24. Surrender

Daylight flitted in narrow shafts through the greenery. The wolf was yet following the path, making use of his heightened senses. His heart hammered, relentless behind his ribs. When he reached and saw the scene strewn with bodies by the river edge, he had become nearly maddened with worry at first. He had her scent but there was no sign of her. But amid the stench of death, her scent lingered and was that of one living, and it flowed in the air akin to a beacon following towards a different direction. She was yet alive, she had to be. The wolf ran through the boundless wilderness, guided by both his tracking abilities and the desperate urge of his spirit. He encountered not a living soul in his way. Then, as he pondered on what he would say or do if they did meet again, if he did find her, well and unharmed, Alucard heard movement ahead. He lessened his speedy gait, taking shelter amid the underbrush. He lowered himself closer to the ground, drawing near to what he discerned was a clearing in the forest.

It struck him like a bolt of lightning. It meandered through his mind, trickling into his chest and the wolf began to shake imperceptibly. It was her, it had to be, though he caught sight of no one but-

The wolf coiled in on himself, his eyes widening.

Before his vision, seemingly taking a respite, was Ravenna. She was flanked by-

It cannot be. The bounty hunter he had spared... it was her no doubt, Alucard remembered her well enough. He snarled.

"We take the west route, the others will be waiting for us at the inn," the huntress was saying to another, a male Alucard did not recognize. Then his eyes flickered to Ravenna again, and anger burned, mystifying and menacing at seeing her sorry state.

There were only two opponents from what he could tell. Thoughts meshed and his mind burned from the strain of trying to make sense of it all, struggling to reach a conclusion as to why Ravenna was in their company. He was certain that it was not of her own will. She looked morose and resigned, and his bearing fell into disarray with worry. But she was alive.

Just then the two hunters rose, their limbs taut, their faces on alert.

"What is it?" Sandor asked his sister, who had already retrieved her crossbow and was loading.

"Foul presence, that way," and she pointed straight towards the area where Alucard stood, yet hidden from sight.

Sandor took a distressed Ravenna by the arm. "Try not to die, yet," and he pushed her aside, turning to inspect their surroundings together with the huntress.

Ravenna felt a dark veil shroud her mind and stepped back, looking frantically about herself. In a way, she welcomed any deterrent to their goal, though the chances of surviving a night creature mauling on her own were scarce. If it even was a night creature. She shook herself and with iron determination Ravenna decided to do her utmost to live, and use any chance for an escape.

She heard the harrowing sound of arrows hissing through the air, turning to see the hunters follow something.

"Sandor, down!" Zsuzsa bellowed, her weapon aiming at the flash of red which sheared through the air about them. She missed.

Ravenna felt her clothes billow with the rush whirling about her, and though her sight was not fast enough to catch glimpses of the disturbance, her heart began a wild cadence.

Just then amid the mayhem she heard a pained groan and a tumble, and whirled around to see-

"Adrian!" she cried despite herself, seeing him attempting to rise, an arrow embedded in his calf. Their eyes locked briefly before a triumphant sound of satisfaction had her turning to Zsuzsa.

"Well, well, well..." the huntress gritted, her eyes alight with the fire of battle. She turned to Ravenna. "It appears your beast misses his pet," she met the fierce eyes of Alucard. "You made my task all the easier." She loaded a large silver tipped arrow, pointing it to Alucard's chest. "The end of your ilk," she smiled wolfishly as Alucard struggled to one knee in removing the silver from his leg, unable to resume his attack.

She could not think. She did not think. All Ravenna saw was black engulfing the corners of her vision, and all she could feel was a deep and vicious pounding in her ears. And then she was hitting into something with all the strength her body could muster.

The huntress fell to the floor in angry astonishment, grappling with a now desperate Ravenna. Sandor briefly tore his attention from Alucard, and that one mistake was all it took.

All of his fury unleashed, Alucard hissed as he tore the arrow out of his leg and flung his arm forward.

A beam of silver cut through the air and Sandor fell to his knees. His hands reached to stop the gurgling at his neck, red pooling in rivulets down his chest from a gash so deep it had nearly beheaded him.

The huntress struck Ravenna so hard her arms and legs went slack, and hastily rose to aim her crossbow anew, growling in animalistic anger at the sight of her fallen sibling.

Her wild gaze caught a glimpse of angry red rushing towards her. It was the last memory burnt into her eyes.

Ravenna tried to rise, a part of her face already bruising black and blue. Finger marks lined her jaw. Her gaze fell upon a lifeless Zsuzsa, her eyes rolled back, the anger frozen on her features even in death.

She gained her feet, then dared to lift her gaze. A shiver coursed along her spine when Ravenna was met with the feral appearance of the one facing her.

They gaped at each other, both panting. The red flames of his eyes were receding as the dhampir tried to regain himself. Though he was free from the pull now Alucard could still feel her, all of her, from her flaring disillusion to the irreverent beating of her life. Before he could open his mouth to speak Ravenna closed her eyes and shook her head. The words died on his lips as the woman rushed over without warning, all but tackling him when they collided even as he brought her to him with a sigh of relief. Ravenna threw her arms around his neck, and they stood so for a long while, still amid the silence. Leaves fell in idle swirling motions from the trees above them, this sudden peaceful aura coming in strange and bitter contrast to the bodies and seeping life staining the forest bed.

Ravenna softened in his arms. He had... come for her? All this way? There was no doubt, what would he be doing here otherwise? She held him tighter though the hurt caused by his words and actions that day stung deeply, and though all she wanted was to melt into him Ravenna could not shed it. What now? She had decided upon a return to Styria after all, determined to reach her homeland in one piece even with her research unfinished. Ravenna wordlessly tore herself away from Adrian and began walking ahead, leaving him staring at her turned back. With measured steps he followed after her.

"Why are you here?" the young woman tried to keep her voice level. She herself was shaking with him so near, it all felt so unreal.

Ravenna heard nothing for a long time. "Do you not know?" Alucard asked, daring one step closer. His eyes had regained their usual burnt yellow hue.

"Should I?" Ravenna retorted bitingly, wrapping her arms around her middle. As soon as her spite left her mouth she regretted it. "They wanted to hunt you down."

"I know. I surmised as much."

There was a long silence, more than she could bear. "I never thought... I did not think I'd see you again," Ravenna said on a shaky breath.

Alucard clenched and unclenched his fists along his sides. "I wanted to find you."

"Why?" Ravenna turned her head.

Despite considering it all before, his thoughts appeared stifled and choked, and it was an arduous task to offer a worthy answer. "I thought being on my own was the best course. I thought..." he looked to the side. "Well, I did not think too much past my fear, if I am to be honest." Alucard paused, the revelation unexpected even to him. "I thought, that once the blood I drank from you faded I would be free of this, free of you. And now it has, and nothing changed, and I still want..." he sighed, "I wanted to see you again. I had to know you were safe."

Her shoulders tensed. "You called me a schemer." Ravenna failed to keep the hurt out of her voice. "You actually believed I would harm you," she huffed mirthlessly.

"I will make no excuses as to that," Alucard looked down pensively. "I did think so at the time."

Well, he was certainly not helping. "And you preferred I flee from you in fear, rather than share what ailed you." Ravenna whirled to face him. "How could you-"

Her words caught in her throat when she met his eyes. They were so full of stifled longing, and he looked so despondent Ravenna could barely hold his gaze. She turned her back on him again.

"You do not know everything," Alucard pressed his eyes closed. "I will... I would like to tell you of it all, should you wish to hear it," he lowered his head, listlessly staring at the empty space between them. "I was wrong to act as I did. Ravenna," he drew closer. "The truth is, I fretted finding you were like the others, and-," he decided to out with it, "-and that would have destroyed me."

He saw her shoulders stiffen as Ravenna bent her head into her chest.

Out of all else he may have said, this gave her pause. And should she hold him fully responsible for the fears keeping him nailed to past hurts? Better yet, could she? The young woman froze when she felt him, so distracting and near; Ravenna did nothing as his gloved hands came placed on her shoulders, trailing down her arms, hesitatingly leading her to fall into him. "It was the safer path to take, frightening you away."

Wild joy mingled with anticipation were keeping her rooted to the spot. Ravenna had never felt so very torn. She wanted to chide him and to understand, for once to truly understand him, but all she could do was lean back as Adrian brought his arms around her. There was a novel drowsiness, but also renewed hope with the feel of his chest pressing into her back, his life thrum so erratic. Ravenna heaved a ragged breath. Her head fell back to rest against him.

That was all he needed. Ravenna felt the side of his face pressing against her temple. "It was cowardly of me."

Everything was skewed. Her entire purpose of coming here, his confusion, their feelings, the need to feel him again despite his savage rejection, the height of his loneliness she had fallen from-

Ravenna brought her hands into her hair, inhaling shakily. "What do you want, Adrian?" She needed him to say it. If she were to throw all her decisions to the wind, she needed to hear it from him.

"I do not know," his grip on her tightened. "But I know your friendship and your company, are..." His chest seized, and Alucard faltered as he considered the very real possibility of losing her. "I know that what is left of me I would now gladly lay at your feet."

"So you are lonely," she wanted to hear him admit that, too.

"Ravenna," Alucard began with a sad smile, "before you came along I was considering staking myself. But then, you irked me, you drew me out of my cycle of misery and self-pity with your honesty, your humanity and your care; and as I was searching for you I realized there was more to it all, more to life, if I allowed it," his words were muffled into her neck. "Yes, Styrian, I am lonely. It has been so for a long time. I renounced fighting it. But then you came and left, and now it is unbearable."

No surrender had ever sounded so sweet and goodness she was weak, from the great relief taking over to the buckling of her knees, to the painful tightness in her center at his closeness. Ravenna felt herself become unfettered, any ill feelings she may have harbored turned to ash. The pyre in her chest burned too bright.

"But if... if my actions have led you to... to want nothing to do with me-" Adrian went on, yet oblivious of her melting into nothingness against him.

Slowly Ravenna turned to face him, placing the tips of her fingers to his lips. His lashes fluttered closed, and Ravenna became fiercely aware of every warm wisp of breath ghosting her skin. This was a nightmare and a dream.

As she regarded him in silence Alucard was close to crumbling before her, to offer her all and anything, if only she would stay. When he opened his eyes there was a smile blooming on her face.

Luminous blue met radiant gold as Ravenna was drawn into him. Her lips parted in a sigh, saying more than words ever could. She felt his presence tangling with every fiber of her being. The ribbons of his burning irises were drowned in black.

Caught in her rapture she still somehow managed to speak. "No more secrets," she said firmly after a long silence.

The gleam in his eyes changed from broken to hopeful as Alucard took another moment to study her features. He felt her small fingers curling into the material of his coat at his chest. He cupped her face in his palms. "No more secrets."

A/N:

So listen, I didn't plan this to be a very long fic. Hence we're nearing the end - a little ways to go. I hope you like lemonade.