(continued from
here)
After emerging from the sea, the barefoot woman in rags had made her way up the beach, down the road, and toward Awelfor Manor. She encountered three unfortunate humans along the way, taking the edge off of that incessant rawness in her throat. The first two kills were lovers that had been strolling together hand-and-hand under the moonlight along the otherwise deserted beach. So enwrapped with one another, they did not hear Odessa approaching. She ripped one human from the other, nails digging deeply into the shoulder, then took the neck greedily in her mouth, skin splitting harshly against her teeth. The shock of hot blood after such long fasting was nearly enough to make her waver, to forget the other human who was stumbling frantically away fighting against the sand for traction. If it weren’t for that annoying
screeching.
That needed to be addressed quickly.
Tossing aside the half-drained, speedily-dying human, Odessa rushed at the other. Her movements, though silent, were stiff and disjointed like watching a film with low framerate. In spite of valiant scrambling and blubbering pleas for mercy, the vampire clamped her jaws around its throat, windpipe crushing with a satisfying snap. The ocean air was silent once again, save for the pounding of the surf and her groans of relief as blood rushed into her mouth. Backing toward the first kill while dragging the second, she pulled the two bodies to a sheltered spot in the dunes to suck them dry, cradling them like children in her arms.
Her third kill came shortly before turning down the dirt road that led to her home. Some vagrant hitch-hiker or something--not that Odessa took enough care to notice. The scratching at her throat had not ceased, though her flesh was decently flexible now. Before the human had the chance to finish asking if she was alright, Odessa had overtaken him. She did not stop, dragging the whimpering creature by the throat down the dirt road and out of sight from the main road.
Another satisfying crunch.
Another flood of sweet blood past her trembling fangs.
She discarded the body in some bushes. Perhaps she would have it taken care of when she came fully into herself--if she remembered. The night was deathly quiet as she continued the treck to Awelfor Manor. The house should have remained untouched. Her loyal hired hands were still on an automatic payroll, instructed only to watch for malicious break-ins in the event of her disappearance.
When is it now? 1206... 1323... 1531...With clouded eyes she moved automatically through the property. Reaching the fountain at the center of the driveway, Odessa reached into the water to clean the blood off her arms and face. Couldn’t be seen by the houseguests like this--didn’t want to cause too much suspicion! Her husband would know something was amiss and that would ruin things far sooner than she wanted. The front door was unlocked and she crossed the threshold in a trance. Where were all her party guests? Surely it couldn’t have been that late. She had only stepped out for a moment!
Odessa moved through the rooms, looking without seeing, making her way up the stairs, removing her tattered--now bloody--clothing along the way. Naked, she came to a stop outside the door of one of the bedrooms that had been converted into a dress closet, standing still for a moment as if listening for something in the silence.
Where was Benedetto--or was it Salvadore? Too much wine already then. He must have gone to bed.Forward into the closet, she flinched at the sight of her reflection in the mirrors but did not stop to dwell. Running her hands along the racks of clothing she stopped at a black dress from the 1900s. Pulling it out she examined it against herself thoughtfully as she looked in the mirror. Perhaps she would pay Fredrich a visit tonight? He was an awfully delicious thing and she was still so very thirsty.
There wasn’t enough time for this pondering--she had to get dressed or she would be late! Odessa Irena Turkevich was never late.
