Woohoo! Part two!! Sorry, but we aren't quite to the sex yet. I'll definitely get there though. Just be patient. Little bit of violence, mainly implied, and it's still OOC.
Oh, and I don't own Castlevania: Symphony of the Night (well not the copyright anyway) so all the characters remain the property of Konami. I just borrowed them (without permission) for a little fun in my playroom. This part will be shounen-ai as well. Which means it hints at two men getting together. If that disturbs you (boy are you in the wrong place) please hit the back button and return to your safe little world.
It had been three weeks since Richter had last seen Alucard and he was starting to get frustrated. He always seemed to be just one step behind the halfling. "You'd think it would be easy to track down someone that looks like him. I mean, how many men have skin the color of a china doll?" His companion shrugged her little shoulders, "My master is a clever man. He has his ways..." replied the fairy.
Richter snorted, a very uncouth sound. "I'm beginning to see that." he growled as he continued down the path. Suddenly he let out a loud sigh, "I don't even know why I'm so determined to catch someone who's so bent on avoiding me." Once again the fairy shrugged her shoulders. "Perhaps you like him." Richter stopped dead in his tracks, causing her to fall off his shoulder with an indignant cry.
*Is that it? Do I like him? Am I really starting to care about him?* Richter brought up the memory of the halfling in nothing but his midnight black slacks as he prepared for bed. That pale skin had practically glowed against the inky fabric. *Like moonlight* thought Richter. He felt himself becoming aroused and quickly cut off the alluring images. *Damn it!! I'm a married man! I can't be thinking this way! I just can't!* He screamed at himself as he thought of Annette. The last time they'd spoken, it had been a fight. She was complaining about him going off every time there was a report of some creature stalking the night.
He'd retorted that somebody had to, and it may as well be a Belmont. It was in their blood after all. She'd just stared at him, and locked herself in her room. Now that he thought about it, she spent more time in her room than out of it, always staring at maps and dreaming of faraway places. She'd asked him once if they could move out of Romania. That was an argument he didn't care to remember. He sighed some more, nothing had been the same since he'd rescued her from the castle.
Once again the images of a half-dressed Alucard assaulted his senses. He was forced to admit being married didn't do a damn thing to kill his desire. He'd done quite a few 'interesting' things while he was under Shaft's influence. It was yet another reason he'd been afraid to return to Annette, he'd slept with others, many others. The more powerful creatures of the castle had all wanted a chance to taste a Belmont, and Shaft had seen to it that they got it. Those experiences had awakened a sort of lust he never knew he possessed. One that hadn't disappeared with the fall of Shaft's control.
"We're almost to town Richter...I think you should put me away now." said the fairy, breaking into his thoughts. Richter nodded and deactivated the card. The fairy promptly disappeared. The vampire hunter sighed and slipped the card into the lining of his coat. He preferred to let her roam about, so she could point out the subtle clues he often missed. Unfortunately, having a tiny woman fluttering behind you was bound to draw unwanted attention, and he didn't need to give Alucard a warning that he was closing in.
Alucard frowned as he entered some dusty catacombs. This place wouldn't suffice. He needed better fortification, lest some bumbling explorer happen upon him. That had happened once before, and he'd awoken with such a fierce hunger he'd accidentally killed the man who'd disturbed him in order to slake his thirst. He refused to ever let it happen again. His stomach gave a little rumble, reminding him it would happen again if he didn't eat soon. He pulled out his last meal card and tossed it into the air. "Damn, peanuts...It looks like I'm going to have to go into town after all."
The halfling settled on a rather unsavory looking tavern. He didn't think he'd be able to stomach the place very long, but he couldn't enter a nicer establishment without creating a stir. Anonymity was a high priority, and a thoroughly cloaked man wouldn't draw too much attention in a place like this. He sat down at an empty table in one of the darker corners of the building. A servant girl came over, and eyed him nervously. He smiled slightly to reassure her, "A meal please, the house special." She nodded and ran off to fill the order.
She came back with a bowl of fish stew, and a few hard rolls. Alucard paid her and hesitantly sampled the stew. It was a little bland, but at least it was fresh. He dipped one of the rolls allowing it soak up some broth so he could bite into it. The bread was salty, but it made the food taste better. He began to eat hastily, wanting to move on as fast as possible. Belmont hadn't given up the chase.
A shadow fell across him, and he groaned. *Speak of the devil...* Richter pulled out a chair and sat down opposite the halfling, grinning like a Cheshire cat. "Well now, a greeting like that would make me think you're not happy to see me." Alucard glared at him, "I'm not." The hunter's brazen grin didn't fall one iota. "That's okay, I'm glad enough to see you to cover the both of us."
Alucard sighed, Richter was nothing if not tenacious. "Why are you following me Belmont?" The vampire hunter shrugged and snagged one of the rolls. "Maybe I just like looking at your pretty face." That earned him another glare. Richter chuckled and bit into the bread. Well, he tried to anyway. "Egads, this thing is as hard as a rock." Alucard shook his head, now that Richter was here he may as well relax for a while. He'd have a chance to get away later. "I could have told you that." replied the halfling. "If you'd asked." he stressed.
Richter smiled and dipped the bread into Alucard's bowl ignoring the annoyed glint in those obsidian eyes. "Mmm, not bad." commented the hunter as he began nibbling on his snack. Alucard let out a loud huff of breath, and growled. "You can have it all, just leave me be." He started to stand up, but Richter hooked his foot behind the halfling's knee, tripping him. Alucard fell back into the chair and began glaring daggers at the man across from him. "Ahh, if looks could kill....." chuckled Richter.
Alucard gritted his teeth and tried to convince himself it wasn't worth it to tackle the man and pummel him black and blue. A visit from the peacekeepers was an inconvenience he didn't need. "Why don't you go home and annoy your wife Belmont? I'm sure she's used to it." He regretted the remark as soon as it left his lips. The look of pain that entered Richter golden brown eyes made him feel like slime. "....I'm sorry Richter. That was uncalled for. You have my humblest apologies."
The hunter shook his head. "No, it's okay. I deserved that. I would go home, but the things I did in that castle...." Richter dropped his head as he remembered helping the necromancers create duplicates of Trevor and his companions. "I need to come to terms with those things before I can go back." Richter lifted his eyes and met Alucard's gaze. "It must be a lot like that for you....the guilt tearing at your heart. Wondering if you can ever be forgiven for betraying your family. We could comfort each other Alucard. Let me be a friend...a companion." Richter broke off, the words 'a lover' had almost tumbled off his lips.
Alucard stared at him, nobody had ever offered him something like that before. He was either Master Alucard, or a fighting partner. Never a true friend. He wanted to say yes, to accept the companionship being offered. *He's even more lovely than I remember.* That thought brought his hopes crashing down. He didn't want friendship alone, he wanted everything that Richter had to offer, including his body. It would tear him apart on a daily basis if he was so close, and unable to act on his desires. And he had quite a bit of desire built up from all the long lonely years of his existence. Alucard began shaking his head furiously. "I....I can't." Richter started to reach for a slim white hand. The halfling snatched it away. "NO!!! I can not afford to feel what you make me feel!! I can't handle it!" With that he transformed into mist, and began floating towards the ceiling.
The stunt hadn't gone unnoticed, and pandemonium ensued.
"AHHHH!!"
" Did you see that? One o' them 'as disappeared!!"
"They must be spirits, kill 'em !!"Richter leaped to his feet and grabbed the edge of the table, using it as a shield as barrage of bottles flew his way. The hunter calmly uncoiled his whip, even as glass exploded only inches from his face. "That was a cheap trick Alucard...I'm going to have to pay you back for it when we next meet."
Even though the declaration was whispered, Alucard heard it. For some reason it caused a little shudder of lust to roam through him. He kept floating in his vaporous form until he was outdoors, high above the trees. Once there he switched to a bat and headed full speed into a belfry. *A bat in the belfry, I wonder how many I have in my belfry* he thought right before his magic ran out and he switched back into human form midair. He thumped to the floor and rubbed his bruised hip. Life was going to be hell for the supernatural for months to come. That crowd had been out for blood. He just hoped Richter was still as good as he thought he was.
Back at the bar, Richter looked over the carnage. He had a deep cut across one shoulder, but he'd been victorious. Everyone who'd been stupid enough to hang around after Alucard's little disappearing act was either unconscious or cowering in the corners. Luckily, he'd donned the leather whip for a change. Otherwise, he'd have a lot of blood on his hands. The hunter pulled out the largest of his money bags and tossed it at the barkeep, who was crouching behind his safe. The coins weren't the local currency, but the metal itself would still fetch a nice price. "I hope this is enough to cover any damage. I'm afraid I don't have enough time to wait for an estimate. I need to catch up to my wayward friend." The man caught the bag out of pure instinct and watched the brunette stride out of the swinging door. The latch gave way and the door thumped to the ground with a large [whump].
*A Belmont, he had to be a Belmont....Only Belmonts can use a whip with such skill.* thought the barkeep as he began to open the bag. He blinked in disbelief and lifted a handful of ancient coins. The stamp was unusual, but the coins themselves were pure gold. It could buy him a brand new bar, maybe even two. He quickly hid the money inside his apron. He wasn't certain what he was going to tell the peacekeepers, but he was going to make certain his benefactor got away.
Richter activated the familiar card as he exited the bar, after what had ensued he didn't have much to loose. "What is it my lord?" she gasped fluttering quickly to catch up to him when he suddenly broke into a run. "Your master just got us both in deep..." The little lady gasped and covered her ears to keep from hearing the nasty expletive. When it looked like Richter was done ranting she dared to ask, "What did he do?" Richter growled, "Oh nothing much, he just apparated in a public tavern crowded with the most vicious and totally superstitious cutthroats he could find."
Fairie blinked, that didn't sound like her cool-headed, logical master. "Why?" she asked. Richter dove into an alleyway, and held his breath as a large group of peacekeepers ran by, surely on their way to the bar. When he felt they were a safe distance away, he spoke. "I don't know. I just offered to be his companion and he screamed something about how I made him feel before going misty on me."
Fairie thought about that a moment, was it possible her master desired this man? She gave Richter an appraising look. Well formed body, long brown hair, beautiful whiskey-colored eyes, and a smile that could melt an Ice Spirit. Yes, this one would definitely be worthy of her master's affections.
Richter finally made it out of town, and suddenly realized all his possessions were still at the inn. "SHIT!!!" The fairy blushed, she hadn't been quick enough to avoid that one. She fluttered around her companion as he began to berate himself in several different languages for forgetting such an important fact. Suddenly, she noticed something odd about a nearby tree. "Something's not right here..." she whispered. Richter stopped his tirade and joined her. The tree had a small rune engraved, one known only to vampire hunters.
Richter touched it and realized it was paper. The detail in the painting had made it look exactly like the real thing. The rune was all that allowed it to be visible. He punched through the clever camouflage and pulled out his item pouch. "How did this get here?" his whispered. He opened the mystical bag and found a small note among the usual articles.
[Don't expect me to bail you out again Richter....
A]
Richter chuckled, and turned to the fairy. "You're right, your master really is a clever man."
A/N:Hmm, it's starting to look like four installments...I'm working on number three as you read this, but they aren't quite ready to leave the playroom.
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