Child of Darkness, Child of Light
Chapter Two
Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Hunter D.
The soft, soothing sounds of the night eased Angelise into sleep, and though her eyes closed and her body slept, the slim blades in D's back didn't lessen their pinch. He knew she was sleeping, but he would pretend not to have noticed when she woke. Such thoughts, so contrary to his nature, confused him. It was obvious that she could fight, earn a living, etc. Why was he so...concerned for her safety? There was no reason; there was no need. She was completely independent, and it was apparent that she did not miss her family. At least, not that it showed. Perhaps that was it? He felt guilty over murdering her father as he tried to escape the angry mob with her...after the human horde had murdered her mother, of course ...forcing the sweet, innocent little child to kill to survive...
"And...she is exquisite, isn't she D?" Left Hand cackled in the still night. D ignored the parasite, thinking only of how he could make up for the damage he had done to the girl. "Go ahead, ignore me... But you know it's true. That's what humans will think. They'll hunt you down for a child molester. Best not to get involved."
"I owe her a great deal. I must repay the debt incurred by what I stole from her." In his mind, D felt the girl's name whispered across his thoughts. Angelise...such a perfect name for her. The serene eye of the moon gazed down on them as D led the horse through groves of tress, across small streams, and into a nightmare he never saw coming.
D----A----R----K----N----E----S----S
The lycanthrope sniffed the dried leaves where the horse had walked minutes before. He smelled human...and Vampire. His wolfish mind made the only connection it could, so close to the full moon: a Vampire and his young lady-victim. He would have never guessed that his prey was actually two veteran Dunpeal Vampire hunters, nor would he have thought that in the coming flight from danger, the young girl over his shoulder, he would be pursued by the infamous Vampire Hunter D.
The clouds drifted away from the moon, and the were-wolf began shaking as he transformed. Tonight, he would feel the piercing agony of pure silver driven through his skull, but he did not yet know that.
L----I----G----H----T
The sun-dappled grass was soft and cool against her legs, and Angelise could hear her mother singing as she spread the picnic goods out beneath the heavily shaded trees. Her father was sitting well back in the shadows of the carriage; the doors open so he could watch his dearly loved family go about there fussing. On sudden inspiration, ten-year-old Angelise ran out into the meadow, picking as many wildflowers as she could. Her father could make a vase for them out of his magic. Angelise turned back to the carriage, clutching her gift behind her back, her long nearly white pigtails catching in the petals and leaves of the flowers. She ran back to her father eagerly, handing him her impulsive gift. She saw the pleased smile his full lips formed, the twinkle in his dark blue eyes. Then, he began to chuckle and a lock of his jet black hair fell into his eyes. He brushed it back impatiently, bringing a shy grin to his daughter's face.
Angelise felt her mother's hand on her shoulder as the tall, elegant woman pushed a cookie into her hands. Scrambling onto her father's lap, she munched the sugary dessert, amazed at her good fortune. She was too young to realize that she had been given a cookie because they had no other food to offer her. She felt her father smooth the hair away from her face, kiss her cheek and murmur how much he loved her. She was stunned by her father's words, since her never spoke of his feelings or emotions. But she soon understood why he had broken his unspoken rule.
The sudden arrival of the strangers had taken her parents by surprise, and Angelise was only aware of it after her mother screamed. As she looked at them more closely, she realized they were no strangers at all. Why, it was the gardeners and the butlers and the maids from home. It was only when she saw the black fletched arrows sticking out of her mother's chest that she realized that her family was under attack. In a blur of motion, her father had dashed to her mother's dying form, lifting her up in his arms, and Angelise was on the top of the carriage, snapping the horses into motion with the driver's whip. She never noticed the blood on the seat from which the driver had been pulled by the angry mob come to spoil their picnic.
Her father was in the back with her mother, trying desperately to keep her alive, and resist the frenzied bloodlust that rose in him from the scent of the spilled essence of his beloved's life. His wife of ten years, Athanasia D'Loire of Mergandon Manor, was dying in his arms while his child drove madly to escape the bastards who attacked them. He pulled out the arrows and their shafts then healed the wounds as best he could, cradling his wife gently. With her exceptional hearing, Angelise could hear her mother's gasping words.
"Regal...don't let them get Angelise...Promise me..." Her mother's silky singer voice had degenerated into a hoarse croak, and it pained the little girl to hear it. Her father's low rasp answered back in the affirmative, and she knew then, without a doubt: her mother was dying. "My love...take care of...her..."
Her mother's voice fell silent, though life still resided in her pierced body. The deep sleep that preceded death had taken hold, and Angelise felt the mental caress of her father's thoughts. He wanted her to come back inside; the horses would be fine. Angelise obeyed his command, nimbly stepping over the roof of the carriage, slipping in through a window, pulling the heavy black curtains shut behind her. Her mother was protected in her father's arms, and the two immortals studied the porcelain face of the dying woman. Angelise didn't know she was crying until the tears were dripping off her chin. Absently, her father handed her a worn old handkerchief, and Angelise curled up at his feet, crying herself to sleep.
It was the choked feeling in her throat that woke her up, and she quickly remembered where she was. It had been centuries since she had had that dream. Maybe it was-
Angelise's thoughts were cut off as the creature dived down and knocked her off D's horse. She hadn't had time to scream, and couldn't have anyway; the air had been knocked out of her lungs. She saw the horse rear and plunge, and before she knew it, the were-wolf was carrying her away from the road. She screamed once, twice, and had the pleasure of feeling the wretched creature flinch. It's claws dug into the flesh of her thighs, and she could smell her blood. She could hear the monster's heartbeat, and she tried to twist her katal to stab it in the back. No luck. Angelise was slung over the beast's left shoulder, and her katal were on her right hand. Angelise struggled to release the straps so that she could switch hands, but the jerking, bouncing movements of her abductor threw her off balance, and she watched in despair as the weapon fell from her fingers, landing in the mud with a small splash.
With resignation, Angelise did the only thing she could do: she prayed for D to hurry and save her.
End Chapter Two
Chapter Two
Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Hunter D.
The soft, soothing sounds of the night eased Angelise into sleep, and though her eyes closed and her body slept, the slim blades in D's back didn't lessen their pinch. He knew she was sleeping, but he would pretend not to have noticed when she woke. Such thoughts, so contrary to his nature, confused him. It was obvious that she could fight, earn a living, etc. Why was he so...concerned for her safety? There was no reason; there was no need. She was completely independent, and it was apparent that she did not miss her family. At least, not that it showed. Perhaps that was it? He felt guilty over murdering her father as he tried to escape the angry mob with her...after the human horde had murdered her mother, of course ...forcing the sweet, innocent little child to kill to survive...
"And...she is exquisite, isn't she D?" Left Hand cackled in the still night. D ignored the parasite, thinking only of how he could make up for the damage he had done to the girl. "Go ahead, ignore me... But you know it's true. That's what humans will think. They'll hunt you down for a child molester. Best not to get involved."
"I owe her a great deal. I must repay the debt incurred by what I stole from her." In his mind, D felt the girl's name whispered across his thoughts. Angelise...such a perfect name for her. The serene eye of the moon gazed down on them as D led the horse through groves of tress, across small streams, and into a nightmare he never saw coming.
D----A----R----K----N----E----S----S
The lycanthrope sniffed the dried leaves where the horse had walked minutes before. He smelled human...and Vampire. His wolfish mind made the only connection it could, so close to the full moon: a Vampire and his young lady-victim. He would have never guessed that his prey was actually two veteran Dunpeal Vampire hunters, nor would he have thought that in the coming flight from danger, the young girl over his shoulder, he would be pursued by the infamous Vampire Hunter D.
The clouds drifted away from the moon, and the were-wolf began shaking as he transformed. Tonight, he would feel the piercing agony of pure silver driven through his skull, but he did not yet know that.
L----I----G----H----T
The sun-dappled grass was soft and cool against her legs, and Angelise could hear her mother singing as she spread the picnic goods out beneath the heavily shaded trees. Her father was sitting well back in the shadows of the carriage; the doors open so he could watch his dearly loved family go about there fussing. On sudden inspiration, ten-year-old Angelise ran out into the meadow, picking as many wildflowers as she could. Her father could make a vase for them out of his magic. Angelise turned back to the carriage, clutching her gift behind her back, her long nearly white pigtails catching in the petals and leaves of the flowers. She ran back to her father eagerly, handing him her impulsive gift. She saw the pleased smile his full lips formed, the twinkle in his dark blue eyes. Then, he began to chuckle and a lock of his jet black hair fell into his eyes. He brushed it back impatiently, bringing a shy grin to his daughter's face.
Angelise felt her mother's hand on her shoulder as the tall, elegant woman pushed a cookie into her hands. Scrambling onto her father's lap, she munched the sugary dessert, amazed at her good fortune. She was too young to realize that she had been given a cookie because they had no other food to offer her. She felt her father smooth the hair away from her face, kiss her cheek and murmur how much he loved her. She was stunned by her father's words, since her never spoke of his feelings or emotions. But she soon understood why he had broken his unspoken rule.
The sudden arrival of the strangers had taken her parents by surprise, and Angelise was only aware of it after her mother screamed. As she looked at them more closely, she realized they were no strangers at all. Why, it was the gardeners and the butlers and the maids from home. It was only when she saw the black fletched arrows sticking out of her mother's chest that she realized that her family was under attack. In a blur of motion, her father had dashed to her mother's dying form, lifting her up in his arms, and Angelise was on the top of the carriage, snapping the horses into motion with the driver's whip. She never noticed the blood on the seat from which the driver had been pulled by the angry mob come to spoil their picnic.
Her father was in the back with her mother, trying desperately to keep her alive, and resist the frenzied bloodlust that rose in him from the scent of the spilled essence of his beloved's life. His wife of ten years, Athanasia D'Loire of Mergandon Manor, was dying in his arms while his child drove madly to escape the bastards who attacked them. He pulled out the arrows and their shafts then healed the wounds as best he could, cradling his wife gently. With her exceptional hearing, Angelise could hear her mother's gasping words.
"Regal...don't let them get Angelise...Promise me..." Her mother's silky singer voice had degenerated into a hoarse croak, and it pained the little girl to hear it. Her father's low rasp answered back in the affirmative, and she knew then, without a doubt: her mother was dying. "My love...take care of...her..."
Her mother's voice fell silent, though life still resided in her pierced body. The deep sleep that preceded death had taken hold, and Angelise felt the mental caress of her father's thoughts. He wanted her to come back inside; the horses would be fine. Angelise obeyed his command, nimbly stepping over the roof of the carriage, slipping in through a window, pulling the heavy black curtains shut behind her. Her mother was protected in her father's arms, and the two immortals studied the porcelain face of the dying woman. Angelise didn't know she was crying until the tears were dripping off her chin. Absently, her father handed her a worn old handkerchief, and Angelise curled up at his feet, crying herself to sleep.
It was the choked feeling in her throat that woke her up, and she quickly remembered where she was. It had been centuries since she had had that dream. Maybe it was-
Angelise's thoughts were cut off as the creature dived down and knocked her off D's horse. She hadn't had time to scream, and couldn't have anyway; the air had been knocked out of her lungs. She saw the horse rear and plunge, and before she knew it, the were-wolf was carrying her away from the road. She screamed once, twice, and had the pleasure of feeling the wretched creature flinch. It's claws dug into the flesh of her thighs, and she could smell her blood. She could hear the monster's heartbeat, and she tried to twist her katal to stab it in the back. No luck. Angelise was slung over the beast's left shoulder, and her katal were on her right hand. Angelise struggled to release the straps so that she could switch hands, but the jerking, bouncing movements of her abductor threw her off balance, and she watched in despair as the weapon fell from her fingers, landing in the mud with a small splash.
With resignation, Angelise did the only thing she could do: she prayed for D to hurry and save her.
End Chapter Two