Castlevania: Of Darkness and Light

Call for Help

I woke without a jolt, opening my eyes to the darkness of our bedchamber. I relaxed, sinking into the pillow realizing it was only another dream, but that wasn't what awakened me. Something stirred in my gut and gnawed at my ribs like a  hungry demon. A sense of forewarning.

My ear twitches hearing the soft, near-silent breath against the back of my head. Beneath layers of blanket, Alucard snuggled cozily against my sleeping form, arms wrapped firm around my bare waist and head nestled intimately in the crook of my neck. He was deep asleep, and not even my rustling  breath stirred him.

I closed my eyes, melting into my mate's embrace trying to forget the strange sense of foreboding and lull back to sleep again.

I couldn't. I wriggled away from the loving arms, slowly creeping out of bed tiptoeing as not to wake Alucard . The darkness of the room cast a gray shadow across my vision, the stars the only light dappling my sight.  I turned on the dim lamp near the mirror and   examined the glyphs running down my naked body prickling like goosebumps. I knew from that alone something was up.

Something was about to happen.

I quickly dressed in a light gown and my Glaring cloak, glancing back at my lover, still sleeping soundly. I could try to forget the feeling and go back to bed. Try to ignore the prickling through my glyphs and the spider sense tingling down my spine.

No. I can't ignore my gut.

"Alucard."  I shook his shoulder. "Alucard wake up." The half-vampire stirred like a waking giant, his fingers twitched realizing I was not in his warmth . He drowsily murmured my name before sitting up. "Are you all right?"

"I've got a bad feeling." I explained as best as I could. "Something's wrong and I can't shake it off. I need to check outside."

"At this early hour?" Alucard rasped still half asleep

"Yes." I nodded. "You've always told me to follow my gut, and my gut is telling me to check  the castle grounds."

"Not alone." Alucard growled. 

"Of course not alone." I picked up my staff. "That's why I woke you up." Alucard draped the black coat over his bare chest and quickly dressed black pants and boots. 

A fog blanketed the castle grounds. I patrolled holding my staff close watching for its telltale glow. My glyphs prickled and I clutched my chest feeling claws grip my heart. The same sensation I felt in the dream with Lisa, pulling me into the fog. "Someone's in trouble." Mist puffed out of my breath. "Alucard this way!" I ran into the fog unheeding of his warning to stay close.  The trees appeared like ghosts as I raced through the woods, leaping across the ground before stopping in what would normally appear as a flat field.

Through muted noise I heard the stepping of a living creature. I held my staff close, body tense for battle. "Who's out there!?" Hoofbeats answered, stepping closer until I saw an animal shape thicken from the shadows.

A horse appeared out of the fog with his rider collapsed in the saddle. The animal perked its ears and ambled to me with a heavy snort. I clutched the staff against my side,  tentatively stroking  the blaze on his muzzle. "Easy." I soothed the anxious steed.  The horse nickered and nuzzled my cheek as if I were an old friend. Animals know an angel's presence no matter the form.

I peered behind him hearing a shallow breath. The rider  slumped listlessly over the horse's neck and shoulders. A handsome young man with short black hair and a slim figure with the whites of his eyes swollen in pain. His pupils, small and quivering, locked onto me in what could only be great relief.