Awakening from his sleep, Ethan immediately became aware of two things.
First was the fact that his whole body felt rejuvenated - he was positively brimming with fresh energy, especially in comparison to how he had felt yesterday. This rest had been sorely needed after the chaotic events of previous nights.
Secondly - and arguably more importantly to his excitable senses - was that a delicious scent of food was assaulting his nostrils even as his eyes remained closed for the time being.
"Mhmmm…"
Naturally still lying on the couch, which proved to be surprisingly comfortable to spend the night on, Ethan stretched his arms behind his head, feeling the muscles coming back to life after a deserved rest and sniffing the delicious scent with his nose all the while.
He felt great, yet there was also a tingling sense of worry that he could not ignore. Though his rumbling stomach was obviously not opposed to the notion of food being cooked, his mind could not immediately identify the chef behind this noble effort.
There were a number of potential candidates for this role of his beneficiary, but Ethan had to consciously rule them out one by one.
Laura? She should be in school today, though…
Rose? Sure, she is a smart kid and she loves watching adults cook, but no way she is cooking breakfast herself just yet…
Mia? Is… she back!?
That last thought caused Ethan's eyes to jump open and his body to spring into a sitting position. The sheer terror of encountering his loving and caring wife in these circumstances was not to be underestimated, as was plain from the way his heart picked up speed from that very notion.
Cautious, as if he was hiding from indomitable Jack Baker once again, Ethan stood up from the couch and headed towards the kitchen with soft steps.
What he saw there shattered his expectation in spectacular fashion, causing the man to freeze in his tracks with his jaw hanging open.
It was not his dear wife that was strutting around the kitchen but the guest Ethan considered too infirm to move on her own.
Apparently uninterested in adhering to Ethan's assumptions about her well-being, Daniela Dimitrescu couldn't have possibly appeared any more different from her yesterday's sickly self. Fluttering around with vigor and vitality while humming a cheerful melody under her breath, the redheaded woman truly seemed a far cry from that pallid ghost she had been the last time Ethan saw her.
In fact, Ethan had to do a double take just to confirm that it was indeed, Daniela and not some other redheaded woman with pale skin that had invited herself into his house.
"Dani?"
At the sound of his voice, the woman in question swiftly abandoned whatever it was she was doing and rotated her entire body around within a split-second, allowing Ethan to behold her mirthful countenance and energetic mood alike.
"Good morning, Ethie!" Daniela greeted him in a voice as clear as a chime.
The initial shock of seeing her up and about abated just a little in the next second and Ethan found himself coherent enough to inspect the woman closer.
A wide, happy smile was adorning Daniela's face; Ethan couldn't help but mirror it as he further took her peculiar appearance in.
Fluffy white slippers, boxer briefs and a plain gray shirt - all of these articles of clothing that were now decorating Daniela's body had the shared distinction of belonging to Ethan himself.
As she wasn't exactly a small woman by any definition of the word, her peculiar choice of clothing wasn't as ridiculous as it would've been for, say, Mia or Laura - on whom his stuff would simply look oversized as hell, but it still made Ethan let out a guffaw of confusion and amusement alike.
It seemed that Daniela was immediately onto his train of thoughts as she swiftly addressed her current get-up after performing a playful 360spin.
"You don't mind that I borrowed some of your clothing, do you?"
The odd accent she chose to put on the possessive adjective made him consider that it was not only the size difference that caused Daniela to scorn more gender-appropriate Mia's stuff that she also must have had access to, given her obviously free reign over their shared bedroom this morning.
Ultimately, however, such minor issues - if they could even be considered such - utterly paled in comparison to Daniela's nigh-miraculous recovery in Ethan's eyes.
"No, of course not," addressing her question in a subdued voice, Ethan roamed across her body with his wide eyes, genuinely shocked to see her like this today.
The vicious cracks and fissures that marred her body just yesterday were nowhere to be seen; instead, a small amount of thin scar tissue took the place of the more prominent of cracks, while the minor ones vanished outright.
More than that even, to Ethan's inquisitive eyes it seemed as if her skin - which was admittedly as deathly pale as always - was glimmering with newfound vigor. Likewise, her rich red mane was glistening with the drying aftermath of a morning shower - an effect that was further enhanced by the soft rays of sunlight that reached out to caress its long-lost child.
Finally, as if to underline this resurgence of vitality, Daniela's amber orbs appeared particularly bright to Ethan as he gazed into them. There was no mistaking the ample passion for life that burned within them now, and Ethan couldn't be happier to behold this subtle proof of Daniela's mental recovery in addition to her, more obvious, physical well-being.
All in all, despite looking like a corpse just yesterday, Daniela somehow managed to make a 180° turn and now Ethan struggled to find words to describe her appearance, with the only apt characterization that quickly entrenched itself in his mind being a shining beacon of health and vigor.
That state of his redheaded guest made it all the harder for Ethan to ignore her clearly-defined feminine aspects, which were glaringly obvious given how scantily clad she was.
Her long, slender legs were on full display and that made it very difficult for Ethan to avert his gaze. Looking up would offer the man no respite either, as a simple gray shirt did a poor job of properly concealing her chest, with two small nipples being just barely visible as they poked against the thin fabric.
Before long, Ethan could start to feel the heat and had no choice except to settle his gaze on her face, though her enchanting visage did little to alleviate a sudden onset of intrusive desire that visited the besieged man.
She is so fucking beautiful…
Daniela was clearly onto his titillating musings, as was indicated by the puckish grin that quickly came to adorn her features. In fact, her whole frame assumed a rather mischievous pose in the next second, with hands hidden behind, arched back and chest pushed forward.
Her captivating eyes of molten gold shone with unbridled carried within them a promise of forbidden pleasures too numerous to count.
In that moment of time Ethan was struck speechless by just how much she resembled a cat that happened to be in the mood to toy with its prey. Cute. beautiful and playful, yet cunning and deadly just as well. Was she about to pounce at him? Could he possibly resist if she did?
It took a concentrated effort on Ethan's part to regain his composure in the face of such a gorgeous predator. Moderately successful in that endeavor, he was finally able to form coherent sentences after a couple of seconds of dumbstruck silence.
"How are you feeling, Dani?" Ethan inquired in a slightly awkward voice. Admittedly, it was a silly question given how lively she appeared, but it was still something he felt like asking considering just what she went through.
The question actually visibly dampened her spirits a little, as she must have recollected the dark memories of previous nights herself. Daniela's posture slackened a little, with a sliver of mirth fading from her expressive eyes. Nevertheless, she smiled wide after a moment and produced a chipper response, "Never better, Ethan dearest!"
It was truly incredible to see her up and about like that considering her near-death experience from barely over 24 hours ago. Mold sure had its perks, Ethan figured.
Momentarily musing about their peculiar physiology, Ethan suddenly became quite aware of the gnawing hunger that plagued his stomach once again. The delicious smell of cooked food made him realize that he hasn't had a proper meal for a while now.
"Hungry?" Daniela inquired in a teasing tone, once again showcasing her remarkable perception. Not for the first time Ethan wondered whether she was actually capable of mind-reading.
"You bet!" Ethan confirmed, moving towards the jug of water to quench his thirst first. He still could not contain his incredulity about Daniela's current state, however. "I really didn't expect you to already be up and about, though."
"I don't even remember the last time I slept this much or this well, Ethie!" Daniela giggled cutely even as she returned to the stove to put some finishing touches on the dishes she was preparing, talking all the while, "Your breakfast is almost ready, my gracious host!"
Nodding at her assessment, as she indeed had spent the better part of the last 24 hours in bed, Ethan took a glance at the wall-mounted clock while allowing himself a chuckle at her theatrics. It was not even seven in the morning yet; Rose had to be still sleeping.
Meanwhile, Daniela continued speaking in a sing-song voice that left no doubt about the woman's elevated mood and high spirits.
"I feel rejuvenated today - no!" the redhead briefly rotated around to give him a meaningful look with her large eyes, "reborn even!" she finished with awe in her tone, clearly amazed herself at just how well she was feeling today.
Naturally, Ethan couldn't be happier to hear that. "That's incredible, Dani!" He paced around the kitchen a little, sneaking a peak at what Daniela was cooking before taking his spot at the table. Though his stomach protested his next statement most vehemently, the man still noted his thoughts out loud. "You really didn't need to cook breakfast for me so early in the morning, though."
"Nonsense!" Daniela immediately shot back, not with scorn but amusement in her tone. "When you are filled with happiness and energy to the point where it feels like you're about to burst from it, don't you want to share it with your loved ones?" she continued factually, as if lecturing a small child on the immutable facts of life.
Not that Ethan had anything contrary to say to that. In fact, he could fully relate to that notion. To share your inner warmth with a treasured person was one of life's greatest pleasures as far as he was concerned. Therefore, the man simply conveyed his concord with a hum.
Nevertheless, it was still a little worrying for him to see Daniela in such incredible spirits after such harrowing events; it definitely was not something he could just chalk up to her mood swings. To go from fleeing from him in anger, to murdering a bunch of thugs, to attempting suicide, to then dancing around and cooking breakfast for him in a display of homey serenity - all within 48 hours!
It baffled Ethan's mind, but not as much as the apparent fact that he was slowly but surely adjusting to this extraordinary adaptability of hers himself!
Any further philosophizing on the subject would have to wait, however, as suddenly a large plate was thrust before him. For just a second Ethan had to marvel at how swift and energetic Daniela's motions were today yet again - she was all but flickering around the kitchen and soon the plate was joined by a glass of orange juice, eating utensils and a stack of napkins.
Ethan's stomach growled in appreciation as his gaze roamed over the presented dish - it was nothing fancy truthfully, but that hardly detracted from its delicious appearance.
"Omletă țărănească, huh?" Ethan decided to flaunt his knowledge of Romanian culture and dishes, with his reward being an extraordinarily cute sight of Daniela being momentarily flushed from surprise. Ethan smirked up at her. "I did live in Romania, remember?"
"So you did…" Daniela mouthed in a surprisingly tender voice, her gaze shifting to stare at nothing in particular; the redhead seemingly lost in a moment of reflection. "Such welcoming neighbors we've made. Anyway…"
Ethan chose to ignore that last statement. There was honestly no point in revisiting the past for the nth time, though he did appreciate the notes of remorse playing in Daniela's voice. The man took a good look at the meal that was presented to him, instead.
"...Bon appétit!" cheerfully exclaimed the redhead, the gloom from literally seconds ago gone entirely from her tone, before taking her place at the table, seemingly only interested in observing him eat. In turn, Ethan took a moment to trade glances with this enchanting woman. She winked at him, causing the man to smirk as he wondered why he was the only one about to eat right now.
Knowing her eating habits and seeing no food of any kind except for that he himself had, Ethan assumed that Daniela must have had a snack at some point while he was still sleeping.
"Thanks, Dani. I appreciate it," Ethan offered his gratitude before shifting his focus entirely towards the meal in question.
It was a rather large omelet, cooked from 4 or 5 eggs; bits of sausage and tomato mingled throughout it and a thin slice of bacon decorated its top. A piece of bread lay next to it and a glass of orange juice completed the breakfast. Fitting for its namesake, it was hardly some exquisite gourmet meal, but Ethan eagerly dug into it regardless.
And boy, was it good!
Even though it was tricky to explain something like that from a purely rational or a logical side, the amount of care and love a person puts into the meal they make can sometimes become palpable to the point where these seemingly intangible things directly affect the taste. Was this phenomenon the result of subconscious brain activity that persistently attributes positive stimuli to everything related to that special someone; or was it something inexplicable by modern science altogether? Ethan had no clue, but he enjoyed the omelet immensely, gaining satisfaction far beyond what such an uncomplicated dish should've been able to provide.
Hunger from having subsided on snacks for the last day made itself known now, causing Ethan to basically bury himself in the delicious meal. He remained in that tunnel vision mode pretty much until the plate was wiped clear. Gulping down the orange juice, he gurgled out something that bore a passing resemblance to a gratitude, receiving only a satisfied giggle in return.
Of course, as if to tease him with endless possibilities of their peculiar relationship, no sooner did Ethan finish with his meal than he was presented with a feast for an altogether different set of organs.
Daniela was standing next to the table with her hands hidden behind her back while leaning her core and upper body in a way that clearly demonstrated her exceptional fitness and agility alike. Not that she was showing off - by now Ethan knew her well enough that such motions were simply par for the course for the energetic redhead - for her, it was simply a subconscious way to express her playful personality and she concealed no deeper meanings in them.
Even understanding all that, however, Ethan could not take in the view of her alluring chest, hanging freely without any support typically offered by women's undergarments, dispassionately.
His breath stolen, the man's mind swerved towards a particularly lustful direction that was somewhat uncharacteristic of him. For a couple of seconds, all he could think about were all the lewd things he wanted to do with Daniela, as well as do to her. He couldn't help but wonder if they were to make love right now, right here in the kitchen, how many times would he be able to make her come before little Rose woke up and caught them red-handed in the most compromising position imaginable.
Ethan had to shake his head to drive such intrusive thoughts off and it was also the moment where Daniela herself noticed just where his gaze was directed.
Though it might not have been her original intent to tease him with such a sight, her flirty and unabashed aspect surged forth, drawing a wicked grin on her face. Her self-confidence, previously somewhat suppressed by her crippled state, was now restored alongside the physical condition of her body; all the warm words of consolidation and reassurance that Ethan had for her yesterday served as a further boost for it today.
In a rather theatrical way, she leaned even further forward to collect the clear plate, with her chest bouncing around intentionally within Ethan's reach. Sensing the man's poorly-concealed desires, she lingered in completing that simple task for a couple of seconds, hoping that he would be the one to take the next step.
He did not, but Daniela did not allow the disappointment she felt because of it to show itself, simply moving away from the table to the kitchen sink, plate in tow. She did not forget to make every step as steady and seductive as she could, however, knowing that Ethan had a prime view of her long legs and rear assets.
His lust became even more palpable, all but choking the air in the kitchen. Even without seeing his face, Daniela was fully aware that the man was struggling to hold himself back. She bit her lip painfully to release some of her own pent-up stress that had quickly arisen from this situation in general and Ethan's inactivity in particular.
I am yours, Ethan! Just take me, here and now! I beg of you!
She could not speak these tantalizing words aloud no matter how much she wished to and the sigh that escaped Ethan's mouth informed her that the opportunity to finally break through his walls had escaped her once again.
"Thank you for the breakfast, Dani. I really need a shower now, though," Ethan spoke, unaware of the shudder of frustration that momentarily twisted Daniela's fair visage into an angry grimace.
"Of course, Ethan," she replied in a rather subdued voice, doing her best to prevent her true feelings from seeping into her words.
She could hear him stand up, but did not turn around, instead remaining glued to her spot. The man lingered for a while instead of immediately moving to do what he said he wanted to do, causing Daniela to grow even more frustrated. He cleared his throat and the redhead listened attentively to anything he might want to say.
"Do you, ahm… mind getting some more clothing on you? My, ahm… our wardrobe is at your disposal."
"Alright." Daniela responded without missing a beat, though internally she boiled from a spike of anger. The implication that he wanted her to dress in Mia's clothes caused a rather irrational surge of fury within the tempestuous woman. That little wife of his was the only remaining obstacle between her and Ethan. The only wall that stood in the way of their unconditional, undiluted love they so clearly shared for one another.
Even as Ethan left the kitchen, Daniela remained standing in that same spot, dark thoughts starting to flutter in her mind. Like particles in a nuclear reactor, they chaotically swarmed around, impacting her other thought processes only to create more of their own ilk. Left to their own devices, they would spread unchecked until a critical mass would be reached and Daniela herself would revert to her vicious persona.
How dare he ask me to wear her clothes! I'd rather claw that little whore's eyes out with my fingers!
"Argh!" Daniela growled in a guttural tone. A bunch of large flies were now circling around her frame. Her swift return to health might have been welcome, but the increased aggression that stemmed from her regained vitality was doing her no favors. Her fists clenched subconsciously and the fragile ceramic dish she was holding onto all this time found itself unable to resist the inordinate amount of strength that belied her slender frame.
Its sides cracked and the central part of the plate fell onto the floor, only to shatter into dozens of pieces.
"Ouch!" Daniela yelped as a couple of smaller fragments from the cracked pieces of the dish still gripped in her vice-like fingers embedded themselves in her pale skin.
It turned out that physical pain was exactly what she needed to escape her own dark musings. Brought back to reality, Daniela stared at the floor with horror and embarrassment alike. Not for the first time, she bitterly marveled at how little it took to rile her up. Was she really a good match for Ethan and his precious little child if she could not control her own emotions? If even a slight provocation was enough to awaken her murderous impulses and make her seriously contemplate killing an innocent person that did nothing to her or her family, just so she could have her husband all to herself?
The flies - harbingers of danger when it came to Dimitrescu siblings - seemingly faded into nothingness as they seamlessly melded back into her body.
Now disheartened by her own lack of self-control as much as Ethan's lack of advances, Daniela sighed and crouched down to collect the pieces of the broken plate. As a self-imposed punishment, she decided to leave the fragments that were stuck in her skin for last.
"Innocent?" Daniela muttered darkly to herself after catching herself applying that particular term to Mia. "Bah!" Though she had been privy to a certain conversation that would not have painted that wife of Ethan's in the most positive of lights at one point, it eluded her mind as something irrelevant up until recently, since it was only then did Daniela learn for a fact that Ethan had no idea about the depth of Mia's involvement in that whole mess in Romania.
Truthfully, she did not know all that much herself, but she did know enough to at least make him consider questioning his loyalties. Of course, Daniela did not want to come off as a petty and selfish family wrecker, so she kept her thoughts and theories on the matter to herself for the time being, though now they were all but dancing on the tip of her tongue. It was a real struggle to hold it in now that she and Ethan were this close, yet seemingly also so damn far away, with the invisible apparition of his fucking wife always getting in between them.
She truly did not wish to be so difficult and belligerent; to live in perfect harmony with those she cared about was an ideal scenario, but her subconscious desires and the childish need for instant gratification often run contrary to it. Daniela understood all that, but it hardly made it easier to deal with it. Her fickle moods could not be governed by reasoning alone, unfortunately, nor did she have much opportunity to work through her many issues and complexes.
Sadly, a family psychologist was among the things Dimitrescu Castle lacked, after all, even if its inhabitants could've most certainly used the services of one.
With the help of a dustpan and a whisk broom - both of which Daniela was thankfully able to locate quickly - the redhead cleaned up her own latest mess in a couple of minutes, all the while pondering on her many flaws and the ways she could address them.
Afterwards, she approached the waste bin and dumped the pieces of the shattered dish in it before returning the tools she appropriate for this task to their rightful places.
Next, she got back to the waste bin and this time held her own hands over it, shards of broken ceramic still embedded in them.
It took her nothing more than a concentrated force of will to showcase her birthright - something that would appear both marvelous and horrifying to any bystander, were there one here right now.
Her human flesh and bone alike transmuted into a bunch of semi-sentient insects, which flickered around the stumps of her arms for a couple of seconds as foreign matter that was previously embedded into what had been her skin neatly fell into the bin on its own. As soon as it did, Daniela mentally willed her flies to coalesce back into her hands and as always, they obeyed instantly.
Inspecting her hands, she let out a satisfied hum once it became obvious that every little shard was gone, leaving just some minor scratches marring her skin in their place. Though her natural regeneration was nowhere near Ethan's levels, she was confident that these little cuts would heal on their own within the day, so she promptly forgot all about them.
Done with that supernatural display that she nevertheless took for granted, Daniela decided to heed Ethan's request and headed back to his bedroom, all the while listening to the noises of running water coming from the bathroom. The desire to tear off her current clothing and to storm into the shower cabin with him burned with great intensity in her chest but the memory of the incident from a couple minutes ago played an instrumental part in allowing her to resist it.
Control is of the essence!
Almost as much as she wanted to be together with Ethan, Daniela Dimitrescu desired to become a better person - one who was in control of her actions and not some wild animal who did whatever it wanted, regardless of what it would cost both it and those around it.
Finding herself back in his bedroom, the redhead paused for a second as she glanced towards the wardrobe that she knew belonged to the wife. She scoffed in displeasure.
She still refused to even consider wearing Mia's clothes - not just out of principle, though it obviously played a major role, but also because they would hardly fit her taller and more developed physique. Daniela headed towards Ethan's wardrobe once again.
After rummaging through it for a bit, she found herself a pair of white socks, denim jeans and a very thin dark-brown jacket. It was not a perfect fit, as Ethan's clothes were a little too big for her, but it was comfortable enough to wear and was rather similar to what she had before, at least.
Now all dressed up, Daniela took a moment to inspect her own appearance in the bedroom's mirror, and to her surprise she actually looked pretty good.
"Hmmm, not too bad." She still wanted some clothing of her own, obviously - maybe something more distinctly feminine, like a beautiful dress or an elegant skirt with a gorgeous blouse to go with…
Nevertheless, she knew better than to make the goal of obtaining fancy clothing a priority, considering all the violence and chaos of the previous nights. Despite her merry personality this morning, she was not completely detached from the reality of her deeds.
The sound of running water coming from the bathroom ceased.
Daniela pirouetted around like a ballerina, the act aiding her in elevating her mood a little and making her giggle. Simple things like that often helped her cope with mind-numbing tedium and hopelessness of the decades spent in their castle and they were still useful to this day.
She heard the sound of bare feet slapping against the wooden floor, but did not turn around to regard the source just yet.
"You're looking pretty good, Dani." Ethan's voice informed her and only then did she deign to spin around to face the man that evoked such powerful, and sometimes conflicting emotions in her.
"Why, thank you…" The redhead started in a chipper voice, but was not able to finish that short sentence in it.
Perhaps unsurprisingly considering where he came from, Ethan was in nothing but his briefs, effectively turning the situation in the kitchen around.
Daniela's lips parted a little and her expressive amber orbs widened as she beheld the man that took almost complete monopoly of her emotions lately.
It would not be a stretch to say that Ethan looked good. In great shape, it was clear to see that the man took proper care of his own body and did not neglect physical exercise, though he did that without fanaticism. Toned legs, defined abs, well-built chest and wide shoulders made for one enviable figure, though he wasn't lean to the point where one would assume he denied himself even an occasional hearty meal. Likewise, his musculature spoke of a fit and virile man, not some obsessed gym dweller. All in all, in Daniela's honest opinion, Ethan looked just perfect.
Of course, rational thoughts and simple observations were left in the dust once her gaze settled on a certain part of male anatomy that was bulging through his briefs. There were a number of uses she could think of concerning that organ, though they all were invariably tied to her own body.
Once again, the desire to simply pounce upon the object of her desires was almost insurmountable to resist. Daniela's tongue gently glided across her lower lip as she briefly considered just how enduring in the bed Ethan must be - it was really in his namesake, even! On the other hand - not that she was bragging about it, Daniela also fancied herself of possessing a rather remarkable reserve of stamina, enough to outlast Cassandra and Bela in their games on those rare occasions when these two would deign to participate in them; fooling around with the maids for hours at a time when they didn't. Connecting these two thoughts together, the lustful redhead couldn't help but picture making love to Ethan all through the night - or day, as it were.
Or maybe a day and a night!
Her heartbeat quickened and she realized that she was actually slightly panting from having worked herself up that swiftly. Aroused and flushed in the face, Daniela could not find the strength to gaze into Ethan's eyes, though judging by his own awkward reaction, the man must have at least partially understood what was going through her buggy head. The bulge in his briefs seemed to grow just a little bit, Daniela caught with the edge of her vision. She was suddenly eager to escape his presence, lest she could not hold herself back.
"Let me get out of your way." Daniela tried to deftly pass him by through the crack in the doorway, but something unexpected happened as she did so.
"Wait…" Ethan's hand suddenly found itself taking hold of her slender wrist, causing the woman to freeze dead in her tracks, with even her black heart seemingly skipping a beat, only to make up for that in the next moment.
A second passed, then another.
"...never mind. Sorry." Ethan muttered and released her and with it, Daniela's ability to breath and to think was returned only a second later.
"...I'll be downstairs." Daniela mumbled in turn, unsure of what this episode was all about. A speck of disappointment that it didn't turn into something greater gnawed on her innards as she descended downstairs and approached the couch with Roxy sleeping on it, only to carelessly plop right next to the animal.
The little beagle huffed in annoyance at being woken up like that, but did little else, allowing Daniela to start gently caressing the lovely pet.
"Ah, Roxy, Roxy, Roxy… what is your master doing with my heart?"
Daniela whispered more to herself despite addressing the dog directly, though Roxy herself still whined in what Daniela took to be an empathetic and understanding manner. The redhead immediately felt better, at least a little bit.
"Oh, you!" The vampiric girl giggled lightly and turned around to focus her attention fully on the adorable little dog. Staring at the honest expression of contentment on Roxy's face, Daniela felt some of her problems evaporating just like that. Using both of her hands to alternatively scratch and rub the pet's belly, the redhead allowed herself this moment of simple and unconditional affection, eventually coming to cuddle with Roxy in what had to be a heartfelt display.
"Who is a good little doggie," Daniela playfully inquired as she scratched behind the pet's long ears.
Roxy let out an eager but somewhat subdued bark, as if comprehending that not everyone in the house was already awake and not wishing to interrupt their slumber.
"That's right - you are!" The redhead mirthfully continued. In response, Roxy nuzzled against her chest, making Daniela let out a joyful laughter that echoed across the household like a bell. She grew a little embarrassed in the next moment, remembering that Rosie was still asleep herself. "Oops!" she poked the dog on her nose lightly, "I guess we should be a bit quieter, little one!"
The adorable pet licked her fingers and Daniela giggled again. For the moment she felt at peace and content and that soon made her wonder if intelligence, and indeed - sentience - were overrated. Here she was, basking in genuine affection from a creature that only wished to love and to be loved in return - not unlike herself, really. Except, in her case, there was also the primordial hunger for fresh blood and flesh, not to mention all these pesky emotions.
Looking down at Roxy, Daniela couldn't help but consider how easier her life would've been if she was just born a dog, or better yet, a cat! A beautiful orange tabby that knew nothing but the tender affection of its owner, unbothered by the vagaries of fate and unblemished by the cruelty of this unforgiving world.
Smirking at her own ridiculous musings, Daniela lounged on the couch as her slim fingers continued to pet Roxy, who offered the noises of appreciation and gratitude in return.
Life was full of simple pleasures, yet complexities of their sentience would often get in the way. But then again, doesn't it also make the eventual reward for suffering through hardships all the more fulfilling?
Except some of us never get to that reward. Some of us are destined to suffer for as long as we live.
Such grim musings put a frown on Daniela's fair face and even the petting motions of her hands became detached and automatic. Sensing her melancholy, Roxy settled down as well.
As she awaited Ethan's return into her little world, Daniela allowed her mind to wander through the twisted mirror maze of her existence, losing herself in the twisted reflections of the amalgamation of her past and present, with an uncertain future lurking in between the cracks.
What was she prepared to do for love?
Author's Note:
I bet this chapter felt underwhelming after such a grotesque delay, hehe.
In truth, I have struggled with chapter for a while now, rewriting a certain part several times and adding more segments. In the end, I've decided to split into two parts due to how much Part I will clash with Part II in terms of mood. Part II is notably larger, with a different PoV segment added in, but its also basically finished (but I still want to proofread it as well as maybe add a small segment to its start), so I'll post in 2-3 days. Surprising to even myself after how much I've struggled with this chapter, I was actually quite happy with how it turned out in the end, so I sincerely hope that you guys will also be able to enjoy it, and as always, feel free to express any opinion you may have on it in the comments - any feedback is welcome!
Other than that, I can only apologize once again about how lengthy the delays between updates had been lately. If you haven't yet, make sure to check out Blood and Winter by Eronald, Taming the Huntress by SilentWinters (on Ao3) and Fragmented Flies/Fears by Cr0ssb0w25 - all extremely talented and passionate authors, with the latter also being a capable artist, with beautiful artworks attached to most of the chapters in their works. In turn, I'll do my best to accelerate my release schedule, but I can't make any promises.
Stay safe out there and have a wonderful week, everybody!