As we continued our journey, I started to feel thirsty for blood. Before I knew it, my desire had become a physical need that was slowly consuming me. I felt moody and irritable, like a wild animal waiting to be fed. Viktor's blood had only kept me going for so long and I could feel the emptiness in my stomach growing with every passing second.
Viktor was walking right in front of me, and I stole glances at him, admiring the great strength of his body and the seriousness of his face. Suddenly, I felt an urge to leap onto him, sink my teeth into his neck and drink his blood. But then my humanity came back to me, and I stopped myself.
I looked away from Viktor and concentrated on walking instead. The strangest quiver captured me, like nothing I had ever felt before; and I was afraid it could become uncontrollable. I clenched my fists and dug my nails into my palms, as hard as I could. The feeling of pain was the only thing that kept me away from Viktor's neck. Along the walk, I repeated this ritual over and over again.
I noticed Viktor glancing at me with a puzzled expression a few times, as if he could tell something was off, but he remained silent.
"We need to carry on! We're almost there," Viktor whiffed suddenly, as if addressing the room instead of me.
I carried on in utter silence, following winding paths that seemed to lead us all to hell until we reached this opening. My ears picked up the ripples way before, but now the scene was truly splendid.
Stalactites and stalagmites soared above us, creating majestic pillars that made me feel small and insignificant in comparison. Water cascaded from all sides, gushing out of nowhere almost, to pill this never-ending pond right at the base of an impressive crevice. The air was damp, almost refreshing as thick fog engulfed the area around. We had finally reached Drochfhuil, the underground cascade.
"I thought you'd never arrive!" a voice echoed from beyond the water.
Soon, a woman with pale hair emerged out of obscurity... For a moment, I was afraid of seeing Naran's face but it was Baba Anushka the one who greeted us. As she came into view, relief flooded my veins.
Raoul ran up to her and embraced her tightly. He lifted her off the ground, spinning her around in a circle before setting her down. They stayed in each other's arms for some time afterwards. Then Baba approached Viktor with a smile. She caressed his cheek gently and spoke words of comfort in an unknown language. I couldn't make out what she said, but it seemed to be coming from the heart. At last, she faced me, and with one gentle hand on my shoulder, she brushed the strands of my dishevelled hair back in place.
"I am so happy you're all in one piece." Baba Anushka said to us, then carried in an angry tone. "Queen Naran brought me to trial too," Baba's jaw clenched as she spoke, her eyes blazing. "She tried to get the Council to banish me, but they voted against it - no surprise there, they owe me! But that didn't stop her," Baba spat. "That woman closed down my Red Moon Club in Babel. Can you believe it? That wretched bitch!"
Viktor slowly stepped closer to Baba and held her hands. Unable to look into her eyes, he kneeled before her.
"Please accept my sincerest apologies, Baba'', he began solemnly. "Bringing Lucy to your club was a mistake on my part," he said softly. "It was my fault Naran wanted revenge on you. Please let me know what I can do to amend the situation."
Baba smiled gently, patting Viktor's hands in hers and shaking her head. "It was only a matter of time before something like this happened; Naran was looking for any excuse to get rid of me. So don't blame yourself."
"Her time will come," Raoul growled, and I saw a darkness in his eyes that was so out of character it scared me.
***
Soon after we were reunited, Baba pointed towards an opening amidst the deluge, and we used it to escape that cavern system.
Alas, my lungs could feel the freshness of the air once more; a splendid moon ornated the sky with its full might. Its haze was slowly spreading through the shallow mist turning the atmosphere into a fairytale.
With my first steps, I felt the dewy grass caressing my tense skin. I stopped; to take a break and breathe in deeply. It wasn't really happiness that I was feeling, but rather something else… release from death's gruesome grip.
"Lucy, are you coming?" Raoul's voice ruined the solemnity of the whole moment.
"Sure." I retorted with a feeble voice.
Part of me wanted to rest idle at that moment for eternity, so I could grasp the peace my soul was craving.
It wasn't possible, thus I just followed Viktor and the others until we reached this small cottage perched on the edge of a cliff. The small stone structure looked rather meagre, but I could not complain.
"We'll stay here for the night," Baba explained. "You need to rest and regain your strength."
The idea of resting was tantalising; however, what I really needed was to feed, not to sleep. My veins were tingling and my fangs were begging to be revealed and soak in the sweet nectar that would quench my hunger. However, I smiled and nodded at Baba. Viktor glanced at me discreetly. Could he tell something was wrong?
We stepped inside the cabin and it was obvious that it had not been used in a long time. The walls were covered in a thick layer of cobwebs, and there was a distinct musty smell coming from the furniture. Baba showed us around the two small rooms, each with its own double bed.
"You and Viktor will sleep here, and Raoul and I will have the adjacent room." She said when we entered the second, smallest room, and proceeded to smile with kindness as usual.
"I know it's not much, but it's far better than sleeping under the open sky with the beasts lurking throughout the forest."
"Thank you," I muttered and turned my gaze towards the narrow bed that awaited us, with hay trapped in a piece of cloth to act as a meager mattress. It wasn't much, but what else could I do… compared to that putrid dungeon this looked like a lavish palace.
"I might be able to arrange a meal soon, but there's something I need to do first," she spoke while stealing looks at Raoul, who responded with an amused grin.
She left us there and walked into the other room with Raoul. Viktor and I were still at odds with one another, thus silence reigned supreme once more. With nothing else to do, I tried to sleep, as he refused to sit on the bed, and stood on a makeshift recliner.
All sorts of thoughts crossed my mind now, but none of them relinquished their dark prison. I thought of blood, and flashes of feeding off that young man while having sex with Viktor came back to me before falling asleep. However, it wasn't long before I was awakened by a loud noise and a scream coming from Baba's room. Deep gasps and screeching sounds engulfed the cottage as if mayhem took place mere feet away.
I couldn't find my rest because of it and I was worried that something bad was happening, thus I climbed off the bed and walked into the small hallways parting the rooms. The source of all that struggle was in the other room, and I pushed the door slightly open.
"My God…" I uttered to myself as the small wooden door began to crack.
The scene I saw was unbelievable!
Right there, in front of me, laid Raoul strapped to a chair, completely naked, while Baba was gagged herself but free to move. She was masturbating him with one hand while with the other she was screeching his chest with her sharp nails. Raoul's throaty screams of pleasure echoed in the room as Baba pinched his nipples, and he trembled in delight.
The contrast between the two was mesmerising: Baba's plump body showed some scars in her abdomen but she had a striking physique and full, big breasts; while Raoul's chiselled body, slender pale figure, and massive erect cock were truly a sight to behold.
Baba moaned as she continued her ritual and soon enough Raoul started panting, almost on the brink of orgasm. I watched in awe as Baba proceeded to use wax on Raoul's nipples and genitals. Raoul was clearly in ecstasy, but Baba seemed also to savour what she was doing. I simply stood there and watched them, spellbound.
My heart began to pound harder and harder when I felt a hot breath on my neck.