Symphony of My Heart (Alucard x Reader)

Chapter 5 - Sword and Star

Lightning exploded overhead, a shower of sparks. Alucard's strong arms wrapped around Y/N's waist, pulling her against him as he threw them both down, protecting her from the deadly magic. 

"Wha-" Y/N's breath squeezed out in a wheeze. 

A loud screech peeled out above them, followed by another burst of the lightning-shower.

Blinking away the daze of bright light, Y/N suddenly found herself shivering against the floor as Alucard leapt away from her, charging at some strange lizard-like beast that held a weird metal staff. Another creature dove down from above, straight at Alucard, flame sprouting from its twisted fanged maw. 

Alucard leapt towards it, stabbing his blade into it. It jerked away, flying upward with a spray of ichor and a long shriek. Alucard landed, readying for its second attack. But the other monster, it was about to unleash another blare of lightning right upon the beautiful man.

Y/N sprang to her feet, clutching her star rod. "Alucard!" she shouted. She dove forward, waving her wand with a sharp flick of her wrist. Sapphire light shot from the rod, stars meeting lightning and devouring the creature's magic, pushing the blast away from Alucard.

Y/N exhaled breathily, a smile touching her lips.

"Thank you, Y/N," Alucard turned his head to look at her. Time seemed to slow. Why was her heart pounding like this? Surely it was from fighting monsters, not from the smile that unfurled like golden thread upon his regal face.

The flying creature crashed into him, knocking him backward. 

"Alu!" Y/N turned and quickly shot a beam from her star rod at the flying creature. Its wings caught with blue flame. It howled, flying crazily as it tried to extinguish the scorching magic.

The other creature shot another bolt of lightning. Y/N would not have time to interrupt it. She spun towards the creature. Saw the lightning fill her vision. And then Alucard was there, whirling her away from the blast and then diving after the creature with his saber. He gracefully danced and weaved with his blade, stabbing the evil beast. It let out one final cry as it fell to the ground, dead. 

The winged beast flew down at them then, crashing awkwardly with its damaged wings. It opened its mouth, fire churning behind its jaws, about to burn Alucard. Y/N sprinted towards it, coming up from behind. She slammed her rod down full force on its head in a lethal bonk. It slumped, fire dying, its life extinguished.

Panting, Y/N grinned down at the felled monsters, clutching her star rod close to her chest. She felt Alucard's eyes upon her and looked up. The way his golden orbs were trained upon her made her heart stammer and clutch. All the breath she was trying to catch was now lost to her lungs.

"You really are quite...something, you know," Alucard said.

"Something?" she echoed uncertainly.

"Scarcely have you discovered your ability to wield magical objects, and yet you've already mastered that weapon," Alucard said.

Y/N gave an uncertain smile.

"You truly were a helpful aide in that battle," Alucard continued.

Y/N urged him to continue with her eyes.

"But I cannot ask you to go with me to the tower. Nor do I think it safe for you to fight Death."

"You just said that I-"

"Y/N. I don't want you to be lost." Alucard was suddenly only a few inches away. His hands held her shoulders. Strong hands, despite how delicate and slender they looked.

Y/N's throat dried. "But I was already lost before you found me. I would not make it back to the entrance without becoming lost again."

"I do not mean...I meant...I don't want you to perish, Y/N."

"I know what you meant, Alucard." Y/N stepped back, her shoulders missing his touch but she needed to think about her response clearly. "Before now I never felt like anyone. I've been lost in life since the beginning. So it's worth the risk to be someone, to do something with this sad little life. That's why I'm going with you, even if Death is too strong for me, or Dracula himself tries to kill me."

"You shouldn't speak that way," Alucard says, looking at Y/N with his golden eyes somewhat narrowed.

"It's the truth."

"Then it is a truth that I relate to," Alucard said.

Y/N looked at him in surprise, but he said nothing else. He began walking again. 

"Are you coming?"

"Y-yes!" Y/N hurried after him. 

They walked in silence for a moment, still catching their breath after that last fight.

"Hey, Alucard?"

"Mmm?" he grunted.

"You were going to tell me something, before those monsters attacked."

"Only that I am half-vampire, half-human. A dhamphir, if you will."

"Oh. I see. Thank you for telling me." 

He looked at her with an expression that seemed...almost sad. 

***

After that, they carried on in silence, making their way through the dark, foreboding castle. The clocktower was a frightening climb, filled with horrifying monsters. But Alucard's steady steps and sure blade kept Y/N's nerves calmed. She grew ever more confident with the rod the more she used it, feeling in touch with some secret part of her blood that whispered with magic.

The two spoke little as they advanced, but they shared smiles and looks as they fought, and Alucard often seemed to look at her just for the sake of seeing if she was alright. It was an exhausting and terrifying time, but somehow exhilarating. 

They burned brightly together, sword and star, fighting their way towards the throne room, and all that awaited them there.