Elizabeth immediately tensed at the voice as she whipped her head around, fangs bared. She must've been too occupied in her own mind to notice the hunter pointing a large crossbow at her head, heavily silvered bolt head glistening under the moonlight. He stood at the edge of the pool and stared down at her with a bit of a cocky grin, eyes dancing with a deep fire she knew all too well. The bounty on her head must have grown larger because he oozed a certain odor that screamed of greed and arrogance.
"I will kindly ask that you remove your weapon from my face." The vampire spoke tightly as she tried to determine how many others there were. It wasn't by chance the hunter had stumbled upon her; she had been tracked down. "And that you remove yourselves from the property."
"Girlie, there ain't no way I'm removing my weapon from your face. You've got a high bounty on your head and I'm here to collect the reward so why don't you just come along quietly. Make it easier for all of us here." The hunter nodded his head slightly upwards, signaling she was heavily outnumbered.
"This is my final warning, hunter, for I am not in a forgiving mood right now." Elizabeth warned lowly as she moved to cover herself with her arms. The crossbow shifted closer and she stopped, half bare for the man before her. Normally she would be embarrassed to be seen bare before a man unknown to her though with a crossbow shoved in her face the vampire could hardly care. "Leave and take your men with you, remove yourselves from my property or else—"
"Else what? You're outnumbered here, vampire, thirty to one. Pureblood or not those aren't very good odds. Besides, I've got a pretty good view from up here. You vampires sure have some pretty amazing bodies it's just a shame that I have to, you know, kill you and lop of your head for the reward. Nothing personal." A perverted grin twisted his lips and Elizabeth pursed her lips tighter as she resisted the urge to smack it right from his face.
Such a gentleman. Elizabeth thought as she mapped out an escape route. The hunter wasn't wrong about the numbers though what he hadn't planned on was the fact that she's known every inch of the castle grounds for a lot longer than he had but the problem was they were lined up throughout the woods and surrounding the hot spring, cutting off her direct escape route. Surrendering herself wasn't an option since they would most likely just cut her head off and drag it to their leader so there was only one way she could go and that was down. Knocking the crossbow from his hands was too risky with how close the range was so Elizabeth opted for using her natural environment.
"Cat got your tongue—" The hunter mocked then suddenly let out a scream of pain as scalding hot water splashed him in the face. His finger tightened on instinct and the crossbow fired with a mighty clank. Elizabeth hissed angrily as the silver head scraped against the back of her leg as she was jumping from the water, searing pain nearly paralyzing the appendage. It wasn't a normal silver head, it was either poisoned or blessed by a holy priest because the wound failed to heal itself and instead began pouring blood down her leg.
The vampire bared her fangs as she hovered briefly in the air beyond the hot spring before beginning her descent towards the ground far below. Surviving was a good possibility though now that she was down a limb it made escaping even more difficult. Not to mention she was now royally pissed that humans had tracked her down and dared to attack her on her rightfully owned land. Cerulean eyes glowed brightly as Elizabeth twisted mid-air to brace herself for impact in the dense forest below. An explosion sounded behind her and she looked back through the darkness to see a net had been launched down at her from the spring. A glint of a reflection flashed across the netting and Elizabeth's eyes widened. A silver net? Cutting it was difficult to do and those nets were heavy enough to throw off her landing or get her caught in a tree thanks to the iron weights on each corner. Dodging it was next to impossible mid-air so the vampire braced herself for the solid impact. As soon as the netting caught onto her wounded leg she screamed in agony as the silver reacted with her blood instantly, flesh and bone burning from the pure metal pressing into her. The weight threw off her trajectory as it wrapped around her appendage tightly, pulling her down leg first towards the dense woods.
"Did you get her?" The hunter asked gruffly while still swiping at his now mildly burned face with his sleeve.
"Judging by the scream echoing back this way I would say so. Seems she'll land somewhere in the forest below, do we go after her in the dark?" A second hunter asked as he carefully looked over the edge of the cliffside.
"Half of you come with me while the rest find a way inside of the castle to set traps. I get the feeling she's going to go hide in there if she escapes that netting. Probably won't be much left on her with how much silver is coating that net. Collect any blood she left behind then get going."
"Right."
~B~
Elizabeth panted in pain as the nets residual damage tore away at her flesh and bones, the vampire stumbling through the woods on one good leg. The damned contraption thankfully got pulled off when she slammed into the trees, a heavy branch ripping it rather painfully from her leg, yet her leg still suffered a great amount of damage. Salvaging the limb would take time and a good amount of blood that she didn't currently have, leaving her options slim. Returning to the castle was her best shot at surviving the hunters yet the only way back in was hundreds of feet back up the cliffside. Elizabeth was pissed, in pain, stark naked in the darkness and a little more than tired of fighting off the hunters constantly pining after her head. What made it worse was the fact that they had tracked her onto her territory and attacked, the Liones' name meaning nothing more than a paycheck to them. She wasn't one to kill humans yet if they continued to injury her and attempt to take her life then blood would coat the castle grounds.
The vampire stumbled into the cliffside wall to take a rest, leaning heavily against the jagged rocks as she tried to formulate a plan. They weren't going to leave without a fight, she was heavily outnumbered, heavily wounded, and very angry. Her recent meal was a filling one though with the silver poisoning her blood winning wasn't going to be easy. Fear crept into her heart as realization slowly washed over her. Elizabeth knew she would lose control within the castle if the hunters infiltrated the walls and waited for her in an attempt to corner the pureblood. This would end in bloodshed and even more bodies littering the hallways, something she always tried to avoid, and it made her stomach churn. If they continued to push her…
Elizabeth grit her teeth as she looked up the sheer cliffside. Climbing up was her only option of surviving the night. She briefly wondered if Meliodas sent the hunters but quickly shook the thought as she began climbing. He mentioned last time that he had to return to his group even though he seemed to be the lone wanderer type. He had been tracking her for a few months solo now, obviously she knew someone was following but he never attacked so she let it go. Were these hunters affiliated with him or did they work for someone else? The vampire clambered up the rockface slower than she normally would, the top seemingly miles away as she pushed with her good leg. Once the hunter, the non-threatening one, arrived at the castle she would interrogate him about the group currently trespassing in her home.
Of course, she could be walking right into a trap by entering the castle remains, something she already knew was a high possibility since the hunters didn't seem the type to back down so easily but there wasn't any other choice for the time being. Going back the other way would result in her having to fight them head-on though if they were in the castle she had the advantage. There would be blood shed tonight, the vampire had no doubt regarding that, yet she was afraid she would lose control of her emotions once more and slaughter them. Surely if Meliodas witnessed her killing humans he wouldn't hesitate to strike her down. Elizabeth grunted as she threw herself up and over the edge, hissing as her leg throbbed angrily. The back walls of the castle still seemed unscathed from the battle decades earlier and the vampire swallowed hard as she hobbled along the stones. Thirty years. She had fled the castle so long ago and now she was returning to her home where her family most likely still remained inside, their bodies frozen in time for eternity. Closure was needed but could she face her fears without losing full control?
"That door…it leads into the kitchen." Elizabeth mumbled as a heavy wooden door decorated with iron appeared in a receded portion of the wall. "My sisters and I used to sneak around here when father was searching for us after we skipped lessons."
Cautiously, Elizabeth placed her hands against the door and pushed, the solid door giving an aged groan before slowly swinging open. Dust kicked up and she coughed, covering her mouth with one hand as she hesitantly stepped in. Even though it was pitch black in the kitchen, the vampire could see everything clear as day. The pots and pans so carefully cleaned and shined were hanging from a ceiling rack, bowls and plates were neatly stacked on the shelves, even the baskets used for gathering herbs were still resting against the door. The door shut behind her and she locked it out of precaution, the solid steel lock groaning as she latched it. Heavy layers of dust had settled over the equipment as the years passed and Elizabeth wiped a finger across the island countertop. Images of the once bustling kitchen flickered across her mind and she solemnly wiped the dust from her hand. One of the head chefs, Elga, used to sneak her extra cookies whenever the small child snuck in there.
Bare feet padded across the freezing cold stones as Elizabeth made her way through the kitchen and up the winding staircase that led to the dining room. Their last meal together before the hunters attacked. She wasn't entirely sure where her fellow vampires fell so she braced herself for the possibility of it anyways. Her arms wrapped around herself as the staircase opened up to the spacious room, the woman letting out a heavy breath before stepping forward. It looked like a battle had taken place in the room as furniture had been uprooted and splintered, burned to an almost unrecognizable state. Banners proudly displaying the Liones family crest were left in tatters within the rubble, the golden symbol of angel wings desecrated as they laid on the ground. Dishes were smashed to bits all over the stone floors and Elizabeth carefully treaded around the bigger pieces while making her way around the room. The hunters must've followed someone in here judging by the rusted crossbow resting haphazardly on a piece of crumbled ceiling stone, the silvered bolt still locked and loaded within it. Ensuring she was out of its firing range Elizabeth took one last glance around for any piles of ashes or bodies. There didn't seem to be anybody's remains so she headed for the doors with her heart in her throat. It was becoming nerve-wracking the deeper she ventured into the castle, the woman expecting to happen upon skeletons, ash piles, or her family members just lying in the rooms or hallways.
Venturing down the hallway Elizabeth would slow to a stop whenever she came across any paintings still hanging on the walls, cerulean eyes watering if they contained her father or sisters. When she was young, too young to remember much, her mother had been captured by hunters and killed after she tried to heal a sick child in a village not too far from the castle. While it was with good intentions on her part, the hunters who had sent the falsified letter had quite the opposite. By the time her father had reached the village it was too late. Elizabeth had heard rumors amongst the staff that the normally collected vampire lost his composure and killed the hunters but when asked directly he would quickly dismiss the words. He reclused himself a bit after her passing, often locking himself in the throne room for days on end until he was ready to talk. After some time her father put more effort into spending time with his girls. Taking time out of busy meetings to have picnics around the yard with them, exploring the woods, and even dressing up to have tea parties with them. Elizabeth's steps faltered as a large painting of her family caught her eye, craning her neck up to look at the massive picture. Her mother was there beside her father while Margaret stood on the left, Veronica on the right, and a smaller version of her mother stood right in the center with the biggest smile on her face. A hand reached up to graze over dusty and cracked paint, fingertips clearing trails across her younger, happy face.
"I miss you all…"
Elizabeth stared for a minute longer before removing her hand and stepping back with an aching heart. There would be time to reminisce more once the intruders were taken care. The first thing she needed to do now was replace her lost clothes before they came barging into the castle and found her still naked, a little hard to fight when your chest gets in the way. The armory was close by, just a few more doors down to the left…right before the throne room. If her father had fallen while defending his home then it was possible he was in there still, a thought that had her stomach churning tightly. With almost sluggish steps the vampire made her way further down the hallway, keeping an ear out for any hunters who may have tried to enter the castle to cut her off. The armory doors were locked tight with a chain and lock spanning on either side, anchors drilled deep into the stone walls. A human wouldn't be able to enter the secured room but a vampire could easily break the chain so with quick jab of her hand Elizabeth shattered the thick chains, jumping back as they fell to the floor loudly. Glancing around to make sure no one else was around the vampire quickly entered and shut the door behind her, sliding the lock shut.
Rows of sharpened blades lined the walls on either side of her, dust coating the once glistening metal. While vampires could generally fight off humans and hunters without the use of weapons, fighting other vampires was an entirely different story. Often times they would be evenly matched so introducing weapons gave a certain advantage when two clans went to war over territories. Elizabeth had never been taught to wield a weapon seeing as she was the third princess in line for the throne and it was frowned upon for marriageable women to fight like men. Self-defense was all she was taught though she had secretly snuck into a few sparring sessions with the castle guards, owlish cerulean eyes watching with excitement as the swords collided together to create sparks. Tracing her fingers over the dusty blades as she passed, Elizabeth headed straight for the wardrobe cabinet in a separate area within the room. When the castle had been attacked the woman could only grab one set of sparring clothes in her panic to escape the hunters. The last time she had seen her father was as he was sparring outside of the throne room, the ruler mouthing I love you just before she slipped from sight.
The dresser groaned open as Elizabeth searched for a spare set of her sparring clothes. Obviously with her leg so messed up she would need to accommodate for the wound by cutting the pant leg on that side short as allowing the pants to compress against the open wound could potentially inject more silver into her bloodstream. The burning had subsided slightly for the moment but once she threw herself into combat it would worsen considerably if she fought at full strength. Rummaging through the clothes with ease Elizabeth found a size closest to hers and ripped it from the hanger, holding it up to examine it in the darkness. Only two pairs had been made specifically for her though that was decades ago and her body had grown a little more since then. If the hunters hadn't forced her to abandon her gear then she would go back for it but the replacement would work for the time. It was styled differently than her own pair; while her own was a corset type with pants, this one was a dress that fell to mid-thigh and had string adjustable slits on either side for ease of movement. An undergarment was attached to the hanger as well to prevent privates from being seen while fighting so she slipped those on first before shimmying into the dress. Summer sparring gear often resulted in shorter clothing due to the heat, not that vampires were really bothered by it, it just made moving easier when battling with fast movements. The leather fit a bit loose but she would make do with it.
Elizabeth hesitated as she passed by the weapons once more, eyeing them thoughtfully. Should she grab one just in case? She wasn't trained how to use them so it could slow her down in the long run. Fighting wasn't really her forte—
A loud explosion suddenly rattled the castle and the vampire shot from the room with wide eyes, head whipping around in the hallway as dust fell from the ceiling. The tremors died down as Elizabeth hurried towards the front doors with her fangs bared. They dared to attack her home? A broken window nearby gave her an opening to peer out at the hunters. Torches filled the land across from the drawbridge, at least a dozen, and she let out a feral hiss. The hunters figured she would enter the castle to hide and were going to burn what remained to the ground. Something was off though the longer she studied them. While there were nearly thirty torches lighting up the night, maybe half of them actually seemed to be held by a human while the rest…
Elizabeth jerked away from the window at the last possible second as a bolt crashed through the remaining glass, raining sharp shards over the floor. A hunter stood ten feet behind her with another bolt locked and readied, dangerously narrowed eyes boring into her with a burning hatred. Cerulean eyes glowed brightly as the vampire glared at the man with a frigid demeanor. All control was slipping from her mind as she stared him down, the adrenaline pumping through her veins like lightning. "How dare you come into my own home and attack me without provocation. You have three seconds to turn around and run before I impale you with your own weapon."
"You're surrounded so I suggest you—" The hunter sneered but trailed off slowly as he looked down in sudden confusion. The crossbow he had been holding was now missing from his grasp and his own bolt was protruding from his abdomen, fresh blood flowing down his front and onto the floor. He looked back up to see the vampire gone, turning around to look for her when an object collided with his face and sent him flying into the front doors.
The front doors exploded open, startling the hunters who weren't expecting it to happen though nevertheless they readied their weapons as they waited for the vampire to strike. Confusion flickered across their faces as their comrade tumbled to a stop just a few feet shy of their feet, impaled through the abdomen with his face crushed in. Silent panic flooded through them as Elizabeth stepped over the broken door with the slightest bit of a smile tugging at her lips. Her demeanor had changed drastically and the men instinctively took a few steps back uneasily.
"My god…it's her…" One of the older hunters whispered with wide eyes, earning a few brief glances of concern as his weapon lowered to point at the ground. "She's the one all those years ago who massacred a village after losing control. They nicknamed her—"
"Bloody Ellie, right?" Elizabeth purred from behind him as she placed her hands gently on his shoulders. The man instantly dropped his weapon and raised his arms up in defeat when her nails traced across his throat as light as a feather. "You know, I just hate the way that name sounds coming from a lowlife human such as yourself."
"Do you remember that night you lost control in Klensei? What happened for you to lose control?" He asked softly while his fellow hunters scrambled backwards in fear, some tossing their weapons aside to submit.
"That night…" The pureblood hummed in thought, thoroughly enjoying the man trembling before her in fear. A small voice in the back of her mind screamed not to do, to not kill the man needlessly but it was squashed down easily. "Afraid not, so why not give me a refresher?"
"You came into the village because you overheard some travelers looking for a healer, for their young child, so you decided to follow them to help. Nobody suspected a thing about your lineage so they welcomed you in with open arms, gave you food, shelter, then showed you to the child. I'm guessing you hadn't eaten for a while before arriving, right?"
"A week, give or take." She cast a glance to the quivering hunters who couldn't take their eyes away from the out of control vampire. Fangs slipped further over her bottom lip and they flinched back as she licked them slowly, tantalizingly so.
"When you started helping the child, the village shaman got word of you and came to visit. As soon as she saw you she knew what you were and immediately ordered for your head, forcing you away from the child. You lost control of your emotions as soon as a weapon grazed you and you attacked. None survived that day other than myself, Lady Elizabeth."
"You are wrong there," Elizabeth pointed out quietly and the man glanced back at her with his brows knitted the slightest bit as her eyes dimmed. "There were a few others who survived, including the child I saved. Moral of the story, little hunters, is that you are foolish to be messing with a pureblooded vampire who has no intention of harming others. Unless you want to be killed like they were, savagely ripped apart and gutted, then leave. Now."
"Lady Elizabeth, I know it wasn't your intention to harm those villagers, but you can still do the right thing by letting these young ones go. Most were forced to join the guild under blackmail. I'll sacrifice myself if it appeases you." The hunter took in a deep breath as she slowly dragged her hands from his shoulders and stepped back with an impassive look. "We'll leave your property and report back to the guild that you slipped away from us."
A low whistling caught Elizabeth's attention and she shot her hand out to stop the incoming bolt with ease, rolling the wooden shaft between her fingers lightly. Her eyes brightened and locked onto the hunter who had fired his weapon and was in the process of loading another bolt. "Enough of this. You have all chosen for your demise seeing as you humans never learn."
"Drop your weapons, damnit!" He cried out as she vanished from his side, a moment later the young hunter crying out in brief anguish before falling to the ground decapitated. The others panicked and grabbed their blades only to quickly fall to the earth as well, dying or dead as Elizabeth gutted, beheaded, or slit their throats with ease. The experienced hunter kept his hands in the air as she reappeared before him spattered in blood, watching, waiting for him to make a move.
"You will deliver a message for me, hunter. Tell your guild to start training better men instead of sending me weak children who cannot last even five seconds." Elizabeth hissed lowly and waited until he shakily nodded before turning on her heel, heading back into the castle to finish the others off.
Not waiting for his departure the vampire rushed back into the castle in search of the other hunters lurking within the walls, her thirst for blood growing with each passing moment. They would pay, they would all pay for the desecration of the Liones family name in her presence. Elizabeth began smelling them out one by one, killing them swiftly in their hiding spots while avoiding the traps they had set in anticipation of her arrival. Some pleaded for their lives while others open fired upon the pureblood. A silver laced blade had scraped against her cheek as the hunter feinted right, getting a swipe in before that very same blade was plunged into his chest and through his back. A delicate finger swiped at the blood trickling down her face before being licked clean. It stung the slightest bit yet Elizabeth could care less as the very last threads of her control began snapping line by line.
"Twenty-eight hunters down and all their work has to show is a wounded leg and a small cut. Pity, I was hoping for a better fight than this. Maybe a call to Lord Eion would do me some good." The vampire sneered as she licked her protruding canines, slowly walking down the main hallway in search of the leader. As she passed the armory once more a sliver of light coming through the throne doors caught her attention and the grin slid from her face, turning into a deep scowl. Was he going to play that game? Conqueror of pureblood castles?
Not even bothering to take the stealthy tactic Elizabeth lifted her good leg and kicked the doors open, barely flinching as it slammed all the way into the wall with a thunderous boom. Lit torches lined the columns leading to the throne danced wildly from the sudden heavy wind yet remained strong, flickering before returning to their neutral state. A cloud of dust settled over her yet she ignored it as blue eyes slowly looked over the room with little hesitation, counting the number of skeletons scattered about the floor. So, it seemed they managed to break into the throne room after all, the vampire thought tightly as she maneuvered around the debris and bodies, taking note of the piles of ashes as well. Bare feet wobbled to a stop at the bottom of the stairs and Elizabeth looked up with wide eyes brimming with tears as the murderous intent popped like a balloon. There, upon his throne, sat Lord Baltra looking as if he were merely resting against the back of his chair. Beside him sat his two eldest children, each one grasping onto his arm for dear life with their heads resting against the chair arms. Broken bolts protruded from their chests.
"Father…Margaret…Veronica…no…" Elizabeth warbled as she unsteadily climbed the stairs with heavy tears spilling down her face. "No, no, no, no. Why did you not escape? You helped me so why…why did you not save yourselves as well?"
"Because your father chose to save you specifically, Lady Elizabeth Liones. Fate chose you to survive for a reason."
The vampire looked behind her with watery eyes to see the hunter from earlier aiming his crossbow once more at her head though the bolt looked a lot different from the one that grazed her leg. It was still dipped in silver yet it had an odd shimmer to it, as if something else was coating it. Elizabeth shifted closer to her father and sisters while baring her fangs at the hunter. "What nonsense are you talking about?"
"You don't know this but your mother was the most powerful pureblood in the lands due to her healing powers, the very same ones you possess within your body. You didn't think your bounty was so high for no reason, right? It's because of a valuable piece of your body that has the power to heal even the sickest of people in a matter of seconds. I'm talking about your blood, dear. The value of your bounty is because of the blood you possess within you." The man explained casually as he took a step closer to Elizabeth, keeping the crossbow directly aimed at the hissing vampire.
"So you humans just want my blood? Why should I care about your kind who is responsible for the death of my family?" Elizabeth lashed out in anguish, the blood beginning to pump painfully through her veins.
"Now, now, getting all upset will do nothing more than disturb your family's resting place," He taunted slowly as he shifted closer to the out of control vampire. Of course, his main goal was to get her to lose control so he could distract her enough to fire the bolt into her heart. Fighting an unstable pureblood was reckless and stupid yet he knew she would be distraught enough to let her guard down momentarily.
"You shall not put my family in your filthy mouth!" Elizabeth screamed and launched herself from the stairs with fangs out and eyes glowing.
The hunter narrowly dodged the attack, a mere blur of blue and silver whirling past him at blinding speeds and moved with calculated steps around debris. Adrenaline pumped through his body as he danced away from the vampires attacks, eyes tracking sudden drafts and shifting dirt. She was bouncing around to try and find an opening that he had yet to open, the frustration getting to her as she let out a feral snarl before darting past him with her claws out. A smirk graced his lips as his heel connected with a string that had been strategically placed earlier behind a pile of rocks as he dodged her attack. Elizabeth pushed off from a stone pillar with her hand back, the vampire intending to slice the insolent hunters head off. The distance began closing and she swung her hand out with all the strength she could muster when a strange sound reached her ears. Cerulean eyes glanced over just in time to see a metal anchor shoot by with centimeters to spare before it connected to the pillar and latched on. More and more began firing and Elizabeth processed what was happening seconds late as she found herself entrapped within a netting of silver threads.
Flesh began slowly melting from her bones and she snarled angrily while struggling, only entangling herself deeper into the web. "What is this?!"
"A simple trap that you seemed to have caught yourself in rather easily. For being a pureblood you aren't much of a fighter are you?"
"When I get down from here I am going to enjoy ripping your head from your body!" Elizabeth screeched as she pulled tightly against the threads, silver pouring into her open wounds with each tug. At the rate it was going it wouldn't be much longer before her organs began shutting down from the poisoning.
"See," The hunter started as he moved to the bottom of the throne stairs to face her directly, the crossbow aimed up at her chest. "There's a bit of a problem with you trying to do that right now, seeing as you're tied up in a net of silver that will eventually kill you in front of what remains of your family, no less, such a tragic way to reunite. I heard from my father that he didn't put up much of a fight."
"What are you…. are you saying your father was the one who killed mine?" She looked down at the hunter in overwhelming distress, the tears welling in her eyes. Her feral side had died down momentarily but the vampire had no doubt it would resurface soon enough. "So you tracked me down to end the Liones lineage for good? What good does it do you humans to kill harmless vampires off?"
"It's the natural order of things, just how things are, Lady Elizabeth. While my father wasn't the one to kill yours he certainly did help with your staff. Now, if you don't mind, I have other matters to attend to." The crossbow swayed as it narrowed in on its target, a hand reaching for the release lever on the side.
"You mean like returning to your team of hunters? Unfortunately, they will not be able to return back to your home, hunter." Elizabeth watched as he studied her with apprehension, debating whether or not she was telling the truth. "You and your men have dared to desecrate my family home, attack me without provocation, and then waste the opportunity to have their lives spared. I recommend finding someone to help you remove the bodies from my property."
"Nice try but I won't be falling for it. My men have handled dozens of vampires before, even advanced rouges, and since you aren't much of a fighter I doubt you even lifted a finger at them." Elizabeth smirked at his remark and a chuckle escaped her lips even as her two sides battled to remain in control.
"Did you think I covered myself in my own blood? This is not of my body but of the bodies of your comrades. All twenty-eight hunters were destroyed within the castle grounds. I graciously allowed one to escape so he could spread the word back to your guild. You will not be making it out of here alive either."
The hunter clenched his jaw and grazed is finger over the trigger release. The crossbow wire suddenly snapped in half, one end of the metal flinging across his cheek and cutting down to the bone. He let out a curse while dropping the defective weapon to the ground, both hands covering his face as blood poured down. Elizabeth licked her lips at the amount of precious lifeforce flowing from the man. All of the injuries she had sustained were draining her dinner and the gnawing ache of hunger was making the man before her a tantalizing meal. While he was luring her along by intentionally dodging her attacks, she had managed to slice through enough of the wire for it to snap when the trigger was released. As soon as she got down from the silver netting though he was going to be stabbed with the weapons bolt before she bit down—
No. Taking the blood of another creature such as herself was wrong, it went against everything her father taught her. Feral side be damned! Elizabeth shook her head as her two sides struggled for power over her body. The hunter sneered at the ensnared vampire before unsheathing a blade from his belt, noting through the deep throbbing pain in his face that she seemed to be distracted by an internal dilemma. He grabbed a small vial from a leather pouch and drained a few drops of the substance onto his tongue before resealing it. The crossbow was his best shot at permanently ending her yet it had been completely destroyed without his knowledge during their scuffle. No matter, this would all be over in a matter of seconds.
"I believe this is where we say our goodbyes, Lady Elizabeth." With a heavy grunt the hunter raised his sword high above his head, arms shaking from the effort. Strength left his body and the weapon fell to the floor with a clatter, drawing Elizabeth from her stupor.
"Having a little trouble holding that sword?" She asked innocently as he fell to his knees with heavy pants, a hand grabbing at his throat. "Would it perhaps happen to be because something was entered into your bloodstream?"
"What have you done?" The hunter rasped as he glared up at her with a burning hatred, hand still latched around his throat.
"Years ago, whilst running from your kind, I discovered something about my blood, something that made it both a blessing and a curse." Elizabeth stared down at him with no remorse, watching the man fall to his side as he squirmed in agony. "Normally my blood can heal those that are injured but what I found out is that if I see you as a threat to my existence then a chemical reaction turns my blood into a potent toxin that ravages the body from the inside out, equivalent to what silver does to vampires. If you had been paying more attention you would have noticed the crossbow had a few drops of my blood coating the cable."
"Demon…" He choked out before spasming then falling still, eyes wide as the last breath left his lungs.
"The only demon here is the one lying dead at my feet."
Elizabeth released a held breath as she hung from the netting defeated, the smell of burning flesh barely registering within her mind. All she could see was her family resting for all of eternity in front of her, their once smiling and radiant expression now that of a paled peaceful slumber. A strangled sob escaped her lips and the years of locked away emotions spilled forth, tormented screams filling the empty castle.
"Any castles nearby? That's a pretty odd thing to ask," A heavier set barkeep asked his patron while sliding him a mug of ale. Despite verifying his age multiple times the man still had his suspicious about the young blonde before him. As long as he got his coin at the end of the day he figured it didn't really matter who he sold to in the end. "You a hunter or something?"
"Something like that. Heard the rumor there used to be an old vampire lord's dwelling out West so now here I am. Know anything about it?"
"Let me think…not too far from here I think there was a castle called…ah damn, what was it called? Maurice! What's that castle not too far from here called?"
"Liones!" Maurice called back from a table and the bartender snapped his finger in remembrance as Meliodas took a swig of ale. "Rumor had it they used to be powerful healers but they were wiped out a few decades ago by some vampire hunting guild."
"You remember what the name of the guild was?" Meliodas lowered his mug from his lips slowly, watching as the barkeep racked his mind for the name. He knew there were a handful of other hunter associations but maybe he could find some answers about the fall of Liones if he got a name.
"Damn, my mind isn't what it used to be, kid. They were from some nearby town that I don't think is there anymore. Some pureblood absolutely leveled it hundreds of years ago I think."
Meliodas nodded and diverted his gaze down to his mug. Obviously, he wasn't going to get much information from the barkeep so he would need to keep searching. But for now at least Liones castle was closer than he expected. The door burst open and he looked up as an older man stumbled in, white as a sheet. He made his way to the bar, sat down two seats away from Meliodas, and shakily signaled for the barkeep. With his interest now peaked, the hunter kept his eyes down and his ears focused.
"Full glass, Samson, full damn glass." The man wheezed out as he looked up at Samson.
"What the hell happened to you? Never seen you so worked up before." Samson asked mildly as he retrieved a bottle of aged whiskey from his shelves, making to pour it into a cup when the man signaled for the whole bottle. He handed it over and the newcomer ripped the cork out with his teeth before chugging nearly a third of the bottle in one go. "Slow down before you choke, idiot."
"After what I just witnessed you'd drink to forget too."
"Tell me then don't just kill yourself on a bottle of my good whiskey." Samson leaned in closer with his arm resting on the bar top.
"You knew where we went, right? Got that tip about a pureblood near the castle?" The barkeep nodded slowly and Meliodas went fully alert. Was it Elizabeth? "Thirty of us went, mostly experienced in hunting, and as far as I know I'm the only one who made it out alive. She slaughtered them, Samson, god did she slaughter them. Tried to give them a chance to escape but one of the inexperienced ones fired a bolt and she lost it. Beheaded, gutted, slit their throats. I can't unsee any of it. She spared me to send a message back to the guild but god if I go back there without her head then they will kill me."
"Let me get you something warm to eat, Quinn, you're going to go into shock." The barkeep slipped away and Meliodas finally glanced at the hunter over his mug. He was shakily holding onto the whiskey bottle with wide eyes, mind unable to process what had happened.
"You were at Liones castle, right?" The hunter jerked his gaze to the blonde, aged hazel eyes quickly darting to the crossbow and sword attached to his harness. His demeanor changed in a flash and Meliodas didn't so much as flinch when the man grabbed him by the harness and pulled him in close.
"Don't you think about going there, kid! Whoever sent you, you go back and tell them that pureblood is too dangerous." Quinn hissed lowly. "You best turn right around and forget about that castle."
"I have my own reasons for going." Meliodas responded evenly though his eyes sent a silent warning to the old hunter.
"There's nothing left there for you to find except a dead body if leader Theron got his way. He went in there with the remaining men to corner and trap that vampire in the throne room where her family was killed. You go in there now and she'll kill you on sight."
"Why did he want her to lose control? An out of control pureblood isn't something you survive especially if you intentionally piss one off." Quinn released his harness and settled onto the seat behind him, wiping a hand down his exhausted face while reaching for the booze.
"Mentioned something about trapping her for her blood? Wanted to test a theory or something. A little hard to remember when all I see are decapitated heads flying through the air, kid."
"How far is the castle from here?" Quinn gave him a defeated look and sighed.
"About an hour by foot, less if you take a horse. Hell, take mine for all I care, I ain't going back to the fucking guild."
"Appreciate it." Meliodas slapped a few coins on the counter and readjusted his weapons before heading for the door when a hand grabbed his arm, stopping him.
"Don't say I didn't warn you, boy, Godspeed and good luck."
Meliodas nodded tightly, waited until his arm was free, and then walked into the cool air of the night. Intentionally pissing off a pureblood was reckless to begin with but what did that guild want with Elizabeth? Finding out who headed the guild wasn't a priority right now, stopping an out of control vampire was. A horse snorting caught his attention and he looked right to see a saddled horse shuffling around in the dirt. An odd symbol was branded onto the horses flank and Meliodas immediately knew what that marking was, emerald eyes narrowing. He had only seen it once or twice before, when he had run into other hunters, but there was no way he could forget how ruthless those hunters were when it came to slaying vampires. They often lured them out with a human sacrifice and struck while the creature was feasting, a grisly end for both human and vampire. If they were out here hunting for Elizabeth then it meant they had gone behind the Association's back in order to do something against the rules. Turning sharply on his heel the hunter made his way back to the dingy bar and swiftly kicked the door open, all eyes on him as he walked back over to the now tipsy hunter.
"You're with the Huntsmen?"
"Was, kid, no longer after this bullshit. What's it to ya?" Quinn slightly slurred up at the fuming hunter. "Weren't you going after that damn pureblood or something?"
"You need to remember exactly what your leader was doing in the throne room with the pureblood or else I'm going to beat it from you before reporting you to the Association." Meliodas threatened lowly as he slammed his palm on the bar, leaning in close to the startled man. "If he's there to harvest her blood then your guild is doing missions not even the Vampire Hunters Association knows about, meaning you've violated nearly a dozen regulations in order to do something secretive. Now talk or I'm going to add a broken nose to your traumatic experience on top of reporting your ass."
"Fuck, you're with the Association? Ah, damnit, too late to run now." Quinn cursed as he slammed the nearly empty bottle on the counter. Samson inched a bit closer in case things got out of hand. "Fine, fine, Theron wanted to test the rumor of her blood being able to change given the situation she was in so he's been tracking her across the lands and she finally returned to her home about a week ago."
"What do you mean by testing her blood to see if it changes?"
"You know she's from the Liones' lineage of healer vampires, right?" When Meliodas nodded tightly Quinn continued. "Supposedly when they're exposed to something traumatic it causes their blood to turn toxic to anyone who ingests it or gets it into their bloodstream. That's what Theron wanted to test so he intentionally attacked her and forced her into the castle so she would happen across her dead family to lose control. Hell, if what he said is true then he might have stayed alive by drinking some of her blood when we first found her."
"How long of a ride is it to get to the castle?" Meliodas demanded and Quinn grimaced before turning back to the remainder of his drink.
"Less than half an hour if you push that horse, head directly West and you can't miss what's left of the castle."
"I'd better not ever see you again, Quinn." Meliodas turned on his heel and exited the bar, leaving a confused drunk behind.
"Wait…are you still reporting me?"
~B~
Meliodas knew something was wrong the moment he entered the clearing just before the castle, pulling the reins back to stop the horse after their nearly half an hour long journey. There was a heavy stench of death in the air and he covered his nose with his sleeve as he dismounted, rummaging in his pack for a torch. The moon was still high in the sky and it briefly illuminated the scene before him once the flame on his torch grew stronger. Bodies were strewn everywhere, some missing heads while others soaked in their own blood pooling on the ground. He clenched his jaw tightly as he stepped around the fairly fresh corpses, examining their faces for recognition. This wasn't the work of a human so it had to have been Elizabeth who slaughtered them. There was no telling if she was even emotionally stable enough to recognize him so he withdrew the blessed blade from its sheath. It looked like the drawbridge into what remained of the castle had been burned long ago but freshly splintered wood littered the ground on both ends and there was no longer a front door remaining.
"Quinn said he was in the throne room but how the hell do I get over there?" The hunter wondered as he reached the edge of the burnt wood, peering down into the deep ravine isolating the castle. Repelling down one side and climbing up the other was one way of doing it but it would take too long. If Theron had reached Elizabeth…
Scoping out the area didn't provide much of an insight; a few trees were scattered around the perimeter of the castle, it was limited access around the sides, getting to the back was nearly impossible with no other way in. Meliodas was about to walk back to the burnt bridge when an eerie howl emitted from the inside of the castle walls, the hairs on the back of his neck standing tall. He clenched the blade tighter in his palm and slowed his breathing to listen to the sound. It was a deep, haunting sound that unnerved the experienced hunter to the core. Was that…Elizabeth? Seemed more like a monster than a vampire but if that hunter was still in there with her…
"Hang on, Elizabeth." Meliodas called out, hoping she would hear him while he tried to figure out a way in there. If he could find a tree or something to get him closer to the other side than he could swing his way over there but none had branches that reached far enough to attach. Running along the edge of the ravine, Meliodas frantically searched for a way across around the destroyed side of the castle. It looked like a tower had been destroyed and some of the debris landed across the deep gouge, a clear path leading into the building. Two torches jammed in between rocks flickered as he neared, a clear indication someone was still inside with the vampire.
He carefully made his way across the dilapidated tower and slid down a pile of debris into a demolished room with his torch held high. It could be an ambush that was set up to captured anyone else who enter so the hunter cautiously weaved his way through the castle, stopping to examine any bodies he came across along the way. Definitely the work of a vampire yet there were no bite marks in the neck or arms so it was somewhat of a good sign. Meliodas found a main hallway and glanced right before moving left, another haunting cry reaching his ears. After the last encounter he'd had with a vampire in their own domain the hunter made sure to be extremely vigilant with every step, even if it was one he already knew. His torch illuminated the wall nearest to him and he slowed a bit, glancing up at the massive portrait.
"Must be her family," Meliodas muttered as he lifted the light to see better. Three daughters, father, mother. It was heavily dusty yet a handprint was freshly marked over the youngest girls face.
"Release me from this hell!"
Meliodas snapped his gaze from the portrait and sprinted down the hallway, searching for the source of the agonized cry. The hunter must be with her and knowing what guild he belonged to, it was clear he was there to finish the job and collect the reward. He slowed down as he approached a doorway, sans door, carefully leaning around the doorframe to investigate the scene. The hunter was standing out of view but he could clearly see Elizabeth ensnared in wires between stone pillars, the vampire struggling to get free from her trap. Meliodas quietly slipped into the room, using debris and pillars to conceal himself as he weaved closer to the pureblood. Even in the somewhat dimmed room he could tell it was silver wiring that was digging deeply into her skin as the smell of flesh hit him square on, the stench burning his eyes.
"I told you to leave them alone! I will kill you once I free myself from these restraints, hunter!" Elizabeth screeched loudly, cerulean eyes flickering between dull and bright at a rapid pace. "They have suffered enough from your kind!"
"Suffered enough? Lady Elizabeth, vampires such as yourself are nothing more than a nuisance to this world. You, though, are an exception my dear for your blood has brought me back from the grasps of death. Though it was a very risky move it turned out beneficial for me in the end." The hunter replied and Meliodas peered around the pillar to get a look at him. He was strongly built, seemed around his age or a little older, definitely experienced in hunting vampires judging by the worn belt hanging from his waist. While he'd never met the man until now, he got the feeling they wouldn't exactly be friends. The hunter was standing up by the throne with a blade out and it was then Meliodas realized who was sitting up there, dead. Her mother was missing but the rest of her family were in their final resting places and the hunter had the nerve to threaten Elizabeth with harming them.
"If you touch a single hair on their heads—" Elizabeth threatened while glowering down at the man before her ears picked up a noise to her left. She glanced over there briefly with dimmed eyes to see hardened emeralds looking back at her. Meliodas!
"There's still a bounty for their heads so I'll be taking those now. I've collected enough blood for the time being, so thank you, Lady Elizabeth, for your generous donation to the—"
"The Association will be confiscating that generous donation of yours, Theron. You shouldn't have gone behind our backs." Meliodas suddenly announced as he stepped out from the behind the pillar, blade drawn. Theron nearly jumped from his skin when he whirled around to stare at the newcomer with wide eyes, the small vial of blood in his other hand nearly slipping from his grasp.
"How did you get in here? What happened to my men outside?" The hunter demanded, watching Meliodas stroll to stand before Elizabeth with the blessed blade drawn. The vampire squirmed in place, hissing loudly in pain from the presence of the blade.
"You mean your dead men littered outside of the castle? You've committed a heinous crime and I'm here to take you in for questioning. Did you really think we wouldn't find out about this? One of your men, Quinn, spilled the beans as he was getting drunk in a bar about an hour from here."
Elizabeth almost felt relieved the hunter was here yet her feral side began pushing her consciousness down once more and she let a strangled snarl slip from her lips. Meliodas glanced back at her briefly with little interest before turning his attention back to the hunter.
"I'm afraid my business is done here, hunter, so I will leave you in charge of the vampire. Afterall, you have the higher authority so she's your problem now." Theron practically skipped down the steps with his blade pointed out, keeping a wide berth around the glowering hunter, before stepping over to one of the stone pillars. "Have fun!"
Theron kicked the modified crossbows that had launched the cables as he escaped, lines going slack. Meliodas watched with a clenched jaw as Elizabeth began descending to the floor, the vampire ripping the cables off as fast as she could once they loosened. The wild look in her eyes told him he was in trouble yet he couldn't leave her like this, severely injured and emotionally unstable. "Elizabeth, do you know how I am?"
"Get out, get out, get out!" Elizabeth screamed as she tore through the netting aggressively, glaring at him with nearly pure white eyes. "All vampire hunters should just die!"
"I'm not here to hurt you, Elizabeth," Only a few more lines of netting kept the out of control vampire from shredding him to pieces so he shifted the blessed blade to his front, preparing for an attack. "There are no more hunters on the property, I promise—"
"You dare to bring that sword again? Are you going to finish what that fool Theron could not?" She sneered as she swayed upright once her feet touched the ground, weight shifted off of her bad leg. Meliodas noticed and shifted his stance to brace for heavy impacts from her right side.
"You told me you were heading West so I travelled West in search of you. We made a pact to help one another, remember? The only thing I'm concerned about right now is that hunter escaping with some of your blood. He's from a guild who uses humans as vampire bait then kills them both." The hunter saw a miniscule flicker of an emotion flash across her eyes before it was gone. "I'll go after that hunter so you can take care of your family, Elizabeth."
"Why should I trust you? Why would I trust any of you humans after what you have done to my family?"
"Because I saved you from death weeks ago and pulled the silvered arrow from your shoulder before that. If it had been any other hunter you would have been immediately killed." Meliodas stated firmly. Elizabeth slowly seemed to process his words, bright eyes watching him intently. "I'm going to go stop that hunter before he gets away, I'll come back when I'm done."
Elizabeth jerked forward to move only to crumple to the floor in a paralyzed heap. The vampire hissed in annoyance and tried to move, barely making it a few inches before collapsing once more. Meliodas carefully watched her while sheathing the blessed blade, noting the color change in her eyes. The bright light was dying out and cerulean eyes slowly returned to normal. After the last incident with her becoming injured the hunter always came prepared now. Reaching towards the back of his harness Meliodas grabbed a canteen and yanked it from the clip, Elizabeth twitching at the noise. While it was a bit disturbing to carry the substance around he knew it would be needed again so he planned ahead, refreshing the substance every few days during his journey to ensure the freshness.
"You're lucky I carry this around with me now otherwise you'd be dead three times over by now. I expect repayment for this." The hunter unscrewed the lid and set the canteen by Elizabeth's face, taking big steps back as her hand twitched towards it.
Meliodas didn't wait to ensure the vampire took a drink before he began sprinting after the hunter, crossbow slipping from his back. While his personal bow would have been preferred he would have to suffice with the heavy piece of equipment. Sprinting from the throne room the hunter looked left and right to figure out which way the other hunter went when a heavy weight slammed into him from behind, knocking him to the ground with a pained grunt. Craning his neck back, Meliodas glared at Theron as the man nearly crushed him with his weight, a triumphant grin sliding onto his face.
"The Association can kiss my ass! This blood is mine, I worked hard to get it!"
"That blood was never yours to begin with now get off." Meliodas disengaged the bolt from the crossbow and swiftly jabbed the head into the hunters leg, the man screaming before stumbling off of him.
"Fuck you! You're not getting this blood!" Theron yelled as he began hobbling down the hallway at a fast pace while Meliodas stood. Cursing, the hunter continued his pursuit, firing random bolts at the fleeing hunter to alter his escape path. The obvious exit was the one he had stumbled upon yet there could be another he didn't know about as they ventured through the castle. He tried his best to avoid portraits of the Liones but the escapee was making it difficult as a bolt nicked a corner of one painting. Hopefully, Elizabeth wouldn't be too mad about it later.
"Running won't get you anywhere, Theron, so I suggest giving up so I can get this over with." Meliodas called out as they weaved through what remained of a dining room, the hunter slipping down a staircase against the far wall. "You're leaving a trail of blood wherever you go. Give me the vial and things will go far easier for you."
"Fuck off, Association brat!" Theron shot back from further down the staircase and Meliodas groaned, exasperated. He was really starting to hate this man.
Meliodas took the stairs down two at a time, keeping close to the walls to keep his back covered from attacks as he descended into the darkness. As his foot hit the bottom of the step a loud crash caught his attention and he swiveled the crossbow towards the noise, eyes straining to see in the darkness. There was very little light filtering in through the kitchen as he slowly shifted along the walls and furniture. Theron was no longer making noise and the hairs on the back of his neck stood as a presence appeared behind him, the hunter whipping around with his fist out. It connected with air. He was sure—
Something heavy collided with the back of his head and Meliodas dropped like a rock to the floor unconscious. Theron dropped what he assumed was a pan and stumbled back, panting. With the vampire and now the Association hunter out of the way he could finally escape from this hell with his trophy. Obviously, he had no idea where he currently was but surely there was an exit door somewhere. The hunter stumbled and bumped his way around the room with his hands out for navigating. A few things clattered to the floor in the process and he jumped, thinking it was the vampire or hunter he just knocked to the floor. Minutes passed before he let out a breath as no other noise was heard. Continuing his search along the walls, Theron finally hit something metal and began patting it all over to figure out what it was. A handle-like feature caught his attention and he began yanking on it. Up, down, jiggling it, kicking at it. Nothing worked until he tried pushing it away from him, pushing his entire body weight against it. Moments later and it began moving with a loud groan, a grin lighting up his face as the heavy latch reached the far side of the door.
"Thank the gods, I'm finally freed from the hell hole!" Theron cheered as he pulled the door open, moonlight spilling into the darkened room. A few feet into freedom and he jerked to a stop, eyes wide as someone stood before him. Sheer terror filled his body and the vial slipped from his trembling hand, smashing against the ground beneath it. His eyes couldn't stray from the vampire before him, all thoughts of the vial long gone as an icy dread washed over him.
"Hell hole, is it? Well, seeing as you are part of the reason for it being in such a way, how about I take care of the mess?" Elizabeth purred sultrily as she looked at the terrified hunter with glowing eyes, tongue running over her canine slowly. A hand raised to her shoulder and grasped the fabric lightly, dragging it down ever so slightly over porcelain skin. "While I am at it how about I give you the full glimpse you did not receive earlier? Surely you would enjoy another moment of bliss before I tear your head from your body."
"P-please, I r-really meant no harm! I was following o-orders!" Theron sniveled as he dropped to the ground in tears, looking up at her with pleading eyes.
"Orders, was it? For my head or my blood because you seem to care much more about the latter," Elizabeth pointed out with a sharp nail aimed at his head, the man flinching back violently. "I also have to thank you for taking out the other hunter for the time being, I would not want him to witness what I am about to do to your body, Theron."
"Y-you're working with him? A hunter?"
"Who I alliance myself with is none of your business, human, I suggest you be more concerned about the fact that you are merely wasting your last breaths." The vampire suddenly grew serious, the smile falling from her face as her eyes hardened and turned nearly pure white.
Theron let out a panicked shriek before scrambling across the ground in a desperate attempt to escape, rocks cutting up his hands and knees in the process. He made it about fifteen feet before his body was forced into the ground, bones snapping loudly. A muffled scream escaped his lips and Elizabeth let out a pleased sigh, savoring the pained cries as she pressed harder against his back. All control slipped from her mind and the vampire began tearing into the hunter with gusto, grinning as his screams became louder. Blood flew into the air before landing on her skin, exciting the vampire even more.
"Let us see how much I can make you suffer before you croak, little hunter."