Castle Mroczna - The Third Born

Amelie couldn't keep her thoughts straight. She should've stuck with one of the others - Oleg, Samson - not run off in a random direction instead, opening doors at random and pounding along old stone passages.

Jasmine... oh god, she'd stayed behind to give them time. At least, Amelie thought so. She dared not consider that she may have left Jasmine for dead.

But she had shouted 'run!', and so Amelie did. Now she didn't know where she was, pausing to rest against a stone column in the darkness of some rarely-used corridor.

Her chest hurt, she wasn't used to running that hard. They've had to make quick getaways in the past, but this... this was more terrifying than any experience she'd ever had.

Whatever was chasing them wasn't human. It couldn't be. She'd never dealt with something like that before, and now she was separated from her comrades, and she had no idea about their fates.

They could be dead, they could be alive, they could be as aimless as she was, or being dragged away to a far worse fate. She really didn't know.

Samson was right, coming here was a bad idea. Part of her hated that.

She pushed off the wall, and slowly crept along, feeling along the walls because the light within was almost negligible.

She'd gotten turned around at some point, her sense of direction completely lost in her blind panic. She hated herself for it, she was supposed to be calm and composed, dignified.

There was nothing about groping around in the dark so she didn't trip on anything or stumble into something unpleasant that was dignified. How'd she even get here in her blind panic?

"Breathe, Amelie," she told herself. "Just find your way along until you get to somewhere familiar, or somewhere you can work things out."

Those 'things' would be escape. Pure and simple. As much as some would've said it fit her character, she didn't like the idea of leaving her friends behind to die. But what could she do? Use harsh language against smoke?

Already the guilt was eating her, but she pushed that deep down, knowing there'd be time later to reconcile with herself.

Hopefully.

She yelped when her fingers touched something cold, that something shifting with a slight rattle, but calmed when she realised it was a suit of armour.

It was more than a little disconcerting, Amelie afraid it would spring to life on her. She'd only be marginally better off fighting a living suit of armour. At least she could hit it with something.

She moved around the armour... and let out a scream when it suddenly clattered to the ground with a deafening crash. She practically jumped out of her skin, on the verge of hyperventilating. Slowly, she calmed herself, hand on heaving chest, before annoyance took place of the fear.

It'd probably been standing untouched for decades, and her light touch was enough to make it unstable and fall over.

Certainly not a supernatural cause.

She kept moving, the adrenaline of that scare still not quite out of system... nor the adrenaline from being chased by cackling smoke for that matter. But she couldn't stop. If she didn't find a way out, she'd be in deep trouble.

She wasn't sure how much time passed, forced to make a few turns in the dark hallways due to corners and locked doors, until she came to one door that wasn't looked.

She opened it, and emerged into what looked like a small ballroom, the door she came from nestled on one of the long sides, the opposite side lined with windows that let filtered light through ornately framed glass, each flanked with large rouge satin curtains pulled open with golden ropes.

Outside raged a blizzard, and she could hear the wind howling, rattling the window panes, though the air inside was still, if a little chilly.

At least she could see a bit better.

Her advance across the floor was quiet, save for the occasional creak of the polished wooden boards. It seemed she'd come in from a side entrance, for a look to her left showed a set of large, ornate double doors situated in the middle of the wall that probably led into the more well-maintained parts of the castle.

It was eerie in the dull light, especially given how nice the place looked otherwise; someone kept this place tidy, like the main areas of the castle they'd explored before encountering the black smoke.

She started walking the length of the ballroom, going past the set of double doors, looking to her right at another set of double doors, these ones glass, that led out onto a balcony, overlooking the environment down below. Perhaps she could get out there, though if her only option was climbing down a cliff face, then she may need another plan, since that would be suicide in a blizzard.

But as she pondered her predicament, she saw something at the end of the hall; a bust on a plinth.

She narrowed her eyes at it, and curiosity got to her, walking past both sets of doors until she came up to the statue; it was of a deer's head, but something was off; its eyes were missing, empty sockets looking back at her uncomfortably. She also noticed the antlers seemed like they could move in some fashion though she wasn't sure what for. And further inspection revealed a small groove at the neck of the relief, just above where it met the plinth.

Did this thing open? Was there a secret compartment within the statue?

Amelie grasped the bust, and grunted as she tried to force it open, but the thing refused to give. After a few useless attempts, she changed approach, giving an unpleasant face as she tentatively stuck her fingers into the eye sockets, probing around inside. She felt a mechanism, of sorts, but she could only just slightly depress it, and not enough to do anything. There were slots inside, not unlike keyholes. Perhaps the eyes served as such.

She wished Samson were here, he probably could've unlocked it no issue.

Samson.

She again remembered his reluctance to be here. If they listened to him, then she wouldn't be having these thoughts.

She'd be away somewhere else, probably somewhere warmer, pulling a less juicy, but far safer, haul.

Had greed finally blinded them?

In a moment of frustration and contempt, she kicked at the plinth, though it did not budge.

Not a moment later, she heard a voice echo disapproval.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk, that's not polite as a guest to do~"

Amelie's blood instantly chilled, and her face went bone white; she couldn't find the source of the disembodied voice, it seemed to reverberate all around the hall.

She made several quick steps away from the statue, looking around frantically.

"Though, I suppose you aren't a guest here, are you, intruz~? But no matter! I can still entertain you like a proper lady of the House~"

Amelie had no desire to experience this... thing's idea of 'entertainment'. She had to get out of here.

Her only option was the balcony. It was either potentially freeze to death, fall to her death, or deal with malevolent smoke. That may also kill her.

The choices were hard, but she knew what chances she would rather take.

She ran for the glass doors.

"No no, not that way~!" the voice called out playfully. "It is rather cold out there, it'd be much better to stay and play with me~"

Amelie was trying to hold back tears, she was that terrified. It wasn't so hard, when she called upon her contempt and spite. No, she would not 'play' with that wretched thing.

She practically slammed into the doors, rattling them as she fumbled for the handles. She tugged, twisted, pulled, practically shook the doors on their hinges.

Locked, and not budging.

"Come on, you utter swine!" she cursed.

"I can't let you leave that way, intruz~"

Amelie saw a dark shape in the corner of her eyes, and turned slowly to watch a whirlwind forming before her, the dull whooshing of the black smoke almost blending with the muffled whistling howl of the wind outside.

But the dark maelstrom tightened up, narrowing into a chaotic swirling pillar... and then, with a weak puff, it coalesced into the figure of a young woman, her upper face covered in a veil, her mouth visible and twisted into a broad, devious grin, her pale complexion visible despite that.

And more, Amelie thought she saw yellow eyes staring back at her beneath the dark silken veil.

"Welcome to our House~" she greeted with sickly sweet tone, her outward friendliness all too tinged with malicious, if playful, intent. "You didn't intend on burglarising our home, did you, intruz? Mother would be so disappointed... perhaps you instead came to serve~? That would be a better outcome for certain~!"

She clapped her hands together, her eyes seemingly widening behind the veil in delight at the prospect. But Amelie could tell that the childish demeanour was partly twisted play; this witch knew what they were here for, and now she was toying with Amelie with her words.

"Stay away from me, wretch!" Amelie spat back defiantly. The dark-clad woman recoiled and placed a hand on her chest, her mouth twisting in shock.

All of it a mockery, of course, feigned hurt. It didn't hide that near-insanity she seemed to possess.

"Oh, how cruel~!" she decried. "I only wish to see you humoured appropriately~"

She smirked, and leaned forward in an exaggerated manner.

"Don't you want to see what we have to offer~?"

"I want to see this place behind me, and never again thereafter!" Amelie demanded angrily.

The inhuman woman suddenly slipped forward, half lunge, half dance-like step, until she was behind Amelie, just off to the woman's side.

It made her yelp, she wasn't expecting such a fluid, oddly unnatural motion.

"But you could have a wonderful time here~" she said, grazing her finger across Amelie's chin.

Amelie's response was to wrench herself away and scream, making a run for the other set of doors. It didn't matter if they led deeper into the castle, she just had to get away.

A playful cackle followed her, and the sound of rushing wind and dust followed.

Amelie's feet almost slid out from underneath her when she skidded to a stop as the monstrous woman reformed before her, arms outstretched.

"Perhaps you would like a dance~? I do so love dances~" the manic maiden suggested, before looking around and doing a spin on the spot to take in their environment. "And look~! We're already in the ballroom~! What a perfect place~"

She licked her lips, and Amelie didn't know whether to scream in indignation or cry. This... whatever she was. It was toying with her, playing with its prey.

She was either trying to break Amelie, or she simply enjoyed the almost childish approach to her acts.

"Go to hell!" Amelie roared, taking a swing at the witch, but the dark-clad woman simply moved aside with a fluid grace, Amelie's wild blow hitting air, playful hands sliding against Amelie's chest as the inhuman woman passed by.

"A dance it is, then~!" she declared with glee. "Though I fear it will be brief... my appetite is rising so swiftly now~ It has been so long since I have tasted fresh blood~!"

Blood? Blood?! Is that what this woman sought?

A spark ignited in Amelie's mind, old tales she decided to ignore when they were researching this place, legends and folklore and other assorted spooky campfire tales.

"Don't tell me the ones about vampires was true!" Amelie thought.

If they were, then Amelie had all the more reason to try and flee this devious woman, lest she be turned into a shrivelled husk. But she would not indulge the vampire's 'dance', that was a fight she could not win.

Her only hope was running. It was a forlorn hope, but that was better than giving in.

She tried to feint in one direction, and then another, but it soon became apparent that the vampire was too quick and too agile, always cutting her off with erratic, playful and dance-like movements, constantly brushing her hands across Amelie's body.

At one point she swore she felt the caress of lips against her cheek. She was about ready to break down in tears when the vampire suddenly vanished during one of her whipping movements.

Amelie looked around desperately, trying to locate the vampiress. She was nowhere to be seen, and it was making Amelie more than a little fearful. Not knowing was a great deal worse than seeing her; at least she could react.

And then all her hopes came dashing down when the vampire suddenly rose up in front of her in a single fluid motion, taking Amelie's hands in her own, spreading her arms out wide, whilst pressing their body upon hers.

The vampire giggled, her face so close her veil was brushing against Amelie's own countenance.

Amelie was white with fear, a small shiver starting within her. What was she supposed to do now? She could kick, but she didn't find the strength in her in that moment. She was terrified, and having difficulty calling upon her usually reliable spite and indignation. It'd gotten her out of scrapes before, but... there was nothing now.

The vampire's lips twisted in a wicked smile.

"You smell good~ I can't hold back anymore, I must have a taste~!"

She leaned in, and Amelie let out a terrified whimper when she felt the vampire's slick tongue slowly roll up her neck, leaving a trail of cool saliva behind. It was long, salacious, and terribly invasive. It made the vampire loose a giddy, shivering murmur.

"You must have... mmm, a touch of Blue Blood in you~ Mother will be so excited~! And I get to have you first~ Wonderful~"

"First, what do you mean, fir--"

She was cut off suddenly, eyes going wide, a gasp ripped from her mouth, when fangs sank into the flesh of her neck.

It was such a shock. The pain, it was no small thing, but not nearly as great as she would've thought.

Then the vampire took her first sip, and a wave of weakness overtook her body, carrying the pain away. She could barely move now, at no real risk of falling over, but incapable of resisting.

But worse was the feeling of warmth and arousal that started to spread from her neck.

The vampire sealed her lips against Amlie's skin, and the woman could feel the blood drinker's petals gently tugging against her skin with each sip they took. Their tongue, it rolled against Amelie's neck, lapping up any wayward trickles that seeped from the puncture holes, though Amelie couldn't tell if she was being drained through the fangs, or if she was simply made to bleed so the vampire could gulp down what flowed forth.

Neither explained the unnatural euphoria that was now welling up inside her. To her dismay, she was growing wet in her panties. Her nipples started to chafe against her normally comfortable brassier, and even her clit sensitively rubbed against her undergarments.

And this turn of events did not help the rather salacious manner in which the vampire drank from her 'prey', her suckling almost like a lecherous kissing, that tongue's rolling constant and more than just to catch blood upon it; with how sensitive Amelie now felt around where the vampire bit, the tongue's lurid curls were more than a little stimulating.

Was this how vampires took their prey? One bite and an unnatural weakness in the limbs and pleasure to match?

Were the screams of their victims of agony or ecstasy? Because Amelie was feeling a rising force in her loins, a build up of arousal that was bordering on the orgasmic. How could being bitten and drained of blood feel so good?

The vampire pushed more firmly against Amelie's neck, tilting her head back. They pushed into her body, arching her back and holding her arms down and back a bit.

Shivering moans left her now, the pleasure just too deep to hold back. What was she going to do? She was going to cum to this monster's bite, and it was shaping up to be one of the best she'd ever had.

She was about ready to beg for mercy, something she hated to do, but she could hardly get her mouth to make the words, feeling way too good. Gasping, moaning, huffing, Amelie was a mess now, the vampiress' hungry feeding growing even more salacious and animalistic, growling in bliss and delight against Amelie's neck and tugging more vigorously.

It became too much, and with a shrill squeal, Amelie came, shuddering against the voracious blood drinker.

That seemed to set the vampire over the edge too, crying out against Amelie's neck and biting a little bit harder, which caused some fresh pain, but also a surge of pleasure in Amelie, prolonging her orgasm. The vampire shuddered in orgasmic bliss, before finally letting go of Amelie's neck with an aggressive gasp, drops of blood sent flying.

This seemed to offer Amelie some amount of reprieve, gasping and finally ceasing to shudder. She tried to compose her breathing, chest heaving quite a bit.

She was certain she flooded her panties a little. It was an incredible ecstasy, unlike anything she'd ever felt before. The pleasure was all... internal. Deeper, more embedded than any physical touch, though she was sure extra stimuli would've made the experience even more intense. The way her neck felt just from being sucked on and licked was proof of that.

But to her despair, she did not regain the strength in her limbs; the vampire's feed had left her drained and somewhat tired, and that unnatural weakness had not gone.

And worse, the vampiress quickly composed herself, hissing in delight before fixing her eyes upon Amelie's.

"You're delicious~" she praised with a lustful purr, leaning in to run her bloody tongue against Amelie's lips, the woman not excited by the taste of her own blood.

"Go... to... hell..." Amelie wheezed out, still refusing to let this vampire see her break, though admittedly she found it easier to call upon her contempt now that she wasn't on the verge of breaking down, thanks to that supernatural euphoria the vampire inflicted on her. A bizarre circumstance, but Amelie sought any and all chance to get herself one up on the monstrous wench.

"Perhaps I should, the heaven you humans talk about sounds so boring~" the blood drinker teased in return. "I prefer our heaven... that is, those heights of ecstasy that only the warmth and touch of flesh can bring~ Speaking of which... shall we ascend once more~?"

Before Amelie could even protest, she was pushed down against the cold floor of the ballroom, the vampire laying herself atop of Amelie now. In the cold, grey light of the blizzard-filtered light, there was a surreal quality to what was happening. Amelie would've added traumatic to that if that damnable arousal wasn't still burning inside of her.

It made every touch of the vampire tingle her nerves... and their touch grew intimate and invasive very quickly, when she felt one of their hands sliding up beneath her shirt, a cool palm against bare warm skin, Amelie's stomach flinching at the touch. She let out a heated whimper as she watched the elongated bulge in her clothes travel further up, until it cupped one of her breasts, and a whine left her lips.

"You... bitch..." she muttered.

"Shhh~ There is no need for names or fear... let me show you the warm embrace of House Mroczna~"

It was then that Amelie was able to see beneath the veil, now hanging down in the vampire's horizontal position. She half expected everything beneath that veil to be grotesque and wicked, only the lower half possessing any beautiful charm. But the only wickedness to be found was the vampire's salacious expression, hungry, playful and devious, etched upon a youthful, beautiful countenance.

Before Amelie could even protest or launch another insult, her lips were sealed with a forceful kiss, the vampire murmuring sweetly as she meshed her mouth with Amelie's, gently twisting her head about as her jaws worked, smacking wetly and luridly.