Bathing in Blood

Bathing in Blood - Part 13

Please note: this chapter contains the most violence/blood in the story. It is not very graphic at all, but if blood is a problem for you please do read with caution.

Elizabeth came forward, putting her hand out to touch the barrel. She smiled softly when she could feel the vibrations from inside, the vibrations of a shivering girl.

"You've disappointed me, Natalia. I thought you would present more of a challenge than that."

She could hear the girl begin to whimper and cry. She knew she was caught.

"Come out of the barrel," Elizabeth commanded.

Natalia did not stir. She was paralyzed with fear, not daring to move.

Elizabeth's face turned fiercely angry at the disobedience of the girl. "I SAID COME OUT!" She put up her foot and kicked the barrel as hard as she could.

A screech of pain could be heard as it toppled to the floor, rolling a few feet away and stopping in front of where Anna stood.

"Get her out of there!"

"Yes, Elizabeth." Anna reached down and pried the wooden lid off of the barrel, ignoring the splinters that scratched her fingers. "Get out of there, you little brat! Do as you're told, why don't you?"

Reaching into the barrel, she took a hold of Natalia's arms and began to yank her out. The girl was back to sobbing wildly, thrashing and writhing and trying desperately not to leave her hiding place. But Anna was much stronger than she appeared, and in a minute she was able to throw the girl out onto the dirt floor.

Natalia was once again covered in dirt and dust. Her skin was scraped and bleeding where she hit the wood of the barrel when Anna kicked her over. Her now short hair was a mess, her eyes red from sudden crying.

"Look at you." Elizabeth's voice was low and dangerous. "Pathetic." She spit on the ground near Natalia's face. "And here I thought you might take me seriously when I told you this game could win you your freedom. But you didn't listen, did you? Answer me, you little bitch!"

"I-I did listen!" she cried, barely able to raise her head up from the ground. "Y-you cheated!"

"Cheated? Cheated, did I? How, wretch, did I cheat?"

Natalia pointed to the two dogs. "You didn't t-tell me you had b-bloodhounds!"

Elizabeth cackled with laughter. "You stupid, stupid girl! When I gave you the rules of my little game I said Anna and I will leave this room and begin to look for you with any means that we can think of. These dogs comply with what I said, don't they? DON'T THEY?"

"Yes!" she sobbed, realizing her mistake all too late.

"You agreed with me. You said you had no objections. Do you regret not paying attention, Natalia? I bet you do. But it is simply too late for regrets, the game is over! You have lost!" Elizabeth extended her arm, holding out the jewelled dagger. "Your time has come, Natalia! It is time for you to die!"

Her blue eyes, now red and filled with tears, shot open in terror. "No! No, please! I beg you, don't kill me, I'll do anything!" She threw herself at the Countess's feet, crying and screaming and begging for mercy.

Elizabeth kicked her away, her boot hitting the girl right in the face. "Don't touch me!" she snarled.

Natalia was on her hands and knees, now trying to crawl away.

"I don't think so!" Anna cried. She stomped her shoe onto the girl's back, pushing her to the floor. "Elizabeth, let us finish this now. I will begin the spell. Ready your knife!" She took her foot from Natalia's back, but kicked her in the ribs to keep her from moving away again.

Anna took a step back while Elizabeth came nearer to the girl with her knife raised. She closed her eyes and began to chant.

Princeps infernum, audi vocem meam. Hanc simul parati sumus interficere.

Hoc est sacrificium.

Elizabeth reached down and wrapped her hand around Natalia's throat. Pulling with all her strength, she lifted the girl to her feet.

Accipe et beatus. Da nobis gratiam vicissim.

She took her dagger and placed the tip of it at the top of the girl's arm. Natalia whimpered and shook, but she no longer had the energy to fight back.

Erit autem sanguis vobis dabit pulchrum.

The knife dragged slowly down Natalia's pale flesh. She cried in pain. The blade cut deeper and deeper as it went down. Blood immediately began to spring up from the wound. It dripped down her arm and onto the floor.

Da nobis virtutem. Da nobis substantiam.

Elizabeth watched as the red liquid spilled from Natalia's arm. She continued to drag the blade. The girl cried and screamed at the pain, but could not move from the Countess's grasp. Her voice was growing more faint as she watched her own blood flow.

Nos tibi hanc. Accipe et beatus. Felix et quodcumque petierimus accipiemus nobis.

The knife reached Natalia's wrist. This was it; this was the end.

Petimus in nomine diaboli. Exaudi nos et ineamus foedus ut sit.

Cackling loudly, Elizabeth drew the blade over the final few inches of her victim's skin. The cries of agony echoed off the walls. Anna seemed to glow with fire as she finished the chant, and Elizabeth was buzzing with the excitement of another kill.

When Elizabeth finally put down her knife, Natalia was only barely alive. She could no longer shriek, but she stared in horror at her own mutilated arm.

"It is almost over, Natalia," the Countess whispered.

The fast-fading girl looked up at her captor, soon to be murderer. "What are you?"

Elizabeth smiled. Softly, sweetly. Like nothing had ever happened. "Oh, little lamb, don't you know? I'm not just any old woman. I'm made of the stuff your nightmares come from, pet. I feed off your fear, I relish in your pain."

Natalia's breathing was growing shallow, her lungs struggling to work as she continued to bleed. "What are you?"

The Countess didn't reply; only smiled. She took her knife, raised it high, and gave out a loud cry. She brought it down fiercely, plunging it into the heart of the girl. Natalia was dead.

This is not the end! We still have two or three chapters remaining. MWAHAHAHA!