Warning: Slight OOCness in this one
CHAPTER TWO: Wolves and Chandeliers



"I know a place in the library that is nice to sit in," Wolf said as he led Maria through the halls of Castlevania. The monsters avoided them. "There is some good reading there, too, and plenty of light. I go there often."
Maria hurried along behind Wolf, looking around worridly. "The library? I-- I've been there. I didn't like it much, it was too easy to lose my way, and there were too many dangerous things wandering around--"
"Fear you not, Maria," Wolf said gently, looking over his shoulder at her and smiling. "The monsters know better than to bother me. You're safe by my side." He slowed, reached back, and took her hand in his. "Come on, almost there. Don't be afraid."
Maria was silent for a moment, shocked. Wolf's hand was warm and soft, not at all like she'd expected it to feel. She gave herself a mental shake. "Why don't the monsters attack you? Are you-- are you one of them?"
Wolf chuckled. "Not really. I wandered in here a few hundred years ago, and the castle sank into the ground and swallowed me up with it. Since then, Castlevania has never materialized long enough to let me make my way outside, so I'm sort of stuck." He turned to wink at Maria as he opened a glowing door. "I'm no weakling, though, and the monsters aren't as stupid as they look. They've seen me fight."
"Are you really that strong?" Maria asked, in awe.
"Well," Wolf shrugged, smiling. "I really don't like to brag. Look, we're here. We can sit at that table there, and no one can bother us." He pulled out a chair for her, then sat down himself. "Now, tell me why you're wandering alone in this castle, Maria? It's not a very safe place."
Maria took a moment to glance around at the little room. There were bookcases on every wall, crammed with ancient books and scrolls, most falling apart from age. They sat at a sturdy mahogany table, with maching cushioned chairs. "Wolf really knows how to choose rooms," Maria thought nervously. "I wonder why I never found anything like this?"
"Maria?" Wolf's voice interrupted her thoughts. "You were going to tell me why you're here?"
Maria nodded. "Yes, yes I was. You see..."
Wolf listened to Maria's story without interruption, his eyes intense. When she was done, he nodded gravely. "It does sound like a serious situation," He said softly. "Well... If this Richter is anywhere in the castle, I'll help you find him. You can count on me."
Maria beamed. "Oh, will you?" She exclaimed. "Thank you so much! I really need the help. The castle is different than I remember it."
Wolf looked around him. "It changes every so often. I'm not sure why. It is rather a nuisance, though, because I can never find where I left my things afterwards."
Maria giggled, and Wolf smiled back at her. She was beginning to get used to, and even like this kind stranger. Always smiling warmly, always the gentleman, and he even had a sense of humor. Alucard would never... But she wasn't likely to see him again, anyway. And who needed him? She had Wolf to protect her, now.

Alucard trudged through the castle, grumbling. After Death had taken his precious family heirlooms and scattered them to who knew where, he had had to resort to using more primitive and lower-quality weapons. He'd hoped he would never have to do this again.
In the clocktower, he'd met a young lady with blonde hair named Maria. He hadn't much cared at the time, but as boredom set in now, images of her mini-skirted legs and silky hair filled his mind and refused to leave. Cursed emotions. Cursed love. Typical of a human girl to enter a demonic castle in a skirt, though. And she had been playing with him, to boot! Shouldn't she be afraid for her life? With a heavy sigh, Alucard decided he'd better find her and get her out of the castle safely before she got into trouble and wound up as a pile of meat-- or worse. Cursed concience.

"Maria? You look a bit tired. Why don't I find you somewhere to sleep?" Wolf held out a hand to lead her once more.
Maria nodded. "I am... Feeling a bit drained. I think some rest would do me good."
"Right then, through here, there's a bed. Go ahead and get some sleep, and I'll watch over you, alright?" Wolf gave her a gentle shove into the room. "There you go. Sweet dreams!"
Maria went to the bed and collapsed in it without a second thought, and drifted off to sleep. Wolf watched from the doorway, grinning. "What a gullible girl," He thought, leaning against the wall. "I've been so bored for so long that I could use a little entertainment. I think I'll have some more fun with her before I make a meal out of her." He touched the silver locket hanging from his neck, concealed before by a flap of cloth. "What a stroke of luck she arrived!"
Wolf turned again and went back into the room where Maria slept. He smiled and knelt beside her bed, taking advantage of her slumber to get a better look at her. "Low-cut blouse, ribbons, short skirt... Looks like she's trying to get someone's attention," He thought, resisting the urge to touch her. Later. The bond wasn't strong enough yet. He continued his inspection silently. "Seventeen or eighteen winters, I'd guess. Pretty young to be adventuring. At her age, she should be at home with plenty of children." Ooh, but not now, not now that she'd met him. "I think you'll like it with me, little girl," Wolf whispered in her ear. "You won't find another like me..."

Alucard sniffed the air. His senses would never be as keen as a full vampire's, but following Maria's scent was about the only way Alucard would be able to find her. The faint scent floated in the air, trailing towards the library. Her scent was mixed with another, stronger one, musky, like a wolf's. Alucard quickened his pace. The scents led him to a revolving bookcase in the library, behind which was a room with a table and two chairs. The room was filled with Maria's scent, as well as the other he'd detected earlier. And he smelled blood in the next room, behind a closed door.
Cautiously, Alucard crept up to the door and reached for the handle. Just as his fingers were brushing the brass, the door flew open, knocking him backwards, and a large, heavy something landed on top of him, snarling. Pain ripped through his shoulder as something bit him.
Struggling with his assailant, Alucard could only see flashes of glowing yellow eyes and long, sharp teeth. His attacker was definitely stronger than him, but by how much he wasn't sure. He couldn't get up to draw his sword, so he unsheathed one of his daggers and jammed it into the attacker's stomach. The stronger man faltered, and Alucard got a foothold on the man and kicked him in the gut where he'd stabbed him, forcing him to let go and get off. The man, barely a man at all, moved towards the center of the room and jumped up onto the table, then crouched there on all fours, baring his teeth. Alucard wiped blood from his mouth and stood up. Drawing his sword, he took a good look at the room, searching for something to use to his advantage, or at least something that would slow the beast down. His eyes landed on a chandelier that hung above the table. Grinning, he leapt onto it, severed the chain that supported it with his sword, and leapt back to the ground to watch his handiwork.
The man-beast looked up in a mixture of shock, horror and anger as the large, heavy glass chandelier crashed down on him, flattening him between it and the table. He gave a cry of pain, a long, mournful howl that trailed off in a whimper. And Maria ran into the room.
"Alucard!!" She exclaimed, eyes wide in horror. "What have you done?!"
"I'm doing what I came here to do," The Dhampire replied coolly, "And he attacked me when I neared the door. If you'll move out of the way, I can finish my work."
Maria cast another horrified glance at Wolf, who was lying under the remains of the chandelier, bleeding and unconcious. "But he was only trying to protect me!" She said, near tears. "He said he'd watch over me while I slept-- he must have thought--" She covered her face with her hands. "Alucard, how could you!"
"I don't know who you think he is, but your bias towards him is obviously affecting your better judgement. I think--" He stepped out of the way as a dagger clattered to the ground where he had been. "Maria, what are you doing?"
Maria readied another dagger to throw. "Get out!! Get out before I hurt you like you hurt him!!"
Alucard backed out of the room, past the revolving bookcase, confused and annoyed. Well, if the girl wanted him out, so be it. It wasn't any of his business anyway.

Maria lifted some of the metal frame of the chandelier off of Wolf's body. As she did so, he stirred and groaned. "Wolf? Wolf, are you alright? I'm so sorry he did this to you! Wolf?"
Wolf opened his eyes, which had returned to their original brown color. "M-Maria...?"
Maria continued to pull scraps of metal, glass and wax off of him as she spoke. "Come on, I've got some healing herbs that will make you feel better, and I think I have a magic potion left. The rest, I'll just have to bandage the old-fashioned way. Now, can you stand up? I'll help you to the bed, you can rest there. Oh, poor Wolf!"
Wolf let Maria lead him to the bed she had slept on, his mind dull with pain and his eyesight tinged with red, blood flowing into his eyes. When he finally lay on the soft matress, he felt his wounds start to knit by themselves slowly, as they had always done. The healing herbs and potion Maria had spoken of would help greatly, and when he was fully healed, he would find that miserable dhamire and rip him to shreds.