RESIDENT EVIL VILLAGE - The House of Dimitrescu

Chapter 24 - Fear

The girls did not reappear throughout the entire day, and as the sun sank lower over the mountains to the west, so did Y/N's hopes. At first, he had gone looking for them, searching all the usual spots where he might have found them, but after the first few hours had passed without reward, he tried to push the incident from the morning into the back of his mind.

At least now, he had time to work on the cabin's repairs, but as he nailed the long wooden boards back into place over the gaps in the wooden walls, his mind kept drifting to the girls. Their pale faces seemed almost burned into his memory, and Daniela's expression of horror seemed to peer out at him wherever he looked.

It wasn't until the evening, when the sun had set almost completely over the mountain village and Y/N had thrown in the towel for the night, that he even saw another living creature, and as he walked into the main hall of the castle, heavy coat slung over one shoulder and his keys rattling at his belt, Zoya turned to face him with a worried expression.

The Grand Chambermaid seemed on edge, wringing her hands nervously as several of the younger maids rushed through the corridors around the hall. Catching sight of Y/N, she hurried quickly towards him.

'Where is Claudia?' She quickly, peering around Y/N as if hoping she might be hidden behind him, before sighing worriedly and scanning the rest of the hall again. 'One of my girls, Claudia, is she with you?'

'I haven't seen her.' Y/N replied, feeling the edges of Zoya's panic begin to tug at him. 'Why? Is she missing?'

'I sent her to retrieve one of the mistress's bottles from the cellar.' Zoya explained distractedly, moving away from Y/N as one of the other maids rushed up to her to whisper something to her, before Zoya dismissed her with a wave. 'The Countess will certainly be starving when she returns, having been without blood for over a week.'

'Which cellar did you send her to?' Y/N asked, slipping back on his jacket as if ready to go after her. 'The shallower chambers are clear but there are Moroaică in the deep tunnels. Do you want me to find her?'

'There isn't time.' Zoya replied, her voice filled with dismay as she looked towards the direction of the entrance hall, and as Y/N turned to listen, he heard the sharp, staccato taps of high-heeled shoes across the stone. His blood ran cold, and a few moments later, the rest of the maids streamed out of the corridors into the hall, looking terrified as they formed up into rows in the middle of the floor.

Hastily, Y/N moved back, taking up a position beside their ranks as the door opposite them creaked open, and Lady Dimitrescu rose out of it, straightening up to her full height and sighing irritably as she moved forwards, past the doorway to the hall of masks and staring down the ranks of maids in front of her.

'Zoya,' the countess growled at the Grand Chambermaid, shooting the maids a murderous glare as she stalked towards them, 'get me a drink.'

'At once, milady.' Zoya curtsied hurriedly, then whispered something short and sharp to the maid stood beside her, whose face blanched before she quickly broke ranks and hurried away into the corridors.

'Where are my daughters?' The countess asked, her tone sounding dangerously low. The bloodlust in her voice was almost tangible, and looking up at her face, Y/N saw that underneath the thunderous scowl, she looked drawn, her pale skin slightly grey, and her golden eyes bloodshot. 'Do they not wish to greet their mother?'

'They are above stairs, milady.' Zoya answered quickly, and Y/N tensed slightly as the Countess's eyes swept over him. 'It is possible they did not hear your arri-'

'Where is that drink?' The countess snarled, looking around for the maid, removing her hat and holding it in one gloved hand as she peered around her. It seemed as though she were barely paying attention to them, her eyes sweeping the hall as she licked her lips slowly, drawing deep, heaving breaths and the heat and anger seemed to rise within her. Only then did Y/N notice that her eyes were no longer bloodshot, but now completely red, glowing scarlet in her pale face as she searched wildly for her drink.