I woke up from a sharp pain tearing through my pelvis and stomach like a searing knife wound. "For God's sake that hurts." I grumbled, cringing beneath my blanket as the pain ripped through my stomach. "I knew I should've cooked the venison more." I sat up gritting my teeth from the cramps seizing my gut. "Oh shit! " I gripped the blanket with veined knuckles, eyes locked in horror on the bloodstained bed-sheets.
I might have been amnesiac, but I knew exactly what happened. (Even if I didn't, the medical books gave me information enough.) Getting my Moon Bleed wasn't what instilled a deep rooted terror for my life, I knew I'd be fine. Getting my Moon Bleed in the castle of a vampire.....
"I gotta get out of here." I frantically wiped the blood from between my legs and pushed the sheets out the window, wrapping a tight cloth within my gown. "Stay somewhere else for a week while this runs its course. I won't be gone for long. I scribbled a quick note for Alucard.
The blood seeped out and I felt like a wounded seal in shark infested waters. Alucard wouldn't hurt me on purpose, but the presence of blood would've easily triggered his vampiric instincts. Why didn't I think of this before!? This was bound to happen eventually, and didn't come up with a freaking game plan.
The knock on the door nearly gave me a heart attack. "Are you alright in there? You haven't come down for breakfast."
"I'm fine! Actually no! I'm feeling unwell and I need to rest, so I won't be out . Just stay away and let me rest. Give me a week. I don't want you catching this, it's very contagious."
"You sound fearful." Alucard responded concerned. "There's a strong smell coming from this room."
"Oh fuck!" I whispered. "Yeah, that's the smell of the sickness! Very bad!" I moved the furniture to reach the window. "Best stay away!" He must've heard me clambering up the furniture and sharply spoke my name . "What is going on in there?"
"Nothing!" I pried the window open trying to fit through. "Ohhh these cramps! It's bad! Aaah!" I lost my footing and fell. Alucard quickly unlocked the door and found me lying on my back with blood seeping from my pants.
"What the bloody hell are you doing?"
"Stay away from me!" I scrambled away panicked. "I know we're close friends but the smell is too strong!"
"It's alright." Alucard knelt before me, his velvet voice soft and soothing. "I will never hurt you, not even with this. My human blood quells my vampiric instincts." His voice and the kindness in his gilded eyes lowered my hackles. Alucard walked me to the bath, filling the tub with warm water and adding a scented lilac vial. With his permission, I allowed him to scrub the inside of my thighs down my legs. The clear bath became crimson.
"Don't be afraid, you are not ill." Alucard reassured in his dulcet tone."It's just your Moon Bleed, nothing more. All human women go through it. Honestly I was little concerned it didn't occur sooner."
"You knew this would happen to me?" I raised my head."I hoped it would." Alucard replied. "This means your body understands it is human and......" he sighed with an amused look. "You are capable of bearing a child." I honestly didn't know what to think of that.
I swished my foot awkwardly. "Don't expect me to act on that."
Alucard chuckled. "Of course not! I'm only saying that because it means you are in good health."
I leaned against the bathtub, resting my head on the rim. "Wish you would've told me earlier." "You're right, I apologize." Alucard nodded sincerely. "I honestly didn't know how to tell you this. I'm not.....familiar with these matters."
"I knew about the visit from that bitch Floe. What I meant was I wish I would've known you wouldn't've gone rage-hungry over my human blood."
"Oh." Alucard remarked surprise. "Is that why you were trying to escape out the window?"
"Yes." I blushed.
Alucard laughed. "You wouldn't have gotten very far. There's a 200 foot drop directly outside the window. If you had managed yourself out, you'd have to skirt the wall like a skilled thief and it's a long way down."
His fangs gleamed in humorous mirth. "Where would you go if you miraculously reached the ground? The nearest village is over twenty miles away, and I would find you. I may lack the prey drive of a vampire, but not the senses of one. Even if you do smell delightful."
I splashed him in the face.
"Well, heheh, I think I deserved that. I'll leave out cloth you can put in your undergarments. Do not worry if your clothes are stained, the fabric can easily be washed."
Once I was dried and dress, I walked among the library. "Can you find more scrolls with this language?" I asked a Bookkeeper. The ethereal creature vanished and returned with a handful of delicate old scrolls with archaic lettering. "Thank you." Finding a comfy place to sit I curled up on a warm couch and placed the scrolls on the table beside me, gently unrolling one. My muscles tightened, but the pain greatly subdued thanks to Alucard's tonic to ease the cramps.(The same tonic his mother took when she was plagued by the monthly visitor. Wonder how Dracula dealt with that.)
My ears twitched hearing soft footsteps draw near. I wasn't afraid, only one other person walked these ancient castle halls. "You look comfortable." The vampire lord stood quietly. "How are you feeling?"
"Like shit." I answered honestly. "But less shitty since I drank that soothing tonic, it's really helping me out."
"You're welcome. I don't want to see you in pain."
I offered him a spot next to me, he shouldn't have to stand. Alucard sat on the far end of the couch. "You can come closer." I remarked. "I have my moon bleed, not the plague. Unless your vampire side is...."
"No, not that at all. I wanted to give you space." I scooched myself next to him. "I've got enough space." Alucard gave one of those warm smiles that blazed heat inside my chest. My cheeks flushed and I backed up. "Sorry! Maybe you like more-."
"It's alright little one." Alucard reassured. "I do not mind at all." He glanced at the scrolls. "What are you reading?"
"Some ancient language everybody's probably forgotten about." I unraveled the scroll and pointed. "I saw these letters in a book about Speaker magic, and it just clicked to me. I recognized them and understood them." I read a passage describing the best spells to utilize by the phases of the moon.
"You can read Enochian." Alucard murmured surprised.
"Yes." I smiled proudly. "Can't you?"
"Not fully." Alucard replied. "Only one other person could, and she was a Speaker magician. Enochian is an occult language believed to be passed down to practicers of magic from a celestial being. The language is virtually lost to time."
"It's been found again." I tapped the edge of the scroll. "By me." I pressed my fingers to my mouth. "I finally remembered something from my old life, whatever that may have been. This ancient language is a clue. If it was used by magic wielders I must have been one too, and if a Speaker knew the language....." I curled my fingers. "Perhaps there was a reason I felt close to them."
"Perhaps there was." Alucard mused. "I'm very proud of you."
"Thanks." I giggled overjoyed. " This a great step forward. Not just for memories, knowing something like this, I can finally be useful." Alucard gave me a curious eye. "Useful?"
I lowered my shoulders. " If I can learn spells with this language, I could help you protect the castle, I could help you hunt and locate herbs, even set up the garden better. All this time you've been feeding me, clothing me, given me a roof under my head, and I haven't done anything good in return. I just gave you an extra mouth to feed and now you have to wash those bed-sheets I threw out on the spire. With this knowledge I wouldn't be such a burden to you anymore."
Alucard took my hands. "You were never a burden to me."
I lowered my gaze. "You're just saying that not to hurt me."
"No. I'm speaking the truth." Alucard held my hands in his own. "Listen to me. Having you here has been the best thing that's happened to me in a long time. You've given me hope, you've given me a new purpose and helped me move on when I believed I couldn't. I was lost before you barged yourself boldly into the castle. I thought I could never trust anyone again, you've changed all that. If anything, you're the one who healed me."
I couldn't help the water in my eyes. "You really mean that?"
Alucard held my gaze in his gilded eyes. "From the bottom of my heart, my angel."
"I can't believe I'm hearing this." I sniffled feeling the lump in my throat. Maybe it was the hormones, maybe it was the fact his truthful words struck such a deep core in my heart. Maybe it was both, either way, I ended up a sniffly mess and hugged him. My face buried into his warm chest.
Alucard sighed, but I soon felt his arms wrap around me, pulling me deep into his embrace. In that moment I truly knew I wasn't alone anymore. Neither of us were. Alucard had found a way to heal and a reason to move on, and me?
I had found where I belonged.