrong with you?!"
"Come, Daniel" Lucy cooed, opening her arms wide in a welcoming gesture. She grinned widely, revealing the full, terrible length of her canines. "Come and join me. This existence is perfect for us."
Enthralled by the harpy's siren calls the young man began shuffling toward her, his mouth gaping open in a foolish grin. Integra, ignoring her wound to her wrist, soundly kicked the back of Daniel's knee, collapsing his leg and causing him to stumble to the ground.
Suddenly a shot rang out in the courtyard, the sound heard above the roaring of the storm. Lucy staggered, snarling in her rage as she touched the blood spot emerging in the stomach of her dress. She lifted her head from the wound only to be shot in the head, her eyes wide open in disbelief as she crumpled to the ground. The vampiress' last wails echoed in the stone courtyard as she stretched up her arms in one last, forsaken prayer to heaven.
Seras dropped the gun where she had grabbed the weapon, her mouth agape as she slowly sank to the cobble stones in shock. The ashes of Lucy fell before her eyes, turning to dust and scattering as a gust of wind invaded the courtyard. Walter quickly stirred from his unnatural slumber, hastily climbing to his feet and rushing over to Integra's side. The wound was serious, but would not be life-threatening.
"We must leave quickly" Integra spoke through gritted teeth as Walter wrapped his handkerchief around the wound, wincing as he tightened the cloth.
In the dark, as the four gathered silently around one another, Daniel began to laugh...