Disclaimer: Minty doesn't own Castlevania. If she did, everyone would probably be gay.
Adrian's breathing was heavy and ragged as he fled from his tormentors. He pulled the hood of his cloak over his head as rain began to fall from the dark clouds above. The voices of angry children echoed behind him, fueling his panic. His legs felt like jelly and wobbled beneath his weight as he sped through the forest.
"I got him!" shouted a delinquent boy from his perch in a tree. He pulled back his slingshot, loaded with a stone the size of a man's fist, and fired it at the pale demon below. It struck Adrian in the back of his shin and a sharp cry escaped him as he tumbled into the mud.
The little prince shuddered and struggled against his own weight, trying to stand. But as he staggered to his feet, several children pushed him back into the dirt. The boy with the slingshot, the ringleader of the bunch, ground his leather sole against Adrian's head.
"That's where you belong, freak," he said with a sneer.
Another child piped up from the rear of the group, "My papa said that he's the son of the Devil! He saw him coming out of the Demon Castle with that witch lady!"
"I heard his mother sold her soul to the Devil so she can practice Black Magic," a girl whispered to the boy with his boot on Adrian's head, "and that she was a whore before she became a witch."
The dhampir child threw the oldest boy off him and attacked the girl in a blind rage, pinning her to the ground with his hands wound about her neck. Tears, large and scarlet, rolled down the slopes of his puffy cheeks. His voice was hoarse as he screamed at her, "How dare you speak ill of my mother! She's done nothing but help you pathetic –"
A stinging blow to Adrian's face sent him flying across the thicket. The group's leader helped the girl up and pat her back as she coughed violently. He turned his cold gaze toward the bloody countenance of his prey.
"You really are the Devil's Child."
Adrian spat and charged the other boy. But his attack was weak and clumsy; his assailant laughed and side-stepped him, kneeing him in the stomach. Rocks and clumps of mud pelted the debilitated half-breed. Each time he tried to stand, the pack leader kicked him hard and chuckled as he crumbled into a heap.
One of the children shrieked, "It's the Devil!"
They stopped and turned around. Among the trees loomed a tall, daunting figure, eyes ablaze like the furnaces of Hell. It descended on the rabble and hoisted the oldest boy into the air by his throat. A cloak and hood his most of his face, but a pair of fangs glistened in the moonlight.
"Accosting the only child of Count Dracula," he spoke in a severe manner and brought the boy's face closer to his, "did you truly think I would ignore such an act of violence?"
His wife came running down the beaten path, shouting, "Vlad, wait! They're only children!"
The boy's heart palpitated loudly beneath the Count's grip. He tightened his hold and growled, throwing him into the mud a few feet away. The rain seared his skin like a hot iron but he disregarded any pain.
"Begone!" he roared and sent the mob scrambling out of the forest. His wife ran ahead of him, cradling her son and trying to comfort him. Adrian's pained sobs struck a sour chord. His father hurried over and draped his cloak over Lisa's shoulders, shielding her from the cold. "Come, we must return."
"B-But, Vlad..."
The vampire pulled her closer and reassured her, "I'm fine. Your concern would be better spent on our son."
Castlevania was abuzz with activity upon their return. Death himself greeted them in the Grand Hall, surrounded by his skeletal hosts. The tiny prince's battered form sparked anger within the Reaper.
"Shall I punish the party responsible for this mayhem, Your Grace?"
Vlad glanced back at his wife and shook his head. "I appreciate the gesture, but no. It's already been taken care of."
Lisa carried her son away from the hustle and bustle of the Grand Hall. His cries were only sniffles as she entered the Master Bedroom and laid him on the mattress. She was a strong woman, but it took every ounce of her will not to break down into tears herself at the sight of him. His eye was bruised, cuts and scrapes lined his back from the rocks thrown, and a large welt blistered the left side of his face.
"M-Mother, they said such terrible things about you," Adrian murmured as Lisa ran her fingers through his pale, golden hair, "but none of it was true. I-I had to defend you. I-I didn't mean..."
Lady Tepes offered him a warm smile and hushed him. "I'm proud of you for standing your ground. Don't apologize, and don't cry anymore."
Adrian whimpered and grunted as his mother saw to his injuries. But the sting of herbal antiseptic was a far cry from the pain inflicted on him by the village children. Their taunts and accusations swirled around in his head. He was desperate to rid himself of the memory.
"Adrian, where are you going?" Lisa asked with sudden worry.
Her son slowly crawled off the bed and limped toward the door. His head hung low and he didn't reply. He couldn't. Staggering into the corridor, he stole a glimpse of his mother's concerned expression before he vanished into the darkness of the castle.
Lisa gathered her skirt and took a step after him, but a large hand held her fast by the shoulder. Her husband stood behind her with an equally forlorn expression.
"Vlad, I'm worried..."
"There's no need. As a mother, you've done your part." The Count's fingers trailed along her jaw line and caressed her cheek. He bent over and kissed her forehead, adding, "And as his father, I shall do mine. Everything will be all right."
Adrian was safely nestled in the farthest corner of the castle by this time. The gardens were his sanctuary. Oft times he'd come with his mother and study the strange flora. Plants and flowers fascinated him, but he really came here to read. Books were his true passion.
He sat in a small grove of lilies near the fountain, reading about the struggles of his mythological hero, Perseus. Half man and half God, Perseus was regarded as a monster, an abnormality. Hated by both God and Man, he shut out the world. That is, until an entire city begged for his aid. Argos wasn't something he could ignore, so despite his hatred, he rescued its people from the dreaded Lord Hades. Like Perseus, the little prince wished that he too could overcome the burden of his heritage, and live among others.
But he'd attacked one of those people in a fit of anger. She was nothing but a girl, much weaker and smaller than him. He pinned her to the ground and attempted to strangle the life out of her. Unlike his hero, Adrian succumbed to the hatred and torment that built up over the years. He was a monster.
The air grew cold and a gust of wind blew throughout the garden, scattering the host of bats that accompanied the dhampir. Heavy footsteps echoed behind Adrian. He swallowed hard and shuffled behind the fountain, peering out at the chilly landscape. His father appeared in the doorway.
"Please go away," Adrian begged and gripped the binding of his book.
Vlad stopped by the rose-laden trellis and scanned the area for any signs of his son. A generous number of bats perched near the fountain, giving away the prince's hiding place. But his father pretended not to notice, and disappeared beyond the labyrinth wall.
Adrian came out of hiding and inhaled sharply. "That was close."
His furry, winged friends squeaked and fluttered suddenly. Adrian couldn't whirl around and see what sent them into a frenzy; his father lifted him off the ground and buried him in the confines of his thick, velvety tunic.
"There's no point in running from me," Vlad said with a sigh, holding the boy against his chest so he couldn't escape. He found a comfortable seat near the edge of the fountain and waited for his son to calm down before continuing, "Why did you up and leave without so much as a word to your mother?"
The little dhampir was at a loss, again. He ceased his struggling and looked away from his father. "I-I'm ashamed."
"Of what? Defending your mother's honor?" Vlad attempted to reason with him.
"N-No, I attacked someone weaker than me," the prince responded and lowered his eyes to the grass beneath the bench, "and I almost killed her. I'm just what they said I was: A devil."
The vampire tilted his head back and chuckled, catching Adrian by surprise. "You're a handful sometimes, but I'd hardly call you a devil. There is nothing shameful or monstrous about defending those you love."
"Y-You don't understand! I-I..."
Vlad interrupted him, "I'm actually quite proud of you. Despite being outnumbered, you still took up for your mother. Were I in your place, I'd have done the same."
"But I could have killed her!" Adrian stammered and looked his father directly in the eye.
A smile graced his father's pale features and his hand settled against Adrian's face. He caught the first of his child's tears with a finger and flicked it into the fountain. "The girl still draws breath, so you have nothing to feel guilty about. You're human, son. Humans make mistakes."
"I'm not," the boy continued in a dejected tone, "and I never will be."
"Your anger is misdirected. If anyone is to blame for your darker heritage, it's me." The Count's slender fingers gently grasped the child's head and pushed him further into his embrace. His smile flopped into a frown as he stroked Adrian's head and whispered to him, "So if you feel the need to hate someone, then let it be me. I'll not have you suffer for my sins."
The tiny prince looked up from his tears. "F-Father..."
"A friend once told me that we're not defined by our birthright, but by our deeds," Vlad spoke in a softer manner and combed through his son's hair absent-mindedly, "and to think that I begged him to partake of my foolishness. I'm glad he had the sense to refuse me."
Adrian shook his head and reluctantly stretched his little arms around Vlad's broad chest. "I could never hate you, father."
The vampire's smile quickly returned. He lifted Adrian away from his chest and set him closer to his shoulder so that their eyes were level with one another. But as he tried to kiss his son's cheek, the boy became hesitant and pushed his face away.
"I don't necessarily have to like you, though," he grumbled and twisted his mouth into a frown. "Why are you always trying to embarrass me? I'm not a little kid anymore..."
Vlad rolled his eyes. "You're seven years old."
"Exactly," Adrian added.
"I'm the parent, and I'll dote on you for however long I please," the Count stated simply and held his son's face, pressing his icy lips against his cheek. "You're too precocious for your own good."
Lisa's voice was heard from behind, "Reminds me of someone else I know."
"Mother, help me!" Adrian whined and wriggled in his father's arms.
Lisa took one look at her son's perturbed, crimson face and laughed, "Vlad, you really should stop teasing him so."
"What does a man have to do to get some affection around here? You haven't kissed me once today." The vampire drew his beloved nearer and cupped her chin. His voice adopted a more suggestive tone as he inquired, "Are we to make amends here? Or should we take this matter to the bedroom?"
His wife's mouth dropped and she scolded him, "Vlad, watch your language! Our son is still present!"
The sound of Adrian's laughter was a welcome one. The Count pulled his family into a tight hug, stealing a kiss from his wife while his son wasn't looking. Something thundered inside of him. Perhaps it was his long-forgotten heart?
Being human never felt so good.
Minty's Notes: So, this is my comeback story. The older version of 'Kindred' was too short, so I added the actual conflict between Adrian and the village children. I also combined elements from 'Becoming Human,' my old Vlad/Lisa fic. Comments are appreciated.