Tu Fui, Ego Eris

“Some people say my love cannot be true, please believe me, my love, and I'll show you. I will give you those things you thought unreal. The sun, the moon, the stars all bear my seal.”

“Follow me now and you will not regret, leaving the life you led before we met. You are the first to have this love of mine, forever with me 'till the end of time.”

“Now I have you with me, under my power. Our love grows stronger now with every hour. Look into my eyes, you will see who I am, my name is Lucifer, please take my hand…”

- “N.I.B.” Black Sabbath


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Chapter 10: A Fonte Paecipitium A Tergo Lupi


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Lovely…

Fiona sat there on the couch in the guest suite…Staring into space. It was down by the table, which was meant to be a pleasant little tea spot for any arriving guests…Back in the day, that was. Those days had long since passed, yet it remained there, waiting for that time to arrive yet again.

But now? Now it was just a small, secluded spot for his…dear Fiona to collect herself. The look on her face was utter horror. He knew the look too well at this point. Well versed in the way it played with someone’s features. She sat there, slightly hunched over, still in her nightgown…He couldn’t say it was a bad look for her. He even had to admit the look of shellshock on her face was disturbingly satisfying as well…

Riccardo knelt there, on one knee. He looked up at her with a look of utter delight- he felt wholly responsible for her present state- and that made him feel very egotistical, very happy indeed. Pregnant- she was pregnant! His eyes dwelled on her stomach, which rose and fell only slightly, and in jerks. He practically salivated like a dog watching a rabbit. She looked better then ever to him. Inside her dwelled the heir to the Azoth. New life. It was just an embryo right now…A bunch of cells strung together into a ball…But it was safe in there. Being nourished, cared for, caressed by her loving body, even if her mind disagreed, her flesh would always obey him…Her womb would always receive what he gave.

Tears stained her face and eyes, silent tears. She cried after the news, but didn’t scream, kick or fight. Didn’t act up, but rather she became catatonic and silent. After she had finished throwing up, he had stood her up and helped her clean herself up. He walked her up the steps and into the bedroom once again, thinking she may want to go back to bed. But no, after that kind of news…One just doesn’t fall back to sleep. So, once she refused the bed, he led her to the couch instead.

He tried to take her hand, but she wrenched it away, giving him the dirty look to end all dirty looks, and then continued to look into space as the awkward silence continued in the room, the only noise the sound of that damned godfather clock ticking forever. It reminded them both how time continued to flow despite them, and for Fiona it was a reminder of how those wonderful nine months were just getting into the swing of things…

“Don’t touch me…”

Riccardo’s eyes went downcast, and anger seethed underneath…Yet he couldn’t get mad, no; this woman carried his child. She had surrendered to him. He had made love to her…and instead of getting enraged, he found himself just growing aroused at the thought. He simply smiled and moaned a little in his throat-

“At least you’re talking again, my dear…”

She sighed, and it was a long, tired sigh, which ended in a cry. Shutting her eyes, she looked away completely.

“Please just…go.”

With a sigh of his own, he stood up. He could admire her all day if he liked, but he had a feeling she had better things to do. He respected her wishes this time, as he normally tried to do, and slowly departed. Yet that wasn’t to say he didn’t plan to come back just as soon as he did.

A few minutes later, he did just that, Fiona beginning to feel sickened at his presence…What was even worse was what he had brought with him. Magazines. And not just some innocent ones about glamour or celebrities…

“For you, my dear Fiona, I’m going to redecorate the nursery…You may choose from it whatever you like. And the other is to help you along…I can get more if you want.”

Two of them. One a catalog about nurseries…the other one about pregnancy. One of those common ones she had seen in check-out lines. They were simple, innocent books that meant no harm to anybody and were rather sweet…But to her in that moment, they were the most horrible things she had ever laid eyes upon.

She lost it- her eyes moistened up instantly, and she fell into sobs. It started with a small scream, not of terror, but of utter hopelessness. She was trying to convince herself-in her mind- that none of this was real…That she was…Pregnant…With this monster’s…child. If she could even call IT a child…When she saw the images of a pregnant woman on the magazine, and the picture of a lovely crib on the catalog…It made her imagine herself in such a position…It overwhelmed her…

Covering her mouth, she crawled into the fetal position and to the other end of the small sofa, sobbing, wrenching…Riccardo stood there and looked at her, dumbfounded. He didn’t quite grasp this…What was there to be upset about? Just two books…Were woman always such silly creatures?

And he stood there for a good three or four minutes, just contemplating the situation. His only movement was that of his head as he tilted at her, trying to figure her out…To see her face to at least lock eyes. The smart thing, he knew, would have been to walk away and ignore her…But he had to admit seeing her so hurt and torn made him want her all the more.

One step. Two steps…The girl didn’t even notice…

Sidling on the couch, he moved over towards her. She didn’t take heed until the very last moment. Gasping, she tried to wrench away, but her body was weak from the day’s events…Body torn from emotion. His arms encapsulated her, around her body like two snakes, and brought her closer.

“No- get off! Stop-No!!”

Resistance was futile, it always had been since she had been brought there. And when she realized this- she stopped fighting, letting her body go limp like a rag-doll. Lucky for her, however, was that Riccardo was not interested in sex this time…

Her head found it’s way snug to his chest, his arms around her back. Not so hard as to hurt her, but she had no choice but to be a part of his embrace. She stiffened again, unsure of what he was doing, not wanting anything to do with this sudden display of what she supposed was intended to be affection-

He stroked her hair as she sobbed…And soon she ceased to care. Already, Riccardo knew how to make the girl feel better…She sighed in a shaky way…Tears staining his uniform as she wept, and like before on those stairs, she couldn’t help but clutch him…But this time there was anger to it.

White-knuckled, she grabbed him, trying to put as much hate as she could into it…She gritted her teeth, screaming at the top of her lungs as he winced above…And he took it all, gritting his teeth as he tried to stop himself from flinging her to the ground- Not that he would have done it before, she was a precious commodity, then…Now? Now she was priceless. She carried his child. Just that thought alone softened his temper. Even his playful side was subdued.

His right hand stroked her lovely, soft hair…His left, her back. All the while, she wept. All the while her mind swam as she tried to comprehend everything…Lost in a practical sea of emotion. Hate for the man that put the thing inside her, hate for this place…Herself…Yet there were traces of comfort…There was something about being in the arms of the father of you’re child-

No- No…She couldn’t think that way. This man was a rapist, murdering psychopath. Even touching him revolted her-

She tried to move away again, but no, he wouldn’t let her. His grip was too strong…

Was it possible to comfort someone by force…? Fiona didn’t think so…But that’s what exactly was it seemed he was trying to do.

“Fiona…Fiona, hush. Hush, child…It’s quite alright. Once you settle yourself, I’ll loosen my hold…”

That had always been his stance with her, “force my hand” so to speak. Push and I’ll push back…He waited as she struggled, and as he expected she slacked. She went limp, and her cool, supple, weak body collapsed in his arms. He sighed in deep satisfaction. A sort like him craved dominance.

Sobbing quietly into his outfit, her breath slowed and so did her grip. It loosened and she lay slack. His arms did loosen, but she didn’t move. With tear-stained eyes, she remained in his grip.

“I know you don’t want to be here…” Came his voice, and he was so close that to her, he sounded like the voice of God himself.

“…As I’ve explained to you, child…This is far bigger then both of us. And it must be done…”

Fiona stayed where she lay in his arms, and found herself brazen enough to argue.

“I think you’re all insane…” She spoke, yet she was shaking, terrified to even say it. “I don’t think this ‘Azoth’ thing really even exists…I think you’re all mad-”

Then she shook violently as she heard what was, to her, the scariest sound in the world…His laugh. It was a short chuckle, but it was enough to make her heart start to race. Had she pushed it too far?

“Azoth is more real then I’d like to admit, Fiona…You are still a child. There’s so little yet you don’t understand…Not just about this- but about the world.”

“And how am I supposed to learn any of that when I’m stuck here?” She shot back, happy to get her point across.

“Oh, you will not be stuck here, love. I will be sure you see the world…But rest assured, you will be tethered to me, always…”

‘We’ll see about that…’ She thought to herself, but daring not to say it…

“…And as for madness…Well, my dear…Call me mad if you wish. I have no doubt that is true in the very least…However, don’t feel yourself too high and mighty upon that alone. Remember, my dear, that insanity tends to be hereditary…And I can tell you for a fact that in this case, your father was no saint…You had better hope it skipped a generation.”

“Stop trying to scare me…Please…” She asked, in hope…Fiona didn’t deny it, but didn’t want to hear it, either…

“I’m simply defending my actions, my dear.”

“Nothing you do needs to be defended…It’s the act of a mad-man.”

“So be it. Perhaps I’m mad…Or maybe you are simply…Uneducated. Either way, I am extreme in my methods, I will admit that. Others have called me a troublemaker…Well, that I won’t deny. If it gets me what I want, and need…Then so be it. I’ll take whatever label you give me…”

Fiona almost fell asleep hearing him talk…His fingers had started to make their way around her ear, going in circles about the lobe, and she couldn’t help but admit it felt so relaxing to her tired, stressed conscious.

“…I just want things to be normal. I want to be back at school…I don’t want to be here…I don’t want to be pregnant…”

There was a small pause, and Fiona wondered if she had gotten through to him for a moment…

“I know.”

Another awkward silence, Fiona’s tears started up again…No, she didn’t want to be pregnant. Not by his child, kept under lock and key to prevent ridding herself of it…

“…But I intend to make this experience as lovely, as comfortable…as pleasant, as possible, my dear…That, I promise you.”

He looked down at her golden hair, her eyes shut, practically glued shut with the tears and morning gunk leftover from what had been a good sleep interrupted my nausea…She was so young…So innocent, and still untainted by this place. It almost pained him to keep her so- but he knew it had to be done.

They would both benefit from this birth…She would come to see that. To see the light, so to speak.

He held her a bit tighter, and she moaned a little in reluctance. But then she lay against him a bit more, and sighed…He was so warm, really…And she was always so damn cold. Her light frame suffered in the bone-chilling cold of the castle.

“If you have pain, my dear…I will drink it away. If you have hunger, thirst, I will feed it…I can give you any and everything you want…You’re heart’s desire.”

Riccardo continued to circle her ear, and she soon found herself drifting off, she could hear his heartbeat, now…and she had a hard time differentiating it from the sound of the clock nearby.

“Heart’s…desire…” She muttered as she faded away into a sleep not unlike a child…

--

Riccardo felt rather like a father already when he finally placed the girl back in the bed. He sat there for hours as he stroked her hair, admiring her, looking into her serene face. He felt the luckiest man to ever exist, a beautiful lover in his arms that carried his child…

If there was a heaven…Riccardo hoped it was like this. Anything else just wouldn’t be heaven at all…

But, in all honesty…It was getting late, and he had to take a piss. So, he carried her to her bed, and tucked her in like the child she was to him. He felt rather accomplished in himself, not only in impregnating her to begin with, but in comforting her back into sleep. If he wanted to he knew he could have easily once again swayed her into bed, but didn’t feel like stressing the poor thing out anymore then necessary. She just learned of her…delicate condition, after all.

He would have to do his best to keep her happy…To reassure her. After all, his hope laid with her, now. Or in actuality, inside her. It was delicate, could easily be miscarried or killed by her actions. She could choose to throw herself down a flight of steps, punch herself in the stomach, help herself to the liquor cabinet…And that was only what he could think of, he was sure there was many more inventive ways to rid oneself of an…unwanted fetus.

Which reminded him…The wine cellar didn’t have a lockable door anymore, she had kicked the boards down that made a hap-hazard door back when she had first been brought there. Well, he needed to fix that…He wasn’t sure how, but he needed to make something right now, before she woke up and got any ideas. There wasn’t much else he could do to prevent her from hurting herself to kill the baby- he was hoping her subtle innocence, which was far more then what he had…would prevent it.

Riccardo looked at the sleeping girl as he opened the door, ready to go about the rest of his day…

He had hoped that the innocent maiden would have enough compassion not to kill her own child in the womb…But she was a Belli, after all…


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The courtyard had defrosted a little…The snow had melted, and all the ice was gone.

And on that rather sunny day in December, Hewie decided to dig the hell out of the entire back part of said courtyard. He had taken a liking to being out there, sniffing about, chasing rabbits and probing about in the underbrush. It was funny to how easily a dog could amuse itself. And Hewie needed all he could after Fiona became so…distant, lately.

It started with trying to find that damn rabbit that was always sneaking in and out of the dog training yard. He dug under the back door a bit, only to find some rather nice smells…And some rather not-so-pleasant ones. Dead rabbits smelled good, and there were some of that…Dog prey from the past, he assumed. Then there came the actual dogs, themselves.

Bones. Skulls, ribs, spinal columns…It disgusted him, but in turn, fascinated him. He dug deeper, widening the hole and finding small dogs, big dogs…Bones to animals he didn’t recognize. Never seen, or smelled before. Then he branched out, found another hole near the fence and started again, finding more animals and even their waste…Which he in turn, rolled in and chewed up.

Well, he was a dog, after all…

He had just found a femur to a rather tasty bitch, when Riccardo came along. He was looking for some wood to make a door quick. The dog pen, he had reasoned, would make a nice sacrifice to the new source of Azoth in his life. As he came upon the sight, he dropped the hammer he had been holding as he stood there in disbelief.

“What…What the fuck!?…You goddamn mutt!” He yelled, body rigid much like a dog with it’s hackles up.

“What the bloody hell is wrong with you!? Do you think I have time to clean up after you- Arrrgh! This is going to take forever…!”

He came towards him, and Hewie dropped the bone. Skirting around him, he crouched and tucked his tail, ears down…It was his only defense. Well, that and running away. Which he then proceeded to do.

Why did humans always do that? Just when he was starting to have fun, finally have some joy in this place, the damn alpha had to come along and ruin it! Hewie wasn’t capable of showing anger to the man- but he could do the next best thing. He lifted his leg to the castle wall near the steps and relieved himself. Dogs do not have minds for revenge, but they do know how to make themselves feel better after a stressful incident…Which in term pisses off the owner.

“…And stop pissing on everything, you fucking mongrel!”

The dog winced at his voice, and took off running up the stairs only to find the door closed. Instead he lay next to it, waiting for it to be opened eventually…Hopefully, by the Lady of the castle this time. Keeping a weary eye on the Lord below as he kicked around looking for wood.

He had no idea how lucky he was to be the object of his Lady’s affection…Lest he would have been on the receiving end of that hammer.

Fiona had woken up in time for dinner. Instantly, she wish she hadn’t.

It wasn’t that she loathed dinner- it was that she didn’t want to wake up to begin with. She had wished she could have died in her sleep, to be brutally honest with herself. Rather be dead then bare that man’s child…If she could even call him a “man”…

It was by a large stretch of imagination that she did- and it wasn’t by force. She had to call him “something” after all. And what she really wanted to name him was something far to filthy for her sterilized mind to remember time after time.

When she did wake up, she didn’t get up, she lay there. Staring into space…Hearing the clock tick. It was loud to her, she wished she could smash the damn thing and be rid of it…She wondered how old it was…Was her father still living here when it was new? Was it here far, far longer? Thinking of her father made her ill, even now she hadn’t become used to the idea of him being gone forever. Especially when she saw his twisted twin brother every day of her life. And had her in his bed.

Oh God, she was pregnant- with child…With his child. I wasn’t that she forgot, but she had tried to suppress it, tried so hard that it almost worked until that moment.

“No…Oh, God, no…It can’t be…” She started to cry again, eyes watered as she uttered the words to nobody but the wall.

That damn painting of Lorenzo was still up there, staring at her sternly, mocking her. He had wanted to kill her, but Riccardo had wanted to bed her. At this point, she seriously started to wonder if being dead was a far better fate.

No. Her psyche peaked through her dark cloud as it lingered above her head. No, they’ll always be hope. It’s not to late to get rid of it.

Get rid of it…

Rid. Of. It…

She lay there and stared, her heart hammering in her chest from stress, and she could swear that already she “felt” the child inside her, but knew it was really her subconscious telling her…Telling her, that it existed inside. That a part of Riccardo, his seed, was living, feeding off of her in the very depths of her body. Sharing her sustenance, her blood…Like some parasite. She felt tainted, poisoned. Even more so then when he was sleeping with her. The sheer comfort he provided masked the anguish going on in her mind. She had been telling herself as long as she didn’t get pregnant…

Her tears stained the bed, and she gasped, sniffled, and finally sat up. She looked down over her breasts to gander at her stomach. She knew it was there, but had almost forgotten it’s physical reality- it was there all right…There was no bulge this early in pregnancy- it was flat as before. Yet it dwelled there- a ball of cells somewhere inside that very area. No, it just couldn’t be all real. This couldn’t be happening!

Almost afraid, her hand drifted to her lower stomach, almost as if it would bite. It was like some foreign object that didn’t belong, and that’s exactly how she saw it. She touched it, and felt her body’s warmth. Heaving in and out, she felt her body move as she breathed. Then her other hand…Somehow, this comforted her. No bulge, no real baby yet. Just her tummy, that was it…Just her normal, small belly that looked good in a bikini…When she wore one that was, which was rare.

Fiona felt cold all over- a sudden jolt tingling throughout her body. She had difficulty swallowing, and she was shaking. This was no morning sickness. Rather, she was feeling the effects, the emotional jarring of such a…discovery. She wondered when it happened- when Riccardo had impregnated her. Which act of sin had planted his seed in her body. And why, for God’s sake it decided to take root and grow. She was fertile soil, but even a rotten seed won’t grow…Nor should it.

How long had she been pregnant and didn’t know? She shuddered at the thought- ignorance had truly been bliss those past few weeks. To say that she didn’t know what to do would be putting it lightly. Her mind swam as her heart slowed, then raced again and again. Why did this have to happen? And just what the hell was she going to do…?

Get rid of it…

The thought kept haunting her. Surely, she could find a way to end this pregnancy without the aid of a doctor…It would give her more time to get out of here if she could rid herself of the fetus. If she had a child here, with him, she feared she would be stuck forever. Or dead. She didn’t know what Riccardo had planned for her after the child was grown and needed her no longer. She had a feeling she might welcome the release.

Fiona wrapped her arms around herself and took a deep breath… Was this really that bad? She was pampered, fed gourmet meals, all at the expense of her freedom. She wasn’t used to being at home even when she was there- she was with her parents for a short time before she got on the plane, came over…and this happened…But before that, her dorm was her home. And that wasn’t when she was out and about, at school, trying to get something to eat, always riding the bus to and fro, always avoiding the pervert gaze of old men. She wasn’t used to being in one spot for too long.

It wasn’t that her life was exciting…It never was. Despite being out, she was sheltered inside her own little mind. She was never a normal girl. Too beautiful, too perfect, two bright a spot in the gunky world. It was her curse. She did not know that she was in fact the child of Aureolus Belli-one of the most powerful alchemists to ever live. And in fact…Was still alive, through his clones. That she possessed power and vitality in her very veins. That she was far more capable then the droll, average life she was living in some remote corner of Boston. Her parents lived in an English district and she never did lose their accent because she simply rarely ventured outside that way of life.

Now she lay in bed, arms around herself as she tried to convince herself everything would be alright. Pregnant with the child of a madman, to say the least of him. Unable to leave- but Fiona would have to admit she didn’t miss the outside world with it’s judgmental eyes, constant pressures, and rude strangers who seemed to hate her simply because they found her more attractive then they. There used to be this group of tall, long-haired girls who always looked down her nose at her. She didn’t know if they were jealous or arrogant, but she had become deathly afraid of their glares…The few friends she did have, talked to her but never came to visit.

But she knew that a life spent behind closed doors was a wasted life, and almost instantly she felt sorry for anyone who lived within these castle walls. Were they forced to life here, to toil away inside these walls in a quest for something unattainable? Why do such a thing, what could it possibly accomplish? Surely, it wasn’t for the betterment of the human race, seeing as what they were willing to do in order to live forever. To other people, to themselves. Did they feel that the end justified the means?

She stared. Just stared…Thoughts whirling about in her head as the clock ticked…

A bun in the oven. Knocked up. With child- Pregnant…

“Oh God…” She said out-loud. “What am going to do, now?”

Did she have it in her to get rid of the thing inside her? Could she? She didn’t even have it in her to kill her captor, she knew well enough it would be possible. She witnessed him sleeping a few times, and it would have been possible to at least smother him with a pillow.

No, she wasn’t like that. She couldn’t kill a man, let alone a child. What made her think she could hurt her own flesh and blood? Suicide was never even an option for her. Never.

Yet as a Belli, she knew. There was a very angry, sinister darkness inside. It dwelled, festered, and remained through anything resembling a pleasant upbringing. Beneath her beautiful, innocent surface dwelled a praying mantis. A succubus. And as a Belli, she knew what had to be done, had to be done.

Slowly, the girl got out of bed. Making up where she was going as she went on.


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SEVERAL HOURS LATER…


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Fiona tried to be gentle with herself, not so much in fear of the baby, as much as fear for herself. She walked gingerly as she used the wall as a brace. After dressing in a half-simplified state, she made her way outside. Even though there was nobody there to see her in her nightgown, it still made her feel trashy to be out in the open without suitable dress.

Hewie was out there, and she felt horrible when she realized she had left him out here all night…And all through the morning during the whole…Situation. He was happy to see her, still. Waging his tail and smile forming with his eyes.

“Hewie! I’m so sorry, boy…”

He looked to the side, and the sun hit his face just right. It made her smile a little, he was still gorgeous after this whole ordeal. Yet he stunk a little, he was going to need a bath…

Panting from stress, he slipped in behind her and went inside. No doubt he was hungry. She heard something making noise towards the cages, and walked a little out, until she could glance out. Riccardo had his shirt off, and was shoveling dirt into some holes. She knew Hewie must have done it, it made the courtyard look like a moonscape.

Fiona looked at Riccardo, how could you not? She was finally able to see him in absolute clarity, with full sun…It was obvious he had worked out in the sun before, he was slightly tan and his skin showed wear and tear, bruises, old scars, stitches…And of course, the scars he was born with. He looked just about made of patch-work with the way they jagged and cracked across his skin.

What made her linger, however…Was those muscles again. He was no body-builder, but he worked hard…That much was certain. He didn’t spend his whole life toiling away in a lab much like she thought…Much like she expected her father most likely did. His arms were nice and curvy, his back tight and built up…The sun hit that just right, too.

It was hard to wrench herself away- she just plain didn’t want to. It looked too fucking good to her, being able to see what she felt, and she felt not only guilty, but absolutely disgusting. She was disappointed with herself, with her body, desires…This wasn’t right. None of this was. She was living in a sea of sin and it was killing her slowly inside, rotting her to the core like she was being cooked in a microwave and was ready to explode.

Suddenly there was a lurch to her stomach- and she wasn’t sure if it was because of her incestuous ‘peek’ of the goods- or her morning sickness…Or both. She wrenched herself away from the sight, doubling over as she clutched her stomach. There was a watery sensation at the back of her mouth, she tried to convince her body not to spew again, that she had emptied it all already…To give her a goddamned break.

Luckily, it listened, so she stumbled over to the open door, back to her room. Her whole body tingled and chilled, she felt like she was in ice water, yet she knew full well the weather was surprisingly warm. She crawled…Yes, crawled…up the small set of steps to the bed, and lay her head on the top. She sighed and tried to catch her breath.

Eventually, the feeling went away. She got up, walked over and shut the door behind her. She then decided she was going to try and go downstairs and feed the dog. The girl made her way carefully, knowing she had just depleted herself of both electrolytes and calories…And considering there was a “parasite” feeding off of her, now…she didn’t have enough to go around when she forcefully just purged.

“Love…”

She stiffened…Damn, couldn’t shake him.

“You really should go back to bed, it’s still rather early…”

“I’m fine…I’m okay…”

“I don’t think you are, love…You’re barely able to stand.”

“I’ll be okay…I’m tired of laying around.”

“Fiona…”

“I said leave me alone!”

Riccardo halted and stared…He watched as she stumbled a little. She wasn’t well, he knew it despite her protests.

He started to advance like a predator slowly stalking it’s prey. And being the hunter, that wasn’t too far from the truth. Fiona heard this and started to walk faster, and then suddenly jolted into a run out of pure fear.

Riccardo’s heart caught in his throat as he watched her stumble and run- If she fell hard enough she would kill the fetus. It made him hesitate to run after her, he watched as she flung open the door and ran through, yelling in a distressed fashion. Hewie ran up the steps and after her, giving Riccardo a weary look.

Through the doorway, he watched her fall, and he gasped out loud. But she fell on her knees- and he settled down a little. Instantly, he ran over. He was there in a matter of seconds.

“Fiona-!”

On her hands and knees, she squeaked some sort of a cry of despair. Before he could help her up, however, he heard it. A sound of water running…Except, it wasn’t water.

He smelled it, too. Fiona had pissed herself. She was trying to hide it, she squeezed her legs together and crouched down. Instantly, her face flushed red. None of it could hide the fact that there was a puddle of urine right there on the floor.

“Well, I didn’t mean to get you all excited…”

He sighed as he continued to stare…Even he knew that was wrong. He couldn’t help it, he was enough of a prick not to care at that moment.

“Oh God…” She sniffled. “I’m, so sorry…”

“The only thing you have to be sorry about is running from me…” He cooed, then walked to the front of her.

“…Though I am surprised you have such a full bladder after all that puking…”

Another sob, and she leaned forward as she put her arms above her head, rear in the air. He had to admit he rather liked that position. His mind filled with images that he’d love to implement, and he had to admit the thought was arousing more then his imagination. Yet he even knew that wasn’t exactly appropriate at the moment.

Carefully, he reached down and took her right hand. He had to pry it from her head, and it wasn’t easy.

“Come now, you need to lay down for a bit longer…And I think you need to change again. In fact, I’d demand it.”

She gave him a look that could melt ice, but it just made him smile.

“I know how to dress myself, thank you…”

“I’m sure you do…Here, I’ll help.”

“I’d rather you didn’t-”

“And I’m telling you… I am.”

Giving up, she let him put his arm around her back, and help walk her to the bathroom downstairs. He pried the wet, stained clothes from her body. She went into a sort of fog as he did, not caring so much that she was naked and being treated like a mental patient or a child…

Pushed into the shower, she made herself adjust the water to a comfortable temperature, and rinsed herself off, scrubbing her legs. She couldn’t believe she just did that…The embarrassment was unfathomable…Pissing right in front of him, on the floor at that. Sweet Jesus, was there anything more embarrassing then that? Well, she didn’t know, she just might have to experiment, it seemed to be the luck she had, after all!

She sighed a long, and troubled sigh…This really was all too much. Fiona didn’t know how much longer she could really take before she died of pure stress or became catatonic.

Or insane…

A sudden flash turned her vision gray…And she looked down at her body, where she was shocked and disturbed to find her body a male…She was young, in her early twenties, skin was healthy, pure, toned…Around her, the tiles, the shower curtain were all different…

She flashed back, and her breath caught in her throat…She looked down, she had breasts again, her body supple and not muscular…Tender, not tough...

No, she couldn’t be doing this…Going mad…

Fiona wondered if she was already there.


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He saw her again, up and about later that day. She wasn’t there for dinner, he had a feeling she wouldn’t be. Luckily, he waited for her to appear before he started cooking, and when she didn’t he decided to look for her instead, so at least he didn’t have to throw away any food…

When he found her, however, it wasn’t the best sight he had ever seen.

Riccardo was attracted to her by the noise she was making, she snuck in when he left the kitchen, and into the corridor that lead to the wine cellar. He heard the sound of the lock being jingled, and walked over to find her. He had a feeling she would at least try- the poor thing had proved his twisted mind right.

Rounding the corner, he saw as she was trying to take the lock off, and not being quiet about it, either. Rather, trying to be fast. Probably before he could hear her. Then she continued to do so right up until he stumbled upon her.

“Fiona…Whatever are you doing?”

She gasped in shock and spun around. A look on her face that could only be described as “Oh fuck…” if taken out of words and put into expression.

“I- just…I was hungry, so-”

“I’ve been waiting for you- so that I could feed you, love. Besides, why check there? There’s plenty of food in the kitchen and fridge.”

Fiona licked her lips and blushed out of embarrassment, she didn’t look him in the eye.

“I, I don’t-”

Riccardo stepped forward, into her. She stiffened and backed into the door. She could feel his breath on her body, and for the first time in a surprisingly long time, she felt true fear for the man that had come to be her caretaker.

“Did you think I would never find out…? What, did you think I was going to find you drunk or passed out, and not do anything? Do you think of me so weak, now, that I’ll let you get away with anything? Or do you just not care anymore?”

He took her right hand, and she was terrified as he did so. Yet he took it gently and held it in both hands, trying to get her to look at him.

“I’m asking you, dear, I’m appealing to you’re sense of compassion…”

At that point, she felt horrible about herself. Good God, what had been wrong with her? Trying to kill her own child- she was just as bad as him!

“Please, don’t kill it…” He touched her stomach, and she drew away. She gasped in her throat and the tears in her eyes started.

Fiona was in true horror as he spoke to her in such a way- If it wasn’t for the pregnancy, Fiona was certain she was done for. But now, anyway, she had a fail-safe. As long as she carried his child, she was safe. That didn’t make it any less scarier, however.

“Please…I…I’m scared, I’m scared…And I don’t know what I’m doing anymore…” She cooed so low, she could even barely hear herself.

Riccardo looked down at her, and studied her as she looked down at her feet. Her chest heaved, and instantly he started to worry- Not just for her sake. Stress, especially in the early stages of pregnancy, he knew, could cause a miscarriage. He couldn’t help his anger, but he had to tone it down. He looked at her, and did so long and hard…What felt like hours past, but was in fact just a few minutes of silence between the two.

“I know…” He finally said.

“I know, Fiona. I can see it in you- And I thought I explained myself well enough this morning.”

She remembered now, and instantly she felt as though her body had been doused in warm water- he had her in his arms as he spoke to her in that low, calming voice. Until she fell asleep…Suddenly, she felt her body ignite. She couldn’t help it, nor stop it at this point.

The scary thing was, Riccardo felt it too.

“I want to make you…happy.”

Leaning in, he was slow, and watched as she became receptive. She tilted her head up as he came closer, and he gently took the back of her head and moved it towards him, and planted his lips firmly on hers. Moaning in defeat, she accepted his kiss as he began to explore her mouth again. Becoming loose and limp in his arms, she felt her body unglue as he continued. Fondling her right breast, he slipped her loose nightgown from her right shoulder, and released her lips.

Moving his mouth down, he moved to the exposed, aroused nipple and took it in his mouth. She panted and bit her lip. Yet let him do as he pleased, face flushing and bracing herself. She didn’t want to upset him now, and sex tended to soothe this savage animal…

Yet he released, and kissed her fiery, exposed skin up to her neck. He stopped at her ear, and whispered there.

“…More?”

Fiona wasn’t sure how to respond, she wasn’t sure she was in the mood for sex…And well, she was never in the mood for sex with him, but especially not now. Yet refusing scared her.

“If you want…” She replied, voice shaking.

“I want what you want…” he replied, and gently bit her earlobe.

Her loins pulsed for him- and she hated herself once more. She jerked a nod, and she closed her eyes and began to pant as she felt herself lifted up against the wall. In a blur of heat, and sensation, she felt him penetrate her and move inside. Fluids rushed to her mouth as she salivated as she was fucked against the wall. He held her by her firm little ass, keeping her up even though the wall helped.

Right now, he was slow with her…She needed to come first even though there was no concern with getting her pregnant this time. The poor woman needed the stress relief, In the heat of the moment he felt her body tense and quake rather soon, and she came in his arms. Toes curling and voice singing, and her arms grabbed his back tensely as she tried to hold on for dear life…

He held her closer as she came, tensing and relaxing. Leaning forward, he touched his forehead with hers.

“What would make you truly happy, dear?”

She could barely answer the question, a cavalcade of emotions running full-on through her head.

“I…I want things to be like before…I-”

“You know I can’t do that…I am only mortal for the moment, Fiona. But I can take you back to you’re home. I can take you anywhere in the world if you just wish it.”

Fiona’s eyes opened and she looked straight at him. She saw herself in his eyes again, but ignored it. Her emotions far too high for her to care right then.

“…What?”

“Oh yes, if it makes you happy…But first, you must do something for me.”

Looking at him, she swallowed, and knew the terms already…Something she knew all along.

“You must stay with me. Forever. You will bare whatever children it is I wish of you- and by that I mean carry them to full term.”

Them? Wait- was he expecting even more from her? She didn’t ask, she didn’t want to…

“We can go anywhere if you desire it. But the minute you leave me, is the minute I find you, and in that instance, love, is the minute you are never free again.”

Looking down, she sniffled…A mix of happiness and sorrow filled her emotions.

“Do we have an understanding?”

Nodding slowly, she knew that wouldn’t be enough.

“Yes…Yes, we do.”

“You’re mine…” He reassured her, and came closer to her lovely face again.

Kissing her, she felt him suck away her life...

…Stuck between a rock and a “hard” place.


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“Please, don’t kill it…”

He told her that for a reason, he hoped it would have it’s effect on her. When he said those words, her face fell and her body sagged. Yes, it was a baby. A bundle of cells, perhaps…Himself, reincarnated, but a child, still. Left unhampered, fed and nurtured, it would be the new heir of the Azoth.

Sure, he could have chained her to the bed…Broke her limbs, whatever, to keep her from going about and hurting the baby someway, but she would surely miscarry. Besides…She wasn’t much fun that way. He hated to hurt such a beautiful creature, she was starting to grow on him. Like a delicate flower, she mustn’t be messed with. She was to be cared for like a rose in a vase- yet she would never wilt…Rather, not a rose, but a Venus Flytrap. Yes, that was a much more accurate description…

Riccardo didn’t lie to her when he told her he could take her anywhere- he could. And would. Lorenzo had pent him up in this place too long, and he was eager to see the world. Yet he would be lying to even himself if he said he wasn’t worried about Fiona getting away from him, with his child at that. Sure, even now he was reborn…Inside her womb, soon his heart would beat inside her own body. There was truly no closer intimacy. Yet for that child to go uneducated in the ways of the family, then their legacy would not live on, either. Alchemy was already dead to the outside world, nothing more then a novelty to be used in popular culture and ‘new age’ bookstore shelves.

The clone had a feeling that the child, his new incarnation…would take it to a whole new level. Would make alchemy what it used to be, a practical world-wide phenomenon like all those hundreds of years ago. Riccardo hoped to see other places in the world where alchemy had once existed…It was always a dream of his to visit Egypt to see the progenitor of the science itself. There were several texts in his library of books that held secret information that only he knew.

One of them, however, was already guessed by the public. The secret chamber under the left paw of the Sphinx was one of them- until he heard that some had already discovered it‘s possible location. It had yet to be opened, and many doubted it’s existence…But he already knew some of what it contained, many alchemical formulae and texts, including prophecies for the possible apocalypse. He’d kill to travel under that passage and acquire those books for the library, either in the mansion or the castle. It included records, texts, and many other things taken from the now lost city of Atlantis, including at least a few of the crystal skulls. Because Atlantis was long gone, it was so rare it would be invaluable information to have here, protected from the prying and destructive ways of mere mortals.

Even Fiona was not a mere mortal…He looked at her as she sat on a stool he got for her, at the other side of the kitchen “island”. She leaned on the counter, with her head down. The woman was very quiet- and the small amount of chewing she was doing was barely audible. She reminded him much like a mouse.

She had only ate a few crumbs, he had prepared her just some small, white crackers without salt, on a plate. And a can of one of the few sorts of soda he picked up from the market last month- some 7UP. His research indicated that it helped with morning sickness. It was actually her second can, she was really downing the stuff, thirsty as all hell.

For the crackers, however, the same couldn’t be said. She ate half of one, and was nibbling on another. Very. Slowly.

“Not feeling well?”

Fiona didn’t respond, she was far too ashamed to look him in the eye and speak…Instead, she blushed red and nodded.

Riccardo looked down at her- it could have been everything from an upset stomach, to outright stress. It did upset him to think she wasn’t getting enough food to fuel herself, let alone a growing child. In the end, however, her body needed rest, and her stomach simply wasn’t up to it right now.

Although she may not have thought of it that way, she held his very life in her hands. The child was very much him growing inside her. And so with every twitch she made, every drink, bite she took…He worried. Much as if it wasn’t so much just his flesh and blood, but his very soul in the balance. He could always make more, for certain. Yet that didn’t make him feel any better about a potential loss.

“Fine…Here, let me put this back…”

Reaching around, he took the plate from her and set it in the fridge- he was far from in the mood to put them back in their container. He was sure she would be eating sometime soon, anyway.

“Remember now, don’t ever be shy of eating too much…If you have a craving, let me know. Don’t ever forget, you’re eating for two, now…Dear.”

He looked back at her- she still looked so…dead. Face drained, eyes wet and bloodshot. As much as he wanted to stay with her, he reminded himself that perhaps getting away from her for a little bit would make her feel better. Besides, he was far overdue for his twice-weekly duties in the mansion. He kept putting it off, but he knew it had to be done. Now was the best time, while she needed his absence more then ever.

Yet it terrified him to leave her alone, now…When she was most vulnerable. Before, he was positive she was still keen on escape, and was confident she would simply never give up. Now? Now his confidence and psychotic, reckless nature had worn down to worry and concern. Would she faint now, he would not sit by idly and watch in fascination. He would run to catch her, fearing the child in her womb would be hurt, that she would hit her head…

Riccardo was afraid he would come back to a Fiona on the edge of sanity, and a bruised stomach…Or even worse, a Fiona that was dead, no more…

Then Riccardo wondered…Would it really be so difficult to take the girl with him? It’s not as though what he would be doing would be dangerous or even unexciting for someone like her. He had done it a million times and it had lost it’s luster. He had a feeling, however, that she would get somewhat of a kick out of it. If it didn’t terrify her, that was…

She did look tired, yet he had the feeling that what she was about to witness would keep her wide awake for some time.

“Fiona…I need to leave for a little while. Not the castle itself, but I need to head into the mansion…”

Her eyes lit up a bit as she tilted her head upwards to him.

“Would you like to come with me?”

Fiona considered…She had seen Riccardo “disappear” from the residence about twice a month. Not including his shopping trips. She always wondered where the hell he went, though she was grateful not to be watched for a while. She couldn’t help thinking what he did when he was gone…Some sort of cruel experiments? More tampering with forbidden science?…She didn’t think she wanted to see any of it.

“I’d rather stay here…And rest, thank you…” She tried being polite, anyway.

Riccardo smiled and tilted his head. Oh, he’d convince her, alright…

“I promise what I show you will be far beyond what you expect.”

“That’s exactly what I’m afraid of…”

Looking into her eyes, he could see the fear. Yet he knew she would love this, the girl had a flare for animals, it seemed. A connection.

“I also promise you that it will be beyond what you could ever imagine…Ever dream.”

This caught her attention…Fiona always was a dreamer. And the girl could spend all day wondering what either could be or should be…What was possible.

“What do you mean?”

Ah, that got her attention…

“There’s only one way for you to understand what I mean, my dear…” He walked closer, putting his hands on the counter and leaning towards her.

“And that’s to see it for oneself…”

Fiona eyed the clone with suspicion. God only knew what he meant. Yet she was always a curious one. That, she got from her father. Which meant she shared it with this man…Which scared her even more.


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She didn’t fight him much more after that. Fiona had nodded, and like that he took her hand, gently, and led her with him. Not before she grabbed another can of 7UP, of course. She carried the drink with her rather uncharactistically. Yet even now she was so thirsty, and this was the only thing her stomach would keep down, not even water. At least the bits of crackers weren’t on their way up, yet…

Fiona followed closely behind, most of it out of sheer curiosity…Another part of her, out of a way to try to stem the usual mundane cycle of eating and resting that had become her life. Not that she was bored…Far from it. Yet she couldn’t exactly sit down and watch the “tele” either, not until he fixed it like he said he would. Though Fiona supposed he had been busy.

Besides, it took her mind off of the…thing that grew in her belly. Anything that did that was deserving of her attention.

Watching, he unlocked the mansion door with his keys. She paid special attention to this. It was one key on a ring, with many, many others. Some large and made of gold, others simple, decayed iron that barely clung together. When finished, he kept them in his hand instead of his pocket. He didn’t appear to trust even himself when it came to falling out of his clothing…Or Fiona herself in reaching in and taking them out.

He tried to talk to her as they walked through the mansion…But she didn’t do much besides nod or shake her head, so he stopped. He wasn’t one for the cold treatment.

Of course, she had been down this way before. It felt like forever ago. Yet she had known that there was no other way that she had known of. So, she watched him. Watched to see if he knew of something she didn’t

And would she ever find it…

When they entered the hallway after that door, Fiona was reminded of the chase with Daniella…She could never forget that woman, but in the same sense, she had been almost a distant memory at this point. Time went by slowly behind these walls. She wasn’t sure if this was a good or a bad thing.

Then Riccardo walked to the a mirror- the one that the late Daniella had turned to, and screamed at. She wondered what he was doing as he stood in front of it, grimacing at his still very rugged appearance. Then he reached behind the mirror, until she heard a “click”, and it swung open rather like a door. The hinges were hidden behind it, and inside was revealed an extremely short corridor with a door at the end.

Fiona took note of this all…Yet Riccardo didn’t mind. She didn’t see him worried at all that she was watching all of his secrets. It was because Riccardo had been sure to tie up all loose ends long ago. Even getting hold of his keys was something he planned for. He had made sure to bribe the nearby police, just in case she got out of the castle and made it into the outside world. If she survived the long way back through the dark, lone woods…She would come right back.

It was her fate, her destiny…She should come to accept it. Though he would always admire her for trying. She had the mind of a Belli. Even when she was trying to escape, she had found herself becoming more and more like who she was trying to get away from.

She followed along behind, cautiously, walking quickly as she actually tried to stay close to him instead of running away. As he unlocked the door, they made their way into a whole other branch of the mansion she had never been to before. And it scared the hell out of her.

“How big is this castle, anyway…?” Fiona asked out of sheer fear.

Riccardo looked back at the girl, contemplating how simply…adorable she was being.

“Love, if you think you’re even close to seeing the full scope of you’re home…Then think again. There are rooms and passages not even I have ever been to before.”

Stepping into the room, she lifted her head to look about.

“Why not?”

“Just too busy, I suppose. Lorenzo also decided to let his secrets die with him, he never did reveal the other passages to me.”

Stopping dead in her tracks, she heard Riccardo but did not respond…

How could anyone respond after what she was seeing…?

The girl had been to a few museums in her life, she could almost count the castle in this, she had once thought. Now she knew for certain.

The room itself reminded her of the room that connected to the carousel after it had been turned. Not because it looked the same, but because in it’s center a large, stuffed creature dominated it. Save it wasn’t a mammoth, it was far more prehistoric then that.

She was no expert in dinosaurs, yet she knew what was standing above her at that moment. It was the impossible. The absolute improbable, most least likely thing she thought she would ever see…Not only in in the mansion, but in her entire life…

It was some sort of large Apatosaurus-like reptile. It’s actual body was astride the center of the room, but it’s neck and tail stretched and encircled the whole of the space, with it’s tiny little head almost looking right at her. It was entirely intact, skin and all.

Somehow, Fiona knew…In her heart and soul, and she didn’t know WHY she just knew…Just that she did…That it was real. She could even still smell a heavy stench of formaldehyde, most likely used to preserve the great beast, rising from it’s aging hide. It was a shadow of it’s former self, beams radiating from the walls to support it’s flimsy, too-long neck. It’s dry, scaly skin faded a lighter green then what it used to have been. Cobwebs stretched over nearly every part of it.

The room itself was the size of the average auditorium, it actually rather reminded her of the music hall of the private school she used to attend. It brought back rather pleasant memories…In this rather unpleasant place. Still, she couldn’t deny the absolute wonder and majesty of the room, despite it’s creepy vibe. How often does one see a dinosaur in the flesh? No museum she had ever been to held that…

Like the globe room where Daniella had perished, the ceiling was like a dome, and made of glass. Yet this was more in the shape of an oval, and made of stained glass. The image was rather profoundly strange to the poor woman…It was that of a lizard. No, not a lizard…It came to her…A salamander. An amphibian…not a reptile. Yet it was not the traditional animal one sees in brooks or streams…It was a red creature who seemed to not have slimy skin, but a scaly one. It had a nasty, toothy grin and fierce claws. And above all, it’s skin was emitting a fiery glow.

On the side facing her, was a moon. It reminded her of a childhood drawing, as it had a face drawn onto it. On the opposite side was the sun, again, with a face. Yet the whole glass ceiling was rather dirty, and she could only just barely make out any of the details she at least thought she saw.

As a matter of fact…The whole room smelled musty, was covered in cobwebs…Looked to not have been touched in ages. Far and away not the same as the other areas of the castle. Considering it was behind a mirror, she know must have reasoned the maid simply never touched it…

The room reminded her more of a coliseum then an auditorium, as it had levels. About five rings encircled the main area, and went upwards as the rings progressed. On each level were skeletons of animals. Some were of dinosaurs, the biggest being towards the back. One was monstrous, reminding her of a tyrannosaur, but…different. It was bigger, longer, and had a longer snout. It’s arms were long with a sickle claw on each hand, and a sail ran down it’s back. The skeletons were a bright white and arranged perfectly, as though they were never underground…But in fact, from living, breathing things.

Such a thought brought a chill down the young woman’s spine…

The other skeletons were of other beasts she thought she recognized…One was a mammoth, rather like the flesh-and-blood one in the mansion. Another, a saber-toothed-cat. (A Smilodon, she would later learn…) A few were of gigantic lizards and snakes. Others, however, she simply couldn’t place. Their skeletons were complicated and almost frightening to look at…So she turned away.

Slowly, she followed Riccardo into this room, her head fixated completely on these things about her…Chills ran up and down her spine, her breath hitched…Surrounded by skeletons, not fossils…skeletons. From within the past few hundred years. It was both disgusting and marvelous at the same time.

“Please forgive the mess, love…This hall hasn’t been cleaned in ages. It never really made it to the top of my “to do” list…”

As Riccardo spoke, his voice echoed throughout the room. It made her wince and almost turn back into the little mouse she was. But now, she urged herself to straighten up and talk to the man…

“And I assume the maid…Daniella…She never…?”

“Because of the mirror, you see. Once I tried to drag her here to clean and she would have none of it. Removing the mirror was out of the question, it added to the disguise…If this room was ever found by anyone outside the family…” He trailed off, leading it to her imagination.

Fiona nodded. At least she was starting to figure this place out, anyway.

“What’s this place, anyway? How did this happen? How did-”

He smiled to himself, and laughed a little in his throat. So much this girl didn’t know about her own home…

“Hall Of Prehistory”, I believe it’s referred to. Though it really hasn’t been added to in centuries…Even my…past memory can‘t seem to be sure of anything in this room.”

“Past memory?” This was curious to the girl, so she prompted.

“I’m sure even you experienced it, Fiona… Memories. Thoughts. Some days I couldn’t even shake the concept that I was who I was…That I was three or ten generations in the past instead of the future. You are one of us, too…” He said as he looked back at her with a smirk.

“…If you haven’t already, you will now. If you want help, I can even try to…assist the process of bringing it up.”

“I’d rather not, thank you…”

“Well, I’m afraid you can’t help it…You have the Azoth. Just as I…You had no choice in the matter.”

“Tell me about it…”

He stopped dead, and turned around. This frightened the girl just a little…And she backed up a few feet in preparation.

She calmed, however, she saw his expression. His eyes were not hard nor harsh, and his features were not angry…All around, he appeared rather passive. Still, his message was serious. Fiona still treated him like a lion with a thorn recently removed from his paw…

“You are far more fortunate then I…” He spoke, voice ringed with warning.

“You are in fact, more fortunate then most…Don’t ever forget that, Fiona. My dear…”

She wanted to say something like “If you say so…”, but shut her mouth…She wasn’t dead, wasn’t dismembered, she had her health. No matter how she may have looked at it, she had something to be grateful for.

‘Fortunate then most…Better then most? Better then…all?’ The girl thought, and she didn’t know why. But the concept was strangely tantalizing, yet frightening to the frail young thing.

Riccardo began to walk again, and she followed. Still, even now she couldn’t help but look about. Even though what she may have saw turned her stomach.

“How did…How did you do this-”

“Fiona…I, singularly, did not do this…Our previous versions did. Though Lorenzo did do the seismosaurus…”

“The what…?”

“The giant goddamn lizard towering above us right now…When I was younger I remember how big it was alive…I don’t know how, but it’s almost as though it looks smaller, now…”

This stunned the girl…She knew that mammoth, and now this creature…Had, in fact, been alive at one point.

“The wonders of alchemy can accomplish much, my love. Long after Aureolus’ dream of cloning himself, he experimented on anything from living animals to those long since extinct. The mammoth you see in the hall was created through the process of collecting a tusk and copying it’s genetic code. Afterwards, it’s created just as anything else. Even dinosaur bones long since fossilized, the process can be reversed and DNA harvested.”

“That’s…Incredible…I can’t believe it…”

She stopped again, right before the door that led on it’s way to the next room. It made her shudder to think what atrocities lay there. Looking about, the hair on her neck stood up, and she had a very strange, paranoid feeling about it. Was this right? Was this playing God? Lessons from her bible-beating mother came to mind.

“Believe it. They are just as real as you and I…”

“This shouldn’t be…It’s not right. None of this is right.”

Riccardo smirked to himself…He couldn’t help the irony.

“It just so happens to be how I came about, Fiona…Not to mention, how you came about. Indeed, had Lorenzo not created you’re father, you wouldn’t be here right now, would you? You’re just as much a clone as the rest of us…As the animals in these halls. And just like them…You’re a part of this place, too.”

His voice echoed in the melancholy, ambient room. It was a voice of power, slyness and wisdom. It was a voice that belonged to the ages, and it reached down inside the girl and twisted at her soul. She looked into his eyes and gave him a long, hard look.

“I belong to myself, Riccardo…”

“Ah, so you’re gaining confidence, I see…All it took was for you to become pregnant with my child.”

Immediately, Fiona felt chilled to the bone…She watched him smile in triumph as he turned, and walked away. Tears came to her eyes as she was reminded of that sad fact. It was a simple fact she didn’t like…She was tied to this place, forever. Since before she was even born. And now? Now she had made that rope that tied her here into a chain…And this child she carried within? The same fate awaited it, she knew…

Her head went down, and the cold that irradiated through her body continued. It went to the tips of her fingers, to the very bottom of her toes, and to the very spot that housed the child in question…And she felt so faint, so weak. Riccardo turned and started to walk again. He felt he had bested her, indeed.

Then he heard the sound of the girl collapsing, and he turned about rather quickly. Before when he saw her fall, he stood idly by. In either cases, even if he rushed to catch her, he would have been too late, anyway. He didn’t want to scare her by touching her too soon. Later, of course, scaring her became the chase itself, part of the joy. Still, if he could hold back he would.

Not now, though…Not while she was fragile as she was. Not while she carried his seed inside her. At the sound of her body starting to collapse, she spun around and rushed at her. He was a little late, and her body crumpled to the floor instead. Kneeling down quickly, he was at her side. She had but fell to her knees, eyes wet and body shaking.

“Get away…Just get away…”

“You didn’t pee again, did you?”

Fiona sniffled in embarrassment.

“No…”

“Good, because I didn’t particularly enjoy cleaning that up…”

Springing to her feet, she tried to shrug him off as he moved to help her. She didn’t particularly want to remember any of that moment.

“Please! Can we please just…Get this over with, please!”

Riccardo eyed the girl, and she caught his gaze for a brief moment. He nodded as she picked her 7UP can off the floor, taking a small, shaky sip to calm her stomach.

“Fine, fine…Though I think once you see what I have behind these doors, here…You’ll be quite taken to stay a bit longer…In fact, I may have a hard time getting you to leave.”

The young woman did not respond, but instead blindly followed the clone through the door. Her curiosity peaked, she couldn’t help but wonder what morbid surprise awaited her. Her mind was quick to make up ideas too horrible for her to dwell on very long.

Riccardo must not have been referring to the next room as the one to behold- for it was disgusting. It was a huge lab, much like the other one in the mansion. Not for alchemy, but for a more modern science. It reminded her of an autopsy lab. There was a huge stainless steel table, the size of a 18-wheel tractor trailer. In stretched the length of the rectangular room.

That table was clean- thank God. She didn’t think she could stand the sight of blood with her stomach like it was. Lights shone above it, so bright, she had to squint. She hated to see the lighting bill for this place…There didn’t seem to be a light switch anywhere for any of the rooms. The other lights in the room were above, as florescent light panels in the ceiling.

The room itself looked sterilized at one point- but had long since collected dust. Cobwebs clung to the shelves and table. In the air hung that formaldehyde stench again, but this time it was almost overpowering. Not just some leftover smell, but the very source of it was right here- indeed.

On those stainless steel shelves were jars- some small…some very, very large. The jars themselves looked a lot like the sort that has the metal clasp so it can form an air-tight seal. This was odd, she thought, because of the contents they contained. They were far from the norm. It made the lab look like it belonged to a mad scientist- and in fact…She could say it very well did.

It was just like the back room of a museum- animals in jars. Usually babies, she could tell my the features. Of course they were dead, hanging suspended in formaldehyde. It’s from where the smell was coming from-she wondered how it could smell so bad if the jars were shut so tight- but she tried not to give it much thought.

What those animals were, however- was what got to her. Chilled her to the very bone. Some looked normal, sure…Others like an experiment gone wrong.

She broke away from Riccardo, whom was trying to make way to the other side of the room at a relaxed pace. He had no intention of hiding this from the girl, she was going to see it sooner of later…She already knew most of their secrets. She had even seen the cloning tanks. And she was already going to see many more fruits of their labor.

Cautious as she approached, she couldn’t help her curiosity. She walked towards the very largest jar indeed, the one in the center…It was placed there, almost, as if they were proud of this one the most. At first it looked like a large serpent to her, like the oroboros that these alchemists represented everywhere about this castle…But no, it was something more. Something that was worshiped by all of humanity since the very beginning of time.

It was a dragon. She was sure of that, and knew it…The word “drake” popped up in her brain, and she knew not where it came from. Only later, after she looked closer, did she see the old label on the jar, marked “draco draconus”, it’s scientific name. Why not? When you make something, why not make up it’s name?

A body of a serpent circled about the jar, but it wasn’t as long and didn’t take so long to taper. In the center, it’s body was larger just by a little. Like a snake that swallowed all too-big a rat. On that body was four sets of limbs, something she had never seen in anything besides an insect. Four legs, and two leathery wings. They were large and encircled the jar, barely able to see the actual animal inside.

Tiny little horns adorned it’s deep red body, which was dappled with patches of lighter color here and there. It’s skin leathery, but scaly and obviously reptilian in nature. It had large eyes, which dare she say it, made it look rather…cute. Had it been alive, of course. Right now it was just creepy. All the same, at least they were closed.

Poor thing…She wondered if it died from natural causes, or cruelly killed after it had served it’s purpose…

“Not many survived long after the cloning process…” Riccardo remarked as he followed behind her. Almost as though he had been reading her mind.

“Some never got it to birth…Some a few days, months…Others, lived on and thrived wonderfully…”

Fiona stared. Beyond the dragon hatchling were more jars. Some were twisted failures of said dragon…Others, failures of other designs entirely. One was a horse’s head…Contorted in such a disgusting fashion it made Fiona sick just looking at it.

“What in God’s name possessed you to do such things…?” She spoke without thinking. Why should she? This was her home, her business.

“What purpose does this serve…? Toying with and destroying God’s design?”

Her voice was lyrical and sweet, even though it dripped disgust. Riccardo sneered a rather cruel smile at the young Lady.

“…Why not?”

She shot him a disgusted glance, he continued unabated.

“Why not tamper with what nature herself hath given us? Am I not also a part of her? Are we also not a part of her, love? They are all cells, flesh, tissue…Still living. Still real. They are simply…Manipulated. Moved about…”

Her face almost turned red with anger- and in response…Riccardo almost started to laugh in his sardonic manner.

“That’s not the point! Don’t you feel bad for…for doing something against God’s will-”

“You keep mentioning ‘God’, Fiona…I can tell you for a fact, that there is none. Not in the sense you speak of, anyway…With that damned mother of your’s I’m not surprised you believe such nonsense-”

“Just because you don’t believe-”

“It’s not about what I believe, it’s about what I know. And I know far more then you, darling.”

Fiona almost snorted, she’d never been so close to just about punching a person. She knew her hand would almost break with the force, and the man would feel barely anything with her light touch. Instead, she looked around to the creations before her…It really only reminded her of one thing in particular.

“What, Riccardo…Never read ‘Frankenstein’?”

She expected him to perhaps either jest or laugh at her, as was his custom. The man…if she could call him human, that was…Never seemed to take anything seriously. Not this time, apparently. His face was stone before, and now he just looked chilled to the absolute bone. He gave her a look that could kill.

“Have you?”

“Of course I have! Back in grade school it was required read-”

Riccardo took a step forward, it threw her off guard…But this time, she stayed put.

“Dully noted, love. I’d read it, yes. It’s actually a rather good book, though it skimps on the technical details on how the creature came to be. In case you weren’t paying attention, yes, alchemy is used to bring the creature to life…And it is an abomination.”

“Then you see what I mean, then? What you’ve done here?”

“What I see are experiments…Progress. You compare these to an exaggerated story of a man whom created a homunculus from dead bodies…I suppose I see the connection. Yet fear nor senseless morality will not stop me from accomplishing greatness.”

“You and I have very different ideas of greatness…”

The man smiled a little as he turned away.

“Now you’re starting to sound just like Lorenzo…” He remarked, in his typical narcissistic way.

Fiona’s eyes were never so wide. She watched him walk towards the door again, her stomach quivering as she tried to still recover from said morning sickness. She was tired of him already. What he did didn’t even matter right then and there- he was just being an asshole. Even trying to use a classic story of “playing God” that was Mary Shelly’s work didn’t seem to do anything but piss him off.

She gently sipped the rest of the beverage from the can, then set it down on the floor. All of it so slow for her frail, depleted body. It was only weakened by the stress of the rather…Strange argument. One of the first real arguments she had with him, she had to admit. It almost made her sick to think that…Because only “couples” argue. Such a thought twisted her sensitive stomach even more. She doubled over slightly, making a groaning noise against her will…She knew it would spur him, and regretted it…But it couldn’t be helped.

He rushed at her, and grabbed her yet again as she went to stumble. She mumbled something and spit out a cry of despair, she didn’t want him to help her, but she needed it…She knew it, and she hated it.

Grabbing her about the waist, he kneeled on the floor with her. All she could think of was she wanted him off of her, and how filthy the floor was…Yet he was so warm, and his scent had become familiar to her, like a puppy for it’s mother. She laid into him, soaking it up.

“You see? You’re stressing you’re self out, child. In you’re condition, you can’t do that…”

“You put me in this condition!”

“Shhh!” He cut in, “What did I just say? Calm down…Take deep breathes, settle yourself..”

She laid in his arms and listened, the sound of his voice was familiar to her in this new setting…It was comforting. Her body sagged like dead weight in his arms. He breathed a sigh of relief, and looked down at the lovely creature in his arms.

“Frankenstein…” He began, his words soothing in the chilly room.

“…Was a mad scientist, who was killed by his creation. But only because he wanted to…He chased it to the end of the world, but in the end the creature found him, already dead from pneumonia. Afterwards, the monster set himself afire, so that he may rid the world of the abomination he had become. I know the story well, Fiona… “

“I know it because I read it as a child. And I know it because I live it. I am not just Frankenstein my dear…”

“I am his monster, too.”

Fiona stared into his chest as she lay there. Contemplating his words and breathing carefully…Slowly, planning out each inhalation.

“…And all the monster wanted in his sad, pathetic life…Was a mate.”

For about an hour she sat like that in his arms, before he carried her into the next room. She twitched as he did so, and so he let her down gently.

“Can you walk?”

“Yes, I’m fine…I just need to collect my bearings…”

Riccardo nodded as he looked the girl over. His eyes especially hovered at her thighs…Around her, he felt like a young man all over again. He surprised even himself with his new endurance. He wondered if it was the result of the Azoth, or the fact that she was simply that fucking fantastic to have around and sleep with on a whim. What red-blooded man wouldn’t kill to be in his position right now? The girl was one in a million…

No, she was a woman now…He had made her a woman.

He looked up to survey his surroundings. This room was far different then the last two. It reminded him of the greenhouse elsewhere in the mansion, and now knew where the inspiration perhaps heralded from. Though he supposed it could have been the other way around- he couldn’t remember which one was created first.

It was like a mini utopia inside, grass and normal dirt made up the floor, trees and flowers sprang up from the ground. And there were all sorts, it depended on the lighting what grew in that particular area. Said lights hung suspended from the ceiling as florescent tubes. They almost buzzed in greeting as he shut the door behind him.

Fiona looked about, large cages lined the side, all empty. They reminded her of the cages in the hallway of the mansion. These were larger, however. Even the doors, and they looked musty and stained. Still, it was obvious they haven’t been used in ages.

What really impressed her, however…was the enormous glass windows. They were curved only slightly, and it reminded her of the sort of habitat one would find at a zoo. Instantly, as that thought came to mind, she realized that’s what it was…Outside, had to be a zoo. A zoo, she knew…that wasn’t filled with any normal animals.

Slowly, she walked through the aisle of the chaotic greenhouse. One of many aisles, but this one seemed the biggest. On cue, as sort of automatic watering system kicked in, it shocked the girl but she settled quickly. A motor started from above and a sort of spoke-wheeled apparatus started moving around above. Jets of fine water sprayed from above as it moved faster and faster, and doused the plants below.

Fiona ran through the rest, trying not to get wet. Riccardo stayed behind, waiting for the system to stop. He had been in the middle of that before while tending to these ancient, resurrected plants…It had the ability to inundate someone with water completely. It wasn’t pleasant.

And that goddamn fertilizer smell was near impossible to get out…

Instead, he watched from afar…She just hoped that the beasts would appear on time for feeding. That’s what he was relying on at this point.

He watched as the girl made her way to the glass, and placed her hand to the farthest left one. Outside, was thick forest. She could tell it was ground-level. Yet not so thick that she couldn’t see a thing. To the right of the window was a small panel that looked like it could fling open. It all started to click for her, it was feeding time for something…

Something caught her eye as they drifted off towards the window. It’s eyes glimmered in the small amount of daylight left. They were green from the reflection. Just a flash, and she got closer to get a better look. Her mind endlessly turned about looking for answers. Trying to come up with a concept of what was out there.

The answer came a little too sudden for her liking. She should have known better from that damned fish…

A snout appeared, and it wasn’t like a cute snout from a dog or a deer, it was reptilian snout. Pointy, rounded at the end. It sprang forward from the brush suddenly, and it made her fall on her ass…again.

Gasping in surprise, she witnessed it. It was a goddamn dinosaur. Sure as she could see right in front of her. This place was more then just something out of a Italian horror movie or Lynch film, it was fucking Jurassic Park. And reality, it turned out, was really hi-def.

She was no expert in these animals. But such icons were so common in popular culture, there was no doubt. It was a raptor. What kind, she couldn’t tell, but it walked on two legs, had huge claws, and was only slightly taller then herself. It was very long, however, with a huge tail that seemed to go on forever. Stiff and extended far out back, tapering to a blunt tip. It’s feet housed large talons, most especially a sickle claw on each foot on the inside, that looked ridiculously sharp. They were carried above the ground, it appeared, to preserve their condition.

The front claws were almost as sharp, almost as long…Just looking at this creature was frightening to her, imagining what it could do carrying about that weaponry, sharp implements that it was seemingly born with, came completely natural to it. So was killing, she imagined. The arms were kept up front and curled up before it’s chest, looking almost innocent and about to say a prayer.

But just one look at the powerful creature before her, told her he would be saying no prayer for the dying. It’s body was deep, with a bird-like chest, and carried itself like one as well. It’s neck, however, was like a serpent that curved back, and a head unlike anything in particular. The whole body was like a hodge-podge of reptile and bird, and it’s head was no different. Above it’s reptilian snout were a sprout of feathers, tinged bright red, and they also adorned it’s sharp arms. The bright color tinged with it’s striped, black and tan body made her gasp at it’s sheer beauty. The tail was striped in bands, the arms and legs tan, as was it’s mouth, rather like a Rottwieiler or Doberman. It made a low tapping noise in it’s throat as it looked at her, it’s eyes were curious and bright, a light deep green almost like her father‘s eyes. Yet it could see in the dark, as the light illuminated the reflective part in the eyes, making them glimmer.

“Riccardo…?” She cried in fear, trying to get up.

She hated it, but it slipped from her lips before she knew it. On cue, he ran over. The sound of his footsteps were strangely reassuring to her.

“What is that!? What the hell is that!?”

Riccardo looked up calmly, he had no effect of surprise or concern. He had seen this creature at least once a month, it held no surprise to him.

“It’s called a Deinochyus, it’s from the cretaceous period, I believe…”

She looked up at the man as he bent down, and lent her a hand. Fiona took it without thought, and he lifted her up.

“You know, you could have warned me…”

“Why? I rather enjoyed you’re reaction.”

“You’re an asshole…”

There it was, she finally said it. Fiona had become brazen, her pregnancy giving her at least a little bit of a protection. His reaction was surprising. He laughed sharply, a smile on his face as he burned a hole in her with her eyes, but she didn’t see it…She felt it.

“…I know.”

Lifting her to her feet, he leaned in and pecked her cheek with a kiss.

“It’s about time you’re finally honest with me…”

Blushing, she looked away.

“I’m sorry…”

He looked at her as she tried to face away. After she got mad, she always seemed to settle back down. Poor love, just when she starting showing her other side, she backed down.

“Quite all right, love…I rather like the fiery side of you.”

“I don’t…” She said with a sad tone, then looked at the animal behind glass.

Looking up, he gazed at the animal with her. The dinosaur moved his head left and right a little, trying to see the girl that had since disappeared behind his caretaker, clinging to him. This made Riccardo smile at the way she relied on him. It gave him quite a good amount of satisfaction.

“To this day experiments are still being done, M’Lady. Animals being brought back from the dawn of time. Animals that did exist at one time…Others, creatures that never existed. Created from mixing together beasts of the land, sea and air until we got just the right combination to recreate creatures from the legends of old…Legends that perhaps rang true at one time, but are no longer. Extinction, for us, Fiona…Is far from forever. It just requires a lot of work to fix…”

Fiona gazed at the creature. It ‘tapped’ again in his throat, then tilted his head as he gazed at the woman before him.

“Did you make him…?”

Riccardo thought his words carefully, it wasn’t an easy question to answer.

“I finished what Lorenzo started…but your father did most of the work.”

There was a pause, and she looked at the creature with a new, almost fond light. Her chest heaved with a sort of sadness.

“Well…Why? I mean, I know you already told me, but…What spurs you to do such a thing?”

Riccardo took a sigh, he had thought about that before. He had someone of an explanation. He didn’t love or care for animals, but he had a thirst for knowledge. Loved discovery, felt accomplished with some sort of direction and purpose in his life. And compared to cloning himself, this was the next best thing.

“To replace that which was lost to the world. What is missing. The Earth misses these creatures, and humanity misses it’s legends.”

She was surprised at this statement. Blinking a few times, and considering his words. It made the most sense of anything he had said. The most compassionate thing he had said, perhaps in his whole life. Though Fiona couldn’t say for sure. He was a mature man, and had seen only part of it.

“So, you think you’re doing the world a favor? Is that why?”

“I think I’m accomplishing greatness, Fiona. And if that happens to be positive for the world, then all the better. You’ve seen skeletons in the tombs, I’m sure. And my clones in the tubes at the lab. All of it, I’m sure…Disturbed you, made you hate this place all the more. Yet here I show you, positive fruits of our endeavors. Creatures brought back from extinction. Brought from the ground, entombed in stone, to the light of day. Walking about, blood pumping. Are you telling me this isn’t a marvelous thing?”

For once Fiona was speechless. She looked at the animal again. It had started pacing the window, and had given her a view of it’s absolute size and muscle power. It made her pursuers in the mansion look like tinker toys. If that creature got into the house, it would kill everybody without trying. Fear rose in her throat.

“Want to see him? I’ve trained him to take food from the hand-”

“No, I’d rather not, thank you…don’t let that thing near me…”

Riccardo smirked, looking towards the animal as it strutted. The animal was actually rather tame. Like a parrot that learned to perch on it’s owner’s shoulder. He was more curious of her then hungry. He never was a fan of animals, didn’t show a true affection, but at least he was able to show the girl he was able to care for them with some decency. He cared for the hatchling before it was old enough to live outside.

“I thought you loved animals, dear?”

“I do- but…It scares me. It’s not a normal animal.”

“I see…Well, stand back, anyway…I need to make sure this machinery is working. Once I do, I can show you the other selection we have.”

“Selection? What exactly else do you have? Why didn’t you tell me we had a…zoo right in this very mansion?”

“I just showed you. It wasn’t as though you had asked. I’m sure you already found out, there’s a prehistoric aquarium as well-”

“Yes, I found that out the hard way…” She said with a pissy sort of attitude.

Fiona scanned the room as she stood there, huddling about her self as she wrapped her own arms around her. She couldn’t believe that she was actually afraid to be away from him at that moment. If Hewie had been there, it would have been different. At that moment, she had missed having him stay back at the castle.

Above her, she noticed, was a large duct made of sheet metal. Had she suspected otherwise, she would say it looked like a air conditioning system. But no, she had a feeling it had a more important purpose. Riccardo couldn’t feed these animals on a monthly basis, she knew. And he didn’t seem to be gone like this every day. It had to be an automatic feeding system.

This shoot did not go far- it ended on the opposite wall. Then it went vertical and went downwards. It appeared almost like a furnace. It turned wide, with a large door. On said door was the embossment of another salamander, with flames about it. Words in Latin were ascribed beneath it. As she walked closer, she could make it out, though not understand it’s meaning.

“Deus Ex Machina…?”

“God from machine…” Riccardo translated, as he walked past her.

“God…?” Fiona questioned.

“God is a loose term, dear…” He corrected.

“It can mean a powerful being of unfathomable superiority…And although these creatures are not Gods, they are as close as this mundane world is going to get when it comes to the impossible being brought to life.”

Fiona nodded, and took a step towards the device, running her hand along the door.

“What’s this do?”

“It feeds the beasts. I need to come here every month to maintain it, check on the creations. Run some tests…”

“How does it work…?” She wondered, and he reached forward to open the door.

“I’ll show you, it’s rather simple.”

Turning the handle, he opened the hatch. Inside was, indeed, as simple operation. There were three vertical metal strips. It looked almost like a candy operation, with ‘kibble’, resembling dog food made up only the left and right side.

“He eats…dog food?” She jested, he laughed in response.

“No- it’s carnivore chow. Usually zoos use it for many of their large cats. It seems to work fine for him. Though he does get fresh meat on occasion. I have a seller who brings it by about five times a year. That’s when I have to refill it. The other food is horse chow.”

Perking up at this, she wondered…

“What’s the horse-chow for…?”

Riccardo looked at Fiona, and smiled. She actually took a step back and gave him a rather sour look.

“…What? What’s that about?”

“I think you’re going to enjoy the answer to that. Come with me…”

She was afraid to follow the man. Her captor…But she couldn’t stop her curiosity. This was too strange to stop now. He stopped a the rightmost window, in which there was a steel reinforced door. It looked like it belonged to some sort of bomb shelter, with one of those valve-like handles to open it with. Bolts lined the outside.

“What’s in here? Good Lord, it looks like It’d be scary…”

“Not scary, just…Valuable.”

This piqued the girl’s interest…And she watched with caution as he opened the door. Putting all his strength into it, he turned the wheel. He only grunted once from exhaustion, but it still surprised the girl just how powerful the man was. It wasn’t as though he was a bodybuilder, which made Fiona wonder if his creation had involved more then he was telling her. Not that it mattered…Why was she even noticing?

Taking a step back, she watched as he opened the complicated door. In came the reminder of the day’s sunlight, which was orange with the setting sun. She had to admit it was gorgeous. This area was apparently not connected with the dinosaur’s, and thank God, if she even suspected it, she would have ran to the hills.

“Go on…” Riccardo urged.

“…What?”

“Go ahead, step through.”

Hesitating for obvious reasons, she looked at the man dead in the eye as she stood there. Right now, she wasn’t planning on going anywhere besides back to the castle. Which was looking pretty good right now.

“I’d rather not…”

“And why is that?”

“You know why!” She stamped her foot, which surprised the clone.

“Love, now let’s not be childish here, I’m trying to make you happy…”

She looked at him with a look of utter confusion, trying to figure out his grand plan. This man was an oddity, that was for certain.

“How is throwing me to the wolves supposed to make me happy? Am I the “fresh meat” you were speaking of, before?”

“Fiona…after everything I have done for you, the care I’ve shown you…Do you really think I’d feed you to a mere experiment? Especially since you now carry my-”

“I am quite aware…” She interrupted.

“There is no need to remind me…”

Riccardo smirked, devilish as he could muster, and looked out the door.

“It’s a surprise…But it cannot harm you, that I promise. I give you my word.”

Understandably leery, she returned his harsh look and then followed his gaze.

“Come with me…”

Surprisingly to her, he shook his head.

“He doesn’t like me…For this creature, it is said only the pure can touch it and survive…”

“Which leaves you out, I suppose?”

He was surprisingly unresponsive. “You suppose right. He runs away at the mere sight of me- but I would have guessed.”

“And you think I’m pure? Not how I used to be…Not anymore. You saw fit to that.”

There was bitterness in her voice, and it was not lost on her captor.

“I know you hate me, Fiona. But please, for your own sake…Listen. We can walk away, and you can spend the rest of you’re life wondering what you missed…Or, you can walk out there, and see something that many people would only dream of. Which is it going to be?”

There was a long, awkward silence as he watched Fiona look to him, to the door, and then at her feet. She sighed, rubbing her arm with the other. A part of him wanted to say “fuck it”, go over and hold her…But the other, the callous part…Held his ground.

Before he could blink, she moved towards the door, and he followed until she got to the doorway, where he stopped. Legends of old told of an animal that could only be tamed by a virgin. This, Fiona was no longer, thanks to him. Yet she was still pure, her womb with child, a lovely creature that could still the ill will of any beast.

Cautiously, she walked out. She took notice that the forest here stretched out to the left a little, until it hit a stone wall with an iron fence at the top. Apparently that kept the carnivore out all this time, but it didn’t stop her from worrying. The forest itself was thick, pine and leafy trees surrounded her on all sides.

Yet there was a clearing, and it was right in the center. She walked towards it, casting a leery eye towards Riccardo as she did so. He looked back and nodded, signaling that it was fine. Her heart hammered in her chest, this couldn’t be healthy for her…Just what in God’s name was so important out here to risk her life and the child’s like this?

Just then, she heard footsteps. No…Hoof beats. Slow, precise…It was huge, whatever it was. A shiver went down her spine- No way…This wasn’t happening. A multitude of horrors cycled through her head, anything from flesh-eating centaurs to some otherworldly beast from hell…

It slowed to a halt, then she heard it cautiously make it’s way to the edge of the clearing. Her breath caught in her throat in anticipation, and she backed away, ready to turn and run towards the door if anything gave her a reason to.

The sun hit the clearing just right, and illuminated that very spot. It couldn’t have been any more perfect a moment if it had been planned. And then it came, and Fiona gasped, her mouth hung open…

Horse…Horn…

It was a unicorn…

First a goddamn dinosaur…Now, a goddamn unicorn…

He walked into the clearing, cautious as one would expect any animal. One hoof, then the next. Ducking his head a little as he avoided the dense trees, his gate was careful as he watched her with weary eyes.

“Oh my God…”

It was different then in the modern drawings, movies, what-have-you…Rather, it looked like the older woodcarvings, or the nearly ancient books like the ones in this castle’s library. He was huge, nearly twice the size of a normal horse. It’s coat was slightly curly, rather like the face-hair of a poodle. It had a long beard like a goat, and a tail that was like a lion, long and with a tuft at the end.

The horn was frightening to her, as it spiraled away from it’s skull a good three feet, then pointed to a very sharp end. She knew it could be very dangerous, and wasn’t surprised now that Riccardo shied away. It almost made her want to turn tail and run…

But, she didn’t…

When Fiona was a child, she had a small fascination with unicorns…One closer to obsession. Her room was covered with them, as most small girl’s were. Posters, ceramics, My Little Ponies…She had dreams of meeting them just like this…in the forest, with the sun shining just right…Stepping out from the dark woods, coming right towards her with nothing but peace in it’s heart.

Tears came to the girl’s eyes as the beast lowered his head, and nuzzled her with his snout, sniffing her and bumping her. She giggled nervously, and raised her hand up to pat the supposedly non-existent animal. He backed up a little in fear, which made her jump…But continued to reach. He let her then pat his soft coat, rubbing the top of his head near the horn.

A sense of true peace filled Fiona’s soul, her heart…She felt as though warm water had been let loose from her head to her toes, and her heart beat slowed. The unicorn made a few noises of contentment in his throat, sounding like a normal horse at that moment, but with the touch of a flute, and lowered his head so that his mane could also be stroked.

She leaned forward and touched foreheads with the creature, and inhaled deeply…Tears came to her eyes. Even when she left for school, her room had artifacts of her childhood. A poster here, a figurine there…But there would always be her dreams. Those, nothing…Even her parents, rushing her to grow up, could take away from her.

And now, the last person in the whole world that she expected to grant her dreams, had just made it a reality…

Looking up and away, she looked back to the door that led to the mansion. Riccardo, in all his smug, egotistical, self-absorbed glory…Stood there, leaning against the door. He gave her a look of absolute self-satisfaction, and smiled horribly.

She turned back to the mythological animal with almost a sense of guilt for enjoying something wrought by human hands…Alas, the wonder did not cease, and her selfishness took over as she touched heads with the creature again. Fuck morality. Fuck ethics…

Fiona was a Belli…She owned this castle, she owned a dinosaur, and she owned a Unicorn. Slowly, very slowly…She was beginning to get used to this idea. And just as slowly, kicking and screaming, she was beginning to like it.

Fiona didn’t know how or why…But she ended up back in Riccardo’s arms that night. It was all such a blur after she visited the lab and saw the sort of “secret garden” which included a dinosaur and a unicorn…Both animals she never expected to see in her lifetime. Living things she knew some people in this world would literally kill to see, let alone possess.

Lying in bed right then, she couldn’t remember much after that…She thought she recalled trying to ride the beast bare-back, but Riccardo told her to wait until she gave birth…As simple fall would kill the child. It made sense, so she decided to wait…It would at least give her something to dream about. She visited the animal for a bit longer until the sun sat. Then she fed it some sort of fruit from the garden, and left him be for the time being.

Then she had a smile on her face she couldn’t shake…He took her back to the castle and tried to get her to eat, she did…A small bit of crackers and more 7UP. Then he told her to take a shower…Again, with a smile still on her face…

That night was a fog- she remembered ending up in bed at the end…Yet it did not end with sex. She was laying in bed, about ready to drift off to sleep when he came in. He sidled beside her and pulled her over. As always, she fought and kicked, but she was weak in her depleted state. She fell into his arms, and he began to stroke her soft golden hair. It felt wonderful in his fingers…which seemed to be growing more sensitive by the day.

“You will give birth to a beautiful child…”

There was a sound from her that could only be described as despair, denial…

“…Oh, yes…You will. I deem it so. I promise you…He will be lovely…In both body, mind and soul; and so will you…For all eternity. He will be the perfect melding of you & I. We will live together as one, until the end of days. In one form…or another.”

“That’s one thing I will forever promise. I do apologize if you don’t like it…Yet it must be done. It will be done.”

Under his spell, she sank deeper into him, and much like the sandman himself, he sent her to sleep with his voice. It was so deep, so certain and reassuring…So, affectionate? She wasn’t sure…Nobody had ever treated her like this before- talked to her like this, held her…

Fiona dreamed of that day’s events. Of children, unicorns…and the bride of Frankenstein.