I woke without a jolt, opening my eyes to the darkness of our bedchamber. I relaxed, sinking into the pillow realizing it was only another dream, but that wasn't what awakened me. Something stirred in my gut and gnawed at my ribs like a hungry demon. A sense of forewarning.
My ear twitches hearing the soft, near-silent breath against the back of my head. Beneath layers of blanket, Alucard snuggled cozily against my sleeping form, arms wrapped firm around my bare waist and head nestled intimately in the crook of my neck. He was deep asleep, and not even my rustling breath stirred him.
I closed my eyes, melting into my mate's embrace trying to forget the strange sense of foreboding and lull back to sleep again.
I couldn't. I wriggled away from the loving arms, slowly creeping out of bed tiptoeing as not to wake Alucard . The darkness of the room cast a gray shadow across my vision, the stars the only light dappling my sight. I turned on the dim lamp near the mirror and examined the glyphs running down my naked body prickling like goosebumps. I knew from that alone something was up.
Something was about to happen.
I quickly dressed in a light gown and my Glaring cloak, glancing back at my lover, still sleeping soundly. I could try to forget the feeling and go back to bed. Try to ignore the prickling through my glyphs and the spider sense tingling down my spine.
No. I can't ignore my gut.
"Alucard." I shook his shoulder. "Alucard wake up." The half-vampire stirred like a waking giant, his fingers twitched realizing I was not in his warmth . He drowsily murmured my name before sitting up. "Are you all right?"
"I've got a bad feeling." I explained as best as I could. "Something's wrong and I can't shake it off. I need to check outside."
"At this early hour?" Alucard rasped still half asleep
"Yes." I nodded. "You've always told me to follow my gut, and my gut is telling me to check the castle grounds."
"Not alone." Alucard growled.
"Of course not alone." I picked up my staff. "That's why I woke you up." Alucard draped the black coat over his bare chest and quickly dressed black pants and boots.
A fog blanketed the castle grounds. I patrolled holding my staff close watching for its telltale glow. My glyphs prickled and I clutched my chest feeling claws grip my heart. The same sensation I felt in the dream with Lisa, pulling me into the fog. "Someone's in trouble." Mist puffed out of my breath. "Alucard this way!" I ran into the fog unheeding of his warning to stay close. The trees appeared like ghosts as I raced through the woods, leaping across the ground before stopping in what would normally appear as a flat field.
Through muted noise I heard the stepping of a living creature. I held my staff close, body tense for battle. "Who's out there!?" Hoofbeats answered, stepping closer until I saw an animal shape thicken from the shadows.
A horse appeared out of the fog with his rider collapsed in the saddle. The animal perked its ears and ambled to me with a heavy snort. I clutched the staff against my side, tentatively stroking the blaze on his muzzle. "Easy." I soothed the anxious steed. The horse nickered and nuzzled my cheek as if I were an old friend. Animals know an angel's presence no matter the form.
I peered behind him hearing a shallow breath. The rider slumped listlessly over the horse's neck and shoulders. A handsome young man with short black hair and a slim figure with the whites of his eyes swollen in pain. His pupils, small and quivering, locked onto me in what could only be great relief.
"Don't worry I'll help you!" I quickly moved beside him, lowering my hackles. The rider snatched my hand and gripped it like a lover in the midst of passion. I jerked my arm before fumbling my fingers on what I sensed was parchment . The rider loosened his grip when I pulled away the small raveled scroll that had been tethered to his palm.
"You've a message ." I realized. To who I didn't know. I stored the parchment and called out. "Alucard come quick!!"
The rider struggled fruitlessly to sit up. "Don't! You'll hurt yourself!" I held onto him. His horse rustled and stomped beneath him. "You're not helping." I quipped. The rider fell off his mount and I caught him in my arms. He was deadweight, yet Alucard weighed more. I held him close, his ebbing heart beating against my chest. I guess I'll hold you until Alucard comes.
The emerging sunlight revealed the full extent of his injuries. "Oh my God." My blood ran cold. A chunk of the rider's side was torn clean off, exposing ribs and viscera. He must've been attacked on his journey and miraculously held on as long as he could until he found help, but not much longer.
There's nothing you can do for him. Morae's voice warned unseen.
"I know. I can still give him peace." I sat on my knees and cradled the dying man like a mother with her child. "It's okay . You've done it, I have it now." I showed him the parchment from my pocket. "You can rest."
The dying rider struggled, chest convulsing as his blood seeped wetly onto my gown . His eyes locked onto me and enlarged. I thought he was gonna kick it right there but his face changed from agony to pure awe as if looking upon the Almighty Himself.
"Mal'ahk."
A shiver ran down my spine. "You know me?" The dying rider answered with a shuddering breath, and his once hopeful eyes glazed over. A wisp emerged from his mouth, forming a transparent orb floating away like a leaf in the wind.
"You have done well." Morae held the floating orb in her claws. Her face luminous as her runes glowed up her limbs . "Now be at peace. Your family waits for you." In shadow of the penetrating dawn , I saw the outline of her black wings. She was beautiful and kind, I never understood why people were so afraid of her.
"That explains it." I sighed in relief. "He knew it was his time and saw you."
"They cannot see me until after they've passed." Morae's wings rippled ready to take flight.
"Wait!" I reached out for her holding the scroll. "What am I to do with this!?"
Morae smiled. "You can do something about it, or nothing at all. The choice is yours, Egrigori." With a stir of her wings she vanished with the orb, leaving me alone with the mortal husk of the man.
The horse whinnied and nuzzled my cheek. "I'm sorry I couldn't save your rider." I stroked his forelock. "You did a good job getting him this far." I gazed mournfully at the corpse. Laying him on the earth, I closed the man's eyes and cast a shield over his body to keep away the crows and scavengers.
The horse tossed his head and snorted. "It's all right." I patted his neck. "It's just my friend."
Alucard parted the fog like a phantom. "There you are." Relief and anger lighted in his eyes. "Have you lost your mind? You know better than to run off into the woods alone like that! And in a fog where every sort of demon could be lurking?" Anger extinguished from his gaze when he saw me on the verge of tears. "What happened?" He bared his fangs seeing the corpse at my feet.
"It's all right." I spoke to Alucard and the horse whinnying nervously in the half-vampire's presence. "He didn't hurt me. He rode all this way with-." I couldn't continue, grief hit me like a thunderclap.
"All will be well," Alucard comforted me, one arm wrapped firmly around my waist and the other on the back of my head. After a moment to collect myself I retold of my encounter with the dying rider.
"May I see the scroll?" I nodded and pulled it out from my cloak. Alucard unraveled it, revealing a map on one side and a desperate message on the other.
"To the Alucard of the castle." My partner read aloud. "For God's sake why am I the Alucard now?"
Ice froze my heart. He was looking for Alucard all along, and found me. What were the odds? "No mention of me?" I peered over the letter. "Nice to know my pest control efforts have gone unnoticed."
"That is a good thing. You are still hidden to them." Alucard responded in a low voice before continuing to read.
We, the people of Danesti, beg your aid. Night creatures, vampires and terrible demons assault us and we know not why. Our defenses weaken and our numbers dwindle. Please sir, save our souls." He rolled up the message and handed it back.
My mind raced, thoughts clattering together and binding as one. "Alucard, we have to do something."
"And we will." Alucard gazed at the corpse morosely. "We'll give him a proper burial."
We buried the rider beneath a tree on a peaceful hill, not far from the castle. I said the final prayers, felt like it was obligatory for me to do so.
Alucard wrapped his arm around me and I leaned into his shoulder, gazing drearily and the freshly dug grave. "Know that it wasn't your fault. You couldn't have known he was out there. Even if your instincts propelled you earlier, you could not save him. His wounds were too great, he would have died regardless." Alucard thumbed my tears away. "But you were there for him. You gave him peace and comforted him in his last moments. Because of you he didn't die alone."
"I know." I smiled weakly. "It just sucks I could only stand there and watch him pass away. I've never felt so helpless. "
I understand." He nuzzled my cheek and kissed me. "Come. Let's go home." I slowly followed him back, head turned down with my feet dragging through the earth, snagging the grasses on my boots. A quiet breeze whispered at my back, turning me around to the direction of the fallen rider's home.
Danesti. My eyes narrowed. That's the nearest village from here and over twenty miles away! My God he made it all this way to die in my arms right at our doorstep.
Alucard's words rung clear in my mind. A time will come where you are needed and your gifts are cherished by others, but it is not a moment you seek out. It seeks you, and it is your choice to answer the call.
Glyphs prickled down my body and I stared out onto the forest, staff firmly in hand. My mind set.
I turned around when Alucard called my name, catching up to him. The rider's horse grazed placidly on hay in front of the castle, raising his head and nickering at us. "Hey bud." I patted the horse's neck. The horse nuzzled my cheek, turning to Alucard stepping through the castle door. "Rest well and recuperate your strength." I patted his neck. "You'll be heading home soon." The horse tossed his head and whinnied.
I geared up in the armory, garbing chain mail beneath a white robe and my Glaring cloak with beige boots, the silver sword from Mary and Trevor's knife in the scabbards attached to the belt at my right hip. "This is it." I huffed, thrilled at the woman mage in the mirror.
I found Alucard in the washroom, still in his clothes dirtied from burying the rider.
"I've geared myself up, and I've got a pack of provisions ready. Food, water, and my first aid kit. If we go now we should get there before nightfall. Just waiting on you now."
"Get where?"
"To Danesti of course."
Alucard hunched his shoulders in a sigh, not turning around to meet me. "I know you are distressed, my angel, but we cannot go to Danesti."
I stepped back honestly shocked. "Alucard, we have to. He rode all this way and got mauled to death to find help. Your help! Didn't you read the message?"
"I did."
"So you know we gotta help his village?"
"We don't have to help at all." He turned around, his eyes flickered like molten gold. " I'm not sticking my neck out for villagers I don't know when there is a castle to keep, a Hold to guard, and someone more important out of all of that I must protect."
"The castle and Belmont hold will be fine for a bit, we won't be gone for that long." I assured him. "And you'll protect me when we're there, because we'll be together and have each other's backs."
"I am not going." Alucard growled.
The staff glowed from my outrage. "You're joking. "
"I'm most certainly am not." His glared. "It's too dangerous. The night creatures have increased in numbers and attacks. We cannot risk our safety by leaving the castle walls to help some troubled peasants miles away. Let them fend for themselves. They've done so for this long, and they'll continue on for far longer."
"Apparently not if they sent a messenger with a distress letter!" I snapped. "That's exactly why we need to go. They don't have the means of defending themselves like we do. With our powers and inborn abilities we can be a huge boon!"
"They are not of our concern!"
"Yes they are!" I struck my staff. "Alucard! The rider died to find you! You're just gonna turn your back and piss on his grave by ignoring his call for help? He would've suffered and died for nothing!"
"There is no shame in dying for nothing." Alucard stared me down. "I am not going. We are finished with this."
My eyes bore fearlessly into him. "Fine, if this is who you want to be, go on. You can stay and brood like the vampire lord you think you are, but I'm not. It's not who I am, I'm going."
He whirred in front of me when I stormed off. "Think about this. I understand you're upset by the rider, but you cannot make rash decisions. Don't let your emotions cloud your judgment."
"My conscious is clear Adrian." I stepped around him. "I know this is the right thing."
"You are putting yourself at risk!"
"It's a risk I'm willing to take!"
"And what if they reject your help? What if they chase you with torch and pitchfork believing you a sorceress?"
"What if you don't assume the worst and they accept me? I'm highly sure they won't turn me away given their choice of help is half vampire." Alucard winced. I didn't mean it as a barb, I was just speaking honest. "They were desperate enough on sending someone twenty miles out through demon riddled forests to Dracula's old castle. They need us, they need you. Come with me! We'll defend them against the legions of the night together!"
Any hope in my eyes sunk when he balked. "I do not trust humans. Not again."
I turned around so he didn't see the aguish in my face. "I see." I clenched my fist, gripping the staff as I walked away. "Please." Alucard gripped my hand. " Don't go."
I stopped, heaving a heavy sigh. "I love you, and I always will." I let go of him. "But I can't stand back anymore."
I didn't turn back when I barged out the castle door. I didn't have it in me, one look into those pleading eyes would've changed my mind. I will return, once my job is done. In my heart I knew I was doing the right thing, but it still broke me to leave him. "I will return, I promise." I hope he can forgive me.
The horse greeted me with a friendly whinny. "Hey bud, ready to go home?" The horse screamed and reared startling me back. "Woah hey! What's the hell's going on with you!?" I heard a flutter of wings behind me. "Be peaceful, noble beast. You can rest for now." Morae assured.
"Please don't take my fastest ride." I huffed.
"I am not here for him." Remarked the angel of death. Her limpid eyes cut through my soul. "You decided to leave."
"I had to. I couldn't stand back and do nothing." I responded confident. The horse stomped and snorted as I held his reins, trying to calm him down. "You're scaring my steed."
" I am not here for him." Morae replied. "And animals don't fear me."
"Then what is freaking him out?" A shrill echoing neigh answered. I watched in awe when the unicorn emerged from the fogged woods, silvery coat shining beneath the sunlight. "My friend." I gleamed, stroking his beautiful muzzle, the light of his horn glimmering in my eyes. "It's good to see you well."
The unicorn lowered his head and nuzzled me. I saw the sincerity in his sapient eyes "Our friend needs to rest his hooves." Morae glanced at the horse, watching the other equine with an intense stare, ears perked.
"Our brethren will carry you in his stead. He is much faster, and he knows your destination." She held out a golden bridle and saddle .
"He won't let me ride him." I said doubtful. "Unicorns are untamable, and I'm no longer in the position to tame him."
"Don't believe every fairytale, Zaharial." Morae dismissed handing me the bitless bridle.
I sighed doubtful, turning to my prospective mount. "You would still have me?" The unicorn nuzzled my hair before lowering his neck, allowing me to equip the bridle. He didn't even stir when I strapped the saddle and golden clothed blanket on his back. The unicorn then lowered himself on his knees allowing me to mount up. I swore I was in a fairytale when I lifted up on his back, several feet off the ground. Well that's one unicorn myth debunked.
Sitting well in the saddle, I firmly held the reins in my right and my staff in my left. "Thank you Morae. I still don't understand why you have helped so many times."
"Because I believe in you." Morae spoke honestly. "Go. If you ride now you'll make it to Danesti before sundown." She gave curious look. "I've been so busy of late. It'll be nice to be relieved of some of my work." Morae smirked with a wink. I smiled nodding and set off.
At the border of the Castle grounds, I halted at the top of the hill and made one last look at the great castle behind me. I clutched my chest sensing him watching me from a lonely tower.
I will return, but for now I must do what is right. Even if it tears my heart. Wind stirred, pushing me forward to the horizon, where Danesti lay miles away. Resolve stirred within my soul, and I kicked the unicorn into a full gallop, leaving my home and part of my heart behind for what I hoped would be the last time.