Chapter 11: Moving On
Author's Note: I do not own anything in this story. They are the property of their respective owners. Please R&R.
After they were finished with their tears, Ash and Tifa went to find the rest of the group. As soon as Ash spotted D he ran up and punched him in the face with all his strength. The dhampir flew back but didn't touch the ground. After this Ash grabbed him by the shirt and looked him in the eyes.
"You goddamn bastard!! Why didn't you warn us?" Ash said, venting his rage. D looked on as coolly as ever.
"I did but you refused to listen to me. Now are you going to yell at me or are you going to let me go so we can avenge Harry?" D said. Ash let him go and turned towards the rest of the group. He noticed Ron was missing.
"Where's Ron?"
"He's been in his room and hasn't come out since we've told him." Tifa said.
"And what will that bastard do to Hermione?" Ash asked. D answered him.
"He'll turn her into a vampire, to be his bride and servant for all eternity, if he hasn't done so already."
"How do you know so much about this particular vampire?" Ash asked and the others all glanced at D, waiting for his response.
"He's my father and he is no ordinary vampire. He is their Sacred Ancestor, the god-king of the Nobility. I haven't seen him for over 5000 years but during my travels I have had to redeem the sins he has committed. I wasn't born from a union between a loving mother and father. Rather I was the product of my father's experiments and I wasn't the only one sprung from his loins, he created millions during his lifetime. I'm the only one still alive. All the others he killed in infancy due to one small "defect": they hungered for blood. In order to stop him, it will take all our strength." D then looked at Kenshin. "You need to let go of your vow for the moment, after all we're not fighting humans." Kenshin nodded. "Now all that's left is for us to get Ron." Then the young wizard came down the stairs, determination evident in his eyes.
"No need to fetch me D, I'll avenge Harry and save Hermione." Ron said confidently. The dhampir approached the teen and looked in his eyes.
"She may already have been tempted, what then?"
"Then I'll join her in death." D nodded at the response. Then he turned towards the group.
"We're heading towards the tower; it used to be his base in this region and is where he is, most likely." He headed out the door, followed by Ash, Cloud, Tifa, and Vincent. As Ron was about to leave Kenshin stopped him.
"Even if Hermione-dono is changed, do not give up on your life. The will to live is absolutely essential and she would want you to live, remember that." Ron nodded and the two followed the rest of the group.
Hermione's eyes fluttered open but all she could see was blackness. In a few seconds her eyes adjusted and she could see the room clearly as if it was well lit. She felt her teeth with her tongue and found that her canines were sharper, like a wolf's. Tears welled in her eyes but she was horrified to find blood sliding down her pale cheeks instead of normal salt. Then a cold voice seemed to come from everywhere around her.
"Ah, my daughter is awake at last. I bid you welcome to your new existence. First, drink this." Dracula held out a vial of blood which Hermione looked at with disgust. Dracula smiled at this. "You don't yet understand, you are mine and must obey my every whim. Now drink." Hermione wanted to spit in his face and run away but her body betrayed her and she drank the blood. She wanted to gag but instead she calmly swallowed. Suddenly she felt her gag reflex kick in. Dracula noticed this and laughed. "Excellent!! It seems your brother isn't the only one who doesn't lust for blood, you're my second success in millennia."
"Do you mean D?"
"Yes, I made you into a dhampir like him. And now your former companions are coming with your brother to stop me." Then Dracula turned towards his newest daughter and compelled her to rise. "Now when your brother gets here you are to go greet them and lead D and the Battosai to me. The others will be removed. Not one of them will make it here, but if, by some unforseen chance the others survive, I'll take care of them. Now go, they've arrived." Once again Hermione moved against her wishes and left.
D's strides were as graceful and calm as ever as he walked towards his father's stronghold. Behind him the party trudged along, eyes alert and bodies tense. Then they reached the tower, it loomed ominously over them its base lost in some low hanging clouds. As soon as they were past the outer gate they were greeted by a figure in white. It was Hermione but she had changed. Her skin was as pale as D's and her eyes were dark, like twin windows opening into a world of darkness. Her lips were blood red and she walked with unearthly grace. Her beauty was enhanced beyond human understanding and Ash, Cloud, and Vincent were momentarily distracted. Then she spoke, her tone emotionless, just like her brother's.
"Welcome, brother. Father is waiting for you; I will guide you to him but first…" Then Hermione pressed a button and five machines whirred over head. Then each machine emitted a beam of light that hit their targets. A flash of light blinded the group and when it dissipated only Kenshin and D were left with Hermione. Kenshin approached Hermione and she recoiled, not from him specifically but from the cross on his left cheek.
"She hasn't built up the strength to resist the cross that I have. D then gazed at Hermione with sadness. "Now lead us to him…sister."