The ship was mostly silent, except for the low hum of the engine below and the beeps of the instruments flashing all around. The huge windows showed only darkness outside and Meier knew they had done it, that they were finally in space, safe from humans and hunters.
He felt as cold as that darkness and equally empty. Charlotte lied on a small, white bed in that part of the ship reserved to the infirmary. He had heard about such spaces for the human companions and servants who wished to accompany the Nobility in their far travels among the stars. He had been immensely grateful and relieved to discover they indeed existed and that this one was in pristine conditions, still functioning.
He had hooked Charlotte to various kinds of machinery, repeating under a low breath those notions of human anatomy he knew. She needed blood, for she had lost so, so much; she needed oxygen, for her strained heart couldn't carry much, for now; she needed to regain her strength and be gently led back to life, one step at a time.
But the wait was immensely painful to him and he wasn't even sure he had done all that correctly, that he was indeed saving her life. He could hear her heartbeat again, a weak, frail thing, like a trapped bird dying in a cage, and her chest moved only the slightest bit. She was pale, terribly so, and he feared for her.
What if he had brought her to life only to lose her again after a few minutes? He wouldn't be able to endure such a pain. He was ready to kill himself once they reached the City of Night and Distant Stars, if that was really the case.
But Charlotte was strong – so strong. He had known it since from the start, when they had first met. She had been scared, yes, but she hadn't looked away from him and she had even politely replied to his questions and statements, joining him in a mutual conversation that in the end had left both of them satisfied and happy. He could still remember the blush and the soft smile on her lips when he had bowed to her and wished her a good night of rest.
She had been immensely strong when they had planned to flee together. She had bravely accepted to leave her family and hometown, the azure sky and the sunshine; she had even asked him to turn her into a vampire, because she was sure she could live with the curse, if it also meant living forever at his side.
And she had been so brave during their difficult journey, too. She faced hunters, adversaries, threats, dangers, death with incredible willpower and resilience. He was so proud of her and he found his hopes rising. She would surely survive this, she could do it. He just had to stay at her side and help her in any way he could and she would pull through.
He never left the infirmary, not even to feed. The sight outside the windows never changed, an immeasurable sea of darkness that received not even the smallest glance from him. He had only eyes for Charlotte and the machine that informed him about her health. He had inserted a small needle into her arm to keep her hydrated with other fluids other than blood and that seemed to have a good effect on her as well.
He talked to her, in a quiet, tender, loving voice, stroking her white cheek. She was still dressed in her wedding dress and the sight of her like that made his heart ache in ways he couldn't describe. He kept talking, pressing soft kisses on her face all the time, keeping his blood thirst at bay. He was so consumed by worry and grief that the hunger had even subsided, as if he had been affected by those 'knots' in the stomach he had heard Charlotte mention before.
Countless hours passed, but to an immortal creature like him it hardly mattered. He kept calling her and telling her of the beautiful things they would find in the City until he fell asleep, his head resting on the bed right next to hers, his hand on top of hers. He dreamed of her, laughing and dancing under a sea of stars, and he wept in his sleep.
Her voice awakened him much later.
At first, he thought he was still dreaming, but when he realized his consciousness was indeed in the real world, he sat up with a gasp and saw Charlotte looking at him with a sleepy, but loving gaze and a warm smile.
"Meier." she repeated, happy tears in her deep, brown eyes. "My love."
He almost couldn't believe it. He scrambled to his feet and took her hand in his, looking at her with wide eyes, mouth opening and closing without emitting a sound. She laughed weakly, but sweetly, and squeezed his hands. She was warm again, although still pale, and he choked on a sob, pressing his forehead against hers.
"Charlotte…" he sobbed, kissing her face. "Charlotte!"
He caressed her cheeks, drying away the tears, and planted a chaste kiss on her mouth, another promise for the future, a gift for both of them, a touch full of love and relief. The sky outside was still dark, black as charcoal, but one could see the faintest stars glitter in it with enough concentration. Once again, Meier paid it no mind and he sat back at Charlotte's side, holding her close, breathing deeply to calm down his heaving chest.
"Are we on the ship?" she asked, her hot breath tingling his face. He nodded, smiling brightly at her, his hand on her hair, brushing it back from her eyes.
"Yes, my love. We did it. We are going to the City of Night and Distant Stars."
"Oh!" she gasped, her eyes shining with sheer joy. "Oh, Meier! Is it not a dream? Is it really happening?"
"It is happening, my dearest." He kissed her hand, but she wanted more. She gently cupped his cheek and pulled him down to meet her lips again. He moaned into the kiss and she emitted a low sound of pleasure, a mixture between the joy and the love they both felt and the relief caused by the rush of adrenaline.
"Meier." she gasped, her hand tucking the coloured beads behind his pointed ear. "Love, am I a vampire? The Countess, she bit me, did she not?" Her lips quivered and she inhaled sharply. "She pretended to be you. I saw you and then…"
He felt pure rage and hatred directed at Carmilla bursting in his heart – his expression showed it all, from the way he narrowed his eyes and clenched his teeth, snarling.
"That treacherous demon!" he hissed, shielding Charlotte within his arms at if they were still in the castle. "I should have never trusted her! I heard about the rumours, but I didn't think…!" He exhaled, a pained sound that turned his furious expression into a sorrowful one.
"Oh, Charlotte!" he exclaimed, his cheek on hers again. "Charlotte, forgive me. I put you in terrible danger, I almost caused you to die and…"
"No, it's not your fault." she reassured him, even though the guilt he felt in his heart would probably never leave him. "Meier, it was the only way for us to live free and love each other. Where else could have we found a ship like this?"
She stroked his hair and repeated her question, softer this time: "Now tell me. Am I going to become a vampire?"
She didn't sound scared, but solemn, even serene. He gingerly checked the wound on her neck and shook his head, replying: "No. She was still trapped in her coffin. What bit you wasn't the Countess, but an illusion she cast. She merely wounded you to cause you to bleed, but the bite wasn't really vampiric."
"That's a relief." Charlotte said with a smile, but before he could misunderstand, she added: "I want you to be the one to turn me."
He saw the honesty and sincerity in her eyes, but he still couldn't bring himself to accept her request. He knew it would be easier for them if she became a vampire, safer for her as the recent events had proved; but he couldn't doom her to a life of constant hunger, of feeding off human blood. That wasn't the life she deserved.
"I want a life with you, Meier." she said, as if she had read his thoughts. There was a plea in her voice and eyes and she clung more tightly to him. "Where we are going now, there will be no sunshine to burn us and you said the Nobles and humans living there have found peace and harmony with each other."
"Yes. That is exactly why they won't treat us like the humans on Earth treated us." he said, a hand distractedly playing with the pearls in her hair. "We won't need to hide our love, there."
"But time still flows there, does it not?" she reminded him gently, a patient smile on her face. "We will be able to love each other only for a limited amount of time. I don't want that."
Her eyes welled up with tears and she hid her face against his chest, saying with a hard lump choking her throat: "I want to stay with you forever, Meier. There won't be people cursing our love and vampiric existence there. Only time is our adversary, now, and we can easily beat it."
"Charlotte…"
He sighed softly and held her close, feeling her strong heart beat faster inside her delicate ribcage. The bird was alive and well, free at least. He pressed another kiss on her wet cheek, ignoring the slight pang of hunger that told him to kiss her neck instead.
"We will speak of this later." he promised and was delighted to see a pout – adorable and pinkish – on her face. She was regaining colour well thanks to the blood and liquids the machines were gently pumping into her body.
"You said that at the castle! We're on the ship now, let's speak of it!"
"No." he chuckled, touched by her endearing pout and behaviour. He knew she was half-serious, half-playing, a joyful teasing that warmed him to his very core, pouring life into him just like he had poured it into her again. To think they had almost lost this…!
"You are still weak, my love." he insisted and she huffed, but relented, relaxing in his embrace. "But I promise you we will have a long, deep discussion about this once you are recovered. Now, rest."
"Will you stay here with me?" she asked, her eyes still wet. He dried them with his fingertips, mindful of his claws, and nodded. She smiled at him as he was smiling at her and she relaxed once again, her hand holding his and playing with his long fingers.
"Have you eaten?" she said, worry in her sweet voice, and he lied, for he didn't want to leave her side, knowing perfectly that she would insist for him to go feed himself with a bag of artificial blood if she knew.
"Yes, I have. Now close your eyes and sleep. I will still be here when you wake up." He kissed her and she blushed happily. "I will always be here."
It took her only a few minutes to fall asleep and Meier quietly watched her with a loving smile on his face, the same Charlotte had on hers. After a while, he too closed his eyes and fell into a peaceful, dreamless slumber.
They kept holding hands in their sleep, like they had done many times before, when he visited her in her room or when they lied down on the grass, far from the town, to observe the starry sky. Had he been human, his back would have hurt terribly, hunched as he was on the infirmary bed; but he was a Noble and his body only felt the reassuring warmth of Charlotte's breath and the delicate touch of her hands.
And even if he could have suffered the pains of a sore back, he would have gone through it without a grimace, if it meant staying so blissfully close to her.
There was no daytime in the ship, only an endless night, but Meier could feel that many hours had passed when he woke up. His head was now resting on Charlotte's lap – she was sitting up, stroking his hair, and smiling down at him. He slowly rose and touched her cheek: she was warmer than before and he smiled at her, relieved, and asked:
"Charlotte, how are you feeling?"
"So much better." She moved her legs and feet a bit. "I think I will be able to walk a little."
"It may be still too soon for that. Let me check the screens."
He turned to the machines and saw that her conditions had indeed stabilized. She was still very pale and not all the results were acceptable, but she was definitely out of danger now and he lets out a sigh of relief and contentment.
"Very well. We shall walk a little." he gave in, chuckling when he saw her bright smile and excited gasp. He unhooked the machines and needles from her, then applied a cotton bandage around her neck to keep her wound clean.
"I've looked at the stars while you slept!" she said, pointing at the large windows of the room. There were indeed many stars visible outside, with some broken satellites and technological ruins of the ancient past floating before their vision every now and then.
"I think I even saw a planet or some kind of moon." she continued, bright like those stars outside, and Meier eyed her with love and a fond amusement, saying: "Please, tell me you have rested a little."
"I have!" she laughed, throwing her arms around him as he got up and swept her up bridal style. "Oh, Meier, I still can't believe it! I'm so, so happy, my love!"
"As am I." He kissed her, a knot of happy tears pressing against his throat. He looked at her with a wide smile, so large his cheeks almost hurt. "Shall we go find our bedroom?"
She blushed at that, her smile turning shyer. It reminded him of the first time they had held hands, hidden by the sweet-scented darkness of her room. She had been the one to search for his fingers, timid like she was now, but there had been a fire in her eyes that had surprised and touched him. She wasn't afraid, she was just very chaste, as if he was a perfectly human man visiting his beloved in her room at night without her father's permission.
"Meier Link." she had said when her petite hand had touched his. "It's too dangerous to meet in the house like this. My father and my brother might hear us." She had smiled at him and her blush had deepened. "I… I keep a small garden in a meadow near the city. There wasn't enough space to let it grow here, so I go there during the day." She had looked down, whispering: "My father and my brother don't know about it. It's my secret haven."
He had held his breath. She was inviting him to a place like that, a place where nobody could hear her scream, a place nobody knew the existence of? He had been overwhelmed by her trust and kindness and that was when he had finally realized he loved her, that he had loved her for a long time.
"Miss Charlotte." he had said, lifting her hand and placing his other one on top of it. He had smiled at her, keeping his lips closed as not to scare her with his fangs, but she had seen them many times before and there hadn't been any trace of fear in her eyes. She had smiled at him in return and her blush had reached her ears when he had said: "I would be most honoured to visit you in your garden. But as you know, I cannot walk in daylight. How would you leave your house at night?"
She had looked away, embarrassment suddenly showing on her face, and she had mumbled, like a child who didn't want to admit a mischief: "I… I could always tie a rope of sheets to my window and slid down."
Meier had tried to keep quiet, but he hadn't been able to stop the laugh bubbling inside his chest. He had snorted and giggled, muffling the sound with his hand, and Charlotte had giggled with him, her hand still held gently in his.
"Forgive me." he had said, still laughing, hoping her family couldn't hear them. "That was rude of me. I just…"
"The mental image of me sliding down a rope of sheets is quite funny, isn't it?" She had giggled again and her beauty and kindness had shone under the moonlight entering from the window. She had raised her eyes, looking at him with a confident smile and big eyes full of ardent belief. "But I'm sure I could do it, if it meant spending more time with you."
Realizing what she had just said, she had blushed even more and looked away again, but she hadn't moved her hand from Meier's and his heart had soared to the sky hearing her say that.
"I don't want you to hurt yourself." he had said softly and he had gathered all his courage to tuck a braided lock of hair behind her round ear. She had softly gasped, her lips curling into a warm smile, and he had continued: "Would I be too daring if I offered to directly bring you to the garden? This way, you wouldn't need to risk your life…" He had chuckled, nodding at the bed. "And ruin your sheets."
"That would be much appreciated." she had said, then she had asked, confusion shining through her face: "How… um, how would we go there, though?"
"I would carry you, of course."
Then he had realized how bold that statement was and he had feared he had offended her or, even worse, scared her with the assumption she would accept to be carried in his arms. But she had smiled at him, even excitedly, and had thanked him, her eyes shining in the moonlight.
"Will we glide through the night? That would be so beautiful!"
Thinking of that time, Meier smiled to himself, squeezing Charlotte's form in his arms. He had been so afraid of frightening her and now here they were, traveling together through the stars to live in peace, free to love each other! He didn't know what he had done to deserve such bliss, but he thanked whatever deity had decided to bestow it to him.
"Meier?" she called him, touching his cheek. "Honey?"
"Hm?"
He blinked, snapping out of his reverie, and looked at her with a happy smile.
"I can walk now." she said, giggling and moving her dangling feet a little. "Let me try."
"Very well."
He gently put her down but made sure to rest a hand on the small of her back to keep her steady. As he had expected, she swayed a little, but she hanged onto him and soon regained her balance. She smiled up at him to reassure him, then took a first step towards the door they were in front of.
It wasn't a bedroom, but another room full of equipment that Meier didn't recognize. They decided to leave it be and proceeded down the corridor, slowly but steadfastly – Charlotte didn't look too tired and her voice as she talked with him didn't sound strained, so he let her walk until the next door.
This one did lead to a beautiful room. There was a huge bed at the centre of it, with curtains hanging loose around it. The furniture and the general style of the room were rich and complex as the Nobility's style imposed, but there was everything a vampire and a human could need in it.
There was even a large, beautifully engraved coffin, probably put there to shield the vampire guests from any sun they might encounter during the space trip and to allow them rest in complete, comfortable darkness. The windows let one admire the sight outside, but there were also thick curtains next to them, to cover any eventual sunrays.
"I'd say this will be an excellent room for now." Meier said, leading Charlotte towards the bed. She sat down with a happy smile on her face, looking all around, while he went to inspect the windows. He closed the curtains just to be sure and joined her on the bed, relieved to hear her heart beating well in her chest.
"Are you hungry?" he asked, sure there was food for humans on the ship somewhere. He had heard about kitchens and rations carefully prepacked and stored; he just had to find them.
But Charlotte shook her head and placed a hand on his cheek. He leant into her touch and kissed her palm as she said: "I'm fine, my love. But you look paler and your lips are chapped." She glared at him, a cute, warm thing that made him smile at her in a lovestruck way. "Meier! You haven't fed!"
"I will feed soon." he promised and she sighed fondly, stroking his cheek. "For now, I wish to stay with you."
She nuzzled his nose, then wrapped her arms around his waist as he pulled her closer, pressing his mouth on her hair. She pressed hers on his neck, making him gasp, and when he looked at her she had a bashful, but at the same time bold expression on her face. She was smiling and there were stars in her eyes, as if the cosmos they were traveling through had moved into her, filling her with supernovas and moons and suns that couldn't hurt him, but only donate him bliss and joy.
"Meier." she said, cupping his cheek. "I love you."
He rested his forehead against hers, caressing her long tresses and basking in the glory and miracle that she represented. He brought her other hand to his chest, right above his heart, and said, smiling brightly at her:
"I love you too, Charlotte."
- - -
Author's Notes: I've fallen into the Vampire Hunter D fandom and IT'S SO GOOD - of course my first fic had to be about two of my fave characters getting the good ending they deserve ( ´ ▽ ` )
Kikuchi created a wonderful world, but I really don't like his writing style and the tropes he uses, so this fic is 99% based on VHD: Bloodlust (directed by Kawajiri), the original Japanese version of it, more specifically. The dubbed English/European version actually changed the dialogues a lot (like it always used to happen in the 2000s) and that bothered me much ;_;
There will be smut in the following chapters, so the rating will eventually go up.