The price

Time was up for the young woman. She knew it, had been literally dreading it, but knew she must accept the fact of her death. Hmm..how carefree she had been, why it seemed like yesterday that the darkly beautiful women had picked her up outside the orphanage.1

"Shh, don't make a sound. I am not going to hurt you, I promise. I am taking you somewhere where you will be treated as a princess for many years to come. Would you like to be a princess?" The stunning child with an angels face stared up at this impossibly large and gorgeous creature beside her.
"Can I have a dress like that?" She pointed her grimy finger at the delightfully silky layers of fabric that bunched around the woman's waist.
"Why of course my dear! You will have nothing but the best! Now leave with me and never look back." For a child that had no one in her life besides the house mother, this proved to be a very easy decision. She slipped her small dirty hand into the clean delicate one of the older lady and they walked away.2

Princess let a gentle smile curve her lips at the thought of their first encounter. How in awe she had been of this magnificent and powerful woman who later became known to her as The Countess. My, the pleasures she had unfolded for the young woman she called princess. The worlds she had allowed her to venture, and the temptation she allowed her to dabble in. She knew of course, early on, that if this was the life she was to live, it would come at a high price. Her life, her soul, her very being was to become property of The Countess on the child's twenty first birthday. 3

The red velvet room within which she had lived for the past eleven years held so many dear memories for her. How she hated to part with what could only be described as pure love from another being. The Countess had shown her many things over the years, but none compared to the love and satisfaction she had shown her in this room. It stirred her loins to think of the many times when The Countess had entered her room after dinner hours were over. 4

The Countess was a sweet, gentle lover, one who proved to be a master in all things sensual. She had taught Princess how to love another as one loves themselves. She also took care of the child in an almost motherly way. Concerned constantly at her whereabouts, or when she was sickly. Princess loved The Countess and would do anything for her, even give her her still beating heart.5

Yes, The Countess was powerful, but her master was more so; he who was agony and anguish, powerful and lustful, most of all, he who was The King. When he asked her for the child she almost cried out in agony. How could he want the one thing that she loved? How selfish could he be? He knew how much Princess meant to her, how she was to be her bride in the next world, forever, never to leave her side and to love her unconditionally. She had the child believing that she was all she needed, and she was, so who was he to do this to her. Well, there was no use thinking about it now, it was all over and done with weeks ago, yet both women were hoping he might change his mind at the last minute. To no avail of course.6

The countess loosely threw the rope around Princess and pulled her close. The hollow in her neck pulsed wildly. The Countess always had this effect on her, but now it was mixed with fear as well. The Countess leaned in close, her lips brushing Princess' ear, "Please know my love, I will never show another the love I have shown you. No other will ever be touched by me the way you have. I will keep the taste of you on my lips always, your smell on my bedsheets, your voice in my ear." She licked her lips and couldn't help but to taste Princess again, her hands took the girls face and pulled it to hers. "I love you." Princess turned to liquid in that moment, The Countess had never uttered those words to her, and how she had prayed and cried for them the first few years. Tears fell from her eyes as she grabbed her teacher and kissed her with more passion than any man has ever felt. "As I love you, please don't let him take me, save me, you have to!" Princess knew she was pleading in vain, for as much as The Countess loved her, her master would never allow it. For as powerful woman as she was, he had complete and total control over her. "Please do not ask me something for which I have no control over." Her fingers plunged into Princess' hair and she pulled her to her breast, sobbing, her heart breaking. "I love you and will spend my eternity with you." With that she took two steps away.7

The rope fell from around the young woman's waist to the hem of her dress, and the dagger that The countess had been hiding unsheathed itself from the folds of her dress. "You must come now my love."8

The dungeons of the castle were forged by slaves whom The Master had worked till death, then were replaced with younger, fresher ones, until they too died. Skeletons still lined the paths, no one bothering to bury them or even move them. He approved of this though, actually enjoyed the thought of them dying for him, toiling their last breaths in pursuit of his dream. A dream that had finally been brought to fruition. The young virgins blood would spill on the floor tonight, and entitle him to supreme power over all creatures. What a trip to have that much power.9

He watched silently as The Countess walked her pet into the room. "I see you have done well by her, she is such a beautiful specimen, I am proud of the way you have raised her." Contempt flashed in the eyes of the Countess. "Haha, I see you have developed feelings for this one. Pray tell, why is she so special? There have been countless ones before her, as there will be just as many to follow her. I see nothing remarkably spectacular." The Countess just lowered her gaze to the floor, and proceeded in helping her beloved onto the crudely shaped alter. "Now, let the ceremonies begin!" With a loud boom the room lit with hundreds of candles. Demons, who until this point were silent, poured out of the catacombs hooting and screeching. They knew what a special even this was, why if it wasn't for this they of course would never exist. It was the virgins blood that raised new demons, demons more hideous and revolting than the generation before them. The Master had big plans for this batch of recruitment's.10

The Countess took her position beside the girl and kissed her one last time. "How bittersweet it is to kill that which keeps me alive. To kill the one with whom my heart beats, the one which I would die for in a second." With a scream to bring fear into the blackest heart, she raised the dagger and plunged it into the girls heart. But a second later she pulled the dagger into her own gut, smiling gleefully at The Master as she did. "Now what will you do? How long will it take you to find another as myself? Will you die before you do? I hope to god you do." And she fell onto the torso of the woman she called her bride, feebly grasping for her hand, as in death they should be together.