Hair stuck to your face as you darted through the rain, tangling in curls around your jaw. But the slickness of the raindrops, the feelings of your suitcase beating and bruising against your knees, the thudding of your heartbeat in your ears, it was all the least of your concern. No. Your main focus right now was the wolves that gnashed at your heel, the sound of snarling growls ever so close to the skin of your leg. Faster and Faster you ran, fighting through the wet fabric of your clothes and the brush of the thicket.

You didn’t stop till you reached brick, till your shoes were beating against the pavement of stairs and wood of a porch. A large, crumbling, castle; with winding carvings of wood and marble. It was clearly abandoned, but still, that didn’t take away from its haunting charm. The authentic Victorian architecture. You hoped nobody would mind as you pulled open the looming wooden doors, slamming them shut behind you. A chaste breath of relief escaped your lungs, as you melted onto the marble floor with your suitcase pressed beside you.

“Who are you.” The voice was cold and calloused enough to get your eyes wide and afraid, flittered around and searching for the source. Your gaze landed on the winding staircase before you, lingering on the ominous silhouette that stood perched on the landing, Cold blue eyes might yours as she spoke again, repeating her words with a sharp etch to them; “Who are you and what, pray thee, are you doing in my home.”

You scrambled to your feet, smoothing yourself out and frantically attempting to make yourself presentable. it was obvious she was noble. Just a glance at the fine red velvet of her dress and the orris hem, littered in pearls and jewels you doubted you knew the name of, made it all too clear. The rouged cheeks and painted lip, the fine shadow ofof her eyes and that unmistakable power that tailed her like a dog as she stood before you. And were you going insane or were those fangs… making themself visible from just beneath her top lip?