-CHAPTER 8-
Sora ignored the pains in her leg the entire time she ran, following both the sound of the wings and Clara's scent. Alucard and Lilith's spirits rose as they found her scent as well, Mazier just wanted to make sure she was alright. Kurt was jumping along the treetops, finding it easier to move than on the ground, Eric was slowly running behind them, still weak from Taryn's attack, but he wouldn't let it stop him, and D was just ahead of him.
Strangely enough, they all followed Sora, Lilith, Mazier, and Alucard back to Clara's house. They all stopped for breath for a moment while they pondered what was going on. Sora fumbled in her pocket for the spare key and headed up the porch steps, Eric following behind her.
"Did Clara sprout wings or something?" Kurt wondered aloud. Mazier shrugged. "If she did, she's been hiding something."
Sora shoved the door open and Eric pushed ahead of her, running to Clara's room and nearly breaking the door down as he entered.
Only Kurt, Sora, and Alucard followed Eric, and they all halted when they came into the room. Clara was alive and her savior...
The white-haired, silver-winged demon who held Clara in his arms looked like he was about to be shot when he saw the look on everyone's faces. Clara grimaced, the same look on her face as she pushed her glasses up on her nose. For one thing, Eric was happy as hell that Clara was safe, but...
"What the hell?" Sora asked. "Ditto," Kurt agreed.
Clara giggled sheepishly as her rescuer set her down on her feet. "Um... hi, guys."
"Who the hell is this guy?" Eric demanded.
The demon shifted his weight, and tugged on his jacket, looking uneasily towards Alucard. "Uh... Hi, Adrian."
Alucard only growled at him.
Clara looked around, uncertain of what to say. "Um... this is Markus. He, uh... saved me."
Sora was totally speechless. Her mouth moved as if she wanted to say something, but nothing came out.
Kurt cleared his throat. "Isn't this the same demon that attacked me?"
Markus blinked in disbelief. "Oh, you were with them? Sorry." His voice had an old Latin accent, not deep, but at a timbre that would calm anyone. Sora could see in his eyes that he meant no harm at all. But did Clara have this all planned that he would save her, or was this by chance?
Clara shuffled, and spoke up, "Um... maybe we should all talk in the living room?"
"So, let me get this straight," Eric started, "you saw her fall, caught her, and then carried her back?"
Markus nodded, not saying anything.
Sora shifted in her seat on the couch. "So... you killed an entire nightclub of vampires, went after Kurt, and now you're a good guy?"
"I normally don't harm innocents... I was injured when I attacked your friend," he replied, "I've seen that Belnades before, and figured Clara jumped to get him to do something... so rather than let her die, I helped her."
"So this wasn't planned?" Mazier asked. Clara shook her head.
It was strange; Alucard and Mazier seemed cold towards Markus. Clara knew that Alucard had a history with him, but Mazier, too? What about Lilith? The three of them had stayed together through the ages, wouldn't she know Markus as well?
"Why did you help her?" Lilith asked, something everyone wanted to know.
Markus looked down at the floor. "I've seen that Taryn has desired Clara... he even approached me and tried to hire me to retrieve her... but I've seen what happens when people go mad trying to obtain something they can't have..." his gaze moved until his eyes rested upon Alucard, "I don't wish for anyone to see that sort of madness ever again... Lord Belmont, Miss Belnades, I believe I have seen too much for my own good, but rather than ask of your forgiveness, I would like to aid you in stopping Taryn. I saw you give the locket to him, Clara, and I know who rests within it... I don't know how strong his power is, but he wouldn't request it if he knew he didn't have the power to unlock its secrets."
"Are you saying Taryn can open the locket?" Sora asked.
"Perhaps not enough to resurrect Elizabeth Bartley completely... but he'll be able to do something."
Alucard narrowed his eyes hatefully towards Markus. "The father of all Incubi and Succubi wants to help the most feared enemy of his children? The way you speak sounds as if you are attempting to make amends for your sins."
"Perhaps I am," Markus replied, "and you should know the sins for which I am trying to amend, Adrian."
"My current name is Alucard, demon."
Clara shuddered at the anger in the room, and stood between Alucard and Markus. "Well... he did save me... he asks for nothing but to help us... I can tell his words are filled with truth..." she looked towards the renowned 'Silver Wing'.
"Markus, I would be obliged to let you aid us in stopping my brother," she finished, her mouth forming a small smile. "...I'd like to introduce you to my friends. You seem to know Alucard and Eric..." she gestured to everyone else. "Mazier and Lilith are my high schools' librarians, and D is the bounty hunter who was hired to hunt down Taryn in the first place, Kurt is an exchange student from Germany that is staying with me, and this is Sora Tonitrus, my best friend."
Markus nodded, and glanced at Sora. "Tonitrus... the name rings a bell... and I am familiar with Mazier, and vaguely with Lilith."
Everyone was silent for awhile before D spoke up, startling everyone. "We should head back to the estate... Taryn could still be watching over this house."
=-=-=-=-=-=-
Mazier approached Markus in the gardens of the estate when everyone had gone to bed, although he doubted people were sleeping.
"How dare you return here," he told the Incubus, who turned to face him. "Whatever do you mean?"
"You betrayed us. You promised the safety of Maria, Richter, Alucard, Lilith, and Alucard's girlfriend; I forget her name, but you went against your word."
"I promised safety if no more of my children were harmed... but no, Alucard still killed Galatea."
"Lilith was too young to remember you, you know."
Markus nodded. "Yes, I know."
"She's forgotten about Asmodeus, but until she did forget, she missed him. You took him away from her... you took him from Maria."
"And those are just a few of the sins I wish to amend."
"What makes you think you can amend anything? You're the eternal damned, Markus, the first of your kind. There is no salvation for you."
"Nor is there any for you, Mazier."
Markus turned back around, and heard Mazier growl, followed by, "At least I know I'm condemned to Hell... and I accept it; I don't go searching for ways to redeem myself."
"Both of my most beloved children are dead, and I believe that I am to blame. I could have saved them, but I didn't. Alucard's daughter wouldn't have been endangered. Everything was my fault, so don't think you can get to me by blaming me for something I know was my doing. I would die if it would mean being with Galatea and Artemis, but I'm not ready for that just yet."
Mazier chuckled. "Yeah, well, when you're ready, tell me. I'd be more than happy to tear your heart out in pieces."
"Just one thing," Markus began.
"What?"
"...Please don't tell Lilith about what happened to Asmodeus."
Mazier gave no reply, and went back inside. If it was one demon Mazier couldn't stand yet at the same time couldn't bring himself to kill, it was Markus. That bastard deserved to die, but he wasn't a bad demon, only a cursed soul who only wanted to keep his loved ones safe. Still, he had almost killed everyone that night; Alucard, Maria, Richter... Mazier hated him, but he had allied himself with Clara...
"Stupid human," Mazier muttered under his breath. Clara was a cute kid, but a little too quick to trust.
"Mazier?"
The elder vampire stopped in his strides down the hall when he saw Lilith, standing near a window, the moonlight casting a ghost-like glow on her face. "Yeah?" he asked, shoving his hands in his pockets.
"Who is that demon?"
"He's the one we were hunting... guess he's off our bounty list now, though..."
"No, I don't mean that. He said he vaguely knew me. Who is he?"
Mazier narrowed his eyes in thought, and sighed, looking at the marble-tiled floor. "You were too young to remember him. I don't want to go into detail, but he tried to kill your mother and uncle... out of revenge, so don't bother hating him. He's not evil." To Lilith, 'mother' and 'uncle' meant Maria and Richter; Mazier, out of respect for Lilith, never spoke of her real parents. Only she, Alucard, and Mazier knew her birth parents, and they all hated them.
He looked her over, and lifted a hand, moving a strand of his light hair out of his face. "You look pale... how long has it been since you've fed?"
"Huh?" Lilith looked up, her attention being diverted. "Oh... um... about a month, I think... maybe more."
"Go out and feed," he said sternly, "Now. I don't care if it's a rabbit or a deer; feed. This Belnades isn't your average lesser creature. I'm not gonna have you die on me, kiddo. Okay?" He could tell that Lilith hated the order, but at the same time, wanted the attention. Mazier was the only person she was close to, and he to her, only his feelings weren't the same as hers. Hers were far different.
Lilith nodded slowly, and turned to leave. Mazier spoke up once more. "Be careful." She turned her head to glance back at him, gave a light smile, and left.
Sora ignored the pains in her leg the entire time she ran, following both the sound of the wings and Clara's scent. Alucard and Lilith's spirits rose as they found her scent as well, Mazier just wanted to make sure she was alright. Kurt was jumping along the treetops, finding it easier to move than on the ground, Eric was slowly running behind them, still weak from Taryn's attack, but he wouldn't let it stop him, and D was just ahead of him.
Strangely enough, they all followed Sora, Lilith, Mazier, and Alucard back to Clara's house. They all stopped for breath for a moment while they pondered what was going on. Sora fumbled in her pocket for the spare key and headed up the porch steps, Eric following behind her.
"Did Clara sprout wings or something?" Kurt wondered aloud. Mazier shrugged. "If she did, she's been hiding something."
Sora shoved the door open and Eric pushed ahead of her, running to Clara's room and nearly breaking the door down as he entered.
Only Kurt, Sora, and Alucard followed Eric, and they all halted when they came into the room. Clara was alive and her savior...
The white-haired, silver-winged demon who held Clara in his arms looked like he was about to be shot when he saw the look on everyone's faces. Clara grimaced, the same look on her face as she pushed her glasses up on her nose. For one thing, Eric was happy as hell that Clara was safe, but...
"What the hell?" Sora asked. "Ditto," Kurt agreed.
Clara giggled sheepishly as her rescuer set her down on her feet. "Um... hi, guys."
"Who the hell is this guy?" Eric demanded.
The demon shifted his weight, and tugged on his jacket, looking uneasily towards Alucard. "Uh... Hi, Adrian."
Alucard only growled at him.
Clara looked around, uncertain of what to say. "Um... this is Markus. He, uh... saved me."
Sora was totally speechless. Her mouth moved as if she wanted to say something, but nothing came out.
Kurt cleared his throat. "Isn't this the same demon that attacked me?"
Markus blinked in disbelief. "Oh, you were with them? Sorry." His voice had an old Latin accent, not deep, but at a timbre that would calm anyone. Sora could see in his eyes that he meant no harm at all. But did Clara have this all planned that he would save her, or was this by chance?
Clara shuffled, and spoke up, "Um... maybe we should all talk in the living room?"
"So, let me get this straight," Eric started, "you saw her fall, caught her, and then carried her back?"
Markus nodded, not saying anything.
Sora shifted in her seat on the couch. "So... you killed an entire nightclub of vampires, went after Kurt, and now you're a good guy?"
"I normally don't harm innocents... I was injured when I attacked your friend," he replied, "I've seen that Belnades before, and figured Clara jumped to get him to do something... so rather than let her die, I helped her."
"So this wasn't planned?" Mazier asked. Clara shook her head.
It was strange; Alucard and Mazier seemed cold towards Markus. Clara knew that Alucard had a history with him, but Mazier, too? What about Lilith? The three of them had stayed together through the ages, wouldn't she know Markus as well?
"Why did you help her?" Lilith asked, something everyone wanted to know.
Markus looked down at the floor. "I've seen that Taryn has desired Clara... he even approached me and tried to hire me to retrieve her... but I've seen what happens when people go mad trying to obtain something they can't have..." his gaze moved until his eyes rested upon Alucard, "I don't wish for anyone to see that sort of madness ever again... Lord Belmont, Miss Belnades, I believe I have seen too much for my own good, but rather than ask of your forgiveness, I would like to aid you in stopping Taryn. I saw you give the locket to him, Clara, and I know who rests within it... I don't know how strong his power is, but he wouldn't request it if he knew he didn't have the power to unlock its secrets."
"Are you saying Taryn can open the locket?" Sora asked.
"Perhaps not enough to resurrect Elizabeth Bartley completely... but he'll be able to do something."
Alucard narrowed his eyes hatefully towards Markus. "The father of all Incubi and Succubi wants to help the most feared enemy of his children? The way you speak sounds as if you are attempting to make amends for your sins."
"Perhaps I am," Markus replied, "and you should know the sins for which I am trying to amend, Adrian."
"My current name is Alucard, demon."
Clara shuddered at the anger in the room, and stood between Alucard and Markus. "Well... he did save me... he asks for nothing but to help us... I can tell his words are filled with truth..." she looked towards the renowned 'Silver Wing'.
"Markus, I would be obliged to let you aid us in stopping my brother," she finished, her mouth forming a small smile. "...I'd like to introduce you to my friends. You seem to know Alucard and Eric..." she gestured to everyone else. "Mazier and Lilith are my high schools' librarians, and D is the bounty hunter who was hired to hunt down Taryn in the first place, Kurt is an exchange student from Germany that is staying with me, and this is Sora Tonitrus, my best friend."
Markus nodded, and glanced at Sora. "Tonitrus... the name rings a bell... and I am familiar with Mazier, and vaguely with Lilith."
Everyone was silent for awhile before D spoke up, startling everyone. "We should head back to the estate... Taryn could still be watching over this house."
=-=-=-=-=-=-
Mazier approached Markus in the gardens of the estate when everyone had gone to bed, although he doubted people were sleeping.
"How dare you return here," he told the Incubus, who turned to face him. "Whatever do you mean?"
"You betrayed us. You promised the safety of Maria, Richter, Alucard, Lilith, and Alucard's girlfriend; I forget her name, but you went against your word."
"I promised safety if no more of my children were harmed... but no, Alucard still killed Galatea."
"Lilith was too young to remember you, you know."
Markus nodded. "Yes, I know."
"She's forgotten about Asmodeus, but until she did forget, she missed him. You took him away from her... you took him from Maria."
"And those are just a few of the sins I wish to amend."
"What makes you think you can amend anything? You're the eternal damned, Markus, the first of your kind. There is no salvation for you."
"Nor is there any for you, Mazier."
Markus turned back around, and heard Mazier growl, followed by, "At least I know I'm condemned to Hell... and I accept it; I don't go searching for ways to redeem myself."
"Both of my most beloved children are dead, and I believe that I am to blame. I could have saved them, but I didn't. Alucard's daughter wouldn't have been endangered. Everything was my fault, so don't think you can get to me by blaming me for something I know was my doing. I would die if it would mean being with Galatea and Artemis, but I'm not ready for that just yet."
Mazier chuckled. "Yeah, well, when you're ready, tell me. I'd be more than happy to tear your heart out in pieces."
"Just one thing," Markus began.
"What?"
"...Please don't tell Lilith about what happened to Asmodeus."
Mazier gave no reply, and went back inside. If it was one demon Mazier couldn't stand yet at the same time couldn't bring himself to kill, it was Markus. That bastard deserved to die, but he wasn't a bad demon, only a cursed soul who only wanted to keep his loved ones safe. Still, he had almost killed everyone that night; Alucard, Maria, Richter... Mazier hated him, but he had allied himself with Clara...
"Stupid human," Mazier muttered under his breath. Clara was a cute kid, but a little too quick to trust.
"Mazier?"
The elder vampire stopped in his strides down the hall when he saw Lilith, standing near a window, the moonlight casting a ghost-like glow on her face. "Yeah?" he asked, shoving his hands in his pockets.
"Who is that demon?"
"He's the one we were hunting... guess he's off our bounty list now, though..."
"No, I don't mean that. He said he vaguely knew me. Who is he?"
Mazier narrowed his eyes in thought, and sighed, looking at the marble-tiled floor. "You were too young to remember him. I don't want to go into detail, but he tried to kill your mother and uncle... out of revenge, so don't bother hating him. He's not evil." To Lilith, 'mother' and 'uncle' meant Maria and Richter; Mazier, out of respect for Lilith, never spoke of her real parents. Only she, Alucard, and Mazier knew her birth parents, and they all hated them.
He looked her over, and lifted a hand, moving a strand of his light hair out of his face. "You look pale... how long has it been since you've fed?"
"Huh?" Lilith looked up, her attention being diverted. "Oh... um... about a month, I think... maybe more."
"Go out and feed," he said sternly, "Now. I don't care if it's a rabbit or a deer; feed. This Belnades isn't your average lesser creature. I'm not gonna have you die on me, kiddo. Okay?" He could tell that Lilith hated the order, but at the same time, wanted the attention. Mazier was the only person she was close to, and he to her, only his feelings weren't the same as hers. Hers were far different.
Lilith nodded slowly, and turned to leave. Mazier spoke up once more. "Be careful." She turned her head to glance back at him, gave a light smile, and left.