The car ride felt endless. Outside, the world had been swallowed by absolute white; a snowstorm smothered the winding road climbing the mountains, turning the landscape into a ghostly blur.
Alice drove with white knuckles gripping the steering wheel. Her eyes never left the road, but her attention was fixed on the back seat.
There, Rose reclined with lazy elegance, watching the snow strike the window. Natalie beside her looked enchanted, pointing at the ice-laden trees.
"It's like stepping into Narnia," Natalie said, laughing.
"Or into a horror movie where no one survives to the end credits," Rose murmured, a crooked smile on her lips that made Kara, in the passenger seat, shiver.
"You have a macabre sense of humor, Rose," Natalie commented, amused.
"I'm a realist, darling." Rose leaned forward, resting her chin on Alice's headrest, whispering near her sister's ear. "We're heading into the middle of nowhere, Alice. No one will hear us scream if something happens… or if the hunger strikes."
Alice braked sharply at a curve, the tires skidding slightly before she regained control.
"Sit back properly, Rose. We're almost there."
Minutes later, iron gates emerged from the fog— tall, twisted into thorny vine shapes, guarding the entrance to a property frozen in time.
Alice's house was not merely a residence; it was a gothic fortress embedded in rock. A Victorian mansion of dark wood and gray stone, its spired towers piercing the cloudy sky like needles. The tall, narrow windows resembled hollow eyes watching their arrival.
Stone gargoyles, weathered by centuries, stood sentinel along the roof, cloaked in snow.
"Wow…" Kara whispered, impressed and intimidated. "Alice, you live in a castle."
"It's a family inheritance," Alice said as she parked the car. Her voice was low, without pride. "Old. Cold. And full of echoes."
They stepped out into the wind, which howled through the pines — a mournful sound that raised goosebumps.
"Welcome home," Rose said, spreading her arms as if she owned the place. "I smell dust and bad memories. Delicious."
Alice ignored her sister and led Kara and Natalie to the massive oak double doors. The key turned in the lock with a heavy click, and they went inside.
The interior was as impressive as the exterior— oppressive, too. The entry hall rose two stories high, with a dusty crystal chandelier hanging like a giant spider. Furniture lay hidden beneath white sheets, giving the place the look of a mausoleum. The air was icy and stagnant, smelling of old wax and wood.
"I'll turn on the heat and light the fireplace," Alice said quickly, trying to bring some life into the space. "You can choose rooms upstairs. The one on the left at the end of the hall is the largest."
"I'll take the east tower," Rose announced, picking up her small suitcase. "I like the view of the cliff."
Two hours later, the house felt a little less dead. The fireplace in the living room roared with high flames, crackling and casting dancing shadows over the damask-covered walls.
Alice had prepared dinner — or rather, staged a scene. Bread, cheese, fruit, and wine sat on the dark wooden table. For Kara and Natalie, it was a rustic feast. For Alice and Rose, mere theater.
Seated at the table, the tension was palpable. Only Natalie seemed relaxed, pouring herself wine, oblivious to the cold war unfolding.
"So, Alice…" Rose began, swirling the red wine in her glass, watching the liquid as if it were blood. "Tell Natalie how we got this house. Was it that card game in 1920? Or was it the inheritance from that count who… mysteriously disappeared?"
Alice dropped her fork; it rang sharply against the plate.
"It was a purchase, Rose. Like any other."
"Oh, how dull." Rose turned to Kara, blue eyes gleaming in the candlelight. "My sister hates talking about the past. She thinks that if we don't speak of things, they stop existing. But the past is like a shadow, Kara. It's always glued to your heels."
Kara swallowed, feeling like a piece on a board she didn't understand.
"We all have pasts we'd rather forget, Rose."
"True." Rose smiled, showing perfect teeth. "But some of us have pasts that are more… bloody than others. You know, this house is isolated for a reason. Here, we can be ourselves. No masks."
Alice stood abruptly, her chair scraping against the wooden floor. Her hands clenched into fists on the table.
"That's enough."
Rose raised an eyebrow, defiant.
"What is it, little sister? I'm just being a good hostess. The wine is excellent. Full-bodied. Almost alive."
Alice's breathing quickened. She stared at Rose with a mix of fury and panic. She knew exactly what Rose was doing — testing limits, trying to make Alice lose control in front of Kara, to prove they were monsters incapable of human coexistence.
The silence in the room became deafening. Kara looked from one to the other, frightened.
It was Natalie who shattered the tension.
She stood, walked over to Rose, and placed a hand on the blonde vampire's shoulder.
"Rose… I think I've had too much wine. My head's spinning a little." Natalie smiled —slightly tipsy, but deliberate. "You said the tower room has an amazing view. Will you show me? I need some fresh air… or a distraction."
Rose paused. She looked at Natalie's hand on her shoulder, then at the girl's face. The invitation was clear. The chance to seduce and isolate Natalie was far more tempting than continuing the fight with Alice.
Rose's cruel smile softened into something more lascivious.
"Of course, darling. The view up there is breathtaking."
She rose, casting one last triumphant look at Alice.
"Don't wait up for dessert."
Natalie winked at Kara — a quick I've got this and led Rose toward the dark staircase.
When their footsteps faded upstairs, Alice released the breath she'd been holding and collapsed back into her chair, covering her face with her hands.
"I'm sorry," Alice whispered. "This was a mistake. I shouldn't have brought you here."
Kara stood and went to her, wrapping her arms around Alice from behind, resting her chin on the vampire's tense shoulder.
"We're here now, Alice. And we're not going anywhere."
Outside, the snowstorm intensified, sealing the mansion off from the rest of the world.
And inside, the game of survival had only just begun.