Part Six: Vampiric Nightmares: Nicholas
(Note to reader: Parts 4, 5,and 6 are taking place at the same time.)
He was running.
Running and not flying for the sky wasn't safe for travel despite its being an ally. The sky was being monitored by the orange moon that watched for signs of their movement. It was better to be underground and away from the moon and its tireless companion, the cluster of yellow stars called The Hunters.
That was why they were running in the sewers and not flying beneath the stars: They would kill them both if they caught him.
Nicholas glanced down at his own companion, Raleigh. The large canine's purple and gold coat was shiny with sweat, making the odd white markings that were scattered upon it stand out even more. The dog was panting from exertion, but the eyes spoke back with a quiet faith that they would make it no matter the odds.
Good old, Raleigh.
How Nicholas wished he had even half the confidence in his skills his companion thought he did.
They turned a corner, Raleigh growling lightly at the darkness behind them.
Nicholas paused to listen, hearing nothing but the drip, drip of water and the occasional squeal of a rat.
He shuddered. Rats were evil. Had they been tracked even here?
But it was only Janette, his eternal sibling and one-time wife---though not in holy matrimony---who stepped out of the blackness; the rich finery of a 15th-Century bridal gown clinging to her form, untouched by the stinking muck of the sewer they were hiding in.
"Ghosts and goblins, Nicola.." the raven-haired seductress whispered. "You were always chasing after ghosts...or were they chasing after you?"
"Janette?" Nicholas breathed, confused by her words and appearance. His old lover pulled him in for a kiss.
"Blink and they'll all be ghosts, mon coeur," the softly spoken sounds were whispered into his ear. "Blink... and they'll all be gone..."
Startled, Nicholas pulled away. Those had been another's words!
Sure enough his ancient master was also standing there, dressed in late 18th-century garb, holding him in a tight grip while laughing grimly at the other's consternation.
"Beware the Jabberwock, my son.."
"Lacroix?!" Nick tried to step back, out of his sire's embrace, but his elder's hold was too strong.
The Roman gave a tight smile as he continued to quote from Lewis Carrol:
"..the jaws that bite---the claws that catch! Beware the Jujub bird and shun---the thunderous Bandersnatch!"
Nicholas frowned at him, somewhat annoyed that he and Raleigh's escape had been delayed for this nonsense. "What are..?"
"Nicola.." Janette crooned, touching his cheek. "Won't you walk into my parlor..?" Janette asked him, before their sire interjected his own musing,
"And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon's that is dreaming.."
Amber eyes shone in the darkness as they spoke almost on top of each other:
"..through the valley of the Shadow of Death.."
"..spoke the Raven, nevermore..."
Hewitt? Poe? The Psalms? Bewildered, Nicholas looked from one to the other, trying to draw away from them. Where had Raleigh gone to? Why was his 'family' quoting these morbid lines of poetry at him?
"I don't.." But the pair were fading before his eyes.
"Beware, Nicholas...beware.." The vamped out Roman gave one last warning before he disappeared entirely.
De Brabant spun around as he heard a scream echoing down the sewers. Who was screaming? Raleigh?!
Raleigh was screaming!
He awoke in a bloodsweat, the scarlet sheen coating his skin. Exhaling slowly, he wiped at his brow with the palm of one hand.
Only a dream, Nicholas thought---until he heard Wizardmon's panicky yell coming from below followed immediately by another, different yelp of surprise.
Leaping out of bed Nicholas sprang for his bedroom door, the sleepiness fading away from him even as he stumbled out onto the top of his staircase. That other exclamation had sounded like..!
The sight that met his eyes did short work of rousing him to full-blown awareness.
(Oh, god! Not him! Not now! )
(Note to reader: Parts 4, 5,and 6 are taking place at the same time.)
He was running.
Running and not flying for the sky wasn't safe for travel despite its being an ally. The sky was being monitored by the orange moon that watched for signs of their movement. It was better to be underground and away from the moon and its tireless companion, the cluster of yellow stars called The Hunters.
That was why they were running in the sewers and not flying beneath the stars: They would kill them both if they caught him.
Nicholas glanced down at his own companion, Raleigh. The large canine's purple and gold coat was shiny with sweat, making the odd white markings that were scattered upon it stand out even more. The dog was panting from exertion, but the eyes spoke back with a quiet faith that they would make it no matter the odds.
Good old, Raleigh.
How Nicholas wished he had even half the confidence in his skills his companion thought he did.
They turned a corner, Raleigh growling lightly at the darkness behind them.
Nicholas paused to listen, hearing nothing but the drip, drip of water and the occasional squeal of a rat.
He shuddered. Rats were evil. Had they been tracked even here?
But it was only Janette, his eternal sibling and one-time wife---though not in holy matrimony---who stepped out of the blackness; the rich finery of a 15th-Century bridal gown clinging to her form, untouched by the stinking muck of the sewer they were hiding in.
"Ghosts and goblins, Nicola.." the raven-haired seductress whispered. "You were always chasing after ghosts...or were they chasing after you?"
"Janette?" Nicholas breathed, confused by her words and appearance. His old lover pulled him in for a kiss.
"Blink and they'll all be ghosts, mon coeur," the softly spoken sounds were whispered into his ear. "Blink... and they'll all be gone..."
Startled, Nicholas pulled away. Those had been another's words!
Sure enough his ancient master was also standing there, dressed in late 18th-century garb, holding him in a tight grip while laughing grimly at the other's consternation.
"Beware the Jabberwock, my son.."
"Lacroix?!" Nick tried to step back, out of his sire's embrace, but his elder's hold was too strong.
The Roman gave a tight smile as he continued to quote from Lewis Carrol:
"..the jaws that bite---the claws that catch! Beware the Jujub bird and shun---the thunderous Bandersnatch!"
Nicholas frowned at him, somewhat annoyed that he and Raleigh's escape had been delayed for this nonsense. "What are..?"
"Nicola.." Janette crooned, touching his cheek. "Won't you walk into my parlor..?" Janette asked him, before their sire interjected his own musing,
"And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon's that is dreaming.."
Amber eyes shone in the darkness as they spoke almost on top of each other:
"..through the valley of the Shadow of Death.."
"..spoke the Raven, nevermore..."
Hewitt? Poe? The Psalms? Bewildered, Nicholas looked from one to the other, trying to draw away from them. Where had Raleigh gone to? Why was his 'family' quoting these morbid lines of poetry at him?
"I don't.." But the pair were fading before his eyes.
"Beware, Nicholas...beware.." The vamped out Roman gave one last warning before he disappeared entirely.
De Brabant spun around as he heard a scream echoing down the sewers. Who was screaming? Raleigh?!
Raleigh was screaming!
He awoke in a bloodsweat, the scarlet sheen coating his skin. Exhaling slowly, he wiped at his brow with the palm of one hand.
Only a dream, Nicholas thought---until he heard Wizardmon's panicky yell coming from below followed immediately by another, different yelp of surprise.
Leaping out of bed Nicholas sprang for his bedroom door, the sleepiness fading away from him even as he stumbled out onto the top of his staircase. That other exclamation had sounded like..!
The sight that met his eyes did short work of rousing him to full-blown awareness.
(Oh, god! Not him! Not now! )