Spring Forward, Fall Back (Alucard x Chubby! Reader)

Chapter 81 - The Snowstorm Part 1

Dracula P.O.V.

That damn Belmont's concerns were realized when we awoke the next morning to snow to our shins, the horses in a frenzy because of their lack of footing and the wagon wheels frozen in place. Y/N and my son worked as hard as they could to clear the ice from the axles of the wagons while Isaac moved from horse to horse, working quickly to calm them by feeding them a bit of raw meat before throwing a blanket over their backs. Lisa had begun to heat water for us so we could have something warm to drink, making sure that provisions were available for a kind of meal before we set off. We hadn't made it too far out of Wallachia before the snow hindered our progress, but at least we weren't that far off.

"The wheels are finally loose, "Adrian said softly. "It is indeed a good thing Y/N spared the space heater last night because we had to use that to warm the metal."

"She is quite the thinker sometimes, huh?" Sypha said as she poked her head out of the wagon.

Trevor bounded up from the rear of the wagon with his whip in hand, the end still glowing a light yellow from using it to warm the rear axles. "That part is finished as well. We should be able to get going soon."

"Come here, everyone," Lisa called from the back of the front wagon. "Tea's ready and I have the fruits cut up." I smiled as I made my way over to the wagon, her golden hair covered part of her face as she looked down into the cups. Pulling four of them aside, she grabbed a bottle of my wine and poured a small amount in each one before adding the tea. Sypha and Belmont took their cups gratefully while Y/N and Adrian moved to the side of the wagon to collect theirs.

"You added wine to yours?" Belmont blurted loudly. "Why on earth would you do that?"

"Its not wine, you dolt," Y/N said with a short chuckle. "Its Dad's wine. Remember that stuff from the party? Its that."

I was brought up short when she called me Dad. I hadn't realized it yet, but Lisa and Adrian were smiling in my direction, watching me as the word finally sunk in. I felt my face heat up in a way it hadn't in quite some time and felt my throat tighten. I cleared my throat to relieve some of the tension and finally caught the looks everyone gave me.

"What?" I tried to bluff out.

"You're blushing, my love," Lisa prodded.

"I am not," I tried to argue, but ended up with the others around me chuckling softly.

"Oh, come now, Dad," Y/N teased. "You knew I'd have to say it sometime, right? After all, you were the one who called me your daughter-in-law before. You can't be any more surprised than I was then."

"I'm not surprised," I said, the heat in my face reaching my ears and the reaction bringing a full laugh from Lisa.

"You should be ready, though, "Adrian warned. "You may hear someone call you 'Grandpa' sooner than you know." At this, Y/N smacked his arm and giggled.

"Enough with the teasing, guys," Y/N said with a smile. "We still have a ways to go before we reach Braila and a snow storm that tried to stop us."

"You know," Isaac interrupted, "I could always get some of the night creatures that fly to aid us in getting their faster."

"That didn't even occur to me," I said.

"We didn't expect the storm to slow us as much as it did, but the creatures that fly would get us to the edge of town, at least. Then you can roll into town in the wagons so you don't frighten them, make your arguments for doing what you're doing and pass out the supplies. Meanwhile, I'll set up the night creatures along the three roads out of Braila so we'll be able to head off Carmilla from those directions."