We Are Kin

Disclaimer: Castlevania belongs to Konami not me. I am making £0.00 out of this fic, it is written purely because I have a burning need to create. Although I would like to own Adrian . . . then he’d be mine.

Warning: this fic contains Yaoi (GuyXGuy) References, Bloodplay and a possible lemon; if this offends or upsets you do not read this, it that simple.

Rating: NC-17

Setting: post Castlevania symphony of the night

Dedications: this is dedicated to all Castlevania fans, there could never be too many.

Summery: Alucard loses the fight against his father and must bargain for the lives of the Belmont still in the castle.

Authoress note: Not sure where this idea came from, not sure I want to know lol.

Italics mean either flashbacks or thoughts

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Chapter Two

The castle was old and strong but it was not sound proof.

The sun had risen a few hours ago, and when it had the voices from Adrian’s rooms had fallen silent. Maria had lain awake now for hours running what she heard over and over in her head. The words spoken had left her feeling cold, she knew Adrian was trying desperately to get them out of the castle and would say what he thought his father had needed to hear; but he had sounded honest when he had spoken, so sure.

Dracula it seemed was not convinced.

“. . . With you.” Maria had woken to catch the trail end of something; it took her a moment to recognise the voice as Dracula’s. “I want . . . happy.” the words were quiet as if the dark Lord feared being heard and Maria only caught bits of what he was saying. Alucard however did not seem to fear being heard.

“Then let them go, father.” His voice was rough as if he had been shouting for a long time. “I will remain you have my word.”

“I do not want you to remain here out of obligation Adrian I want you to be here because you wish to be here.” The dark Lord sighed “I only wish for things to be as they once were.”

“Things can be as they were,” a shuddering pause “I almost want that to be true, but I know how wrong it is.” There was silence for a moment and Maria could almost picture the scene, Alucard sitting at the table, the painting of himself and his parents above the large fireplace, Dracula pacing the room. This was an old scene, it happened almost every night and Maria was becoming worried. The first night Alucard had been loud and argued with clever wit, at times he had even caught the elder vampire out but as of late Alucard seemed more and more willing to accept what his father had to say.

“I know you Adrian, I know you very well.” He must have moved to his child at that point and tried to hold him for Adrian’s next words were a feeble muttering.

“Let go.”

“You are at war with your own inhibitions; it is all that man kind has given you. Tried to make you into one of their own when you are one of mine.” The Dark Lord sighed. “I know that by keeping them here you will be more inclined to listen to me, then when you have listened to me and what I have to tell you I will release them.” There was a muffled sound that Maria assumed was Adrian still talking, she shivered imagining the dark Lord holding him, acting like a real father trying to comfort and console a confused adolescent. It was a most grotesque lie.

“But I have to listen to you anyway.” Adrian eventually managed “you cannot not listen to someone inside your head.” The dark Lord laughed at this.

“You always listen, really child.” His voice was light as if they were discussing new wallpaper “then why do I distinctly remember saying many, many, many times do not go to the northern tower its not safe, I thought you listened then but first time I turn away you come crashing through the northern floorboards.” Maria almost wanted to smile, the thought of Alucard as a child made her smile.

“I was twelve.” Alucard sounded indignant, which actually comforted Maria, she was so used to the pale dunpeal being so sure of himself, so confident and so easily offended that what she had seen only a few nights earlier still made her feel sick. The image of Adrian lying there admitting that he could not fight this because he didn’t really want to. It was horrifying.

Richter had as of late it seemed made it his own person mission to try and make the dunpeal see sense, or at least the Belmont version of sense. Maria while liking the fact Richter was helping Alucard she could almost see Dracula’s point at times. What was the point of teaching Alucard human customs when he would never need them? She sighed remembering earlier this night Richter was trying to teach the dunpeal how to set a table. When on earth would the half vampire son of Dracula need to use a fork? It made little sense but the distraction was a welcome one for all of them. However Richter was not a good teacher and his temper often got the better of him. it made her worry that his tantrums at the dunpeal would drive Alucard further towards his father. Making him believe the Belmont’s were only aiding him out of obligation and self survival.

“Yes twelve and now you are not,” the dark Lord’s voice had changed again and the words he spoke next made Maria cold as she had heard mothers whisper the same thing to their babes “no matter how old you are Adrian you are still my child.” The next words spoken were said almost silently and then all was quiet for a few moments, there were times when Maria thought she heard movement and hushed words, even once she thought she heard a low growl and panicked thinking one of Dracula’s pets had come up here, but then all was still. She did not want to think of what went on in that room when those sounds were made.

The sun had begun to rise after a long silence marred by occasional sounds of movements, Maria had jerked at one point when a gasp had penetrated the walls, but now the sun was rising and she distinctly heard booted feet walking to a door, a door opening and a call of ‘sleep well’ before more footsteps went down the hallway. She had considered going to Alucard then but gave herself pause. Let the dunpeal get a few hours of sleep.

With that thought in mind Maria rolled over on her own bed and trying to ignore Richter’s snores closed her own eyes and slept.

The knock on the door woke Maria and automatically she looked out the window, the midday sun had passed hours ago it seemed and late afternoon was dawning. She grumbled to herself and how lazy she was becoming before going to the door and opening it. As she opened the door she realised that she was still in her night clothes. She blushed before she could even realise who was standing in the hallway.

Alucard stood in the hallway, barefooted and dressed only in a simple white shirt belted to black trousers, his hair was pulled back into a lose ponytail with a lot of it falling down around his face, he looked dishevelled but prettily so, Maria felt her blush increase. He seemed to lose his finery after the first day of being here and didn’t seem overly bothered by its loss. In his arms he held a rather large pile of towels and on top a few brushes and some soap; Maria frowned at him as he side stepped her into the room. She rushed forwards to her robe and tried to pull it on, but Alucard looked to her.

“Please do not, you look quiet lovely.” Maria blushed at the compliment both pleased and slightly worried. When she had first met Alucard he was always awkward around her, if she had pranced about in her nightclothes in front of him then she assumed he would have had a small break down before covering her in his own cloak. Yet now here he was walking into their rooms, with only black trousers and a white shirt himself, telling her she need not panic about being exposed and that she looked lovely. It was a change, one of many he had mentioned to them.

She had not really believed that the castle would change Alucard but here was the evidence right before her eyes. He was already losing what his father called his inhabitations that humans had placed on him. Maria shivered a little and pulled the robe on anyway, she knew nudity was a human inhibition and not a demonic one for half of Dracula’s castle seemed partial to causal nudity.

“Wha’s gonnin on.” The muffled words were Richter who had rolled over in his bed to see the semi dressed pair.

“I thought we might visit the hot pools today.” Alucard spoke and Maria frowned, his voice was light and he looked wonderful, healthy for want of a better word. She swallowed feeling a lump in her throat, knowing only to well why he looked so good. But his voice made her angry, she hated knowing that he was putting on a front for them, that he was going through a raping of his soul at night with his father then in the afternoon he was trying to distract them. She was about to voice her thoughts when she suddenly realised what he had said.

“I did not know you had bathes here!” Maria squeaked feeling a weight lift off her shoulders, Alucard smirked a little which looked very odd on him, she had not ever seen him smile; only frown and now all of a sudden this little smirk had appeared. He looked a bit awkward.

“Well my Lady they are not baths as such. But rather pools in the rocks, the water is heated by something, magic perhaps or maybe the earth itself, but they are quiet pleasant.” At least the half blood hadn’t changed his way of talking that would have worried Maria even more than the changes he had made.

“Why you taking us down there.” Richter had sat up now and was rubbing the sleep from his eyes

“As I said it is most pleasant.” Alucard frowned at the mortal before that stupid smirk came back, Maria glared at it, “and to be frank Richter, you have been here a great long time, it has been over a week since you regained your mind and lost your confidence to walk the hallways alone, if I am right and you are a small bit ripe.” Maria couldn’t help it when the laughter burst from her as the dunpeal spoke.

Richter grumbled to himself as he got up and pulled clothing on, but within moments he to was smiling. Approaching the dunpeal as Alucard lead them out of the room he stuck the dunpeal’s head lightly and Maria smiled as the two jostled each other. The atmosphere was suddenly light and she could hardly believe that she was in such an evil place. She felt like she was in the village square watching the two men after a few tankards had passed between them. Not walking down a monstrous hallways with a half blood vampire who was losing himself to his curse thanks to his father and a vampire hunter who Maria knew would defend the mortals in the villages below from said half blood if the time ever came.

The pools were beautiful.

Deep dishes cut into the rocks, three in total. All three pools were roughly the same size, and to Maria’s relief someone had brought down a screen and placed it between two of the pools so one could not see the other. Her modesty would be intact it seemed. She smiled happily for the first time in over a week but it did not last long. Maria swallowed, one of the pools was already occupied, three women sat in the semi shallow water basking in its heat and comfort, Maria stared hard at them for a moment before realising what they were, when one lifted a tail out of the water and brought it down hard with a loud sound. Mermaids. They had sharp irregular features, beautiful in a pointy kind of way. Their eyes were covered in a glaze that obviously protected them underwater and their long fingered hands were webbed; their hair tumbled messily over their shoulders and was covered in plant life.

A man also sat with the mermaids, he was tall even when sitting down. His skin was pale and seemed tinted with an odd shade of purple. A beautiful twisting tattoo ran from his throat over his shoulder, back and front and worked its way down his arm and side. His hair was jet back and tumbled down over his back. The Mermaids were watching him intently with a great hunger, but he had his eyes closed and seemed only interested in the heat of the pool not the three beautiful monsters near him.

Alucard’s hand on her shoulder caught Maria’s attention and she frowned angrily that damned smirk was back, it looked so wrong on him. It wasn’t really an expression, not a real one anyway, it looked like the start of a very evil smile but it never made it all the way and only served to infuriate Maria. He handed her the towels and moved forwards with stealth that Maria had never seen of him before. He crept up behind the other male, the mermaids now eagerly watching the both of them, and suddenly put all of his weight onto the other man’s shoulders pushing him down beneath the water.

Unfortunately what ever plan Alucard may have had backfired when the other man pulled him into the pool with him. Maria gasped unsure what was happening, Richter drew his whip which he had been bound not to use and would not be able to use in this place but it seemed that drawing it was a reaction he could not prevent. The two vampires made a lot of noise thrashing in the pool before Alucard clambered out and offered his hand to the other. When both stood on dry-ish ground Alucard turned to Maria.

“Lady Maria this is Orlox.” Alucard looked very uncomfortable “an old friend of mine.” The dunpeal still dripping looked to the floor as if embarrassed, by his own actions or the fact he was introducing a naked vampire to be one of his close companions Maria did not know. Instead she did what came natural, she lifted a towel and walked over to Alucard and dumped it on his head.

“You’ll catch you death standing about all wet.” She muttered as she furiously began rubbing his head. Orlox laughed at her action, before sliding down into the pool next to the one containing the mermaids.

“You always get the pretty ones.” He breathed and Alucard kicked at him. Maria was relived to see the old shyness coming back, it was comforting to realise that although Alucard was changing that he had not lost all of himself just yet, that there was still hope.

Maria felt herself becoming angry, Alucard’s methods were not working, his plan of ‘let me convince my father to let you go.’ Was clearly falling flat on its face. Maria believed it was time for some real action. They shouldn’t be down here in hot pools despite how much Richter needed it; they should be formulating an escape attempt.

“Just push him back in the water Lady.” Orlox spoke “vampires rarely catch cold, I’m sure half bloods are the same.” In a mild fit of frustration Maria was inclined to listen to the new vampire and gave Alucard an almighty push. She knew that if he had wanted to he could have stood his ground and that he had let her push him into the water. He ‘fell’ with a loud sound that made the mermaids in the other pool laughed between themselves. Maria glared at them and they laughed harder.

Alucard surfaced and blinked at Maria through the now sodden mass of his hair before that stupid smirk returned. He ducked under again and came up smoothing his hair back before removing his ruined shirt and shortly after his trousers. Maria blushed at the casual nature with which he did so. Richter didn’t seem to notice and stripped down himself and slowly clambered into the water. Maria was very surprised with how relaxed the hunter was with the fact that he now had four strange monsters around him and one currently unstable half blood. Maybe his time in the castle although it had damaged him, had helped him as well. But then she caught his glare at the dunpeal and had to swallow heavily hoping Richter would control his temper today.

Orlox was watching Alucard and it made Maria blink, Orlox was watching Alucard the way the mermaids had been watching him, with a casual hunger that was both sexual and the hunger a man feels for food. It made her stomach flip-flop inside of her. But before she could say anything Orlox spoke.

“You have changed my friend.” He said, Alucard, opened his eyes which had been closed and looked to his friend.

“As have you. Where did this come from,” Alucard laughed lifting and hand full of Orlox’s hair. The new vampire grinned. Maria felt herself start to smile and stopped it, this man seemed charming but she had to remind herself that he was not a man but a fully blooded vampire; she had no right feeling this comfortable around him.

“The same place as yours my Love.” Orlox smiled for a moment, Maria frowned at his phrasing but before she could voice her opinion he continued, “I did not mean that, you have changed, not physically my Love but changed you have.” He frowned “you are not the man I once knew but nor are you the man you did become.” Maria sighed, this new vampire was able to see that Alucard was changing.

“He’s been talking to you hasn’t he.” Alucard did not look amused “can’t I go anywhere in this place without getting the same words spat at me from different mouths.”

“Your father has confided in me this is true but . . .” Orlox fell quiet and a lump came back into Maria’s throat when he ran a finger over newly made bite marks on Alucard’s throat. “I am not going to spout his words at you Adrian, what I say is of my own choice.” Alucard shivered at the touch but he did not move away and the subtle touch grew bolder, tracing over the pale dunpeal’s shoulder. Richter moved away from the two and looked uncomfortably at Maria. They both it seemed had the feeling that they should not be watching this, Maria did not know what to do, normally she would pull the other off Alucard but Alucard she knew was more than capable of doing that himself; why was he letting this man touch him like that? The mermaids however had no such qualms of voyeurism and were leaning out of their own pool to watch the two men.

“When I was first taken in by your father you were my only council, it saddened me greatly to lose you, Adrian, old Love.” Orlox whispered almost silently, Alucard looked uncomfortable again and kept glancing at Maria and Richter but he did not tell Orlox to stop, nor did he move away; Maria got the impression he wanted to say something but felt he could not while they were there. The younger vampire cursed suddenly making everyone jump, including Alucard, water flew up and hit Maria, but Alucard did not seem to notice.

“Orlox.” He spoke, his voice shaking

“Nothing, nothing.” The younger vampire hissed “these damned rocks are slippery and I am foolish.” He held out his hand, his palm had been cut. Maria glared, this stank of a set up and from the look on Alucard’s face he thought so too. Orlox saw the expression his friend was wearing and looked surprised for a moment before seeming to realise his mistake. “I am sorry Love I had forgotten how uncomfortable it made you now.” He laughed a little “I had forgotten, but I remember . . . .” He went to lower his still bleeding hand into the water but his wrist was grabbed by a white hand and pulled up.

“Be silent.” Alucard’s eyes never left the other vampires as he moved the cut to his own mouth. Maria felt suddenly sick as she watched his eyes close and he drank.

What was happening to him!

End chapter

Authoress note: oooo Alucard/Adrian is changing

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