Chapter Four

 

 

 

Carrie ran, charging a ball of energy, looking over her shoulder to watch for the beasts behind her. She could see the strange zombie with the chainsaw quite a distance away, but the dogs were nowhere in sight. She fired the ball at the zombie, stopping him in his tracks for a few moments. A dog came barreling at her from the front, and she jumped straight over it’s head, landed, and quickly dodged the second dog. 

Now they were behind her, she started charging again. She could see the wooden door at the very end of the leafy path. She picked up speed desperately and fired her orb blindly. It must have struck, because one of the dogs emitted a whimper, and there was a small thumping sound.

She stretched her arms out to reach for the door handle, but it opened on it’s own before she could reach it. She charged through it, unable to slow down, and fell to the grass beyond. Looking up, she saw the strange blonde woman she had encountered at the forest entrance.

"You!"Carrie gasped.

The woman closed the door and turned to Carrie. Her skin was very pale, Carrie saw, but her lips were quite red, almost as red as the dress she wore.

"So we meet again,"she said softly.

"I saw you on the outskirts of town,"Carrie said, catching her breath."What – what are you still doing here?"

"You mean you do not remember me?"the blonde woman asked."I know it has been a year since we first met, but I do not presume that your memory is that bad."

"A year?"Carrie repeated, frowning."I met you here?"

The woman nodded."I am the one who watered the white roses. My name is Rosa."

"Rosa?!"Carrie gasped."I thought you left! I broke Dracula’s curse!"

"He wishes for me to direct you back to the town. I do not understand why, but He wants you to live."

"Who is ‘He’?"Carrie asked, becoming confused.

"It does not matter,"Rosa said."For He wishesthat you return safely to town."

"I’m not going anywhere,"Carrie growled, getting to her feet."I will never return home, not until I find my husband."

"Your husband is dead,"Rosa said coldly.

"You lie!"Carrie screamed.

"I do not,"Rosa answered."I can show you his body if you so desire. Although, there isn’t much left…"

"You lie,"Carrie repeated."I saw him yesterday. I will continue on to the castle. Please remove yourself from my path."

"You will not allow you to continue unless you defeat me,"Rosa snarled, eyes narrowing."I will not let you pass while I stand."

"So be it."

Carrie drew her rings from her sashes and got into a defensive stance. Rosa raised one white arm in the air. An old, rusty sword slowly materialized against her palm. She closed her fist around the handle and pointed the blade at Carrie.

"Rusted it may be, but it never fails to draw blood,"she hissed, smiling slightly."Well? Will you attack, or will you die?"

Carrie screamed and slashed at Rosa. The razor-sharp rings bit into the vampire’s face, causing a black substance – which Carrie assumed was blood – to ooze down her cheek. Rosa screeched and glared at Carrie, her black eyes burning with the intensity of the flames of Hell. Carrie backed up, having never seen such a terrifying sight.

"You’ll pay for that!"Rosa shrieked.

She dove forward, knocking the young vampire hunter to the ground, and pressed the tip of her sword against the tender flesh of Carrie’s throat. Carrie tilted her head back slightly, too afraid to even breathe or swallow. She lay still, staring up into Rosa’s fiery eyes with equal intensity.

"I no longer care what the master wants,"Rosa said coolly."Look at what you have done to my face. You must die, Carrie Fernandez! Join your ancestors in Hades!"

Carrie closed her eyes, fearing it was the end, but the blade never pierced her throat. She waited a few moments, breathing lightly, her heart beaing furiously, before she opened her eyes.

The blade was still pressed against her neck, and Rosa was still standing in the same position, but now she was looking over into the shadows of the hedge-maze walls. A tall, dark man was standing there, his arms crossed over his chest, glowering at Rosa.

"What do you think you are doing?"he demanded, his words slow."I gave you specific orders to escort Ms. Fernandez back to the village. Why have you not obeyed them?!"

"I am sorry, Master!"Rosa said, voice trembling as she dropped her sword and bowed."I lost my temper. She cut my face! Just look!"

She pointed at the large wound in her face, which was quite a bit smaller than it had been when Carrie had injured her. Carrie took note of this, suspecting that when a vampire was injured, the wound would just heal itself.

She glanced back up at the tall man. He was tall, with shoulder-length dark hair. His eyes were also black. Carrie frowned. Who could he possibly be? It suddenly clicked.

"Dracula…?"she whispered.

He looked at her. A small smile graced his features before quickly disappearing again.

"Ah, Carrie, Carrie,"he sighed, in a tone of voice that suggested he was speaking to a two year-old."You should have returned home as Rosa asked. Your search has been in vain. Malus is dead."

"You are a liar,"Carrie said stubbornly."Malus is not dead. I can feel it."

"You are extremely misguided, child,"Dracula said gently."You suffer, I can see it. Come to me."

He reached out with both hands and took Carrie’s shoulders. Though his hands were gentle, they were cold, and Carrie shivered at his touch. She turned her face away as he pulled her closer, into the folds of his over-sized cape, enveloping her in darkness and the stench of death.

An icy hand took her chin, forcing her to look up, though she couldn’t see through the blanket of darkness. Frigid lips brushed against hers, sending chills down her spine, and two arms, almost too strong to be real, crushed her against a cold body, knocking the wind out of her as the lips claimed hers again. Carrie’s struggling only prompted him to kiss her harder and hold her tighter. She closed her eyes, giving in to him, starting to feel a bit drained. She went limp in his arms, her mind going foggy.

When she re-opened her eyes, she was lying in the bed of the villa again. She sat up, her head buzzing, and wondered if it had all been a dream. She reached up and felt the spot where Rosa’s sword had pressed into her. It hurt when she touched it.

"No…"she said despairingly."It wasn’t a dream."

Another thought struck her. She had kissed Dracula. She bolted out of bed, feeling dirty, and touching her neck to make sure that she hadn’t been bitten. Her throat was as smooth as ever. She sighed in relief, and collapsed into a chair next to the bed.

She felt like crying. She had made it through the hedge maze only to be returned to this place. Why hadn’t Dracula brought her back to the village? Hadn’t he wanted her to go there? Or perhaps he thought he could play with her a little more.

Her expression darkened as she thought of this. She was no toy. She resolved to kill him the next time she saw him. No more listening to lies about Malus. No more fighting useless battles against Rosa. And no more games with Draula.

She would go. And he would die.