Belmont Twins (OC x Alucard)

37.

Elizabeth's premature joy was swiftly shattered as the room soon became inundated with a horde of night creatures and vampires, temporarily ignoring their internal conflict to kill the intruders. The party, adhering to their tried-and-tested strategy, divided into pairs, combining arcane and blades to dispatch as many as possible.

Amidst the chaos, Elizabeth glanced upward, witnessing a winged monstrosity detonate in a grotesque spectacle above her. The ensuing spray of blood and ash threatened to rain down upon her, but Alucard promptly flung his cloak to shield them from the impending hail. A halo of blazing light was cast upon them, lighting Alucard's eyes so brightly that they looked like two rings of pure gold. Elizabeth gulped loudly, catching Alucard's intense gaze as the bloody rain cascaded off the fabric, enveloping them in a strangely intimate sanctuary. Gradually, Elizabeth moved into his embrace, bridging the gap between them. And with hesitant hands, she reached out to touch his face...

"You can make googly eyes at each other after we kill Dracula," Trevor's abrupt words shattered the moment, jerking them back to the bloody reality. He forcefully barged past them, sending a final jet of inky blood that splattered onto Elizabeth's shirt and tangled in her hair.

In the distance, Dracula's towering silhouette disappeared into a nearby chamber. A deep snarl erupted from Alucard's throat as they all surged forward, propelled by a shared determination. For a fleeting moment, Elizabeth's gaze locked with that of a stranger—a figure cloaked in the vestments of a holy man, perhaps a priest? — whoever he was, the bloodthirsty look in his eyes made her grip her sword tighter.

"We can't let him escape!" Alucard roared, leaping ahead. The others called after him, but he did not attempt to stop, running with such speed that his feet did not touch the floor. Exchanging a quick anxious look, they followed after him whilst Sypha removed the corpses and debris from their path.

As they ascended the stairs, the sound of shattering glass pierced the silence, causing Elizabeth's heart to race in her chest. A fresh surge of adrenaline coursed through her veins, propelling her around the spiralling columns toward the source of the disturbance. No. Please no.

The door stood ajar, and within its frame, Alucard's silhouette loomed.

As Elizabeth took in the scene, she realised the shadow cast over him was not darkness. It was his father, an enormous imposing monster that looked as though it might swallow him whole.

"I mourn with you... but I won't allow you to commit genocide," said Alucard.

"You couldn't defeat me before," replied Dracula.

With her wheezing brother appearing at her side and Sypha on the other, they formed a protective formation around Alucard. In a single, unified voice, they spoke "He was alone before."

Alucard raised his sword once again, launching himself at his father with an explosive force that cracked and shattered the floorboards beneath his feet. But his father, seemingly untouched, effortlessly caught the blade with his forefingers, brushing aside Alucard's attack as if it were a trivial matter. Elizabeth attempted to shake off the fearful thoughts that threatened to overwhelm her, trying to silence the whispering voices in her head urging her to flee. But the whispers quickly grew louder, until they were screaming in her ears. Her knees buckled, clanging together like almighty cymbals.

In a sudden movement, an arm snatched around Elizabeth, yanking her away from the doorway, while Alucard's helpless body was forcefully expelled into the corridor. He crumpled to the floor, attempting to prop himself up with trembling limbs. "Alucard!" she yelled, her head twisting back towards him, her heart aching with concern.

Then Trevor's body followed a cry silenced as Dracula pinned him against the wall, squeezing the air from his lungs. Elizabeth found herself paralysed, her limbs refusing to obey her will. The weight of her sword in her grip suddenly felt as heavy as her wooden legs. Move, she urged herself silently. Move.