CHAPTER THREE:
Bandages and friendships

Wolf laid in the bed in the little concealed chamber, resting his eyes while Maria watched over him. After she had administered the herbs and her last potion, there weren't many wounds left to bandage, and the worst thing Wolf suffered was exhaustion.
While Maria watched him, she was beginning to notice things about Wolf that she hadn't before: his muscles, various scars, how sweet he looked when he slept. She thought it sweet how he had promised to protect her, even against someone like Alucard. She hadn't seen him fight-- but she knew somewhere in her heart that he could battle with incredible ferocity-- after all, the monsters did seem to leave him alone, as he had said they would. She felt safe by his side.
She imagined Wolf helping her to find Richter, then she in turn would help Wolf to escape the castle. Then he would travel back with her to her home, and after that... Maria shook her head. She was getting a bit ahead of herself. She barely knew Wolf, but she already felt like he was a close friend. As he slept, she reached out and brushed his hair from his eyes gently. "Wolf..." She whispered, "Protect me forever..."

Alucard stomped his way through the library, angered and disturbed by what had happened in the little room behind the revolving bookcase. He knew Maria did not see the horrific color of the beast's eyes when attacking, or the long fangs that could surely pierce through bone. She had been taken by the man's charm, no doubt. Silly young girls. His concience nagged at him from the back of his mind, telling him to go back and protect her, save her from the danger that she found so alluring. "But she told me to stay away," Alucard thought darkly. "She even tried to harm me, in her own little way. If she wants to sleep in the arms of death, let her."
His concience still nipped at him. 'But she doesn't know, she didn't see, you must go back!'
"Not now," Alucard said aloud. "But later. Later, when I can get the wolf by himself without Maria to interfere."

Wolf stirred and blinked awake, noting sleepily that Maria was still by his side, though asleep. He sat up and examined his wounds-- all of them now healed by magic and his own abilities-- then removed his bandages and put out a hand to wake the sleeping girl. "Maria," He said softly, shaking her gently. "Wake up, little girl. We mustn't dawdle here if we're to find your friend."
Maria opened her eyes, then yawned. "I fell asleep? Oh, I'm sorry Wolf, I was supposed to be protecting you..."
"Quite all right," Wolf interrupted with a smile. "Are you all rested? Good. We should get going." He slid off the bed and straightened his clothes, then dusted them off. "I feel as good as new after being in your care, Maria. I owe you my thanks." He took her hand and kissed it, still smiling. Maria blushed.
"I-- I-- it was nothing," She stammered, while Wolf watched her amusedly. "Not after all you've done for me. Do you know where we'll start looking for Richter?"
Wolf thought for a moment. "There are prison cells in old Olrox's quarters... Richter may be in one of them. Shall we have a look?"
Maria blinked. "Olrox? But I thought this whole castle was owned by Dracula. And I've never seen any prison cells..."
"Olrox is just boarding here, he's a lesser vampire," Wolf explained patiently. "And the cells are rather hard to get to if you don't have the means. Which I do. I'll show you the way." He extended a hand to lead her once more, and she took it readily this time. Together, they went left the room and ventured into the main halls of the library once more. The enchanted books stayed on their shelves, the dhurons stepped out of the way, and the ghosts dissappeared as they made their way past. Maria watched in awe, her respect and liking for Wolf growing by the hour.
Wolf led her back down the long hall in the marble gallery to the main clock of the castle, where all was eerily silent save for the ticking of the huge clock in the center of the room. "Do you see that carving there?" Wolf said lowly, pointing at a statue of an angel set into the ceiling. "Every few minutes it is pulled back into the wall by a mechanism set into the clock, and it opens up a passage-- ah, there it goes." He and Maria watched as the statue moved back into a panel in the wall with a click and a grinding sound. Where it once stood was an opening leading to-- where? Wolf smiled. "Now I don't think you can jump up there by yourself, Maria," He said, walking so he was standing under the opening. "I'll have to lift you up." He held out his arms.
Maria stared for a moment, her heart pounding, then swallowed and let Wolf put his hands on her slender waist to lift her. He hoisted her up so he could stand on his shoulders, then waited so she could climp up into the passage on her own. Unbeknownst to Maria, while she was standing on his shoulders, Wolf looked up out of curiousity. He got a good view of creamy soft thighs and silky undergarments, and his heart skipped a beat. A wave of heat and desire washed over him, and he nearly staggered with the suddenness of it. She did move her legs a bit farther apart as he watched, and he thought privately that she was deliberately giving him a show. And quite a show it was! He looked down again to prevent himself from getting too involved at looking up her skirt and then gave her feet a final push as she climbed up. When she was all the way in the passage, he looked up again. Maria smiled down at him. "How are you going to get up?" She asked.
"Make room," Wolf said simply, and leapt straight up into the passage with her. Maria nearly lost her balance and fell.
"That's amazing," She whispered. "How can you do that?"
Wolf shrugged. "I am a Child of the Forest, a Shar-chaz-eii, as I've said before. It comes with certain advantages."
"Are there any more of your kind?" Maria asked as she climbed up the passage ahead of Wolf. He found himself looking at her thighs again. "Outside the castle, I mean."
"A few," Wolf replied shortly. "Though we aren't exactly common. We mostly like to live in the trees-- hence the name."
Maria smiled. "I see. I would so love to see more-- what did you call them?-- Shar-chaz-eii. They sound so interesting."
"Not half as interesting as humans, I'm sure," Wolf grinned. "The end of the passage should be just ahead of you. Do you see it?"
"Yes, I'm going to climb out now." She glanced behind her. "And no peeking!"
Wolf chuckled. Too late. "I would never," He lied gracefully. "My eyes are averted."
Maria nodded, then climbed up to the hall above the passage while Wolf watched. When she was done, he climbed up behind her. "Through that door," He said as she brushed herself off and pulled down her skirt, "Are Olrox's quarters. We won't see the Old one himself, he lives so high up even I can't get to him. But we can get to the cells if we go through the main hall and climb down to the courtyard. There's a pretty fountain there, I think you'll like it."
Maria gestured for Wolf to lead the way, which he did. Images of her thighs lingered in his mind as he walked with her, and he smiled, thinking how close he was to having them-- and the rest of her wonderful body. They entered Olrox's quarters.

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Did you like it?? A challenge for real Castlevania fans: The room where Maria found the locket and the little room in the library actually exist in the game! Can you find them?? Email me the locations at Nosuchangel@Hotmail.com and I'll post your names in the next chapter, as the winners of the contest! You don't get anything though... I guess it's just something to do...

Ja ne!
--Samalander