Lance Hayward
I groaned and stood, too, not bothering to dress. Bella's naked rump led the way through the living room. My other maids, Cali included, fell in around me as Bella opened the door to the antechamber. The purple seal glowed on the door that led into the rest of the manor.
Kylie took my hand and squeezed it. My Sister-Maid trembled there. She was my virgin maid. My pure one, I supposed. But she was also the youngest. Barely eighteen. I smiled at her as Bella opened the door onto the dark hallway.
Bella moved down the hallway. She looked cautious, her head moving, but her steps were confident. I followed after, holding Kylie's hand. My aunt fell in on my right side with Mom and Cali following at the rear.
My gaze flicked to the picture of that disgusting cat. The Gizzamuluke was in his painting. I could feel the creature staring at us. I could feel all the denizens in the paintings and statues and tapestries staring at us.
"...first imprisoned..."
The whisper caused us all to freeze. Bella snapped her head around as I asked, "What was that?"
"Ignore the Imprisoned," Cali said, her voice stern. "Your guest is here. We cannot have her wandering the halls alone and unprepared."
"Right, right," I said. "Bella."
She nodded and headed on, reaching the stairs a moment later. In a painting on the wall by it, a figure burst out of it. I gasped as the shadowy form of one of the Imprisoned rushed at Bella. He held a long and bloody knife, a smile splitting his lips.
He cackled as he slashed at Bella, "Little maids. Fresh blood."
***
Ms. Lynette Docea
I opened the front door to Hayward Manor. It creaked. I swallowed as I stood there naked. I hadn't been given my proper attire. I had to wear my maid's uniform or nothing at all save the light-blue garter on my thigh.
I was Master Lance's maid. His wise teacher's maid. And he needed me. This was his home. It was my home now. I stepped inside, staring at the dark foyer before me. I swallowed, clutching my suitcase in my hand.
"Hello?" I called. "Master Lance?"
This house... hated me. I could feel the malevolence bleeding out of every shadow. It whispered at me from the corner of my eye. I felt a presence. Alien. Eldritch. As if some chthonic horror had risen from the bowels of the earth to inhabit this house.
"Master Lance?" I called again. I took a step forward, my heart racing.
A low, menacing growl rumbled out of the dark.
I swallowed, my entire body stiffening. Fear's slimy hand squeezed about me. A bead of sweat broke out on my forehead and trickled down to my eyebrow. My head turned to my right to something on the wall. A gilded frame about a portal of darkness.
A painting of madness from which leaped a snarling shape. It growled with the fury of a demonic hound. Its body large and dark. Eyes glowed with green hunger. A tongue licked at jowls while dark spittle splashed on the floor.
Terror crushed my thoughts.
Screaming, I ran to my left towards an open door that led to a hallway.
The dog howled and chased, baying with the thrill of the hunt.
"Fresh pussy!" it growled.
***
Bella Miles
"The Ripper!" Cali hissed as the knife-wielding shadow rushed at me.
I fell into a fighting stance and held my left armor out before me. My garter throbbed with a stable pulse. My feet flexed on the hardwood floors. They felt strong beneath me. As if I stood on powerful foundations. I had solid footing. Nothing could harm me.
A shield of rock appeared on my arm a moment before the knife ripped into me.
CLANG!
The knife struck the shield and scratched along it. The man hissed. My Master-Husband was feet away and in danger. I shouted and rushed forward, using my shield as a battering ram and slamming it into the Ripper.
"Mewling quim!" cackled the Ripper. He had a high-pitched voice that grated on my ears like fingernails scratching down a chalkboard.
He flowed to the right, darting around my shield, his body almost rubbery. He thrust at me, a blurring lunge that would take me in the heart even as a fiery light flared behind me. Something hot flashed by my side and struck the wrist.
The ripper hissed as a flaming whip seized his wrist and yanked his attack to the side. Aunt Nancy stepped up beside me, holding the other end of the lash, the Ripper pulling at it to free his wrist. Smoke burned as flesh sizzled.
"What delightful cunts!" laughed the Ripper, the fire gleaming in his mad eyes. His too-large smile spread even bigger, almost consuming his face. His rotted teeth dripped with saliva.
He lunged for me to bite.
A torrent of water slammed into him. "NOOOOO!"
Kylie stepped up on my other side, her hands pressed together. The water gushed out of her hands and swept the ripper off his feet. He landed, thrashing on the ground. He spluttered as her purity washed over him.
He struggled to stand beneath the deluge. I stood ready, my shield held before me. My Master-Husband pushed up between Aunt Nancy and me. I gasped in shock as he moved up before the creature, staring down at it struggling to stand.
"Wait!" I gasped as the Ripper pushed himself up into Kylie's torrent, staring at Lance with such hatred in his eyes. I would not let him hurt my husband.
"This is my house!" roared Lance. Golden energy burst in his hand. A spear blazed to life, the brilliance illuminating the corridor. Hisses of pain echoed around us. A statue flinched.
Lance hurled the spear at the Ripper struggling to stand. The golden spear ripped through the deranged entity's abdomen and spiked him to the ground. The Ripper cackled with mad delight. He writhed as the golden light spilled from the spear and engulfed him. It became a hand that lifted the entity and dragged him towards his panting.
He thrashed, his knife slicing at Lance.
"No!" I jumped between them, blocking with my shield.
The Light ripped him past me and towards the panting. My mother-in-law watched on with arms folded beneath her breasts. The golden light spilled over her. Cali raised a hand to ward against its brilliance. The light slammed the entity back into his painting.
Darkness fell back down on the hallway. But it wasn't as thick. It was... a normal darkness, not the gloom of the Imprisoned. No whispers or mutters came from the other paintings now. They had seen the Master of Hayward Manor.
From downstairs, a dog howled.
"Hagazim is loose!" Cali cried.
My Master-Husband rushed down the stairs. I chased after..
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