The Demon Of The Night [OUTDATED VERSION]

Pinguicula Moranensis

Barbara slowly turned the doorknob, entering with a newfound sense of determination. It was time to end this. Even if it meant she died too, she was going to take out both father and son.

Each window she came across, she threw open the curtains and drapes, allowing sunlight into the Manor.

The sound of something splashing upstairs echoed through the empty halls.

Clutching her ax even tighter, she followed the sound up the stairs and into a bathroom. From beneath the closed door, she could see candlelight flickering inside.

"Who's there?" Richard called out as Barbara gripped the doorknob.

"It's me, Richard," Barbara answered, opening the door slightly.

"Wait! Barbara, don't come in here!"

More splashing was heard, but Barbara had already burst in. She could smell the stench of blood emitting from the bathtub.

And there was Richard, raising his hands over his face as if to shield himself.

"B-Barbara, don't look at me. Please."

Barbara stared blankly back at him, taking in the sight in front of her.

This was the thing she had fallen in love with. Its true nature was more horrid than what she could have ever imagined. Just trying to make sense of this creature was beginning to break her mind. This truly was a being straight out of a hellish nightmare. Its sunken blue eyes stared up at her in shame, seeing that the girl had her ax raised.

"Please, Barbara. I know I have put you through so much, and seeing me this way doesn't help. But we can still be together. It doesn't have to end like this," he begged. "You are the first girl to ever make me feel like- like a human again. I never imagined this would happen, but I truly care for you. I-I daresay I even love you."

"You creatures can't love," Barbara muttered before plunging the ax into his bone-white neck. Richard shrieked, falling back into the tub of blood.

She pulled the ax out of him, raising it once more and aiming it between his eyes. Just as she was about to bring it down once more, she was pulled back by another force and hoisted up off the floor. Struggling against the black figure, Barbara pulled at her wrist, trying to break free of his hold.

The sound of something cracking made her stop.

Barbara gasped in shock, seeing the bone in her arm piercing through the skin.

"You should have never come back here, little girl," Bruce snarled, baring his fangs.

"DON'T YOU TOUCH HER!" Richard cried as the man started to wrap his claws around Barbara's throat. The blood started to spill over as Richard frantically splashed around, trying to climb out.

"You will not kill her!" Richard ordered. "Bring her to me!"

With a snarl, Bruce dragged a screaming Barbara to the bathtub. Feeling Richard's elongated claws grab her, she tried to fight back with her one good arm. Her feeble hits did nothing to stop him from sinking his teeth into her.

As Richard began to feed, all Barbara could do was shed helpless tears that ran down her face and onto her bleeding neck. The pain of slowly being eaten alive- of being drained of your blood- was excruciating.

Is this what Officer Bard felt?

Did he continue screaming until his voice grew hoarse too?

Staring at the tile stained with crimson beneath her, Barbara's vision begun to blacken. Her weakened body embraced the deep sleep that awaited her despite her mind's continuous fight against it.

But her mind eventually gave up its struggle, convincing her she had never felt so tired in her life.