Lady Dimitrescu laughed freely, a voice that was majestic but gave goosebumps, echoing throughout the cold underground stone walls. He took his hand off your shoulder and tidied up his wide hat with a very graceful gesture.
"Eaten?" Alcina looks at you with a look that now resembles that of a collector who has just obtained the rarest of gems. "Zak, my dear... You are no longer on the menu list. You are now part of the owner of this dining table."
He glanced at Bela and Daniela, who were still staring at you with a mixture of pent-up hunger and a newfound respect.
"My children," Alcina's voice became cold and firm. "Listen carefully. Zak should not be touched. The blood is no longer for you to sip without permission. He is your brother now. If I see that there is only one scratch on his neck that is not of his own volition... You know what the consequences are."
Bela and Daniela immediately lowered their heads deeply, their scythes lowered to the floor. "Good, Mother," they murmured in unison.
Cassandra stepped forward, standing beside you. He rests his head on your shoulder, his now warm hands wrapped possessively around your waist. Her flies buzzed softly, as if singing a victory tune.
"He's mine, Mom," hissed Cassandra, looking at her siblings with defiant looks. "Don't you dare dream of tasting it."
Alcina smiled faintly, then her expression turned a little serious as she turned her head towards the shadows on the stairs where Mother Miranda had been lurking.
"Punishment? No, Zak. You will not be punished as long as you are loyal to this family. However..." she lowered her voice, "Miranda is another matter. He sees you as an asset, a 'key' that might help his boring plan. As long as you are within the walls of this castle, you are safe under my protection."
Lady Dimitrescu began to step up the stairs, her long robe sweeping the floor.
"Come on, my son. Let's leave this place of ice smell. We have a wine of Sanguis Virginis that must be opened to celebrate your return. And maybe... we must find you clothes more suitable for a nobleman Dimitrescu."
Pov : Following Lady Dimitrescu to the main hall: And start living your new life as a dark lord.
You stepped out of the cold cell, walking beside Cassandra who was now holding your arm possessively. The sound of your boots echoes on the stone steps, following the majestic steps of Lady Dimitrescu that looms ahead.
When you enter the Main Hall, the splendor of the castle feels different. If this place used to feel like a death labyrinth, now every gold carving and crystal chandelier seems to welcome you home. The pale servants of the castle look down as you pass by, both in fear and respect for their new "young master".
"Bela, Daniela," Alcina ordered without turning her head, her voice echoing in the spacious room. "Prepare a room in the east wing. Room overlooking the rose garden. And make sure there are black velvet clothes that fit Zak's size."
Bela and Daniela bowed quickly and then disappeared in the vortex of flies, carrying out their mother's orders.
Alcina stopped in front of a large fireplace whose fire was burning warmly. He poured the thick red liquid from the crystal bottle into the tall glass, then tossed it to you with a secret smile.
"Drink, Zak. This will calm the blood rush in your body," he said softly.
Cassandra moved closer to your ear, her breath now scented of roses and iron touching your skin. "Don't be afraid, Zak. I'll take care of you from my naughty 'brothers'. But remember... you owe me an explanation of how you met Miranda in the woods earlier."
Suddenly, an old servant ran in with a deathly pale face.
"Madam! Heisenberg... He was at the front gate! He said he wanted to see the 'magic man' who managed to tame Dimitrescu's daughters!"
Lady Dimitrescu's face instantly turned angry. Its silver claws came out with a sharp shring! sound. "That iron-powered bastard... How dare he set foot in my castle without an invitation!"
Me : *I stand up* let me alone
Alcina Dimitrescu stopped instantly. He turns his head slowly, looking at you from his nearly three meters height. His thirty-centimeter silver claws were still shining under the light of the crystal chandelier, but the anger on his face turned to cold amazement.
"You?" Alcina raised her elegant eyebrows, a slanted smile crept across her blood-red lips. "Your courage is indeed extraordinary, Zak. But Heisenberg isn't just an annoying 'brother'. He's a ruthless monster with a sledgehammer and iron power."
Cassandra gripped your arm tighter, her yellow eyes shining anxiously. "Zak, don't go crazy! Uncle Charles had no manners. He'll try to dissect you just to see how my blood works in your body!"
However, you still stand tall. You feel the vibration of a fly under your skin—the power Cassandra gives you is now pulsating in rhythm with your determination. You are no longer a victim who runs away in fear in the basement.
"Let him," Alcina said finally, waving her large hand towards the main gate made of heavy oak. "Let's see if 'Son Dimitrescu' can take on that stray dog."
At the main gate of the castle
The gate opened with a heavy creak. Outside, it snowed heavily, enveloping the castle's rocky grounds. Standing there, surrounded by an aura of iron and rust, was Karl Heisenberg. He was wearing a dark brown leather robe, a slanted fedora hat, and a lit cigar at the corner of his mouth. On his shoulders, he carried a giant sledgehammer that looked very heavy.
Heisenberg looks up, his eyes hidden behind round sunglasses staring at you. He exhaled the cigar smoke into the cold air.
"So..." Heisenberg chuckled, a hoarse voice full of sarcastic tones. "Is this the man who made Alcina turn into a 'loving mother'? I smell the smell of flies and noble blood on your body, son. But I also smelled the smell... something more interesting."
He stepped forward, and suddenly, pieces of scrap metal and knives around the courtyard began to float around him due to their magnetic power.
"My name is Heisenberg," he says, pointing to you with his cigar. "I didn't come to fight... At least not yet. I've come to see if you're really 'magical' as Miranda says, or just a new pet that will die in a week."
She stopped right in front of you, her height far below Alcina but her aura was very threatening. "Tell me, Zak... What brought you back to this vampire lair? Love? Or are you just too stupid to run?"
Me : Love *I smile*
Heisenberg was stunned for a moment. The cigar at the corner of his mouth almost fell, and for the first time since he had set foot in the castle grounds, his cynical grin faded, replaced by a hoarse laugh that exploded so loudly that it shook the pieces of iron around him.
"LOVE?!" Heisenberg laughed out loud, holding his stomach while leaning against his giant hammer. "You heard that, Alcina? This little human of yours is back in this hell for love! In a world full of undead, failed experiments, and Miranda's madness... Are you talking about love?"
He stepped closer, the smell of engine oil and tobacco pungent your sense of smell. He looked into your eyes which now had a golden yellow flash—a permanent mark of Cassandra's blood.
"You have guts, Zak. I appreciate that," whispered Heisenberg, his voice now lower and more serious. "But love in this place is the deadliest poison. You love monsters, and that makes you a much more dangerous monster than the rest of us."
Behind you, Cassandra stepped out of the shadow of the gate. He no longer looked like a bloodthirsty hunter; there was a strange tenderness on his face as he stood beside you, his cold hand gripping your fingers tightly in front of Heisenberg's eyes.
"He's not just a 'little man', Uncle Karl," hissed Cassandra, her eyes shining defiantly. "He is part of us now. And if you intend to mess with him, you will have to deal with the entire Dimitrescu family."
Lady Dimitrescu stood towering behind you, folding her large arms gracefully. "Enough, Heisenberg. You've seen it. Now, get your message or leave my territory before I tear that dirty cloak to pieces."
Heisenberg shrugged, twirling his sledgehammer with one hand as if it were as light as cotton.
"The message is simple," Heisenberg says, looking at you deeply. "Miranda wants to have a Family Supper Ceremony tonight. He wanted to see this 'New Son' officially. Don't be late, Zak. And advice from me... Keep that 'love' smile. In the presence of Miranda, you will need more than just feelings to stay alive."
Heisenberg turned around, walking away into the blizzard. The surrounding metals fell to the ground with a loud clang as their strength receded.
Alcina let out a long sigh, the smoke from her long cigarette billowing in the cold air. "The Supper Ceremony... Miranda moved faster than I imagined."
Cassandra turned to you, her face looking extremely anxious under the moonlight. "Zak, the ceremony is not just a dinner. It was Miranda's way of 'testing' whether the subject was worth living or should be immediately exterminated for further research."
Pov : *banquet night arrives* *I'm more handsome, athletic, fashionable, and very fragrant*