A/N: Coming at you from seemingly endless lockdown. My province has a stay at home order now, so that's like... lockdown plus? Lockdown 2.0? Hope everyone is staying safe. It's my birthday this week, and I am super bummed that I can't even go for dinner or see any friends. Ughhhh at least I have fanfic.
Enjoy the chapter!
~o~O~o~
Part Thirty-Five
Early the following morning Adrian woke still buried beneath Sypha, with Trevor strewn partly over him and snoring steadily. He was warm and comfortable. His lovers were deeply asleep. He stroked Sypha's hair and kissed the crown of her head, turning and nosing Trevor's temple and kissing him too.
He was deliciously relaxed, every inch of his body content.
He was also absolutely, unbearably filthy, and couldn't remain as he was, no matter the loveliness of their arrangement. It was not yet light out; he suspected they would want more sleep, but he couldn't stand the feeling of what clung to him, in him. Normally, he would never go to sleep before washing after what they'd done, but he'd been so tired (and drunk) that he'd dropped off without meaning to.
He wiggled free and hurriedly went to bathe before he did anything else, the freezing well water a blessing in his soiled state. When he was freshened to his satisfaction he brought water so his lovers would be able to clean up when they woke, and quickly got dressed.
Once clothed, he took a moment to gaze fondly down at his two most important people as he finger combed his damp hair, thinking on the night before and feeling his heart swell to near bursting at the sight of them. He was overcome by his own sentimentality. Oh, how he loved them. It was almost painful to see them lying there together, perfect in every way, and his.
They knew him through and through and they loved him totally, with all of his inhuman tendencies and inclinations.
What a rare and precious thing.
It was exactly what his parents once had, he knew. This was a deep, beautiful, unshakable love. A love powerful enough to bring him to his knees. Total acceptance.
He felt a little giddy. Surreal.
Sypha was laying against Trevor on her side, her knees bent, her arms curled in front of her. She often slept in a tiny fetal ball – probably from having to take up as little space as possible in her caravan – and her face was peaceful in sleep. Her lips were relaxed, but still full and inviting, and never mind the trail of saliva that had dribbled onto Trevor's arm, or whatever was crusted in her hair from the night before. He wanted to gather her close and devour her with kisses.
Trevor was sprawled in his typical fashion, barely covered by the blanket even though the barn was chilly. His face was completely relaxed, his lips parted and soft, his beard now grown long enough that the hairs were beginning to curl. He was loosely holding Sypha, and his fingers were twitching absently as he dreamed.
They were perfect.
He let them sleep, moving silently to lay out their clothes for them and leave them what they would need to wash up, fresh canteens of water to drink, and a feather light kiss on each of their cheeks.
They couldn't spare much extra time this morning. He didn't know how long the journey to the castle would take, but they would have to leave their wagon with Hana and travel on horseback. Adrian himself would be on foot because there were only two horses, or perhaps some of the time he would ride double with Sypha.
He wanted to leave by sun up, so it was good that he had no hangover. He spent a few minutes combing through their belongings in the dark to select only what was necessary for function and survival. When he was satisfied that he had everything they should bring set aside he left the barn and went to the house.
It was still dark, but there was grey light coming over everything, and the sense of night was waning with the approach of dawn. It was clear for the first time in days, though the air had a frigid bite. It hung motionless, the treetops barely stirring.
Adrian mounted the porch, eyeing the depression in the wall where the doorknob had lodged thanks to his drunken antics the night before. He winced a little, replaying the scene. He was not used to alcohol, and had never been quite that drunk before. It was fun, although he knew he'd been something of a liability, too intoxicated to judge his own strength. It was a small wonder he hadn't broken more, but it had also been rather wonderful to let go and have a good time.
For the first time in many years Adrian found he could simply be himself. He could relax with Trevor and Sypha, and he was getting a lot more comfortable with sex and everything else that came from opening up to them like he had.
Now really wasn't the time to reflect on that, however; expedience was of the greatest import. He opened the door and strode in, looking around for Hana. She was on the couch, her hair still loose although she was obviously awake, wrapped in her woolen shawl. He saw her tense almost imperceptibly when he came in, but she quickly composed herself and nodded in greeting, squinting at him in the dark. There was no fire in the hearth yet, no candles or lanterns lit. The house was cool.
"Good morning Hana," he said politely, stepping further into the room.
She grunted in answer – obviously not in the best shape. She pulled her shawl closer around her, huddling into it.
Adrian moved gracefully to the hearth to make a fire. The kindling lit readily and the fire spread, a lovely flare of warmth and light quickly growing to consume the fuel. Once he was satisfied that it was stable he added a larger log, then went to retrieve some water to make tea.
Hana watched him through bleary eyes, slowly shifting as the warmth seeped into the room and stole away the chill that had settled into everything.
Adrian let Hana alone, seeing she wasn't ready to socialize yet. No doubt she was suffering a hangover, and her fingers were likely stiff in the mornings. He saw her pick up her water cup to drink with both palms, unable to bend her fingers well enough to grasp it properly.
After a few minutes Adrian had the makings of a filling, if simple porridge started; he'd be able to complete the meal in short order once Sypha and Trevor came in.
"Would you like tea?" he asked Hana. She seemed to be coming alive a little more as she warmed up. There was now a dull light filtering in through the windows.
"Mm," she nodded and finally rose, the motion slow and incontrovertibly painful for her. She wrapped herself more fully in her shawl and took the chamber pot away, disappearing outside for a few minutes.
She came back and it seemed the cold had revived her more fully. The glitter was back in her black eyes, even though she still limped and shuffled like the old woman she was. She regarded Adrian, who was no worse for wear from the night before, fresh and clean and perfectly ready for the day. She studied the gold of his eyes, the expression on his face, and she smiled with an almost supercilious satisfaction, as though it was her doing.
"Braid my hair for me Alucard," she said, expecting his compliance as she seated herself in the rocker by the fire with the tea he'd poured for her.
He rolled his eyes at her turned back, but he obliged her, actually surprised she would let him touch her at all considering her gifts and what she'd explained of how he 'felt' to her.
If she was affected by it at all she didn't show it. Adrian knelt beside her and wound her hair into the usual braid, even threading a string of small colourful beads into the length of it for her. He worked a couple feathers into the yellow leather that tied it off at the end, as he knew she liked.
She just closed her eyes and drank her tea, and by the time he was finishing with her hair there was a shuffling and the creak of the porch boards and the door opened to admit Trevor and Sypha, who squeezed through it together and closed it behind them.
Trevor looked his usual self – attractively unkempt but no worse for wear for a night of drinking – but Sypha was conspicuously green around the gills, and she dropped limply onto the couch without so much as a glance at anyone and closed her eyes, slumping around a pillow.
Hana cracked an eye and studied them, shooing Adrian away from her like he was an annoying afterthought. She examined the braid he'd done for her. "It will do," she said gruffly, and he smiled, as he'd come to expect Hana's surly mannerisms and he didn't take her personally.
He brought Sypha a glass of water, sitting beside her. "Are you thirsty?" he asked her and she opened one glassy blue eye and muttered her assent, accepting the cup and draining it before handing it back to him and closing her eyes again. He stroked her back and hair, noting that she was at least clean now, if nothing else.
He left Sypha to rest in the hopes that she would take some breakfast and actually be able to seat a horse. He'd be sure to give her a very strong cup of tea, with sugar and milk how she liked it.
He moved across the room to Trevor, who'd been watching him tend Sypha, looming inside the doorway. He was already fully dressed for the road, his weapons all strapped on and his thick fur cloak over his shoulders. Adrian leaned in to kiss his cheek, feeling Hana's eyes on him. "Sleep well?" he asked in a low voice.
Trevor smiled that handsome, confident grin which still managed to make Adrian go to mush, like a teenager with a crush. He knew his cheeks were pink.
"Oh I slept perfect," Trevor said easily, and winked cockily, snatching Adrian by the back of the neck and giving him a very thorough, very intimate kiss as though there wasn't anyone else around.
The dhampir was left with his heart racing and his lips tingling, but Trevor seemed wholly unfazed and patted his stomach.
"Is there breakfast? I know you've been up for awhile. I saw all the gear you got ready. Thanks, by the way. Syph's certainly going to be no help," he said under his breath, jerking a thumb at her. "Thought she was actually dead when I got up. We didn't drink that much, did we?"
"Some of us aren't career drunkards," came the disparaging retort from the bundle of blue wool and copper hair on the couch.
"But now it's paying off in spades," Trevor answered with a casually outstretched hand and a perfectly reasonable tone.
Hana was smirking at them with unconcealed mirth, making her way slowly to the table, which Adrian noted was sort of crooked, adorned by the remains of her broken vase, and flanked by the chairs, all of them askew.
"What happened here?" she asked, surveying the scene.
"Alucard got into your ale is what happened," Trevor answered her with a smile. "He knocked the table over. Could have been worse – he doesn't know his own strength after a few rounds."
Adrian shot him a glare. "Trevor that's not- you kept refilling my cup-"
"Oh come on, it's fine, and we had fun. I'm just teasing you."
Hana looked thoroughly amused, and Adrian felt his face burning, his ears hot.
"I'm sorry for breaking the vase."
She waved the apology aside. "It's alright, no real harm done. I told you to enjoy yourselves, after all. Now, some breakfast to fortify you for the day."
"I've already started something," Adrian said quickly, eager to shift the attention off of himself.
Trevor perked up at the mention of food. "I'm starved. Need a hand?"
"Sure," Adrian nodded and Trevor followed him into the kitchen, both of them ducking through the low doorway. The beaded curtains clicked and swished – he was getting used to the sound.
In the kitchen, Trevor pinned him against the counter and kissed him again, slowly and deeply. He slipped his arm around Adrian's waist, holding him. He smelled good. Clean, familiar. "Last night was great," he said after the kiss, touching their foreheads together. "Just wanted you to know."
Adrian's lingering embarrassment had dissolved, and he relaxed against the hunter. "I had fun too," he said, speaking softly, leaning into him and running his fingers through the white fur of his cloak.
Trevor pushed Adrian's hair gently aside, the back of one knuckle stroking his cheek in a deeply affectionate gesture. "I think Syph had a good time too, even though she's not looking so hot this morning. She'll come around. C'mon I meant it when I said I was starved."
They gathered the items for the meal and carried them to the table together, laying everything out.
Hana had been setting things back where they belonged, slowly re-ordering the chairs and clearing away the broken pieces of vase. It looked mostly normal by the time Adrian and Trevor were putting dishes and utensils out for everyone. Hana gingerly set her tea on the table and eased into her customary chair, clearly trying to conceal the discomfort of her sore, arthritic joints.
Adrian went to stir the porridge and make more tea, leaving Trevor standing a little obtusely beside the table.
"Sit down," Hana said authoritatively, and he obediently sat. Something was different between them since the night before. Sypha had been right – Trevor had needed to hear what she'd said to him about his family.
"So, uh- thanks," he said to her, looking at the tabletop. "For last night, I mean. It was great. All the food and ale and stuff. It's been… a very long time since I had a night like that, especially with good conversation and a big roaring fire. You know, just- thanks."
Hana studied Trevor for a spell, until he was shifting a little uncomfortably and fiddling with his spoon, then she smiled, showing her missing and stained teeth, the creases around her eyes deepening. "I don't imagine you get invited very many places, armed to the teeth like that and generally smelling like a dead night creature. Between that and some of the stories you told last night I'm frankly surprised these two are willing to tolerate you," she gestured in the general direction of Adrian and Sypha.
Trevor's mouth twitched with amusement. "And I guess you don't get a lot of guests, seeing as you probably work most of them to death or scare them off with shriveled rat testicles and that tea that tastes like literal shit."
Hana coughed into her tea, and it sounded suspiciously like laughter. "Vagrant."
Trevor leaned forward in his chair, glaring. "Hag."
"Drunk."
"Witch."
They stared each other down until Adrian broke the stand-off by setting a fresh pot of tea on the table, glancing from one to the other with evident amusement.
He went to finish up the meal – adding dried fruits and seeds. It would be filling and quick; it was nearly sunrise. They really needed to be on their way. As he came back to the table he saw that Trevor was pouring tea for Hana, spooning sugar into her cup until she gestured for him to stop. He made none for himself – he didn't care for tea and tended to abstain, even when it was the only option.
Adrian brought the large pot and set it in the middle of the table, then went to get Sypha, who hadn't moved at all from her spot on the couch.
He sat beside her and stroked her arm. "Syph?" he said gently, peering into her face. It pinched and she scowled and groaned, blinking at him.
"Lemme sleep more," she pleaded, miserable.
He shook his head. "I wish I could. You need to eat something. I made strong tea, and there is milk and sugar."
She frowned at the mention of food, but he knew she had a weakness for tea, and she sighed and uncurled, still wearing a pout. She sank reluctantly into a chair at the table and pushed her breakfast aside, cupping her mug and sipping it daintily.
Trevor opened his mouth to tease her and Adrian kicked his leg under the table. He jerked and glared at the blonde, who remained squarely focused on his bowl, the picture of innocence.
Sypha did manage to eat most of her breakfast, although it took her far too long, and Adrian and Trevor were finished before her. He poured Sypha another cup of tea and left her a glass of water as he and Trevor went to saddle the horses and prepare their packs.
When everything was ready, the two beasts were standing in the yard with their tails swishing, their saddlebags laden with supplies. Sypha was starting to perk up a little, but it was a subdued goodbye that she gave Hana, hugging her tightly and telling her that they would come back after everything was finished and see that she was alright. Hana removed one of her many amulets and looped it around Sypha's neck.
"This will help you with the protection spells," she said. "To channel the magic. Keep practicing them, and soon you'll be ready for some of the other spells too. You have the book I gave you?"
Sypha nodded and patted her robe. "I have it. Thank you so much Hana. For everything. I really don't know what we would have done without you."
"You're very welcome Sypha," said the old woman, squeezing Sypha's hands in her own. They hugged, the mage pulling Hana into her arms and holding her for a long moment before they separated, and Sypha moved to put on her boots.
Adrian hovered in the entrance, and Trevor seemed like he was going to try and sneak out without any formalities, but Hana halted him before he could weasel away.
"Trevor Belmont, don't you dare let anything happen to these two," she said to him in a semi-threatening tone, and he looked to the side, his cheeks pinking every so slightly. Hana continued. "You remember what I told you," she added, and Adrian wondered what that might be.
Trevor nodded rather solemnly. "Fine, yeah, I got it," he said. "Try not to get killed out here either. I'll- you know, I'll come back soon. If I can."
"Hana nodded. "I know you will. And I'll be here when you do."
Trevor looked around rather awkwardly and Hana patted his arm. "Get going. I can see Alucard is anxious to be off."
He was, in fact, rather anxious for them to be on their way, as the sun was just cresting the treetops, a blazing brightness spreading over everything and glittering off of the snow. He narrowed his eyes and was secretly thankful they'd be traveling north, so he didn't have to look right into it. Trevor and Sypha went to the horses, and Adrian lingered in the doorway, feeling like he should say something to Hana, but at a loss as to what.
They looked at one another. The tiny, wizened woman wrapped in wool, her black eyes sagacious and sharp, and Adrian, tall, smooth and ageless, sword at his hip and his long hair fanned prettily around his shoulders. He shifted on his heels, feeling put on the spot.
"They're waiting for you," Hana said, glancing past him to the yard, where Trevor and Sypha were already seated on the horses.
"I know. Hana I wanted to thank y-
"There's no need," she interrupted before he could finish, shaking her head.
He swallowed his words, frowning. He turned to go, but he felt her watching him and turned back, meeting her stare again.
"Kill him, Alucard," she said soberly, her twisted fingers reflexively curling around the large amulet at her throat, the one which was the same black as her eyes. "Don't hesitate. Destroy him, and save us all."
He stood silently in the doorway, his breaths freezing in little clouds between them, the sunlight pouring in from behind. He nodded, then he was gone.
~o~O~o~
It was good to be back on the road. It was clear to Adrian that Sypha and Trevor were more comfortable this way. They both visibly relaxed once they were out in the forest again, Hana's home and the safety of her protective magic well behind them. Even Adrian had to admit a certain appreciation for the familiar sense of moving forward. It was easier than staying in one place.
It took a few hours, but eventually Sypha started to come alive as her hangover waned, and by mid-morning she was her usual self, her eyes bright and her hair glinting in the sunlight.
There wasn't a cloud in any direction, and if it weren't for the dark blemish of the castle far ahead of them it would be easy to forget the nature of their journey entirely, especially once Sypha began to talk about the spells in the book Hana had given her, chattering away in high spirits as the horses found a comfortable pace. The trees were dusted with snow and the twisting trail was very scenic.
Adrian kept looking at the castle on the horizon whenever there was a break in the trees, watching it grow ever so slightly larger by the hour. They wouldn't reach it today, but likely the following day. The majority of the time Adrian had known Trevor and Sypha had been spent traveling. The sounds and smells of horses and leather, the clinking of metal, and constantly moving forward had become quotidian comforts.
The snow was not yet too deep – it was still manageable for the two big mares – and he floated a few inches above it to keep his boots dry as they plodded along.
The forest was totally silent. It was strange, but considering the sharp cold of the day and with evidence of night creature activity plainly visible, there wasn't much stirring save the odd bird, and even most of those seemed to have gone elsewhere.
The path was winding and hilly, and they were moving steadily higher. They stopped for lunch when they came upon a small rushing stream that wasn't yet frozen over, letting the horses drink and paw at the ground until they uncovered some edible greenery. It was a fairly sedate meal; each of them was preoccupied with their own thoughts.
They perched on a downed tree, the trunk making a decent bench, although Trevor complained that his ass was cold.
Adrian nibbled at a hunk of bread and allowed his mind to wander.
Sypha sat down beside him, handing him a cup of steaming, salty broth. "Here, it will warm you up."
He took it, heat seeping into his fingers as he dipped his bread and let the broth soak through it. "Thanks Sypha."
"Of course," she leaned in to kiss his temple and nursed her own cup gratefully. Trevor helped himself to a cup as well and sat on Adrian's other side, so he was sandwiched between their warmth. He slipped his hand onto Adrian's thigh, rubbing absently. It was so like Trevor to want to touch. He always seemed to seek it out – just a little contact. It made him think about the night before, and being between them.
It had been a lot.
The alcohol magnified everything, making the touches seem like more. It made him willing and complacent, and made it hard to resist his curiosity for new kinds of intimacy. Everything had a delicious glow to it, and an alluring quality that now seemed surreal and dreamlike in memory.
Being drunk made it easier to instigate sex, but he had not been prepared for everything to be so sensual and overwhelming. At one point it had almost been more than he could take, but in that instant his lovers recognized that he was experiencing something powerful, and they had offered him reassurance and support. That meant a lot.
He hoped they could try it again when he was sober and a little more himself, not coaxed forward by alcohol. That said, there were some developments he'd never expected, and he was only now fully absorbing them.
Blood that they offered without his asking, and for no other reason than his pleasure. Blood in their kisses too, and the unexpected sense of freedom and safety he'd found nestled between them, very much exposed and vulnerable, yet somehow entirely certain that it was right.
It was a lot to unpack. It felt like something was changed, but it was hard to put his finger on it.
He glanced between them, wondering what it had been like for them.
Soon lunch was over and they were back on their way, plodding through the snow, which became deeper as they progressed.
Trevor guided his horse beside Sypha's, indicating that they slow down as they came to a very rocky area with deep drifts.
"We're going to have to go on foot here," he said, moving to dismount. Adrian eyed the slanted, uneven path buried in deep drifts of snow. It looked like the going would be a lot slower as they continued.
~o~O~o~
They kept on through the afternoon, the bitter cold freezing Trevor and Sypha's eyelashes and leaving their cheeks red and raw. Even the horses had bits of frost around their noses. By the time the sun was dipping behind the mountains they had successfully navigated past the treeline, and covered the large, open expanse Adrian remembered running over when he'd come here the first time as a wolf.
They chose to make camp in a shallow cave beneath an overhanging ledge which would offer protection. The snow coverage was far less here, the bare earth exposed and dry. It was a good, secure place to camp.
Sypha began at once to work the spell of protection that Hana had taught her, making the circle large enough to encompass them, and the horses. Anything within the circumference of the spell would be completely undetectable to the outside world.
When the circle was completed, they began to unpack their small camp and make a fire.
"We'll probably get there tomorrow," Trevor commented, holding his hands over the fire to defrost his fingers, and rubbing together periodically to work feeling back into them. The cold hadn't abated in the slightest, but at least the little cave was warming nicely. They had a piece of venison cooking already, and more of the broth that Hana had given them.
"If we arrive in the daytime, will it be easier?" Sypha queried.
Adrian shrugged. "I don't think it matters. You saw the darkness around the whole place. It's always night there if Father wants it to be. I think we will just have to get there when we can."
"We need a strategy for fighting him," Trevor put forth, his tone serious. "We can't just walk in and draw our weapons."
"He will know we're coming," Adrian said. "He's likely been watching us this entire time. We can't surprise him. He will be expecting us."
"Why is he letting us just… walk in and confront him?" Sypha asked, her brows knit. "He could have come after us easily before now."
Trevor shook his head. "Of course he wants us to come to him. He's got a magic castle. It would be idiotic to give up that advantage."
Sypha looked like she was considering this. Adrian turned the meat and stirred the pot of broth. "All we can do is be in our best fighting form," he said. "Have our spells and weapons ready, and stay as alert as possible. Father is a formidable opponent. I've never beaten him, but I am much stronger than before, and we are together."
Trevor laughed harshly. "He's going to kill the shit out of us."
Sypha swatted him. "Don't talk like that. Think of the things Hana said, and Adrian's visions. We've got this. We can win. We're going to beat him."
"Yeah, and then you know what comes after," Trevor shot back, glancing at Adrian, who was lookout outside again. "Evil castle. Crazy blood pool, endless war. I lose an arm, we all make morally questionable life choices. All of that fun stuff."
Sypha huffed. "Stop it Trevor. We can change those things. It doesn't have to be that way."
"Yeah, but you can never be too practical, Syph. We should think about it. Like, if it's the right arm, how and I gonna jerk off? Adrian, do you remember if it was the right arm?"
"Trevor!"
He held up his hands in a placating gesture. "Okay, okay that was terrible. But we should have some kind of plan."
"Well, hopefully we have at least a little bit of an advantage through numbers and unexpected abilities. Adrian has his magic again, and there are the things we learned from your family's book. I'm going to try to use the Holy spell when there is a good chance. If I can stun him for even a moment, maybe one of you can get in close enough to stake him."
"Will a stake actually kill him?" Trevor asked, glancing at the dhampir for an answer.
Adrian found he was having a hard time paying attention to them, and he didn't answer the question. He was distracted, watching the eerie, darkened shape of the castle beyond the mouth of the cave.
Trevor touched the dhampir's arm and he started at the contact, looking at him as if only now realizing where he was. "Relax," Trevor soothed, and patted Adrian's leg. "We were just asking you about whether a stake would actually kill your father… but I guess you don't know any more than I do."
Adrian shook his head. "No," he trailed, eyes drawn back outside. "I don't know, but I'm sure he wouldn't like it. It's what I'd try first. That, or beheading and burning. I think when it comes down to it we will have to employ all three."
If Trevor and Sypha said more, he didn't hear it. He was playing it out in his mind, imagining a scenario where they actually managed to defeat Dracula and destroy him. He was caught up thinking about the gory details, about the act itself. Patricide. Murder. His fingers curled in his lap, grip tightening on nothing.
Tomorrow.
Everything was going to change tomorrow, for better or worse.
It would never be the same.
Adrian was ready to fight. The sense that they had been moving closer and closer to something monumental had grown steadily for weeks, and now it was nearly at its apex. He felt an electric energy running through him, prickling from the inside out. He was veritably shivering with it. The hairs on the back of his arms and neck wanted to stand on end. He felt like he couldn't fit into his own skin.
Tomorrow.
Only a few hours from now, it would be upon them. Nothing was certain, and he still felt entirely helpless in the face of the deeper evil that they would face. He had no real plan for that. He was rudderless, yet he could not ever remember feeling so ready for a fight in all his life.
The times he'd faced off with his father as a youth, he'd been totally outmatched. The gap had closed a little over the years, but never enough. He'd never come close to winning. The last time they'd fought Dracula had subdued Adrian with little difficulty, slashing him down to the bone. Past the bone, actually. His heart had been quite literally visible to him, shuddering and naked in his breast, his ribs snapped like so many twigs, layers of muscle and fascia laid open. Even his guts were exposed, blood pouring from him in a river of red. His own father had done it to him.
That blow had solidified everything. Adrian had known all was truly lost when he'd felt his father's claws stroking his bare heart, as if debating whether or not to kill him. That wasn't the act of a sane person.
His hand went to his chest, where the massive scar marred his flesh all the way down to his hip. It had never fully healed, even when he'd begun to drink real blood again. He didn't know that it would ever heal. Maybe he didn't want it to. He could never let himself forget.
It had been unfathomably painful, but he was left alive. Why?
Dracula knew Adrian would never let his genocide go uncontested. He was no fool. He was forcing Adrian to confront him. To stop him.
He was ready.
Tomorrow he would kill his own father. He knew it suddenly, deep in himself. This time he would win.
But he had to be strong. As strong as he could possibly be. He had to be fearless and unflinching, ready for anything. He couldn't hesitate, as Hana had said that morning.
The prickle of anticipation didn't wane as they ate their dinner, and Adrian was totally disconnected, unable to bring himself into the present for more than a few moments. He was well aware of his lover's eyes on him. He knew that he was being unusually intense and detached, but he was incapable of anything else.
Trevor pulled the forgotten cup from Adrian's hands when he'd been gripping the empty vessel for nearly ten minutes after they finished eating, just staring through the flames and towards the castle beyond. He and Sypha had arranged the blankets and furs, making a place to lie down and sleep. It had been an extremely long day, but he was wired. He wanted to run, the energy brimming inside him, buzzing under his skin.
He turned finally and looked at Trevor, who had said his name at least twice.
"Will you come lay down?" the hunter asked with a hint of irritation.
He stared silently at the man, studying his face, the play of shadow and light over his features. "We're not going to lose," he spoke with a cold certainty. "I know it."
Trevor sighed. "Well, I'm glad you're confident, because it would be nice to live a little longer. There's things I wanna do still. And I think Syph wants to see her family again. Can't do that when we're dead."
Adrian's eyes were hard. He felt that detachment still, and stared at Trevor, then at Sypha. He nodded slowly. "We won't lose. I'm going to kill him."
"Well, that is the idea," Trevor said, frowning slightly. "But just in case it all goes to hell, I'd really like if we could lay together one more time. You know, on the off-chance that we're all your dad's new lawn ornaments by this time tomorrow."
Trevor was trying to lighten the mood with his gallows humour but Adrian was simply not up for it. Sypha came beside him and took his hand, gripping it through his glove. She stroked his hair gently.
"Sweetheart," she said to him, squeezing his fingers. "Stop looking at it," she urged, obviously referring to the castle.
She touched his face, trying to encourage him to turn his head away. He acquiesced with reluctance, staring at her. He felt the tingle of electricity under his skin again, pressing on him from the inside.
He looked into Sypha's giant, soulful blue eyes. He saw all of her passion and her love there, her sweetness. He blinked, shaking off the distraction, trying to bring himself into the moment.
"I'm sorry," he said in a barely audible voice, closing his eyes and leaning in when she stroked him. He reached for Trevor's hand and grasped it. His fingers were hot.
"Let me touch you," he said suddenly, speaking to them both.
Sypha hesitated. "Now? It's cold…" she trailed, but Adrian gathered her to him and laid her back onto the furs, guiding Trevor down with her so they were side by side and he was kneeling over them, taking them in. He bent and buried his face between them, a hand clutching each of them, holding their heads, touching their hair. He breathed their familiar scents, his arms tight, pulling them close.
He needed it, suddenly. To feel them. He needed to be connected to them again and he needed it now, when he was sober and everything inside him was honed to an edge as sharp as his sword. Maybe they'd be able to understand. Maybe they would feel the way his body seemed unable to contain him. It wasn't about pleasure. He just needed them, and he knew no way to express it in words.
"I'm- I need to feel you," he mumbled into the space between them, sitting back to study them, his eyes questioning. He wouldn't do it if they didn't want him to, even if he felt nearly desperate for the contact.
"'S'fine," Trevor said, relaxing himself, blue eyes picking up the light from the fire.
"We're here love," Sypha said, pulling him down over her, allowing him to push her clothing out of the way. She was touching him gently, light fingertips moving along his arm, but she let him direct her, let him bunch her dress around her waist and ease her legs apart. Trevor undid the ties on his own breeches, but let Adrian pull them open and slide a hand over the angle of his hip, down to the curled hair between his legs.
Adrian unlaced himself and moved over Sypha. He was already rigid, and found her center quickly, his hands trembling slightly as he positioned himself against her. He pushed fully inside in one stroke and she made a surprised noise, then melted beneath him, her arms coming around his back.
He felt the fire of her body squeezing him, enveloping him, and the sound of his own staggered breathing filled his ears.
Beside them, Trevor watched. Adrian shifted to kiss him fervidly, tongue prying his lips apart and delving into the heat of his mouth, sucking bruising kisses from him while he reached between his legs, his hand deftly coaxing his body to life.
Adrian grunted – an animal sound – and he began to thrust quickly into Sypha, resting his forehead against Trevor's chest as he concentrated on moving his hand and his hips. They didn't speak.
He was taut, burying himself in Sypha, yet wanting a deeper connection to Trevor too. He needed him as much as he needed her. He raised his head long enough to catch his gaze, glancing to his throat, letting the red slowly fill his eyes. Trevor swallowed and nodded, his breaths jerky as Adrian worked him, a blush spreading over his cheeks.
His teeth found the place where he'd bitten before. He quickened his hand when Trevor grew tense from the pain. He began to drink in earnest, swallowing the blood that came with abandon. It took a few moments, but he found a rhythm and soon Sypha was breaking apart beneath him, mewling in tiny noises, her legs winding around him. He drove into the soft clutch of her sheath, her muscles quivering. Trevor's breaths became ragged and shallow and his hand was buried in Adrian's hair, fingers gripping the strands tightly as Adrian drank from his throat.
He was close, and he knew they were as well. A few more strokes and Trevor spilled with a grunt, and Adrian released him, bracing himself so he could focus on Sypha, making his strokes shallow and fast until he felt her tightening around him and heard her cry of pleasure, her fingers raking against his back beneath his shirt. He followed her over the edge, pushing himself as deep as she could take, his mouth on Trevor's neck so it muffled his noises of completion.
When it was finished they all lay still. Adrian found himself shaking, shuddering actually. His heart was racing behind his ribs, and he couldn't stop the trembling that had overtaken him. He withdrew from Trevor and saw his deep bite bleeding too much still, and he bit his own tongue to lick it away. Trevor couldn't afford to be weakened right now, but Adrian needed the blood, both for the connection and the strength. He had to be powerful, so he could protect them.
He felt it working in him, throbbing hotly behind his eyes. He was very strong now, and deeply joined with them. The urgency receded. He let himself lay in place and relax, each of his hands now curled together with one of theirs, his lips still bloody. He listened to their bodies beneath him, committing the moment to memory. Their closeness quelled the din; he felt better. Calmer.
Several minutes passed. Eventually Adrian slid reluctantly free of Sypha's heat, and laved Trevor's throat, cleaning away the mess. He kissed his mouth, and did the same to Sypha, then he pulled them both tightly against him and settled atop them, burying his face between them and closing his eyes.
He must have slept. He didn't recall dropping off, but he realized that something was squirming under him and he woke, finding his companions pinned and trying to get free from beneath him. Everything was fresh still, and he knew it had only been a few moments. He cradled them against his chest for a little longer, then shifted to let Trevor free, and adjusted his position so he wasn't crushing Sypha so much.
He didn't want to let her go. He couldn't manage words just yet, so he kissed her with deliberate slowness, making it an apology for his haste. She welcomed his mouth over hers and drew her hands along his back and shoulders. Trevor yawned and scooted closer to Adrian and Sypha, putting an arm around them both.
It was quiet between them, and nobody felt the need to break that silence. They laid together for awhile, then got up and readied for sleep, cleaning themselves, drinking some water, and putting another log on the fire. A few minutes later found them back under the blankets together, shifting around to find a comfortable arrangement for sleep, knowing that it could very well be their last night in each other's arms. Soon Adrian heard both Sypha and Trevor's breathing even out, and he knew they were asleep.
The night grew long, but for Adrian rest was hard to come by. He was still too worked up. The energy fizzled in him – anticipation, excitement, fear. He knew their time together was potentially finite, but he couldn't force himself to remain as he was.
He carefully extricated himself and padded outside, sinking against the hard frozen stone that jutted upwards beside the cave. He smoothed his hand over the surface of it, letting the intense coldness leech into his fingers and pull away his warmth. It was good. Simple. He pressed his back against it and rested his head there, breathing the gelid air until all warmth was gone from his body and his exhales made no puff of vapor any longer.
He was as cold as the stone itself after a time, as though he were part of the landscape. It quelled the crackling anxiety that swirled in him. It was what he needed in that moment.
He remained there for hours, allowing himself the space, the quiet. It was like a meditation.
There were so many unknowns, but the cold was uncomplicated, constant. For Adrian it was a way to slow everything down and breathe. It gave him clarity. It soothed his soul.
Tomorrow.
He inhaled deeply, listening to the silent, frozen world all around him.
He had no doubt in his heart, and no hesitation. He pushed his fears far away, and squashed his anxiety. Even the jittery, electric energy that had been present the whole evening waned, and Adrian simply felt ready.
He was confident, still, calm, and absolutely certain.
It was very late when he finally went back inside, so thoroughly chilled that he knew it would be cruel to sneak beneath the covers as he was. He took his wolf shape instead and laid close to his lovers, curling up and finally falling deeply asleep.
~o~O~o~
They were on their way the next morning with little preamble. The castle was perched high on a steep ridge with tall mountains jutting up behind it. How to actually get up to that ridge was becoming something of a pressing matter, but as it turned out, Sypha was able to make ice platforms and bridges that carried them across the hardened terrain with ease. They made better time than anyone had anticipated, and by late afternoon they were drawing up the final path to the castle itself.
The day had been coloured by the sense of impending action. All of them were serious and alert, and there was less banter between them than usual. Now, as they made final stretch of the journey, anticipation was brimming close beneath the surface. Trevor kept fingering his weapons, and Sypha was toying with a small fireball, letting it grow and shrink in her hand with practiced ease.
Adrian had maintained the sense of calm and readiness he'd meditated on the night before, but the prickling under his skin was undeniably growing. He stalked forward with the grace of a predator – silent, intent, and ready to spring into action at the slightest provocation.
"Holy shit this thing is way bigger in person," Trevor marveled as they rounded a bend and the castle rose up in their field of view. He was craning his neck to try and see the top of the tallest towers. The spires disappeared into the clouds.
"You really grew up here?" Sypha asked, her voice laden with wonder as she tried to take in the confusing architecture.
"Yes," Adrian responded, eyes roaming over the battlements and steep spires, and taking in the little windows, the seemingly impossible arrangements of towers and arching walkways between them. He thought about running and flying along those walkways as a child and frowned, glancing at Sypha instead. "It didn't always look like this," he added. "It's damaged, and much darker than usual."
Sypha studied it, absorbing the details. There was a lot to look at, especially for someone who'd never seen it before. It was impossible to really take in something of this scale in only a glance. Her brows did that thing where they knit together and made a little wrinkle between them. Finally she looked away. "I can't believe that is all one building," she said finally.
"It's… imposing, certainly. Very useful for intimidating enemies. Inside is labyrinthine, deliberately confusing to anyone who doesn't know their way. Of course, it's also laden with monsters and traps. Father seems to relish putting intruders through a gauntlet of challenges. Mother despised that, she saw to it that many of them were removed."
"That sounds like fun," Sypha mused.
"I've mentioned before that the castle is almost sentient. It doesn't harm anyone who lives there, or welcome guests. Only enemies and intruders."
Trevor peered at it. "This thing is like a fucking magnet for my relatives. Historically, Belmonts have a bad habit of rushing through the front doors whips blazing. A lot of my ancestors died in there, often through sheer stupidity."
Adrian's brows raised, surprised by Trevor's words. He had never heard him speak that way about other Belmonts.
Trevor snorted, scowling. "Any idiot can see that this isn't the kind of place you just walk into and start raising hell. Even though it is the Belmont's sworn duty to destroy Dracula, it's pretty fucking clear that nobody could waltz in and kill him outright. Less bravery and more strategy wouldn't have gone amiss."
"Isn't that exactly what we're doing, though? Walking in and raising hell?" Sypha asked.
He shook his head. "No this is different. The world is fucked now, and so is this place. Besides, none of the other Belmonts had you guys," he gestured to Sypha and Adrian. "And there is everything Hana told us, and what Adrian saw, and the things we learned from the creepy skin book. I'm definitely not an optimist, and I'm pretty sure we're gonna die, but if anyone has a chance against him, it's us."
Sypha grinned and stood on her toes, trying to put an arm around his shoulders, though she was still too short. "Wow Trevor, that's the best pep talk I've ever heard you give."
He shrugged her off, but his lips quirked in a little smile. "Yeah, well, I'm really ready for this to be done. I'm going to punch that bastard right in the face."
Adrian shot him a flat look. "I really don't suggest that."
Trevor crossed his arms over his chest, puffing up. "Watch me."
"Now who's got more brawn than brains?" Adrian goaded, a hint of a smile on his lips.
"Shut up," Trevor retorted and brushed past him, intentionally bumping him with a shoulder as he went.
"Save it for the actual fight you two," Sypha chided, urging them both forward.
The path was growing markedly darker. The sun was still out, but its light didn't penetrate the area anymore. Trevor and Sypha had to strain their eyes to see as they got closer.
The castle loomed massive in their field of view. The foul scents of death and decay were strong, but the structure still managed to evoke a wistful sense of home to Adrian, his heart twisting with longing as he took it all in. There was no space for sentimentality here, however, and he forced his feelings firmly to the back of his mind.
There were shapes materializing ahead of them, tall and moving with the wind.
"Please tell me that isn't what I think it is," Trevor said as things started to come into focus.
"You already know what it is," Sypha answered, letting her fireball wink out.
They slowed to a halt as the front entrance finally came fully into perspective. The massive doors were partly ajar to the whipping cold wind, drifts of snow obscuring the steps which led up to them. There were no lights inside or out; it looked abandoned, like a twisted parody of a haunted house complete with stone gargoyles, crumbling battlements, and several holes smashed through the walls.
What really drew the eye were the seven corpses impaled in front of the doors. It had been a few weeks since they had used the distance mirror – there was no snow when they'd looked before. Now decomposition was more advanced, but the frigid cold had acted to preserve most of the gory details. Carmilla and the other generals rotted, forgotten, on pikes made from whole trees. Birds had picked away most of the edible flesh, and the corpses had taken on a shriveled, skeletal appearance. Carmilla's white hair fluttered and fanned around her skull, and the red of her nails stood out in the darkness, jabbed into the wood where she had tried to pull herself free of the stake. It was a gruesome sight, and a horrible way for anyone to die, but Adrian had little sympathy for her. She'd deserved her fate.
The smell of death was unmistakable, but rather more powerful than Adrian would have expected from only a few corpses left to rot high off the ground and fully exposed to the elements. The scent of was far, far greater than it should be. It hung like a miasma around the whole structure, fetid and rank, and when he looked to his side both Sypha and Trevor were holding a hand over their faces, trying not to retch.
The horses were snorting and stamping nervously, and finally Trevor deigned to lead them off the path and let them free in a small clearing, partly sheltered by some tall ledges. It wasn't ideal – they would surely perish in this frozen land punctuated by jagged spires of stone and no trees or living plant life – but at least they could rest a bit and hopefully they would still be around later. It was a consideration that the team simply could not deal with at the moment.
Freed of the burden of the horses, Trevor, Adrian and Sypha looked at one another. Sypha spoke first.
"So… we just walk in?"
Trevor shrugged. "He has to know we're here, like Adrian said last night. We can't sneak up on him. Besides, the place looks kind of wrecked. I'm guessing it's not usually so- uh- fucked?"
"No," Adrian shook his head. "I've never seen it damaged this way. There must be hundreds of dead inside, soldiers from Styria. He hasn't made any effort to clear them away."
"Seems like he doesn't care," Trevor reflected, and Adrian frowned, kicking at the snow.
"He's broken," he said quietly. "I don't understand it. He could easily remove the bodies, repair the damage. Also, the electricity doesn't appear to be functional."
"Electricity?" Sypha asked.
"Yes. To power the lighting, and some of the other technology. Usually there are lights all over. They glow blue. Without that it will be very dark inside. It will make it difficult to find our way. We will need to remain close together, and carry torches."
"I can handle the lighting," Sypha said, summoning fire.
"Well. There's no time like the present," Trevor said, standing tall. "Let's go before we freeze our asses off out here and I lose my nerve."
Adrian looked between them. This was it. They'd finally made it here after months on the road. There was nothing more to do but go forward. He met Trevor's eyes and saw only the coldness of the blue there, a warrior in his element, ready for battle. He saw the same thing in Sypha. He could not have asked for better companions to fight with.
"Let's go."
Together, they quickly covered the last stretch of the path and came to the base of the castle itself. It emanated cold and darkness, and the odour was nearly unbearable now, wafting from within. There were huge claw marks on the doors themselves, and scorch marks flaring up the wall to one side. They passed the impaled corpses of the seven generals and mounted the steps.
Adrian put a hand to the edge of the door which already sat ajar. Normally the massive doors opened for him of their own accord, but they seemed as lifeless as everything else. He pulled and there came the screeching of frozen metal as it gave under his strength, slowly swinging outwards a few more inches, pushing back the drift of snow and creating a space large enough for them to walk through. The sickening odour rolled out, enveloping them totally as they stepped into the darkness.
The reek was even stronger inside. Adrian was tempted to set the whole thing ablaze, but he wanted to conserve his energy. He took a moment to try and adjust to it, mostly holding his breath. He saw Trevor and Sypha doing the same. They were met with a sea of vampire corpses that filled the great hall, stacked three deep in some places, many with blood and offal leaked out beneath them, now frozen solid. There was snow and ice covering much of the room, but it had at least served to slow down decomposition; the smell would have been far worse if it weren't for the cold.
"Sypha, light the braziers," Adrian indicated several large shallow metal dishes mounted on stone pedestals which lined the sides of the room and went up the stairs. They hadn't been used much since the electric lighting was more convenient, but when Sypha sent fire to them they all ignited readily and the massive hall was filled with a primal glow, bathing the tapestries on the stone walls in light. It made it easier to see the sprays of blood and gore that decorated them.
"Jesus Christ," Trevor said as the scope of the carnage was illuminated. "There must be hundreds of them in here. We can barely walk through."
He didn't wait, he began immediately to push forward, attempting to pick a path that would take him to the stairs without forcing him to actually climb over the dead. Sypha followed him, and Adrian rose from the floor and floated over all of it, staying close to them.
They reached the base of the steps. It was an elaborate and beautiful construct, branching off at the firsts landing into two winding, circular stairs which curved up to the next floor, connecting to it on either side of a large platform. The whole thing was strewn with more bodies, some hanging off of the stone railings, and the thick carpet was soaked through with blood and mess.
"This is disgusting," Sypha said and gagged, turning to be sick beside one of the massive stone newel posts. She took water from her canteen and swished it around her mouth afterwards. She seemed a little steadier after throwing up.
Adrian had expected his father to appear and face them, but there was no sign of him. In fact, there was no sign that anything at all lived here. Usually there were night creatures, servants, and the castle itself generally seemed more 'alive' than it did now. It was utterly silent, dark, and deserted save the dead.
Sypha glanced to Adrian as they reached the top of the stairs and were met with a massive hallway ahead, leading to numerous doors and corridors. Several other paths branched from the main room as well, leading in all manner of directions.
"I hope you know where to go, because this place is like a maze."
Adrian heart gave a painful twinge as he surveyed it and was bombarded by memories of playing here as a child, running or flying around the cavernous entrance hall, hiding in the halls, under the stairs, or among the architecture that stretched several stories overhead. "Yes, I know where to go," he said softly, eyes momentarily far away. He shook the memories away and hardened his heart. It wasn't the time.
He pointed to a hall which quickly led to more stairs. "I don't know exactly where Father is, but I imagine it's this way," he said, leading them towards the most likely path.
Trevor looked back at the sea of dead, then ahead to the dark, winding stairs. "There is a vampire here," he said, fingering the pommel of his weapon. "It's him. High up. That way."
Trevor pointed up and in the general direction he felt a vampire.
"He is making no effort to cloak himself if you can sense him," Adrian pointed out, continuing on the path he'd already started on. Sypha lit torches for them as they went, and Trevor grabbed one in hand to help get through the areas which had none.
It took a long time to get through the winding mess of passages, halls, stairs, and doors, and if Adrian had not been intimately familiar with the castle in its entirety, no doubt it would have been a fruitless effort. The structure was so large it could house a small city with little difficulty, but Adrian and his parents had spent most of their time in only a small section of it, and it was towards this area that he led them.
The corpses thinned and slowly disappeared as they went. The battle hadn't come this far in. The scent also dissipated, making it much easier to breathe. There were no surprise attacks by monsters, no hidden traps to spring, and no confusing illusions that warped the senses and incited panic. For all intents and purposes, the castle was dead.
Finally they emerged into another massive room, a central area that had a dozen halls leading off of it. Everything was decorated impeccably in red velvet with gold trim. The floors were polished black marble, and the mouldings and doorways were beautifully wrought oiled wood, some inlaid with gold. It was still bitterly cold, as it had been everywhere they'd gone, but there was a slight warmth here, and the scent of wood smoke.
Trevor knew where to go now; he didn't need Adrian to lead, but they moved together down the center-most hall, and finally came to a huge arching doorway where there was a glow of firelight. After nearly an hour of wandering in near total darkness, the dim light made Adrian's pupils shrink to tiny pinpricks.
His senses all lit up and he drew his sword, his muscles tightening in readiness. He saw Trevor draw the Morning Star, and Sypha cast a spell of some kind on herself, and on Trevor. Something Hana had taught her, he realized. Something that didn't work on 'creatures of darkness,' obviously. Good. Anything they had at their advantage was good.
They moved toward the light, coming to stand side by side in the wide entrance.
The room beyond was opulent, three stories tall, flanked on one side by massive windows that looked like they came from a Gothic cathedral, with pointed arches on top and a diamond pattern in the glass. Intricate designs were worked into the upper sections. Whenever the moon or sun shone through it cast pretty patterns across the whole room.
The windows were intact, but the room had been shredded, books torn and ripped apart, furniture smashed to sticks, upholstery rent by powerful claws. It was a library – one of the largest in the castle. Shelves and walkways spanned the entire three stories around most of the room, accessible by a series of ladders that could be rolled along the different levels. Many of the books were on the floor now, and the whole space was littered with stray pages. A long table previously used for writing and reading had been overturned, ink pots lying on their sides, the liquid dried into the carpet. Various decorative items were rendered unrecognizable, bits of glass, ceramic, and jade giving little indication as to what they used to be.
Once, this room had boasted several large couches and chairs, all finely crafted and upholstered in the thickest, softest leather, or more of the red velvet that Vlad Dracula preferred. End and coffee tables had been peppered between them, littered with the most recent reading selections of the Tepes family and the other castle inhabitants. Several massive, fine carpets decorated the black marble floors. There were candelabras and lanterns aplenty to ensure good light for reading and drawing, and one corner near the windows had been dedicated entirely to painting; it contained easels, brushes, and rows upon rows of paint pots, the raw pigments and other essentials required to bring images to life on canvas.
All of that had been utterly wrecked, deep gouges in the marble and stone where Dracula's claws had torn through in a seeming fit of rage, the pigments and easels smashed, the furniture destroyed. This had been one of the most popular castle rooms, a place Adrian's family had spent a lot of time together. Now it was a shadow of its former self, a testament to the broken state of their lives.
There were two enormous fireplaces in the room – one on each side – and the glow came from one of them, which was lit and roared merrily, oblivious to the disastrous state of the space around it.
In front of the fire stood a singular figure with its back to them, silhouetted by light from the hearth. A very tall, very familiar figure, wrapped in the folds of a dark cape that fell nearly to the floor. Waves of loose black hair fell just past his shoulders.
Adrian took a few steps into the room and paused, raising his sword. Trevor and Sypha flanked him, equally ready.
For a moment nobody spoke or moved, though a tension began to rise in the air, and it seemed the fire burned a little brighter. Adrian felt his magic stirring in his gut. His sword hummed against his fingers.
Then the figure turned to face them.
~o~O~o~
A/N:We're in the thick of it now. The trio has been through good times, bad times, and everything in between. Adrian has grown so much since those first chapters, and we've seen a beautiful love unfold between he, Trevor, and Sypha. I've come a long way as well, and I hope I can do this thing justice as we move into the next couple of chapters.
It would mean so much if you let me know what you think and that you are still reading. Please consider leaving kudos or a review. Reviews have helped shape my writing and this story, and I really would not be here right now without them. Thank you again for the support!
