"In Time..My Love Will Find You."...open for Destiny only.

Isabelle woke up with a scream on her lips, She came forth clawing at the bedsheets as she awoke and found no one there. Magda was just coming in with her food for the day and she shook herself as she slowly sat up in the bed and she whispered to Magda," I haven't dreamed like that since I was a child Magda, horrible nightmares all night through of blood and men dying." She lifted her eyes to the woman and she whispered,' you don't think...?" Magda shook her head," No child... he will come back you will see... he always comes back to ye." She moved to place the tray on the table near to hand," now eat up and I will get your clothing, we have to catalog the herb room today and you wanted to check the rushes in the hall and the tapestries. You were going to make a decision on which ones to change and which ones to place in their place." Isabelle shook her head knowing Magda was right, she had to stay busy. Those dreams though stayed with her through the day and through most of the afternoon. Isabelle felt like someone was constantly watching her, although she couldn't fathom who.


No one watched her, the sun had set and she was in a small room at the top of the tavern. She laughed at the rat she had left in Isabelle's room, " what a scared bitch.." she shook her head and slipped off her cloak as she moved about the room. She had paid for the night but she wouldn't be staying, she didn't live like these others..." peasant's all of them." She growled and she slipped the bags of gold out from under her skirt where she had tied them only the night before and she shook her head, " his gold it is paying for his wife to die, how ironic." She laughed and tossed it on the bed as she moved to the window, she waited for the tavern to begin to calm down and she gathered all of her belongings and left the room, it was time to eat and she was ravenous.



Isabelle once more took up the tapestry needle and sow of her maids were laughing and teasing each other as they examined all of the clothing for the new babe, now washed and dry they examined them for holes or tears, not that they would find any, but it kept the room light and cheerful and Isabelle didn't have to brood about the nightmares of the night before. Slowly thought the maids began to show their tiredness and they were all excused by expert Magda," go and double the guards for me Magda please?" When Magda left Isabelle went to her bed and she slipped two daggers there beneath the pillows and strapped one to her thigh. She couldn't shake the feeling of being hunted and she was not going to go without a fight. Feeling a bit better now she moved to the bed and slipped in between the covers of the bed in the alcove and soon fell once more into a fitful sleep.....

"isabellllllleeeeeeeeee......................isabelllleeeeeeeeeeee.... " a voice called out of the darkness," he isn't coming back for you... he has found another... " She ran through the darkness and came to a clearing... there in the arms of another was her Eric, the woman he held had long black hair and crystal blue eyes and she laughed and kissed him. He looked up blankly at Isabelle and he laughed too and walked away with the other woman on his arm..


"NOOOOOOOOOO!" She screamed coming awake, the bright sunlight filtered into the room and she started to cry," Eric... please... hurry home." She rose from her bed feeling more tired than not and she dressed automatically. the maids were more than likely tending to their morning chores and Magda was cooking her food. None aware that awaiting them outside the gates of Blackthorn hall was the devil himself.


She moved stealthily from the well near the barracks to the well near the warrior's homes. She didn't touch the main well of the hall where only the water for the household was drawn, as if it were golden water. She drained the small keg-like barrels she had dragged with her from the apothecary home, he was dead he wouldn't miss them and she filled the wells with the contents of the barrels. She had also moved to the gate in the early morning JUST before dawn and she had pulled the lever that held the gate closed and she pushed it open slightly," Welcome to your new home Nefarious... you bastard." she turned and melted off headed to the caves to the very back of the hall well hidden by the shore's deep incline and there she hid for the rest of the day... never hearing how her plan played out...


"LADY ISABELLE, TAKE THE CHILDREN AND LOCK THE DOOR BEHIND ME, BARRICADE IT WITH WHAT YOU CAN, YOUR LIVES ARE IN DANGER, WE HAVE BEEN OVERRUN BLACKTHORN HAS FALLEN!!!"


Isabelle ran to her room and she wrenched the door closed and slammed the bolt. The children ran to the other side of the room and they huddled into the corner, Magda came into the room from the alcove as Isabelle shoved and pushed and fought with a large armoire. She screamed as she felt something rip inside her and she still kept moving. Finally, with the piece of furniture in place, she begins to move about the room scrambling to get it all into the door's way. The blood flowed along her thighs unchecked and till she moved," take them to the alcove Magda," the fighting is getting closer. "

She prayed Eric would come, said every pray she had learned as a child as she began to smell smoke. An axe could be heard on the far side of the door and the children began to sob as she shook her head," she would not go without a fight. She moved to the weapons rack and pulled out a blade a lighter one used by the squire, but still just as deadly and she waited for them to come, and come they did. Men began to pour into the room, Nefarious leading the way and he stopped looking at her and he chuckled," Still as beautiful as ever, my dear, Come beg me and I will let you live... as my slave?" the men laughed and one began to ransack the room moving to the alcove before Isabelle could move and he dragged the maid from the room and the two children, Magda by her hair.

The men all stood around and watched as the other man tossed the kids almost to Isabelle's feet and she gathered them behind her and still held her sword with both hands before her. Magda faired worse to start, her clothing was ripped from her body and although she was older she was still a healthy-looking woman. the men began to move en masse to the woman as she began to scream, Nefarious merely watched and Isabelle moved to the far wall her children behind her," Magda don't scream they will only make it worse. What do you want here Alexander..." yes she had known him even as a child she had hated him. He used to pick on the maids at her home when his father would visit. Several told her he had raped them when he was older, she didn't doubt that now as she watched the men begin to have their way with her maid and she couldn't do anything about it... and then they turned to her.

Nefarious stayed them with one hand," the bitch is mine... you can play with her son and daughter.." she licked his lips and he smiled as he moved forward as Isabelle swung her sword..'" eric will come and he will kill you, Alexander." She swung the sword along his rib and she connected, he never could guard his side from someone shorter. He growled and rushed her, she was lost to his mightier reach and strength. He gripped her by her hair and dragged her closer to his body and left the children cowering in the corner, her turned her and held her by one arm to her chest as she kicked and screamed and fought like a tigress. The men moved for the children and her little man, her brave little man jabbed one in the foot as he was dragged up by his neck and with one shake his neck snapped and he fell to the floor like a limp rag doll. She screamed, "NOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Gawd no they are only children, Please ... Please Stop I will do anything.." The men heeded not and grabbed her little girl, her beautiful little girl, she was removed of her clothing and defiled as well, her mirror as Eric has always called her. The men laughed and cheered on each other until the little girl screamed her last and died.

She was all that was left in the room with all those men, Nefarious cleared the room with one order, " OUT!" The men began to vanish and he tossed her to the bed she barely clung to the post as he moved to a table that held a carafe of wine and the goblets. He poured him a goodly portion and then another quaffing them down as he looked at her and he growled," strip... strip as you do for your husband you whore." He tilted his head and lied," I have Eric in binds down below and if you please me I will let him and you live..." She looked at him hope in her eyes as he moved forward, " if you do not he will die this day and you will become my whore." Isabelle clung to the bedpost sobbing as she kept reliving what had been done to her children in her head, She felt the loss of the child in her womb the blood-caked there and she still didn't move. Nefarious grew impatient and moved forward and yanked her about. He looked her over and with one hand ripped the fabric down the front of her body, he looked his fill of her and slid his hands along her breasts gripping each one painfully, and then looked at the blood," will merely make it easier to fuck your body, Isabelle. She made a move to dash and he grabbed her by her hair and flung her to the bed. He fought with his breeches and finally had his cock out as he dragged her kicking and screaming under him and raped her body, over and over and over again. She clawed his face and she screamed and kicked he just continued. He flipped her over and dragged her onto her hands and knees and then grabbed her by her hair as he chuckled, "And now you will be my bitch Isabelle," he raped her arse fucking her like a dog and just as he was about to cum he dragged his short sword across her throat and severed her head from her body, her twitching body milking the cum from his still spasming cock.


"M'LORD.. WE ARE BETRAYED.. BLACKTHORN RETURNS...."Nefarious lifted Isabelle and tossed her where the children lay and her head was soon cast the same way as he left the room tying up his breeches.

She had watched him for almost a year, the man she had arranged to have his entire family killed. Her sister had been his mistress when the Lady Isabelle arrived and she had been cast from the castle like so much trash. She moved it he shadows f the night, and she laughed gently," do you know who I am Lord Blackthorn?" She almost felt him flinch when he heard that name," My sister was Magelda, the Romy daughter of a passing gypsy clan. do you remember her?"

Blackthorn growled as he watched her, his face unkempt his body filthy and he clenched his dagger," what do you want you gypsy whore, be gone."

She laughed and she shook her head as she leaned against the tree the moon scattered along her hair as she spoke, the rich black ebony locks filtered it he night air," Oh I am gypsy no more, Blackthorn. You see my sister came back to the camp after you had , had your fill of her and she was cast out to die. She as carrying your child, horrible fate for a gypsy wench. Oh we usually take care of our own, and often do, but you see she had the mark upon her, she was cursed. And being cursed in a gypsy camp is never a good thing, o she died along with the babe Blackthorn, and for that I came hunting you." She moved with lightening quick speed and was behind him before he knew it and she stopped and stroked his cheek and back and zipped away again before he could turn to do any damage. Her laughter filtered through the forest as she moved continuously teasing him and dancing away, tiring him out.

Finally he sank to his knees as she danced up closer and sealed his fate to her for all time. She fed him her blood, the sweetest taste in the world filtered into his senses and he wanted more, but she only fed him a few drops. It would take a few night to get him fully in her control, but for now he would want her with all the passion a man could have for a woman. He rose looking up at her an he offered her a smile and then moved to kiss her, her mouth slid to his neck and she fed off him. He was a bit weakened, but she left him to live.

" Go to Blackthorn hall, it was cleaned and repaired, I will meet you there tomorrow night. Go and do my bidding." She turned and vanished into the night her plan started she would exact her revenge on her sister's death, he would make love to her in the very room where his dead wife Isabelle could watch as a ghost and cry.

The time Eric had spent in the forest had not been kind to him. His state of mind was such that he had gone almost completely mad. Long scraggly beard, his long black hair now reached almost to his waist, unkempt, filthy, and he smelled. His clothing was in shreds, his once polished boots were full of holes. He had given up. The only thought that kept him on the border of reality was Nefarious, he would have his revenge in this world or the next.

He sat at the base of the tree in the moonlit night, cackling laughter emanating from his throat. He toyed with his sword as if thrusting at an imaginary foe. His high pitched cackling laughter could be heard in the night as he amused himself with impaling Nefarious on his blade. Over and over in his mind he devised ways to torture him before death would come to this fiend that had done such a vile act to his family.

Laughing and cackling to himself one second, and the next wails of sorrow would engulf him. Then, silence.....he would stare blankly into the night unmoving, uncaring, wishing death would somehow extend a pious hand and erase his existence.

It was during one of these moments of blankness that a woman had stood in front of him where he sat.

"Do you know who I am Lord BlackThorn?"

In his stupor, the woman's question echoed in his mind, he didn't so much as flinch as she would move about him like a shadow. One moment she would be in front of him, the next she would speak from over his shoulder almost in a hiss.

"My sister was Magelda, the Romy daughter of a passing gypsy clan, do you remember her?"

Her prodding questions kept coming trying to jar his memory of a time long past. Of a time of impetuousness from his days of youth, before the death of his father. He didn't care to remember anything. Outside thoughts and reminders only served to mar the memory of his beloved family........"Isaaaaaabbbeeeellllllllle!" Hot tears rolled down his face as he remembered her severed head, as he had seen her tortured body and those of his children.

He thrust his sword at the creature that was torturing his mind but she was to fast. She didn't seem real, in his mind she was one more demon he had to conquer.

"What do you want you gypsy whore, be gone." "You play tricks with my mind, you are not real!"

"!!..NNNNNNNNNEEEEEEEEFFFFFFFAAAAAARRRRRIIIIOOOOOUUUUUUUSSSSSSS!!"
he screamed. His whole body was shaking with seathing unquenchable anger.

He arose from his sitting position and ran through the forest unmindful of the limbs and branches that pulled at the remnants of his clothing, leaving large tufts of his hair caught on the branches. He wanted to even the score in his clouded mind and this apparition was fishing in his senses trying to bring up memories he no longer cared to even think about.

He ran until his lungs were about to burst, and finally collapsed at the bottom of a huge tree. Again the taunting voice was there, it had followed him, it would seem he could not be rid of her. She moved with lightning speed as she now spoke to him from behind the tree, and then over his right shoulder then in front of him.

"Oh I am gypsy no more, BlackThorn. You see my sister came back to the camp after you had your fill of her and she was cast out to die. She was carrying your child! Horrible fate for a gypsy wench. Oh..., we usually take care of our own, and often do, but you see she had the mark upon her..., she was cursed! And being cursed in a gypsy camp is never a good thing, o she died along with the babe BlackThorn, and for that I came hunting you!"

Her taunting movements were mesmerizing him. Then all of a sudden, she stopped and stroked his cheek and back and zipped away again before he could turn to do any damage. Her laughter filtered through the forest as she moved continuously teasing him and dancing away, tiring him out.

He tried to rise but only got as far as his knees, when she came. She had produced blood out of nowhere and now pressed her body to his mouth beckoning him to drink. It was disgusting to him as the liquid continued to drain into is mouth. His mind was repulsed by the thought of having blood in his mouth, but the taste was that of sweet ambrosia, still he did not swallow.

This was his imagination playing tricks, this could not be happening. He tried pushing her away but she held on to him with an iron grip he could not break. Still he didn't swallow. He found his footing and stood in front of her, he would lure her until she became relaxed and then he would strike her down and end this nightmare.

He smiled at her, as she moved closer but with lightning speed she was on him and he felt her teeth sink into the side of his neck. Searing pain registered in his face as she buried her fangs into the side of his neck. She was like a leech feeding from his life force, and no amount of effort to make her desist would even move her. She was a leech gluttoning on his blood. He felt himself growing weak, the poor diet he had been living on, the shock of his tortured mind, and now the draining of his life supply was taking its toll.

Reluctantly she finally backed off, as if calculating how much she should take from him before he died. He felt absolute abhorrence for this creature, this woman who appeared as a seductress but was some sort of vile creature of the night. Somehow she was connected to the events that had befallen him and his family he was sure of it. For the moment his troubled mind could not make sense of anything.

"Go to BlackThorn hall, it has been cleaned and repaired, I will meet you there tomorrow night. Go and do my bidding!"

She then turned and vanished before his eyes into the night.

'What sorcery was this?"...he wondered. 'Did I dream all of this?"....he felt the side of his neck. It was sore, and his hand came back smeared with his own blood.' '!!No!, it had really happened, here was proof it had not been a dream. He spat out the remaining taste of her blood from his mouth. The sweet taste of it had almost made him swallow and want more, but now he was sure somehow this creature was behind everything that had happened. Again he spat out the taste of her foul but sweet elixir. He reached down and picked up some soft soil, and brought it to his mouth so he could continue to spit out any remaining traces of what may remain.

Weakly he slumped down against the tree, his thoughts returned to her last request..."Go to BlackThorn hall, it has been cleaned and repaired, I will meet you there tomorrow night. Go and do my bidding!"... 'How did she have such knowledge of BlackThorn Hall?" Perplexing questions broiled in his mind serving the purpose of helping his tortured mind to regain a small grip on sanity. Tears once more welled in his eyes, as his thoughts went back to his beloved. Soon after he slept.....

Troubling dreams of vile creatures dancing amid flames now coursed through his dreams, and the strange creature that had visited him was in the midst of the other vile creatures, and then the face of the most vile, laughing and taunting him. The face he would never forget for all eternity.....the face of Nefarious.
.

**************************************************************

Nefarious had felt the searing pain as BlackThorn's blade had caught him by surprise.
BlackThorn had fought like a man possessed, had he not tripped over one of the many dead, he Nefarious would have been minus his head without a doubt. No taunt had been great enough to get Eric BlackThorn off balance, instead he fought like the devil himself. His blade had been a blur of action, tireless and precise. He had seen his horde dropping one and two or three at a time. With the help of that infernal horse that seemed to have a mind of his own. Never had he seen such an animal in action before. At least twenty of his men had fallen with crushed skulls, bitten, and stomped to death. Not to mention being kicked twenty feet into the air by his powerful rear hooves.

Nefarious had swung down hoping to catch BlackThorn of guard when Eric had parried his killing blow sending the edge of his blade sliding on BlackThorn's blade. To late he realized he had opened himself up. The momentum had carried Nefarious's body forward almost falling on his crouching opponent when he felt himself unable to move his arm. So fast had been the strike that for a moment he felt nothing but a sense of helplessness as he tried to will his arm holding his sword to continue. Suddenly there was no more arm.

Pain, shock, and the realization he had been separated from his arm registered in his mind. When he saw his arm still clutching his sword sailing in the air he knew he would no longer be a part of this world. He had known defeat at BlackThorn's hand but never like this. Blood spurted out of him with every beat of his heart that had been racing due to the strain of the fight. He knew he must act and act quick before he lost consciousness. BlackThorn had been distracted thanks to the ebbing tide of men that continued to rush him, he could not finish him as he sank to the ground.

As his luck would have it he fell next to a soldier that still had a burning arrow, he quickly applied the burning arrow to his wound. Instantly his wound cauterized and the flow of blood ebbed, but the white searing pain that shot into his mind was to much, his brain shut everything down almost instantly. As the veil of blackness swept over him he cursed his luck and cursed the evil woman that had used him to carry out such a thing. He had lost all of his men to this demon of a man, and he would be lucky if BlackThorn didn't come back to finish him off. Either way the peaceful blackness had come he was probably dead anyway for all he knew, and then...nothing.

It was late evening, when he felt his eyes flutter, everything was quiet save for the howling of the wolves and other creatures fighting over who was going to get the best piece of the fallen. He struggled to his knees, and picked up a long sword that was laying on the ground. He had to leave this cursed ground, before the wolves or worse yet that BlackThorn would return to look for him. Surely if he lived he would have gone back to find the deed he had done to his bitch wife, and his brood. Suffering unimaginable pain he still mustered a laugh. 'How he had enjoyed fucking that whore in the ass, she had sucked him further inside of her just as he had cut her fucking head off, as he had shot his load. Never had he experienced such a thrill in his born days. He would have to remember that for the next wench that came along, or better yet on the blue eyed bitch that had cost him his arm.

He made his way into the forest. He had a long walk back to the inn, back to sanity. The bags of gold the evil bitch had given him were all he had left. The looted gold from BlackThorn hall had stayed in the wagons, lucky the bastard that would come upon them, he was going to be rich beyond measure. While he the one that should be rich, was minus an arm and a pauper in comparison. He trudged through without knowing that he had just missed a date with death. Not one hour later from the time he had entered the forest, there was the figure of a man in blood stained black armor, torch in hand searching bodies for a face. The face that would forever be etched in his mind through out time. The dark clad figure let out a blood curdling scream............

"N...E...F...AAAAAAAAA....RRRRR....IIIII....OOOO....UUUUUUU....SSSSSSSSSS!!"

As the black armored figure fell to his kness and wailed his torment to the world.

Berengaria had watched Nefarious for the same year as she had watched Eric. She had seen his wound and smelt his blood. The field had been littered with the dead and dying. The craving for the blood was still high in her senses when she had emerged that day from the night of terror that she had wished upon Isabelle and Eric.

She had moved through the castle toward the room that had been theirs and she had stepped into the chaos that was left, Careful not to be seen her eyes skimmed the old dead woman that had been brutally used and raped. Stepping forward she had placed her hand along the woman's eyes and she saw it all in her mind. The brutal rape of Isabelle's daughter at the hands of the men, the snapping of the small boy's neck that had looked like a rag doll when it was done. She licked her lips as she watched Isabelle fight for everything and begin to lose at the hands of Nefarious. She looked at the bloody room and the bed and rose to her full height and moved to the bed now caked in dried blood. She had moved to the shadows watching Eric begin to gather his dead children to him and then the body of Isabella her head lying on in a corner. The smile remained as she tugged the cloak tighter about her and melted into the shadows.

Down at the base of the hall now she moved to a horse and leapt to its back and spurred it on int the darkening night as she looked and sniffed out Nefarious watching his one armed body making his way through the woods and instead of coming to a tavern found an old barn that was attached to a woodsman's shack. No one was about as she watched him slip into the darkness and pass out once more. As she was about to slip off the horse and move to end his life, a girl had walked out of the shack, Berengaria growled and moved back into the shadows as Nefarious was discovered. She shook her head, she would be able to find him again, she had his scent and he would never be able to hide from her.

The winds were picking up and the low howl of the wolves howled the night air and she sighed as she looked about , he would be coming soon to collect her debt she had but a few years reprieve....


"BREATHE!" Berengaria screamed at her sister as she attempted to help her with the birth of her child," If you do not breathe you and she will die!" Her hands were covered in blood rag after rag soaked an the water was warm. She was crying and begging saying every charm she knew to save her sister and her child for 7 hours and she with no midwife experience at all had lost her sister. She sobbed in uncontrollable torrents and cursed Blackthorn and his broodmare of a wife. She had buried her sister all alone, no one would help her as Magelda had been cursed.

She cursed herself as she buried the tiny bundle of a girl next to her sister and she covered them in the cold spring ground in the woods. "Blackthorn will pay for what he has done to you", she sobbed it into the ground. Ss she laid there throughout the night. She had hear the wolves and coyotes calling to each other and the howling wind then as well. She had finally fallen asleep on the gave of her sister and she awoke to someone staring at her, a lone man that had eyes as dark as Satan. He had beckoned to her, hypnotizing her to come closer and he had cradled her into his arms and stroked her long black hair cooing to her as he spoke," why are you here my child? Why do you sleep out here in the woods with no one to protect you? You are Romy, you should be dancing amongst your people and the fire highlighting your beautiful face." the creature caressed and stroked her touching and caressing as he spoke and had removed all of her clothing by the time he was done, looking over her dusky skin and her body. His hands had cradled her breasts and had touched her sensitive sex as he licked his lips and drew her in closer. She told him of the story of Black thorn and her sister, the curse that had lead to her sister being tossed form the Romy camp and the death only a few hours before. He had listened while he walked her with him cradling her in his arms like a naked child and he spoke," I will help you get your revenge my child, but you must promise to forever serve me and be my slave. I can help you eternally beautiful and forever more powerful then you are now, but you must make a vow that you will come back after you are finished with your revenge."

Berengaria had looked up and met his satanic glare and she had shivered naked i his arms as he had arrived at a large castle many leagues away ad laid her down on a bed of velvets and silks. He began to make love to her body and her mind cooing to her and wooing her over to his will and he drained her dry feeding her his blood as his cock had slipped deep into her body and she had felt the cold night along her body never to be warmed again.

That had been 6 years go... she had stayed with him for the first 5 learning his ways what she would need how to seduce men to her ways and make them bend to her will. She would bend both men to her, and bring them back to serve her Master.

Eric awoke as dawn was breaking into day in a cold sweat. He had a troubled night in which horrible dreams assaulted his mind. He dreamed of blood and gore, of feasting and gorging on the blood of the helpless. Somehow this he attributed to the dream that seemed so real, reaching up he touched his neck, it was very sore still. 'So it had not been a dream!' 'The creature had really bitten him!' He remembered the stories handed down as old lore. They were told by the elders generally grandmothers in order to keep the young ones quiet if but for a short while.

They spoke of fiends of the night that would come and take their nourishment from the living until the living became like them after sometime. The blood they took left the living infected with the same need until they died, then they too would walk the night looking for victims of their own. It would seem they could only be killed by fire, having their head cut off, or driving a wooden stake thru their black hearts. It was said they feared sacred objects, such as crosses, and were repelled by the smell of garlic.

All this was coming back to him like a clouded haze. 'My life is in shambles, like I need more misfortune.' he talked to himself as he arose from his position.
Cold and hungry he move through the forest, as luck would have it, he came to the pass where the battle had taken place, hundreds of skeletal remains were strewn about, some still holding their weapons with bony hands and fingers. He came to where the wagons had been left. Dead horses still attached to their rigs where they had fallen.

In a stupor he searched through the wagons finding familiar things that instantly brought back a flood of memories. He saw a golden hairbrush he had given to his Isabelle, some of her red hair was still entangled in the bristles. He set it aside as he would be taking that. Clothing garments made of the best finest materials, slowly he started to recognize these items as his. It was the plunder that had been stolen from Blackthorn Hall. All of his armor was there, and on the second wagon he found it was full of the treasury coins and gold bars. Painful recollections came flooding back to him. How people that passed by had not found these in the length of time they had been there he did not know.

Perhaps people considered this place cursed and no one ventured here for fear of dark spirits that might attack them or feared for their very lives. His mind was sore as he stood there, he resembled a drunken sot, swaying back and forth as he started regaining his mind. A mind that had been lost to shock and pain now started coming out of the fog. From far away the wind brought the neighing of a horse. Quickly he reached for his sword while his eyes searched the rolling hills. Squinting he saw a black dot in the distance and recognized it as a horse. Instinctively he put his fingers to his lips and whistled. The keen ears of the animal took in the sound and responded with a snort and a louder neigh as he ran in his direction.

The horse came at a dead run, then a gallop, and finally a trot that brought him close to where he was, but would approach no further to where he was. Trotting and snorting with nose to the ground and tail up in the air he would go. Moving in circles stopping every now and then to snort and look in his direction with ears pricked and pawing the ground. It dawned on Eric that the horse did not recognize his scent, due to the length of time he had been mentally ill in the forest. Matted and tangled black hair, and facial hair that reached his waist line. The horse recognized the whistle but not the man.

It's fine big fellow, I understand he took some articles of clothing and made his way to the nearby creek where he bathed and shaved feeling more and more like he was coming back to life after being brain dead for such a long time. He relished the waist deep creek as he washed months of grime and dirt from his body. Slowly his spirit was coming back to life within him. He washed the sore area on his neck until he drew blood again hoping to was all traces of the bite of the fiendish woman. What he didn't know was that a seed had been passed into his blood, an infected seed that in time would have dire consequences for him.

The arrival of relatives is always so untimely, and in this case more so, because of who it was. Isabelle's father mother and the two youngest siblings left had arrived at the base of the mountain with 300 soldiers and house servants in tow. They arrived to see the scene of so many skeletons and weapons and the wind on the air was rancid still something hung in the air. Moving through the fields that lead to Blackthorn hall, they came tot he gate of the great massive house to find it open and none on the wall. Isabelle's mother looked to her husband and she began to fear for her daughter as she moved closer to him on her horse," Jonathan?" Her voice held the question and he patted her hand and then looked to his men," search out the house and every outbuilding in the place, find my daughter and her children, and Blackthorn too." He turned to his wife and he pointed out to the open field that was not strewn with death," MAKE CAMP THERE!" he called to the other men and servants still about. Wagons turned, people moved around and began to make their way picking across the bones of all the dead.

Jonathan hugged his wife," go and see to your children madam I will find your daughter and bring her too you." She nodded and moved away and then cuddled her two daughters to her bosom as then walked away a servant leading the horses they had been using. Jonathan looked to the hall and then he caught the sight of something off into the direction of the forest and wield his horse about to head i that direction alone. He moved through the woods pausing to allow his eyes to acclimate to the darker area and he sniffed he air," where are you blackthorn," he whispered, "what has befallen my daughter," he asked to himself.eyes continued to move through the woods as he began to pick his way to a stream he knew was about and he paused int he shadows seeing a big black stallion pawing the ground and a man, " blackthorn?" He called out and waited for a response. He hand at his sword he watched the man move, wanting t make sure nothing was going to come an ambush him.

Eric had just finished cleaning himself in the river, he had put on some fresh clothing leaving what he had on piled in the dirt. Not much was left, his black leather armor he had discarded long ago his clothing underneath had been reduced to tatters resembling anything but clothing. The only objects he had kept were his sword and a keen dagger.

As he made his way back to the wagons the black alerted to the presence of an incoming rider. Nervously the black pace back and forth and as the rider came closer the black reared on his haunches and pawed the air in challenge. He whistled to the black again and this time the horse responded coming to his master. "Easy big fellow, I am glad to see you too. His attention was on the incoming rider, was he friend or foe. In his weakness he struggled to draw his sword as he ran forward to meet the challenge.

As he ran he tripped and fell face down, and would get up again staggered forward and fell again. Perhaps this was more of the horde, or Nefarious coming to do battle again.

The horseman stopped at a short distance to assess the scene. He viewed a man on foot, or what seemed a shadow of what used to be a man seemingly running in his direction sword in hand, as if on the attack. He walked his horse forward as the man fell once more, and struggled to regain his footing and was barely able.

He drew his sword and walked his horse closer to the man that had regained his feet and started forward in his direction again. "Have you come to finish me?" yelled Eric. "I am here come my sword thirsts for more." Again he started towards the oncoming horseman and again he fell, and this time he did not get up. He made a valiant effort to rise but his body did not respond. Weak with hunger, he was a gaunt skeleton, leathery skin over bones was all that was left. "Come and finish me!" he yelled, set me free to be with the ones I lost. Tears blurred his vision as the horseman dismounted.

Sword in hand Jonathan approached, this seemed like a crazed man, deranged and void of all reason. As he approached he stepped on the sword of the man close to the hilt so as not to be in danger. Some how the man on the ground looked familiar, he was not sure. "Eric...E-Eric Blackthorn is that you?"

Eric turned to look at the man the tears of pain that had welled in his eyes prevented him from see anything but a blurred image of a man standing over him.
"Eric Blackthorn is that you?" he had heard the question, his mind struggled to put the information together that his ears were telling it.

Jonathan kneeled down and grabbed Eric by his shirt and picked him up to a half sitting and half laying position. He grabbed Eric's face and pointed it more in his direction to get a better look. "Eric!" "It is you! for God's sake son what happened to you, what happened to Isabelle, the children?"

So many questions his mind was a jumble of emotions, "Isabelle!" "Isabelle, and the children are dead!" "Jo-Jonathan is that you?" called Eric.

"Yes it is me, I just came from the Hall, all the destruction, death everywhere!"
"But what is this about Isabelle and the children being dead?"
"Yes, she is dead, my beautiful Isabelle and my children are dead, I buried them myself in the family cemetery. They rest next to my father and mother."

Jonathan could hardly believe what his ears were hearing. "Why?" "How?" "Who did this?"

"Help me up Jonathan and I will tell you everything." As he stood back up he started swaying again, his head jerking spasmodically from time to time as if a nervous tic had set in. It was only his mind receiving to much information at one time and trying to process it at the same time after being so close to not being sane again.

He related the whole story to Jonathan between sobbing bouts and screaming that threatened to take him over the edge again. Jonathan could hardly believe his ears as to what he was hearing. He too started crying for his daughter. Eric mentioned Nefarious, and his horde, the ransacked Hall, how he found Isabelle, and the children, after that he didn't remember much. It had been months of being lost and out of his mind in the forest until now. He mentioned the wagons and what they contained. He pointed to the pass where the battle had taken place. "One thousand of them, only three hundred of mine, dead to the last man." "I should have died there too, Jonathan why did I have to live?"

The only thing he left out of the story was the evil woman that had visited him and had bitten him to take his blood. His long locks covered his neck and Jonathan did not see the puncture wounds still fresh.

"You do not look fit to ride Eric, I will go get my men to help and bring back the wagons, then you can ride in one of them and we will take you back to the Hall.

"I vowed never to return there Jonathan, you don't understand!" "I understand, that you can't remain out here son, you are but a step from death and I will not leave you out here one more day, by my honor you will not be alone again!"

Jonathan helped him back to the wagons again, and left at a dead run back to BlackThorn Hall. His black stallion returned to where Eric was, and softly nickered gently nuzzled his face, as if asking him where he had been.

Jonathan had left to go back get the wagon to carry Eric back to the hall," Go to the hall and begin to prepare the rooms, make everything ready for our arrival within the hour." He barked orders left and right an finally gatherer the wagon need to take Eric home to Blackthorn. Moving back to where he had left him and his horse he helped Eric into the wagon and Isabelle's sister the youngest girl now at 17 waited with a blanket and a pillow, some water and bread as well. She had the look of a younger Isabelle ands he smiled to the Lord of Blackthorn, but he wasn't''t has handsome as everyone had said he was, she felt sorry for her sister, not knowing she was dead.

Her eyes were darker and her hair lighter, but the shape of her face and the eyes were very much like his beloved Isabelle and he growled at her," leave me wench." He took the bread and the water and began to devour the food, his stomach rebelled and he vomited up all that he had eaten and then faded into his delirium once more," Isabelle, my beloved Isabelle... noo..." his eyes flashed open and he screamed"NEFARIOUS!"

Jonathan shook his head listening tp the ramblings of his son-in-law and he moved to tell his wife the tale of all that had happened as the wagon began to take the lord home. She began to cry and she she shook her head, 'If only they had come sooner, Isabelle had wanted to tell her of some news and she looked to Eric and she would never know the news now.

As they arrived at the hall and walked in everything was clean, from the baseboards to the ceilings and everywhere in between, the servants bustled to get food on the table and Jonathan and his wife began to walk the rooms. There was no signs for anything having ever happened in the hall, no blood none of the chaos Blackthorn had said would be there. they walked into his room where he had said he had found his dead wife and children, and he room smelled fresh and clean as if no one had been gone for over a year. They looked at each other nd then to the rooms and she shook her head," "he is insane... could she really be dead?"

The servants carried Lord Blackthorn unconscious to the room and laid him out on the bed and began to prep the room for a fire. Eric came too and look into the room where he had last seen his dead wife and seeing Jonathan and her mother standing there he screamed,"See they are all dead.

Isabelle floated in a daze as she heard the sounds coming along the hall and the room where she walked nightly. She had her head as a ghost but she sobbed softy unable to move on, she was unavenged and she was lost in her own sorrows as a ghost. She floated invisible in the room and she covered her mouth seeing her beloved Eric and rushed to him to hold him but her hand passed right through ands he cried and called to him and still he didn't seem to see her.

He hardly felt the jolting of the wagon as they rode towards BlackThorn Hall. He gazed up at a little girl that had offered him water and bread. The thought of the evil fiend came to his mind. 'She is playing tricks on me again,' he thought.

"Leave me wench!" he moved to the far side of the wagon and devoured the bread and drank the water. Immediately his stomach revolted he leaned to the side of the wagon and vomited everything out again. He was delirious once more, in and out of consciousness.

On arrival he heard Jonathan exclaim, "What sorcery is this?" "Did we or did we not see the skeletal remains, and the smell of death all over this hall?" he asked his wife.
"Where did everything go?" "Who cleaned and picked up?"

He gave orders for Eric to be taken to his chamber. "Noo!" he screamed, "Please not there there is blood everywhere."

As they entered, the room was spotless, Jonathan looked over to his wife, silently wondering what Eric was talking about.

"I am not mad, there t-there is where I found them in a pool of blood. He remembered the words of the woman in the forest, "Everything has been cleaned!"
'She was behind this, more of her handiwork' he thought. He went back to his chamber and collapsed in his bed. The bed where his wife had been defiled. To weak to move, or do anymore, he closed his eyes and slept. He dreamed of his beloved, he saw her whole again, as she reached up to kiss his face and to hold him not wanting to ever let go. Then oblivion, no more thoughts, no more dreams...he slept.

The following day Eric was up at day break BlackThorn Hall slept, save for the guards that had been put on alert by Jonathan throughout the castle, everything was quiet. He went to the kitchen, already the cooks were there readying for the morning meal. He felt hungry starving as a matter of fact, he ordered the cook to cook him a rare piece of meat.

"Yes m'lord, it will be done as you wish." when the meat arrived he ate in silence and with relish. He drank water in copious amounts. His stomach revolted and then settled down to where his food did not want to come out again. He wondered if the black had came back on his own and went to the stables to check. He was there, quietly munching on slab of hay. "Poor fellow, he had not been given grain in months so now he gave him an extra ration of it. He deserved that and more for saving his life so many times.

He went to the cemetery, and sat down on the bench that had been placed in front of his father and mother's grave site. He looked to the left of where they were buried and noticed that the ground had not been disturbed where he had buried his loved ones. He was contemplating their grave as he fell to his knees in front of where they were, and hot tears well in his eyes. He thought of his red headed little girl, and little Eric how they were together with their loving mother. He didn't hear Jonathan as he came and stood by his side.

"I thought I would find you here," he said. "There are strange things happening here, Eric." "If you don't mind I would like to see for myself if my child is truly in that grave." "You doubt me do you?" answered Eric. "No, it is just that as a parent when something like this happens the parent always wants closure to stem any doubts." "You would have me defile their grave, very well, there, help me dig and you will see. They are not to deep as I had not the strength when I was digging their grave."

As they dug, they came to the top of the grave where he had placed Isabelle, the top of her red hair could still be seen. Instantly Jonathan recognized it as her hair, he did not care to see the rest. "Stop!" "It's her, go no further." as he broke down in tears. Eric covered the grave back up as best as he could as he felt his strength playing out again. He broke into a cold sweat. He was sure he felt Isabelle's presence but was not really sure. All he knew was that he missed his beloved family dearly. A hole had been left where his heart once was, and no amount of anything was ever going to fill it up again.

"But...what about the clean house?" questioned Jonathan. "Where are all the remains that we saw on arrival?" I know you had nothing to do with it because you were and are in condition to have been here....then who?"
"Where is all the blood that accompanies destruction as the one we saw and smelled. Now everthing smells fresh as though nothing was amiss."

"I don't know, replied Eric, but somehow I will get to the bottom of this and a whole lot more."

At around mid morning Eric had asked Jonathan to accompany him to the barracks. He pointed out to Jonathan that the soldiers he saw had all been in their bunks as if they had never awakened. They had been massacred as they slept, yet the barracks were spotless also with no fetid odor whatsoever. He had an idea.

He went to the maintenance shed and came back with a pick, lifting two or three of the bunks up where he remembered a huge pool of blood had been, he hit the floor boards hard. Once, twice, thrice...and the boards splintered. Whoever it was that cleaned, could not have cleaned under the floorboards. Sure enough, blood that had seeped through the cracks appeared below as dried lines of blood in large quantities.

"You see, how it did happen, I am at a loss just as you are Jonathan but what I spoke to you about is all true." "Further more, I suspect that whatever was done, in order not to raise and alarm, it was done to the water that the soldiers would have drank from, for even the ones on watch fell asleep." "We need to safeguard the wells from now on." Jonathan barked and order and immediately soldiers stood guard over all the wells.

A moment later one of the soldiers came running, "Sire, sire!" "We have found the skeletons of all the men that died, they are at the bottom of a dried well at the far end of the wall."

That accounted for the mystery of the missing skeletons, but what he didn't know was who, nor how many worked feverishly on such a large scale to immaculately clean all of the dried blood spots and blotches to make it appear as if nothing had happened.

"There were three hundred soldiers that I had left under Sir Frederick's command,
they could have easily repelled a force twice the size that befell us in the field."

"You speak the truth son," said Jonathan. "Please forgive an old fool for doubting you." Now I must go and tell my wife what I have seen with my own eyes. Eric saw how Jonathan's eyes had once again welled up with tears as he walked away.

Isabelle had sat on the bed the whole night watching Eric, her beloved Eric sleeping in their bed unable to voice anything as she wanted to tell him. Tell him all of the horrible things make him see her, making him know what had happened. No others were in the room as she sat there and watched him, and then the light began to lighten and she had to leave.

Berengaria felt things beginning to fall into place and she had told Blackthorn to be at the hall tonight, but she wouldn't go there, nay not yet. She closed her eyes and felt the many leagues to her Master's home fade away and she stood before his castle. As long as there was no water between her and her destination she could go where she needed too. She walked up the stairs and there the man waited, not that she needed swallow but she did out of habit and she moved to kneel at his feet and she wrapped her arms about his thigh and she kissed his leg," thank you my Master for sending the Romy to clean the hall and the outer builds, thank you for all your help in allowing me my revenge. " He reached down and he stroked her hair and then curled his finger in the thick dark locks and slowly assisted her in standing to her feet and she chuckled," As long as our bargain is kept and when you are done you will be my own private and willing slave, then you may have your fun for now. I am a patient man." He pointed into the castle and she vanished into the depth of the buildings, knowing he would be wanting to find food and then return to take some of his payment tonight.


As the sun rose and the hall began to come back to life, with the movement of the people in the hall it seemed like everyday. Maria, Isabelle's sister went in search of things to do and she came to the nursery and she stopped the room was ice cold and she wrapped her arms about her upper body and she shivered. She felt something brush her skin and she shook and shivered.

Isabelle looked at her sister and she watched her move and as she came into the room she had an idea. She began to concentrate on the girl and will herself into the body of her sister. She blinked as she realized she was looking out through her sister's eyes and her lips could move and she could move her arms. She turned to run, run to her beloved and she ran right out of the body and fell feeling faint. She pounded the floor in silence and watched as Maria ran from the room terror written all over her face. But she had done it, she had inhabited someone's body. She looked about the room and closed her eyes and slowly rose, she missed her darlings.

The early morning red meat that Eric had consumed helped him physically. He was starting to feel stronger a small amount of color was returning to his face. He still looked gaunt and withered the clothing he filled out at one time was now loose and baggy. His sword at his belt sometimes became a burden as his body had debilitated to the point of death. If Jonathan had not come along he would not have survived two more days.

He went back to the kitchen and ordered another slab of red meat medium cooked.
Remembering the water contamination this time he washed it down with a glass of red wine. He ate in silence right there in the kitchen. The cooks would cast occasional glances in his direction. When he finished and left, one of the female cooks elbowed the other. "Tis a lot of red meat the Lord has been 'eeting of late aye!" "You mind yurr own business lass, tis not for you to pry unless yurr tired of yurr job ehh?"
"Yes m'dam,....I mean no m'dam!" the young girl quickly scurried away to find something else to do.

Eric went in search of Jonathan, and found him in the library with his wife. Good day to you m'lady, he bowed to her as was the custom. "Oh Eric!" "You poor soul!" she stepped toward him and embraced him. "Jonathan has told me everything!" her eyes were blood shot where she had been crying, she had a ladies white kerchief with which she dried her tears.

"Yes m'lady," answered Eric. "It has been most tragic, I blame myself for the most part, I should have never left her side." "You would be among the dead as we speak!" interjected Jonathan. "Nefarious would have gotten away scott free, and the story would be a whole lot different than it is right now!" "Don't you blame your self son, you did the right thing."

Eric looked down at the floor, "Jonathan I would ask one more thing of you this day." "Say it my lad, and it shall be done!" "I would have liked to give my men a decent burial, but first they need to be extracted from the dry well. We can dig one community grave as we don't know what body part goes to whom. "It shall be done lad, rest easy." "If you will excuse me, I think I will get some rest now." stated Eric.

He felt rundown and weak still, slowly he turned and left to his chamber.
"Poor lad!" said Jonathan under his breath, I would not want to be bearing the weight that is on his shoulders at this moment.

Eric went back into his bed chamber, he sat at the edge of the bed and contemplated the corner of the room where he had found Isabelle and the children, it seemed that the more he stared at it the colder the room seemed to be getting. He glance down at the bed, and pictured his beloved wife being defiled. Seething anger gripped him as he thought of Nefarious, but at the same time he thought of Nefarious as a pawn of a much larger game. Something was afoot here, and he would have to be wary.

Isabelle had been a believer in Christianity, and she kept icons of this or that in her jewelry box. Since every thing had been returned as they were found in the wagon, he found a large golden cross which he put around his neck. He also remembered her hair brush. He tenderly removed all of her hair that that had gotten entangled in the bristles and placed them into a locket that had been hers, and he also hung that around his neck, at last he laid down and slept the sleep of the dead.

**************************************************************

Alexander Nafarious was badly wounded, he made it out of the forest to The Knarly Oak Tavern and Inn. He had spent many a night here in a drunken stupor bedding down the wenches that were always willing to sell their bodies for a few coins. If the price was right they didn't mind his smell or his crude and rude ways. They would wash themselves thoroughly after it was over to rid themselves of his stink and hope he would never return.

Today he would not go into the tavern he knew they would not let him in bleeding as he was, he would also attract attention to the many enemies he had made when he was a whole man. Now he would be easy pickings to the smallest of them that would care to challenge him.

He slinked into the barn where he knew sooner or later there would be a stable hand or a wench coming to fetch milk from the cows. His wound hurt terribly, as infection was starting to set in. He needed to wash it and disinfect it and he needed clean bandages. As he found a dark corner covered with deep hay, he laid down as the merciful blackness enveloped him once more.

A young wench that had left the tavern to go milk one of the cows saw him and ran quickly back to the tavern and reported it. The tavern owner came out to the barn to have a look.

"Bah!" spitting on the ground. "Tis only that goood ferrr nuthin' Alexander Nefarious!" "It would apearrr he tangled wit someone that fought back goood aye?"
"As farrr as I'm concerrrned let the dog die, tis deserrrvin he is!"

With that everyone returned to the tavern to continue the night. Some how the young lass that had spotted him first felt in her heart she had to help him. So when her chores were done she went back to the barn with some hot water,bandages, food and drink.

Nefarious never knew he had been bandaged, or cared for. He had a raging fever and was delirious most of the time. The young lass kept up with her care, had she known what was to happen to her, she would have left him to die like the vermin that he was.

After the second day, his fever broke, and was able to eat the food and drink. "Damed that Blackthorn all to hell, he muttered under his breath, I swear by my mother's left titty I will have my revenge on him!"

On the third day when the girl came out to bring him his food and bandages, he waited until she was through. "Well now!" "You surrre have beeen takin goood carrre of ole' Alex, haven't you lassie," he stroked her hair as she sat next to him.
"Tis time ole Alex, showed you some grrratitude!"

He grabbed the young girl by the throat with his left hand, and put his mouth close to her face. She smelled his foul breath as his ugly mouth was close to hers.
"Don't you make a sound lassie, and ole' Alexander will be real gooood to ye."

The young girl was scared out her wits, she never realized that a man as injured as he was would have vile sexual thoughts in his mind, but she was not familiar with Alexander Nefarious.

He manuvered himself on top of her with his left hand he ripped off her under garments and freed his cock. Struggling and kicking the poor young girl tried to free her self from his grasp to no avail. He was much to strong for her. She tried to scream but he clamped his hand over her mouth, "shhhhhhhhhhhhhussssshhhh!
little one," "This will be over real soon and you can go." The girl relaxed somewhat relieved that at least he was not going to kill her. "That's it lassie, rrrrelax that pussy so my cock will have no trrrouble."

His animalistic instincts took control he shoved his cock into the girl uncaring how much it hurt her. He was ravenous, she was his toy, his punching bag as he unmircifully violated her. "Now let's see how uncle Alex can rrrepay you, he flipped the sacred girl face down and with no warning to her, shoved his cock up her anus tearing her apart in the process. She tried to scream but he had clamped a hand over her mouth, as he was about to ejaculate, he reached down and slit her throat from end to end. The contractions of her death throes served to bring a climax on him that made his ugly eyes turn white.

When it was over, he calmly pulled up his britches, grabbed the last of the food and walked out.

Isabelle slumped on the ground and she sobbed in her hands the sound of her voice barely heard in the nursery where her children and slept and played. She looked abut and she lifted her head and she closed her eyes, the encounter with her sister had brightened her spirits but not being able to move her had left her feeling ejected and she slowly rose. She was tired, she hadn't realized it would be so hard. She had heard stories of ghost inhabiting people from her old nurse. She began to drift feeling a tug to the bedroom where she and Eric had last been together. Moving through the hall she felt the men and women moving about the place and as she moved in front of a maid, she heard her scream and turn pale staring down the hall directly at her. Isabelle looked back at the aid and then as others began to come Isabelle walked off into a room through a wall. Silly girl, she wouldn't hurt her Isabelle thought.

The maid rambled on and on about the red haired ghost that had moved along the hall wearing a brilliant blue gown, Isabelle's favorite color. Jonathan walked out carrying his sword as he had heard the scream and heard the ramblings of the maid. He looked down the hall that would lead to Eric's room and decided to check on him. He opened the door on a knock and not seeing anyone about he moved to the bed to see Eric dead to the world. He shook his head, children and his wife gone, what madness he must be feeling. Jonathan moved form the room closing the door slowly and moved to the hall and posted a guard there,"let none save myself pass this hall." The guard nodded and he moved into position as the Lord walked off. The man looked down the hall the maid had said was haunted and he grimaced and crossed himself as he turned to stop looking,"bull snot ain't' no such thing as ghost," the man said more to help his own fears then to discount the lass.

Isabelle moved to the room were Eric slept and she settled on the bed beside him and whispered his name,"errriiiiii cccc... " she slipped her fingers along his cheek dipping into his skin as she called to him," Errrrrrric, can you hear me Eric? I have missed you so much my love... please see me.." A tear slid along her cheek as she continued to lay there wanting to hold him to her once more and make him see her, feel his kisses once more his tender loving hands and she wept softly unable to awake her husband.


Berengaria screamed as the whip lashed her skin once more, the sound of the leather singing through the air struck thrice more before it silenced its tone. Her skin mottled and was sliced, her wounds would heal but she was fighting to stay conscious as she felt him behind her once more,"You made the deal..." he hissed and laughed as he leaned in and stroked one of the open wounds. A laugh trilled behind him and he moved to the girl he had ghouled to him, she wasn't avampire...not like he was not like Berengaria, so he could feed off her. HE didn't drink from Berengaria, he wasn't going to enslave himself to her as she was too him, instead he drank from the ghoul that had laughed, not taking much but enough to leave her unconscious.

He moved to Berengaria's side once more and he undid the shackled that held her limp body in place and carried her to the bed nearby and stripped her of her clothing. Her place her on her hands and knees as she came too and her leaned in to sniff her blood, the blood of the man she was seeking her revenge on and he chuckled as she stroked her sex. His fingers probing into her as he spoke, " Is your revenge so worth of this Berengaria? Is it still worth being my slave for all time?" As her spoke he removed his fingers from her body and shoved his cock deep into her and gripped her hips his finger nails sank into her flesh and he began to fuck her brutally. His thrusts were hard and deep making her whimper and cry out in pain with each thrust,"Yes my master..... He will pay for everything he has done.. He will pay." She dropped her head and she waited for him to finish with her. The man, the beast lose on his mind kept up his tempo uncaring how she felt he could go for hours, there would be no release.... he just craved the old ways of when he had , had a harem of slaves all to himself. His maniacal laughed filled the air as he finally seemed to feel her grow limp and he let her go to fall on the floor.

Berengaria fainted again and heard no more.....

"Isabelle!..."I-Isabelle!" "I am here my love come to me, I have been waiting so long for you!" "See that I am here waiting to love you, waiting to hold you." Isabelle my love, at last we are together."

Eric's arms raised as if holding a person, he was in heaven for his beloved was with him. He didn't need anymore, he didn't want anymore. She was his life, his adoration, he stroked her lovely hair, he smelled her freshness all about him. Why had he been so sick and so alone when she was here all along?

Eric awoke from his dream, his arms still encircling the body of his beloved, his lips hungry to taste her lips. As smoke disappears, so did her shape only her eyes remained for a moment looking at him through the wisps of an ethereal mist.

He started to shake, his body was an uncontrollable tremor that he felt from head to toe. How could she have been so real, his mind was playing tricks on him again.
"Isabelle, Isabelle my love don't leave me here alone without you, I need you my love!" uncontrollable sobs broke from his throat as he buried his face in the pillow. He cried as a child cries, inconsolable and alone. The loneliness was insurmountable, he didn't know how much more he could endure. "My Isabelle, my lovely Isabelle, if only there were a way to bring you back!" "I am lost without you my love!"

He looked around the room, and realized he had been dreaming, his face was wet with tears that he had shed in his dream. Only it was much more than a mere dream. It had all been so real. The feeling that something greater than what he could control was being played out was evident, he knew something was happening but he didn't know what.

As time went by Jonathan became more and more aware of the reported sightings from the house hold staff, things would move of their own volition, and some would report seeing Lady Isabelle, walking the halls, and she would always enter the bed chamber of Lord Eric specially when he had retired.

The guard he posted at the door of Eric's room would report strange sounds coming from he room. He reported that at times Lord Eric would talk to someone in his sleep, or awake he was not sure, and at times he would hear a female voice answer him back. The guard was becoming unnerved so Jonathan ordered a replacement.

In the meantime the chamber staff reported seeing Lady Isabelle sitting at her vanity mirror brushing her hair when Lord Eric was not around, and always with a very sad look on her face. They said that when they would walk in at times she would turn and look at them, and then fade from sight, with such sadness in her eyes, that they would start weeping themselves feeling her anguish in their hearts.
They were sure she had come back to Lord Eric out of the love they both had shared for each other.

Jonathan had not seen his daughter, but in different parts of the hall his wife would get chills regardless if the day outside was hot enough to make people perspire.
'Strange he thought, there had been no reports of children being seen, by anyone. Perhaps they had made their way to be with the lord. Their little lives had been snuffed out, it stood to reason God would not allow them to suffer more. It was bad enough they had been innocent victims of the cold blooded ruthless, and evil actions of a complete madman.

Berengaria came to in the caves underneath Blackthorn hall, she wasn't starving and she had been redressed and her wounds of course were no longer an issue. She rose from the coffin at the depths of the caves and she began to move through the catacombs. She had found a passage long along that land to the back of one of the outbuildings to the hall. As she finally got to the top of the rise, she sighed d seeing people about she moved to the shadows slipped her cloak about her and began to concentrate. She moved in the shadows until she finally reached Blackthorn's room to find him asleep. She moved to go closer and paused. Cold didn't affect her so she of course didn't realize that the room was ice cold, it was what was on the bed. Isabelle, as a ghost was caressing her husband's naked body and he was moaning.

Isabelle would visit Eric every night and she began to find the ability to touch him more firmly. Her fingers no longer passed through his body and she could fondle and caress him to her hearts content. He would moan and she would smile to him and then kiss his, haunting his room and his dreams. Eric would cum for her but they never had the love they had once had, the full animistic love that they used to share.

Berengaria stepped out of the shadows she wasn't scared of a ghost and she laughed the low throaty laugh of mockery and dislike," Poor darling... no one will ever love you again, poor thing... Did you satisfy him, Is he sleeping the sleep of the damned... " Berengaria moved to the bed as Isabelle the ghost crawled over her sleeping husband and watched her growl and Berengaria laughed,"aren't you adorable, what are you going to do, your a dream you are ethereal and you can't hurt anyone." She laughed as Isabelle leaped at her and passed right through her, Isabelle had to concentrate to remain solid and she had lost that when she saw Berengaria.

Isabelle screamed then, a loud ear piercing scream that would alarm all that was within shouting distance and then she rose up and floated still int he room screaming and out the door and down the halls wakening any that would hear her. She continued to scream to the outbuildings and finally back to her husband's rooms.

Eric awoke with a start on the first scream and his hand went to the sword at his bedside as he saw Berengaria and he leaped at her only to feel her strength at his throat, her grip was like iron and she tossed him back, but just as she was about to leap at him she saw the cross and screamed herself. She turned and ran for the shadows of the room barely making it out of the hall tot he ground below. She was losing her self and she had to concentrate. She remained where she was watching men and women scurry about fro m the screaming Isabelle and she growled and fumed. She would have to find something else to make him hers.

Moving to the stables she grabbed a horse and leaped bareback onto its back, She rushed from the stables hearing the horse's hooves clattering on the cobblestones and she rode hell bent for leather toward where Nefarious was hiding. She scented him like a hound and she fumed and growled. The horse felt the tension of it's rider on it's back and it became wild eyed and spurred on faster, trying to knock the slip of a girl from its back. But she was Romy and they knew their horses well she clung to him like a saddle and guided him to where e she wanted to go with grips and kicks and pressure points. Finally after an hour and half ride the horse's lungs burning fro the pace they came to the Inn where she had smelt out Nefarious. She moved to the shadows leaving the horse by the stables and she finally found him. "Oh poor Nefarious... " she cooed and slipped up behind him and stroked his flesh where the arm was no more," Poor poor Nefarious." She danced away when he swung around and she stood on the opposite side o the room where he was living. As he moved to Leap at her, Berengaria shook her head," nay stop!, I know away you can have your arm back and " she paused as he began to slow down," get Blackthorn once more."

More and more Eric preferred to be asleep, that was when the dreams would come. That was when he could be with his beloved Isabelle. That was the only time he could feel the soft texture of her skin, feel her kisses and would enjoy her touch. She specially liked to play with his manhood, tantalizing him with her touch, until he would explode in ecstasy.

This night was no different from other nights. Sound asleep he once again embraced her. At that moment he heard her scream, in and around his bed. A scream from his Isabelle, it sounded hollow, far, yet close. In his dream she suddenly got up and left, disappearing through the door. He could still hear her screaming as her spirit ran through the hall and away from his chamber. Her voice reverberated off of the walls as it melted into the distant long hall, like an echo moving off in the distance.

He reached for his sword, and like a cat leaped to his feet, no sooner was he standing, when he felt the impact of a dark shadow that had pounced on him much like a lion would attack his prey. He was knocked backward with such force that he slid to the far side of the bed. The dark figure followed him as he fell, stuck to him like a leech, searching for a hold on his neck with her white fangs bared. She was on him in a blur of motion, and just as quick the figure stepped back.

He recognized the shadow, when she sprang back emitting a horrible shriek. Her blue eyes now totally bloodshot glared at him with hatred, as she shielded her eyes from the object that hung on his neck, a small wisp of smoke emanated from her chest area where the cross had made contact.. She hissed her displeasure and stepped back with bared fangs emitting a second ear shattering shriek of horror as she moved like lightning out of the door.

Like a bolt of lightning she moved. A dark blur of motion that moved fast in the direction of the stables. The figure leaped on the back of the nearest horse and spurred the equine straight towards the gate which was starting to close after letting in some troops. Out the gate and straight into the forest the horse ran, as if the devil himself was on his back.

Eric was in total disbelief, 'where had this creature come from, how did she get into his chamber?' He quickly ran to the door, and checked on the guard that was posted outside of his door. "Did you see anyone enter or leave this chamber as I slept?" "I saw no one enter sire, but I did see a blur of something leave your chamber, but it was much to fast to follow with my eyes, I thought it was just the spirit that has been reported...." he decided it was better not to say anything.

"What spirit, I demand to know what has been reported?" Eric retorted. The guard knew he had overstepped his ground and tried to color his comment. "Tis just that a spirrit has been seen, walking and entering different parrts of the Hall, I thought perhaps it was just that." "I have no belief in such things, but tonight I became a believerr m'Lord." Still I fear no spirrit, I fearr the living morre." (his Irish accent was strong as he spoke.)

'So there it was!" thought Eric, 'people had seen the ghost of his beloved, so he was not imagining things, at last someone had the nerve to tell him. Now the vile creature had followed him here from the woods.

Eric, closed his door and returned to his room. This creature was entering from somewhere and he was going to find out through where. He looked around in his room, searching for a clue that would tell him through where she had entered.

He had an idea that might possibly work. He had been dreaming his beloved constantly, to where everything seemed so real, which meant he was not as alone as he thought himself to be. Somehow her spirit had remained behind and was around him, but he did not perceived her except in his dreams.

"Isabelle, my beloved, I know now that you are here my love, forgive me for having left you and the children." "I should have been here to defend you to my dieing breath." "We should have died together!" Hot tears were rolling down his face the agony in his heart was immense as he relived the way in which he had found her and his children. "I would lose my life a thousand times so that you and the children could have lived!" His body was shaking and trembling as his nerves were about to shatter.

He closed his eyes as he started to relate that fateful day to her. He told her of his life as a hermit in the forest, he told her of Nefarious, and of the creature that had come to visit him in the forest and how she had bitten him. He told her of how he feared for his soul as he would one day soon become an abomination just like her.

"My beloved, I thought those were only wives tales, but creatures like her exist, and now I have fallen pray to her." "I abhor the thought of ever being a creature of the night and how they live." "I rather die first!" "Now this creature has found a way into my bedroom!" "Our bedroom, and I fear it is only a question of time."
"She has the strength of twenty men, and if I had not decided to wear this cross she would have had her way with me again, and again until I too would become like her and reject this cross like she did!"

Maria, was the second eldest of Jonathan's daughters. She had just celebrated her twentieth birthday not long ago, and had came with the family to visit her sister.
On arrival they were greeted by a scene of death and desolation at BlackThorn castle. The rancid sweet smell of death hung like a heavy cloud in the air. They had entered through the unmanned gate that had been left totally open. In the air hung a stench of death and putrification. Skeletons of dead soldiers and people were everywhere.

Her father had commanded his men to set up camp not far from BlackThorn, and up wind from it as well. She remembered her mother wringing her hands with worry for the welfare of Isabelle. She had never met her brother in law due to being away most of her life. When they married, she could not attend the wedding as the distance was to great. She had been sent to the best schools where she had learned about everything including ethics, morals, and manners of how a lady should always conduct herself.

She had never been the type of girl Isabelle had been. Tomboyish to a degree, an accomplished rider, and never afraid of anything. Isabelle had enjoyed hunts with her father, and was just at home wielding a sword or knife as she was doing the same on horseback.

Maria, was the opposite. Sensitive, feminine, dainty, and with a sweet disposition that captivated all those around her.

She was approximately five feet seven inches tall, and weighed every bit of one hundred and ten pounds wringing wet. She had a beautiful body very curvy in the right places, and her bosom had developed into quite a set, every man secretly eyed them as they were voluptuous and full.

She had been told that her brother in law was quite a handsome man, and that he was desired by all the well to do ladies, and even the house hold wenches would drool over him, however he only had eyes for his sister. She was his adoration, they had started a family and lived very happy with their two children.

Once the camp had been set up, a short time later, her father had set out in search of Eric and Isabelle. He returned a short time later and ordered two wagons to be made available with blankets, food and water for his son in law whom he had found half starved next to a battlefield not far away.

Preparations were made, and she decided that she would go along in case she was needed. When they found him, he was only a short step away from being a skeleton himself. He looked anything but handsome, he was frightful to look at.
On the return trip, he had been delirious, weeping, and calling for his family, she knew she would never see her sister again. A cold feeling came over her wondering how she had met her fate. Hot tears had well in her eyes as she breathed a prayer for her and the two children she would never know.

When she sensed that Lord Blackthorn had subsided somewhat, she offered him some bread, and a drink of water. He had snatched the food from her hand and as he looked at her with squinting eyes, he told her to leave him alone, and he moved to the rear of the wagon as he ravaged the loaf of bread like a wild animal. He soon threw out what he had eaten, and was delirious again.

She had felt somewhat offended by him, but decided to let it go due to the condition he was in. When they arrived, someone came to report that BlackThorn Hall had been transformed as if by magic, and was no longer the inhospitable place they had seen at first. Her father had ordered for the wagon to continue on to the castle where everything had been rearranged and put back in place in impeccable order. Her father and mother had been amazed at the transformation.

As the days passed Lord Blackthorn seemed to be improving. He was no longer skinny and weak, he had started filling out. He was more than halfway back to his normal self, and was starting to look quite distinguished. Small wonder her sister had set eyes on him.

One evening Maria was looking herself over in the mirror as women often do, after a bath. She looked like Isabelle's twin only five years apart, they could have passed for twins. The only difference was her hair. Isabelle's hair was a bright red, while her's was a darker shade of red. Out of nowhere she felt a breeze go through her that even made her hair move as if moved by the wind. She glanced at the windows but they were closed. Again she felt the breeze, and this time her hand went to her face on its own, moving, touching, feeling her breasts. All of a sudden her hand did not belong to her anymore, it was being controlled by a different mind it seemed.

Her hands continued to explore her body on their own volition, she was not willing her hands to move, yet they were all over her body. A cold chill entered her body, and she became very afraid. All of a sudden the feeling stopped and she could move her arms and hands at will again. Terror gripped her, and she ran out of the chamber to look for her father.

Eric was coming out of his bed chamber into the great hall when he heard whimpers as if a woman were running away from something. At the very same instant he stepped out, Maria's body collided with his and almost knocked him over.

"On I'm so thankful you're out here m'lord, I just had the most horrible experience of my life!" her body was trembling with fear as she held on to him.

In her haste to flee from her room, she had forgotten that she was only wearing a silk robe and nothing else. Her robe had opened wide barely covering her large breasts, her ample areolas were in full view. Her nipples were very pronounced against the sheer fabric, and now resembled two pointers pressed against his chest as he held on to her.

Eric remembered her from the wagon ride back to BlackThorn Hall. His jaw almost hit the floor as he looked at her. It was as if he were looking at Isabelle only a few years younger. He could hardly believe his eyes as he marveled at her resemblance to his Isabelle.

"What is wrong m'lady, what frightened you so?" he asked, as he held her trembling body. He could smell the essence of her fragrance fresh from her bath.

"It was horrible, absolutely horrible!" she clamored.

"It was as if something took possession of my body, my hands were moving all on there own touching parts of my body that I was not willing for them to touch!"

"It was as if my hands weren't mine m'lord."

"Here, here m'lady, perhaps it was a dream, I have those kind of dreams all the time." he answered trying to sooth her fears.

"Noooo!" "It was real, I was awake sitting on the vanity chair getting ready to brush my hair for the night when it happened." "I don't care to go back in there and was going to go spend the night in my parent's chamber."

Eric saw that she was calming down somewhat as he held her at arms length.

"You have me at a disadvantage m'lady, you seem to know me, but I have not met your acquaintance as of yet."

"I do beg your pardon m'lord, I am Maria, sister to Isabella." "I met you for the first time when my father went and got you out of that terrible battle field where he found you." She wanted to tell him he had been rude to her, but she thought better of the idea.

"Well I must say I am deeply honored to make your acquaintance." he bowed and brought up her slender hand to his lips.

It was then that she caught herself and realized that she had been exposing a little bit to much of her body. Blushing she withdrew her hand from his, and brought the robe over her exposed breasts maintaining her arms over them so as not to show her pointed nipples which she now felt getting excited and hard.

"I must return to my chamber, I do apologize for creating a scene m'lord, what you must think of me now?"

"It is I who owes you an apology's, m'lady, I was rude to you that day. I have had a lot of issues of late, but everything seems to be getting better." "I am almost back to my former self thanks to you and your father."

"I think nothing at all about what just happened to you either m'lady, it is absolutely normal to run away from something frightful. You are very beautiful indeed m'lady if you don't mind me saying, you are just as beautiful as Isabelle." "Should you ever need help, my chamber is only a few steps away." "There is also a guard posted there requested by your father.

"Yes, thank you m'lord, I think I will go back to my chamber, I think I'll be fine for the rest of the night."

"As you wish m'lady," he bowed deeply to her, and she curtsied in response.

As she walked away he could almost see through the satin material which revealed her nakedness underneath. The view of her well formed endowments from the rear was exquisite.

She in turn marveled at what a handsome gentleman he really was. He was not the moronistic, crude gaunt individual she had met only a few days prior.
His deep black eyes had looked upon her eyes not staring but with a soft look upon them. She liked the way his hair had reflected in the beam of the torch's light that burned next to the wall where he had stood. He was indeed a good looking and well mannered man.

Still perplexed she returned to her room, hopefully there would be no more scary moments like before and she could try and get an uneasy night's sleep at least.

After raping and killing the girl at the tavern's barn, he knew his life would be worthless if he stayed. They would all come out and string his carcass from the highest tree.

'Still...he thought, it would have been worth it.' he could still feel a tingle in his cock as he thought of the last quivering throes before the girl had died.
He smiled to himself....'Alex, this could turn into a habit for you,' as rubbed his massive cock. 'Yes...indeed!'

When he arrived at his hideout he had no sooner opened the door when he was bowled over by the blue eyed seductress. With a hiss she was on him, the strong grip of her left hand had him by the throat as she smelled him as one would bend forward to smell a great dish of food.

She was ravenous as she laid on top of him, just inches away from his pulsing main artery. The beating of his scared heart sounded like drum beats to her ears. She could hear the rushing of his life giving blood flowing through the main vein.

Her face had contorted into an evil expression more bat like than human. Salivating, she was mere millimeters away from him still sniffing him and drooling.

"You failed me Nefarious!" "You failed to complete your end of the bargain." "For failure there are consequences!" she hissed her annoyance with Nefarious for botching up her request that he kill Eric Blackthorn.

Nefarious saw the ugly contorted face that was now dripping her drool onto his neck. He tried to get away from her, but she had a grip of steel on his one good arm, he was pinned down and couldn't move. Berengaria now looked into his eyes as she spoke.

"I gave you the bags of gold! she hissed, thinking you would fulfill your contract with me, but you failed!"

"Nooo......n-ooo! I swear he is dead Blackthorn is dead! I-I killed him my self!"

She pulled him to his feet, and applied a vicious slap to his face that knocked him all the way across the room and hard into the wall.

Nefarious had never felt such fear and impotence as he felt now, this woman had lifted him to his feet and had backhanded him a slap to his face that felt like the kick of a mule. He looked back to where she stood, and on the blink of an eye she was upon him again. He didn't even have a chance to blink when he felt the back of her hand again to the side of his face, and again he went sailing through the air landing hard in a pile on the floor.

"You lie!....Eric Blackthorn livesssssss!....it is your miserable life that he almost took!"

She shifted her ugly stare to his armless shoulder that had started to bleed again.

"I see he inflicted serious hurt to your worthless body," as she leaned forward her long tongue licked the fresh blood that was emanating from the now reopened wound. The smell of his blood was contagious to her, it made her drool, it hurt her insides not to receive the full measure it need to satiate her need.

Nefarious was beside himself with fear, his bladder gave way and he wet his pants.

She again moved to look at him, "I am going to give you one more opportunity to kill Blackthorn, and if you fail me again I will track you down like the worthless cur that you are and you will wish to be dead ten thousand times before you actually die."

"N--N-OO!" "I'll do anything just please don't kill me!

"Verrryyy welllll! came her reply.

"We shall seee!"

She picked him up with one hand, and dragged him to the nearest chair where she roughly sat him down.

She sliced a cut on her wrist easily as a knife cuts through paper with her own finger nail, her blood started to flow into his filthy mouth.

"Drink!...you worthless bastard!....Drink! she commanded him.

Nefarious had no choice, it was either that or death. He chose to drink. At first he thought the taste would be horrible, but the opposite was true.
It was sweeter than the sweetest wine and twice as potent. He clung onto her wrist and made suckling noises as he glutted on her blood.

"That's enough you filthy dog!" abruptly pulling her wrist from him.

"Now it's my turn!" she shrieked.

Nefarious saw how she opened her mouth wide, her blood stained fangs gleaming in the semidarkness. He saw how in a blur of movement she went for the side of his neck and buried her fangs into his main artery. He was powerless to fight her or do anything but listen to her glutting sounds as she drained his body. The suction she applied was incredible as she sucked his life's supply out. Soon he felt himself losing conciousness, and never felt her drop him to the floor, and never saw her as she melted away back into the shadows from whence she came.

Eric continued on to the kitchen after his accidental meeting with Maria in the hall. He was feeling hungry again, his appetite had came back full force since his lonely days in the forest. All of the kitchen help had retired for the night so he prepared whatever he could find that was edible, and poured himself a glass of red wine.

He decided to have a walk along the ramparts, the same ramparts his Isabelle waked when he was away from her wondering and wishing his safe return.

"HALT! WHO GOES THERE?" came the challenge from the sentries.

"It is I Lord Blackthorn!" he answered.

"ADVANCE TO BE RECOGNIZED!" came the order from the sentry.
When the sentry had deemed he was close enough he again halted him.

"HALT!" "RECOGNITION ACKNOWLEGED!" "Good evening m'lord," said the sentry as he saluted the Lord of Blackthorn. "This post is all secure and there is nothing to report!" continued the sentry.

"Very well!" answered Eric. "Carry on with your duty."

The soldier did an about face and proceeded to continue to walk the ramparts as well. He was alone again. His thoughts again were on his Isabelle, and his children. How he had fallen, from having everything to having nothing left except this castle which seemed so empty without her. He went down to the stables and found his black contentedly munching on his hay. As he approached the big stallion came to him and started to nuzzle him. "Yes I miss you too, perhaps tomorrow we can go for a ride." The black nickered and pawed the ground, as if he understood.

He decided to go back to his chamber although he was putting it off. There was still the matter of a secret entrance somewhere in his room, how he wished that he could see his Isabelle the way others swore they had seen her. Why didn't she appear to him at least once. He so yearned to see her. He thought about what Maria had told him, about losing control of her hands and arms. 'Is it possible such a thing could happen?'...he thought.

'What if such a thing were possible, and it was Isabelle trying to find a way to communicate with him through her sister." He had heard about demon possession from old stories people told children to scare them but he never heard of a ghost possessing someone against their will, somehow it didn't seem right.
He knew Isabelle walked the castle, enough people had seen her, which meant she could see things others could not, such as where this fiend was finding her way in.

"Yes, that's it, she is trying to tell me something using Maria!" he was talking softly outloud to himself. 'That has got to be why Maria said her hands were all over where she didn't want them to be, it was his Isabelle feeling what it was like to have a body again. 'That had to be it.' He hoped that's what it was, because if it was something demonic then lord help Maria.

As he approached his door the sentry was still there. "Goood eeve m'Lord."

"Good evening, is everything as it should be? he asked the sentry."

"Aye it is m'Lord, all's been quiet during my watch." Eric nodded an ascent and walked into his room. He reached up and felt his neck, it was still sore the wound had not healed over as of yet, and it had been days now since he had been back. He was uneasy thinking he could turn into a fiend just like the blue eyed creature, then no one would be safe in this castle. He felt the need to go out into the forest to look for this fiend and put an end to her life somehow, but he held his feelings in check. There had to be way as he touched the golden cross still hanging on his neck.

The room got a bit cold and yet it was not an unpleasant cold. It was soothing, and a trace of perfume permeated the room. A perfume he recognized, he had gotten his Isabelle the very same fragrance on one of his travels. She loved wearing it for him, and he loved her more when she did.

"Where are you my love, let me see you." "How I yearn to see you my love!" He looked around the room like a mad man in desperation, but to no avail. He could not see her. Sitting at the edge of the great bed, he buried his face into his calloused hands and he wept. Silently so as not to alert the guard, he wept. His body racked and shuttered with the sorrowful sobs his pain had brought on. "Please forgive me my love...please... please forgive me!" he whispered."

Isabelle had screamed through the castle to awaken them all to the danger that her beloved was in and she moved along the halls once more flitting in and out of the rooms checking them slowly further and further she came and then to her sisters rooms. She had been trying for days and days to get the body to respond to her and she had finally accomplished it, while Maria was awake. But then maria had become frightened and retaken the body and Isabelle had lost control. She was a bit weak but regained her stretched quickly and then left the room.

She had gone back to their chambers and she moved about the room, she knew where the creature was coming from. but she couldn't find the panel that allowed her entrance, she just knew where it led. To the old cellar below, she had been there so many times but she couldn'y figure out what it was that opened the door. Finally she moved through the halls once more the rooms and the servants were getting used to her now and none really screamed anymore. Finally it was beginning to quiet and people were beginning to sleep and head to their rooms and their homes. She smiled seeing people about the hall once more.

She moved to the bedchamber's once more not having seen Eric anywhere about the building, or the outer buildings. She slipped through the room quietly and he wasn't here, she waited and she moved to the window and looked out over the darkened landscapes.That is when he came into the room, she faded from his sight. And then she herd him and her heart went out to him. Moving to stand before him she reached to caress his hair her hand firming enough not to go through and she spoke, but no words came. She waited from him to look up at her and she smiled.

Eric jumped and she flinched back she knew she was scary sometimes but not that scary. He scrambled back on the bed and she turned to leave and began to fade her head hanging low.

"Wait!, Isabelle... no... stop please wait." Eric growled and he moved to the foot of the bed and waited for her to reappear," please my love, my heart, my beautiful wife, please don't leave me again." He pleaded with her and moved to the carpet as he begged her to come back.

Isabelle turned to see her husband on the floor and she shook her head and slowly reappeared her form soft and a wind about her ruffled the dress and lifted her hair about her body. Her sad eyes on his face and she moved to settles on the floor beside him and she shook her head tugging at him to get up and still she said nothing. She opened her mouth to say something and nothing came out, that was when you could see the evidence of how she had died about her neck. Finally she reached for his head her hand passing through a bit and she fed her thoughts into his mind,'Please Eric... please don't do this... please get up... be the strong man I know you to be.' She shimmered and she faded a bit , forcing her thoughts into him made her weak and she shimmered still and faded once more her perfume lingering briefly and then fading away.

She hadn't drained him, she didn't want him changed just yet. But she needed him in her control and this was the best way to do it. After she had fed him her blood and then drank from him her lust for the blood was some what depleted and she left him unconscious on the floor.

It was gone dawn soon and she need to find her safe haven once more the caves of Blackthorn hall. She grabbed another horse at the stables not the one she had come in on and she headed back to the caves along the backside of blackthorn hall well out of the sight of others. She made it to the cave i time to slip into the darkness and head deep int the catacombs and the depths of the cooler darkness. She needed no torches or lights to lead her to where she needed to go. This also helped with no one seeing her heading along the cliffs of the landscapes that dropped to the sea below.


Jonathan and his wife had been talking about how long they would stay at blackthorn hall and finally had come to a decision, that they would stay for two months and then perhaps leave half their servants until Eric could find more to bring into his homes once more. Most of the tenants were still there had been there the whole year and taking care of their lands even if they had never come back to the hall."There are rumors Isabelle is haunting the hall,"Jonathan had said to his wife, "I have heard the maids and footman whispering." "Since when do you listen to servants gossip?" "since it is colder in some room then others and there are strange things happening about the house." His wife rolled her eyes and continued with her tatting," Jonathan, take your medicine for your aches and pains and you won't have to worry about servant's gossip." Jonathan loved his wife, but he knew that when you tied to get her to understand something she was stubborn to the bone and wouldn't believe it unless he saw it for herself. He left the room to head to the ramparts, his man would be here and he could talk to him.

That night Eric crawled into bed and fell into a deep sleep. The night passed by as if in an instant. His tortured mind finally giving him a respite from the turmoil, hurt, and pain he had been experiencing. It seemed he had just closed his eyes, when he was awakened by the crowing of the cockerels.

He laid in bed for a time thinking about what he would do this day. He would start by going for a ride to check on his lands, to see how many of his loyal people still remained. He had been gone for a long time, and without a doubt most of his workers would have left a long time ago.

He showered gently washing his terrible scars from his last battle. 'If only the scars of my soul would heal as quick,' he thought. After his morning shave, he dressed and got ready to meet the day. Sword and dagger at his side, they had been his inseparable companions that had seen him through thick and thin. They were like a part of his body.

Most everyone was still asleep, when he left. He went to the kitchen and ate his morning meal, then proceeded to the stables. He ordered his black to be saddled, and left. His ride would take him most of the day, but he intended to talk to his people if he found any, to let them know he was still Lord of BlackThorn, and that he would be needing their help now more than ever.

He was surprised when he came to the first settlements, not only did he find his people still there, they had brought in the crops, and had everything in storage as if they knew he would be returning. They had assisted themselves growing crops and making do with what was available to them. They all were happy to see him, these were loyal subjects indeed.

Eric reached into his saddlebags and distributed all the gold and silver he had brought with him to the needy people. BlackThorn Hall would not be hurting for loyal help anymore.

He thought of Jonathan and his family, they were probably anxious to go back home. Their stay had been anything but pleasant, and they had wanted to stay until he could get himself back together again. He thought about Lady Maria, and smiled.
She would make some lucky man a fine wife.