(This is an AU fic. I've gotten it from playing those "Castlevania" games. This would be, my second Rukato. I don't own Digimon, Toei does. I don't own Castlevania either, Konami does. There is some sexual innuendo and some occult themes in this fic.)

18 year-old, Takato Matsuki stepped off the boat as it pulled onto the shores of Romania. It was nighttime through out the land, it was dark, and cold... Takato wrapped his coat around himself tightly. "So cold... So dark..." He mused. His hand within his coat clutched tightly, on his "vampire killer." He walked along the rocky shores, careful not to slip, on the shiny wet rocks that glistened in the pale moonlight. He saw faint lights off in the distant. "A town... I'll need a place to stay for the night... Then I'll get some information about the "problem" that this village is suffering from." He trudged carefully towards the town. It was quiet, deathly quiet, except for the howling wind that whipped across. As Takato neared the entrance to the village he looked off to the distance. He noticed a huge, eerie, stone castle nestled in the rocky cliffs... Bats flew around the towers as the moon shone down upon it... off in the distance... the howling of a wolf could be heard through out the night... Takato shivered a bit at the chilling sound as he walked into town. He spotted the local tavern and walked to it.

Inside the tavern, guests and bar patrons were drinking, singing and being merry. Suddenly they head the doors open. They turned to see a young, brunette man. He wore a thick black coat around him and had a pair of odd looking goggles on his head. The bartender spoke up. "What will it be, stranger?"

"Burbon please."

The whole tavern resumed their activities, as Takato stepped up to the bar. He eyed the bartender as he received his drink. "What's your name?"

"Oh, it's Henry. I'm the bartender and innkeeper here. You a traveler?"

"Yeah. I'm Takato Matsuki, Vampire Hunter..."

Henry gasped in surprise. "Vampire Hunter!" He lowered his voice. "So you've heard about the one that plagues this land?"

"That's why I'm here. What do you know about the Vampire?"

"They call her Countess Rika, the Vampire Queen. She's as deadly as she is beautiful. Many have tried to fight her, all have failed. She commands a powerful undead legion, and has strong Arcane Magic at her disposal."

Takato smirked. "Sounds like my kind of woman."

"Don't be foolish. She's an extremely powerful vampire, said to be stronger than Dracula..."

"Listen... There's no need to worry about me. I've taken on vampires before... All of them have fallen before my Vampire Killer." He flashed his Morning Star whip for Henry. The weapon seemed to have 13 notches on it. "Each of these notches represents a vampire that I killed."

"Very well... I won't stop you. But be warned. Countess Rika is powerful, deadly, and beautiful at the same time..."

Takato finished his drink and paid Henry. "I think I can resist the temptations of any succubus..."

Henry gave Takato a room for the night, and Takato went upstairs. He got changed and prepared to go into bed. He looked out his window, and saw Countess Rika's castle. "What an eerie place. The sight of it makes my blood run cold..." He did not know if he would sleep well that night, once he had laid eyes upon that castle of despair.

Little did he know, that as he slept, something watched him trough the window. Two glowing red eyes peered at him and a thin, bony, transparent hand stroked the window, before the apparition vanished in a haze...

Takato woke up with a start. "Something was spying on me... I know it..." He felt the urge to go outside. He got dressed and took his Vampire Killer with him. He set outside the tavern, and began to walk outside the village.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU..."

Takato froze as he heard the terrible howling. He looked up and in the moonlight, he saw a giant wolf shape, howling at the moon. His jaw dropped at the sight of the fearsome creature... It must have been about 4 meters tall.

The Hell Hound suddenly sniffed the air. It turned to the west and noticed a young man, staring at it. It growled menacingly and turned towards him. It took off in a burst of speed, and started running after its target.

As he saw the great beast running towards him, Takato's eyes widened in horror. As it got closer, he could identify the fiend. "Oh no... A Hell Hound!" He whipped out his weapon. "I can't let it get to the village." He quickly dodged to the side as the giant monster flew past him. Takato watched as the creature began to circle back. He dodged to the left and lashed his Vampire Killer upon the creature's side, causing it to howl in pain and stop. It glared menacingly at Takato. Its dark, soulless eyes, piercing Takato's very being. Takato glared right back and whipped the creature again, so hard that it bled. Black blood oozed out of the monster's body, like a melting piece of treacle. Suddenly, the hound belched out fire at Takato. Without think he ducked to the left and landed on his back. Before he could even blink, the giant hound was on top him. Takato used the handle of his weapon to hold back the Hell Hounds angry, snapping jaws. The jaws had blood dripping from them and reeked of the smell of rotting flesh. Takato held the Hound's head back as far as he could, despite the creature's strength. He could feel the creature crushing him as it stood on top of him. Takato quickly dove into his pocket with his free hand. He managed to pull out a strange vial. Quickly he smashed it on the creature's face.

The strange liquid burned the Hound's face. It growled and reeled back, pawing at its visage. The liquid was holy water!

Takato smirked. The Hell hound was a rotting zombie, that's why the holy water would cause it so much pain. But then he saw that the creature was stamping about the ground in a berserk frenzy. The creature suddenly charged him, biting and snapping at him. Takato leapt away and lashed the hound as hard as possible. The hound was scarred badly from the strike and the flesh on its side began to split and break. Takato reached into another pocket and pulled out another vial. This one seemed to contain an explosive liquid. Takato opened up the bottle, and he lit a match. He dropped the match into the liquid, then threw it at the Hell Hound with all his might.

BLAM!

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!"

Another blood curdling howl was heard. The Hell Hound erupted in flame. It screamed as it rolled around violently, and ran about, burning to death.

Takato lashed the hound again and again, until it began to slow down... It suddenly dropped to the ground, and burnt to death.

A few minutes later, Takato surveyed the cremated remains of the Hell Hound. "What a horrifying, dangerous creature. I bet it belongs to the Countess... I better be on my guard if she leads monsters like this Hell Hound... I nearly got torn to pieces..." He let the wind seep the ashes away as he head back into town. Suddenly he heard a voice all out behind him.

"YOU THERE! BOY!"

Takato turned around, to see a man, slightly older than him approach him.

"I'm impressed. I saw the way you battled that Hell Hound. I've been having trouble with that creature for some time now. My name's Ryo Akiyama." Ryo held out his hand for a handshake.

Takato shook the man's hand. "Takato Matsuki. Do you know anything Countess Rika?"

Ryo froze. "I don't think you should get yourself involved in matters dealing with THIS vampire. She's the queen of all vampires. She even reigns above Dracula."

"I'm still going. I can't leave innocent people in need."

Ryo smiled. "So, you're always doing it for protecting everyone with your own life. There aren't many like you around anymore... You're one of a kind. Alright, I won't stop you. But take this." He handed Takato an odd looking mirror. "If you ever get into any trouble throws this on the ground. Not only, will it blind the creatures around you, but it'll flash trough out the whole castle. I'll be able to se that, and I'll come and help you."

Takato examined the mirror. He then looked up. "Ok. I'll remember that. Well, I'm off." He walked towards the castle, waving goodbye to his new friend.

Ryo waved back and watched Takato leave. "God have mercy on that boy's soul." He prayed.

Takato trekked for what seemed like half an hour, and before he knew it, he found himself in a grave yard. He looked at all the open graves around him. "Open graves... That's pretty encouraging." He said sarcastically. As he passed through, he swore he could hear a faint groaning sound. "Better pick up the pace..." He started walking faster. He looked around for anything suspicious, when...

CHOOM!

A hand punched out of one of the graves, then a rotten decaying body. It stood up in the grave, and began to lurch forward towards Takato.

"Zombies again... God, don't I have all the luck." He lashed out his Vampire Killer and ripped off the zombie's head. He could hear a bone, cracking sound and watched as black blood spewed from the neck and body, before he pulled out a knife and stab the creature, blood dripping from the corpse an onto Takato as well. He looked behind him, and saw that he was surrounded. Rotting zombies cornered him from every direction. Takato flipped to one side and swung his weapon ripping a zombie in two, rotting flesh and blood spewing everywhere... He lashed out and impaled another then threw it into two more. He whipped out his flammable liquid and tossed it at a group coming up behind.

SHWOOSH!

He crinkled his nose at the smell of rotting flesh and bones, the whole graveyard began to catch fire. He decided it would be best to run. He stabbed another zombie that tried to grab him on his way out. He swung the gates open and then closed them, locking them with a tree branch nearby. He breathed a sigh of relief, until he looked up and saw the castle. "Hoo boy..." He began to climb on the rocks. The cliff was wet cold and slippery in some areas. Takato nearly lost his footing when he was right in the middle. He was often annoyed by a few annoying ravens that kept flying around him. He swatted them away constantly. A raven was circling really close to him at the time. Agitated, he swatted it fiercely. His foot slipped. He teetered over and then fell to his death. Or he would have if he hadn't grabbed on to the edge just in time. He held on for dear life as he looked down. "I better ignore those ravens for now..." He scrambled back up and continued. He managed to reach the top, and pulled himself onto the ledge. "Whew... Finally, I made it. I wish vampires used stairs..." He came face to face with the dreaded castle. He watched, as a swarm of bats circled the towers, then, came at him. He ducked and listened as the bats squeaked and shrilled as they passed over him. "What was the castle's name again...? Castle Nonaka? Yeah, that's it. Wonder what waits inside, besides the Countess?" He moved towards the gate and knocked upon the door.

(What will wait inside Castle Nonaka? Can Takato come out of the castle alive and well? R+R)