"Take it easy."
"No way! Getting bitten hurts like hell!"
"Easy, easy."
Arguing with Evelyn, who coos "Just let it bite you♡" while fleeing a Bug Bitch, she soothes without explaining. She's brimming with confidence in her "great idea."
"I can't wait for dinner."
"Be patient, princess!"
"Fine, whatever!"
Cornered in a dead-end room, the Bug Bitch—now a girl from a swarm of insects—bites my neck. Bug or vampire, pick one! I shove her off and escape to the hallway.
"Mother said so, but you're tasty."
"Is this okay!?"
"Not satisfied yet. Serious?"
No reply from Evelyn. Turning, I see her standing beyond the Bug Bitch, legs planted.
"Big Sis Cassandra! Over here!"
"What!?"
The Bug Bitch—Cassandra Dimitrescu—flinches. She turns, spots Evelyn, and panics. My blood must've made Evelyn visible to her, like with Lady Dimitrescu.
"Another intruder!? No, what did you say?"
"Sis, where you looking? Here!"
Evelyn walks into a wall, vanishes, then reappears before me, winking. That's her plan.
"I only have Bela and Daniela as sisters! You're no sister! What are you!?"
"Hahahahaha!"
Cassandra swings her scythe, but it passes through Evelyn, who sinks into the floor, pops from a wall, laughing. Terrifying, even knowing the trick. Evelyn moves behind Cassandra, arm around her shoulder, faces inches apart, smirking. She mouths "Go!" to me. Ignoring Cassandra's frenzied scythe swings, I move on.
"Big Sis Cassandra, we'll be together forever!"
"AAAAAAAH!?"
Her scream echoes as I recall: Evelyn's the worst monster.
Finding a boarded-up crawlspace in the dead-end room, I break through to a basement entrance and jump down. No ladder, just pain. Underground, I find a maid's diary from 1958. Lady Dimitrescu and her three daughters existed then, with female villagers as servants. Upset them, and you're knifed or dragged below. Intriguing note:
"Opened a window for heat, and all three daughters yelled, 'Close it!'"
Their weakness? Bugs, windows… heat… cold air? No blowtorch, but a windowed room might give me a shot.
"Ethan!"
"Evelyn?"
"Behind you!"
Her voice. I drop the diary, turn, and a tiny fist grazes my face.
"You're family too—kidding! Sorry, sorry! Stop scratching my face!"
Her punch passes through, but I'm pissed, so I grab her laughing face, twisting. She cries, blushing, apologizing. Feels wrong, thrilling.
"What's that about?"
"Reminded me of where Jack got you."
"Almost gave me a heart attack."
"Left Cassandra freaking out upstairs."
"You're brutal."
"Ghost's my job now!"
Evelyn beams, satisfied. The crawlspace leads to a wine cellar where Lady Dimitrescu's massive form looms. I freeze. Evelyn's face pops from the wall.
"Big-Ass Lady… oops!"
"Who's there?"
Evelyn retracts. Lady Dimitrescu scans, shrugs, and ducks through a small door with a wine bottle. I crawl out, glaring at Evelyn, who emerges from the wall.
"Forgot she can hear and see you now?"
"Sorry, sorry, spare my face!"
"Ugh."
The door's locked. A deeper path leads to a "Battle Hall," walls carved with warriors. "Light the way," it says. I move a brazier, lighting a candelabrum, and a wall slides open.
"Better than Baker's shadow puzzles."
"Yep!"
The dark passage reveals a dungeon—shackles, torture tools, bloodstains. A document lists four "compatible" and twelve "disposed" maids. Like the Bakers' "conversion" lists.
"Alina, ravenous. Michaela, ravenous. Lois, ravenous. Ingrid, unstable, occasionally conscious…? Making zombies, not family?"
"They might be here."
"Could be."
"Ethan, don't leave me!"
"You're intangible. Get used to it."
Bantering like family, we press on. A growl. Evelyn points.
"There!"
"Damn!"
I fire my handgun into the dark. A mummified figure in a robe, clutching an axe, collapses. Not Lycans—more come, wielding swords, axes. I run.
"What are these!?"
"My friends are cuter."
"Both suck!"
Firing to hold them off, I escape. Those must be the maids' fates. Worse than the Bakers. That Big-Ass Lady—Alcina Dimitrescu—is a monster.
Notes: Ethan's blood makes Evelyn visible, terrifying foes. Horror inspired by my Fate/Grand Order [The Arms Dealer]—check it for cute Evelyn! Hope you enjoyed. Feedback, ratings, or typo reports boost my writing speed!