[Worm]

Elizabeth extended her legs, leaning back into a red chaise lounge. Her hair was still thick, but it was silver now. Her skin was leathery and wrinkled now. It had been years since her last feeding, and this was shown through her exhaustion. A finger on her cheek, she waited for the howling of wolves before rising from her seat. A long, flowing dress was held against her body by a leather corset. Though the mirror near her doorway would not show her reflection, she moved with ease and ignored this little quirk.
She opened the door to a bright, young man. He smelled healthy. A smile curled into deep wrinkles, her eyes lit up. "Welcome, welcome. Miss Ward - " She slid a hand out for the man to shake. He did so with a cautious glance around Elizabeth's holders.

"Yes Miss Ward. It's a pleasure to meet you." While his expression might have been tense, he was not lying in the slightest. Many had seen shadows of the ghoulish widow, but it was rare for one to actually hold conversation with the poor old hag. William was well groomed, his hair parted and pulled back into a ponytail. He had a smooth face with honey colored eyes.

"Hm - The pleasure is mine, William." This was the first time William noticed her peculiar Hungarian accent. He felt a shiver go up his spine when she said his name. "Please, come in." She smiled, and so did he. When he took his first steps into the castle-like mansion, Elizabeth knew she had him. A surge of warmth pulsed through her cold and dying body.

"Wow. You have managed a lovely home, Miss Ward." William's eyes travelled from corner to corner, not noticing the lack of Elizabeth's reflection in the mirror beside them.

"Please, call me Elizabeth." She led the boy into her dining room for a comfortable conversation. William was shocked by how young the woman's energy was beneath its decrepit flesh. She did have her hair tied up tight, and her face made up, but she had no way oft truly telling how she looked. It was the lack of humanity within her that kept her allure. William took a seat at the side of the long dining room table. Elizabeth took the head of the table while he began sifting through his paperwork.

"So, I've got three potential offers for you Mis- Elizabeth." He corrected himself with a nervous chuckle. He shook his head, strands of brown hair falling at his forehead. To be honest, he wanted to finish up as quickly as possible to return home to his fiancé.

"Yes. Do describe." She hummed, William cleared his throat.

"One is an old brothel, you could convert it or run your own business through." Elizabeth stood as William shuffled through his architectural skeletons and sketches. She hovered behind him, catching whiffs of his healthy blood.

"Yes. And where is it located?" Her hands graced the back of his shoulders as she glided to the other side of him.

"Near the coast, it can host forty people." Hairs on his neck stood as she got closer. He wasn't sure if this was appropriate client interaction, but tried to remain focused. "There is another closer to town -"

"No. Nothing in town." She said rather abruptly, cutting off her business partner.

"Okay." William scratched out the offer from his list. "This one is in the forest, won't get much business I'm afraid - but it is rather large."

Elizabeth grinned, her fangs extending as she looked at his neck. She could feel the veins pumping inside of him, which made it difficult to maintain her human disguise. "Hmm. I would like to see the layout for this one and the first." She took a long breath, tasting him on her palette. Though she didn't usually go after men, it had been much too long since she'd fed. Even a man's scent was not dispelling her.

As he flipped through sketches, Elizabeth felt her body lunge for the man's neck and miss. It was without thought, only instinct. William wasn't sure why, but he felt the strongest urge to leave as fast as he could. Every inch of him was covered in goosebumps. He shoved all of the straggling papers into a neat pile before putting them back into his satchel. He cleared his throat as he stood from his chair. "Alright Miss Ward. I'll leave you with two plots. When you make your decision, please send word. I can make plans to visit in the next week if I have not heard." He brushed off his tailored suit and managed a coy smile. He felt a turn in his stomach as the old woman smiled back.

"Thank you William." She put her fingers on the two images still left on the table and waved him goodbye. "I will see you again." The smile never left her face, the lingering Hungarian accent leaving William with more questions than answers. When he finally exited through the door, he could breathe. He paused for a moment just to stabilize himself, still awestruck. When he finally made his way back to the carriage, Elizabeth watched through a small window. Her eyes were on him, and she was anxious to have a taste. However, the moon was full and illuminating every inch of the sky now. With the strength of moonlight, she would find the strength to eat again. Humans were such easy prey. Though she found that men were even easier. A small groan left her lips, and there was no more control. Fur lined her skin, piercing through the saggy flesh that kept her imprisoned. Ears, wings and fully extended fangs. The next feast would bring her to the time of her youth again. It had been so long since she'd actually felt the warmth of a living body, especially her own.

Wolves howled, following William back to his modest home. In the corner of his eye, he could swear he saw something dart across the sky. Elizabeth could not think in her feasting mode, it was something that gave her primal strength and was usually triggered by the scent of human blood. Usually she could control it, but she was reaching her end. The sky was cold, but she could not feel it against her fur. She let it glide beneath her wings, carrying her through the dense forest. Humans were red blobs of warmth that she dove towards. A single woman outside of her home, danced through her garden. It was lush and well maintained, a woman in her prime. Elizabeth landed in the shadows behind her. When the girl saw the beastly figure of Elizabeth, she stood to her full height. The girl screamed, and in one swoop, Elizabeth had her.

Her skin was soft, and warm. Her eyes were terrified and green. She stared into them with her own slitted eyes. She encompassed the girl in lust and watched her melt in her arms before diving into her flesh. The blood, oh the blood. It was a pungent wine which filled every inch of Elizabeth's body and purified her. It released her from her rage, her pain, her hollowness. She saw the face of her lover past, her sweet, sweet face, tainted by the hands of men. Before she knew it, there was a lifeless body in front of her. She was covered in blood and wet with pleasure. Her body slashed through her memories and brought Elizabeth back to the time of death. A bloodied body, with no smile, no purity. And the moment was over. There was no more pleasure, just the pang of loneliness. The frustration, the pain. She knew that she should've done something, but did not. Now she was cursed as a hollow being for eternity. A choice she did not intend to make.

How many girls now have suffered at her hands? She wasn't aware anymore. They all blended together in one moment in time. Maybe someday, this curse would be lifted.