My New Toy (Completed)

Chapter 1: Castle Dimitrescu

Irene Smith was a young girl fresh out of college, wanting to travel the country of Europe and see different places. Her interest led her to Romania and in the deep woods close to a small village. It was a strange part of the woods. No one dared to talk about anything connected to this town. The villagers told Irene to turn back around and go home, or go anywhere but here. She wasn't about to let the locals scare her off from something so interesting.

The girl made her way toward the castle and snuck around carefully to find a way in. Irene craved adventure when she started traveling and she would get it when she wanted it. Upon climbing the gate and making her way up close to the large castle, the young girl could only find a bottom entrance that was close to a basement which smelled of rotted flesh. The locals weren't kidding when they said something weird was going on up here at the castle but that didn't stop Irene from going inside. Kicking away a loose window, she climbed in carefully to avoid anything that could potentially harm her in any way. Upon entering the basement, Irene carefully walked around, feeling something wet squish beneath her sneakers until it stopped when she found the staircase. She quietly walked up, holding onto the rails with shaky hands and finally found a door that leads to the main floor of the castle. Pushing it open slowly, she looked around just by peeking her head out slightly and then emerging then shutting the door quietly. The whole place was silent. It looked like something out of the renaissance times. Large home, nice pictures and trinkets decorating the halls. The atrium had a large painting in it with three young girls on it and read the names: Bela, Cassandra, & Daniela.

"Wow so beautiful..." She told herself quietly and touched the painting carefully to not smudge it with her fingers. Each girl was dressed in their best clothes and hair curled, looking ever so delicate. Irene never thought she'd see a painting like this one hanging inside a home as big as this.

"Aren't they?" Proudly said an older woman's voice that came from upstairs on the second floor, where Irene looked to find a woman a white dress with a black carnation attached, black leather gloves, stunning pearl necklace with a pendant attached, and a large black sun hat. She was so pale but had the most beautiful crimson lips and piercing yellow eyes. A smirk displayed on her face while holding a cigarette in between her gloved fingers, a hungry look as if she were sizing up Irene for something.

"I...I'm sorry I thought this place was abandoned...I was just..."

The woman started to walk down the stairs and the closer she got the more Irene saw her true height. She was so much taller than the height of an average man.

"You what, dearie? Trespassed onto private property?" She laughed as she took a puff off the cigarette and blew the smoke in another direction, bending down to get a good look at Irene. Her gloved fingers grabbed her face firmly, looking her over and instantly could hear her heartbeat getting faster. "You look like a delicious young morsel. Enough to last me a long time.~ What's your name, sweetheart?"

"I-Irene Smith, ma'am."

Delicious morsel?! What is this woman?! Irene though horrifically and tried to figure a way out of this place. If not that lady would eat her for dinner. She had to get out and fast.

"What a lovely name for a beautiful young woman. So fitting.~" The tall woman chuckled and breathed in Irene's scent as if intrigued, licking her lips at the smell. Irene took her hair in her hand and sniffed it slowly wondering what smelled bad about her, unless...

"D-Do I smell funny? I know I showered this morning..." She managed to stutter out before the woman grabbed her wrist firmly and felt around for a pulse. Irene pulled back quickly but the older woman was faster and jerked her back in by the arm.

"On the contrary, dear. You smell wonderful."

"You know I should get back..."

"Why leave...? You just got here. Maybe we should sit down and chat. You're old enough to drink right? How about some wine with me? I insist.~" The woman loosened her grip on Irene's arm and placed a hand on her shoulder to lead the girl to the parlor room.