Aere awoke to a beautiful sunny day. She slipped out of her bed, and walked over to the curtains, opening them, allowing the sun to shine down and caress her porcelain skin. As she looked out the window, she could the beautiful woods.
Aera stepped out of her room, and walked down the long dark corridor, the damp dark rocks chilling her bare feet as she made her way to the dining area. The nobles were asleep. She decided to eat now, and not disturb them.
As she arrived, she found a plate of food out on the dark wood table, put there for her from the robots that manage the castle while the masters slept.
Aera sat down, and ate quickly, wanting to make it back to her room, just incase. She was always cautious like this. Area stood up from the table, and walked back to her room. Passing by another window in the hallway, she looked out into the woods. She was never allowed to go outside, and it bothered her, she loved being outside.
A strange moving figure in the distance caught her eye. What's is that? She asked herself. Could it possibly be…a man? Aeras eyes widened when she realized the Nobles would soon awake to take care of this man problem.
Area quickly made her way back to her room, but on the last turn of the corridor, she noticed the hallway was already abnormally darkened, and there in the front of her doorway stood Darious.
"You are to get in your room and stay there….we have company." The noble demanded. Aera quickly walked into her room without giving a sideways glance toward the noble. As her door closed behind her, she heard the noble lock her in. She sat on her bed, listening carefully for anything that may make a noise.
D dismounted his horse, and followed the directions given from the electronic voice, into the castle. As he walked down a dark damp hallway, he sensed a presence…or perhaps two.
"Welcome do our home." A bone chilling voice spoke from the darkness. D looked to the direction, to see the Count step forward. "We were both wondering when a hunter would come here." He said looking at D's long sword.
"here is something about you… that is different from all the other hunters I have slain…" The count said. Perhaps you are…I'm sorry…..where are my manners……I am Count Darious….." He said with a demonic grin.
"I have come here to slay you…..and take the girl." D said in a monotone voice. The count frowned. "Im sorry, but I believe she is quite occupied in her lifestyle at the moment to leave….." He replied.
D looked to his left, where a stone wall was. He could sense this girl just behind it, listening to every word they were saying.
D drew his sword. "and now, you go to hell……" D ran full speed toward the count, his blade pointing to the vampire's chest. Even as fast as D was traveling, by the time he reached the count, he had disappeared. D was shocked. he had been moving about as fast as the speed of sound. For the count to be gone by the time he had reached the spot, he must have been traveling even faster than the speed of sound!
D looked around. He could not see the count anywhere, not to mention, he could not sense him either. D looked back to the room, where the girl was. He now sensed someone else in there…could it be the Count trying to escape with his new servant?
D ran to the door and kicked it down, the heavy mahogany wood crashing to the floor with a loud boom. As the dust settled back to the floor, D noticed a figure sitting on the bed. it was a woman…was it the hunters daughter?
"Good afternoon fellow hunter….." The woman's voice spoke with lust and seduction.
"Where did the Count, and the girl go?" D demanded more than asked, yet still in his deep monotone voice.
"Im afraid I cannot answer that question…..im just here to keep you…..occupied." The woman grinned revealing white fangs.
The vampire sitting on the bed trailed her eyes down D's body, and then gazed back up to his face, where the brim of his hat rested just above his eyebrows, revealing deep dark eyes, and very masculine eyebrows. He was truly gorgeous.
Darious tells me your not an ordinary hunter…..now why is that?" She asked. D stood silent. The woman stood up and walked over to him. "It's a shame, you really are attractive." The vampire hissed baring her fangs. In one quick motion, D forced the other end of his sword into her stomach, catching her off guard. The woman fell to the floor.
D looked around the room for a passage way entrance. D would have seen the count move passed him if he had went into the room, and came back out with the girl. He had to have escaped from somewhere in the room.
D looked down on the floor, behind the side of the bed. one of the blocks of stone looked looser than the others. D got down on his knees, and pulled it out. Under the stone revealed metal winding spiral stairs, leading into darkness.
"Aren't you going to kill me?" The vampire asked form the floor. D looked back up at the woman. "…..I was not paid to." The hunter looked down the small passage, then jumped through disappearing from the woman's sight.
D walked down the spiral staircase. After a few minutes of darkness, D landed on floor that seemed to be cement and dirt. He was in the dungeon. The damp dirt smell reached his nose, mixing in with the sent of rotting corpses of other animals, and humans. As D walked along, he noticed torches already lit on the walls.
D suddenly ducked as something was sent flinging his way. D looked up. it was a dagger, and it was now caught in the stone wall to his right. D stood back up to see the count standing in front of him.
D dodged a few more daggers, sliding on the cement dirt floor. He drew his sword once more, running toward the count. The count dodged the sword, sending another dagger, hitting D in the right side. D paid no attention to the pain in his right side, as he ran at full speed, the blade pointing toward the Count, and as he did so, D flashed something that glowed metallically in the light of the torches.
Right before D could reach the Count, something happened. A loud exploding noise, leaving D unable to hear clearly told him the Count had fled. D was also unable to move. Feeling very week, D fell to the ground, a very familiar scent reaching his nose. D weekly looked up to see the Count had indeed vanished.
After a few minutes, D was able to gain strength, fumbling for his sword; he stood up, leaning on it like a cane. Although still weak, and still temporarily deaf, D could still sense another presence…..to his left. D looked, but there was nothing but wall……or was there?
D studied the wall, pressing on a few blocks. D finally pressed the one looking a little darker than the others. This stone sank into the wall, as it opened slowly.
The opened wall revealed a little storage of what looked to be supply. Barrels of gun powder, shelves of electrical equipment, and other household items of a vampire could be found. D slowly walked over to a barrel, and moved it out of the way. There behind it sat a young girl no older than 17, her knees to her chest, her head resting on them.
"Your alright now….." The youth spoke comforting words. The frightened girl raised her head to see a dark figure standing over her. The light was faint, and could only make out a silhouette.
D looked at the girl for a moment. His vampire eyes told him that this girl was in fact the daughter of Doris Lang, a young woman he had aided a little over 20 years ago. Looking at the girls long black hair, and her beautiful large eyes was more than enough proof. She was a spinning image of her mother.
"Stand up." D said to the girl. The girl shivered at his voice for the second time.
"wh…..where …..is he?" The girl finally spoke, her voice a little shyer than her mother's.
"He fled." D replied. "We must hurry." D said pulling the girl to her feet. That was when he had noticed the girls stomach. "…..we have to go." D said firmly. "Do you know another way out?" D asked the girl. "no." The girl replied.
"There is always another way out of a dungeon….." D cautiously led the girl out into the dark hall, following the path, until they came to an under ground river. "This should lead us out…..this water is taken from the mote surrounding the castle…" D said. "we are going to have to wade….."
D took the girl into his arms, as he stepped into the water. "I could wade too….." The girl said feeling uncomfortable. "no…..there is more ahead……" D said. "How do you know? Its pitch black….." The girl whispered. D was silent.
The water's height was just above his waist. Everything was quiet. The girl listened to her rescuer's breathing, not hearing an ounce of panic in his heartbeat.
D suddenly stopped. The girl held her breath as she listened for anything. Faint laughter was heard from up ahead. Expecting it to be demonic evil laughter, it was actually soothing sweet laughter. "what was that?" The girl asked. "Nymphs…..Potameides…" D responded mostly to himself in a quiet tone, able to sense these mischievous monsters. The tunnel was now growing lighter, torches in the distance were being lit.
D found a rock sticking out of the wall, big enough for someone to stand on. He walked over the jagged wall, and placed the girl down on it. "Stay here…..ill come back when its safe." D said. "What if the Count comes back?" She asked. "The Count wont come down here….." D replied. He walked off, and disappeared in the distance.
D walked along the river, going the way the water flowed. D actually recalled a time when he was helping Doris, and he was caught in almost the same problem, wading in an underground river, and encountering a beast known as the three sisters, or the Midwich Medusas. This monster(s) had three beautiful woman heads, and each one fed on the blood of their prey, as lust took control over the prey's body. They were also a type of Potameides, or river nymph.
"Hello there handsome….." Came a woman's voice. D looked up. there in the water, a sand bar had rose above the surface, giving 5 beautiful woman a place to sit, with comfortable space. They all wore thin short silky dresses , almost resembling a slip. Each young maiden had a different quality about them, making each one more beautiful than the other.
The five women giggled. "You look tiered and cold from all the water……why don't you come up here and dry off…..we don't want you to catch a cold." Another said smiling innocently. "Maybe he likes being wet….." another said. "I like getting wet." The first woman replied giggling. She slipped into the water dunking herself all the way under, swimming over to D. D held his sword at his side, getting ready to strike.
The woman rose above the water right in front of him, her silk slip more than see through. D still stood there, waiting. "my……you really are handsome……" The maiden said removing his hat. She looked deep into his dark orbs, as she caressed every part of his body. She leaned in humming……no not humming…..moaning a hymn. It was ever so soft, and yet very faint. She pulled D toward the sand bar, D following without hesitation, his eyes never leaving hers.
The other four women were getting excited. They usually did not go into the water for their prey, but there had not been a man down in their area for more than 10,000 years, so keeping him for a bit of fun was well worth it.
The woman pulled D up onto the sand bar, D dropping his sword at the edge of the water. The woman kept humming her little song to D, as she laid him down on his back.
"Alexis stop taking all the fun for yourself!" the other women cried. "You'll get your turn…..just let me have mine……" The nymph named Alexis said looking down at D. She started caressing his body once more, this time barring fangs she had not revealed before. Her whole body started to transform into a hideous looking monster, with dark gray scales, and claws.
The monster named Alexis leaned in, her fangs bared. A strange noise escaped her throat, as she felt pain from her chest. She looked down. The dagger that had pierced D's side from the count was now thrusted into the monsters heart.
D flung himself up onto his feet as he ran for his sword, the other maidens screaming in anger and aggravation. D reached the sword, and in one swift movement beheaded Alexis. By then, the rest of the nymphs were transformed into their true form. "so…..your types of sirens….." D said.
One by one, D sliced through the monsters, spraying the little island with their blood. He looked down at the dead creatures, then back up, seeing a faint light…..it was the exit.
D waded back in the water, picking up his hat that had floated to shore, and placing it back on his head. "…..how did you do that? Their singing was so beautiful…..i almost wished you would have let them live to be your slaves….." the voice spoke again. "Im still partially deaf…..it didn't have the full effect on me…..now quiet….."
D returned to find the girl exactly where he had left her. He picked her up, and waded all the way to the exit. On the way, the girl noticed the slain corpses that no doubt her rescuer had done.
They both finally reached the outside which lead into a running river, in the woods away from the castle. D placed the girl on dry land and crawled up onto the land himself, ringing his clothing out, and his hat. It was then the girl was able to see her rescuer in the light.
She was in awe. His long black hair, and beautiful facial features…..he only looked to be about 18. His nice muscular figure also told her he was definitely not a beginner at what he did…..dressed in dark clothing, very quiet, and firm…..not to mention skilled with a blade such as his…..he had to be a vampire hunter.
D placed his hat back on his head. "What is your name?" The hunter asked She hesitated. "…..Aera….." She replied. The hunter whistled, as his horse galloped up to them. D mounted his horse, and then carefully pulled Aera up. They rode off toward the town.
"I don't think I should go home….." Aera said after a half hour of silence. "Did he ever tell you why he had kept you human….." The hunter asked still looking forward. "no….." she replied.
"How long have you been carrying that child?" The hunter asked. Aera looked down feeling incredibly ashamed. The man waited for a reply. "…..about 5 months." She said.
D could not believe she was with child for 5 whole months…..she was still incredibly tiny, and you could just barely notice.
There was soon another long while with silence, Aera, feeling uncomfortable breaking the silence again. "I don't understand what happened…..you did not kill him?" She asked. "No…..he fled….." the hunter replied. "Without me?" he asked.
"He was frightened…..i held a silver cross in my hand….."
"You let him get away?"
There was another silence, D surprised with the almost offended tone of the girl.
"Seconds before I showed him, he used a time bewitching incense…..i was paralyzed….." D replied.
"…..your a dhampir." The girl replied. D was silent.
"You're D…..aren't you?"
there was no response.
"I'm right aren't I? my mother told me stories about you…..I never really much believed her but…..I guess I have to now…..your just as she said you were…..and not a day older…..I have never met a vampire hunter accept for my father…..is he the one that sent you?" She asked.
"Yes." D replied.
"Wow….." She said still in shock that she was meeting the main character of all her mothers old adventure stories she had heard when she was little. When she was little, always secretly dreamed of him rescuing her, and having them live happily ever after like in a fairytale.
Reality snapped back into Aera as she wrapped her arms around D now, fearing she would fall off the horse. "We shouldn't go to the village….." She repeated again.
"Your father can handle it." D said, his horse picking up a little more speed. Aera held on tighter. "He's getting old, and he was injured a few years ago back…..we wont be able to fool the townspeople…..a girl missing…..then reappears pregnant…..there is definitely suspicions there….." Aera replied back. "I don't even think my father would accept me as his daughter any more….." Aera added looking down.
D was silent. "……we will have a talk with him…..you have to go back anyway…..i did not finish what I was paid to do." D finally responded.
The two rode off toward the village, not knowing what to expect, or what lied ahead of them.