Lady Dimitrescu opened her eyes, she was seated in her study with Bela seated beside her. She held her head for a moment, uncertain how long she had been daydreaming. The memory so raw and fresh.

Beside her Bela had been watching her mother while she worked. She had not been oblivious to her mother's change in mood. She was quieter since that little creature had gone. Angrier. More violent towards the maids and quick to attacking them.

Of course her mother was always prone to attacking the maids and killing them. Her temper always quick at times. Bela shook her head and continued to write down the numbers, going through paperwork after paperwork until her neck could no longer take it.

"I am going to take a little walk," Bela said, hoping her mother would say she would join her.

"I will linger here," she said. "Go and check in with your sisters. I worry about the mischief they are finding themselves in."

"Yes…, Mother," Bela said, rising up to her feet and placing a kiss to her cheek.

Lady Dimitrescu looked to her, observing how dour she looked. It was not a sight she liked to behold.

"My sweet." She reached out and caressed her cheek with the tips of her fingers. "Thank you for keeping me company."

"Of course, Mother," Bela said, her eyes visibly lighting up. "I will return later."

Lady Dimitrescu watched her go in silence, though as soon as she was gone, did the sadness consume her again. The memories of what she had seen still playing over and over again her mind. She was unable to get any sleep, for all her dreams were of her loved ones deaths. Josie, Helena, Fredric, Beatrice and her mother. No matter how much she drank, no matter how much she tortured and slaughtered the maidens, nothing helped the ache in her heart.

She got up from her seat and walked over by the window. She permitted her mind to drift back to the night she had killed Roderick, but how was she to realize Mother Miranda had had a hand in all of it. Josie's death. The hell they had endured in his manor. Fredric's brutal murder. Then the realization that it was Mother Miranda who had indeed killed her mother and father.

"Then I killed my love. My Beatrice…" her voice shook as she said her name. "My darling." She covered her face with one hand, sighing deeply. She felt exhausted. Wanting only to sleep peacefully and awaken to this entire ordeal to be a nightmare.

Ba-dum. Ba-dum.

Lady Dimitrescu whipped her head up at the sound of a heartbeat. A familiar sound that got her racing out of her study and down to the Entrance Hall.

'No!' she kept saying over and over in her head. 'No! No! No! Please do not let this be true.' By the time she reached the Main Hall, Lady Dimitrescu knew her worst fears were true. The child was in the Entrance Hall on the floor, unconscious. She was wearing the same attire she had sent her away in, only she had a few cuts on her face and a fresh black and blue mark on her cheek. "Dorothy wake up. You must awaken."

Dorothy did not stir.

Lady Dimitrescu had no choice, but to kneel down and scoop the child up into her arms. Once she had her securely, Lady Dimitrescu rushed to bring her to the parlor room and set her down into the bed. All she could do was stare at Dorothy, unable to understand what had happened. Did the Duke betray her to Mother Miranda?

She stared now to Dorothy's arm and decided to take a small sample of her blood. She would be able to see what Dorothy had experienced. She leaned down and gently bit into her wrist, a vision of Dorothy departing from the Duke and entering the train station of Brasov. There she was seated awaiting the train when a young woman approached her. Lady Dimitrescu watched on in growing horror as the young lady transformed into Mother Miranda, attacking the child and revealing a needle. She knew precisely what was inside the needle. Her heart breaking as soon as the syringe broke through Dorothy's skin.

Lady Dimitrescu pulled away unable to look at Dorothy. Her emotions were too raw. She could already tell just by the taste of Dorothy's blood she would die.

She collapsed down in the chair beside the bed, lowering her hat to cover her face as sadness consumed her. Her thoughts on Beatrice. How could she ever be forgiven for this? If she were to ever see her beloved again, how would Beatrice ever pardon her for this unforgivable crime?

Lady Dimitrescu sat there for many hours. Lost in her grief. A new memory of her mother appearing before her eyes. The sight of her dying just as Dorothy was made tears bubble in her eyes. Her mother's departure once again felt so fresh, but there Mother Miranda's dark silhouette played out in the shadows. Her guiding hand bringing about all of her pain and suffering.

A deep rumbling issued from her belly and up to her chest.

"Mother Miranda," she snarled, the very name leaving a bitter taste on her tongue.

No sooner had she spoken did Dorothy shift her head, a light moan passing through her lips and then her eyelids flickered open.

"L-Lady Dimitrescu?" she stared at her confused.

"Hush now, Dorothy," she said with a sad smile. "You are safe."

"Where am I?"

"Home…" she reached out and gripped her hand.

Dorothy grimaced as a sudden pain shot from her belly and up to her head. Her hold on Lady Dimitrescu's tightening for a moment as the pain gripped her and then slowly lightened.

"I-I remember the town," she said. "I was waiting for the train and then darkness."

"It is all right, Dorothy," Lady Dimitrescu whispered. "Do not think of it another moment longer."

Dorothy; however, continued to ponder as she stared up at the dark ceiling.

"There was someone with me. A young woman, but then she… she…"

"Shh, Dorothy," Lady Dimitrescu tried again to soothe her.

"She injected me with something."

Lady Dimitrescu released a shaky breath, unable to answer her with words and only nod.

"Will… will I die?"

'Mother?'

Lady Dimitrescu could hear Bela calling out for her.

'What is it Bela?'

'The man-thing is here with the fresh supply of blood bags, would you like me to proceed with the inspection?'

'Yes, and be sure to have Daniela and Cassandra join you. They could use the practice.'

'Yes, Mother.'

Lady Dimitrescu averted her gaze down to Dorothy who was fast asleep again.

{…}

The days' went slowly for Lady Dimitrescu. She would go to the parlor as many times as she could to check on Dorothy. No one knew of Dorothy's return not even Anya, though she could not help but sense her daughters' could sense her, especially Bela. The child would always be watching her, and eyeing around the castle whenever they traveled from one room to the next.

Once she was able to slip away from Bela, she would bring food to Dorothy, but the child barely touched anything she offered. Her face was paler and dark circles were under her eyes.

"Try to drink this," Lady Dimitrescu said, taking the cup and helping her drink the water.

She coughed as she swallowed, but managed to get some of the liquid down.

"Thank you," she said.

Lady Dimitrescu smiled, taking a seat down in the chair and watching her.

Dorothy looked back at her with bloodshot eyes.

"What is it?"

"I keep dreaming of my mother," Dorothy said. "I only wish it were real."

"I have had similar dreams and thoughts."

"Of your own family."

Lady Dimitrescu nodded.

"Tell me of Josie and Helena," Dorothy said.

"As you wish," Lady Dimitrescu said, closing her eyes as she gathered herself. "They were both beautiful and so kind. Yet they were different from each other. Helena was always ready to help others. She had a dream to serve and make a difference to those around her just as her father did serving in the war. I recall when she had proclaimed to me her intent to become a nurse. I was not about to tell her otherwise and allowed her to pursue whatever she desired, and in the end she did become one. Josie was much different than Helena in a sense she was always a leader. Finding mischief in everything she did and planned to do, but what she would always be watching me. I know she would have run my winery. She enjoyed being the leader and telling others what to do…" she drifted off, her voice growing lower as she added: "She died too young."

"I am sorry for what happened to her," Dorothy said.

"So am I. If only I had been stronger; faster. Instead I distracted her by speaking to her and that split second he jumped at her…" her voice trembled. "It was my fault for distracting her, but I did not want his blood on her hands. That was not her burden to bear, but mine." A stray tear ran down her cheek. "I see that scene play out before me in both my dreams and my waking days."

"I forgive you, Lady Dimitrescu, as does my mother and all who love you," Dorothy said.

"Your mother. Your mother tried to save us from Roderick upon her last visit to Romania. You were back in America at the time. I believe you were seventeen then and back at the academy after a holiday break," she said, wiping away a few more tears. "I will tell you of that if you wish to listen."

"Yes," Dorothy said.

{…}

May 22nd, 1949:

Roderick and I were seated together in his car and driving into the town. It was there he wished to purchase new attire and jewelry for me. To dress me up like a prized horse and flaunt me around. We had left the girls back at the manor. Josie was eleven and Helena sixteen. I knew I could trust Helena and Phoebe to watch Josie for me.

Once the car had been parked, Roderick ordered me to take his arm and from there we went into the most prestigious shops. We were in town for hours, he forcing me to try on each outfit he deemed perfect. In and out I would appear before him dressed up. I was quite exhausted and starving. I had not eaten very much the night before nor anything for breakfast.

"Beautiful, my love," he said to me, placing a kiss to my hand.

My stomach still turns at the feel of his lips upon me.

"Thank you," I managed to stumble out the words, wanting to keep up appearance for the sake of the act in public.

"Come," he finally said. "Let us go and eat."

I was relieved to hear him say that, though I remember stepping out of the shop and feeling someone staring at me. I eyed around, but I could not find who it was, not until we entered the restaurant. Roderick and I taking a seat by the window, he left me to use the facilities when your mother appeared at the window. I truly thought I was seeing things. That my tired mind was playing a trick, but then she ran inside and embraced me.

"Alci." She placed kisses to my cheeks, pulling back and cupping my face in her hands. "My god, what has happened to you?" She could see right through the makeup and spot the bruises on my face.

"I am all right," I said.

She was glaring at me.

"Why are you with Roderick? What has he done to you?"

"He has done nothing." I was looking over her shoulder in fear he was to return from the restroom and see me speaking with your mother.

"Alcina," she said, turning my face to look directly at her again. "What has happened?"

My gaze dropped. How exhausted I was. How defeated.

"Fredric was killed. Roderick has taken myself and the girls in."

"W-what?" her face was twisted in sadness and confusion. "How? When?"

"I do not wish to speak of it," I said. "Please. Just leave me alone." I took a seat in the chair once again, watching for Roderick to return.

"Alcina," Beatrice took a seat in Roderick's chair. "This does not make sense. Why do you not go to your winter home or summer home? Why are you with him?"

"Because the summer manor was burned to the ground…" was all I said, not wanting to say my daughters and I were being held captive and could not leave.

"My god…, Alcina, I am sorry. I am so sorry."

"You should not be," I said. "It was good to see you again, my darling."

Your mother; however, would not budge from the chair, which was further infuriating me. I did not want her to be caught up in the hell I was in. I did not want Roderick to go after her and hurt her as well.

"Come home with me. I can drive and get the girls. From there all of you can come to America with me."

"No," I snarled. "You cannot do that!"

"Why, Alcina?" Beatrice snapped. "Why not?"

"He has eyes everywhere. Leaving is impossible."

Beatrice stared at me with her mouth agape in shock to what she had heard.

"You must go now. Go." I was desperate. "Before he comes back."

I remember the tears in her eyes, how she slowly got up out of the chair and placed a kiss to my face before she whispered something into my ear.

She had said:

"'I will steal you…'"

I was trembling at her words. Terrified due to the fact I knew she would go through with that promise. Thankfully Roderick did not seem to notice my change, or perhaps he did not care. I made sure to remain the same disposition during the rest of our outing and back to the manor.

How relieved I was to see my children. The only light I had left, especially when I looked at Josie. All I could see was Fredric. My pretty girl. She was getting taller on me, too. No longer did she have a childlike face, but a young woman's.

"Can I see what you got?" she had asked once I had departed from Roderick and went up to my chambers.

"You may," I had said, unable to say no upon how excited she looked. Always was she so bright and optimistic even during our most turbulent periods. She was the reason I did not fall down into my despair.

"These are simply marvelous!"

"I am glad you like them," I said, placing a kiss to the top of her curly hair. "Where is Helena?"

"In her room," Josie said. "I think she was practicing on her violin."

"Sounds about right," I said, deciding to go and check with her once Josie was done snooping.

"Why does he buy you all of these? What is his motive?"

"Josie," I snapped, glancing over at the door. "Do not go there." I was warning her. Just as I had told you, Dorothy, my Josie was very outspoken. Too full of pride like myself and unafraid to challenge anyone.

Josie stared back at me with coldness.

"I hate him."

"What did I just say."

She stopped speaking, but I could see the anger. So much anger for her uncle. I only wish I had had the foresight to see into the future. To realize she would indeed go so far to stop him. To finally set us all free from him…

"I am done with looking," she said, starting to walk off when I grabbed hold of her hand.

She stopped and looked at me.

"I do not know what is going on in that head of yours, my love, but I forbid you from doing anything reckless. Do not say anything to him. Still that tongue…, please." I squeezed her tightly, and there she turned fully back around and hugged me. She truly had gotten taller. The top of her head was already just underneath my chest. She was heavy, too. Not fat. That is not what I mean. I think in a way she was heavy in a spiritual way. She had a duty to fulfill. As she promised her father she would always protect me if he was gone away.

"I promise," she whispered, standing on her tippy toes to reach my face and kiss my cheek.

"Thank you," I said. "Come along. Let us find Helena."

We would find Helena in her room and just putting her instrument away.

"Well that is a shame," I said, making Helena turn and looked at me.

"What is?" Helena said.

"You are finished and I did not get to hear you play."

"I am not proficient enough for an audience yet."

"Nonsense," I said.

"Oh Mother," she said.

"Please," I said. "Just one little song?"

I could tell Helena was trying with all her might not to roll her eyes at me, but in the end she took the violin back out and readied herself. Josie and I took a seat on her bed and awaited our little concert.

She took in a deep breath and exhaled through her nose before she started to play. At first she made a few errors, which I tried not to cringe at, but afterwards she picked up the song and played perfectly. How beautiful she sounded. Bringing me back to my mother's manor on a warm summer day. All four of us walking together to the lake to have a picnic, but then the song started to shift. A sadness taking over that caught me off guard. A piercing ache that spoke of emptiness, loneliness and isolation.

I knew Helena was suffering just as much as I. She had had her father alone for five years until Josie's arrival. The bond she had with him. The bond she would always have with him was of equal strength to my own. Helena understood much more about such things with the death of Fredric. During his funeral she did not utter a sound. She stared straight at her father's closed coffin. She was twelve at the time of his death, but even being so young, Helena understood death. It was final. Never would we see him again. It would take Josie a little while to understand where he had gone. I having to explain to her he was in heaven, which would lead to more questions from her. Eventually Josie did not ask me that anymore, but when she did, Helena would retreat back into her shell of silence. Only then came a night after I had read to them, Helena had begun crying on me. Josie thankfully fast asleep, I remember holding her and comforting her. Helena's grip on me was so tight. So very tight. Finally she was showing something. Some kind of emotion, but it was through her music as she grew that allowed her to express her feelings more.

Just as we sat there listening, I could see on her countenance her own inner suffering and finding peace. Accepting her father's death and trying to move on from it.

She came to a stop after another minute and bowed as Josie and I clapped.

"Wonderful, my darling, well done."

"Thank you, Mother," she said, returning the violin back into its case. "I am surprised to see you back so soon."

I only smiled at her, watching as she placed the case back into the closet.

"What?"

I looked at her a bit startled.

"Nothing," I said. "I am just proud of your achievement." I knew she did not believe me, but unlike Josie, she said no more.

"Jos, I thought you had a piano lesson today?" Helena said.

"I did," Josie said.

"I do not recall seeing you there."

"What?" I faced Josie now, who was beat red with anger and shooting daggers at Helena. "Did you skip your lesson?"

"And what if I did?" Josie said. "I do not care to learn that instrument anyway. I am not like the prodigy here who can't keep her mouth shut."

"Do not start, Josie," Helena said before I could get the words out.

"So what happened?"

"I told the instructor to go home, because Josie was not feeling well."

"Josie."

"You should have told him not to come back at all," she muttered.

"You are lucky Helena was there to take care of it," I snapped back at her.

Josie crossed her arms and did not look at me.

"When he returns next week, you will promptly arrive ten minutes early to the room and wait for him," I continued to go after her.

"Perhaps I will not be here next week. Maybe I will run away from here and never return!"

Those words sent a cold shiver through me. I grabbed hold of her chin and forced her to look at me.

"Do not say such asinine things! Do you hear me? If he were to hear you say that…" I decided not to go there and started down a different path of conversation. "If you were to leave, what the hell do you think that would do to your sister and I? If we were to lose you, we would be beside ourselves with grief."

My words spoken make me believe I had a little insight to the future. A seer that I was to speak of such things and have them come to fruition.

The words I spoke did not appear to have made an impact on her, which frightened me more, though Josie never did run away. Well, the day she purchased the gun was the only day she escaped.

Yet I understood how she felt. I wanted to escape, too. I wanted to gather them up and flee, which brought me back to Beatrice. Your mother's sudden appearance and her words to me.

'I will steal you…'

I kept her in the back of my mind as the days' slowly passed me by. Wondering when she would come /if/ she would come, and then came the day. Seven days' after our reunion, she would arrive on Roderick's doorstep.

I was horrorstricken to see her. Feeling Roderick hovering behind me with such deep malice, though he was smiling at Beatrice and placing a kiss to her hand in greeting.

"What an unexpected pleasure."

"I am sorry to arrive unannounced Lord Roderick, but I have been searching high and low for Alcina."

"I see, how did you come to find she was here?" he asked with a hint of anger in his voice.

"I inquired with your mother on her whereabouts. She told me you had so generously taken she and her children in until they were ready to leave," she explained, never once looking away from Roderick. Her brown eyes burning with equal rage as his. Hatred for him and what he was clearly doing to me.

"My mother is quite the busybody. Sad woman has nothing better to do than chat."

"Fortunate for me," Beatrice said.

Roderick gave her a nasty smile.

"Well, I will leave you two to speak alone," he said, walking in the direction of his billiard room.

"Let us go upstairs," I said, taking her hand and pulling her up the stairs and to my chambers. Once the door was closed, your mother wrapped her arms around my neck and kissed me hard on the lips. I could feel the heat off of her, which made me smile. "My knight. You must calm yourself."

"That bastard," Beatrice said. "That manipulating snake. He could not be more obvious."

"Stop," I said.

"Why should I? That damn Dame Stanislav. She did not even seem sad about Fredric's death. Instead she praises Roderick and his 'noble' qualities. Making him sound like he is a hero." She was now shaking.

I looked at her a moment longer before placing a gentle kiss to her lips, nuzzling my face against her.

"I wish you had not come," I whispered. "You should have stayed away."

"I am glad I came," she said. "He is afraid of me, and he should be. I have a higher status than him. I could easily have him hauled away for what he has done to you."

"Your words against his," I said.

"Your face is enough proof," she snapped back.

"That is the problem," I said, pulling away from her and taking a seat on the bed.

"I do not understand," she said, following me over.

"You are a woman and he is a man. I fear a man's voice is far stronger and reaches farther than a woman's."

"Then if it comes down to money, I will speak with that instead."

I chuckled at her quick wit. You have that as well, Dorothy.

"He would not stop hunting us. We would never be safe."

"Then I will hire round the clock guards to keep us safe."

I took her hands into mine.

"No, Beatrice."

"Yes, Alcina, come with me now. We will say you, myself and the girls are going into town for lunch."

I stared straight at her. This was what I had been dreaming for. Someone to come and save us. A chance to be free, but now that it was literally sitting beside me, I was so very afraid. Afraid of the consequences. Afraid it would fail and I would receive a severe punishment from him, and of course my children. I did not want them to suffer.

It was then did I make another decision. A choice that would break my heart, but a necessary one.

"Take Helena and Josie. Roderick only wants me. Take them from here."

"Alcina…"

She was struggling with this proposition, but she did not say no. Instead she gave me another kiss to my lips. A few tears sliding down her cheeks and splashing down on me.

"Thank you, Beatrice…"

We sat together for a few minutes until we rose up to find Josie and Helena. I was struggling to keep my emotions in check, knowing it would be a very, very long time before I would ever see them again. I was arrogant, or more ignorant to think that Roderick only wanted me. No. He wanted all of us. He wanted to make us his family, but I realize now it was also Mother Miranda. It would seem she wanted me to suffer to be alone in the end, and that is precisely where I winded up.

I would never get my children into Beatrice's car, for Roderick would intercept me, as I walked to fetch Helena while Beatrice sat with Josie in her room and talked.

He would roughly throw me to the ground, placing his walking stick to the back of my head and press it down against my skull.

"You slippery bitch," he cursed at me.

"My lord?" I grunted, managing to turn my head in order to breathe properly.

"Do you think me a fool? Your dearest friend here out of the blue?" he laughed, pressing the bottom of the walking stick hard down on me. "Do you think me so obtuse? I know you were speaking to Beatrice at the restaurant. I had come out and observed her hugging you. I hid away and listened to your conversation. I was most pleased to hear your part, but now she is here. I do believe her about my mother. Nosy wench. I cannot wait until she dies and joins my father in hell."

"Please, Roderick, do not harm her."

"That is entirely up to you," he said. "You will remove her from here at once, or I will harm something even closer to your heart." He finished the sentence by raising the stick and hitting me in the back.

I cried out in pain.

"Go and tell her to leave now!"

Slowly I rose up to my feet, limping back over to the door and feeling him hovering over me, yet when I looked back he was far from me. I took in a deep breath and exited the room.

I knew precisely what I had to do, and being a coward, I could not do it myself. Instead I found two of Roderick's guards and told them to remove Beatrice from the grounds. They did not budge at first not until I told them it was upon Roderick's orders.

Finally did they move and burst into Josie's room. I was right behind them and collected Josie while your mother was dragged out.

"What is going on?" Josie asked.

"Do not fear, pretty girl," I said. "It will be all right…"

Your mother attempted to come back to the manor, but each time I ordered the guards to send her away. Then came her letters, which Roderick made me burn.

"Well done, my love," he said to me after we had had sex one night. "I am most pleased with your performance."

"Thank you…, my lord."

Never would I see your mother again. Only after Josie's death was I able to freely write to her, but I did not receive any letters from her. I presumed I had broken her heart and she wanted nothing more to do with me, but I was wrong. So very wrong…

Lady Dimitrescu finished her story, opening her eyes to see Dorothy was still awake and looking at her with tears sliding down her face.

"She was sick. So very sick, but even as the disease consumed her, she never stopped searching for me. Never stopped trying to find me and bring me home. We were both being consumed by a disease, one that would bring her death and one that gave me a new life." She reached out and wiped Dorothy's cheeks. "I have destroyed so much just as Roderick destroyed me. I am so sorry. I am so—" Lady Dimitrescu was cut off as a sob burst forth from her lips, she covered her mouth to stop the sound from escaping, but her sobbing only grew louder. She could not stop shaking, blinded as the tears flowed freely down her face.

"Mother." Dorothy slowly sat up in a kneeling position and wrapped her arms around her neck.

Lady Dimitrescu body sagged against her, receiving several kisses from the child until she started to cough. A splatter of something wet hitting against her cheek. Lady Dimitrescu reached up and touched it.

Blood.

She looked now straight to Dorothy in alarm to watch her collapsing back, her back hitting the bed where she continued to cough. Fresh blood spilling from her mouth.

"No, no, no!" Lady Dimitrescu rose up from her chair, leaning down towards her and raising her up a little to allow her to breathe easier. It did little to help her. "Stay with me, Dorothy, please stay with me."

"It will be all right," Dorothy whispered. "I think it was my fate to be led here and ease your suffering. Just as my mother tried to do for you all those years ago, but this time you have the power to set yourself free."

"I cannot do that," Lady Dimitrescu said. "I am trapped here just as I was trapped in Roderick's manor."

"You are not Alcina Stanislav," Dorothy gasped. "You are Alcina Dimitrescu. You are the daughter of Daciana Dimitrescu, and that is where your strength lies. Your very blood. Your true mother's blood."

Slowly Dorothy's coughing fit eased and she was able to lay comfortably again, but Lady Dimitrescu could see she did not have long. Just like her mother, Dorothy would die. Perhaps a day or two she had left…

She stared down at Dorothy and waited for her to be asleep before she left. The smell of her blood bringing forth her hunger. She did not walk fast, nor did she have a clear direction. Her thoughts now on her mother and her last moments speaking with her. The fight between her, Rednic and Mother Miranda.

"Rednic…"

Her direction and purpose rerouted. She could smell the man still in the Main Hall. She walked up the stairs calmly. Taking the steps three at a time instead of four. Allowing her shadow to stretch directly on to him and loom there.

"Is this all you managed to gather?" she could hear Cassandra critiquing him.

"Sadly yes," the gangly man answered.

Cassandra snorted at him, her attention then falling to her mother along with Daniela.

Bela was too busy studying the paper to notice.

Click-clack. Click-clack.

Rednic's posture straightened upon hearing her familiar gait. A wide smile revealing his crooked yellow teeth as he turned to greet her.

"My lad—" Rednic was sent flying across the room and straight at the fireplace. His head hitting the mantle with a loud 'crack'! The lineup of maidens all screamed upon seeing the blood leaking out of his head.

"M-Mother?" Bela stuttered, all three staring at her in fear.

"Get up you dog," she snarled at him. "Get up!"

Slowly he pushed himself up to his feet, holding his bleeding head as he looked directly at her with the same fear.

"My lady, what offense have I committed to insult you to such action?"

"Murder," Lady Dimitrescu hissed, walking towards him.

"I have murdered many," he said, backing away from her.

"One woman in particular," Lady Dimitrescu said, unsheathing her claws and swiping at him. "You know of whom I speak!"

Rednic managed to jump back in time before her claws could chop off his head.

"What woman?"

"One who shares my blood!" she was on him in three steps and managed to plunge her claws straight through his stomach.

The maidens screamed once more at the sight of her lifting him up to stare directly into her eyes.

"You may remember better if you take a good long look at my face."

Rednic gritted his teeth in pain with his eyes closed.

"LOOK AT ME!" she bellowed.

Rednic opened his eyes, staring straight at her when he ceased his struggling, a crooked smile starting to spread across his gaunt face.

"Ahh, so this is what this is about," he whispered. "Someone has remembered of long things past, eh? Your mummy, is that it?"

"You helped Miranda that day just as she did to my father. /YOU/ partook in destroying everything I had."

"And what of it?" he snarled. "Are you not pleased with your immortality? Your new power? Why return to a less desirable existence?"

"Because you worthless bastard, I. Was. Happy." She flung him away and sent him colliding with another wall. "Get the hell out of my castle!"

Rednic once again rose to his feet, laughing.

"Mother Miranda will know of this."

"Run back to your master, then," Lady Dimitrescu dashed after him, swiping her claws at his heels. "I am sure she is already aware of everything that has happened."

He was gone.

Lady Dimitrescu watching him go from the Entrance Hall before she returned to the Main Hall. She found her daughters staring at her with shocked expressions, and the fresh blood bags still shaking from what they had witnessed.

"Hurry and get them sorted," she snapped, walking up the stairs. "I will see you three at lunch."

"Yes, Mother," they said in unison, not moving until they heard a door slam shut from above.