Roots and veins

Chapter five

Job assignment.
I made sure to be at the front of the line so I'd be in front of the group.
I promptly raise my hand when Amelia starts reading names.
A: "Yes Julia?"
"I'd like to be on lycan control,"
Everyone goes quiet.
A: "Uh, sure?"
When we're released to complete our work I run for the shed and take the sharpest looking instrument off the wall; a bowie knife.
I try to act natural, walking out to the edge of the grounds with my knife.
When I'm positive nobody is looking I break a run for it.
Pumping my legs as fast as I can, my triceps sore from thrusting my arms forward. I'm sure at this point I'd outrun any lycan that would be coming after me.
After a little while of running down the mountain, I slow down, unable to see the castle through the trees.
*exhale*
I pat my pockets to make sure everything I packed in them was still there.
A little bottle of the miracle antiseptic
Some bandages
My toothbrush
An extra pair of socks
And some money.
Alright good. I'm gone, I'm out. Now what?
Uhhh, go home I guess.
I continue down the mountain with my knife until I get to the gate. Pushing it open, I'm free into the village.
I walk for a little, looking for someone I can get information from, but the village is surprisingly vacant.
Each house looks like it's been broken into and ransacked.
After walking for a bit I haven't come upon a single other person.
This place is so fucking wei-
"Hello there."
I almost jump out of my skin. I raise my knife and whip around.
A morbidly obese man sits in a carriage that's open from the back. The doors are lined with little drawers and shelves, papers, knives, chains, and meat.
"Who the fuck are you!?"
The man chuckles
"Why I am the Duke; the village merchant."
"You scared the shit out of me!"
He chuckles "Oh dear. Your mistress will be coming for you soon." He takes a huff from his cigar. "If I were you, I'd walk right back up that mountain and get back to work before they notice your absence."
"I am not going back up there. They're crazy!"
He chuckles again. "My dear Julia. Tread lightly. Regardless, you'll find yourself returning to that castle. Weather that is voluntarily, or if you're dragged by your ankles is up to you."
I look back up the mountain at the castle. It took me a hour or so to run down the mountain, if I were to walk, not to mention the incline and rocky terrain, it would take two or more hours.
"Fuck..."
I'm so close to freedom...but I know that those people are fucking psychos and they will find me.
I don't think I have any other choice but to return.
"Thank you Duke. I'll be going now."
"Before you go, take this."
He holds out his pudgy hand and in his palm sits a large oval shaped blood red ruby
I take it gingerly.
"Keep it concealed, do not show or tell anybody about it. Especially not your lady or her daughters. Good luck Julia."
I'm not even going to question how he knows my name.
I push the gate back open and start my trek back up the mountain.
It started snowing at about halfway through my hike. The heavy snow makes it hard to see, I squint my eyes and trudge through the snow. Where I haven't been feeling cold outside for the days I've been here, the cold is creeping in.
Maybe it's something in the food? It must be the wine! I ate everything on my plate but that this morning! It's drugged!!
I consider turning back around and going back down but the Dukes words bounce around in my head, so I keep walking.
My hike has taken much longer than anticipated thanks to the snow; and thanks to fucking daylight savings time it's started getting dark already.
Between the snow and the setting sun I can hardly see anything.
Fuck, I've probably missed roll call.
I'm screwed.

I hear a loud growl to my right (I can't really hear out of my left ear...well, left hole in my head.)
I turn my head and growling from behind a tree is a massive creature with the muscular arms and legs of a human, with gnarly hands and feet. It has a hunched back and a malformed face with a massive mouth filled with sharp teeth. Its whole body is covered in scraggly grey hair. It's white eyes bore into me.
"Oh...shit..."
I turn to run but it jumps in front of me growling in my face.
I back up as it walks slowly towards me.
But just like me, concealed under the snow was a large network of tree roots, and OF COURSE, I trip and fall backwards.
The thing stands over me. I stab my bowie knife into its neck but that does nothing to it.
This is where I die, I'm sure of it.
Why did I have to leave Poland? Why did I leave my family, my friends. I think about them around my terror.
I don't even scream. I've accepted it.
Shing
Five long black blades have sliced right through the monster. The third one an inch away from my nose.
The monster is lifted up off of me.
And none other than Lady Dimitrescu stands in front of me holding up the monster by the blades that must be attached to her hands.
She squints at the thing.
"Vârcolac. Disgusting creatures."
She looks down at me and throws the thing to the side. She retracts the blades; are those her...nails?!
She gives me a smile. Something wicked in her yellow eyes.
"Now Julia, don't you know it's rude to leave of someone's house unannounced."
I stare up at her, absolutely bewildered.
"Well, what do you have to say for yourself?"
"I- I um, uh, I'm sorry my lady..."
She gives me a deep throaty chuckle.
She bends down and picks me up by the front of my shirt. I'm lifted up nine feet up into the air so we're face level.
She pulls me in so her head is beside mine, and her mouth is right next to my good ear.
"If you run away again, I will slit your throat, and have my daughters suck every last drop of blood from your body. Do you understand?"
She pulls be back so I can look at her.
What the fuck!!??
He heart is racing.
I nod.
She smiles.
"Good."
Looking below my chin I get a direct view of her cleavage; my cheeks gather a slight dusting of pink.
She looks down, her smile turning into a smirk.
Since she's holding me up by my shirt, it's pulled up to my rib cage, exposing my abdomen.
With her opposite hand she brings her fingernail to the soft skin of my belly.
She runs her cold nail down my warm flesh sending a shiver down my spine.
She toys with my waistband. Oh shit...
I feel my face flush. God damnit.
She chuckles
"Aw, cute."
She drops my shirt and I go plummeting 8 feet down to the ground.
I land in a heap in the snow.
"Daughters-" Stepping out from behind the trees, all three daughters appear. Fuck. "Please escort Julia to my chambers. I'd like to have a...word with her."