Y/N POV

The door to the right of the entrance hall lead only to a small room containing a broken lift. I tried pressing the button to call it but nothing happened. I didn't waste any more time, it was clear I'd not be able to get it working from here.

Instead, I figured it would be best to head the same way Ethan did, perhaps catch up with him, or at least find more of the castle to explore. Leaving the room, I crossed the entrance hall and instead went through the door to the left.

I followed a short corridor along, descended down a staircase before turning right towards another door. This lead me into what I assumed was the main hall of the house, I don't know where Ethan had gotten off to, I hadn't been trying to get that lift working long and yet he'd still somehow managed to just disappear without a trace.

Just as I was about to step out into the hall though the door directly on the other side burst. I instantly stepped back, only holding the door open a crack so that I could just about peer out and see what was going on.

My eyes narrowed when I saw the tall woman from the meeting emerge from the doorway, actually having to duck down to fit through the space before standing back upright. Behind her were three girls or women, I couldn't quite see their faces as they were partially  covered by black robes that seemed to fray off around the edges.

They didn't notice me so I kept watching as the tall woman whom I assume judging by the castle's name, Castle Dimitrescu, was actually the lady of this castle, turned to the three girls and began speaking.

"Daughters, search the castle." I thought back to the meeting with Mother Miranda and the lords, Dimitrescu did briefly mention her daughters, I guess this was them. One of the daughters spoke up in a confused tone "What? Why? We already have the manthing captured."

Lady Dimitrescu spun around and addressed her daughters. "There were two menthings at the meeting. Mother Miranda seemed to have miscalculated on her plan. It appears the other one is much more crafty. I want you three to spread out and find him, when you do, bring him to me."

All three spoke in unison "Yes mother. Right away." And then much to my surprise, all three dispersed into a cluster of flying insects disappearing from sight. I heard Lady Dimitrescu sigh before walking up the nearby staircase and also disappearing from sight.

I remained motionless, hidden behind the door for a while, trying to compose myself. Had the Dimitrescu family already captured Ethan? Was he alright? I had no idea what these people were capable of!

Cautiously I opened the door properly and began to make my way into the large hall. I took a moment to take in my surroundings. On the far end of the room was a set of double doors, I approached and tried to open it, unsurprisingly it was locked however I did notice a large plaque on the door with an inscription written on it.

'Mask of the angel's blinding gaze and only then will you be saved.'

I muttered "Mask, mask. Do I need to find a mask?" I stepped back and turned around. I looked up the stairs to another large room before my focus drifted along to the door which Lady Dimitrescu and her daughters had emerged from earlier.

I went towards the door and pushed it open revealing a rather spacious lounge area, on one end was a fireplace, the other side was another door. Naturally I went through the door and it was hear that I found an interesting sight.

At first it seemed to be an ordinary bedroom, if not a bit fancy. But on the far walls I came across something disturbing. Chains hung from the ceiling with hooks on the end. Blood dripped from the hooks and judging by the look and smell, I could tell it must have happened recently.

On the floor I noticed a bottle of that first aid medicine however it was empty, whoever had been hanging from those hooks must have used it. I was unsure whether it was Ethan or not. If so, it seems I'd have to search for him now as well as Rose.

I entered the lounge area again and it was here I noticed another interesting detail, behind the fireplace there appeared to be a tunnel leading to another area of the castle. I grinned, thinking I'd be able to avoid the main hall and continue my search, before I could though a door shut, closing off the passage.

I growled to myself in anger, someone had managed to get through before me, it must have closed behind them. Stepping back away from the closed off hidden passage I muttered "Main hall it is then."

Once again, I entered the main hall, the only area I'd not fully explored was the area up the stairs. I made my way up there to find another large room, a winding staircase lead up to the next floor a series of doors came off of both levels, heading to different areas within the castle.

Naturally my attention was on the door at the far end. I began walking towards it and actually made it half way across the room when I felt something scurrying on my right hand. Bringing it to my face I noticed a strange insect crawling about.

Suddenly it bit me, causing me to snap "What the-!" I swatted the insect off and that's when I heard a voice saying in a sarcastic tone. "You know, you really should treat insects with more respect."

Turning around and looking to the top of the stairs, I noticed a cluster of insects begin to descend the staircase. As they did so, my eyes narrowed, they began to merge together until they took on a humanoid form.

Image of the daughter (Bela Dimitrescu):

I raised my gun and aimed it at the daughter however she didn't flinch. She brandished a sickle in her hand and approached saying "Well, well. Looks like I found our stray little manthing. I bet you thought you were REALLY smart, hiding away. It's a good thing I decided to linger around here."

I snapped "Who the hell are you?!" The girl just laughed and got right in my face. I got a good look at her now, she had a young face, covered in blood and black make-up. She didn't answer my question and instead held her sickle near my face as she began saying.

"My, aren't you handsome. You know, wee don't get many men here. So when we do it's a real treat. I'm glad I got to you first. When mother's had her fill, I'm sure to get first dibs over Daniella and Cassandra."

That clicked something in my mind, Daniella and Cassandra were two of the names on that portrait in the entrance. I asked "So, I guess that makes you Bela then?" Bela let out another laugh before saying "Right you are! You know, you're smart for a manthing. It's a shame we have to feed off you!"

That was what pushed me over the edge, raising my gun I yelled "Like hell you will!" I opened fire, each shot hitting Bela in the forehead. However much to my surprise, she didn't even flinch, instead there was a hole in her forehead, surrounded by fluttering flies, they buzzed for a moment before forming together, not even leaving a dent.

Bela just grinned at me and said "Guns won't do you any good. Not here. Now, let's make this as fun as possible. I'm sure your blood tasted delicious." Since guns seemed to not harm her, all I could do was run. 

I pushed past Bela, causing a few of the insects on her shoulder to break away before quickly reforming. She turned and called after me "Where do you think you're going?!" I couldn't tell what she was doing however soon a swarm of insects began swarming around me, biting away.

I swatted away at them as I asked "What is it with mutated women and insects?!" First Marguerite, and now these daughters. I tried to get rid of the insects however they just kept swarming around me.

I ran back down the stairs into the main hall, I began looking around. It was now that I noticed a door just near where I'd entered the corridor, just off to the side. I approached it when the swarm of insects moved in front of me, quickly reforming into Bela. She stood in the corridor, sickle in hand as she said "Time to feast."

Even though I knew it wouldn't work, survival instincts kicked in and I once again opened fire, again the bullets just passed right through instead hitting the window behind her causing several cracks to appear.

Bela just stepped forward "When will you learn, guns can't harm me." Suddenly she stopped, turned around to look at the window behind her. At first, I didn't know why she looked so scared. However then the window shattered from the numerous bullets that hit it!

A gust of cold air blasted through the narrow corridor and to my surprise, Bela let out a scream of pain and collapsed to her knees! I took this opportunity to run, heading into the room off to the side and ducking out of sight.

Outside I could hear Bela yell "Where are you?! You'll pay for that?!" I kept silent hoping she would go away, I don't know why she wasn't just coming in here but I didn't want to argue. Instead my mind was focused on something else.

So, these Dimitrescu daughters couldn't be harmed by normal means, yet, the cold seemed to bother them. Perhaps I could use this to my advantage. I was concerned as to where Ethan had gotten off to. Would he be okay roaming the castle, hell, was Rose even here? Were we just wasting our time?

One thing was certain, I would need to be careful. And more importantly, I'd have to be strategic if I ever encountered Bela or her sisters again...

Author's Note: And that's it for this chapter. Now a few people requested I make the Dimitrescu daughters love interests or give them a big role in the story. I'm sorry I won't have anything romantic happen with them. I do intend to have Y/N actually fight one of them, who one it is, I won't say yet so that should be interesting, their crystal torso will also be a plot-point later down the line as well. I really hope you enjoyed the chapter and as always, thank you for reading.