Blood sucking freaks
Synopsis: She will hunt him down. She will torture him. And then, she will kill him. The lady Van Helsing has a significant duty to uphold, and the horrendous creature with its rigorously pallid and sickly appearance is her chance to make some positive contribution to her lineage's legacy. And she will make each of them pay for mocking her and her fleeting existence, with those eyes scorched with crimson pride and arrogance. Takashi Mitsuya, the vampire count, will die by the hands of the huntress.Pairing: Mitsuya Takashi + Fem!ReaderGenders: Horror, Dark Romance(?), Drama.Content Warnings: inclined to yandere, , suggestive, explicit violence and bleedingNotes: At some point in 2021, my younger self thought it would be a good idea to write a vampire tokrev AU, and so this piece was born!
Start Point [Next]
"Deen die Toten reiten schnell"
Bran - Transylvania 18:46 PM
I feel the need to fill my lungs with air when the carriage finally stops our journey, and I'm relieved just to feel the texture of the ground after long hours concentrating only on the gallop of the horses on the bumpy road. That single unpleasant sound was already starting to get on my nerves, and the coachman kept staring at my suitcase with his scrutinizing gaze. The old man was so interested in my belongings that I couldn't even fall asleep, fearing that he would drop me off halfway just to steal my things.
I was startled by the sound of a knock on the carriage door, but calmed my senses when I saw the old man taking the trouble to open the door. My arrival in Transylvania was less turbulent than I thought possible; I had expected to be silently escorted by some cunning creature from the dense forest in the pitch black, waiting only for my attention to be diverted so that it could try to sink its fangs - or pointed fangs - into my neck, freeing me from my commitment to the Shiba. My dear client, Yuzuha, wouldn't like to know that I'd been slaughtered by a creature of the night before we'd even met in person, and it would be humiliating for my reputation.
I got out of the carriage with light steps, in no hurry, we're not racing against time, we have plenty until nightfall - a few hours, to be precise. I straighten my clothes, allowing myself to hide once again from the cold and the gale, which narrowly missed my top hat. I put the heavy suitcase on the floor, opening the letter that was sent to me half a week ago. I can't deny that a real job is a very exciting experience. Nothing takes away the satisfaction of professionalism.
As soon as I open the somewhat battered paper, I don't even have to strain to read the girl's handwriting - her italics make it easy. The contents read as:
"Dear Miss [Name], I'm sorry to bother you from so far away, but if not me, no one else will. I urgently request your service on behalf of myself and my brothers. The rumor has spread through the city so quickly that not even the church can contain the sick who are anxious and frightened, seeking to calm themselves in the arms of our lord, and everything indicates that there is a creature among us. A vampire, a demon. Like the kind in children's tales where you can sleep with your hands cold between the sheets. For almost two weeks now, farmers have been complaining that their cows have disappeared and their horses have become strangely thin, and… In a short time, residents have often been showing up with symptoms of anemia. Some have even died, pale and cadaverous.
Our village is no longer as safe as it once was.
Sincerely, Yuzuha Shiba"
Below her letter, only the address. She has written everything with great trepidation, because even her beautifully written handwriting has flaws, her handwriting conveys her fear and insecurities, the handwriting is shaky and in some words, Yuzuha must have pressed the pen with an uncommon force. Her fear pushes me to continue investigating. No matter how many times I read it, this letter continues to make me as anxious as the first time I opened the envelope. I won't rest until I find a clear explanation for this cursed cause, which already has a name - vampires - all that's missing is the specific individual who is causing it. Finally, I collected my luggage and started walking through the streets, looking for the young woman's address.
The neighborhood is so quiet that any noise could be considered a bang, a significant example being the boards and barricades on the windows and doors, the newly arrived boxes in the shops have a strong smell of garlic and I've never seen a stall so full of rosaries and crucifixes. As I pass the church sidewalk, I hear the priest's cry - if I hadn't been used to it, I admit I would have been taken by surprise. I approach cautiously, holding my breath and peeking through the gap in the door. Soon, I notice the absence of people on the streets, a group of faithful have gathered in the chapel to say their prayers, not an ordinary group, a large one. Children crying and adults whispering their implicit insecurities with their ragged breaths and lungs burning from holding back their tears of tonture, with their rosaries in hand and raising their trembling fists. I leave my current position and once again follow the original route, this will not last longer than necessary.
Arriving at the address, I check the paper just once more before knocking on the wooden door with a large glass pane in the center, providing a view inside the house, with two simple knocks - I didn't think Yuzuha Shiba was a baker -, waiting for a quick response. I think my prayers were answered, because soon afterwards the young girl opened it - much younger than I thought she was; she was wearing a simple white button-down shirt with ruffles on the shoulders and a moss-green skirt that went down to just below her knees. I gave her a quick nod and a small, subtle smile.
"I'm [Name]" I said directly, and continued: "[Name] Van Helsing, and I am here at your service."
"Thank God!" She said in relief, putting my hands together and thanking the heavens, then giving myself room to pass "Please come in, the weather is getting cold today."
"Thank you, it's very kind of you to welcome me into your home," I said comically, "I don't usually stay at my employers' homes. It could be… dangerous for they."
Not to mention fatal.
"Well, don't be shy," she smiled amusedly, closing the door behind me as I entered at the home, "make yourself at home."
"Okay," I agreed, "but this is a bakery."
"Oh, sorry, my house is upstairs" He corrected "Well, that being the case, make yourself comfortable in the bakery" He smiled in my direction, but his smile was one of tiredness and worry.
The place was cozy, reminiscent of one of those winter chalets. The windows were large and the space was well ventilated, with a view of the street outside - that's good, very good. Behind the main counter, there was only the cashier and a few cupboards with wrapped and ready-made products. The tables equally distributed around the place were charming, but the emptiness made it lonely and gray.
"Shall we get started, then?" I asked, placing my briefcase on the corner of the first table I found in front of me and settling down on the bench, but I was suddenly reprimanded by Yuzuha's hand on my shoulder, and I looked at her in confusion.
"Let's go inside, the faithful will be desperate if see you here."
Without hesitating, I let myself be influenced by her, and so we went up the stairs, stopping walking only when we reached the girl's living room, where I finally took the liberty to ask:
"What are people doing in church?" I asked as the girl put the cups away on the coffee table, setting the tray aside. My question must have had a strong impact on her, I noticed when she raised her eyes in concern: "Shouldn't they be keeping to themselves at home? Like you."
"Well…" he swallowed, sitting down on the sofa, "my brother Taiju is one of the faithful of the church, and everyone prefers to believe that God's will will protect them."
"Why didn't you look for an exorcist then?" I asked curiously, as Yuzuha handed me the cup she had brought.
"They think that spending money hiring people to solve the problem is very silly. My brother, in particular, says that exorcists and hunters play with the image of God and challenge his power, he says they're phonies who steal from the most gullible. "
"I see." I frowned, sipping the strong coffee that came boiling down my throat, but my anger at these conservative was greater than my fear of burning myself with a simple cup of coffee.
"Don't misunderstand, I hired you myself because I believe in your potential as a hunter, don't take them seriously, please."
"Mrs. Shiba, I'm very professional and I'm not going to let people's ignorance affect the results of our work." I answered directly and she looked at me with surprise, so I offered her a small smile again. "Don't worry, if I'm here, it's because I trust you and, given the circ*mstances, I'll do my utmost to help you. I didn't leave London to play God."
"Thank you for your help," he smiled back, picking up the empty cups. "Anyway, let's talk more tomorrow, it's getting dark and I'm not going to leave my guest in a bad state. Let me be a good hostess at least."
"You invited me to come in and drink coffee with you," I pointed out, watching her arch her eyebrow from afar, "if that's not good hosting, then I guess I've been living wrong up until now."
She laughed, rolled her eyes and walked off. I had to go after her to stop my curiosity.
"Why are you laughing? Was that funny?"
As soon as I had finished folding my coat, I placed it gently on the bed; Yuzuha insisted that she would welcome me into her home, according to her, it was her job as "hostess". We didn't argue about it, as I prefer to avoid unnecessary conflicts, but I was still hesitant about her decision, without even realizing it I could be putting her life and the lives of her loved ones in danger. But there's nothing i can do, you don't argue with stubborn people. Outside, the lights of the lamps illuminated the dark streets, and consequently, the glow of their flames reflected through the bedroom window, bringing me a nostalgic air of London - now far enough away to keep me locked into my new goals. I was startled when I heard the door latch turn abruptly, narrowly missing the small candle holder. But as soon as I realized who it was, I let my guard down. The girl stared at me for a few seconds before speaking:
"We're having dinner in a few minutes," she said, smiling gently, "my little brother will be here soon. Come along. "
After that, she left and walked to where the kitchen was supposed to be. In an impulsive act, I followed her wherever she went, hoping to be helped to do something, but everything was already done; her silverware properly organized on the dining table and the candles lit, strategically distributed around the kitchen, hoping to conserve lighting and save candles at the same time.
Another doorknob turned and I looked expectantly at the front door. All I found, however, was a tall man with long hair in a ponytail and small cut running from his lower lip to his upper lip, these lips having raised a rather warm smile - somewhat controversial given that he was holding an axe on his shoulder.
"Hakkai!" Yuzuha called out excitedly, going to meet the boy, but her excitement had been replaced by worry as soon as she grabbed her brother's ear "What did I tell you yesterday?! Don't you know how dangerous it is to be out at that hour?"
she asked exasperatedly.
"Calm down! Look, I'm fine!" He tried to convince her, but she still looked serious. And as soon as he rested her gaze on me, changed the subject to get around the sermon, "Is… A friend of yours?"
It was an embarrassing subject and one of the many reasons why i don't sleep in other people's houses - God, bless the inns and hotels. Now I was standing by the chair, staring at the floor, looking for some comfort.
"This is miss [Name]," Yuzuha replied, so I felt it was time to take the first step on my own. I approached the door and extended my hand in a casual greeting, which was quickly met with "she's spending the night with us tonight."
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Shiba." I nodded briefly and bowed.
"There's no need for such formality," he said, scratching the back of his head. "Welcome to Transylvania, miss."
I nodded again, then returned the comfortable smile.
"Now let's go to the table, I'm starving!" He warned, setting off towards the dining table, followed by Yuzuha, who quickly settled down next to the brunette.
"So, [Name], are you in town on business? Traveling?" Hakkai's question left me very indecisive and confused. I already had it in my mind that Yuzuha had selected my services on the sly, but not for a second did I think that even his brothers were unaware.
I thought for a few seconds, trying to come up with an excuse, but nothing came to mind, it was as if my ability to lie and the chance that I was putting a family in danger were fighting a great battle in my subconscious, where I slowly surrendered to reason and honesty - damn common sense - so I answered straight away:
"I'm here to hunt the vampire." I replied simplistically, while splitting the bread in two to dip it in the soup.
Hakkai, who was swallowing his food, choked on my comment and Yuzuha came to his rescue with a glass of water. I certainly shocked him. After all, you don't have dinner with a monster hunter every day. I bit into the bread with a certain brutality, which went unnoticed, luckily for me. The truth is that bringing up the subject of the 'vampire' only makes me more anxious and instigated to invade the Count's castle, which, according to rumors, is home to the bloodthirsty demon - but nothing confirms the information, since it's entirely based on theories and guesswork. Which only makes me agree more and more with myself that staying in this house wasn't the most rational decision I've ever made.
"How are you going to hunt the vampire? It's impossible!"
"Hakkai!" His sister scolded him.
"But I'm only saying this for her own good," he retorted, "not even exorcists or priests have the courage to hunt it down, you can't let her go out alone to hunt a vampire!"
"Hakkai, miss [Name] knows what he's doing!" The girl slammed both hands on the table, hard enough to silence her brother "No wonder she's a Van…"
"He's right." I agreed, getting up from my chair. "It's true that I'm just a foreigner who has no idea of my enemy's capabilities. So…"
I paused to pick something up from under the table, and in the meantime neither of them dared to say anything, they just waited patiently, anxious at the silence that had settled in the room; it wasn't difficult to hear the disruption in their breathing. Then I finished my speech:
"Tell me everything you know to help me catch the creature."
From under the table, I took out the heavy suitcase and placed it on the table. Both Shiba were curious about the contents, but were satisfied with my serious expression.
"Right…" Yuzuha relented, returning to her seat at the table "Hakkai, I'll be honest with you. I called her."
"How?" He stared at her in disbelief.
"I had no choice! If we continued to live under Taiju's orders, we'd end up dead! Like the cows in the Tachibana family pasture!"
"I understand! Calme down!" He readied himself to answer her, holding her shoulders calmly as her eyes grew watery just from exposing the truth that had weighed so heavily on her shoulders. "You know I'll support all your decisions. Your attitude was very brave, Yuzuha. But… Next time, let me know in advance, I'll listen to you no matter what."
He smiled understandingly as he stroked her hair. All I did was watch from afar and wait, until they turned to me, where I understood that they were ready to collaborate this time.
"The last time he showed up was last week," Hakkai explained, now that everyone at the table was tense, I listened attentively to what the Shiba brothers had to tell me, any information was valuable. "On Saturday, if I'm not mistaken, Hinata said that he would arrive late on Sunday, because he had to make a trip alone to buy what he needed for the farm animals. And when he arrived on Sunday morning, two of his cows were lying dead in the pasture. They were so thin and pale that they looked like crushed rotten fruit."
I saw Yuzuha put her hand under her mouth to hold back the disgust rising in her throat.
"It seems that your mother and brother are fine, but your father… He's not back from his trip yet," Yuzuka added, and I paid close attention, "but as she'd rather not risk it, he decided to rent a room in an inn in town. Now the farm and the animals are only living off the pasture where they left them so they wouldn't starve to death, but the likelihood of them being alive is extremely low at this point. Not counting the horses from a nearby farm, the animals that have survived are sick so far."
"I'm surprised the vampire didn't try to kill the girl's family… " I said in a whisper, and they both looked at me startled and then I realized my mistake "oh, sorry, sorry for my lack of sensitivity, I just thought it was really strange. "
"No, it's okay, even I was surprised the vampire didn't try to attack them in the middle of the night," Yuzuha replied, putting her arms together as she stared at the candle and its distorting flame. "A woman and her child alone and defenceless, that's strange... "
"On my journey, I heard various rumors about the Count's castle," I stared at them, looking for any trace of conceit in their eyes, "do you think the vampire might still be there?"
I asked, but then added:
"But before you answer, I want you to keep in mind that this could be a once-in-a-lifetime chance, because until then he doesn't know I exist or that I'm after him. And if they do, they won't let their guard down for a second. So? Can you confirm this information?"
I knew I was putting them under pressure, but it was necessary. While we're talking, someone could be dying from the anemia acquired after the attack.
"'Confirm' would be a very precise term," Hakkai replied, taking my attention.
"What do you mean?"
"After the deaths in the pasture, the men from the trade went out to explore the forest during the day, including me and Hanagaki, Miss Tachibana's betrothed," Yuzuha frowned, hinting that this too had been kept secret until then."We found cuts in the trees and some fresh blood stains in the vicinity of the castle, nothing too significant, but it suggests that he's there."
"That was very helpful," I replied sincerely, "I'll keep that in mind, thank you."
"Speaking of vampires, where did Taiju go?" Hakkai asked, directing her gaze at her older sister, questioning.
She didn't care either, as long as the wretch turned up alive, everything was fine.
"He's going to stay in the church until daylight" His tone was slurred, with a roll of his eyes to finish off his displeasure "Kokonoi and Seishu really are poor bastards."
The brunette almost spat everything out because he wanted to laugh, but he covered his mouth before disaster struck. Yuzuha glared at him angrily.
"Sorry, it was unavoidable."
"Silly."
And he rolled his eyes again before bursting into laughter.
01h50 In the middle of the night
I woke up startled after hearing the window bang, but not a loud bang, something that could only wake me up, so I searched all the corners, as I pulled my sweater over my body and approached the window to close it. After that fright, I couldn't sleep a wink and I thought I could get up right now and find the vampire, but I gave in to tiredness for the moment; I hadn't rested the day before and I could barely doze on the way to Bran. I sat on the bed with the sheets covering my bare legs as I stared at the window and the darkness that surrounded the city. At least the yellowish glow kept me company in the lonely, morbid dawn. The vampire could be anywhere, in any house, in any corner of this city, and knowing that, I can't sleep. The damned won't leave any gaps. I need to act, and fast!
I paced back and forth, trying to pass the time, but I couldn't stand staring at the wood-paneled ceiling and the - now - closed curtains any longer.
I hurriedly put on my clothes and shoes. I picked up my suitcase and threw the dark cloak over my shoulders before leaving. I had to get through the window to make as little noise as possible, so I tied the sheets one by one and fastened them to the foot of the bed, before throwing myself off the window ledge, checking that I was securely tied and finally jumping.
And as Yuzuha had said: "the weather is getting colder".
I thought it was just a cordial comment to invite me into her house, but looking at the experience now I can say, the weather really is getting colder. I wandered through the streets, running down the alleyway between the houses - I needed a safe way to get to the forest. I ducked into an alleyway facing the street, hiding behind the house while staring at the stone floor that led to a path to the church in the distance. Not too close, but not too far either.
I clenched my jaw.
I ran past once more, and with the door open, I saw the inside of the chapel; all the faithful gathered, however, holding bladed weapons and flaming torches. I immediately realized what this was all about: the fools were planning to storm the castle, without even having the necessary preparation.
Now was not the time to waste thinking about what to do. I ran back to where the entrance to the town was supposed to be, then I remembered: There were no loose horses here.
Now behind a carriage, I noticed that the coachman was fast asleep, with his neck hanging over the wooden seat and a hat covering his eyes. I moved closer to check, and yes, he was definitely asleep. I placed the suitcase on the seat, very slowly, and as soon as I'd finished, I covered his face even more. I unceremoniously pushed him out of the wagon, and he jumped up and started shouting "You bastard, get back with my wagon!" and he continued shouting to the four winds, but I didn't hear the rest of the sentence, because I was already far into the forest, advancing through the darkness as the wagon rattled, my only source of light being the lamps hanging next to both windows.
Ahead, only the blackened ground and the hooves of the animals. I could feel the carriage jumping between the small stones so fast, if I kept going at this mad pace I'd wipe out the wheels in a matter of minutes.
The two brown horses were just following the road, galloping fast and with no idea of what might come next; a tree trunk, a rock or a hungry wolf at worst. I held on tightly to the ropes.
Little by little, I could see the castle and its stone towers rising between the trees. My heart was beating fast in my chest, so fast that I couldn't hold back the cynical smile that was gradually taking over the corner of my lips. Soon, the damned aristocrat of the night would be killed by my own hands. I can already feel the splinters of the wooden stake going through his heart as I stab him in the back.
By now, my hair was no longer covered by the cloak, in fact, it was only after all this wind that I noticed it was no longer tied around my shoulders, it had come loose and was flying away. Now, I'm mentally grateful that the skirt of my dress is long. Depending on the circ*mstances, I could be freezing to death, but with the adrenaline coursing through my veins, my blood is hotter than ever. A few more turbulent steps and I'll reach my destination, I just need to climb the hill and keep going straight, and I'll find what I'm looking for.
I smile contemptuously and continue towards the castela, feeling a few drops of rain falling on my face.
it will be bloody.
"Takashi…" The blond man call.
The aristocrat was sitting in the armchair near the fireplace, watching the flames crackle and make pops, pops that he found satisfying to his ears sensitive to the lowest noises and whispers. The blond boy was coming down the stairs when he spotted him, it had been almost a week and nothing, he didn't go out again to riot in the town, he just stood around the castle watching the bats flying and the villagers devoting their faith as they let themselves be consumed by the deepest chaos and the tremor of fear. Takashi no longer showed any signs of interest in what was going on outside, his interest was focused solely on the fireplace, where he tried to familiarize himself with the warmth - without much success - in order to feel more alive, more human.
The melancholy aristocrat of the night had long, lilac hair falling over his cheekbones, and was gently stroking his nose, something velvety and sweet, like the touch of loving human hands.
"What is it, Peh-Yan?" He asked adamantly, this time there was no sign of voracity in his gruff tone of voice, he was too bored, even more so after being shot by a farmer near the forest - the shotgun blast had hit him right in the ribs. His tailor's vest was now covered in crimson, and he hated that dirt on his fine clothes, so he made a point of walking with that closed cloak, wherever he went. The cloak was heavy and with a silver clasp on the front, it made him feel less helpless, less fragile and vulnerable.
If there was one thing Takashi hated, it was vulnerability, more specifically, his vulnerability. He hated looking weak, and that wound - freshly healed - was a fine example of weakness. He had terrorized countless people in his many centuries of life, and now, awakened from a long rest, he saw that he lacked what it took to reign again.
He swept his gaze in Peh-Yan's direction – his long-time friend – responding to his call amid the darkness that surrounded them.
"Do we have guests for tonight?" He approached the leather sofa and casually tossed his long black coat onto its arm.
"No," Came the straightforward reply.
Takashi had already noticed the turbulent and fast approach of something or someone to the castle; it hadn't been a very challenging task. Initially, he thought it could be a werewolf. However, it seemed to be something smaller, much smaller, yet the voracity and the desire for killing were comparable to that of a monster, leaving him intrigued. And the scent was somewhat... excentric. It had been many eras since Takashi had sensed such a palpable and delicious aroma; it was like catching the scent of the gods' feast a few miles away. If he concentrated well, he could even hear the vibrations of a little heart of the little mouse running swiftly towards the lion's mouth.
He felt his mouth salivate.
"So it means we have intruders," Peh-Yan commented with a sigh, closing his eyes and massaging the space between his eyes.
"From what I can see..." He flashed an arrogant smile, lazily recomposing his posture, "Excellent. I'm hungry."
"Don't overdo it."
"You're asking the wrong person for that, my dear friend."
