Dimitrescu's Daughter (Completed)

Chapter Fourteen + Note

(( Author's Note: I apologize for not posting yesterday, I had a death in the family and needed at  least one day to grieve. I plan to get back to the daily posting schedule but if not please be understanding. Thank you ))

When we get home Cassandra and Bela are waiting, along with a whole new team of maids to clean the whole house top to bottom starting with the blood leftover from the last maid massacre.

"Well if this isn't familiar," I mutter, scrubbing the dried blood from Daniela off of my cheek, "About the time mother figures I can be left alone to take a bath Miranda has to go and pull something. And for some reason it's always you."

Bela shrugs, "Cassandra is still on probation and I think Daniela might be tempted because you're not blood related like the three of us are."

"I'm really sorry."

"About what?"

"I managed to bring you all back but you're still weak."

While I shampoo my hair Bela hums, checking the window, "Well technically Cassandra brought me back, and you were low on blood by then. I think, I mean I wonder if it's that simple. I just need more of your blood. Of course mother would kill me."

"And she'd give you what for to boot," I add, "But, I think you're onto something. Compare notes with Cassandra and I tonight in the library. Once I've got some food in me, we'll give it a try."

Bela's eyes sparkle red brighter than they've been in all the time I've known her, "It better work, otherwise mother's wrath will kill us both at least momentarily."

Downstairs the smell of cooking meat has filled the whole house. Mother smiles upon seeing me, "You look much better dear. Bela her hair is lovely."

It's Bela's first attempt with scissors, since Aunt Donna is officially banned forevermore. I don't have bangs anymore but now it neatly fits into a braid.

At the table I don't feel shy about eating alone. Everyone else sits and sips their drinks. This particular evening I gorge myself until I'm half asleep and dazed.

"What was that?" I ask, having polished off an entire small animal.

Mother hums, "I sent one of the maids into the village to buy a goat. I'm not sure what they cooked but it was too big to be a bird."

"You're going to sleep in Cassandra's room with her tonight. I'm not taking any chances," She cups my cheek and kisses the crown of my head, "Not again. Not with any of you."

All my sisters smile but I don't miss the look in mother's eyes. Instead of going to bed we circle back. Of course I'm the hardest one of all of us to hide. We peer in through the balcony at the den where mother is standing with Miranda.

"I hope you have an explanation for why you told me Iulia was dead." Of all of mother's icy tones that one could freeze anyone solid.

Daniela shivers silently.

Miranda sighs heavily, feathers visibly ruffled, "Alcina I was trying to starve that girl."

"It worked, she's skin and bone and I intend to see her fleshed out in a week. Plump, ideally," Mother snaps.

"He's back."

The whole castle seems to shudder and the temperature drops. Daniela touches my shoulder and Bela's nails dig into my arm she clutches so tight. At my back Cassandra is, uncharacteristically dead quiet.

I turn, "What does that mean?"

"It means you should stop eavesdropping, you're not quiet. I have eyes and ears everywhere you imbecile," Miranda says.

"Girls, come down here."

Walking down the stairs feels lonely when all my siblings can fly.

"Are you sure?"

Miranda nods, "Quite. I haven't located him but Donna's recent snap all but confirms it. That cursed doll is nowhere to be found and Moreau has stopped calling so he's either slithered into the lake permanently or worse."

"If anything we should be fortifying defenses, why were you trying to kill Iulia?" Bela hisses.

"Shut up girl."

I glare, "You'd better be kinder to my sisters. And since they're supposed to keep quiet I'll ask, what were you thinking? I have it in mind to bite you in half."

"Once you were hungry enough I was going to send you after him," Miranda says.

"Who's him?" I ask.

"Ethan Winters. It's nothing for you to worry your little head about. To bed, all of you. We'll talk about the eavesdropping tomorrow morning," Mother says grimly.

After we all change into our nightgowns, which apparently need to be monogrammed to be told apart, Cassandra and I crawl into bed.

"Who is Ethan Winters?" I ask.

Cassandra shakes her head, "I don't want to talk about it." She snuggles up to my back.

The door opens a crack and two swarms come in, closing it behind them. Suddenly I'm swamped with two more sisters.

"Dani be careful! Don't get bit again!" I sputter.

All four of us rustle and have to rearrange until we comfortably sleep tangled like a clutch of baby rabbits in one bed, all of them curled as closely to me as possible.

In the morning every window is boarded and barred. The maids have been sent home and mother is pacing. Aunt Donna is with us.

"What is she doing here?"

"We need all the help we can get," Mother says, "Mother Miranda demanded that I look after her."

Hoping to lighten the mood I frown, "So if she's mother Miranda to you is she grandmother Miranda to us?"

Daniela doesn't even giggle. I look at my sisters and back at my mother, "Who is Ethan Winters? What has happened so suddenly?"

"Ethan Winters is the man that has already killed us all once before," Mother says, "This time, we will slaughter him where he stands. I am looking for all weaknesses in the house and other things. You girls are not to attack him under any circumstances."

While Mother is busy aunt Donna is walking the halls like a ghost looking for Angie. When she's not doing that she's staring at me. Fortunately the ruined hair covers the infection in her right eye.

"So we try it, more blood. You guys need to be able to run and fight."

"And if we can go out in the snow, even for a bit, we can do a lot more," Cassandra says.

Now, if I had thought this through ahead of time I wouldn't have taken a knife to my forearm and let it bleed fresh in front of my sisters. Especially when one is weak and the other two are famous for their bloodlust, albeit in different ways.

It's only as the dark red blood starts to pool that I realize my mistake. Three sets of red eyes gleam staring at it.

I slowly stand, trying not to provoke them. Then I leap across the table and run, "Mother!"