Me : *I refuse to drink* *I beg* I just go home.. Let me leave this village
The atmosphere in the great hall suddenly turned into a frozen snow out there. Lady Dimitrescu's laughter stopped for a moment, leaving a silence far more terrible than the sound of screaming. His three daughters—Bela, Cassandra, and Daniela—fell stiffly silent, their expressions of curiosity slowly turning into cold, deadly disappointment.
The golden cup in Lady Dimitrescu's hand was lowered slowly. His golden eyes narrowed, exuding an aura of majestic anger.
"You... Please?" Lady Dimitrescu repeated your words in a very low tone, as if they were dirt on her tongue. "After all the courage you showed? After my children give their blood to you and wait for you as a bride?"
Daniela took a step back, her face that had been full of laughter was now filled with anger. "You're playing tricks on us," he hissed. The sound of the hum of the flies around him began to increase dramatically, a sign of his overflowing emotions.
Bela looks at you with the most painful look—pure disappointment. "We think you're different. We think you're a man strong enough to stand by our side forever. It turns out that you're just a coward who misses your mortal little world."
Lady Dimitrescu stepped forward, her gigantic body shadowing you completely. He threw the golden cup until its contents spilled onto the marble floor like a wasted pool of blood.
"Leaving this village?" The Lady laughed dryly, but this time there was no amused tone in it. "No one left this castle after seeing our secrets. Especially not after she rejected the offer to be part of this family."
He raised his right hand. Sring! Long, sharp metal claws protruded from his fingers, glistening in the light of the torch.
"You refuse to be my son-in-law... then you will go back to what you were supposed to be in the beginning," said Lady Dimitrescu in a thunderous voice. "Raw material for my wine."
The situation becomes very dangerous! Her three daughters begin to transform into a flock of black flies that surround you, ready to attack because you feel betrayed. Lady Dimitrescu is ready to swing her claws.
Pov : *I rushed out of the castle*
You twist your body and run at lightning speed, spurring your already weakened heart to work beyond its limits. The sound of Lady Dimitrescu's rampage echoes behind you, followed by the hysterical screams of her three daughters who feel humiliated.
"Catch him! Don't let the rat escape!" roared Lady Dimitrescu.
You slam into the large door of the hall, pushing it as hard as you can until it opens. The freezing night air immediately snatched your face, it felt very painful but also gave you hope. You run down the slippery stone stairs, while behind you, a group of black flies that are the forms of princesses begin to chase you out into the open area.
However, something happened. Once the flies were exposed to the extremely cold night air and heavy snow, their movements slowed down. There were screams of pain from them.
"Cold! It's too cold!" shouted Daniela, who was forced to retreat back into the warmth of the castle.
You continue to run without turning your head, breaking through the rusty iron gates and into the darkness of the forest that surrounds the village. Your breath was short, the blood remaining in your body seemed to freeze, but you didn't stop until the castle light dimmed in the distance.
The majestic castle now only looked like a menacing black silhouette on the top of a cliff. You made it out, but you know one thing: they'll never forget your face. You are now the most valuable game in this village.
Pov : Continue walking towards the highway: Hope your car or the way out of this village can still be found before dawn.
You force your trembling legs to keep going, through the knee-high piles of snow. Your focus is only one: the highway. You remember parking your vehicle on the side of a fog-covered trail before all this madness began.
Every cracking of the twigs behind you makes your heart skirmish. You feel as if thousands of pairs of red eyes are watching you from behind the black pine trees. The sound of wolves howling in the distance, reminding you that Lady Dimitrescu is not the only threat in this cursed village.
After nearly an hour of battling hypothermia, you see it—the cracked asphalt of the highway in the pale moonlight. And there, covered in a thin layer of snow, is your car.
You reach into your pocket with numb hands, looking for the key. As soon as you find it, you immediately go inside and lock all the doors. The atmosphere inside the car feels so quiet and safe, in contrast to the terror you just went through.
However, when you start the engine and the car's headlights come on brightly, you see something in the center mirror...
In the back seat, there was a fresh red rose neatly laid out, and a small note written in deep red ink:
"You think you can run? Your blood is already part of us now. We will always be able to find you."
The car engine roared, ready to take you away from this place.
Me : *jump on the gas*
Without wasting a second, you step on the gas pedal as deep as you can. The car's tires squeaked violently on the icy asphalt, creating a puff of smoke and snow as your car darted away from the shadows of the terrifying castle.
You keep spurring the vehicle, passing sharp corners on the edge of the precipice without caring about safety. In your head there is only one thought: go as far as possible.
The view of the cursed village slowly disappeared from the rearview mirror, covered by a thick fog and lush pine forests. The warm air from the car heater begins to melt the cold in your bones, but the scar on your neck still feels throbbing—a permanent reminder that you were once almost part of the monster family.
As dawn begins to dawn on the horizon, you finally reach a more crowded provincial crossroad. Human civilization seems so normal and alien at the same time.
Pov : *I got to my apartment.. But the footprint leaves a mark
You slam the door of your apartment and lock all the latches in place. Your breath is still hunting, irregular. Here, in the midst of the hustle and bustle of the brightly lit city, you should feel safe. The sound of horns in the distance and the neon lights from the building across the street are usually boring lullabies, but tonight, it all feels like a fragile stage of a play.
You walk to the mirror in the bathroom to wash your pale face. When you turn on the flashing neon lights, you gasp.
On your neck, the bite marks are not bruised or blue like a normal wound. The mark is pitch black, with fine lines like roots or mold that begin to creep slowly towards your hose bone. It doesn't hurt, it just feels deadly cold.
Suddenly, your apartment lights blink once... then it goes off completely.
A gripping silence enveloped the room. A very familiar scent begins to fill your cramped apartment. It is not the smell of city dust, but the scent of fresh roses mixed with the sharp smell of fresh blood.
Buzz.
The sound was very small at first, like a fly trapped behind a window. But quickly the sound turned into thousands. In the darkest corner of the room, a black mist begins to gather, swirling around to form the silhouette of the woman you are so familiar with.
"Tiny apartment," a melodious but cold voice whispers right behind your ear. It was Bela's voice.
"But there's no place to hide from the family, right?" continued Daniela from the direction of the kitchen, the sound of the clatter of your kitchen knife being played with.
You turn around quickly, but your back hits something hard and high. You look up. There, standing in the middle of your cramped living room, Lady Dimitrescu had to duck so that her head wouldn't hit the ceiling of your apartment.
"You left your things in the castle, dear," said Lady Dimitrescu with a triumphant smile. He holds a watch or wallet that you left behind when you escaped. He dropped it on the floor. "And you carry something of ours in your blood."
It moves forward, narrowing the distance until you are cornered against the wall. "You think distance can break the blood bond we've made? Now, you have two options in your own home..."
Me : *I give up* well I'm going to be a daughter-in-law
You drop your shoulders, releasing all the tension that has been tormenting you inside. Under the shadow of the gigantic Lady Dimitrescu and the encirclement of her three daughters in the cramped living room of your apartment, you bow your head.
"Alright..." Your whispers, your voice sounds resigned but steady. "I gave up. I will be your son-in-law. I'm not going to run anymore."
A momentary silence enveloped the room, only accompanied by the hum of the fly that slowly subsided. Daniela was the first to react; He emerged from the darkness of the kitchen and immediately embraced your arm, his fangs touching your skin gently, almost like a kiss.
"Very wise choice, honey," Bela whispered as she appeared on the other side of you. He rubbed the marks of black fibers around your neck, which now seemed to pulse more calmly as if he had found his master.
Lady Dimitrescu laughed lowly, a voice of triumph that shook the windows of your apartment. He folded his long claws and put on his wide hat again, although he had to duck still.
"You've finally come to your senses," said the lady in a satisfied tone. "This human world is too small and boring for a man with guts like you. You belong to us now. You are part of the Dimitrescu bloodline."
He stretches out his big, cold hand, but this time not to strangle, but to help you stand upright.
"But remember," he continued with his shining golden eyes warning, "in this family, loyalty is everything. You'll never go back to your old life. This apartment, your job, your friends... Forget it all. Tonight too, we return to the Castle. The pending ritual must be completed."
Cassandra grinned as she smashed your phone with a single squeeze. "You won't need this anymore in your new home."
Return Trip
They don't take you by car. As a creature that has been bound to the mold, your outlook begins to change. Your apartment room seems to melt, and in the blink of an eye, you feel your body being pulled through the cold darkness, until you are back standing in the grand hall of the majestic Dimitrescu Castle.
This time, there was no fear. The blood in your body feels boiling with new strength.
The Blood Wedding Ceremony begins: Lady Dimitrescu stands on her throne, while her three daughters stand around you, each holding a black rose.
"Drink again from that cup," Lady Dimitrescu commanded. "And this time, don't hesitate. Welcome your eternity as a prince in this castle."