Chapter 15: Treasures Worth Finding (Arikado/Alucard, then Mathias/Dracula's POV alternatively)

(Arikado/Alucard's POV)

I hid a smirk as Fairy showed me how frustrated my father was, not being able to find the clues to my beloved's secrets. He was correct in suspecting me but I wasn't ready to reveal that fact just yet. I sent Rune, Demon and Fairy to execute the task of removing any of the clues pertaining to their other master's secrets and bring them to me. I looked up as I heard a satisfied squeak from Rune as she flew in holding a silver necklace; a locket with a diamond snowflake in the middle. Carefully I opened it and smiled. Inside was a picture of a young Soma dressed in a figure skating outfit….that explains his grace. I thought with a smile. I turned when I heard my beloved's gasp.

"Adrian, where did you get that?"

"Be at ease my angel." I said as I handed it over to him. He smiled at the picture as he remembered.

"I trained long and hard since I was five." He said as he closed it and placed it into his jewelry box. "I was a junior Olympian." I was impressed at this little tidbit. I had no idea my lover was a champion. "But I had an accident."

"You weren't hurt were you?"

"No, not that kind of accident," He said as he crossed his legs on our bed. "My powers came forth. I frightened them, the competition and judges. It was during my long program."

Flashback

A five year old Soma was stretching in preparation for his long program. No matter how times his coach pleaded, he wasn't going for simple. He practiced for weeks, endured bruises and the teasing of his partner, she wasn't keen of her male partner skating better than she, much less outshining in the 'cute' department. Soma was a prodigy and whatever he set his mind to, he excelled in.

"Soma, nino, I beg you don't do this! It's too difficult…. You can hurt yourself and Nalia."

"Coach we'll be fine!" Soma pleaded. With that he walked off, unaware of Nalia looking at him with an evil and inhuman glint in her eyes. What others didn't know, she wasn't human at all. She was a demon and she took on the guise of a human child to discover the Dark Lord. Upon encountering Soma, at first, she thought he would be no trouble. The more she worked with him, she discovered his stubborn streak. Also, she became enraged as she discovered that her wiles didn't work with him. So, she decided that since he would not join her, that she would destroy him before he grew to maturity. With an evil smirk, she walked to him and tapped him on the shoulder.

"What is it Nalia?"

"I just wanted to wish you luck." She said.

"Yea I hope we skate well too." Soma said, not buying her fake smile and words. Even at five, Soma was no fool.

"Senorita Gomez, Senor Cruz, it's time." The coordinator said. Soma nodded and held his hand out Nalia who took it and walked out with him. They walked to the rink and waited for their music to begin. Nalia won on the music, going with classical. Soma wanted metal with a classical twist, preferably Goth! They were posing as the prince and swan princess from Swan Lake. At first, everything was normal but five minutes into it, Nalia turned on her partner, trying to kill him!

"You are not worthy, you will die!" She screamed, her eyes blazing red and fangs coming forth. Soma was terrified and as soon as she approached him, he sent her back flying just with his mind! She flew into the other side of the rink, smashing through. When she got up, she wasn't a child anymore. She transformed into an adult vampiress!

"I will feast on your blood youngling!" She roared, going for him again. Soma skated away, dodging her; the best he was able to. He even scraped ice into her face, blinding her a bit.

"CURSE YOU!" She roared, swinging her claws blindly. Soma flipped when she got too close. He miscalculated and landed onto his back. She dove for his throat but missed something.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" She screamed, looking down to see Soma's skate blade in her heart. "You Brat, you will pay for this!"

"SEE YOU IN HELL!" Soma yelled, eyes red and teeth clenched as he shoved the skate further in. She fell over, her blood dying the ice ruby red. When she was dead, Soma got to his feet, wincing in pain. The judges fled a while back and the polica were there to assist him. He was never charged with murder nor disqualified from the Olympics. In fact, he was given a silver medal and medal for bravery. But Soma hung up his skates and never looked back.

End Flashback

"You quit?" I asked. My beloved looked at me sadly and ran his fingers over the box.

"Adrian, after what happened, they tore the rink down. No one wanted to go there anymore. If not for the lake, I wouldn't have a rink at all." I nodded in silence. Hell I would've quit too, if I had been in Soma's position. But I grew up with the monsters, the ghouls and nightmarish things. It wouldn't have bothered me. Besides, I would have pierced her too if she tried to kill me. I held my beloved and we embraced in silence. I would make sure he or my children were never harmed. I'll die first.

(Mathias/Dracula's POV)

I was ready to give up! For the first time in centuries I was ready to call it quits. It's been about 5 hours since the challenge was placed and my patience waned over the years. I sat by the lake deep in thought when Leon called.

"Mathias, I found something!" He cried out happily. I jumped to my feet and joined him. In his hand was a small silver charm, looked to be from a charm bracelet! It was a tiny silver skate!

"AH HA," I cried in triumph as I kissed Leon. "Clue one found!"

"And the lake is a dead giveaway." Leon said.

"How so,"

"Oh come now Mathias," He said. "What happens to water when it freezes? Soma has a natural ice skating rink at his disposal!" My mouth dropped open at Leon's statement. The man was right and I was too dense to realize! I grabbed his hand, excited to find the next clue, pocketing the charm. We left but I felt a pair of eyes watching us. Have to do better than that my son. I thought with a chuckle. One down two to go.

(Arikado/Alucard's POV)

I hissed in mock- anger as Demon showed my father and Leon cracking the first clue from a charm and the lake.

"Beloved you don't have a charm bracelet by any chance?"

"I do, yes." Soma said. "Why do you ask?"

"Because my father found one of the charms,"

"That's impossible, it's my box…" He began. We opened the jewelry box and Soma gasped. It was gone!

"Oh no," Soma moaned. "My parents made that for me. I was going to pass it on…."

"Don't worry we'll find it." I said. I summoned up Rune, Ghost and Demon.

"There is a silver charm bracelet belonging to your other master that needs to be found post haste." I commanded. "If any charms are found, I want them seized and brought to me." They nodded and left immediately. I turned to my beloved, who was lamenting over the loss. I hugged him and held him.

"They'll find it, don't lament."

"I should've checked."

"It's all right, they only got one and it took them 5 hours."

"Wow, I thought your dad would have caught on quicker than that."

"He's shaking off the cobwebs." I said. "I will join them in their search. I will return shortly." I kissed him on the lips and vanished, taking on my mist form and leaving. I had to interfere while my father was still a bit 'rusty'. I took my wolf form as soon as I was away from the house and sprinted. I didn't have much time. I didn't have to go very far when a silver glint hit my eye. I turned to it and trotted over. I barked happily as I saw a beautiful silver, moonstone and mother-of-pearl bracelet in the grass. The remaining charms were of a little bird with it's' beak open, as if singing, and a violin. There were spaces for more charms. I turned back to my human form and picked up the delicate little thing. I stood corrected; there was another charm there; a diamond snowflake. I smiled a bit, thinking of my beloved. He reminded me of the purity of freshly fallen snow, a beautiful winter's dawn. My beloved Snow Angel. I heard footstep and made my escape.

"He was here!" My father said. "I knew it!"

"What?" Leon asked. "Mathias, stop this."

"I'm telling you, my son is behind this." I heard my father say. I allowed myself a silent chuckle before returning to my beloved. I flew back.

"Angel." I called softly when I arrived. My beloved looked up and gasped as I held out the bracelet to him. "I told you, no need to lament." He was choked up for words so he hugged me instead.

"Oh, this thing brings back so many memories." Soma sighed. "Ah, my skate's not there."

"That's the one Father found." I said. "So, each of these charms tell a story."

"Yes," Soma said. He showed the bird charm. "This; is one of the charms my mother picked out; the other was the skate. But this was her nickname for me."

"Well, it's singing," I said. "Ah, she called you Songbird."

"That's right," Soma said. "I was her little songbird. I always loved to sing. My mother saw potential. But, once my powers flared up, I dared not to. I began hitting notes that were humanly impossible." I nodded at that, understanding completely. I pointed to the violin.

"And this one," I asked.

"This, I played the violin for a while. I even wrote my own solo once."

"Did you ever, play it?"

"Once but I lost the notes so long ago and I can't remember it anymore….It was sad but beautiful."

"What inspired you to write it?"

"I had a dream once." Soma said. "I couldn't explain it. I didn't see images, I saw it as music. Heartbreak, Fire, Tears of blood, anguishes and despairs…. Sorry, it's what I felt behind the music…" I blinked at him. From what he said: it sounded like he was there when my mother was executed! The feelings he described; were mine. My heart did break, for I lost both my parents that day, I cried bloody tears and my anguish and despair rolled off me in waves. I never knew of this but I loved him no less. In fact, I loved him more. I thought no one understood. Turns out I was wrong.

"Do you have an idea where it might be?" I asked. Soma shook his head. I smiled and stood up, for Rune, Demon and Fairy returned and between the three, they carried a book.

"OH MY GOD," Soma cried, recognizing the book. "That's my music journal!" I nodded to them and let them hand it to Soma, who took it and petted each familiar. In their own way, they blushed. Rune squeaked happily, Fairy giggled and Demon shied a bit. I lay down next to my beloved as he opened the book and re-read the notes.

"All of them are in here." He said. He flipped to the last entry. "Ah here it is." I looked over and blinked.

"There's no title."

"I didn't know what to put then." Soma said. "I was a child then."

"And now,"

"It'll come to me I'm sure." Soma said. "But until then, it remains as is."

"Ah," I said. "Angel, would you like to see Father's progress?"

"That sounds fun!" Soma said. I smiled and turned to Fairy and nodded. She pulled out a little mirror, which grew and showed us my father and Leon still outside looking around.

"Your father doesn't know when to quit hm?"

"Do any of us?" I asked. Soma looked at me and sighed.

"There is truth in that." He said. "They're not going to find anything out there."

"Don't underestimate my father." I said. "Those who did, well you know…."

"Yea I know." My angel said. "So what do we do?"

"We wait."

(Mathias/Dracula's POV)

I couldn't shake the feeling of being watched. We didn't find anything else outside so I decided to head back into the house with Leon. We sat by the fireplace and warmed up.

"We don't have much to go on." I said. "And his mother hinted if we knew where to look."

"Mathias, you really are obsessed." Leon said. I was about to object when something caught my eye.

"What's that?" I asked. I stood up and walked over. It was an award. It was a crystal and silver cleft. I smiled.

"Clue number two found!"

"What did you find?" Leon asked. I held out to him and he shook his head. I almost

forgot that Leon wasn't too intellectual.

"It says Choir Contest Champion Class of 2027…"

"Which means….Soma's musically inclined?"

"You got it!" I said. "Two down and one to go…." I was about to leave when something else caught Leon's eye.

"Mathias, uh, there's something else, hanging over the mantle." I looked up and saw a violin!

"Clue three down."

"So what do we know now?" Leon asked as he took down the violin.

"Soma knows how to ice skate, sing and play the violin."

"Those are his outlets!" Leon said. "We solved the mystery!"

"That was fun!" I said as I sat back satisfied. "Thank you Leon."

"Not a problem, I had fun too. So, should we go back to the kids?"

"Yes we should." I said as I took the violin from Leon and replaced it, as well as the award. We went to the bedroom and about to knock on the door but my son answered.

"It took you….approximately 7 to 8 hours to uncover all three." He said. I looked at him and sighed.

"I would've been done sooner without interference."

"What makes you suspect me?"

"Adrian, I trained you." I said. "I know you."

"All right Father, you're right. It was me. But, not quite."

"What?" Leon asked. I caught on quick.

"You used your familiars didn't you?"

"Yes."

"I am SO proud of you!" I said, and I was. Adrian thought like me. "You've improved."

"I was taught a little too well." He said. "So what now,"

"Oh, may I have the charm back?" My son-in-law asked. I smiled and handed it over to him. He looked at it with a smile and replaced it onto the bracelet and put it back in the jewelry box.

"So, even our beloved Soma has secrets."

"Don't we all?" He asked. I smiled and we all relaxed and talked. I turned to the window, gazing at the full moon. Lisa, I thought with a smile. Now I understand what you told our son. Yes, humans have a hard lot, but their happiness and memories are worth treasuring. I looked to my son and son-in-law, saw how happy they were. I wish you were here to see this…I love you for all eternity.