The other night was all my mind could conjure. The interlock of our lips in a very heated moment. To only allow the stars and swarms of bats to witness it. Deep down, I knew rightfully so it was wrong. Immoral. How though, no one was here to tell us otherwise. So how immoral can it be?

  I snuck up to the library early this morning to devour a fairly large book that caught my eye. The name has little importance but for whatever reason I had in mind I was destined to consume its contents. It was as though it challenged me. Made a mockery of my intellect. Luckily, later into the night, I was half done. Completely enthralled in the tale of woe of the daunting yet predictable female lead. I was disturbed by a echoed rattle. Not much as a rattle but more so an ear-piercing thump. As though one of the bookshelves had fallen over. I feared Roman may have been the culprit and also feared he may have been seriously injured. I shot out of my bed to the flight of stairs. I turned at the top of the stairs to the library, nothing was a miss. Roman was nowhere to be found. Neither was a mess. My eyes caught the window adjacent to the couch. The rain that hit the castle furiously this evening had lightened. Revealing the moon. It was a Hunter's Moon. I rather liked the term Blood Moon, just for the fact of the full moon's colour. The colour of blood. Full in its fullest figure, yet so dark in its crimson. My father spoke of the full moon creating havoc among people. He claimed it was the extra moisture in the air or soil in light of the moon's fullness. It made some people, some societies even delve into madness until the wee hours of the morning.

  My initial thought was obstructed by the same noise I first heard. The very noise that led me up here. I tip-toed out of the library to the main hall. The door was shut to the abandoned room. The very room hung with paintings galore. I turned the handle, laying a hand on the wood to gently push the door open. It was Catherine. Drunk again seemingly conversing with the dust-filled paintings again. This time however she seemed more cross than the last time I found her in this state.

  "F-fuck you! You never truly showed me affection you u-unruly bastard!" She hiccuped, as her hand tossed her empty wine glass towards a portrait of a grey-haired man in a stuffy blue overcoat. The bottle shattered. "S-some husband you were! I have more g-grey hairs than orgasms from you!" She coughed. "Fuck...I am starving!" Catherine's hand drug across her chin to appear red wine stained on her skin. Her foot took a misstep to grasp onto the wine bottle on the lonely table. Her ankle slipped underneath her dress, and Catherine caught herself on the table using her arm to push her body up. Catherine's dress was more torn than in other encounters I have had with her. The cloth covering her back was torn to shreds. In a way, it gave me the impression perhaps something was causing her discomfort. Itching. Scratching too hard to the point of tearing through the fabric. My feet bolted to the ground when my findings were halted. My breath stopped, something caught my eye that I wanted to investigate further. Her bare back was exposed, and her skin was effortlessly clear with not an imperfection on the outside. On the inside, however, she never disclosed another ailment that has come to light. Her spine. From her hips, her spine poked out straight. Like normal, however, as her spine crept up to her shoulder blades it began to curve. Inwards, not out. I've seen this type of spinal injury with mule workers when their ass runs them over accidentally. Though, Catherine's never healed. Shaped like an upside-down J. It looks like it must be painful. Perhaps the reason so stand so tall was from this past injury. How have I never seen this?

  "Catherine?... Are you alright?" I questioned. "Maybe you should lie down." I announced my presence so as to not frighten her. Her body cocked, her spine cracked. Her hair fell around her face only allowing her reddened eyes to shine through her dark locs. "N-no. I am fine Bell. G-go back to bed. I need to eat." Her body straightened pushing past me. "Allow me to help you Cath-..." I trailed on behind her running after her down the flight of stairs. "No! G-go away, Bella! I need t-to eat a-alone!" Catherine spun around sticking her hand out towards me. She pointed at my bedroom door. "Go," She slurred. "I do not want you there."

  "Oh...okay...goodnight Catherine." I peered over at my door before I looked back to Catherine to see she disappeared. No goodnight. Not sweet dreams from Catherine. How strange. The moon must be affecting her. Vadoma did leave early today for some reason. I swore I saw her later in the evening but maybe it was just a tree. I suppose I must follow Catherine's orders. I do not want to disobey again.

  ?───? ??? ?───?

  I could not fall asleep. How can I? The very look on Catherine's face was unsettling. A look I have never encountered. Wish I never did. Her brows furrowed with the tinged of red bleeding through her pupils turning the once ebony shade to dark crimson. Her face haunts me when I shut my eyes. Burnt in memory.

  I tossed and turned furiously, the sheets ripped off the bed tangling in my legs. I felt like they were suffocating me, I could not breathe. I leaped out to the floor where Roman resided. It was too hot for him in bed also. I had to speak to Catherine. Her behaviour was out of sorts. She was a drunken mess but this was a new version I have never witnessed. It was strangely concerning. For the mere fact, it is late in the night. Any medical attention she may need will have to wait till morning.

  I left my bedroom and shuddered the very thought of what Catherine will say for not obeying her command, but, this was essential. I had to be sure she was safe. My toes buried themselves into the carpet leading to Catherine's room. My hand shook to dare touch the wood of her door to push it open. To my surprise it was unlocked, untouched. Catherine's body was not carved into the red bedding that lay upon the white linens. They were flat. My concern grew, or would I call it my curiosity? I wonder. I darted back to my side of the floor maintaining a balanced speed. Catherine was not in the library nor the room of paintings. I sensed I flew down the stairs to her study. Possibly, she may have worked out her drunken state and is asleep in her study. Sadly no sign of her.

  "Where the hell are you Catherine?" I huffed a whisper. I returned to the front parlor examining every area I had checked. The only place in question I have not checked was the west wing. The very place I dread the most. I had to face my demons head-on. Even if it was Catherine Valeria's rage. I made my way back up the stairs turning right to the west-wing stairs. They creaked every step my feet placed upon the boards. The air felt hollow, stale even. Each step that got me closer to the top made my lungs halt. I was having issues breathing. My back hunched over at the top of the stairs, trying to regain my breath again. Something caught the corner of my eye, floating near my ankle. It was not Roman, which made me regain my breath until my heart stopped when I straightened my back. To find her. Not Catherine, but her daughter. Floating before me. I was never able to be this close, although, I could tell she was Catherine's daughter. The facial structure and nose were painfully similar. She seemed not to be cross, just merely observing. I took a step back with the stair railing behind my back.

  If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  "She is not here-..." She spoke. "She is under the castle..."

  "Who? Valeria? What do you mean under the castle?"

  "Mother...she is very ill...the door-...with lock." Her body floated sticking her arm out past my frame. Back down the stairs, pointing to the dining room.

  "How do I get in if it is locked?" I was aghast. To think I was having a mere conversation with a spirit of Catherine's whereabouts.

  "Mother has left it unlocked. She is down there...m-my mother is gone...all that remains is Catherine Valeria...a monster..." She sniffled. Wiping away a tear with her sleeve.

  "Now, I do not care if your mother is sick. I would not dare you to call her monster."

  "See for yourself...Bella Donna...you have not seen hell...you will see it in her eyes..." Her tears transpired down her puffed cheeks. Her body cascaded, fading within the walls. How on earth did she know my name? Had Catherine spoken of me? What did that conversation entail? She spoke of the door in the dining room. Under the castle? She must speak of the undercroft. The separate floor underground. That was one place in specific Catherine told me especially I would not dare venture. In these circumstances, however, I am required to venture there. No matter what the spirit said. Her daughter may want to lure me down. Perhaps she infact is the monster.

  ?───? ??? ?───?

  To think I have taken advice from a spirit that has not breathed a word to me in the duration of my stay. My feet dragged along the hardwood to the unlocked door.

  It was the unknown, the dark forest green door creaked a shrill tone as my fingers slid between the hinge and wood parting it slowly. Not fully grasping what was behind. For all I know, Catherine might be behind the door prepared to scold me. Once the door spread open, it was enough for my body to slide through. I came to realize it was a flight of stairs. Longer than the stairs in the parlour. The candle fixtures mounted to what seemed to be rock lit my way down the flight. My feet found their positioning taking the first step.

  "Ouch!" I groaned shushing myself. I examined what I was standing on to make this sharp pain in my foot cease. It was chips of rocks from the staircase. The stairs were entirely made of stone. Crumbly stone if that. Every step was more steep going further down. More stone sharply dissolved. The very foundation of this castle hung in the balance if this stone would fall. It would be pure chaos. I held my hand out against the rock for something to hold myself not to fall. These stairs curled to the right in a spiral. I smelt a very odd smell. A familiar one. Copper. It was laced through this entire castle. The smell of Catherine's medicine. It was more pungent than in her vase. It burnt the hairs in my nose. It was not sour by no means, it smelt more of my father's medical office back in London. He had a soldier from battle on his table. The poor boy was no older than myself at the time, he lost so much blood for the king, that our floors were soaked for months. The same smell I grew accustomed to in that old home. The blood.

  I had three more steps to conquer. My hand slid on the rock leaving a large stinging sensation. I stopped to examine what was the matter, hence no candle was lit at the bottom. I leaned forward to see another light taking a misstep. Fearing the inevitable, I fell forward onto my knee. "Ah!" I groaned. "Bad idea." Both my hand and knee stung leaving a cool impression. Like I lifted water from the tub after a bath. I was bleeding. I arose only to have the sting reappear in my knee as it straightened.

  "Catherine?...Hello?" I began to walk on more stone, the light fading in and out as I ventured closer to what seemed like the middle of the undercroft. The hair on the back of my neck stood fiercely at the faint noises humming in my ears. No happy sounds I assure you. The sounds that are in the dark recesses of memory are unlocked. The memory of these noises floods back to me. To see her, frail and feeble. Her blackened fingers from internal decay. The painful lesions scattered like ants all over her discoloured body. Forbidden to give her one final kiss goodbye. My mother in pain. Suffering.

  My stomach dropped as I halted to a barn door. The hinges were on the top rolling to either side. My ears began to ring as I held out my uninjured hand to the door handle. Ringing grew more loud as I dragged the door to the right on its hinge. The door made no noise for its weight. I concentrated on being silent more than what was on the other side.

  "Help...urgh..." I glance threw the space I created. The room was filled with red everywhere your eyes could lay upon. Barrels upon barrels stacked tall. There hung a man, upside down by his ankles in shackles. His blood dripped down into a wood crate. One of this man's intestines hung past his shoulder almost grazing the crate. In front of the crate was a black mass. Moving vividly. It was Catherine! Catherine Valeria! Her back straightened on a small stool. Her hands soaked in this poor soul's blood. Swiping her tongue over every inch of her hands. Her eyes glew the very same scarlet shade as the room.

  I was in shock. Holding my breath in fear Catherine would do the same fate. I watched as Catherine took this man's intestine in her hand intertwining it. The man groaned in agony. Pleading wimpers. It was the same vision as my dreams of her. Playing with my insides. I could puke.

  "No! Please!" I screamed. My head pounded, my ears rang furiously. I was nauseous. Catherine dropped this now dead man's inner workings peering over her shoulder. Her chin was stained with blood leading down her neck. She had a devious smile plastered on her face. Once our eyes locked the smile faded. "Bella? Bella!" She arose to see her entire chest was stained in splatters of her victim. Once her body lifted off the stool. I ran out. Racing up the stairs not letting my feet touch the stone.

  "The stupid villagers were right?! How the fuck does that come to be?!" I cried out not catching my breath in. "S-she's a bloody vampire!" I got to the top of the undercroft stairs slamming the door. I pushed a dishware cabinet in front of the door, that will surely give me enough time. Enough time for what? Do I leave? Do I pretend to rush upstairs to bed? I was never here? Yes? No? Yes! Pretend to sleep and be gone by morning. My breaths were shallow and continued to get cut off by the other. My heart pounded in my ears with the mixture of ringing. My eyes showed black and white sparkles all around the room. I held my neck up prepared to lose my balance again. My eye caught on a blue light in the dining room door adjacent to the parlour. Her daughter surely, ready to tell me so.

  "Bella! Behind you!" She shrieked out wisping away as I pivoted. Catherine stood behind me. Furiously furrowing her brow. Her blood-stained hand shot out around my neck. The sparkles in my eyes turned more dark than white as I saw my feet dangle.

  "What. Did. You. Do!" Catherine hissed. Her reddened eyes turned black as nightfall. Truly a hellish picture.

  "I-I-please..." My hand reached under hers to grab hold of her wrist. With barely any strength in my injured palm. It slipped with my blood trailing down her forearm. My neck tilted. All I could was black.