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The Succubus had a mission.
In the cover of night, underneath the moon she loved so dearly, she stood on the hill overlooking Aljiba, or rather, the ruins of it.
Lord Dracula’s forces had done a fine job wrecking the town, only for that pesky Belmont to ruin all of their hard work.
She watched as the pathetic, tiny specs of humans returned to the only buildings that hadn’t been destroyed. They had been rebuilding their precious little town for the past few months, with some progress.
Did it matter, though? It would be burned down again when Lord Dracula returned once more. She didn’t understand why the humans couldn’t just realize that they had no hope. There was no reason for them to keep doing this when all of their “hard work” would soon go to waste.
And yet, they kept pressing on, determined to keep living.
She watched them say good night to each other. She heard them say “See you tomorrow!”. She couldn’t understand why they were so optimistic.
Sometimes, the Succubus found it so pathetic that she wanted to laugh.
The Succubus despised humans.
They were like tiny insects that were born to be crushed. The world had to be bathed in flames, and the suffering of humans was all that she needed for her goal to be achieved. Her goal would come to fruition when she completed her assignment. An assignment that Lord Dracula had entrusted her with beyond the grave.
Wasn’t it grand? Lord Dracula had a purpose for her, a lower-class demon, even if Shaft had told her about it. She could care less about that priest, even if she trusted him. The only thing she cared about was the return of her Lord, the eternal darkness she so desperately needed. He could put his faith in her. She would do everything in her power for him to return to his rightful throne as the Prince of Darkness.
It was simple: All the Succubus had to do was break down Richter Belmont.
She had to make him helpless. She had to make him pliable. She could just take the easy way out and slaughter all of his loved ones and make him watch, but she had other plans. No, she would make them hate him. She would tear his precious little family apart.
And when Richter was all alone, vulnerable, broken - that’s when she would take him. Shaft had said that he would handle the rest, as he had put a spell on Richter during their fight. The spell would supposedly possess Richter, giving Shaft full control of the hunter. And when the spell was complete, Richter would resurrect Lord Dracula himself. The young Belmont wanted that, of course. He was just too easy.
She knew about Richter’s true desires. It was plain to see that he was lost. With Lord Dracula defeated, Richter had no reason to keep going on. He had completed his duty as a Belmont so early in his life. She could only hope that he would realize that his fantasies could become reality. All he had to do was succumb to the darkness.
Richter was supreme among vampire hunters. If any of them even dared to challenge him, it would result in a pile of corpses. With these hunters dead, only Richter would be left. She supposed there would be no use for him once Lord Dracula returned, though. She would gladly end his misery if her Lord requested it.
And the Succubus simply couldn’t wait.
However, she would let the humans rest… for now. She would give them a year. A year for them to pretend that everything would be just fine.
But when Spring came, she would tear Aljiba down from the inside, and she would start in the house of the Belmont's beloved.
It was only a matter of time.
A year had passed since Dracula’s return.
A year had passed since Annette was kidnapped.
A year had passed since Richter saved her.
A year had passed since Dracula was defeated.
Annette went to sleep every night knowing that Dracula could never hurt her again, but she had this nagging feeling in the back of her mind at all times.
She was familiar with her boyfriend’s world. She knew that Dracula would resurrect once every hundred years. She just happened to be caught in the crossfire this century. She supposed it was bound to happen. She knew Richter. It was only a matter of time before she was dragged into his destiny.
It was over then, wasn’t it? Dracula and his forces wouldn’t throw her life into catastrophe again. She had only been kidnapped for a single night, but it was the worst five hours of her life. But Dracula couldn’t kidnap her again. He was gone, and she would be dead before he was resurrected again. She had nothing to worry about anymore. She was still young, still had her whole life ahead of her.
But whenever she closed her eyes, she could only see that dungeon she was kept in.
It didn’t matter. All of that chaos happened a year ago. She could move on. Her father was a tailor, and she had recently picked up his profession to keep herself occupied. She could see herself as a fine seamstress. She wanted to give back to her community after everything that had happened. She thought about writing, too. She could move on with her life. She was eighteen now, no longer that frightened teenager held captive in the clock tower of Dracula’s Castle.
Annette stepped into her bedroom, chamberstick in hand. She placed it on the bedside table and got under her heavy blankets. They made her feel safe. Sometimes she would imagine the blankets were Richter’s strong arms cradling her.
She was looking forward to seeing him tomorrow. There was still work to be done in Aljiba. Substantial progress had been made to the town, but there were still important landmarks and homes that still needed to be rebuilt. Sometimes she felt as if the work was never over.
Regardless, Annette sat up and gently blew out the candle, her eyes slowly getting used to the darkness. Her only source of light was the moon peering in through the window.
She closed her eyes, preparing for another night of peaceful sleep. She had nightmares from time to time, but she didn’t like to think about them for too long. She was safe. She had nothing to worry about.
Minutes passed. Annette tossed and turned. She tried sleeping on her stomach, and then her back. She stared up at the ceiling, listening to the wind howling and soft hoots of owls in the distance. They comforted her, despite her… fears.
She sighed. She had to admit it. She couldn’t sleep.
Ever since Dracula kidnapped her, Annette began to fear the night itself. It made her seem childish, but who could blame her? Monsters and vampires roamed the streets and the hills at night. Practically everyone feared the night, but she had a special, horrible experience with it. It was only a matter of time until it reached her again. Some of Dracula’s forces were still out there, weren’t they?
Richter would protect her. She knew that he would always be there for her. He saved her once, and he could save her again. And if he wasn’t there, she could protect herself. She always kept a knife under her pillow, just in case. And if she couldn’t harm the monster, she would just end herself.
She would rather die than become one of them.
Annette sighed. She shouldn’t have been thinking of such things late at night. It just made her feel even worse.
She closed her eyes once more, hoping to get a few decent hours of sleep in.
That is, until she heard strange noises against the glass of the window by her side.
Tap. Scratch.
It had to be a branch tapping at her window. An apple tree was right next to the house, after all.
Silence.
Tap. Scratch.
Maybe it was a raccoon. Maybe one of the neighbor’s dogs had gotten out and felt like bothering her.
The sounds stopped for a moment. She exhaled.
Tap. Scratch.
The sounds grew louder and louder, blaring in her ears.
She held her breath, refusing to move.
Annette opened her eyes. She looked to the right.
A pair of orange eyes were at the window.
Annette instantly sat up and rubbed her eyes. Was this real? Did that actually just happen? She looked at the window again, only to find the full moon and the parted drapes staring back at her. The sounds had stopped, as well.
She sat there for a few moments, expecting the orange eyes and the odd sounds to return.
And yet, neither of them did.
I must be seeing things, Annette thought to herself.
She got out of bed and opened the window, taking a look outside, just to be sure. Whoever, or whatever, owned those orange eyes was nowhere to be seen. Maybe they never existed in the first place and Annette was just losing her mind.
Annette closed the window and the drapes. She got back into bed, practically burying herself under the covers. She closed her eyes, hoping for the night to be over soon.
Annette turned on her side and eventually fell asleep, failing to notice that those orange eyes were at her window again.
Annette stood in a grove, surrounded by apple trees.
Autumn leaves fell around her, the apple trees turning from green to orange to red. A calm breeze blew throughout the grove and kissed her skin. The sun shone down on her, and she soaked in its rays.
She looked behind to see the house, her father visible from the window. He waved at her, but he was too far away for her to properly see. He had no discernable facial features, but she waved back nonetheless.
It was peaceful. Annette hadn’t felt such peace in months.
She walked down a grassy path, but she noticed a figure at the end of the road.
It was an unnaturally beautiful woman, with long, dark red hair with black tips.
Her piercing orange eyes stared deeply into Annette’s turquoise ones. She walked towards Annette, a crimson apple in her hand. She threw the fruit into the air, catching it every time in a leisurely manner. There was something off about her, but Annette couldn’t tell what.
But as she walked closer and closer to Annette, everything around the woman died.
A trail of rot followed behind her. The apple trees’ leaves wilted and fell to the ashen, dead ground. Worms crawled out of the apples and fell to the ground, digging into the soil. The blue sky turned a shade of gray, clouds covering up the sun.
And yet, the apple in the woman’s hand was perfectly fine.
Annette didn’t know what to do.
It was at that moment she realized that she couldn’t move, as if she was in a trance.
No matter how hard she tried to move her limbs, Annette was completely stuck in place.
Eventually, the woman reached her, total rot and pain and sweet misery behind her. She was taller than Annette, staring down at her with an odd smile on her red lips.
The woman broke off a piece of the apple with her sharp fingernails, offering it to her. Annette couldn’t move, but she opened her mouth. The woman gently pressed her thumb to Annette’s lower lip and fed the apple slice to her.
Annette stood there, slowly chewing on the apple slice. She expected the sweet, crisp taste of the fruit, but was instead met with… nothing?
The apple had no taste whatsoever. She felt as if she was eating saltwater in solid form.
The woman placed her hand on Annette’s chin, a light blush on her cheeks. She traced her sharp fingernail across her lower lip, her orange eyes focused.
The woman then stabbed Annette’s lower lip, dark red blood and apple juice spilling from Annette’s mouth.
And yet, neither her own blood or the juice from the woman’s apple had any taste.
Regardless, a sharp pain surged in Annette’s lower lip, and she fell to her knees, bringing her hand to her mouth. Involuntary tears spilled from her eyes, seeping into the dying ground underneath her. The woman looked oddly remorseful from her actions, a genuinely worried expression on her pale face.
Annette didn’t understand.
The woman sat down, reaching Annette’s level. She brought a hand to Annette’s cheek, caressing it, tucking a strand of lavender hair behind her ear, as if she was telling her that everything was going to be okay. She would make things right.
The woman lingered for a moment, staring into her eyes. Annette only sat there, returning her gaze.
The woman kissed Annette.
Annette jolted upright.
For some odd reason, she expected to see the woman at the foot of her bed, but nothing was there. Only her wardrobe and the desk Richter had built for her stared back at her.
The sun peeked through her window. A rooster called out in the distance. She could still smell the remains of the melted wax from the candle on her bedside table.
She sighed. It was just a dream, then. She wondered if everything that preceded the dream was even real in the first place.
She looked out the window again, the shadow of the apple tree visible. She stared at the tree for what felt like hours.
Annette pressed her slim fingers to her lips.
Still feeling the ghost of the kiss the woman with red hair had given her in her dream.
After eating breakfast with her father, Annette walked out into the town.
When Annette returned to Aljiba after Richter saved her, her father had become extremely overprotective of her for the following months. It took a lot of convincing, but he eventually let her leave home on her own. She knew everyone in Aljiba, trusted them. They would never hurt her, and Dracula would never return.
Sometimes Annette wished that she followed her own advice, though.
Her father realized that she was surrounded by people that loved her. Of course, she couldn’t blame him for worrying about her so much. She was just glad that the nightmare was over, that her life could finally go back to normal. She was happy that her father knew that, too. He still fretted over her from time to time, but things were mostly the way they used to be.
However, a small part of Annette wasn’t sure if Aljiba would ever recover from what happened that night.
Her plan for the day was to purchase food from the market and meet Richter and Maria at the shelter by the river. Aljiba had been mostly rebuilt, but some people’s homes were still being fixed. Some of them didn’t even have homes to return to in the first place. Annette spent most of her time at the shelter nowadays, helping those in need.
It felt good to give back to her community. Richter and Maria would often accompany her and help the shelter’s residents. Of course, Richter mostly got all the attention (the children would beg Richter to tell them vampire hunting tales), but Annette didn’t mind. He deserved it after everything he had done for the town.
Annette wondered if the spotlight ever bothered him, though. Richter had a big heart. His positive attitude was practically contagious. He had a natural charisma to him. He was sociable, reveled in the attention. He never let it get to his head, though. Despite everything, Richter was still humble. He would just laugh off the compliments and the hushed “oohs!” and “ahs!” of wonder from the townspeople.
As if he hadn’t saved their lives from Dracula.
Sometimes Annette wished that people loved her as much as they loved Richter.
Of course, Annette knew people loved her. She was lucky to have them. She was lucky that they stayed with her after she was kidnapped.
She was used to staying in the background, even before she met Richter. She was happy for him, though. He deserved everything good and then some. So many people looked up to him, loved him. She supposed those were just the perks of dating a vampire hunter and the next Belmont heir.
What would Richter do now, though? He had defeated Dracula. Perhaps he just wanted to live in peace for the rest of his life, same as Annette. She would gladly join him. She would keep working as a seamstress, keep helping people at the shelter. Maybe she would travel to France someday, the homeland of her ancestors, but Aljiba was all that she had ever known. It would be difficult for her to leave home.
She doubted she ever would, considering her fear that she would get kidnapped again. Maybe she truly wasn’t ready to be alone after all.
She sighed. That night was over. She didn’t have to worry anymore. That was what she kept telling herself.
Annette arrived at the shelter once her grocery trip was done, a bag of various fruits and vegetables in her arms. She opened the door to see the residents going about their day, eating breakfast and simply spending time together. Some less fortunate townspeople were treated by nurses. A woman read a storybook to a group of children. It was moments like these that reminded Annette that her life wasn’t so bad after all.
She spotted Richter and Maria sitting at a table by the window playing chess together. Richter looked relaxed as ever, while Maria had a focused expression on her face, her hands knitted underneath her chin.
Annette had a lot of empathy for Maria. They were both kidnapped by Dracula, and Maria’s parents had been unfortunately killed on the same night. Luckily, Richter’s parents adopted her and she lived in the Belmont Mansion with her adopted siblings now.
The difference was that Maria could protect herself, even if she was just a child. It was hard to believe that she was thirteen years old now, and she still hunted vampires with her immense powers. She had an adventurous spirit. She doubted she would ever grow out of it. Annette loved that about her.
She wondered if Maria would ever be able to fully process her trauma. She was so positive, same as Richter. That didn’t stop Annette from worrying, though.
Annette walked to the shelter’s small kitchen and handed the groceries to the cook, the two of them conversing for a bit about the morning’s harvest. They had a small garden just outside the shelter, which Annette spent a lot of her time in. She returned to the main hall to meet Richter and Maria, still playing their game. She noticed how none of the pieces had moved since she last saw them.
“There you are!” Richter’s face lit up when he saw Annette.
Richter approached Annette and picked her up, twirling her once and pressing a kiss onto her cheek after he set her down.
“It’s good to see you, too, Richter,” Annette smiled, pulling her boyfriend into a hug.
“Hey!” Maria called impatiently. “What about our game?!”
“I know you’ve been cheating for the past twenty minutes, Maria.” Richter teased.
“Oh, you’re no fun!” Maria huffed.
“And yet, I’m letting you cheat.” Richter replied playfully. “You should have more appreciation for your poor big brother.”
Annette laughed at their one-sided bickering. There was never a dull moment when she was with Richter and Maria.
Suddenly, the door to the front entrance slowly opened.
A woman stepped into the shelter.
Annette didn’t recognize her. She wasn’t one of the locals. It was strange. Aljiba was one of those towns where everyone knew everyone. Maybe this woman was a traveler seeking out aid.
The woman was tall, with long red hair and piercing orange eyes. She was dressed in a tattered, hooded cloak and worn sandals. She clearly wasn’t from Aljiba.
Annette stood there, staring at the woman. She was strikingly beautiful, with sharp facial features and long eyelashes. Her body was seemingly perfect, everything a woman could ask for. There was an air of sadness to those droopy orange eyes of hers. She looked tired. Cold.
Annette just couldn't look away from her. It was strange.
She looked exactly like the woman from Annette’s dream.
“Hello there.” Annette nodded towards the woman after what felt like hours. “Welcome to the shelter.”
“... It’s nice to meet you.” The woman said as she stepped closer to Annette, her voice low and oddly sultry.
She sounded exhausted, though. Maybe unsure.
“Do you need any help?” Richter asked as he approached the woman with a friendly smile. “You look like you haven’t slept in days. Are you hungry? We can provide you with a meal, if you’d like.”
“Thank you, but…” The woman looked around nervously. “I’m from Aldra. My home was completely destroyed by Dracula’s forces. I’ve been wandering for a year now. I… I have nowhere else to go. Please, I need your help.”
The woman seemed desperate.
“You’re always welcome here.” Richter smiled warmly at the woman. “There’s plenty of room here for you, if you’d like to stay.”
The woman’s head perked up at that, considering Richter’s offer.
“And your name is…?” Annette asked, extending her hand out.
“Serena.” The woman introduced herself after a few moments, as if she had forgotten her own name.
Serena. What a beautiful name. It fit her looks, too.
Serena stared at Annette’s hand for a moment. Did they not shake hands where she came from? Annette feared that she had offended Serena for a moment, but she eventually took her hand, gently shaking it. She let go almost instantly, though. Annette didn’t mind. Maybe she hadn’t felt the touch of another person in a while.
“I’m Annette. It's nice to meet you.” Annette smiled. She gestured to the two people next to her. “This is Richter and Maria. We’d be happy to help you in any way we can.”
The woman didn’t respond, an unsure expression on her face.
Maybe she was just scared. Maybe she wasn’t used to such kindness. Annette couldn’t imagine what she had gone through in the past year.
She could relate to her. Both of their homes had been destroyed, but Serena wasn’t as fortunate as Annette. Annette was far from lucky. Everyone in Aljiba had suffered, were still suffering, but many of the residences had been rebuilt. The same couldn’t be said for Serena’s hometown. Her heart ached for her. Did she have any family or friends? Did anyone care about her? Or was she completely alone?
Annette didn’t know why, but she felt that she needed to protect Serena. Keep her safe.
“You really don’t have any place to stay?” Maria asked, joining the conversation, her blue eyes wide with curiosity as she shyly hid behind Richter.
“That’s right.” Serena said sadly. “I… I hope I won’t be too much of a burden to you.”
“Why would you be?” Annette asked. “This shelter was made for people in your situation. And anyone else, really. Practically everyone is welcome here. Including you, Serena.”
Serena nodded at that.
“Don’t worry, we’re all friendly here.” Richter reassured her. “And if you ever get into any issues, you can always come to me or Annette or the director of the shelter.”
“I can help too!” Maria insisted, looking up at Serena with a warm smile.
“Thank you, really.” Serena sniffled. Was she about to cry? “For everything. And I’ve only just gotten here, too. I guess I should’ve come to Aljiba sooner if I had known everyone was so kind.”
“And we’re happy to have you.” Richter gently patted Serena on the shoulder. “You can stay for as long as you’d like. You can count on us.”
“Here.” Annette began, gently taking Serena’s hand in her own. She didn’t flinch. “Come with me. Let’s get you some breakfast and a hot bath. And some new clothes, too.”
“Help her get settled in. Make sure she feels at home, too.” Richter said to Annette, but he nodded towards the impatient thirteen-year-old beside him. “Maria will bother me all day if we don’t finish our game.”
“I heard that!” Maria pouted in faux annoyance. “I’m standing right beside you!”
Annette and Richter shared a laugh while Serena looked at them curiously. She eventually nodded and walked with Annette, still holding her hand.
Serena’s hand was extremely cold, but it didn’t bother Annette. She would keep her warm.
Annette noticed the other residents looking at her and Serena with interest as they passed through the halls of the shelter. She heard them whispering amongst themselves, catching “Annette made a new friend?” and “I’ve never seen her before…”. Annette really hoped that Serena would feel at home here.
The residents weren’t unwelcoming, far from it, but they had established such a tight-knit community that Annette worried that Serena would have trouble fitting in with and getting to know the other residents. They were gossipy in general, but they never really spread rumors. Everyone in Aljiba knew each other. A new person was almost always rare.
And after Dracula had wreaked havoc on their town? Visitors were practically nonexistent.
Serena seemed to accept Annette’s help fairly quickly, though. She couldn’t imagine what she had gone through in the past year. To be without a home for that long… Annette could never manage that.
When Annette looked at Serena, she had this overwhelming feeling that she needed to help her.
Well, her father always told her that she was too kind for her own good. She hated any form of injustice, and she had experienced it at the hands of Dracula. Richter had, too. So did Maria and everyone else in Aljiba. So did Serena and the people of Aldra (if Serena had survived, Annette could only wonder what happened to the others). The same could’ve happened to all of Transylvania and possibly the rest of the world if Richter hadn’t defeated Dracula.
She understood if Serena didn’t want to stay in the shelter for too long. Maybe she would return to Aldra someday. She couldn’t imagine being away from her home. She had been kidnapped after all, but it wasn’t the same as her entire town being obliterated.
As the two women walked, Annette thought about Serena’s minimal interactions with Richter and Maria, as she immediately latched onto Annette. She was a bit surprised towards Serena’s reaction, or lack of, to Richter. Many of the residents of the shelter immediately fawned over him and asked him questions about vampire hunting, but maybe Serena hadn’t heard of the Belmont family before, which would be odd: practically everyone knew the Belmonts. Or she was just too focused on Annette.
“Here, have a seat.” Annette pulled up a chair for Serena at one of the tables once they entered the dining area. “You need a nice, filling meal.”
Serena only hummed in response, her orange eyes drifting across the room.
Minutes later, Annette returned to Serena, a hot bowl of pork stew and a spoon in her hands. She set them down on the table with a nervous smile. Her cooking wasn’t the best in the world, but she still put effort into everything she did. She really should’ve spent more time with the cook at the shelter, though. She could learn a thing or two.
“What is it?” Serena asked, staring at the stew with an expression Annette couldn’t read.
Annette didn’t know how to respond. Did Serena’s family never give her stew? Had she not seen stew in so long that she had forgotten what it was? Oh, that was just silly of Annette. She shouldn’t have pondered all these things about Serena.
She guessed she couldn’t help it. She was so mysterious, after all. For some odd reason, she felt so drawn to her. It didn’t make any sense. She had only just met her. And yet, she wanted to get to know her, what she liked, what she did, what her family might be like. She just wanted to be friendly. She wanted to welcome her.
“It’s just some pork stew.” Annette replied, rubbing the back of her neck. “I’m not the best cook, but I hope you like it, at least.”
Serena stared at the bowl, steam kissing her face and turning her pale cheeks a light red.
It was odd. Annette wasn’t one to judge someone by their appearance, but Serena was unnaturally pale. Almost inhuman.
Almost like Dracula.
Annette closed her eyes for a moment. The last thing she wanted was to think about him again. She didn’t want to embarrass herself in front of Serena, either.
Oh, well. Perhaps Serena just didn’t get enough sun. She was wearing a hooded cloak when she met her, after all.
“Oh, do you not eat pork?” Annette asked. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know.”
“It’s alright.” Serena mustered a small smile. Annette wished she could capture that smile in her mind forever. “I just… haven’t eaten in a while, is all. I’m just taking it in.”
Annette immediately felt a surge of sympathy for Serena at that. How did she even survive? How did she get by every day? Annette couldn’t stand to see her so hurt anymore, and she had only just met her. Serena couldn’t live like this anymore. She needed to be someplace safe, where she could eat as much food as she needed and get as much sleep as she wanted.
She didn’t need to suffer anymore. She should’ve never suffered in the first place.
“Oh, I’m so sorry to hear that.” Annette frowned. “Please, have as much as you like. I can make you more if you’re still hungry, too.”
Serena nodded and picked up the spoon while Annette took a seat across the table from her. She placed a spoonful of broth and small pieces of pork in her mouth. She ate slowly, taking her time and savoring the taste. She was quiet for a while, eating in silence. She looked as if she was concentrating, like eating stew was comparable to studying for a difficult exam.
Annette glanced at Serena as she ate, resting her chin on her hands. She was at a loss for words, but Serena seemed to be enjoying herself, the smallest hint of a smile in her lips. She looked at her orange eyes, her long eyelashes causing her eyes to look almost droopy. There had to be a world behind those deep eyes of hers.
Annette wanted to know everything about her- if she would let her, of course.
“So?” Annette asked. “What do you think?”
“It’s filling, that’s for sure.” Serena said in-between a mouthful of pork.
Annette would’ve been slightly disgusted by such lack of manners, but she understood where Serena came from. She wanted to ask her how long it had been since she ate a good meal, but she worried she would overstep her boundaries. She doubted she was ready to talk about everything that had happened to her in the past year.
“I like it.” Serena said quietly. “Thank you very much. Really, I can’t thank you enough. You’re very kind.”
“Of course.” Annette smiled sheepishly, unaware of the blush creeping across her cheeks. “So, what will you do now?”
“Well, I don’t know if I’ll stay here.” Serena replied with a thoughtful hum, idly stirring her spoon in the bowl. “I appreciate the meal, really, but I have to keep moving. I need to see if there are survivors from Aldra out there. And even if I did stay here… I have the feeling it wouldn’t last forever.”
Annette nodded, but she paused, staring at Serena’s pale hands. What did she mean? She was glad that she had hope about finding the other people from her town, but did she not wish to stay in the shelter? Where else would she go?
It was dangerous to travel alone at night. Any sane person knew that. The hills and streets were crawling with monsters, creatures, and other horrors only God knew. Serena was extremely vulnerable. She would be easy prey. Annette couldn’t let her be alone. She couldn’t let her get hurt again, not after everything she had been through already. Dracula had hurt so many people.
It was strange. Annette felt his overwhelming need to protect Serena, and she had only just met her.
She didn’t expect the next words to come out of her mouth.
“Would… Would you like to come live with me?” Annette asked. “There’s plenty of room now that our home has been rebuilt. I’m sure my father wouldn’t mind, either. He likes meeting new people, and I’m sure he’ll like you. To tell you the truth, things have been pretty dull in that house. But… It’s nice. I think you’d like it there. Only if you want to, of course. Ah, I’m sorry. I should’ve never asked.”
Serena stared at her for a moment with her droopy orange eyes. She then erupted into a fit of laughter. She threw her head back as she laughed, her chest rising and falling, her long red hair cascading down her back.
A crooked smile formed on Annette’s lips. Serena had the most beautiful laughter she had ever heard.
“It’s alright,” Serena replied once she had finished laughing, seemingly amused by Annette’s offer and subsequent rambling. “I think I’d love to come live with you. I don’t think the residents here like me, anyway. I don’t think I would get along with them either.”
Annette wasn’t really sure what Serena meant by that, but she was overjoyed that she accepted her offer. She was overjoyed to see her so happy, too. They had only just met, and she already felt a strong connection with her.
“Really?” Annette asked. “You would come live with me?”
“Don’t make me change my mind.” Serena winked at Annette.
Well, Annette didn’t expect Serena to have a playful side. She didn’t know why that gesture made her blush, too.
“Starting today, we’re roommates then, huh?” Annette asked as she stood up. “Friends?”
She walked over to Serena and held her hand out, offering it to her. Serena gently took her hand and stood up. Her perpetually cold hand sent chills down her spine.
“Yes.” Serena nodded with a grin. “ Friends. ”
Annette couldn’t wait to get to know this mysterious, hauntingly beautiful woman.
The Succubus couldn’t believe just how easy it was.
She had a knack for manipulating humans, but this? It was almost laughable. In fact, she couldn’t stop laughing when she heard Annette’s offer. She almost let her disguise slip at that moment, too.
It seemed this Annette girl was just as stupid as her Belmont boyfriend. The Succubus would be done with this rotten town in no time. She would break down Richter in under a year. She couldn’t wait to see him and the rest of those pathetic humans grovel at her heels. Annette was only a liability, but the Succubus would have a little fun with her. She was living in her house, after all. She had invited her, after all.
She had her wrapped around her finger.
Annette had spelled out her doom with her own hands. The thought of it was almost sad, but the Succubus wasn’t sentimental. Far from it, actually. She couldn’t wait to relish in her tears.
Humans were nothing more than her prey. Humans were innately cruel. There was no such thing as an innocent human. They deserved pain. They deserved death. Annette and Richter deserved everything that would come to them soon. The Succubus didn't expect Annette to be so kind, though. She was a bit confused by that at first.
The Succubus was born in the flames of Hell. She had only known two important things in her long life: All humans must be eradicated, and Lord Dracula was the true ruler of all worlds. She was happy to serve him. She couldn’t wait for this world to be bathed in darkness, as it always should’ve been since the beginning of time.
But Annette held her hand out to her, cooked her food, and invited her to come live with her.
She was remarkably kind, that girl. Possibly the kindest human the Succubus had ever met. The Succubus didn’t know many humans throughout her life, anyway. She didn’t expect Annette to trust her so easily. Humans were usually wary of strangers, but Annette welcomed her with open arms.
She initially thought Annette’s kindness was superficial. There was no way a human could be that hospitable without some kind of ulterior motive.
But when she looked into those turquoise eyes of hers, she knew that she was telling the truth.
The Succubus didn't need to dwell on it. Her disguise worked, she had put on a compelling performance (a few tears here and there might’ve heightened it, though), she would get her part of Shaft’s operation done quickly, and that was all that mattered.
The plan was finally in motion.
Annette and the Succubus left the shelter some hours later, as Annette introduced her to the other residents and they ate lunch together with them, Richter, and Maria. The Succubus had to resist the urge to kill Richter right then and there, but that wasn’t part of the plan. She had to savor his downfall, of course. Ripping his throat out would be too quick.
And where was the fun in that?
It was strange, eating human food. Succubi and incubi didn’t exactly need to eat, as they fed off of human energy. She didn’t really enjoy the food Annette gave her, anyway. The stew didn’t taste like much of anything to her. If she was being honest, the Succubus doubted she had any taste buds. Regardless, she ate with a smile on her lips, just to make Annette think that she gave a damn.
Maria and Richter said their goodbyes and retreated to the Belmont Mansion (The Succubus would need to get there eventually) before the sun went down. They knew better than to stay out at night, of course. They were smart: they were vampire hunters, after all. She couldn’t wait to be rid of them.
Annette’s home was a quaint two-story building, clearly lived-in. Annette’s room was full of little personal trinkets. The first floor was for the tailoring business, while Annette, her father, and now the Succubus lived on the second floor.
There was a garden in the backyard, and a guest room just for the Succubus. Annette told her that she and her father added the guest room when their home was being rebuilt, mostly for when Richter, Maria, or her friends Iris and Tera would sleep over.
Annette insisted that it was all hers for as long as she needed it, though.
Annette’s father was a short man with brown eyes and short lavender hair, similar to his daughter. He smiled the same as her, too. He spoke in a quiet voice, barely above a whisper. His eyes were worn and tired, clearly from working so much. The Succubus doubted he made any business, though.
Annette’s father didn’t seem to mind the Succubus’ sudden appearance. The more the merrier, he had said. He had also said that he was glad Annette was making friends, for once. She was antisocial, then? Well, the Succubus would certainly take advantage of that. She was practically an expert in preying on the weak and lonely, two traits that fit Annette perfectly.
The three of them ate dinner together. Annette and her father laughed with each other as they chatted, but the Succubus could barely keep up with the conversation. What did it matter to her, though? She honestly couldn’t care less about them.
Annette’s father asked her many questions. Nothing invasive, of course. Basically the same things Annette asked her at the shelter. The Succubus told him about her “horrible tragedy”. He expressed his sympathies. Gave her an extra bread roll out of pity.
It was so, so easy.
After dinner, the Succubus took a bath, despite Annette’s protests.
“You shouldn’t bathe after you eat.” Annette had said. “You’ll have trouble digesting.”
An old wives’ tale, superstition. Humans were so strange.
There was a bathroom in the guest room, albeit a very small one. There was a window, moonbeams pouring in and drapes gently flowing. She stared up at the moon for a few moments, relishing in it. How she loved the night. One day this act would be over and she could finally quit pretending. One day this entire world would be drowning in darkness.
The Succubus stripped down and filled the washbasin with water, a sponge in her hand. Surely anyone would take advantage of this newfound hospitality, right?
Once she was done, a night gown was laid out on the right side of the bed in the guest room for the Succubus. On the left, she found a dress, shoes, and a necklace. The dress was very much reminiscent of Annette’s traditional, feminine style. Perhaps it was one of Annette’s dresses, then.
How cute.
The Succubus put on the nightgown, the fabric brushing against her feet and fluttering to the ground. Succubi were nocturnal, but she would have to get used to sleeping during the night and being awake during the day if this performance of hers was going to be any more convincing.
She left the guest room and passed by Annette’s father’s room, wishing him a good night. He told her the same, and that he hoped she would like it here. She only nodded in response.
She walked to Annette’s room, knocking on the door. Annette greeted her with a smile, also dressed in a nightgown, her long lavender hair reaching her chest. The two women bid each other good night, but before the Succubus could leave, Annette gently pulled her into a hug.
Oh. The Succubus had never been hugged before.
She didn’t protest, as the embrace only lasted for a few seconds. Her touch was so gentle.
For some odd reason, the Succubus wished Annette had held her for just a little longer.
She quickly pushed this feeling to the side.
The Succubus returned to her room. She climbed into bed, staring up at the ceiling. The covers, sheets, and pillows were surprisingly comfortable. Perhaps humans were good for something after all.
She closed her eyes, thinking about just how satisfying the moment when Annette’s life crumbled before her very eyes would be.
This would all be worth it.
Annette had grown more intrigued by her newfound roommate.
Serena was an odd woman, there was no doubt about it. She mostly listened to Annette, as she was a woman of few words. It was hard to joke with her sometimes, as she had a dark sense of humor. But Annette felt herself drawn to her more and more each day she spent with her.
She seemed to still be getting used to life in Aljiba and working at the tailoring shop. When Annette taught her how to make a hat, Serena got the hang of it easily, but she struggled with dresses and suits.
Annette assured her that she would be an expert one day. And even if she wasn’t, she would still appreciate everything she did.
She seemed to enjoy gardening the most, though. Annette spotted Serena curiously staring at their garden one day. She decided to indulge her, teaching her the basics. Spring was the perfect time for gardening, after all. Serena was especially drawn to the dark roses that grew near the apple tree.
It was strange, though. Annette knew little about Serena’s hobbies, or if she even had any in the first place. Her obliviousness towards tailoring and gardening confused her, too. Of course, not everyone was experienced in the topics, but Serena acted as if she had never heard of such things, her sentences short and awkward.
Serena was a very private person. The only information Annette knew about her was that her entire town was destroyed by Dracula’s forces and that she had been wandering around Transylvania for a year. She never spoke about her life in Aldra or her family members and friends. She never spoke about what Aldra was like, either.
Annette supposed that Serena just didn’t want to talk about it. She understood. She respected that. Annette didn’t like talking about her trauma either. She barely talked about her kidnapping to her father, Richter, or Maria anymore.
It was over and done with. She didn’t want to bother them. She supposed Serena didn’t want to bother Annette and her father about her town.
Perhaps they could bond over that, their shared past with Dracula. She assumed Serena had never met him before, as his forces of monsters and creatures of the night had demolished Aldra.
Annette had been face to face with Dracula, though. She still remembered how he caressed her chin, offering her eternal life. She still remembered pointing her knife at her throat, threatening to take her own life if he-
Annette shook away the thought. She didn’t want to think about it. She only wanted Serena in her thoughts.
Despite Annette’s understanding of Serena’s desire for privacy, she still wanted to know everything about her, but she would never act on it unless Serena opened up to her. She didn’t want to rush things between them. They had only known each other for a few months, after all.
She wondered what Serena’s childhood was like, how old she was, if she was studying or if she worked before her world was flipped upside down. Did she have nightmares about her trauma too? Did she fear for her future? Perhaps one day Annette would learn the answers to her questions.
Annette sat by the vanity in her bedroom, combing her long purple hair, the sun shining down through her open window.
Today was a special day, just like every Wednesday of the week, when she, Iris, and Tera would meet up for tea near the church. It was particularly beautiful at this time of year, too. Spring had to be Annette’s favorite season, right next to Winter for the Christmas spirit.
Annette, Iris, and Tera had all been kidnapped by Dracula. They knew each other before that night, but they rarely interacted. Iris trained as a nurse with her father at his clinic, while Tera was a nun who lived at the church. They became close after reconnecting with each other, and they decided to meet every Wednesday to discuss just about everything in their lives, save for the trauma.
Iris and Tera were much more open about their experiences with Dracula, but Annette couldn’t say the same about herself. She merely kept to herself, listening to Iris and Tera’s conversations.
Annette walked past her father’s work room and bid him goodbye. She walked down the steps and to the front door, turning the knob, but she heard footsteps approaching her.
“Where are you going?” Serena asked, standing in the hallway in a strangely ominous manner, her orange eyes staring at Annette.
“Ah, I usually have tea with Iris and Tera by the church every Wednesday.” Annette explained. “Say, would you like to come?”
“... Sure.” Serena said after a few moments of consideration. “I’d like to go with you. It would be nice to go see the town.”
“I’m happy to hear that.” Annette replied.
She was surprised that she hadn’t had the opportunity to introduce Serena to Iris and Tera yet. Serena only really interacted with Annette and her father, but she got along well with Richter and Maria whenever they met, even if she was a little quiet. Annette didn’t blame her. She became nervous around people she didn’t know all that well, too.
The two of them prepared to leave, but Serena’s choker was a bit lopsided. Annette approached her and gently straightened it back into place.
“Now you’re ready.” Annette smiled. “Come on, I’m sure they’ll love you.”
Serena only nodded, following Annette out of the house, the doorbell ringing as the door was opened.
Annette swore she saw a slight blush on Serena’s cheeks when she readjusted her choker.
When Annette and Serena reached the church, Iris and Tera were there waiting for them, the two women waving to them.
Iris was dressed in her Sunday best, her auburn braids trailing down her back, while Tera still wore her usual nun cassock, her teal hair tied into a high ponytail with a yellow ribbon. Annette sometimes wondered if her cassock was the only clothes that she owned.
Tera was an orphan, as the church adopted her when she was just a small child. She dedicated herself to religion, always praying and spreading the good word. She spent most of her time at church, but she would help out at the shelter and visit the market from time to time.
Iris was much more social and visited the shelter more frequently, as she would help the sick and injured residents. She was only still training to be a nurse now, but she hoped to become a doctor, just like her father.
That was something all three of them had in common, and how they became fast friends. They all had a natural desire to help people. Annette believed that it gave her a purpose in life, something she struggled with after her kidnapping.
She just wouldn’t admit it to anyone, though. She didn’t want anyone to think of her as weak.
“Now, who is this?” Iris asked with intrigue in her expressive green eyes.
“You never told us you made a new friend, Annette!” Tera smiled, stepping closer to Serena.
“My name is Serena.” Serena introduced herself with a curtsy, holding her dark red skirt out.
“We met at the shelter.” Annette explained. “She’ll be joining us for tea today, if that’s alright with you two.”
“Why, it’s more than alright!” Iris grinned. “It’s not everyday someone new comes around. It would be a nice change of pace, you know?”
“Any friend of Annette is a friend of ours.” Tera said in her quiet, thoughtful voice of hers, nodding in agreement with Iris.
Serena only nodded, actually looking a bit shy. Annette gently patted her on the back, hopefully getting the message across that she had nothing to worry about. Iris and Tera were good people. The gesture seemed to work, a small smile forming on Serena’s lips.
The four women arrived at their spot by the church. They sat down at the table, enough chairs for each of them. The table was situated between two apple trees, and the spot offered a beautiful view of the town. Birds chirped in the trees, their cries caught in the soft Spring winds. The women began their Wednesday ritual: preparing and drinking tea.
“So, Serena, tell me everything .” Iris began as she aimlessly swirled her spoon in her cup of tea. “What brings you to Aljiba? We don’t get many visitors too often.”
“My town was destroyed by Dracula last year. I barely escaped, unlike the others.” Serena explained, staring at the cup of tea before her. “I went to Aljiba seeking shelter after wandering for about a year. Annette pretty much took me under her wing. I’ve been living with her and her father for some time now.”
“Oh, I’m so sorry for your loss.” Tera sadly shook her head at the mention of Serena’s town. “How tragic. God rest their souls.”
“Well, I’m glad you and Annette found each other.” Iris offered comfort to Serena. “Annette is the best of us.”
“Oh, you’re just saying that…” Annette blushed.
The conversation soon shifted away from Serena’s life, as she didn’t have much to say. Tera and Iris didn’t push. They knew how painful it was to talk about Dracula.
Instead, Tera talked about a recent mass that nearly bored her to death, and Iris discussed excitedly about a patient she had helped at the shelter recently. Serena was mostly quiet as they spoke, but her head perked up during Iris’ story.
“So, your father is a doctor?” Serena asked, genuine curiosity in her voice.
“Yes, and I've become a nurse!” Iris smiled, but her tone of voice turned sheepish. “Well, I'm still studying.”
“I see.” Serena nodded. “Why didn't you save them?”
Tera and Annette exchanged confused glances.
“What?” Iris asked, dumbfounded.
“Why didn't you save them?” Serena repeated. “You're a healer. You could've saved the entire town.”
“I… I don’t understand what you’re talking about.” Iris frowned.
“So many people were killed when Dracula’s forces invaded your town.” Serena explained. “I don’t understand. Why couldn’t you save them? They needed your help. You’re a nurse. It’s your responsibility.”
“I helped them as much as I could after Richter saved me.” Iris said. “I’ve devoted so much of my time at the shelter.”
“But you did nothing when the town was being destroyed.”
“I… We did everything we could.” Iris mumbled. “My father, he was there, he-”
“Oh, there's that ‘we’,” Serena scoffed, rolling her eyes. “Your father has nothing to do with this. Look at you, blaming others for your own failures. How could you?”
“I was kidnapped!” Iris insisted, her voice rising. “When I came back, I still helped anyone I could-”
“Anyone?” Serena raised an eyebrow. “Not everyone? I don’t understand your choice of words. Iris.”
“Serena,” Annette began, placing her hand on Serena’s shoulder. She had never seen this side of her before. “Please, just cut it out-”
“Answer me!” Serena yelled, seemingly genuine anger and hurt in her voice. “Why didn’t you save them? Where were you?!”
“I… I…” Iris stuttered, at a loss for words.
Annette and Tera were completely silent, the both of them barely knowing how to defuse the situation. Annette didn’t know what to think of Serena’s actions. She had never said anything like this to Annette, her father, Richter, or Maria before.
“You sicken me,” Serena huffed, staring at Iris with dark eyes.
Silence followed soon after.
The silence was promptly interrupted as soft whimpering noises emitted from Iris’ mouth.
Oh. She was crying.
Serena had made Iris cry.
Annette was stunned. She had absolutely no idea what to do.
“Oh, Iris!” Tera cried out as she hurried to Iris’ side, wrapping an arm around her side and rubbing circles on her back. “Oh, don’t cry.”
Iris continued to sob, burying her face in her hands. Tera gently removed her hands, bringing a handkerchief to Iris’ cheeks and wiping away her tears. However, Tera’s caring demeanor soon faded as she turned to look at Serena, staring daggers at her.
“How could you say such a thing?!” Tera exclaimed as she comforted a sobbing Iris. “Where are you even from, anyway?!”
Serena didn’t even look at Tera as she yelled at her. Her orange eyes were completely focused on Iris. Annette couldn’t tell what emotion was in her eyes. She looked as if she was lost in thought, considering what to do next. Did she regret what she said to her?
She had to. Serena was one of the nicest people Annette knew, next to Richter and Maria, even if she didn’t talk much. Maybe she didn’t sleep well last night and woke up on the wrong side of the bed. She had been acting a little strange earlier that morning, the way she ominously stood in the doorway, staring at Annette.
“I’m sorry, Iris.” Serena apologized quickly. “I didn’t mean what I said. I guess I was just feeling jealous that my home was destroyed and yours was rebuilt. I didn’t think it was fair that I suffered so much. I didn’t realize that you were in so much pain, too. That was very selfish of me. Will you ever forgive me?”
Iris nodded after a moment, tears still falling down her cheeks.
“It’s alright.” Iris replied, sniffling and trying to regain her composure. “I forgive you, just… don’t say anything like that again. Please?”
Serena only nodded in response. She had nothing more to say.
“We’ll have to cut this short.” Tera said, cutting through the tension with a knife. “I’m taking Iris home. I’d be fine with meeting again next Wednesday, but I don’t want to see you or Serena in a while. You should think about what you’ve done, Serena.”
“I understand.” Annette said as Serena nodded wordlessly, shame in her orange eyes.
Serena already began walking back home. Before Annette could follow her, Tera stood up and grabbed Annette’s shoulder, turning her to face her.
“You should be more careful, Annette.” Tera said quietly, nodding towards Serena in the distance. “How much has that woman told you about herself?”
Annette internally questioned Tera’s use of “the woman”. Why didn’t she just call Serena by her name?
“Serena is from Aldra. It’s near Sadam Woods.” Annette said. “The whole town was destroyed. I think everyone else who lived there was killed, too. She told me she’s been wandering for a year, but… that’s all she’s told me. I think she’s a private person.”
“Then you don’t know much of anything, do you?” Tera shook her head in disbelief. “And you’re letting her live in your own house, under your roof? God bless you, Annette, because I don't know if I can help you.”
Annette didn’t know how to respond. She hoped that this wouldn’t ruin her friendships with Iris and Tera. She would be lying if she didn’t feel disconnected from the other townspeople sometimes. Yes, they had all suffered under Dracula’s reign of terror, but Annette, Iris, and Tera’s experiences were all so similar. She could relate to them, seek them out when she had a problem. They could do the same with her. She didn’t want to lose them.
Was she telling the truth, though? Of course, Annette vented to them when she needed to, but she barely spoke about Dracula. She felt as if she would bother them if she did so. The last thing she wanted to be was a burden.
She had the feeling that they would see her as one, too. She was to be Dracula’s bride, after all. She was supposed to be special, wasn’t she?
“I know.” Annette muttered. “I’m sorry.”
Tera didn’t respond, a look of contempt on her face. She returned to Iris, carefully wrapping an arm around her shoulder. She wiped away the remnants of her tears once more, using her thumb instead of a handkerchief this time. Tera was always gentle with practically everyone in Aljiba, but Annette only ever saw her act this loving towards Iris.
Sometimes Annette wondered if they were more than friends.
Annette caught up with Serena after a few moments. She waited there for her, her long red skirt brushed by the wind. Once they were out of earshot, Annette gently grabbed Serena’s arm.
“Did you…” Annette began, carefully choosing her words. “Did you really mean all that?”
“What do you mean?” Serena asked.
“When you said Iris sickened you. All that.” Annette mumbled. “Did you mean it?”
“No.” Serena said quietly, her long red hair flowing in the wind. “You heard what I said. I was selfish. I was jealous of her, too. I… I think you should know I’m not a good person, Annette. I’ve done things I shouldn’t have to try to survive before I came to the shelter. I understand if you hate me now. That’s fine. I’ll leave you and your father alone if you want me to.”
“Serena…” Annette sighed, her hand trailing down Serena’s arm to her cold hand. “I know how much pain you’re in, and it would never make me hate you. I know how you feel. Sometimes I feel jealous that some people in the town have moved on and I haven’t.”
“Really?” Serena asked, her head perking up with an odd curiosity.
“It’s true.” Annette nodded shamefully. “I understand that you might feel like it, but… you’re not alone in this world. You have me, and my father. Richter can always help you, too. He’s got a good heart. And if you’re ever… frustrated with me or if you need some time alone, you can always go to the shelter or talk to the other townspeople. I can assure you that they’re very friendly.”
“Thank you.” Serena nodded. “I’ll be sure to keep that in mind.”
“You know…” Annette began, tucking a strand of lavender hair behind her ear. “You’re pretty much the talk of the town ever since you came to the shelter. Everyone’s wondering about this mysterious woman who lives with the tailor and his daughter.”
“You think I could get some free food out of the baker?” Serena asked with a mischievous smile.
Annette laughed loudly at that. She noticed that she only really laughed when she was around Serena lately. Of course, Richter had the same effect on her, but she felt as if Serena was a positive addition to her life, even if she had her problems.
Serena had her flaws, but so did Annette. She knew that it was impossible for a person to be perfect. It was strange, but she felt happy whenever she was around her. She hoped that Serena felt the same, too.
The two women walked back home, but Annette turned her head to look behind her. Iris and Tera still sat together, quietly talking amongst themselves. Tera gently caressed Iris’ auburn hair, still comforting her. Annette’s turquoise eyes soon drifted to her abandoned cup of tea.
The steam evaporated. It had gone cold.
Annette continued to meet with them every Wednesday, but Serena didn’t see Iris and Tera for a very long time.
In the dead of the night, the Succubus woke up to a hunger surging throughout her entire body.
She felt as if a hole had formed in her stomach, tearing her apart from the inside and ripping out her intestines. She felt as if there was no way for her to be full.
Succubi and incubi could survive for days without consuming energy, but this was getting ridiculous. She hadn’t eaten properly in what felt like an eternity.
She was playing the long game, of course. She knew that taking on this human form would go on for many more months. Shaft was still doing his part in possessing Richter, but she was aware that the spell would be slow. If anything, she had to do the most work between the two of them. Driving Richter’s loved ones away from him would be easy, but the process would be slow. It didn’t make her hunger any better, though.
The human food Annette and her father had given her did absolutely nothing to satisfy her hunger. She needed to get out of this house and feed.
She crawled out of bed, falling to the ground and hunching over in pain, her claws involuntarily coming out and digging into her skin, red blood trickling down her pale flesh. Her wings grew out from her back, crackling loudly, knocking over a vase of flowers from the nightstand to the hardwood floor in the process.
She paused for a moment, worried that the sound might’ve woken up Annette and her father. She couldn’t blow her cover like this. How foolish she was.
She sat there for a moment, listening.
Minutes passed. She didn’t hear any footsteps or rustling, only the calm winds outside in the night air. She sighed in relief. They were still asleep.
With that in mind, the Succubus opened the window and spread her wings, flying out into the night.
It had been so long since she had taken on this form. She would have to savor it.
She flew above the town, taking in the moonlight. She breathed in the night air. How she missed her beloved darkness. Of course, she would commit to her part of Shaft’s plan, but she desperately needed a break from this idiotic disguise. Playing the poor, helpless innocent woman was fun at times, especially when she saw Annette’s reaction. She would be lying if she wasn’t sick of it, though. She could only perform for so long.
She stared down at the buildings and streets of Aljiba. No lights could be seen. All of the candles had been blown out. It was desolate. Quiet.
That is, until she spotted a human walking down an alleyway.
Alone.
Easy prey.
Fresh prey.
It astounded her how stupid humans could be sometimes. Didn’t everyone in Transylvania know not to stay out after the sun had gone down? Apparently this person didn’t. What a shame. The Succubus almost felt bad.
Almost.
She could've killed her prey the old-fashioned way, her usual method. She could’ve easily snuck into one of the houses in the town and crept her way to the nearest bedroom, crawled on top of her target’s body, and entered their dreams, indulging them in their wildest fantasies before completely depleting them of their energy. A wet dream usually did the trick, but a nightmare wasn’t all that bad.
She didn’t have time to play games, though. She needed to satiate her growing hunger soon.
She descended to the ground, standing behind the human. She couldn’t discern any of their features. They were faceless, formless. Not that it mattered to her, though. They were nothing more than prey, a stone to be stepped on, just like any other human. She was practically salivating at the mere thought of killing them.
Her footsteps seemed to get their attention, though.
Good. Let them know.
“Who’s there?” Her target called, looking around nervously. “Show yourself! Y-You don’t scare me!”
That was the funny thing about humans. They were total liars.
She could practically hear their limbs shaking.
She didn’t respond, merely staring at them. Due to the darkness, they obviously couldn’t see her, only her glowing orange eyes and the outline of her wings. She could practically smell the fear emanating from them, sweat rolling down their skin.
In the blink of an eye, she charged towards them and grabbed them by the throat.
She let them go for a moment, but she quickly raised her hands to their cheeks, holding them there. They attempted to push her off, but her grip was too strong, too overpowering. She gently caressed them for a moment, only to let her claws extend, digging into their skin.
Her prey screamed in pain, their sweet cries of agony encouraging the Succubus even further.
Then, she placed her lips on theirs, holding them there. They stopped for a moment, stunned, probably unable to process what was happening. It wasn’t like she cared what they thought, though.
Humans were nothing more than insects to her. It was only natural that she crushed them beneath her heels.
She then sucked out all of her prey’s energy, their skin turning pale. She watched life fade from their brown eyes, a familiar sight in all her years.
A kiss of death.
She dropped their corpse to the ground, leaving them there for a moment. She felt full again, her hunger satisfied. She inhaled heavily, releasing a soft, pleased moan from her red lips.
That was better.
She would be full for the next few weeks. She initially worried about finding her next meal when the time came, but she remembered that she was now living among humans, her prey. She was surrounded by them. She finally found a benefit to these disgusting, feeble creatures. Perhaps Shaft’s plan wasn’t so bad after all. She could trust him.
For now, at least.
Of course, the Succubus could only feed at night, and her killings would have to be spaced out from each other. She didn’t want the town to be in too much disarray. There would be a time and place for that.
Humans naturally cared about each other, of course. If one of them went missing, someone would notice. Annette had told her that Aljiba was one of those towns where everyone knew everyone. Their community was close. Tight-knit. The Succubus would have to hide the bodies. A few search parties wouldn’t hinder her, though.
Although… a little chaos wouldn’t hurt, would it?
She could feed as much as she liked every night. If the town was shaken up by the strange murders and disappearances, Richter’s possession would go unnoticed. The town would be so caught up with the deaths of their friends and family they would completely forget about Richter. The Succubus and Shaft could be one step closer to Lord Dracula’s return.
But she knew she couldn’t. She didn’t want to chance anything. The feedings had to be spaced out and unpredictable, or else the people would start questioning things. The Succubus didn’t want to bring attention to herself, either. She had the feeling she would be the first person to be blamed. This Serena character was the mysterious outsider who came to the town out of nowhere, after all. She couldn’t risk it, no matter how much she wanted to see Aljiba in flames once more.
The Succubus returned to Annette’s house after she dropped her prey’s body in the river in the outskirts of Aljiba. She doubted anyone would find the corpse, and if they did, she frankly didn’t care.
She transformed back into her human disguise when she entered her bedroom. She would never truly be comfortable in this costume, but she knew she had to for the coming months, possibly years. Whatever it took.
But as she crawled back into her bed and closed her eyes, her mind wandered to those two humans Annette had introduced to her.
Iris and Tera? Those were their names, right? She didn’t know what to think about them. Iris was a miserable little thing that stumbled over her words, comparable to a mouse. She was cute in a pathetic sort of way, which was why the Succubus let her mask slip and why she played around with her.
Tera, on the other hand, was an insufferable wretch who deserved a slow death, but the Succubus couldn’t stop thinking about what she had said that day.
How could you say such a thing?! Where are you even from, anyway?!
The Succubus was no fool. She expected that reaction out of Tera. If she kept pressing Iris, someone would eventually intervene. She was just surprised that it took them so long. Annette barely reacted, too. She couldn’t deny the uncomfortable look on her face, though.
She didn’t know if she loved it or hated it.
Annette had told the Succubus that Aljiba didn’t get many visitors, even before Dracula demolished the town. Richter, Maria, and the other Belmonts were the only people that ever came to town regularly. The Succubus understood why Tera had become increasingly wary of her.
The Succubus had said all of those horrible things to Iris. Somehow, Iris forgave her. Somehow, Annette forgave her, too.
Why, of course they would! Her disguise was just too convincing! She was nothing more than a poor, traumatized, innocent wandering woman. She could do no wrong. She was just emotionally distraught from Dracula’s effects on her life, just like the rest of them. They were one in the same.
Then why did it make her feel so… horrible?
The Succubus quickly disregarded these feelings. Perhaps she was gaining these human features because she spent too much time with them. It was just a disguise, a performance. Once Richter’s possession was complete, the Succubus would leave Aljiba behind. She would never see Annette again.
It wasn’t like she wanted to, anyway.
The Succubus didn’t get much sleep that night.
Months passed.
The Succubus never thought she would become accustomed to life in Aljiba. She believed she truly hadn’t. Perhaps it was just the effects of her disguise being so convincing. Either way, she wasn’t too bothered by Annette anymore.
Annette and the Succubus grew closer and closer, just as Transylvania welcomed Summer with open arms.
The Succubus liked Summer much more than Spring. She was familiar with the heat. It reminded her of her homeland, the flames of Hell she was born in. She liked being around Annette, somehow. She was tolerable compared to Richter, Maria, and the other humans. She couldn’t care less about Annette’s father, if she was being honest.
It was strange. The one thing she despised the most on this Earth was humans and everything else associated with them. Annette wasn’t so bad, though. However, it didn’t make her want to rip her head off any less.
When the time came, killing her would be bittersweet. She didn’t have any plans to, as Richter was her true target. She didn’t want his suffering to stem from something as trivial as murdering his loved ones. Killing Annette was in her own interest, after all. Shaft never ordered her to do so.
The Succubus wanted to put Annette out of her misery. Humans were born to die. Such a miserable existence wasn’t for her. She didn’t care if Annette understood or not. She was doing her a favor. She was showing her that she was better than the others.
She still kept Annette at an arm’s length, though. Annette didn’t have a single clue about the Succubus’ true identity. She didn’t question her, and she intended to keep it that way. She felt as if Annette had doubted her for a moment when they had tea with Iris and Tera, but she quickly forgave her. Her disguise was too convincing, of course.
The townspeople of Aljiba eventually noticed that the human that the Succubus killed had gone missing, though. The Succubus expected this. Missing posters were put up around town by her prey’s sniveling family (she didn’t bother to learn their name), but their body was never found. It was probably nothing more than a waterlogged corpse drowned and mutilated by the river by now.
Good. She would have to keep it that way. There would never be a proper funeral.
Didn’t her prey's family understand? Every single human was born to die. Life was suffering. If anything, the Succubus had given them a way out of such a meaningless, painful life. Their family would eventually follow suit, whenever the time came.
Perhaps the Succubus would feed on them next. Maybe then her prey could reunite with her family in the afterlife. Heaven or Hell? She didn’t care. It didn’t matter to her.
The Succubus would also have to start questioning Annette soon, though. Shaft was shockingly patient, but she knew he wanted results sooner or later. The Succubus felt as if she and Annette were fully comfortable with each other, at least from Annette’s point of view.
Truly, the Succubus couldn’t care less about her.
And they had only known each other for a few months, one season. How strange humans could be, trusting each other so easily. That was something she felt that she would never understand about them. Perhaps that was what separated humans from succubi.
She had her attention focused on someone else for the time being, though. Annette practically gave her the opportunity on a silver platter. The Succubus wondered if Annette knew how stupid she was.
To her surprise, the Succubus and Richter sat together on a hill, side by side. Annette had invited the two of them and Maria for a picnic in a rather scenic area of Aljiba, light purple peonies gently brushed by the soft winds. It was almost too perfect.
The Succubus didn’t know what to think of the fact that Annette trusted her enough to invite her to a picnic with her boyfriend and his younger sister, especially after the encounter with Iris and Tera, but she wasn’t complaining. Her mission would be over in the blink of an eye. She had Annette’s trust.
She had Annette’s trust, and she could finally start tearing her apart.
The picnic had gone well thus far, all things considered. Of course, the Succubus couldn’t taste any of the food, but Annette had done her best to cook and organize the meals, and she was enjoying herself for once. She had even picked some of the apples from the tree by her house. Even if she couldn’t taste them, the Succubus grew fond of apples. They were red, just like her hair.
They reminded her of Annette, too. The Succubus wondered why Annette chose to grow apples out of all the fruits in the world. Apparently, apples were sickly sweet.
She wondered if Annette tasted the same.
The Succubus was so caught up in her thoughts of Annette that she had completely forgotten about the other two humans with her.
Maria had quite the sweet tooth, indulging herself in a garish pink cake. Richter had a much bigger appetite than his little sister, though, gorging himself on meat and potatoes. She supposed a vampire hunter like him needed to keep up his strength and energy, but it didn’t disgust her any less. Succubi and incubi fed off of energy quickly and without much thought, but eating was so trivial and complicated for humans. Just the thought of it caused her head to ache.
Was there anything left for Richter to hunt, though? Lord Dracula was gone. There were still vampires out there, but she doubted he would go out of his way to kill a vampire that wasn’t Lord Dracula. The Belmonts only hunted Lord Dracula and other creatures of the night that served him. It was their troublesome duty. There were remnants of cults that worshiped Lord Dracula, but the Succubus doubted Richter would go after them unless they posed an actual threat.
She knew what Richter really wanted, though. Shaft made for quite the informant.
Maria and Annette eventually stepped away from their little picnic spot, running to the grass to pick the peonies and other flowers. The Succubus watched, aimlessly tracing her finger across the red skin of the apple in her hand.
She mostly kept her gaze on Annette, though, how her long lavender hair blew in the wind.
She took a bite out of the apple, barely tasting anything. She didn’t know why she expected it to be different.
“You know, she’s taken a shine to you, Serena.” Richter said to the Succubus with a polite smile.
“Maria?” The Succubus asked.
“No, Annette, but I’m sure Maria likes you, too.” Richter clarified. “It’s been a while since I’ve seen Annette so happy, considering… everything.”
“What happened?” The Succubus questioned, playing dumb.
“Dracula kidnapped her, Maria, and two other village women a year ago, but I saved them.” Richter explained, a bit hesitant. “I think it took the most toll on Annette, though. She was a wreck for days. She acted as if she was fine afterwards, though. She rejected my help so many times. I think she was in denial. I thought she would never get better. That is, until you came around. Thank you, really. It’s good to see her smile again.”
Two other village women? That had to be Iris and Tera. She still remembered her conversation with them over tea a few months ago. It felt like an eternity.
The Succubus nodded. She knew about everything that had transpired the night Lord Dracula was defeated, but she had to act as if she was clueless. To Richter, Annette, and the other townspeople, the Succubus was Serena, just a poor traveler who had found a home in Aljiba. Nothing more, nothing less.
She knew humans were born to suffer. She just didn’t expect the suffering to completely take over Annette’s life, though. She had been saved by her beloved Richter. She didn’t need to worry about that night anymore. It was over. She could sleep soundly.
Perhaps the Succubus knew less about humans than she thought she did.
She didn’t dwell on it for too long, though, quickly shoving the mere idea to the back of her mind.
Richter and the Succubus sat there in silence for a moment, watching Annette playfully chase after Maria in the grass, the tiny blades gently flowing in the wind. She eventually caught her and picked her up in her arms, the two of them smiling and laughing together, not a care in the world.
The Succubus considered Richter’s words.
“So, you’re the one responsible for Dracula’s death?” The Succubus asked.
She wanted to come off as curious. Surely every human in all of Transylvania knew about the Belmonts. Her Serena character was mostly oblivious to such matters, but she knew a thing or two. Word of mouth, of course. She had heard plenty in her travels.
“Please, save the compliments for later.” Richter joked. “I was just doing my job. It is what it is.”
The Succubus laughed along with him. Like she would shower him in praise. She couldn’t believe just how idiotic the people of this town were. Richter was just as stupid as them.
Although, she could flatter him for a different purpose.
“What will you do now?” The Succubus inquired.
“What are you talking about?” Richter tilted his head, his blue eyes glancing at her orange ones.
Richter’s brown hair had gotten a bit longer since she last saw him. He had grown out some bangs, but he still wore that idiotic white bandana of his from when she first met him in the shelter. Did he wear it when he saved the women and defeated Lord Dracula too? The young Belmont was comparable to a clown, in that way.
“You defeated Dracula last year.” The Succubus explained. “Say, how old are you?”
“I’m twenty.” Richter said, idly moving a blade of grass between his fingers.
“Then you were nineteen when it happened.” The Succubus hummed thoughtfully. “So young. What an incredible feat. You’re very strong. You have your whole life ahead of you, don’t you?”
“I guess…” Richter replied. “What are you trying to say?”
“Isn’t it a Belmont’s destiny to kill Dracula?” The Succubus asked coldly. “He won’t return for another hundred years, according to the prophecy. You’ve fulfilled your duty so early. You were just a child. So, what will you do now?”
“Stay with my family.” Richter replied. “Keep visiting Aljiba and meeting Annette. I can’t picture myself leaving Transylvania. It… it’s my home.”
“I see.” The Succubus nodded. “Let me ask you something.”
“Yes?” Richter gasped, practically out of breath, as if he was forcing his response out.
“If you were given the chance to kill Dracula again, revel in the glory once more,” The Succubus began. “Would you do it?”
Richter paused. The Succubus could tell that he was genuinely considering her question, the cogs turning in his mind.
“I…” Richter stuttered, looking away from the Succubus. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Sweat rolled down Richter’s skin. The Succubus couldn’t tell if the Summer heat or her questions were the cause.
“You will.” The Succubus replied without emotion. “You will.”
Richter opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out.
Good. She’d let him ruminate on that.
The seed had been planted. She couldn’t wait for the chaos to unfurl, no matter how long it took.
Their conversation ended when Maria and Annette walked up the hill to meet them again. Annette looked exhausted from all that running, but Maria was as lively as ever, holding an ungodly amount of flowers in her little arms.
“Let’s take a break now.” Annette wheezed, out of breath. “Your sister is a menace.”
“What else do you expect?” Richter laughed, his sunny disposition returning, but the Succubus could tell that he was still feeling uneasy.
It was too obvious. Laughable, even.
“You can do better than that, Annette!” Maria teased, pulling on the skirt of Annette’s dress. “No way you’re letting a thirteen-year-old outrun you.”
“I’m just a seamstress, Maria.” Annette rolled her eyes playfully. “You know I don’t exercise often.”
Maria only laughed in response. She had an annoying sort of giggle, not exactly fitting for a thirteen-year-old such as herself. She seemed immature compared to the other children of this generation, oddly optimistic and joyful. She wondered what Maria had gone through to make her that way.
The Succubus knew about what had transpired the night Lord Dracula was defeated. Maria was kidnapped alongside Annette, Iris, and Tera. She supposed her immaturity was some sort of coping mechanism for what had happened to her.
Well, the Succubus didn’t really know much about children in general. She barely interacted with them, and Maria was the first one she had had an actual conversation with.
Richter stood up, but he faced the Succubus for a moment, an unsure expression on his face. She could still see the sweat on his skin.
“Ah, Serena,” Richter began. “Do you mind if Annette and I talk in private?”
That was unexpected. Why did Richter feel the need to ask the Succubus about it? She assumed he was just being polite, but she couldn’t help but wonder. She and Annette had been spending quite a lot of time together recently. The thought of making Richter jealous did put a smile on the Succubus’ face.
“I don’t see why not.” The Succubus nodded. “I’ll make sure your little sister here doesn’t get into any mischief.”
“You’re so mean to me!” Maria protested. “Let me have some fun for once!”
Richter only nodded in reply, but he let out a chuckle at Maria’s objections. He approached Annette, taking her hand in his own. A wide smile fell on her lips at the touch, and the two of them walked down the hill together.
The Succubus looked away, but the sight left a bad taste in her mouth. She didn’t know why, though.
Maria pulled her out of her thoughts, the young girl standing next to her and glancing at her with an odd look on her face.
“Why are you so tall?” Maria asked, staring up at the Succubus with inquisitive, wide blue eyes.
“Why are you so small?” The Succubus retorted, entertaining the little human.
“Let me do your hair.” Maria insisted, moving from one conversation topic to another. “I picked these flowers just for you.”
“Really?” The Succubus raised an eyebrow. “Make me look pretty.”
The Succubus placed her chin in her hand as Maria stood behind her, already running her small, doll-like hands through her red hair, but the Succubus kept her attention on Richter and Annette’s conversation. They stood behind a tree at the bottom of the hill, and the Succubus used her enhanced hearing to listen in on them.
“Things have been… strange at home, to say the least.” Richter explained nervously. “I keep hearing these weird noises, but they only happen at night. I hear footsteps and voices I don’t recognize throughout the mansion, too. Something’s going on, Annette. I… I just don’t know what to do about it.”
“Oh, Richter…” Annette sighed, genuine concern in her voice.
“But that’s not it, Annette.” Richter said. “The horses in the stable are restless, too. It’s like they know something bad is coming. And I don’t know if I can stop it.”
“Maybe you’re sick.” Annette proposed. “Have you been getting enough sleep lately?”
“Well, my dreams have been more… vivid lately, to say the least.” Richter mumbled, embarrassment in his voice.
The Succubus could practically hear him blushing. She wondered what that was about.
“Why don’t I come stay with you for a few nights?” Annette asked. “Until things go back to normal? Serena could come, as well. She’s a pretty good conversation partner. I think we could help keep your mind off things.”
Well, then. The Succubus didn’t think she would get into the Belmont Mansion this quickly.
“Not yet.” Richter said.
Oh, curse her forwardness!
“I think I’ll be fine for now.” Richter explained. “If I can handle Dracula, I can handle things that go bump in the night. I just wanted to get that off my chest. Thank you for listening to me.”
“Of course,” Annette replied. “You can always count on me, you know that?”
“I know.” Richter sighed. “Just… if it gets worrying at home, I’ll be sure to ask you for help. Serena, too. I know you care about her.”
“You’ve been real quiet, Serena.” Maria observed, her hands falling from the Succubus’ red hair. “You haven’t even noticed that I’ve finished your hair!”
“Oh, my apologies.” The Succubus giggled nervously. “I tend to space out sometimes.”
The Succubus was completely focused on Annette and Richter’s conversation that she forgot Maria had practically tied a bouquet of flowers into her hair. No one had ever done something like that for her before. Sure, Annette had taken her in and pampered her plenty, but something about Maria’s gesture was different.
Not that she cared, though. Maria was probably just bored and saw the Succubus as a toy to be played with. Her Serena character was a new person, after all. She supposed Maria liked meeting new people and getting to know them. She seemed like a friendly young girl with far too much optimism in her heart.
The Succubus would barely consider her an obstacle, but breaking her little heart wasn’t off the table. She felt as if Maria needed a reality check. Life wasn’t so simple.
That caused the Succubus to wonder, though. She only ever saw Maria with Annette and Richter, and very rarely Iris and Tera. Why did she only ever spend time with young adults? Were they the only people she was comfortable with? Did she have an education? Did she talk to other children? Where were Maria’s parents, anyway?
Well, it wasn’t her problem. The Succubus honestly couldn’t care less about Maria. She would be done with her in due time.
“You did a wonderful job.” The Succubus said with a forced smile and a careful nod. “Thank you very much.”
“Really?!” Maria’s eyes lit up. “You’re a pretty good test subject. I guess I should do this more often.”
“Whatever you say,” The Succubus replied, taking another bite out of her apple.
Unfortunately, she didn’t get to hear the rest of Annette and Richter’s conversation, all thanks to Maria’s meddling. She didn’t need to, though. She knew she wasn’t heading to the Belmont Mansion anytime soon, but Shaft’s spell was finally affecting Richter. He had said it himself. Strange noises plagued the Belmont Mansion and his days and nights. If he was in what he believed to be danger, he would call both Annette and Serena for help, inviting them in. It was too easy.
The possession would come to fruition in no time. Soon, Richter would be nothing more than Shaft’s puppet, and Lord Dracula would return to this world, just as intended. The Succubus had always been a patient woman, but she simply couldn’t wait to see Richter’s world crumble all around him.
His pain would be delicious .
However, she watched them step away from the tree. They both seemed nervous and worried, but they both smiled, just as a pair of young lovers would. She wondered how their romance came to be, but it didn’t matter to her. She only wished to see Annette in tears and Richter’s head bisected from his neck, of course.
Something caught her attention.
Richter placed a hand on Annette’s chin, quickly pecking her on the lips. Annette eagerly returned the kiss, her smaller hand trailing down his strong arm.
The Succubus didn't know why, but she absolutely hated the sight.
She quickly shoved the thought to the back of her mind, though. It was none of her business.
The two of them still holding hands, Richter and Annette returned to Maria and the Succubus. Richter applauded Maria on a job well done, and Annette doted on and fawned over the flowers in the Succubus’ hair.
The Succubus would never admit it out loud, but she enjoyed it when Annette complimented her. She enjoyed it because it fed her ego, of course, how a pathetic human would worship and praise her. Definitely not because of her growing fondness of the human, of course.
The picnic went on without much fanfare, but the Succubus could feel the tension in the air.
Richter was nervous. He was pretty awful at hiding it.
Richter would look at the Succubus from time to time. The Succubus paid him no mind. She didn’t have the same mind-reading powers as vampires, but she knew what he was thinking about. It was plain for practically everyone to see.
He did want to resurrect Dracula. He yearned to fight him again and relive the glory. He just wouldn’t act on it.
Good. She couldn’t wait to see how long it would take him.
The quartet left before the sun went down, as everyone knew to be inside before the moon rose in the sky, even if Richter was an experienced hunter. Richter and Maria took a few leftovers back to the Belmont Mansion, (Richter said his other younger sister always had a soft spot for crepes), but Richter left a goodbye kiss on Annette’s lips before he and Maria left.
The Succubus stared at them, a basket of remaining apples in her hands. She noticed how Annette’s cheeks flushed at the gesture. Annette had never blushed like that around the Succubus.
The Succubus didn’t know why, but if she ever saw Richter again, she just might kill him.
Ever since she was young, Annette knew that she was different.
Her mother died when she was just a baby. She barely knew her. She had next to no memories of her, only faint recollections from her father. The only parent figure she ever really had in her life was her father.
Annette and her father were simple people. Neither of them ever had any big aspirations or goals. They had no set destiny like Richter and his family. They only really wanted to keep doing what they loved: styling clothes for as many people as possible, which also meant putting smiles on people’s faces. Annette’s father often joked about designing a glorious outfit for the king of France (he was born in France and came to Transylvania sometime in his youth, where he met his wife), but it was only that: a joke. He was fine living a peaceful life, nothing more.
Annette didn’t blame him. She wanted that life, too. She was glad to have it. She was lucky compared to other people in Transylvania.
But not everything was easy for Annette. She had a secret, after all. She was different.
Annette never liked the boy’s clothes her father made for her. She felt bad about it often, as her father tailored them just for her. He put all of his hard work into it. She felt ungrateful. But she never voiced her opinions towards her father, of course. She hated to see him so sad. He had already been through enough, losing his wife so unexpectedly.
So she kept it a secret.
To her father and the rest of her family in France, Annette was just a kind young boy with an interest in being a tailor, just like her father. The last thing she wanted was to be a disappointment to him.
But when she and her father would take their yearly trips to France to meet their family, Annette felt free.
Of course, she still kept her desires away from them. She was much more subtle about it, though.
She had a cousin around her age. She would stay in her cousin’s room sometimes to play with her, but her turquoise eyes always drifted to the fancy dresses in her closet, as her family in France had more wealth than them. They could afford such extravagant dresses and clothes. They were so beautiful. Annette wondered if she could make them herself. She wondered what she would look like if she tried them on.
One night, she decided to do so.
Annette’s cousin slept with her parents that night. Nightmares, she said. A monster was lurking in her closet, she said. She was afraid of being alone.
When the moon was full and all was quiet in the house, Annette snuck from the guest room to her cousin’s room. She opened the closet and picked the only dress that barely seemed to fit her: a small, emerald green one with long white sleeves that draped over her hands.
To an outsider, she definitely looked like a fool, but Annette didn’t care.
She walked beside her cousin’s bed, staring at the mirror.
And when she looked in the mirror, there was a girl staring back at her.
When she looked in the mirror, Annette finally saw herself.
She didn’t know why, but she started crying. They were happy tears, of course. For once in her life, she actually felt like herself. She would treasure the moment for the rest of her life.
But the moment that followed made her feel as if her world was crumbling to pieces.
The door opened to reveal her father, a look of shock on his face.
Annette’s tears of joy turned to sorrow in an instant. How could she be so stupid? How could she betray her father like this? She fell to her knees, begging him for forgiveness.
She expected him to reject her, to push her away, to tell her that she wasn’t his son anymore, but he wrapped his arms around her.
He said he would always accept her, always love her. He asked why she never told him. She said she thought he would hate her. He said that he would love her for all eternity. Annette supposed that was all she needed to hear.
Annette didn’t know why, but every time she got dressed in the morning and put on her nightgown in the evening, she thought of that moment.
She smiled to herself. She was lucky to have a father like him, someone so accepting and loving.
Despite this, Annette never really changed her body. She only grew her hair long. Richter told her about treatment, as he knew a powerful sorcerer that had helped him with his idealized self, but Annette politely declined. She was still a woman, through and through. Both Richter and her father were more than understanding. Sometimes Annette couldn’t believe just how lucky she could be sometimes.
Annette laid down on her bed, reading a book to distract herself from the glaring Summer heat. It was a relatively pleasant book about a wolf and a sheep, nothing too frightening that would keep her up. She kept the window closed, though, as night had fallen. She didn’t want to take any chances.
She turned her head at the sound of knocking at her bedroom door.
“Come in,” Annette invited, her eyes returning to the book in her hands.
The door opened to reveal Serena, dressed in her nightgown.
A smile instantly graced Annette’s lips upon seeing her strange roommate in the corner of her eye.
“Why, good evening, Serena.” Annette put the book down and sat on her bed. “How have you been faring?”
“Oh, just fine, really.” Serena replied, but Annette noticed a look of uncertainty on Serena’s face.
“Is something the matter?” Annette asked with concern in her voice. “You seem upset.”
“I’m sorry for bothering you.” Serena said. “But I had a nightmare… about my home.”
“Oh, Serena.” Annette said worriedly, approaching Serena with her hand out. “You would never bother me. I’m here if you want to talk about it.”
“I suppose that is why I came to you.” Serena responded, a hint of sarcasm in her voice.
“Very funny.” Annette rolled her eyes playfully. “Come here. You look like you’ve been sweating like a sinner in church. Let me freshen you up.”
“Oh, you don’t have to-” Serena began.
“I insist!” Annette interrupted as she put her book back on the bedside table. “You came to me for help, so I’ll do what you ask of me. It’s only fair, right?”
Serena shook her head with a scoff, but Annette noticed a grin on her lips. Annette returned the expression. She would always find a way to make her roommate smile. She didn’t really consider her a guest anymore. Her father already considered her family, but she had become Annette’s friend, even if they had only known each other for a few months.
She felt as if her life had become a bit brighter since she met her. She hadn’t thought about her kidnapping or Dracula in what felt like ages, as her mind was only filled with thoughts of Serena. Of course, she knew it would take years to recover from her trauma, and a part of her doubted that she ever would.
But when she looked at Serena, Annette felt at peace.
Even if she was hard to talk to sometimes, it didn’t bother Annette one bit. She still cherished their friendship, despite everything. She felt as if she could speak to her about that night, as they were both survivors of Dracula and his forces.
She only really confided in Richter after that night. After about a week of staying in the Belmont Mansion with him, she never really spoke about what Dracula did to her afterwards. She didn’t want to bother him, even if she knew that he would understand. He had faced Dracula himself. Even if he was praised for his accomplishments by his family and the people of Aljiba, Richter stopped talking about Dracula. Maria didn’t either, possibly because she was too young to process that night. She was just happy that she had a home and someone to look after her after her parents were killed.
So, Annette followed their example.
Serena had a different effect on her, though.
She questioned if it was a good thing or a bad thing.
She doubted Serena sometimes, especially after the tea party with Iris and Tera, but she knew that she needed her. She knew that she was still struggling with the loss of her town, her home. She would never deny anyone if they needed help.
“Let’s freshen you up.” Annette said as she led Serena to the vanity in her room. “Your hair is definitely in need of some brushing.”
“Heh.” Serena chuckled as she sat down in front of the vanity. “Am I that forgetful?”
“It seems so.” Annette replied. “There’s nothing wrong with it, of course. I forget the most basic of things, too.”
Serena only nodded in reply. Annette picked up a comb from the vanity’s drawers and began gently combing Serena’s red hair. The texture of her friend’s hair was so soft, almost comparable to fur or a pillow. She glanced at Serena, finding that she was staring at herself in the mirror, a blank look in her orange eyes.
But as she looked closer, Annette found that Serena was staring at Annette’s slim fingers running through her hair like a predator watching its prey.
Annette didn’t know what to think. She quickly looked away and returned her gaze to Serena’s hair before her, but she noticed in the corner of her eye that Serena had begun staring at her with a strangely soft expression. That relieved the tension a bit.
Anyone could see that Serena was gorgeous, and her pale skin gave her a sort of haunting quality. If she was being honest, Annette thought Serena could’ve been the most beautiful woman in Aljiba, possibly even all of Transylvania. Annette only really felt attracted to men, but even she knew that Serena’s beauty was undeniable. That was the most striking thing about her when the two of them first met. A small part of her felt attracted to her, but she wasn’t sure if she would ever admit it. She was still in love with Richter, after all.
Only he had her heart.
“Your hair is very beautiful.” Annette said absent-mindedly as she combed Serena's long red locks. “Has anyone ever told you that?”
“No, not at all.” Serena replied, a blush on her face. Her expression soon turned pained and playful at the same time, somehow. “Most people don’t really think twice when they see me.”
Serena had been traveling across Transylvania for a year, but she felt as if she hadn’t made an impression on anyone. Annette couldn’t understand that. She supposed her friend just went from place to place, never making connections.
Annette wondered if she and Serena had a connection. Would Serena ever leave Aljiba? Did she even consider Aljiba her home?
“How could they?” Annette questioned. “Your gorgeous hair is the most noticeable thing about you.
“Please.” Serena rolled her droopy, orange eyes. “If you keep complimenting me like this, you’ll lead me to believe that you want to court me.”
“I-” Annette gasped, her face growing even redder than before. “Well-”
“Only joking, of course.” Serena quickly shut the conversation down. “Anyone can see that you love that Belmont boy.”
“Yes, joking…” Annette replied, trying to hide the disappointment she didn’t even know she had in her face. “Just a jest.”
The two of them were mostly silent after that, the brush running through Serena’s hair the only sound in the room. Annette tried not to think about what Serena had told her, but she couldn’t resist. She didn’t understand this… effect Serena had on her. She didn’t want to court her like a man would. She still loved Richter. She was only complimenting her, admiring her beauty. Nothing more.
She knew Serena was depressed. She knew that the only people in her life were Annette and her father. She rarely spoke to Richter and Maria, and the interactions she had with Iris and Tera were less than unpleasant. Annette just wanted to put a smile on Serena’s face.
Instead, she felt as if she had the opposite result. She could only hope that she hadn’t ruined things between them.
Once Annette was finished combing her hair, Serena stood up from the chair and faced Annette.
“Well, it’s only fair if I return the favor.” Serena suggested as she took the brush from Annette. “You don’t look too neat yourself. You should take better care of yourself.”
Annette was about to protest, but Serena was right. She had trouble taking care of herself some nights, and it just happened to be one of those nights. Serena had always been perceptive and thoughtful since she met her, but Annette had never seen the attentive side of her before. Serena was surprisingly gentle as she combed Annette’s long lavender hair.
“You care about me too much.” Annette said as she stared at herself in the mirror.
“Why wouldn’t I?” Serena questioned. “You took me into your own home. You give me food. You take care of me, to put it lightly. After a year of wandering, I never thought someone would love me like you do.”
Then, something strange happened.
Serena placed the comb on the counter. She then wrapped her hands around Annette’s torso from behind, resting her chin on her shoulder. She looked in the mirror, gauging Annette’s reaction. She looked at Annette as if she was a fly, and Serena was a spider. Were they truly predator and prey?
Annette was frozen. She tried to hide the growing blush on her cheeks as much as she could, but it was no use. She gulped, a single bead of sweat rolling down her skin. The room was silent, but Annette could hear something tapping on the window. An owl, perhaps.
“Are you sure you’re not the one that’s courting me?” Annette asked.
Annette and Serena both looked in the mirror, staring at each other.
“Only joking, of course.” Annette replied, looking away from Serena.
Annette never noticed it, but a smile crept across Serena’s red lips.
“Yes,” Serena nodded. “Just a jest.”
Serena let go of Annette, but Annette could still feel the tension in the air. It almost suffocated her.
“Do you mind if I stay with you for a little longer?” Serena asked. “I’m still a little shaken from my nightmare.”
“Not at all.” Annette replied.
The two women ended up on Annette’s bed together, side by side, staring up at the ceiling in complete silence. The tapping on the window was soon replaced by the hooting of an owl. Night was never kind to Annette, but she somehow felt safe when she was with Serena.
A small, horrible part of her wished Serena had nightmares more often so she would come to her room. She wished Serena would never leave her.
Or Annette could just act like a normal human being and ask Serena to come over to her room. What was wrong with her? She had never felt this way before. Not even Richter had this effect on her. It was all Serena, and Annette had no idea what to do about it.
“What's your greatest fear?” Annette asked, unsure what to say to the woman beside her.
“I don't think I fear much of anything after everything I've been through.” Serena replied. “Sometimes I feel like I’ve seen it all.”
“I know how you feel.” Annette nodded.
“Is that right?” Serena darkly laughed, as if she didn’t believe a word Annette said.
“I mean it.” Annette insisted, placing a hand on Serena’s pale arm.
She opened her mouth to speak, but she promptly closed it. Was she really about to say such a thing? She hadn’t opened up to anyone about her trauma in a long, long time, not even to Richter, Maria, or her father.
But whenever she looked at Serena, Annette felt safe. She didn’t know why, but she knew that she would never judge her.
“I’m sure you know this already. Practically everyone in the town knows.” Annette began. “But… I was kidnapped by Dracula. Or by one of his… affiliates, for lack of a better word.”
A memory of a menacing priest flashed through Annette’s mind.
How lovely… A fitting girl for Count Dracula. Now, come to me.
Annette fought. She really did. She said she would never submit to him. But that was when Dracula himself appeared. The rest was merely a blur. She forgot quite a lot from that moment, possibly due to her repressing it. She did remember that a spell had been placed on her, causing her to fall asleep. After that, she woke up in a dungeon somewhere in Dracula’s Castle. She eventually learned that she was in the clock tower, but it didn’t matter to her.
Annette shoved the thought aside, but she noticed Serena’s head perk up.
“It’s true.” Annette nodded. “Dracula wanted me to be his new bride. His servant had specifically chosen me. I think it had something to do with the fact that I knew Richter and his family.”
Annette paused for a moment.
“He said ‘new’ bride.” Annette repeated herself. “It made me wonder if Dracula had a wife. I thought about it for months. Richter’s only told me a little bit about him, but… nevermind. Forget I said anything.”
Serena listened, nodding silently. She didn’t judge her. She only listened.
Oh. Annette didn’t expect that.
“Anyways, I stayed in Dracula’s Castle for a single night, but it felt like an eternity.” Annette explained, staring up at the ceiling, but she glanced at Serena from time to time. “Dracula offered to turn me into a vampire. He said I could have eternal life. But I could never be like him. I would rather kill myself. I kept a knife with me. I threatened to end it all. He left me alone after that, but he told me something.”
Annette sighed. She knew this would be a lot to handle, but talking about it so openly with Serena felt as if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders, a weight she never knew she had. Why hadn’t she done this sooner?
“He said if he was a savage, then so was I. Every human was.” Annette mumbled. “Dracula was summoned by humans, wasn’t he? Did they need him? I know the cult that did it was bad, and I wrote off a lot of what he said as nonsense, but it stuck with me. What do you make of that, Serena?”
“I’m not sure, Annette.” Serena hummed. “If the world is made up of savages, shouldn’t a savage lead it?”
“Do you really believe that?” Annette asked, her turquoise eyes wide.
“Or maybe he was just messing with you.” Serena said, dismissing her previous words. “It is a compelling question, though. I never thought Dracula would be a philosopher. Perhaps he used to be a human.”
Annette nodded, considering Serena’s words. The image of Dracula as a human perplexed her, but she supposed Serena was right. All vampires were born as humans, weren’t they?
“You’re very brave, though.” Serena admitted, a blush on her pale cheeks. “I have no idea what I would do if I found myself in that situation.”
Annette nodded. A silence fell over the room once more.
She didn’t really know how to reply. She definitely didn’t feel brave, but she appreciated Serena’s words. Maybe she was right. Annette had pulled a knife on Dracula himself. Even if she knew she couldn’t harm him, she still challenged him. Had anyone else in all of history done the same?
Of course, the Belmonts were always there to combat Dracula. But Annette wondered if a powerless person like her had ever faced the Dark Lord. Did they fight in a way that wasn’t physical? Did they prove to Dracula that the life of a human was worth something?
She supposed she would never know. All she knew was that she was that person.
That was brave then, wasn’t it?
“My mother was a fisherwoman.” Serena suddenly said, a blank look in her orange eyes. “We lived right by the river, you see.”
Oh.
Annette never expected this to happen. Was Serena actually opening up to her, telling her about her family? She never thought this would happen, not in a million years. She had no idea that Serena trusted her that much.
Annette turned on her side, looking Serena in the eye and listening to her as she spoke. She didn’t want to get too excited and accidentally discourage her. She knew that this information had to be precious to her.
“She was always working.” Serena said. “I came to work with her, just the two of us sitting on a boat together. She told me about all kinds of fish and the lures one needed to catch them. Not to brag, but I’m kind of an expert in that field.”
Serena chuckled to herself. Annette smiled.
“My mother would tell me about my father, too.” Serena muttered, her voice much quieter at the mention of her father. “He died before I was born. She always said he was a great man, but I never knew him. I believed her, but I never really felt… connected to him, for lack of a better word.”
Serena also had a parent she didn’t know at all, just like Annette. She never thought they would have so much in common. Annette wished she could’ve met Serena sooner. She should’ve gone to Aldra much earlier in her life.
“Anyways, we would sell the fish at the market.” Serena continued, her gaze occasionally shifting over to Annette. “I think the people really loved her, just as I did. And when we came home every night, she would read me a storybook before bed, tales of sailors and captains journeying across the Seven Seas.”
“That’s… that’s beautiful, Serena.” Annette smiled. “Thank you so much for telling me this.”
“I figured it was about time.” Serena nodded. “She was happy. We were happy. We gave to the community, and they gave back to us. It was a good life.”
“But Dracula took everything away from you.” Annette sighed, barely hearing what she had said.
Annette immediately regretted her words. Oh, why did she always have to ruin things?! Serena was finally telling her about her family, and she immediately soured the mood.
“Yes.” Serena replied, but her expression turned oddly neutral. “I don’t know if I can say the same about you, though.”
“What do you mean?” Annette questioned, raising her eyebrow.
“Dracula might’ve kidnapped you, but your home was rebuilt.” Serena began. “You’re surrounded by people that love you. I wonder if you’ve ever realized that, Annette.”
“And people love you , Serena.” Annette insisted, trying to move the conversation away from herself. “I’m sorry that your family is gone. I’m sorry that your home is gone. One day, we’ll rebuild it. But right now? I’m here for you, for as long as you need me.”
Serena paused for a moment, still staring at the ceiling. She looked as if she was in another world, questioning Annette’s words in her mind for what felt like hours. Annette wondered if anyone had ever told Serena that.
Regardless, it seemed that Serena wasn’t used to such affection. Annette hoped that she hadn’t accidentally scared her away.
“I never took you as the sentimental type, Annette.” Serena finally said, a genuine smile on her lips.
“Then I suppose you don’t know much about me, do you?” Annette beamed.
“Heh.” Serena chuckled. “I suppose I don’t.”
Annette absolutely loved to see Serena like this. She didn’t know why, but she felt as if Serena’s happiness was her happiness, too.
For once, Annette felt comfortable. She trusted Serena much more now, as she had told her about her family and life in Aldra. Serena didn’t judge. She could tell her something she had only told her father, as he would always love her. She could tell her something she had only told Richter and Maria, as they were just like her.
“Well, if we’re telling each other such personal information, can I tell you a secret?” Annette asked.
“Go ahead.” Serena nodded, turning on her side to face Annette. “I’m good at keeping them, too. Your secret is safe with me.”
Annette took a breath, mentally preparing herself for what she was about to say. Like Serena, Annette was also a private person. She kept a lot of her troubles to herself, but she felt comfortable around Serena, and they surprisingly had quite a lot in common.
She was ready.
“I’ve only told a select few about this, Serena, so it’s very special to me. I hope you understand this.” Annette explained, to which Serena nodded patiently in response. “Serena… I wasn’t born a woman.”
“What do you mean?” Serena asked, placing her hand on her chin.
“I was born a boy.” Annette continued. “But I always felt different. I didn’t understand the boyish things I was supposed to do. They didn’t feel like… me. I felt as if I should’ve been born a girl.”
Annette closed her eyes, but she opened them to see Serena’s reaction. Her expression was focused, staring into Annette’s eyes and listening intently.
“So, I decided I was a woman.” Annette described, feeling much more confident. “My father accepted me, and that was really all the support I needed. I’m very private about this sort of thing. The townspeople think I’m just a normal girl, for lack of a better word. I… I hope you understand, Serena.”
Serena paused for a moment, the cogs turning in her mind. She had been completely silent the entire time Annette was telling her story, but she couldn’t see a hint of judgment in her face.
“I do understand, Annette.” Serena finally smiled, sitting up. “Like I said, you’re very brave. You might be the bravest person I know.”
Annette sat up as well, but Serena opened her arms. Annette accepted the embrace, gently resting her head on Serena’s chest for a moment. Serena’s hands were usually so cold, but she felt so warm. Annette would cherish the feeling for years to come.
“I’m so happy you told me.” Serena said after the hug ended. “I know this means a lot to you, and it doesn’t change anything between us. You’ll always be my dear Annette.”
Annette’s face instantly flushed at that. Serena thought of her as her dear? Well, that was a welcome change of pace.
Annette and Serena laid down on the bed together once more, facing each other. She had never felt this way with another person before, not even with Richter. She would always love him, but Serena was unlike anyone she had ever met in her entire life.
As she looked at Serena, a strange wave of intimacy rushed over Annette.
“Thank you for being my friend, my dear Serena.” Annette sighed happily.
Annette brought her hand to Serena’s head, gently tucking a strand of red hair behind her ear. She then pressed a kiss onto Serena’s forehead.
“Thank you for letting me be with you, my dear Annette.” Serena replied, uncharacteristically blushing at Annette’s gestures.
She had never seen her like this before. She wasn’t greedy, but she hoped to see this side of Serena more often.
Annette sat up for a moment, blowing out the candle at her bedside. She laid down next to Serena once more, pulling the covers over them. It felt strange to sleep in the same bed with another person, but she wasn’t complaining.
For the first time in years, Annette had no nightmares.
For once, Annette slept soundly with Serena at her side.
Succubi only knew feelings of hunger, wrath, lust, hatred, contempt towards humans, and loyalty towards Lord Dracula.
Succubi only had urges to feed and kill.
The Succubus knew she would never kill Richter. Richter had to live due to his part in Shaft’s play.
But the Succubus thought frequently about how she would kill Richter in a fantasy of her own.
When she watched Richter play chess with Maria, the Succubus thought about killing him. Whenever she noticed Richter gently wrap an arm around Annette’s waist, the Succubus thought about killing both of them.
She absolutely hated seeing Richter and Annette together, side by side. She wanted to tear them apart, ensure that they never saw each other again, that she never saw them together again. The Succubus’ own personal feelings aside, Annette was simply wasting her time with Richter. He was going to fall under Shaft’s spell soon, anyway. Richter would no longer be himself, nothing more than a puppet.
But why did Richter have to be the one to resurrect Lord Dracula? Why did Richter have to be the Belmont she was dealing with? He had another younger sister besides Maria, didn’t he? Why hadn’t Shaft just asked the Succubus to go after her, and not Richter?
Every time she looked at him, the Succubus wanted nothing more than to wipe that disgusting grin off his face. She wanted nothing more than to rip his head off and feed it to the wolves.
She wouldn’t even feed on his energy if she was given the chance. He was a filthy, disgusting human, less than her. He was worth absolutely nothing. She just wanted him gone, away from this world. When Dracula’s Castle rose again, she would still be stuck with him. Of course, she could mentally torture him as much as she liked, but it just wasn’t the same. Richter Belmont needed to die.
She would never act on her desires, as Shaft’s plan would be ruined, but it didn’t stop her thoughts of murder from consuming her waking days.
And the strangest part of it was that the Succubus didn’t have any quarrels with the other Belmonts. She didn’t care about Richter’s sisters or his parents or even his grandparents. The Belmonts would always be the enemies of Lord Dracula and his forces, but the Succubus was at a point in her life where she simply couldn’t care less.
The only Belmont that needed to die was Richter.
But she didn’t know why she wanted to do such things. She didn’t know why she was feeling that way. It just didn’t make any sense. Succubi had no time nor need for such… human feelings. It was practically unheard of.
Vampires still retained some emotions from when they were human, even if the Succubus thought of that fact as a weakness, something to be looked down upon. Lord Dracula himself loved his wife Lisa dearly. They even had a son together, a child born out of their love.
But succubi and incubi were never human. They were born in Hell, bathed in the flames. They would never be able to understand nor experience anything a human did. Humans had existed for thousands of years, while succubi and incubi had lived for millions of years. They would always be above humans.
The Succubus wondered what would happen if she broke Richter’s arm.
Of course, she knew if she ever revealed her true form to him, he would kill her in a second. She knew not to underestimate him, heeding Shaft’s warnings. But in her fantasy, she imagined that she had grabbed his arm and twisted it, that cracking sound oh so pleasing to her ears, like a fine-tuned violin.
He would fall over, grabbing his arm in pain. Would he cry? Would he scream? Would she break his other arm? Would she break his legs? Would she snap his neck? Would she leave him there to die alone, or would she stand there and watch until Death finally took him? The ending always changed every time she imagined it.
In another fantasy, the Succubus thought about disemboweling Richter. She hadn't thought through how she would get to that point, but she imagined placing her hand on Richter’s stomach, then completely tearing it open. He would keel over, his intestines falling to the ground. He would soon join his own innards, his legs trembling. His skin would turn pale, and his eyes would roll to the back of his head. His nose would bleed. He would lay on the ground, the life gone from his blue eyes.
And she would just watch.
It was strange. The Succubus would only really have these fantasies when she saw Richter and Annette together. It was true that she still wanted to rip his limbs off whenever she laid eyes on him, but her murderous urges intensified whenever she saw Richter gently tuck a strand of Annette’s lavender hair behind her ear, or whenever he gave her a soft kiss on the cheek, or whenever he would hand her a bouquet of peonies, much to Annette’s joy.
Why Annette? Why did Annette cause her to feel this way? Something was wrong with the Succubus. She just couldn’t find the answer. She had no one to confide in, as Shaft could barely be called a conversational partner. She would have to report back to him about what had been happening in Aljiba eventually.
In general, succubi were alone. Succubi were expected to be the loyal servants of demons and monsters who ranked much higher than them. Succubi and incubi had always been lower-class demons, obeying every beck and call of a powerful vampire like Lord Dracula.
She didn’t mind, of course. She was happy to serve her Lord. She would gladly remake the world in his image. Truthfully, that was all she wanted in her life. Nothing more.
But it didn’t change how lonely she was.
For some reason, whenever she was with Annette, her loneliness subsided. Her loneliness became an afterthought.
The Succubus had absolutely no idea what she was feeling towards Annette. She had absolutely no idea why she was feeling such things. It didn’t make any sense whatsoever. Succubi and incubi were only supposed to feel hunger, wrath, lust, hatred, contempt towards humans, and loyalty towards Lord Dracula.
Every time she looked at her, the Succubus felt as if a swarm of bees had made a home in her mind, flying around and buzzing. She felt as if she would never get any rest whenever she was around Annette.
Sometimes, when she looked into Annette’s turquoise eyes, the Succubus thought about killing her.
The Succubus knew she would never kill Annette. She had to keep Annette alive because drinking the tears of her sorrow would be much more sweet than her death.
But the Succubus thought frequently about how she would kill Annette in a fantasy of her own.
Perhaps if she killed Annette, these strange feelings the Succubus had would conclude. That definitely had to be the solution to her problem.
In most of her fantasies, the Succubus killed Annette quickly. Initially, she wanted to draw out her suffering and watch her die in her arms. Perhaps she could’ve done it the old-fashioned way and entered Annette’s dreams, giving her everything she ever wanted. And when Annette thought she was safe, the Succubus would take her life from her.
She frequently thought about wrapping her hands around Annette’s neck, strangling her until she stopped breathing. That seemed to be the most common way of killing her in her fantasies.
But Annette didn’t deserve that. Yes, the Succubus hated her. Annette had suffered for far too long, though. The Succubus believed that she could put her out of her misery if she was ever given the opportunity. If Annette asked her to, she would gladly do so.
So, if she ever killed her, the Succubus would quickly snap Annette’s neck.
She would gently place her fingertips on her eyelids and close them for her once the deed was done. She would hold her in her arms, and she would lie down on her lap. She would run her hand through her lavender hair. She imagined that they would stay like that for a few hours, just the two of them watching the world go by.
Perhaps she would bury her, like humans did. Annette would want that.
But Annette confided in her. She told her such a precious secret. The Succubus would protect her secret, of course. She wanted to see her in pain, but only by her own hand. If the townspeople ever turned against Annette, the Succubus would enact her vengeance upon them. She would give them a taste of their own medicine and burn the entire town down, just like Lord Dracula’s forces did.
It would scare Annette at first, but the Succubus knew that she would come to understand that she had done it all for her. Then, Annette would be happy.
The Succubus did hate Annette, but she also had a strange fondness for her. Annette had fallen for her disguise, as her kindness was a fatal flaw. But she had accepted her into her own home so quickly, taken empathy rather than pity upon her. The Succubus was done with contemplating that aspect of their relationship, knowing that Annette was a genuinely loving person. Her interactions towards the Succubus confused and almost angered her.
One minute she wanted Annette to drown herself in the river by Aldra, and the next she wanted to sit down by her apple tree and braid her lavender hair. Why did her opinion of her have to conflict so much?
A part of her wished Lord Dracula had turned Annette into a vampire while she was trapped in his castle. She could’ve been immortal. The Succubus could’ve been with her. She would obey her every wish. She would give her everything she wanted. The thought of Annette as Lord Dracula’s bride slightly angered her, but she would’ve gotten over it. The only thing that mattered to her was that she and Annette would be together until the end of time.
The Succubus immediately threw her thoughts away. She was definitely losing her mind, and it was all Annette’s fault. It made her think that Annette had cast a spell on her. Perhaps she wasn’t just the normal young woman she presented herself to be and had the same magical prowess as Shaft. What a fool the Succubus was.
Who was she kidding? The Succubus had just gone insane. Annette was just a girl. She just happened to be caught up in Lord Dracula’s business due to her affiliation with Richter and the other Belmonts.
The Succubus did hate Annette. But she hated seeing someone else with her more.
Autumn came to Transylvania like a raincloud obscuring the sky.
The harvest was plentiful, and the people of Aljiba began preparations for the All Hallow’s Eve celebrations, joyous smiles on their faces as they made their terrifying costumes to ward off evil spirits and creatures of the night.
Annette couldn’t share the enthusiasm of her fellow townspeople.
Autumn marked the first anniversary of Dracula’s defeat at the hands of Richter.
Autumn marked the first anniversary of Annette being kidnapped by Dracula.
It was a rough time for her. She didn’t get out much. She even skipped her usual tea party with Iris and Tera. They came over one day, but Annette stayed in her room. She could overhear her father and Serena telling them that she needed space (she could practically feel the tension between Serena, Iris, and Tera, even if she wasn’t in the same room with them). She hated that they had to speak for her, but there was nothing she could’ve done. Anyone could see that she was a total wreck.
She hated the nature of All Hallow’s Eve, too. She loved the holiday before that horrible night had taken place, but she just couldn’t see it the same way anymore. Not after what had happened. She had grown to fear nearly everything supernatural, and she wanted nothing to do with it. It had stayed that way for a while, as Richter and Maria hadn’t encountered any vampires or other servants of Dracula since that night.
Regardless, she knew it was futile. She trusted Richter’s family, but being so close to those that dabbled in the supernatural could only end in disaster.
That wasn’t true. Perhaps she just wasn’t thinking straight. It was just her trauma clawing at her, trying to bring her down. Dracula couldn’t come back for her. She just needed to get through Autumn and reach Winter. It wouldn’t be easy, though.
However, Richter immediately took notice of her pain. He was naturally caring, always looking out for her and the people that he loved.
He told her that Autumn wasn’t easy for him, either. He said that a grand ball was to be held to celebrate the anniversary of Dracula’s defeat at the hands of Richter, and Richter was to be the star, all of the praise thrown at him. Important vampire hunters and other figures were going to be there, too. Annette couldn’t imagine the weight on his shoulders.
That was when something strange happened.
Richter invited Annette to the ball, so they could “suffer together”, in his own words. Richter said his two sisters would be coming as well, and he didn’t mind if Annette invited Serena. He knew that she cared about her, that she was happy when she was around her. Richter insisted that if he and Annette were together, the night would be over much faster than they initially thought.
That was how Annette found herself in the Belmont Mansion once more, watching an irritated Richter try on clothes for the ball with Maria and their grandfather Juste. Annette was dressed in a simple green dress and white gloves, her lavender hair tied up into a bun for once. Maria wore a pink dress that could easily be seen as something she normally wore, but she didn’t care one bit, too focused on playing with her dove companions while Richter suffered.
“Do I really have to wear this?” Richter groaned. “It barely fits me.”
Richter was dressed in a very aristocratic outfit consisting of a blue coat, white pants, and long black gloves. His parents insisted that he was absolutely forbidden from wearing his headband at the ball. His brown hair was neatly combed, but his bangs had grown longer since she last saw him.
His blue coat was remarkably tight around his, ahem , chest area, causing a blush to creep across Annette’s cheeks. She swore those buttons were about to pop off, holding on for dear life. She immediately looked away, hiding her flushed face and trying to focus on literally anything else in the room.
“You have to look presentable, Richter.” Juste insisted, gently tying a white cravat around Richter’s neck. “Many people will be expecting you.”
“Well, what if I’m not expecting them?” Richter joked.
Juste only huffed and rolled his red eyes in response, but Annette could see the love in his expression.
Annette was always curious about Richter’s grandparents. He had three of them, of course. Juste had married both Lydie and Maxim, his childhood friends. Annette found herself wondering what their story was, how they met, how their relationship came to be. She thought it was beautiful how three people could love each other so much. Perhaps she would ask Richter about them someday.
Something confused Annette, though. How could someone as loving and caring as Juste, Lydie, and Maxim raise someone as cruel and manipulative as Gwendolyn Belmont?
Annette wasn’t afraid to admit it. Richter’s mother was not a good person. She knew the Belmonts had to be hard on themselves due to their destiny, but Richter had killed Dracula already. It was over and done with. Why was Gwendolyn still so rude to her own son? Weren’t they supposed to be celebrating that he had fulfilled his destiny? Wasn’t killing Dracula and bringing honor to his family a good thing?
Gwendolyn was the previous wielder of the Vampire Killer, and she seemed to take the title seriously. Annette knew that Gwendolyn never met Dracula, so she assumed that Gwendolyn wanted Richter to know just how important his role as a Belmont was. Richter had a massive weight on his shoulders, and Gwendolyn constantly had to remind him about it.
Annette had known Richter since they were both young teenagers. She knew little about his childhood, but she had the feeling that Gwendolyn had always been hard on him. He had killed Dracula when he was only nineteen. There was no doubt that Gwendolyn started teaching Richter how to use a whip and how to kill vampires when he was a child. It was tradition, of course. Gwendolyn’s methods had to be harsh.
Richter’s father was a similar case to his mother, but he barely interacted with his own son. Hugo Belmont was a magic user, proficient in spells, but he left most of the vampire hunting to his wife. Whenever Annette saw him, Hugo always had his head stuck in a book, sitting in the grand library with his legs crossed.
Annette assumed that Gwendolyn and Hugo had an arranged marriage. They didn’t seem to like each other that much.
It seemed Hugo wouldn’t be joining them at the ball, either. Gwendolyn never commented on it. It made Annette wonder just how important Hugo really was in the grand scheme of things.
The sound of sudden voices entering the hall brought Annette out of her thoughts.
Annette looked up to see Serena walking down the steps of the grand hall with Lydie and Maxim, smiles on their faces. Annette’s turquoise eyes widened at the sight of Serena in a beautiful red dress, much more beautiful than anything Annette could ever make. She looked absolutely gorgeous, her red hair cascading down her back. A shy, nervous smile formed on her lips, as if she wasn’t used to wearing such clothes. Annette wished that Serena could realize that she deserved good things in her life after everything she had gone through.
Did Serena ever realize how lovely she was?
“Oh, Serena!” Lydie beamed as she took Serena’s hands in her own. “You look absolutely stunning!”
“Plenty of heads will turn,” Maxim encouraged. “They’ll love you.”
“Oh, well…” Serena looked down at her lavish red dress, sheepishly. “Thank you for your help. It means a lot to me.”
Serena finally seemed to realize that Annette was staring at her from across the room, their gazes meeting. Annette didn’t even notice that she had reached the end of the steps. They both shyly waved to each other, as if they didn’t practically live together, as if they hadn’t slept at each other’s sides.
“Well, I’ll certainly look out of place.” Serena joked, her smile becoming much more genuine as she approached Annette.
“I’m sure you’ll be fine.” Annette grinned. “You can stay by my side, if you like. Two simple town girls at a ball, surrounded by prolific vampire hunters. Who would’ve thought?”
“I can already see the epic novels written about us.” Serena said.
“You two are guests.” Richter insisted, stepping over to the two women. “And if any of the other people there try to mess with you, just let me know, alright?”
Richter gently placed a hand on Annette’s shoulder, the two of them smiling. Annette didn’t know why, but she swore she saw Serena’s face fall for a moment.
“What about me?!” Maria asked, tugging on Annette’s dress. That seemed to be a habit of hers.
“Honestly, I’d argue that the ball should be dedicated to you, Maria!” Richter said as he picked Maria up and placed her on his shoulders, causing her to giggle in response. “I would’ve never defeated Dracula if it weren’t for you.”
“Put me down, put me down!” Maria laughed profusely.
“Well, you are getting too old for this sort of thing.” Richter hummed, placing Maria back on her feet. “Maybe I should stop…”
“Never!” Maria called back.
Annette watched Richter and Maria’s interactions with a warm smile, laughing along with them. She wondered what it was like to have such a caring sibling. She wondered if Serena thought the same thing as well, as she was an only child, just like Annette. Perhaps that was something they could bond over.
“I doubt that they’ll even notice me.” A dejected voice suddenly said. “I don’t even know why I’m going to be there.”
Antonia Belmont had a permanent scowl on her face.
She had always been a bitter woman, stuck in her brother’s shadow. Annette didn’t interact with her much, as she spent most of her time in the Belmont Mansion, never visiting Aljiba or the shelter. Additionally, she was much too intense for her. She always looked like she was about to break an object, and then throw said object at her target.
Her short brown hair was always tied into a small ponytail, which Maria often joked that it was more like a rattail. A glare hid beneath her circular metal glasses. She wore a red coat with long coattails trailing down her body and golden epaulets on her shoulders, even though she had no military prowess. Annette supposed she wore epaulets to make herself look more regal than she actually was.
It seemed she would be wearing this to the ball, too. Annette already knew her intentions.
“Because you were invited, Antonia.” Richter said, attempting to comfort his younger sister. “You’re still a Belmont, you know.”
Antonia didn’t reply. She scoffed, simply crossing her arms and staring at one of the paintings in the grand hall with her large blue eyes. This interaction was commonplace between Richter and Antonia. Annette had the feeling that they loved each other, but Antonia’s jealousy probably soured things between them. How could Richter’s relationships with his two sisters be so drastically different?
“Yes, yes, you’re all very important.” The strong, commanding voice of Gwendolyn Belmont entered the room. She seemed unbothered at first, but her expression soured as her cold eyes landed on Richter. “Did you even brush your hair? You look like you fell out of a tree.”
“... Sorry, Mother.” Richter rolled his blue eyes, his happy demeanor immediately fading at the sound of his mother’s voice.
Annette wanted to protest, but Serena placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. She looked back at her friend to find Serena shaking her head, a pained frown on her red lips. Perhaps she was right.
There was something wrong with Gwendolyn. Annette didn’t want to dwell on it too much. She cared about the Belmonts, but their family drama wasn’t any of her business. She didn’t want to overstep Richter’s boundaries and bother him, either. She felt as if she still couldn’t talk about certain things with him.
Once everyone was ready to leave, Richter and the five women stepped out of the mansion. Juste, Lydie, and Maxim stayed home, explaining that they were “too old” for such things. Hugo never even said goodbye to them. Annette could already imagine the man cooped up in the library, not a care in the world.
“I’ll go get the horses.” Richter said before heading to the stables. “I’ll be right back.”
The carriage waited for them outside. The Belmonts were humble people, despite their lineage. Antonia opted to drive the carriage herself, leaving the driver that was assigned to them very confused. She and the former driver sat together at the front, chatting for a few minutes. Meanwhile, Maria played with her pet doves, watching them fly in the air.
Gwendolyn looked at her pocket mirror, adjusting a few strands of her long brown hair. Sometimes it shocked Annette how similar Gwendolyn looked to her son.
Serena stood beside Annette, her orange eyes focused on the direction Richter went. She looked lost in thought. Annette opened her mouth to ask her about her thoughts, but a blood-curdling scream pierced through the air.
A cold chill rushed through Annette’s body. That was Richter’s voice.
The five women rushed over to the stables as soon as possible, where they found Richter sobbing on the ground next to Lilac, his trusted mare that he rode on to and from Dracula’s Castle that night.
Annette instantly recoiled, bringing her hands to cover her nose. A rotten stench seeped through the air.
“What… What happened?” Maria asked, her voice quiet.
Lilac had become nothing more than a corpse.
Had she fallen ill? Had something just attacked and killed her?
But as Annette stepped closer, she noticed that Lilac’s body was rotting, as if she had been dead for days. Flies buzzed around her corpse. Blood and pus oozed out of strange holes on her body. The brown color in her fur had faded, and her brown eyes were completely devoid of life. How long had she been dead for? Why had no one noticed that she was missing?
“Richter!” Antonia called as she rushed to Richter’s side. “What happened?!”
“It’s Lilac!” Richter cried. “I found her like this! S-She’s dead! She was fine this morning!”
“Oh, Richter…” Annette said as she sat beside him on the ground, wrapping her arms around him.
Richter buried his face in his hands, weeping profusely. Annette had never seen Richter like this before. She had never seen him so vulnerable. He normally had the appearance of a strong vampire hunter who never took no for an answer, a strong vampire hunter that always got himself out of tough situations.
Serena stood in place, staring at Lilac’s corpse with an unreadable expression on her lips. She looked haunted, as if she was remembering all of her neighbors who had been killed by Dracula’s forces. However, she soon grabbed Maria and pulled her to her chest, shielding her from the corpse.
Maria didn't dare to look, accepting Serena’s sudden embrace. Annette knew how much she loved animals. She didn’t want her childhood to be ruined anymore, not since her parents were killed.
Gwendolyn looked just as distraught as Serena, but she grabbed Richter by his shoulders, pulling him up, causing Antonia and Annette to step away.
“Come on,” Gwendolyn insisted, but her voice trembled as she spoke. “We’ll bury Lilac properly tomorrow morning. It’s too dangerous to do so when we get back tonight. Let’s go.”
“How could you?!” Richter questioned, betrayal in his blue eyes. “Lilac is dead ! We can’t go anywhere when she’s like… like this!”
“We still have Peony and Clover.” Gwendolyn explained. “We can still get to the ball on time.”
Peony and Clover stood in their respective stalls, looking utterly unphased by the situation, as if their companion hadn't mysteriously died.
“Are you crazy?!” Richter asked in disbelief. “Do you have any idea what I mean?! The ball doesn’t even matter anymore!”
“That’s no way to talk to your mother.” Gwendolyn snapped in an offended manner.
“Please, Richter.” Antonia said carefully, placing her hands on her older brother’s shoulders, looking him dead in the eye. “I promise we’ll figure this out when we get back, but we need to go. Please.”
Richter looked back at the stables for a moment. His blue eyes were completely focused on Lilac’s corpse, as if he hadn’t been crying over her just a few seconds ago.
Finally, Richter turned to face Antonia. He nodded, seemingly at a loss for words. Annette didn’t blame him. The weight of his family’s expectations was just too strong.
She hoped it would never crush him.
Richter and the four women entered the carriage while Antonia sat next to the driver, reins in her hands. She fed apples to Peony and Clover, the two horses as calm as ever.
Before leaving, they told Juste, Maxim, and Lydie about Lilac’s death. The trio said they would handle it until the group returned from the ball. Annette trusted them, but she had the feeling that something darker was at play.
Richter said he heard strange noises and footsteps he didn’t recognize in the Belmont Mansion. He said he kept finding objects in places they weren’t supposed to be.
Annette didn’t want to think about it. The supernatural only made things worse for Annette and the entire Belmont family. Perhaps she was just going insane. It was stupid to think that someone as insignificant as her was invited to a ball. Perhaps this was all a dream and nothing mattered.
But would she ever wake up?
The carriage began moving. Annette looked out the window, watching as the Belmont Mansion became nothing more than a spec as they drove further and further away from it. Annette and Serena sat beside each other, facing Richter, Maria, and Gwendolyn.
“Why… Why do we have to go anyway?” Richter asked, his voice trembling, obviously still shaken from the death of Lilac. “It’s been a year. Let’s just all try to move on from Dracula.”
“ You are the heir to the clan, Richter.” Gwendolyn said. “You represent the public view of our family. If anything goes wrong, you are to blame.”
“But-”
“Am I clear?”
Richter paused. He looked down at his hands. Annette and Serena exchanged worried glances between each other. Antonia sat in the front, driving the carriage, but Annette swore that she saw her back tense up at the sound of her mother’s commanding voice. Maria looked around the carriage worriedly, a frown on her face. Annette had never seen her so nervous before.
“Yes, Mother…” Richter eventually said.
The carriage fell silent, save for the sound of the wheels turning and the horses’ hooves clopping against the ground.
Maria gently tugged at Richter’s sleeve, then placed a hand on his shoulder. He slightly turned his head to look at her, a small smile forming on his face. Annette smiled, too. She knew that they would always be there to protect each other. She knew Maria was strong, but she wished she could’ve had a normal childhood. It wasn’t fair.
Serena would’ve said something like “Life isn’t fair”. Annette looked at Serena expectantly, as if she could read her mind. Serena only stared out the window, a calm and unphased expression on her face.
Annette sighed.
It was going to be a long ride.
By the time the carriage reached the ball, the sun had begun setting.
For once in her life, Annette wasn’t worried. Numerous vampire hunters were in attendance, and if something went wrong, they could easily handle the situation. Traveling back home at night could be dangerous, but she knew that Richter, Antonia, Gwendolyn, and even Maria could protect them. They brought their weapons, including the Vampire Killer.
Serena joked that they would only use them to impress the other guests. Party tricks, nothing more.
Lilac’s sudden death nagged at the back of Annette’s mind, though. The horse’s dead body looked as if it had been rotting for days, but it had only just been noticed that day, right before they left. Richter always took care of his horses. It didn’t make a lick of sense. How had no one found Lilac’s corpse beforehand?
Annette trusted the Belmonts. But she had the feeling something was happening in that mansion. She just didn’t know what .
The ball was located near one of the old forests of the region. It took place at a massive mansion owned by one of the more famous vampire hunting families. Annette only really knew the Belmonts, but she heard in passing that the Van Helsings were hosting the ball. Not that she had any idea who they were, though.
The group of six stepped out of the carriage. The driver said he would keep their horses safe, and Antonia thanked him with a nod and a few extra coins for the trouble. Two people Annette didn’t recognize waited for them, opening the massive doors of the mansion, welcoming them inside.
Richter stepped in front of the group before Gwendolyn could command him to. He knew that he was the main attraction.
Whether he liked it or not.
“Esteemed guests, please welcome the guest of honor.” A voice called once the group entered the mansion. “The man who defeated Count Dracula and saved us all last year, Richter of the Belmont Clan!”
Thunderous applause erupted as the group was met with an overwhelming sea of faces and hands. Richter waved to them, occasionally taking a bow. He seemed happy to receive all this attention, but his eyes betrayed him. Lilac’s death, or something else entirely, still haunted him.
“Please welcome his family: His mother, Lady Gwendolyn of the Belmont Clan, his sisters, Lady Antonia of the Belmont Clan and Lady Maria of the Renard Clan.”
More applause followed, less so than when Richter was introduced. Regardless, Gwendolyn and Antonia savored the attention. Annette nearly laughed at the sight. This had to be the greatest night of the sixteen years Antonia called her life.
Maria happily waved at the crowd for a few seconds, but she was immediately distracted at the sight of a table absolutely loaded with chocolate and other treats in the distance. Richter apologetically looked back at his group, then chased after Maria to make sure she didn’t eat too much and fall ill the next morning.
“Finally, I am pleased to introduce Miss Annette and Miss Serena of Aljiba.”
Serena made a sort of disconcerted noise under her breath at that, despite the applause she and Annette received from people that had surely never even heard of them.
“Would you rather they say you’re from Aldra instead?” Annette asked quietly, taking Serena’s hand in her own.
“No, just…” Serena shook her head. “It caught me off guard. That’s all.”
Annette nodded, not questioning Serena any further. She assumed that she didn’t want to talk about it.
More guests were introduced, people Annette had never heard of, people she was too scared to meet. She was far from shy, but something about the mansion intimidated her. As she looked around the room, Annette immediately felt out of place. She felt completely overwhelmed. She was just a girl from a town that was attacked by Dracula. Perhaps it was best if Richter never invited her.
But when she looked over at Serena, Annette felt safe. They were both in the same situation, after all. She knew that she could always count on her.
Gwendolyn and Antonia immediately began socializing with the other guests, while Richter let Maria eat at least one slice of cake before dinner. Annette watched as Richter was practically swarmed by a group of guests, bombarding him with questions and compliments. Annette didn’t really understand, but Richter seemed alright, smiling at his fellow vampire hunters while Maria fed tiny pieces of cake to a dove on her shoulder.
Serena still held Annette’s hand as they walked across the room, taking in the scenery of the mansion. The floor was pristine, clear, perhaps made of marble. Guests spoke to each other about things so beyond Annette’s life, things that she would never understand. The setting sun and the purple Autumn sky looked through the windows, bidding goodbye before night fell. A massive chandelier hung from the ceiling, numerous lights nearly blinding her. A band played a soft song in the distance, the sounds of their instruments as sweet as honey.
Annette knew that she would never experience anything like this again.
She would have to make the most of it, then.
“We should go meet people.” Annette offered. “This might be our only opportunity. Two town girls taking on the world of vampire hunting, huh?”
“What’s the point?” Serena asked as she accepted a glass of wine that a waiter offered to her. “It’s not like we’re ever going to see these people again.”
“I suppose you’re right.” Annette frowned. “But it doesn’t hurt to try.”
“Be my guest.” Serena replied, staring at the red wine with an odd expression, as if she wasn’t used to such luxuries either.
Annette’s face fell even further at that. What had gotten into Serena? This was supposed to be a night of celebration and happiness, even if the thought of Dracula still sent chills down her spine.
It could’ve been a joyous night, until Lilac died.
That was when Annette realized that this ball was nothing more than a distraction. Horrible things happened last year, and she had the feeling life would only get worse. Lilac’s death was a bad omen, wasn’t it? Would Dracula return? Something even deadlier than the Dark Lord himself?
No. She would let herself be distracted, just for the night. She would make this ball the only way for her to cope with her problems. She knew she needed that much. Richter cared about her. That was why he invited her in the first place.
Annette sighed. She wished Iris and Tera were there with her. They were survivors of Dracula, just like her; didn’t they deserve to be there, too? She missed them, but she could only blame herself for her feelings. She chose to isolate herself, as Autumn was far too difficult for her. She owed them an apology. She could only hope that she would be able to face them when Winter came.
Eventually, the guests made their way to the ballroom, where the dance would be held. Annette had never been much of a dancer, but she looked forward to trying something new. She just hoped that she wouldn’t make a fool of herself in front of so many prestigious people.
She sat at one of the tables with Serena, watching as the guests chose their respective dance partners. She looked over at her friend for a moment, watching as she ate an apple. Annette wondered if apples were her favorite fruit.
Serena still looked positively gorgeous in her dress, the crimson cloth accentuating her long red hair. Annette felt something stirring inside her at the thought, but she couldn’t quite recognize what it was. She definitely wasn’t jealous of her looks. She knew that her friend was beautiful, in an alluring, almost haunting sort of way.
Annette remembered that night they spent together, sleeping at Serena’s side. She didn’t know why, but she missed the feeling of Serena’s soft skin against hers.
A small part of her wanted to experience that feeling again.
A dance would be a perfect opportunity for that… right?
“Do you dance, Serena?” Annette asked, remembering when Richter was taught how to waltz by his grandmother Lydie for public appearances.
“Not at all.” Serena replied, taking a bite out of an apple. “All I’ve ever known is fishing and roaming, Annette.”
“Is that so?” Annette laughed, charmed by Serena’s indifferent attitude towards the ball. “Well, I haven’t really danced myself. I think I was always too focused on working with my father. And besides, dancing never really was my idea of fun.”
“What is your idea of fun, then?” Serena questioned with a hum.
“Making dresses, even if it is work.” Annette explained. “Running around in grassy fields. Tea parties. Reading a good book.”
Annette looked around, contemplating if she should say this out loud. Finally, she opened her mouth to speak, her turquoise eyes glancing over at Serena. A blush spread across her face, and she hadn’t even said anything yet.
“Spending time with someone I care about.”
Serena uncharacteristically blushed at that, abandoning her apple and placing it on the plate before her. She leaned closer to Annette, a mischievous smile on her face
“You know…” Serena began, her hand reaching over to Annette’s arm. “Maybe dancing isn’t so bad.”
“Is that so?” Annette raised a curious eyebrow, but she smiled nonetheless.
“Well, if you want it to be.” Serena replied.
Annette felt as if her head was spinning. Her face was heating up. This was her chance. She was going to ask Serena to dance with her, to be close to her.
“Serena, I-”
“There you are!” Richter called as he approached Annette and Serena’s table.
“Richter!” Annette smiled at the sight of her boyfriend, standing up from the table and pulling him into a hug. “Where have you been? Is anyone giving you any trouble?”
“Nah, I’m alright.” Richter reassured Annette. “I’ve managed to escape from the crowds for now.”
“How are the others?” Annette asked.
“Well, I think Mother and Antonia are socializing, if you can even call it that.” Richter laughed. “I’m sure Antonia scared some of the guests away already. I managed to stop Maria from gorging herself on cake, though.”
“We’re not deaf, you know.” Antonia huffed as she and Maria approached the table.
“Where’s Mother?” Richter asked as he turned to his sisters.
“Making a damn fool of herself, that’s for sure.” Antonia said as she picked up a piece of bread from the center of the table and took a bite. “Don’t worry about it, Richter. You should enjoy yourself. Let’s just try to get through the night.”
“What, you’re not having any fun?” Richter grinned.
“I am!” Maria announced before Antonia could respond. “They even let me keep my doves out!”
A dove that was perched on Maria’s shoulder gently cooed in response. Annette was glad to see that Maria was at least having a good time compared to the rest of the group.
Annette opened her mouth to speak, but the band soon began playing a slow, graceful song, fit for the waltz. She knew exactly what that meant. She turned to Richter, a gentle smile on his face.
“So…” Richter began, looking as sheepish as ever. “Can I have this dance, Miss Annette of Aljiba?”
“You may, Richter of the Belmont Clan.” Annette replied as she took Richter’s hand.
The two of them erupted into laughter, barely used to such formalities.
Annette couldn’t just ignore Serena, though. She already felt out of place as is, and leaving her alone would only make things worse for her. Before she and Richter walked to the dance floor, Annette turned to look at Serena.
“Do you want to join us?” Annette asked. “I can’t think of anyone who could deny someone as beautiful as you, Serena.”
“Go on ahead without me, Annette.” Serena replied, a small smile on her lips. “This wine isn’t going to drink itself, you know. I should wait for your mother, too, Richter. Who knows what woman is up to?”
“I suppose you’re right.” Richter nodded. “You’re free to join us anytime, you know.”
Serena only lifted her glass in response, as if to toast the two of them.
Annette didn’t know why, but the sight of Serena, sitting there alone with nothing but wine for company, made her heart ache.
Annette and Richter walked over to the dance floor, hand in hand. It reminded her of old times, before Richter had fought Dracula, when they were merely young teenagers, barely caring for the future.
In the corner of her eye, Annette spotted Antonia and Maria dancing together, the two sisters as clumsy as ever. Even if they weren’t biological sisters, they still had a close connection unlike any other. Richter was lucky to have siblings that cared for him so much, even if Antonia antagonized him often. She smiled.
“I don’t believe you’ve ever told me you could dance, Annette.” Richter hummed.
“That’s the thing: I can’t.” Annette replied with a chuckle.
“Follow my lead.” Richter said. “I’ll teach you everything I know.”
Annette smiled as Richter guided her into the standard waltz formation, her left hand on his shoulder, his hand above her waist, their other hands entwined together. The closeness of the dance reminded Annette of when Richter had saved her from the clock tower. She still remembered running into his arms, just like it was yesterday.
No matter how much she wanted to forget that night, she still appreciated everything Richter did for her. For that, she would always love him.
Even if they were surrounded by countless other guests dancing, Annette felt as if she and Richter were the only two people in the world.
But Serena still nagged at the back of her mind. Why did she have to consume her thoughts?
Annette looked across the room to find Serena, still sitting at the table with a glass of wine in her hand. She looked as if she hadn’t taken another sip since she and Annette spoke a few minutes ago. However, she was staring daggers at Richter, completely ignoring Annette, an odd look of contempt and possibly even hatred in her orange eyes. What was that about?
“I’m rusty, just so you know.” Richter said, pulling Annette out of her thoughts. “It’s been a while since I’ve done anything like this.”
“You’re doing amazing.” Annette said as she and Richter gracefully moved across the floor to the music. “Way better than me, of course.”
She tried her hardest not to step on his feet. Even if she did, she knew that he wouldn’t even acknowledge it.
“And how does dancing help you defeat vampires?” Annette asked curiously, but she was mostly joking.
“It really doesn’t, but my mother insisted I learn.” Richter explained. “I’m supposed to look sophisticated for public appearances, that sort of thing. My family… we were never nobles. Just hunters trying to get by while dealing with Dracula at the same time. Once a town was built around us, we were treated as heroes, in a way.”
Annette nodded, considering Richter’s words. She knew the basics about the Belmonts, their eternal feud against Dracula. The one thing she didn’t know was how said feud came to be.
“Does it bother you?” Annette questioned. “The attention?”
“Not really.” Richter replied, but Annette could practically hear his hesitance. “It just… is . I think I’ve gotten used to it at this point, you know?”
Annette understood what Richter meant, even if she could never imagine herself in that position. Richter was a Belmont, but at the end of the day, he was just like her. Neither of them were nobles. They were just people. Annette was simply a girl from a small town with a future of staying in said town. Richter already completed his destiny. He defeated Dracula.
What was supposed to happen next?
Annette didn’t know why she asked the next question.
“Would you ever leave Transylvania?” Annette asked. “You defeated Dracula. Why would you keep staying here?”
“For you, Annette. For Maria, too. For my entire family.” Richter replied, as if someone had asked him the same question before. “And besides, I can’t see myself outside of Transylvania. It’s all I’ve ever known.”
Richter paused for a moment.
“But, to be honest…” Richter began, looking around the room before lowering his voice. “I don’t really know what I’ll do next. Maybe I should leave. The mansion hasn’t been getting any better.”
“You’re still hearing those weird noises, right?” Annette remembered what Richter had told her. “Footsteps?”
“Yes.” Richter nodded, almost frantically. “They’re getting worse and worse, too. Everywhere I go, I hear…”
He stopped himself, as if someone was watching.
“I’m sorry.” Richter’s voice trembled. “We shouldn’t talk about this kind of stuff here. We should be happy.”
Annette wanted to protest, but this was his night. She didn’t want to ruin the anniversary celebration for him.
“That’s alright.” Annette said quietly. “I’m sorry for bringing it up.”
That didn’t stop her from wondering about what Richter was about to say.
Strange noises and the sound of footsteps Richter didn’t recognize. Misplaced objects. Lilac’s recent death, but her corpse was already rotten. The recent disappearances in Aljiba. Something was going on.
The word “haunting” flashed in Annette’s mind.
It couldn’t be. Annette tried not to think about it.
Perhaps she was killed in that castle. Perhaps this was all a dream.
The song eventually came to a graceful end. Richter and Annette let go of each other and bowed or curtsied, just like the other guests on the dance floor.
Richter politely excused himself. Annette merely nodded and smiled. She didn’t want to worry him any longer. She watched as he walked over to a waiter, who poured him a glass of wine. After that, he disappeared into the crowd. Annette wasn’t worried, but the strange occurrences in the Belmont Mansion and Aljiba simply couldn’t escape her mind.
Annette walked back to Serena’s table. She found her there once more, but she wasn’t alone. Antonia and Maria sat with her, and Gwendolyn was nowhere to be found. Antonia looked as if she was about to fall asleep, but Maria seemed to be showing off her dove companions to Serena.
“Here, you pet them like this.” Maria said as she demonstrated.
Serena nodded, watching Maria’s actions intently. Then, she gently placed her hand on the dove’s beak, as careful as possible. The dove cooed happily in response, prompting Serena to pet the sides of the dove’s head.
Annette smiled widely at the sight, captivated by just how gentle Serena was. She could’ve even described the moment as cute. Annette knew Serena was beautiful, but cute?! It was completely new. Annette definitely wasn’t complaining, though. She was just simply used to Serena’s quiet, thoughtful self. This was something else. It definitely wasn’t a bad thing, though.
Practically every side of Serena was loveable.
Annette joined the other three women at the table, feeling safe and secure among them. Anything to get her mind off the strange things that seemed to follow her.
“Ah, there you are.” Serena smiled as Annette sat down next to her. “Maria was just teaching me about these birds. They’re beautiful creatures.”
“Well, I’m glad to see you’re enjoying yourself.” Annette smiled. “Do you still feel out of place?”
“Certainly.” Serena replied. “But it doesn’t bother me anymore. What about you?”
“Maybe a little bit.” Annette said, looking over at Antonia for a moment, who had indeed fallen asleep. “But I’m glad that I’m with you.”
Serena returned Annette’s smile, as if they had made a silent agreement, something only they could hear.
Annette turned her head, looking out one of the many windows in the mansion. It was a full moon. She didn’t know why she hadn’t realized it before.
A full moon in Autumn, on the anniversary of Dracula’s defeat at the hands of Richter…
“NO!”
Annette knew that voice.
Every single conversation at the ball stopped.
Practically everyone in attendance turned their heads to look at Richter.
He stood there, shattered shards of glass and abandoned red wine on the floor.
His hand was placed firmly on the Vampire Killer at his hip.
His blue eyes were wide with fear. A cold sweat rolled down his skin.
He looked as if he had seen a ghost.
“It was him!” Richter breathed heavily. “Shaft! The dark priest! He’s here, he’s-”
Annette immediately rushed over to Richter, offering Serena an awkward, apologetic smile. Serena only nodded in response, sympathy painting her face. Antonia woke up at the sudden noise, while Maria was frozen in shock.
“Are you alright?!” Annette yelled as she ran over to Richter. “What happened?!”
Richter had fallen to his knees, a look of absolute mortification in his eyes. What in the world had he seen that warranted such a reaction from him? Annette crouched down to his level, gently placing a hand on his shoulder. He didn’t flinch, allowing her to touch him.
“I think I saw… Shaft.” Richter explained, his voice barely above a whisper. “I saw him for a split second, and then he was gone .”
“You were probably just seeing things, Richter.” Annette said, rubbing circles on his back. “He’s gone. No one is going to hurt you.”
The room was still silent. Annette could feel nearly every single gaze on her and Richter. She ignored them, carefully helping Richter up.
“I think we should leave.” Annette advised, to which Richter nodded in response. “You need to get some rest. Let’s go home.”
Annette knew that traveling during nighttime was dangerous, but she didn’t care. She just wanted to leave this ball for good. It was a mistake. They should’ve never come here in the first place.
“Do you have any idea what you’ve done?!” Gwendolyn yelled as she approached Richter, pushing Annette aside and grabbing Richter by the shoulders. “You’re an utter embarrassment! To me, and to your ancestors!”
Richter didn’t reply, staring down at his shoes. Annette found it strange that Gwendolyn only appeared at the worst possible moments.
“I can’t believe this.” Gwendolyn nearly growled. “We’re leaving. Don’t make a fool out of yourself any further.”
Antonia and Maria didn’t say anything. They knew not to challenge their mother. Annette and Serena didn’t say anything. The business of the Belmont family had nothing to do with them.
Nearly every single guest at the ball stared at the group as they left the massive mansion. Annette decided that she would forget this night ever happened. Between Lilac’s death and whatever Richter had seen, it seemed as if this night was cursed.
The ride back to the Belmont Manson was silent.
Antonia invited Serena and Annette to stay over for the night, as traveling back to Aljiba under the full moon was practically a death wish. When the group arrived at the mansion, Juste, Lydie, and Maxim were already asleep. Annette wondered if Gwendolyn would tell them about what transpired at the ball.
Annette and Serena slept in separate guest rooms, no matter how much she wanted to be by her side. Maybe she just needed to be alone. Richter retired to his bedroom without a word, shame and guilt on his face as he walked down the hall.
In her guest room, Annette stared up at the ceiling, questioning what would happen in the morning, how she would move on from that night.
Would it be best if I just forgot? Annette thought as sleep finally overtook her.
Hours later, in the middle of the night, Annette woke up.
She looked out the window to see a figure slowly walking into the woods from the mansion. She couldn’t determine any of their features, but the full moon illuminated their brown hair, their locks flowing in the Autumn winds.
She decided it was nothing more than a dream.
Annette closed her eyes, and fell back asleep.
A few days after the ball, Richter fell ill.
Gwendolyn, the matriarch of the Belmont Clan, concluded that her son had become sick because he ate something that upset his stomach at the ball. She said it was his fault, of course.
The Succubus expected as much. Shaft’s spell was finally taking effect on Richter. She had seen Shaft’s ghost, too, just like Richter had. She knew his presence anywhere, feeling cold air on her pale skin as his form glided across the floor. He only made himself visible to the Succubus and Richter. She watched the entire interaction from that table Annette had abandoned her at. That look of absolute terror on Richter’s face might’ve been sweeter than Annette’s tears.
She simply couldn’t wait to see him crumble.
She knew she would have to wait longer, though. She understood that possession took time. All of Richter’s defenses still needed to be torn down, destroyed, reduced to nothing. She would have to keep stalling, keep staying close to Annette. Shaft said that it would all be worth it in the end.
The eternal darkness Lord Dracula would bring upon the world was all she wanted, after all.
Then, she would be happy. She could finally give up this pathetic “Serena” act. She could finally stop living among such pitiful human beings.
When she set foot in the Belmont Mansion, the Succubus felt a twinge of fright. The only maid in the mansion looked at her suspiciously, as if she knew her entire act.
The Succubus knew that the Belmonts were not to be messed with. They were different from regular humans. The blood in their veins might as well have been as holy as the water they used against vampires. Antonia, Gwendolyn, and Juste might have been unassuming at first, but she instantly recognized just how powerful they could be. She could only ruin Richter’s life in the most subtle of ways.
She avoided the crosses that lined the mansion’s walls, just in case.
The Succubus trusted Shaft. As long as the spell continued to take over Richter’s mind, the Succubus could easily make the Belmont Mansion a second home. And she had plenty of time.
The Belmonts were primarily focused on hunting vampires, weren’t they? She knew that they only ever hunted other monsters if they served Lord Dracula or harmed other humans nearby. She wondered just how often a Belmont came across a succubus. Such an occurrence had to be rare, then.
She was untouchable. For now, at least. She couldn’t get cocky, or else her and Shaft’s entire operation would fail.
She could endure just a little longer. The ball was only the beginning to the downfall of Richter. His suffering would be sweet. She could practically taste it already, ever since that moment at the ball. She could replay his terror over and over again in her mind, just for her own enjoyment.
As much as she hated to admit it, the Succubus didn’t want Annette to get caught in the crossfire.
Yes, she knew Annette loved Richter. Yes, she knew Annette was close with the Belmonts. That was the only reason the Succubus was even able to set foot in the Belmont Mansion in the first place. She got extremely lucky, choosing to stay with Annette. Her eventual undoing was all her fault. She had let her into her own home, after all.
It didn’t make her feel any less worse, though.
Why did she have to feel such things? Why did a human have to do this to her, too?
When she watched Annette and Richter dance together at the ball, the Succubus only thought about killing Richter. She wanted to tear him limb from limb from simply looking at Annette. She wanted to rip his head off and drink his blood, something succubi didn’t even need to survive.
She hated this. She hated him. Even if she knew the outcome would be great, staying with Annette only prolonged her suffering. It was turning her into something else. Could she even call herself a succubus anymore?
A tiny, unexplainable part in the back of the Succubus’ mind wished that she was the one dancing with Annette.
She imagined copying the position Richter and Annette were in on the dance floor, except she would’ve been the man, the one leading. She imagined gently holding Annette’s gloved hand, staring into her kind, turquoise eyes. She imagined their skin almost touching, just inches away from each other. She imagined that they were the only people in the entire world, just the two of them.
Maybe, once the world was bathed in darkness, the Succubus could make that a reality. She could spare Annette from Lord Dracula’s plans. It would just be them, under the eternal moonlight.
And the worst part was that the Succubus didn’t know why Annette made her feel this way. The more time she spent with her, the more she wanted to run her hands through her long lavender hair, to touch her plush lips. She wondered if her lips tasted like Heaven, the opposite of her birthplace, something completely foreign to the Succubus. For once in her life, she didn’t dislike the idea of it.
She had gotten close when they slept beside each other that night. She savored it, of course. She would cherish that memory for as long as she lived. It was a comfort, when living among humans became too confusing for her at times. Annette wasn’t like the others. There was something about her.
But she wanted more.
With Richter in the way, the Succubus didn’t know if she would reach her goal.
She just needed to be patient. She knew that he would be nothing but Shaft’s pawn soon. Then, she could have Annette all to herself.
But was that what the Succubus really wanted? Every time she looked at her, she didn’t feel just love and admiration towards Annette. She also felt the overwhelming need to kill her. She never acted on it, of course. She still had to keep up her lost, innocent “Serena” persona.
It was strange, being surrounded by so many humans at the ball. Practically none of the guests spoke to her, but she noticed a few men staring at her with wide, interested, but invasive eyes as she drank the tasteless wine that was offered to her at the table. She refused to return their gazes, surely leaving them confused. How pathetic. Humans were completely beneath her.
If she was being honest, she felt… awkward at the ball. It was at that moment she realized she barely interacted with humans. She was only used to watching them suffer as she completely drained them of their energy, leaving them with a lifeless husk. She barely spoke to the other townspeople in Aljiba, too.
She only really felt comfortable around Annette and occasionally her father. She didn’t really think about him that much, but he didn’t bother her, not like the other humans she had encountered.
Richter’s younger sisters were odd. Richter’s biological younger sister Antonia had fallen asleep at the table, despite her claims that she could’ve used the ball as an opportunity to rub elbows with powerful vampire hunters that clearly preferred Richter more than her. Richter’s adoptive younger sister Maria was hyperactive and talked far too much for the Succubus’ liking, but she wasn’t a problem. Maria even showed the Succubus how to pet a dove.
She wondered what would’ve happened if she crushed the dove’s neck beneath her fingers, how the blood would’ve splashed against her pale hands and the table, but she stopped herself. The Succubus wasn’t actually interested in the tears of a thirteen-year-old girl.
She didn’t know why Maria showed her such a thing. She didn’t know why Maria had acted so sweetly towards her. She already dealt with plenty of that nonsense whenever she and Annette spoke.
She didn’t hate it, though. Her feelings towards Maria were purely neutral. She wasn’t a nuisance, but she didn’t like being around her, either. She wasn’t as bad as Richter, though. She would give her that.
The Succubus sighed. Why did humans have to be so confusing?
The Succubus and Annette stood together underneath the Autumn sun, picking apples from trees in the grove just outside of Aljiba. A quiet, private place, away from the wandering eyes of the townspeople. It was just the two of them, together. The Succubus was glad to have Annette all to herself, especially after the fiasco at the ball.
The apples were ripe, just like the other fruits and vegetables across the town. The Autumn harvest was in full swing. Annette informed her that the apples were for the people at the shelter. A year had passed since Lord Dracula’s defeat, and the town still hadn’t been fully rebuilt, even if the shelter felt more empty than usual. More people were going home, as more of the buildings had been rebuilt, but a large majority of the townspeople still stayed at the shelter.
The Succubus wondered what would happen when the shelter became empty, when the entirety of Aljiba would be rebuilt.
The Succubus killed more of the townspeople, feeding off of their energy. Of course, she didn’t hurt those in the shelter, even if they were beneath her. More townspeople went missing, families cried and begged for help from their neighbors, search parties were formed.
And yet nothing happened. The disappearances remained a mystery. A lost cause.
She could keep this up for years to come.
A small part of her worried that her secret would eventually be discovered, though.
“How much longer do we have to keep doing this?” The Succubus inquired, trying to give off the impression that she knew nothing about gardening (which she did). “Do you do this every Autumn?”
“Well, we don’t have to pick them all.” Annette explained. “Just the ripe ones. You’re doing great, by the way. Thank you for helping me with this.”
“It’s my pleasure.” The Succubus nodded. “Anything to help out the people at the shelter. It’s nice to spend some time with you, too.”
Annette only smiled in response, turning away from the Succubus and returning to her work, picking apples and placing them in the basket hanging around her arm. The Succubus glanced at her more closely, a confused, torn expression on her face. Did the Succubus say something to upset her? She barely understood humans, and reading their emotions was even harder, even if she infiltrated their dreams for a living. She supposed she never truly would understand humans, no matter how much time she spent with Annette.
But she knew that look anywhere. Something, or someone, was bothering Annette. The Succubus just couldn’t figure out what .
“Something on your mind?” The Succubus hummed, trying to seem as nonchalant as possible. She didn’t want to disturb Annette, either. “You look… conflicted. Are the apples giving you a bad time?”
“It’s not that, it’s just…” Annette shook her head, but she slightly laughed at the Succubus’ teasing. “I’m still thinking about what happened at the ball. And everything before that, too.”
“Oh, I see…” The Succubus mumbled in response, staring at the basket of apples before her.
She didn’t really know what to say. She knew Shaft’s plan, but even she was disturbed by the death of Richter’s horse. She was aware that animal death was an early sign of possession, a demonic presence. She just didn’t expect it to happen so soon. She didn’t expect it to happen right before the ball, either. She wondered what Shaft was up to at the moment, if he had already infested Richter’s mind or the walls of the Belmont Mansion. Only time could tell.
“Serena…” Annette spoke up, glancing at the Succubus with an unsure expression. “Do… do you think Lilac’s death has something to do with the anniversary of Dracula’s defeat?”
“I’m not certain, Annette.” The Succubus replied. “Maybe it was just bad timing. A coincidence.”
The Succubus paused, her orange eyes drifting from Annette and towards Aljiba, watching the townspeople going about their daily lives. They had no idea what was about to happen to them in the coming months. Once the Belmonts were taken care of, the town of Aljiba would become nothing more than a pile of rubble. The people of Aljiba would become nothing more than corpses, something that should’ve happened when Lord Dracula’s forces initially attacked the town.
The Succubus questioned if Annette, and by extension her father, deserved that fate.
“Perhaps it was a bad omen.” The Succubus said finally.
“You think so?” Annette raised an eyebrow, her head perking up.
“It has to be.” The Succubus nodded. “There’s no other explanation for it. And if it isn’t a bad omen, I can only see it as bad luck. I have the feeling that Winter will be difficult.”
Annette nodded after a few moments, considering the Succubus’ words.
The Succubus knew that she had to bring Shaft up eventually. Practically everyone at the ball had seen what happened to Richter, how he quivered in fear when he saw Shaft’s ghost from across the room. She knew that Annette was thinking about it, too. It was obvious. She could read her far too easily.
“Didn’t Richter say he saw someone called… Shaft?” The Succubus scratched her chin in thought with her free hand, an apple in the other. “Is that name familiar to you at all?”
“Shaft was a follower of Dracula.” Annette replied. “I think he was the one that kidnapped me and kept Maria in her cell… but my memory is a little fuzzy. I don’t remember much.”
“Really?” The Succubus gasped, trying to look as surprised as possible. “I’m so sorry, Annette.”
“It’s fine, really. It’s over and done with.” Annette insisted, but the Succubus knew her kidnapping still tormented her. “Richter defeated him last year, though. It doesn’t make any sense as to why he suddenly saw him at the ball. Shaft is dead. He’s been dead. How could he come back?”
The Succubus wanted to laugh, but she knew that she needed to restrain herself. She couldn’t make it too obvious.
“Do you believe in ghosts, Annette?” The Succubus asked, staring into Annette’s turquoise eyes.
“Of course I do.” Annette replied, confused by the question. “Why wouldn’t I? The supernatural is real, Serena. I was kidnapped by Dracula, for crying out loud. Why do you ask?”
“Oh, no reason.” The Succubus waved her hand. “I was just wondering. Maybe Richter was just seeing things. Or he’s finally lost his mind.”
“Um, I don’t know about that…” Annette frowned, returning to picking apples from the trees.
Oh. The Succubus didn’t expect that reaction from Annette. Had she hurt her? She wished Annette didn’t care about Richter so much, even if their relationship was the only reason the Succubus was able to get into the Belmont Mansion.
But when she looked at Annette’s seemingly upset expression, the Succubus felt the slightest hint of guilt.
She immediately disregarded the feeling. It wasn’t worth her time.
“I’m sorry.” The Succubus apologized, stepping closer to Annette. “It was just a joke. I shouldn’t have said that. I know you’re very worried about him… I am, too.”
The Succubus wanted to vomit after saying such words, but she had to keep pretending that she cared about that man. For Annette, of course.
“I know you’re scared.” The Succubus began. “So am I.”
The Succubus placed her basket of apples on the grassy ground and fully approached Annette, standing in front of her.
“Look, Annette…” The Succubus said. “If things take a turn for the worse, I promise I'll be there to protect you. I won't let anything happen to you.”
Annette nodded and smiled in return, but the Succubus could tell that she didn’t believe her. Annette still thought the Succubus was Serena, a human. What could a mere human do against the dark forces of evil? She seemed to appreciate the thought, at least.
The Succubus didn’t know what to think of Annette’s hesitance.
“I mean it.” The Succubus insisted, but she tried to keep her voice as soft as possible. She didn’t want to scare her. “You can always count on me, alright? You did the same for me when you invited me to come live with you. It’s only fair that I return the favor.”
“Yes,” Annette finally nodded, returning the Succubus’ gaze. “Thank you. Really. I appreciate it a lot. I guess I’m just scared that something terrible will happen soon.”
“What do you mean?” The Succubus asked.
She placed her basket of apples on the ground, sitting down on the grass. She patted the empty spot beside her, encouraging Annette to sit next to her. Annette did so.
“Isn’t it obvious?” Annette frowned. “I feel like someone, or something, is cursed. I just can’t figure out if it’s me, Richter, his whole family, or even you. And I don’t know how I can stop it.”
She paused for a moment.
“I feel completely useless.”
The Succubus watched as Annette held an apple in her hands, her eyes glued on the fruit, perhaps as some sort of comfort. The Succubus wanted to sigh. She wasn’t exactly the best at consoling others, let alone humans. She had never done something like this before. She never expected that she would ever do such a thing, either. Pretending to be a human forced her to partake in human activities, she supposed.
She hoped that she wouldn’t upset Annette any further.
“I wouldn’t say useless…” The Succubus hummed in thought. “You don’t need to do anything grand to be worth something. I think you’re fine just the way you are.”
“Do you really believe that?” Annette questioned, as if she didn’t believe a word the Succubus was saying.
“I know it.” The Succubus nodded. “Just… whenever you’re feeling hopeless, or lost, or that everything is going wrong… you can always come to me. I will always be there to protect you.”
Annette’s breath hitched at that. She placed the apple that was once in her hands back in the basket. A comfortable silence fell between the two of them. Only the soft Autumn winds, the chatter of the townspeople of Aljiba in the distance, and Annette’s quiet breathing could be heard.
Then, something unexpected happened.
Annette placed her head on the Succubus’ shoulder, gently resting against her.
“Thank you, Serena.” Annette said softly. “I don’t know what I would do without you.”
Annette’s hand slowly touched the Succubus’. She accepted the gesture, strangely allowing Annette to gently brush her thumb over the Succubus’ knuckles. She didn’t complain.
The Succubus wondered just how lonely Annette was when Richter wasn’t with her. Was this normal for her? Was she really that attached to Richter? Was she seeking comfort from the Succubus? She didn’t expect her shallow words of consolation to actually have an effect on her.
“Of course, Annette.” The Succubus replied, quietly.
She didn’t know what else she was supposed to say. She had never been in a situation like this before.
With Annette’s head on her shoulder, the Succubus felt… comfortable. She felt strangely peaceful, sitting there with her. She wished that moment could’ve lasted forever.
The Succubus couldn’t believe it. Annette, this human , was going to be the death of her.
The Succubus was pulled out of her thoughts at the sound of wings flapping in the distance.
She looked up to see Maria in the sky, riding on a green… dragon? Well, the Succubus supposed it made sense that Maria had magical powers in relation to animals. She was close with her pet doves, after all. She had seen that first hand at the ball.
The Succubus and Annette stood up, letting go of each other’s hands. An odd feeling of emptiness surged through her body at that. The Succubus decided to ignore it, but she swore she saw a hint of disappointment in Annette’s turquoise eyes.
“Hey, Maria!” Annette greeted as Maria and her dragon companion descended to the ground. “How have you been?”
“Not the best, to say the least.” Maria frowned.
“Why?” The Succubus asked. “What happened?”
“That’s exactly why I came to you guys.” Maria began, holding a cat in her arms that the Succubus just noticed. “Ever since Richter got sick, things have been… strange at home.”
“I’m so sorry, Maria.” Annette said as she approached Maria and gently patted her on the back. “What’s been going on?”
“Besides his sickness, Richter says he’s been having horrible nightmares lately.” Maria explained. “He barely eats. He barely sleeps, but when he does, he wakes up screaming. Just this morning I found him shaking in bed. He’s just been bedridden a lot lately.”
Maria paused for a moment.
“Something is wrong with him, Annette.” Maria’s voice trembled as she spoke. “I just don’t know what it is.”
“We’ll do everything we can to help.” Annette nodded, but she seemed hurt hearing about Richter’s status. “What can we do for you?”
“Richter wants you and Serena to come stay with us at the mansion for a few days.” Maria offered. “For emotional support.”
“Why not ask Iris?” The Succubus proposed before Annette could open her mouth. “She’s a doctor. She could help out Richter.”
“That’s the thing…” Maria mumbled as her dragon companion ate a few apples from the basket beside Annette. “She came over sometime after the ball. She tried to treat him, and found out it was just a fever. She gave him some medicine, but I’m still worried. I think he would be really happy if you and Annette came, Serena.”
The Succubus just nodded. She had absolutely no idea why Richter himself would want her to come, even after the ball. She had the feeling that it was Shaft’s influence on him. She didn’t know how she felt about the spell’s effects taking a toll on him so quickly.
Throughout their entire conversation, the gray cat in Maria’s arms had been staring daggers at the Succubus. She tried to ignore it, but she could tell that the feline didn’t trust her. It soon hissed at the Succubus, as if she was the most evil being in existence. She didn’t blame it.
“Hey! That’s mean!” Maria gasped in shock. “Serena is our friend! Bad kitty!”
Byakko meowed in defeat in response.
“Oh, excuse her.” Maria frowned apologetically at the Succubus. “Byakko normally isn’t so rude. She must be hungry.”
“Very well, then,” Annette said, the faintest hint of amusement at her voice from the interaction between the Succubus and Byakko. “We’ll be there tomorrow morning. We just need to pack and take care of some things in the town.”
Maria bid them goodbye, and Annette and the Succubus went to the shelter to drop off the apples that hadn’t already been eaten by Maria’s dragon companion. They returned to the house before nightfall, and Annette explained Richter’s situation, and his invitation, to her father. She asked him to take care of the shelter while she and the Succubus stayed at the mansion. He agreed, even baking a special loaf of bread just for Richter. Annette and the Succubus packed their few belongings for the morning.
Once the moon was in the sky and everyone in the house was asleep, the Succubus snuck into Annette’s room.
She wasn’t surprised that she didn’t accidentally wake her. She spent most of her life entering rooms without waking her targets. But a small part of her wanted Annette to wake up, to ask her what she was doing. Perhaps another night, then.
The Succubus stood before Annette’s bed, watching her as she slept. She looked so peaceful, so quaint. The Succubus wished she could run her hand through her soft, lavender hair. Nearly everything about the human was soft, including her personality. It made the Succubus’ heart ache.
The Succubus wished she could have Annette all to herself.
She was never one to share, after all.
Things were going to change very soon. She knew that ever since Shaft told her about the plan after Lord Dracula’s defeat. She knew that ever since she laid eyes on Annette. She knew that ever since she first set foot in Aljiba.
She didn't know if she was ready for Annette's life to be ruined, though, but it had to happen. Out of all the succubi, Shaft chose her to assist him in his plan. He believed that she could tear the Belmont Clan apart from the inside. She wouldn’t let him down.
Annette was going to be even closer to Richter due to Shaft’s spell, as he needed her help. She wanted to take care of him, wanted him to get better. To her, Richter was just sick, plagued by nightmares. But the Succubus knew the truth. She knew the truth about Annette, too. Annette was in denial. Practically everyone could see it.
Annette believed that something terrible was going to happen. She believed that there was no way she would be able to stop it.
And she was right. Annette was absolutely powerless. She was nothing but a mere speck in the grand scheme of things. She was just just a pathetic human. She was just an obstacle, a stone to be stepped on.
The Succubus felt a twinge of guilt at the thought of that.
A small part of the Succubus wanted Shaft to call off the plan, to leave Annette and Richter alone, no matter how much she wanted to kill the Belmont. It would be worth it in the end, though. Lord Dracula’s eternal darkness was more important to her than the trivial feelings Annette had infected her with.
She dreaded the following day. She didn’t know why, but she dreaded the coming months and years.
But as she stood in her room, watching her sleep, she felt at peace.
She felt as if nothing could harm them. She savored it, as it would only happen for a singular night. She knew that she and Annette would never have a moment alone like this ever again.
Was it a mistake, agreeing to Shaft’s plan?
No, it couldn’t be.
The Succubus did everything for her Lord. She knew that much. That was all she wanted in life. Even if she had never met Lord Dracula, she had the feeling that he would appreciate everything she had done for him. She would be regarded as the most fearsome succubi in all of history. The other demons in Hell would regard her as the one who ended the Belmont Clan.
But her allegiance to her Lord didn’t stop her from wanting Annette all to herself.
As she watched her sleep, the Succubus decided that this moment was the last time she and Annette would ever have any privacy, just the two of them. Yes, they would still talk. She would still live with her until the plan was complete.
But it wouldn’t be the same. She had the feeling Annette knew this, too.
The Succubus stepped closer to Annette’s bed. Hesitantly, she brought her hand up and gently stroked Annette’s cheek with her index finger. Annette mumbled at the touch, but she did not wake up.
Good. The Succubus could admire the sight a little bit longer.
Annette’s skin was so warm compared to the Succubus’ perpetually freezing hands. She found the contrast to be… interesting. Really, it didn’t bother her one bit. In fact, she actually liked it. She wondered about the other ways succubi and humans differed.
By morning, Annette would be closer to Richter than usual. The Succubus would find a way to break them apart, though. She would watch how Shaft’s spell affected him, watch his every movement. She was counting on Shaft to completely ruin Richter’s life.
The Succubus would never let Richter take Annette away from her.
But was Annette even hers to begin with?
When she and Serena arrived at the Belmont Mansion, Annette immediately rushed to Richter’s room.
She said hello to his family members and the maid and thanked them for the invitation, but Richter was all she could think about. She mostly knew the layout of the mansion due to visiting it so many times, running up the stairs and through the halls to find the door to her boyfriend’s room slightly ajar. He had to be expecting her, then. She gently opened the door, taking a peek inside.
Richter sat up in his bed, staring out the window.
His brown hair had grown a bit longer, reaching his neck. He wore a white poet shirt and black trousers. His cross necklace rested on his chest. His skin had become a bit paler than usual, most likely from the lack of sunlight. It was November, and the skies had turned a drowsy gray. Annette had the feeling that it was going to rain soon.
Richter looked pensive, lost in thought, almost in a trance. How long had he been staying inside? Annette wished that he could’ve come to Aljiba sometime, but she knew he was sick. He had to take care of himself. Iris concluded that he had a fever, but a small part of Annette believed that it had to be something more.
A bad omen, like Serena had said?
It couldn’t be. Perhaps Annette was overthinking all of it. It just had to be a coincidence, nothing more.
It was strange, though. She had seen Richter ill before, especially when they were young teenagers. He would usually just brush it off and go about his day, keeping active and training with the Vampire Killer. But this time, he sat in his bed, motionless, eyes locked onto something Annette couldn’t see.
“Richter?” Annette quietly greeted as she stood in the doorway, hoping that she wouldn’t bother him.
Richter turned to face Annette, his head moving a bit too quickly.
“Annette!”
Annette practically charged at Richter, falling into his arms as he embraced her. They laid there on his bed, his strong arms wrapped around her smaller frame. He was a bit cold, but Annette didn’t mind. She was just overjoyed to see him again, especially after what had happened at the ball. She wished she could’ve stayed there with him forever.
“I missed you.” Annette sighed. She let go of Richter, sitting at the edge of the bed. “How have you been, Richter?”
“Much better now that you’re here.” Richter weakly smiled.
“Smooth.” Annette smiled in return.
Annette looked around the room. It looked about the same since the last time she visited. She noticed that Richter kept the Vampire Killer in his room, as it sat lifelessly next to the vanity. Annette noticed that Richter barely used the Vampire Killer after he defeated Dracula. She supposed he had no reason to do so anymore, as vampires and creatures of the night rarely showed themselves in recent months. Annette was honestly grateful for that, despite the recent disappearances in Aljiba.
For some odd reason, Annette hoped that a human being was responsible. She had no idea what she would do if a monster had kidnapped, or even killed, her neighbors.
“Where’s Serena?” Richter asked amidst the silence. “Did she come with you?”
“She’s here.” Annette nodded. “She’s in the main hall talking to Maria. She was a little hesitant at first, but she’s glad to be here.”
“How so?”
“Well, she’s not exactly the most social person.” Annette explained with a nervous chuckle. “I think the ball took a lot out of her, too.”
“I can agree with her on that.” Richter said, a small smile on his lips.
“Speaking of… What happened to Lilac?” Annette asked, but she didn’t know if she was prepared for the answer.
“We buried her.” Richter said, a hint of sadness in his voice. “The morning after the ball.”
“I’m sorry.” Annette replied. “She’s in a better place now. I just wish we could’ve done more to help her.”
Richter only nodded. He clearly didn’t want to talk about it. Annette only sighed, hoping that she could change the subject. She felt horrible for mentioning Lilac in the first place.
Before Annette could speak, Richter opened his mouth.
“It’s been… difficult lately, to say the least.” Richter explained. “I hate staying here. I should be outside. I’m not getting anything done.”
“You’re sick, Richter.” Annette frowned. “The only thing you need right now is rest.”
“I know, I know.” Richter sighed. “I just feel like this isn’t a regular sickness, no matter what Iris or my family say.”
Richer paused for a moment. He sat up a bit further, his eyes darkening.
“I keep having these horrible dreams every single night.” Richter lamented, his hands balled up in his messy brown hair. “I’m scared that they’ll enter my days, too. Something horrible is going to happen. Maybe it already has happened, and I just haven’t realized that. Maybe I can stop it. I just need to figure out what it is.”
“What… what do you dream about?” Annette asked, slightly worried and disturbed by what Richter had told her. “If you don’t mind me asking. I know this is painful for you.”
“You remember Dracula’s followers, right?” Richter questioned.
Annette nodded in response, listening carefully.
“Shaft. The man I saw at the ball.” Richter spoke quietly, barely audible. “I see him in my dreams, or some creature resembling him. I can’t really tell the difference anymore. I haven’t told Maria about it either. It would just worry her even more. She doesn’t deserve that.”
Annette understood what Richter meant. Maria spent the most time with Shaft out of all of them, as he kept her imprisoned and watched over her until Richter rescued her. He even experimented on her, summoning her magical powers. She knew Shaft could never hurt them again, but the mention of him sent chills down her spine.
“Do you ever dream of Dracula?” Annette offered, hoping to shift the subject away from Shaft. “Anything else?”
“Sometimes.” Richter hummed, his eyebrows creased in thought. “But not often. It’s always Shaft. It’s like he’s in my head. No matter how hard I try, he just won’t leave me.”
“When you saw him at the ball…” Annette breathed in. “Did you think it was really him?”
“I’m not sure, Annette.” Richter replied. “I know he’s dead, but there was something off about him. I only saw him for a split second, but…”
Richter just laughed.
“Maybe I am just losing my mind. Am I, Annette?”
Annette only shook her head and gently placed her hand on Richter’s shoulder. He leaned into the touch for a moment. She didn’t know what else to do, what else to say.
“I had another nightmare last night.” Richter began, his eyes drifting over to the window once more. “I don’t remember much of it, though. When I woke up, I felt… wet. Like I had been drowning in a river. I was freezing, and it wasn’t because of the Autumn winds. I needed to talk to my grandfather. I knew I could trust him. I walked to his room, but I still felt as if something was weighing me down, like I was still in that river. I stood there, watching him and my grandparents sleep. I felt sad. But my sadness somehow turned to this horrible, horrible fear. And I stood there , completely paralyzed, realizing I had to face this myself. They couldn’t do anything for me anymore. No one could help me, not even my family. I was alone. I felt so alone. I just stood there and cried at the foot of their bed. I didn’t wake them.”
Richter paused. His gaze never left the window.
“That was when I knew something was wrong with me.”
Annette stared at Richter, absolutely horrified by his words.
She had no idea how to respond to Richter’s alarming confession.
Thunder crackled in the distance. Rain followed soon after, raindrops brushing against the roof of the Belmont Mansion. Annette stood up and quickly shut the open window, but a cold chill managed to enter the room.
Annette stood near the window for a moment. She turned back to look at Richter, who was staring at the vanity. His eyes seemed more natural, like he had escaped from the trance Annette swore he was in when he told her about the aftermath of his nightmare.
“Looks like we’re staying inside then, huh?” Richter hummed, fiddling with the cross around his neck.
As if nothing had just happened.
She wondered if Richter even remembered what he just said. Was his sickness causing him to act that way?
“What, did you have any plans?” Annette teased, returning to her spot on Richter’s bed, but she still felt uneasy. “Get some rest, Richter. You need it after everything that’s happened.”
“I’ll try, but I barely get any sleep in the first place.” Richter sighed, running a hand through his brown hair. “I just feel so useless, Annette.”
“You haven’t done anything wrong.” Annette comforted him, gently taking his larger hand in hers, despite her apprehension. “You’ve done so much for me and Aljiba, the whole world. You should take it easy.”
“I know that… Dracula is gone, but my work is far from done.” Richter explained. “I have to do something about all those people who went missing. I have to figure out what happened to Lilac. It’s my responsibility. I’m supposed to protect those that can’t protect themselves. And now look at me, bedridden and pathetic.”
Annette knew exactly how Richter felt. She didn’t want to admit to him how weak she was, how powerless. She wanted to focus on Richter, anyway. Putting herself first would only make her seem selfish. That was what she believed, anyway.
“I know, Richter,” Annette sighed, squeezing Richter’s hand a bit. “I know. Just… there’s nothing we can do now. Once you’re better, I’m sure that we’ll find out who’s responsible for the disappearances. Aljiba is my home. They’re my neighbors. We will find them. I know they’re out there. I promise.”
Richter only nodded. He knew that he couldn’t argue with her.
The sound of footsteps approaching the doorway could be heard.
“Am I interrupting something?”
Annette and Richter turned their heads to meet Serena. She stood in the doorway, a confused but unbothered expression on her face, her and Annette’s luggage in either hand. Thankfully, she appeared at a reasonable moment, as she seemingly hadn’t heard Richter’s confession from a few minutes earlier.
“Not at all, Serena.” Richter smiled at the sight of her. “I’m glad you came. It’s so good to see you. How’s Aljiba treating you?”
“It’s alright. The usual.” Serena replied without much thought. “I feel welcomed, and that’s all that matters.”
“Well, I hope you can say the same about the mansion.” Richter said, nodding towards Annette. “You two can make yourself at home.”
“Thank you, Richter.” Annette said, squeezing his hand one more time before letting go. “For everything. Get some rest, alright?”
“Way ahead of you.” Richter replied before lying down on the bed, resting his head against the pillow.
In the corner of her eye, Annette watched as Richter’s eyes drifted to the window again.
Annette and Serena left Richter’s room afterwards, walking down the vast halls to their respective guest rooms in order to put away their belongings. Serena didn’t have much to say, and Annette didn’t bother her. She knew that she felt out of place. Annette shared the sentiment.
They ate dinner together that night.
Maria and Antonia did most of the talking, primarily about the Autumn harvest or books they had been reading lately. Serena and Annette were both mostly quiet, respectfully listening to what the others had to say. Juste, Lydie, and Maxim were good company. Annette didn’t know if she could say the same about Gwendolyn and Hugo. She wondered how Richter’s other family members even put up with his parents.
Richter stayed in his room, which Antonia and Maria said had been normal for him lately. It was commonplace. He was just too sick. He didn’t want anyone to catch his illness, even if they had no idea if it was contagious or not. Annette brought food up to his room. He thanked her and ate with gusto, but their conversation from earlier wouldn’t leave Annette’s mind.
It couldn’t be a fever, like Iris said. It couldn’t be something supernatural, like Annette’s instincts told her.
She knew what Richter said. There was something wrong with him. He was losing his mind.
Was it truly just madness?
No. Richter was sick. Iris was a doctor, after all. She knew what she was doing. Richter was just sick, and they would find a cure for him. He would get better.
Annette slept in one of the guest rooms again, away from Serena once more. She thought about walking to her guest room, to ask if she could sleep with her, but she didn’t want to bother her. Annette always faced her problems on her own. She never wanted to be a burden again. She would always be grateful that Richter saved her from Dracula, but she vowed that she would never find herself in such a position again.
And if she ever did, she wouldn’t ask for help. She was alone, utterly alone. That was the only way she knew how to deal with her issues, her trauma. She loved Richter. She loved her father. She loved Serena, too. She just feared bothering them, being a burden to them. Their lives were already hard as is.
Annette managed to fall asleep that night, but she couldn’t wash out the bad taste in her mouth from her conversation with Richter.
Annette stood in a grove, surrounded by apple trees.
Autumn leaves fell around her, the apple trees turning from green to orange to red. A calm breeze blew throughout the grove and kissed her skin. The sun shone down on her, and she soaked in its rays.
She walked home from the market, a basket of apples in her hand.
The house was the same as ever. She expected to see her father in the window, but he was absent. It almost looked as if the house was empty.
Annette opened the door, the hinge creaking as she did so. It was eerily quiet. The house had never been so silent before. She was used to hearing her father’s laughter and his shuffling footsteps.
She placed the apples on the kitchen counter, but heard the sound of someone weeping upstairs.
She slowly walked up the stairs, her eyes focused on her destination.
She felt as if she had been walking for days, the stairs growing longer and longer without an end in sight. She felt herself growing dizzy, her head spinning, as if someone had cut open her skin and through her skull, their hands digging into her brain and squeezing.
Somehow, she arrived at the top of the stairs. The crying became louder and louder. She located the living room as the source of the sorrowful sounds. She slowly opened the door.
Richter stood in the center of the room, a bloody knife in his hands, tears streaming down his cheeks.
Annette looked down to see her own father, lifeless on the floor, a massive wound in his chest, blood pouring from his body like a fountain.
Annette fell to the floor, her eyes wide with fear. She fell against the cabinet, plates crashing around her.
She looked up at Richter in complete shock, to ask him why he would ever do such a thing, but Richter was nowhere to be seen.
A woman with long red hair stood before Annette, long wings shooting out of her back.
She was nude, her entire body covered in blood, so red that Annette couldn’t tell the difference between her father’s blood or the woman’s crimson hair.
Suddenly, the woman morphed into a man dressed in elegant ruby and purple robes, his skin as pale as the moonlight. However, his skin was rotten, as if he had been dead for many, many years. His piercing green eyes held her captive, refusing to let her go.
The undead man held his hand out to her, his nails so long that they transformed into claws.
Annette felt completely powerless as the man wrapped his hand around her neck, his claws digging into her flesh.
Annette screamed, but no sound came out of her mouth.
Annette woke up crying.
She sat up and buried her face in her hands, sobbing profusely. She hadn’t cried like this in a long, long time. The moon peeked at her through the window, the only source of light in the guest room.
Her father was alive. It was just a nightmare, nothing more. Richter would never do something like that. The red-haired woman and the undead man weren’t real.
But why did it have to be so vivid? What on earth was happening to her?
She had to tell someone about this. She couldn’t shoulder this alone.
Just one night. Just one night she would let herself be cared for, despite the objections that were practically hurled at her from the back of her mind.
She stepped out of bed much faster than she expected, as if something else was controlling her. She needed to see Serena. She had to see Serena. She knew that she would always be there to listen to her, to confide in her. She was the only one that understood her. Even if she couldn’t help her, Annette knew that Serena wasn’t like the others.
She walked through the Belmont Mansion’s halls like a woman on a mission, crossing into the mansion’s garden to get to Serena’s guest room, chamberstick in hand. The rain had stopped a few hours ago, an eerie silence washing over the mansion and its residents.
She didn’t need to walk far, though, as Serena sat by the fountain at the center of the garden, her orange eyes focused on a bed of lilacs. A chamberstick sat a few feet away from her, the only light source aside from the moonlight.
“Serena?” Annette asked. “Why are you awake at this hour? It’s nearly two in the morning.”
“I could ask you the same thing.” Serena replied coldly, but her comment wasn’t out of malice.
Serena turned to look at her, and her expression of unconcern transformed into one of worry.
“Are you alright, Annette?” Serena questioned as she stood up from the fountain. “You look as if you’ve been crying.”
Annette set the chamberstick down. She opened her mouth to speak, but she just couldn’t articulate her thoughts into a coherent sentence. She felt so lost, so disturbed. She felt tears pouring from her eyes before she could say anything. She burst out crying for the second time that night, running into Serena’s arms without a second thought.
Serena stood there for a moment, unsure what to do with her hands.
Annette sobbed even harder as she felt Serena wrap her arms around her, pulling her into a comforting, slightly awkward embrace. She felt horrible for charging at Serena, for throwing all of this onto her, but she was the only one that could truly understand her. Both of their homes had been destroyed by Dracula. Annette didn’t know if Serena would ever return to Aldra and rebuild her home like Annette and her father had done to theirs, but a small, selfish, horrible part of Annette wanted her to stay.
She couldn’t let Serena go.
In that moment, all Annette cared about was Serena, and all of her worries had become mere afterthoughts.
“There, there.” Serena uttered in a hushed voice, rubbing circles on Annette’s back. “I’m here.”
The two women stood there for a few minutes. Serena simply held Annette tightly and let her cry as long as she needed to, whispering comforting words as she did so. Annette had never felt so loved before. She recalled similar moments with Richter when they had returned to Aljiba from Dracula’s Castle, when they were both extremely fragile, but he hadn’t held her like that in a long time. Annette didn’t think anyone had ever held her like that at all.
Annette calmed down soon enough. Serena gently held Annette’s hand as she led her to the fountain, the two of them sitting side by side on the edge. Annette closed her eyes as Serena wrapped her arm around Annette’s shoulder, listening to the water running behind them.
“What happened, Annette?” Serena asked carefully.
“I had a nightmare.” Annette sniffled. “It was horrible. It was unlike anything I had ever dreamt before.”
“Do… Do you want to talk about it?”
Annette nodded. Serena gently squeezed her hand in response, encouraging her to explain.
She took a deep breath and began telling Serena about her nightmare, but as she spoke, Annette felt strangely detached, as if she wasn’t the one who dreamt about her father being brutally killed by Richter and two other strange figures. Or had it been one being with the power to change forms?
It didn’t matter. It wasn’t real.
“Oh, you poor thing.” Serena lamented once Annette finished. “That sounds terrible. I can’t imagine how that must’ve felt for you, to watch your father die.”
“I know it isn’t real, but…” Annette sighed. “Do you think it means anything?”
“I’m not exactly the expert on dreams or nightmares, Annette.” Serena forced an awkward laugh. “But if you really wanted my opinion… I have the feeling it might be a bad omen.”
“Like Lilac’s death?” Annette offered, her turquoise eyes wide as she listened to Serena.
“What other explanation can you think of?” Serena shrugged. “Don’t you think it’s strange that you had your nightmare after all these odd things have been happening around here? Who knows what’s going on in Aljiba right now? We can only hope that another person hasn’t gone missing. I’m expecting it, though.”
“I… I suppose that makes sense.” Annette frowned, looking away from Serena and staring at the various flowers of the garden. “But I don’t want to think about it that way. It was just a nightmare. I guess the sheer vividness of it scared me. I had never felt so horrified since I was kidnapped. But this kind of fear was… different. And seeing Richter like that… I don’t know if I’ll ever recover from it.”
Annette turned to look at Serena, her intense gaze piercing Annette with her orange eyes. For a split second, Annette swore she saw the red-haired woman from her dream all the way back in Spring. She quickly abandoned the thought, though.
“Listen to me, Annette.” Serena commanded softly, her hands on Annette’s shoulders. “I know you love Richter. I know he is a good man. I know your nightmare wasn’t real. But if he ever did anything to you or your father… I would make him wish he was never born. Do you understand?”
Annette nodded, at a loss for words. That final sentence honestly scared Annette, but she knew Serena cared about her. She just had a strange way of going about it.
“That applies to anyone else who would ever try to hurt you.” Serena added. “I would do anything to protect you, Annette. You saved my life. It’s only fair if I saved yours, too.”
“Thank you, Serena.” Annette hummed as she pulled Serena into a hug. “I don’t know what I would do without you.”
Annette and Serena sat at the edge of the fountain for what felt like an eternity, just the two of them, wrapped up in each other’s arms. Annette hesitantly brought her hand to Serena’s red hair, gently caressing a loose strand between her fingers. Serena didn’t seem to mind, still holding her in her arms.
“Do you think life will ever get better?” Annette asked, seemingly out of nowhere.
“We can only hope, Annette.” Serena said quietly. “We can only hope.”
“I suppose I’ll pray more often, then.” Annette replied. “Do you pray, Serena?”
“I’m not a very religious person.” Serena answered. “My mother never raised me that way.”
“That’s alright.” Annette nodded. “I’m not one to judge. You’re still my dear Serena.”
Annette eventually returned to her room, despite Serena’s offer to come with her. As much as she loved her, Annette knew that she had to face the night alone. Serena understood. Serena bid her good night, but not before cupping her cheeks in her cold hands and pressing a kiss to her forehead.
Annette fell asleep, Serena’s kiss still lingering on her skin.
The next day, Annette and Serena joined Richter and Maria in the library.
Gwendolyn practically forced her son out of bed, despite his illness. She said he had to get out to talk to his family and the guests he had invited himself. Rotting in bed wouldn’t do him any good, in her words. Annette supposed she was right, even if it would be better for Richter to take it easy and get more rest. A little reading wouldn’t hurt, though, would it?
The library was massive, with tall bookcases as far as the eye could see. Annette supposed most of the books were about vampire hunting and how to deal with other creatures of the night, but it seemed that there was plenty of fiction and history books to be enjoyed. Annette smiled at the thought of Richter and Antonia as children, their grandfather Juste reading a story to them.
In the center of the library was a spacious area with a few comfortable chairs. Richter sat on his own, his eyes focused on the book in his hands. Annette and Serena sat beside each other near a window, the gray sky in the distance, while Maria sat on the floor with a focused expression on her face as she stared at her own novel. Byakko slept next to her, not a care in the world. What a lazy cat.
As she sat beside her, Annette’s mind trailed to her encounter with Serena from the previous night and away from the story she frankly wasn’t focusing on.
She couldn’t forget the way she held her, the way she comforted her, rubbing circles on her back and telling her she would always be there to protect her. Annette blushed at the memory, unsure why.
Serena was so kind to her. She was quiet, but Annette still enjoyed her company. She didn’t understand her curt and dark sense of humor sometimes, but she still enjoyed hearing Serena’s laughter. She would do anything just to see a smile on Serena’s face. She deserved it after all the horrible things she had gone through.
A small part of Annette wished Serena could’ve held her in her arms near that fountain forever. She recalled feeling the same way when they slept beside each other many nights ago. She just didn’t know where such feelings came from. They had only known each other for a few months, but she felt as if she had known her for years. She understood her pain.
Had Annette fallen in love with Serena?
Annette had never felt that way about another woman before. She didn’t think there was anything wrong with it, of course. Annette would never judge, as she was different herself: she wasn’t born a woman. Richter himself had told Annette that he was attracted to both men and women. He wasn’t born a man, either.
Annette just didn’t expect it to happen to her. She didn’t think she was capable of such a thing, falling for a woman.
She felt horrible for thinking such things with Richter sitting right across the room from her. If he ever heard about this, he would be heartbroken. It would be a betrayal. Richter would never forgive her. Annette wouldn’t forgive herself, either. She didn’t want to drag Serena into such a mess, either. She didn’t deserve it.
But whenever Serena held her in her cold, loving arms, Annette felt safe.
No. It wasn’t right. Annette wasn’t in love with Serena, and she doubted Serena was in love with her. She was just looking for an explanation as to why she felt this way. Annette did love Serena, but only as a friend. She appreciated that she was always there for her, always cared for her.
Perhaps it was just a phase. She would get over her feelings towards Serena. They were just friends, housemates. She didn’t mind if Serena stayed with her in Aljiba, but she also thought she would be able to abandon these strange feelings if Serena eventually returned home to Aldra.
Annette sighed. What a horrible thing to imagine.
Her turquoise eyes drifted from her book to Serena. Serena honestly looked a bit uncomfortable with a book in her hands, her eyebrows knit together in confusion. Did Serena not know how to read? Annette understood. Not many people in Aljiba were literate, so she wondered if it was the same in Aldra.
“Do you read often, Serena?” Annette asked quietly, her voice barely above a whisper, as to not disturb Richter, Maria, and Byakko.
“Not exactly.” Serena replied with a hum. “I didn’t read much when I was a child, and my travels across Transylvania didn’t exactly give me time to do so. My mother still taught me, though. I was lucky compared to the other people in my town.”
“She must’ve really cared about you.” Annette nodded. “I’m sure she loved you very much.”
“That she did, Annette.” Serena said, a small smile forming on her lips. “That she did.”
Annette returned Serena’s smile. She would do anything to see her smile like that again.
Abruptly, Richter shouted in surprise, jolting upright from his chair. His book fell to the floor. His eyes were wide with fear, but not nearly as horrified as he was back at the ball.
“Did you all hear that?” Richter asked, his voice trembling.
“Hear what, Richter?” Annette tilted her head. “I haven’t heard a thing.”
Serena and Maria looked up from their respective books, worried expressions on their faces. Byakko didn’t budge, still asleep on the floor.
“I know I heard it!” Richter insisted, picking up his book and placing it on the chair. “I know I did!”
Richter’s voice became much more frantic, his eyes wild and nervous. He moved as if he was in a trance, as if something else was controlling him. The light from his eyes had practically faded. Perhaps it was just her mind playing tricks on her, but she swore she saw a flash of green in his eyes for a split second.
“I have to find him!”
Richter began walking slowly, his eyes darting around the room, looking for something that Annette, Maria, and Serena couldn’t see. Annette stood up and followed Richter, calling after him as he left the room. She had absolutely no idea what he was talking about, but it was clear that something was wrong with him.
Serena and Maria looked at each other worriedly, making a silent agreement to follow Annette and Richter. Annette didn’t mind, as she appreciated all the help she could get.
Annette felt as if Richter’s condition was getting worse and worse every day, every moment she spent with him. She hated that she didn’t know how to cure him, how to make him better. She felt useless, powerless. She wondered if Richter’s family members felt the same as her.
Eventually, Annette found Richter on the top floor of the Belmont Mansion. Richter stood in front of a door, facing away from the women that followed him. The doorknob was covered in dust, as if no one had touched it or entered the room in many, many years. Annette didn’t recognize the room, either. She hadn’t been to the top floor at all. It never came up in conversation, so she never really bothered to look.
“What’s wrong, Richter?” Maria said as she approached her older brother. “Please. You’re scaring me.”
“You can tell us anything.” Serena added. “We’re here to help you.”
Richter still faced the door, but he eventually spoke after some thought. Annette could practically see the cogs turning in his head.
“Annette.” Richter finally said. “I need to talk to Annette. Privately.”
“Of course.” Annette nodded. “I’ll always be here for you, Richter.”
Richter opened the door to the unfamiliar room. Annette followed him inside, but not before offering an apologetic smile to Maria and Serena. Maria didn’t seem to mind, awkwardly waving to Annette and eventually heading back to the library.
Serena was different, though. She stood in the hallway, an unintelligible expression on her face. It looked like a cross between betrayal and jealousy. It was strange. Annette had seen that look on Serena’s face multiple times before. She wondered if Serena even noticed.
Annette didn’t understand. She wanted to ask Serena about how she truly felt, but she didn’t know if she would ever get a concrete answer. Serena was a private person, after all. She only told Annette so much.
It didn’t bother her, of course.
She just wanted to know why Serena acted so strange whenever Annette was around Richter.
Regardless, the room Annette and Richter walked into seemed to be the quarters of a baby. The walls were painted a soft, almost dull, blue, but the paint was cracked, as if Annette and Richter were the very first people to set foot in the room for many years. The mirror on the wall, the cabinet that sat in the corner, and various toys that were scattered across the room were all caked in dust. She assumed that the room was abandoned. Perhaps it was an old room that once belonged to Antonia or Richter when they were just born? Why would they leave it in such disarray?
“What’s this all about?” Annette asked. “What is this place?”
Richter sat down on the hardwood floor. Annette joined him, sitting beside her boyfriend.
“Antonia and Maria aren’t my only siblings.” Richter explained after what felt like an eternity. “I had a younger brother. He was supposed to be named Serghei. He died only a few moments after he was born. Sometimes I feel like I still carry a part of him with me.”
Richter paused for a moment. Annette let him think, even if she was surprised. Neither Richter nor Antonia had ever told her about their deceased little brother. She wondered why Richter kept it from her for so long, in all the years they had known each other.
“Sometimes I think his death is the reason my mother is so hard on me.” Richter buried his face in his hands. “One of the reasons, at least. Maybe they thought I was going to be a failure. Maybe Serghei was supposed to be a replacement for me. It didn’t matter in the end, though. I killed Dracula. Serghei is still dead, and there’s nothing I can do about it.”
“Oh, Richter…” Annette lamented as she placed a hand on Richter’s shoulder. “That’s horrible. I’m so sorry. I know Serghei is watching over you from Heaven. I can feel it.”
“That’s the thing, Annette.” Richter turned to look at her, his eyes still wide with terror. “I heard him. I heard him crying when we were in the library. I came up here because I thought he would be here. This was supposed to be his room. After he passed, my mother practically banned us from going inside. But he’s not here. He never will be. He’s dead.”
“But he’ll always be a part of you, Richter.” Annette insisted. “I know that he would love you if he could see you now. I know that he does love you. He would be so, so proud of you.”
“I keep hearing things, seeing things.” Richter breathed. “They’ve only gotten worse. Maybe I was just hallucinating. Maybe I really have just lost my mind. But I know what I heard. I know that I saw Shaft at the ball, too. I might be crazy, but I know everything that’s been happening to me lately is real.”
“I believe you.” Annette nodded, even if Richter’s words disturbed her. “I know that we’ll find a way to help you.”
Annette knew that she was lying to herself. She had absolutely no idea how to help him. These symptoms… she had never heard of them before. She didn’t know if there was a specific illness that all of Richter’s symptoms were connected to. It sounded like insanity. Richter’s constant nightmares didn’t make it any better, either.
It couldn’t be supernatural. Dracula was dead. Shaft was dead. They couldn’t hurt Richter or Annette anymore.
But she still felt powerless. There was nothing she could do to help him. All she could do was listen, keep him company. Other than that, she felt as if she could only wait and see what would happen in the coming months. She was completely, utterly useless.
Annette offered her hand to Richter. He gently took it in his own. His hand was cold, almost similar to Serena’s. They were still calloused, though, from years of using the Vampire Killer in combat.
“I asked to talk to you specifically because I was scared of Maria seeing me like this.” Richter uttered. “She looks up to me, you know. I don’t know what I would do if she saw me as weak. Serena, too. I may not know her as well as you do, but she lives in Aljiba now, the town I’m supposed to protect. Her safety is my responsibility. And now look at me. I can hardly call myself the same man who killed Dracula last year.”
“You are far from weak.” Annette proclaimed. “You’re one of the strongest people I know, if not the strongest. Maria and Serena still care about you. So do I. Nothing will ever change that.”
“It’s just…” Richter began, his voice quiet and tired. “I feel like my body isn’t my own. I haven’t felt this way in a long time.”
Annette knew exactly what Richter meant. Annette hated her body when she was younger, feeling as if she was born incorrectly. She learned to accept herself over time. She knew that she could still be a woman without the traits the women around her had.
But she was aware that Richter’s experience was different. He never wanted to be regarded as female, the gender he was born as. He changed his body to better suit the gender he actually was, but he still struggled with his self-image. Annette believed that Richter’s supposed weakness caused him to feel less confident in his masculinity. She wished he knew that he was the strongest man she had ever known in her entire life.
Annette squeezed Richter’s hand tightly, reminding him that she was still there, that she would always be there for him.
“I’m scared, Annette.” Richter said. “I’m scared that I’ll do something I’ll regret. And I don’t know if I’ll be able to stop myself when the time comes.”
“Then I’ll be there to stop you.” Annette comforted. “I know you would never do anything harmful. That isn’t you. But if you ever found yourself in that situation… I would make sure that nothing would happen. You mean too much to me.”
Annette rested her head against Richter’s shoulder. She hoped that Richter’s mind was quiet for once, that his hallucinations and nightmares wouldn’t torment him.
“I love you, Annette.”
“I love you, too, Richter. I always will.”
They sat in Serghei’s room together for a few more minutes, simply enjoying each other’s company. It was all they had left. They listened to the rain drops falling against the roof, the smallest hint of peace washing over them. She knew that it couldn’t last forever, but she still savored it.
Annette and Richter failed to notice the figure standing behind the closed door and the pair of orange eyes that were watching them.
That night, when nearly everyone in the Belmont Mansion was asleep, Richter got out of bed.
He stood up, facing the window he spent most of his time staring at, stuck in his bedroom, his sickness rendering him useless. He looked at the full moon before him, the moonlight beckoning him towards something he didn’t understand, something he would never understand.
And yet, a small part of Richter wanted to understand. He yearned for closure. Continuation. A purpose.
Serena had said it herself. Richter killed Dracula. What was he supposed to do afterwards? Waste the rest of his life, rotting away in his room? Would he ever find a cure to his illness?
That was no way to live. Each second he spent in his room was another second tarnishing the Belmont legacy. He couldn’t imagine what his ancestors would think of him.
He killed Dracula. He killed him when he was only nineteen years old. He had only just become an adult. He was showered in praise from family, friends, other vampire hunters, and the people of Aljiba.
He enjoyed it, at first. He loved the attention, but he tried not to let it get to his head. He was only a Belmont, fulfilling his duty to every single human in the world. He was just doing his job, a job he was trained for since he was a child.
For some reason, when he dealt the final blow to Dracula, he felt relief. Then, emptiness. Richter didn’t know how to describe such feelings at the time. He had only just realized it. He had done a great deal of thinking, trapped in his room. He would never admit it to any of his family members, though. Not even Annette, no matter how much he yearned for her caring presence.
He fell to his knees. He formed the sign of the cross, a ritual he had known since he was a child. He stared up at the moon once more, bringing his hands together.
It had been a long time since he prayed. He didn’t know if he was praying to God, though. He just wished to be heard. He was lucky if anyone listened to him at all.
“Hello.” Richter whispered. “It’s been a long time since we last spoke. If you can even hear me, that is. Whoever you are.”
The moon only stared back at him. It was his only source of light, the chamberstick on his bedside table abandoned.
His uncertain future tormented him. But he had other things on his mind.
He had done something unforgivable after he returned home from the ball, once everyone was asleep. He needed to distract himself from what he had seen that night. He hadn’t told a single soul about what he did in the forest. It was between him and God, or whoever was listening to him that night.
“I’m here to make a confession. I can only hope that you’ll listen.” Richter said, his voice quiet, fearful to even say such things out loud. “I have fantasies. Desires. Dreams about said desires. I can’t believe I even have them at all. I don’t know how it came about, but it’s starting to ruin me. I’m sick. I’ve been like this for months.”
Richter sighed. His hands suddenly felt sweaty.
“I've done horrible, depraved things.” Richter’s voice trembled. “Things that a Belmont should never do. Things that would disgrace my family.”
Memories of the night of the ball flashed in his mind. He saw himself walking into the forest near the mansion. He remembered how those claws tightly wrapped around his waist, how his legs trembled against the freezing night air, how the cold contrasted with the growing heat in the pit of his stomach.
He liked it. Loved it, in fact. He had made the choice himself. But he felt absolutely disgusted with himself.
“I… I laid with a monster! A creature of the night.” Richter nearly shouted, tears pricking at his eyes. “I've sinned. I'm nothing but a filthy sinner. I deserve to be punished. I need to repent. I’ll do anything.”
Richter wasn’t certain whether his growing sickness, hallucinations, and nightmares had anything to do with his encounter in the forest. Perhaps he was just finally losing his mind. Perhaps he should’ve just accepted it already. He was done for. He should’ve realized this months ago.
But he needed to rid himself of his troubles. They plagued his every waking moment, and he didn’t know if he could handle it anymore.
He didn’t know if Annette could save him. He didn’t know if he wanted her to save him.
“But… I have another desire that consumes my life.” Richter muttered, his hands still tightly clasped together. “I… I think it can help me repent. Do you understand? Can you even hear me?”
Richter looked up, staring at the window, the full moon intensely staring down at him, as if it was actually listening to him from the night sky. His hands were clammy with sweat. He felt tears rolling down his cheeks. He had never said anything like this out loud before. The words felt foreign on his tongue, like he had become someone else.
“I need to defeat Dracula again.” Richter said firmly. “It's the only way for me to repent. It's the only way for me to save my family before I do something even worse. It’s the only way for me to bring them back to greatness. I'll fix what I've broken. I'll never sin again. Just give me a chance.”
Richter paused. He moved closer to the window on his knees, his hands still clasped together, afraid of what would happen if he let go.
“But… that's not the only reason.” Richter began. “When I fought Dracula, it… it was exhilarating. The thrill of battle practically calls to me. It gives me a reason to keep going. I’d do anything to feel that thrill again. I need it.”
Richter looked down in shame. He didn’t know why he felt so pained. Wouldn’t his family be overjoyed if he killed Dracula again? Wasn’t defeating the Prince of Darkness his destiny?
It was a good thing. It had to be a good thing. He could save lives again. He could feel that rush again. He could be loved . Maybe then Annette would stop looking at him with such discomfort.
“I’ll do anything to stop these disgusting desires.” Richter breathed heavily as he spoke. “I’ll do anything to stop these nightmares, these hallucinations. I’ll give my body and soul to you. Just come to me. Help me. I will kill Dracula again. It’s the only thing I know how to do.”
Richter returned his gaze to the moon again, begging for it to listen to him.
“Please.” Richter cried, his hands shaking, fat tears welling up in his eyes once more. “Can you even hear me? Just give me a sign! Please help me. Help me. Help me repent.”
Silence.
Richter’s hands fell to his sides. He didn’t even bother to finish his pathetic excuse for a prayer. His confessions had meant absolutely nothing in the end. He was a fool to believe that anyone would ever listen to him. He had done his duty. There was nothing left for him anymore. He was a lost cause. He should’ve known this from the start.
God was on his side when he defeated Dracula in 1792. He knew that much. He felt His presence when he held the Vampire Killer in his hands, when he used Grand Cross to wipe out skeletons, gargoyles, and other servants of Dracula.
But he felt as if He had abandoned him ever since he fell ill. If He truly loved him, He would’ve stopped his sickness, his nightmares, his desires, his hallucinations. A sinful, blasphemous part of Richter wished that God would resurrect Dracula for him.
Maybe then, God would finally save him from his impure thoughts.
Richter stood up, his legs shaking. He wiped the tears from his face, feeling nothing but humiliation, despite the fact that he was alone. He was so alone.
He should’ve never done this.
He turned around, heading back to bed. He hoped that he would forget everything that had happened when he woke up the next morning. Perhaps it would be best if he just forgot. He finally understood why Annette rarely told him about her own problems.
Suddenly, the window opened, the freezing night air rushing into Richter’s bedroom.
Richter fell onto his bed from the sheer force, a ghostly touch running across his legs. He held his breath, his eyes widening in shock as he turned his head to the hauntingly bright moon before him.
Someone answered Richter’s call, but it wasn’t God, nor an angel.
“You are alone. Your woman is lost to you. She has already given up. She cannot save you, not like how I can. Dream of me, my Belmont. Only me.”
The voice was otherworldly, but Richter felt as if he had heard it before. Somehow, somewhere, years ago. Something about it was so familiar. Richter’s entire body shook from the reverberations of the voice.
A shadow of a hand sprawled across the walls. An odd mix of terror and relief washed over Richter’s body.
“I can give you everything you desire, good hunter. All you have to do is surrender yourself to me.”
A dark figure with red robes floated in the air before him.
“You called for me, my Belmont. I came.”
Richter smiled.
Then, he screamed.
A few days later, Antonia told the Succubus and Annette to go home.
They had done enough, she said. They needed to rest, she said. Richter needed to rest, too. She thanked them for their help, but there was nothing they could do. Richter’s illness hadn’t changed much at all, and he was still bedridden.
A few doctors from Aljiba came by one day, once again deciding that Richter was indeed sick, a word that honestly had little to no meaning at that point. He had the fever, like Iris had said. Pneumonia. Food poisoning. A migraine. Other medical terms the Succubus didn't understand.
Antonia guessed that he wouldn’t recover anytime soon, either. They would have to wait, no matter how long it took for him to get better. She said that Richter would still appreciate if Annette and the Succubus came to visit from time to time, but he preferred to be alone for the time being.
The Succubus felt overjoyed.
She heard that blood-curdling scream from a few nights before. She felt Shaft’s presence within the mansion. He was everywhere. He was nowhere.
And he was going to make Richter Belmont his. The results of Shaft’s plan were going to come much faster than she expected. She couldn’t wait to leave Aljiba for good, to abandon her persona she had practically come up with on the spot.
She could already see Lord Dracula’s return. She could already see this world bathed in darkness. She could already see Aljiba reduced to ashes once more.
She wanted it. She knew she did. It was everything she fought for, why she had put on this human disguise for nearly a year.
But when she stood in the doorway of the house, watching Annette embrace her father tightly, the Succubus felt a twinge of guilt. A wish to continue with this disguise, to keep being “Serena”, to stay close to Annette’s side, how a human would.
She immediately disregarded the thought.
Annette’s father welcomed her and the Succubus back home with open arms. Not much had changed in Aljiba. No one had gone missing, but no one had been found, either. The Succubus’ hunger hadn’t been an obstacle for her when she was in the mansion, but she knew that she would have to feed soon. She would let Annette breathe for a few more moments, though. She deserved to rest after everything that had happened during their stay.
The Succubus hated to take the advice of a woman as pathetic as Antonia Belmont, but she needed to rest, as well. She still had to play her part in the plan, but she would leave most of the difficult work to Shaft for the time being.
She knew that he enjoyed it. Just like her, he would do anything to bring his Lord back from the dead.
She just wasn’t certain if she was ready for when the day finally came.
The Succubus left her bedroom that night, staring out the window at the end of the hallway on the second floor, savoring the last of the Autumn moonlight. Winter was coming very soon. She didn’t know what to expect, but she had this innate feeling that it would be horrible for Annette.
And she couldn’t do anything to stop it.
Suddenly, the Succubus heard the footsteps of the very woman in her thoughts.
She turned around to see Annette, a chamberstick in her soft hands.
“Serena.” Annette greeted, a nervous undertone in her voice. “Why are you up?”
“I’m enjoying the moonlight.” The Succubus responded. “It comforted me when I was roaming. I still find myself drawn to it.”
“Do you miss it?” Annette asked. “Traveling around Transylvania, that is.”
“It’s hard to say.” The Succubus considered Annette’s question. “I missed my mother and everyone in Aldra immensely. I suffered every single day, wishing they were still with me. But the moon guided me. Oddly enough, nights were the most peaceful for me. It’s funny, isn’t it? I wish Aldra had never been destroyed, but at least some good came out of it. I got to meet you.”
The Succubus noticed a small smile on Annette’s lips.
“I’m glad I got to meet you, too, Serena.” Annette said warmly, but her smile soon faded. “Can we talk? In my room, if that’s alright with you.”
“Of course.” The Succubus nodded. “I would gladly spend time with you, my dearest Annette.”
The Succubus followed Annette to her room, watching as she placed the chamberstick on her bedside table. She sat down on the edge of her bed, a conflicted expression on her face. The Succubus sat beside her, wondering what went on in Annette’s mind. She didn’t speak, waiting for Annette to start the conversation herself.
“You know, the night before I met you…” Annette began, causing the Succubus’ head to perk up. “I had a dream.”
“About what, Annette?” The Succubus hummed, even though she knew exactly what Annette was talking about. “If you don’t mind me asking.”
“I was in an apple grove.” Annette explained, her voice unnaturally neutral. “I was walking down this path. I don’t remember why. I thought I was alone, but at the end of the path I saw a woman approaching me. She was holding an apple in her hand. As she walked to me, everything around her… died. The trees, the grass, everything. I couldn’t move. The woman kept getting closer and closer. She offered her apple to me, and she… stabbed me. She looked so sad after she did. I couldn’t understand why. She kissed me. Then I woke up.”
Annette stopped for a moment, her turquoise eyes focused on the chamberstick that sat on the bedside table. The Succubus watched her intently. Had Annette finally begun suspecting her?
The Succubus wanted to laugh. Even if she discovered her true identity, she knew that Annette couldn’t do anything about it. She was powerless. Just a human, a sad, pathetic one at that.
A small voice in the back of the Succubus’ mind wondered if Annette would still care for her if she revealed her true form to her, what she really was. Would she love her?
Would she forgive her?
“It’s strange.” Annette laughed, a hollow, confusing laugh. “The woman looked exactly like you.”
“A vision of the future, perhaps?” The Succubus proposed, choosing to be careful with her words, purposefully ignoring the contents of Annette’s dream. “Fate?”
“Maybe.” Annette replied. “Fate sounds about right… to me, at least. I guess my brain just had a pretty terrifying way of going about it.”
“Dreams are like that.” The Succubus nodded in agreement. “Your brain jumbles up your feelings into an incoherent mess. Were you worried about anything that night? Before you had the dream.”
“Not exactly.” Annette replied, but the Succubus knew that she was lying.
Truly, all Annette did was lie. She had seen it first hand in Autumn, a difficult season for her. She acted as if Lord Dracula had never kidnapped her, as if everything in her life was completely fine. She was nothing but a hypocrite.
The Succubus supposed she was no different from Annette, then.
The conversation stopped after that, fizzling away. Annette laid down, staring at the ceiling. The Succubus still sat up, suddenly disgusted by both Annette and herself.
She hated it. She hated this house. The walls were too small, too confining. She hated the way Annette looked at her. How she missed when she smiled at her. She didn’t know why, but she hated whenever Annette was somber.
Aljiba had been rebuilt. She had been saved by Richter. She had nothing to worry about anymore. Lord Dracula would return, her town would be obliterated, and her life would end. No one would miss her because there would be no survivors. Of course, Annette didn’t know of her fate. She didn’t even know how the Succubus was.
Then why did she look so sad?
Humans confounded the Succubus. She wanted nothing more than for them to die horrible, painful deaths. Annette included.
The Succubus sighed. She didn’t actually believe that, no matter what she was taught when she opened her eyes for the first time in Hell.
She wanted Annette to live. She wanted to live with her for as long as possible, perhaps for all eternity. She thought about somehow turning her into a vampire or a fellow succubus. Then, they could truly be together.
But did Annette want that?
The Succubus wasn’t certain if she wanted to know the answer to her question.
She wished she could’ve met her under any other circumstances. She wished Serena wasn’t just a persona. She wished she was Serena.
Did Annette love the Succubus or Serena?
Perhaps there wasn’t any love at all.
“I wonder how things would be different if we met when we were children.” Annette sighed wistfully, breaking the silence between her and the Succubus. “I wish I could’ve known your mother. I wish I could’ve known you before everything went wrong in Aldra. I wish I could’ve saved you.”
“I feel the same, Annette. I’m certain my mother would’ve loved you.” The Succubus admitted, a hint of truth in what she had said. “I appreciate the sentiment, but… there’s nothing you could’ve done.”
“I know that.” Annette replied, surprising the Succubus. “I’m not a vampire hunter like Richter and his family. I don’t know magic or anything like that. I’m just a human. But it wouldn’t stop me from being there for you.”
“Do you really mean that?” The Succubus asked, still sitting up on the edge of the bed. “It’s not just pity?”
“I would never pity you, Serena.” Annette shook her head. “Never in a million years.”
The Succubus wondered if Annette would say the same if she learned about her true identity.
The Succubus would complete her duty to her Lord. She had come so far. It only made sense that she would ensure that Aljiba would be reduced to ashes once more, that the entire world would be bathed in eternal darkness.
But was she ready? When Lord Dracula returned, what would she do? Would Lord Dracula shower her in praise? Would she earn a spot at his side? Would it truly all be worth it in the end? Or was she just another disposable succubus, just like the rest of her species?
The Succubus’ orange eyes drifted over to Annette. She raised her hand slightly, just inches away from Annette’s. She wanted nothing more than to touch her, to tell her that she could rely on her, even if this… relationship of theirs would only last a few more months depending on how efficient Shaft was.
She hated living as a human. She hated everything about Aljiba.
She just wasn’t certain if she could leave the town when the time finally came.
She didn’t want this to end. She didn’t want to leave her.
She wanted Annette to suffer, but she didn’t know if she could keep killing the townspeople to feed herself. She didn’t want Annette to worry. The Succubus would starve herself for a little longer, then. She could learn how to fast.
The Succubus closed her eyes. She imagined a life where she could eat and actually taste the food Annette cooked for her. She imagined her smiling face. She imagined a life when she was human.
But she knew that she could never obtain such a life.
It didn’t stop the Succubus from wanting it, though.
The Succubus would never admit it out loud, but she wanted Annette to love her.
The Succubus’ strange, sudden affections for Annette caused her to find herself in the outskirts of Aljiba, searching for flowers to give to her, wearing a heavy coat Annette’s father had sewn for her.
Humans gave each other gifts. She knew that to be true. Flowers seemed to be the most popular of them all.
Annette wasn’t unattainable, of course. Richter would be out of the picture soon enough, all thanks to Shaft. She could truly begin her pursuit of her. She couldn’t imagine a future between them, if she was being honest. She had the feeling Annette wouldn’t immediately accept Lord Dracula’s eternal darkness. Perhaps she could convince her then. The Succubus was quite the persuasive woman, after all.
That voice in the back of her mind still nagged at her, though.
She wasn’t ready. She didn’t want to leave Annette and Aljiba yet.
She would make the most out of this odd situation, then, despite the battle raging in her brain.
The Succubus walked through the forest, snow crunching against her boots. She knew the best flowers would die as Winter went on, but the season was still young.
She eventually found the last of the Autumn wildflowers, nestled deep within the forest. She picked them from their respective patches of soil, a bright lavender one reminding her of Annette. She gathered the flowers in her arms and wrapped them up with paper she had bought from a merchant in Aljiba. The Succubus could already see the smile on Annette’s face.
Annette needed a distraction from what was going to happen to Richter soon, anyway. The Succubus could easily provide it.
Did the Succubus truly love Annette? Did she just wish for her love? Or was she going out of her way to get flowers for her as a distraction?
It didn’t matter. It was all part of the plan. It would all be worth it. That was what she kept telling herself, anyway.
Once she practically held a bouquet in her arms, the Succubus began her trek back to Aljiba. He had grown fond of the snow and Winter in general, finding it to be very different from the flames of Hell she was so familiar with. Perhaps she could enjoy the snow more often if she lived as a human.
No. Such a life didn’t belong to her, wasn’t meant for her.
However, as she turned away from the forest, a freezing presence soon filled the air.
Chills ran down the Succubus’ spine, and she knew it wasn’t the fault of the Winter weather.
He was everywhere. He was nowhere.
“It’s about time you showed your face to me.” The Succubus simply said, in no mood to entertain Shaft. “How’s Richter?”
“The Belmont is mine.” Shaft replied, his long robes gently floating in the air. “He has fallen into my grasp, but he is not completely under my will yet. Lord Dracula will return. Do you understand?”
“I do.” The Succubus nodded, fully expecting Shaft to say that. “I’m taking care of that Annette girl, too. She will be far from a problem.”
“Make it so, then.” Shaft rolled his eyes.
“Actually… I’ve been meaning to speak with you about something.” The Succubus began.
Shaft did not reply. He merely stared at the Succubus, not exactly caring but seemingly willing to listen. She was beginning to regret that she ever trusted him. Couldn’t she have achieved Lord Dracula’s return in any other way?
The Succubus recalled the nightmare Annette had had at the mansion. She had seen Shaft. The dark priest had infiltrated her mind, and the Succubus hated it. Annette was the Succubus’ prey, just as Richter was Shaft’s prey. What part of that did he not understand? He had told her that part of her mission was to keep Annette away from Richter as much as possible, to break Richter down until he couldn't rely on Annette anymore.
“Leave Annette out of this.” The Succubus proposed, no, demanded. “Your target is the Belmont. She practically has nothing to do with him anymore. And leave her dreams, as well. Let her rest. She’s been through enough.”
“Have you become fond of this human?” Shaft asked, but the Succubus couldn’t detect any emotion in his voice.
You were human once, too. The Succubus wanted to say. Lord Dracula was human once, too.
“No.” The Succubus spat. “Let me do my part of the mission. Annette is mine to keep, and I will ruin her myself.”
Shaft stared at her for what felt like an eternity. The Succubus clutched the flowers she had picked for Annette closer to her chest.
“Very well, then.” Shaft finally spoke up. “Do not disappoint me.”
And then, he vanished.
The Succubus released a breath she didn’t know she was holding, accidentally crushing one of the wildflowers in her grasp.
When she returned home, the Succubus found Annette sitting at the dining table, a sketchbook in her hands. She had a focused, almost disturbed, look on her face, as if something had gone wrong.
She seemed to be designing new dresses for the winter season. Business had been relatively slow, with only loyal customers coming in lately. The Succubus hoped more customers would arrive in search of warm clothes. She wanted Annette to be happy.
“Sorry to interrupt your drawing, Annette.” The Succubus stepped inside, holding the wildflowers behind her back. “But I’ve brought you a gift!”
The Succubus held the massive bouquet out to Annette, a wide grin on her lips. She didn’t wish to overdo it, but something about giving precious things to Annette filled her with joy.
“Serena…” Annette’s face fell as she stood up from the table and took the flowers from her. “I don’t know what to say.”
The Succubus was perplexed. Had she done something wrong? She hadn’t expected such a reaction from Annette.
“Um… thank you?” The Succubus offered, genuinely confused for once in her life. “Have I offended you?”
“Why did you pick them?” Annette bombarded the Succubus with questions. “How could you kill these beautiful flowers?”
“It’s Winter, Annette.” The Succubus argued, a frown on her face. “They were going to die soon anyway. I was saving them by bringing them to you, you know.”
Annette only shook her head, picking a vase from one of the cabinets and filling it with water. She placed the wildflowers inside the vase, regardless of her outburst earlier. The Succubus couldn’t comprehend why Annette had done it at all. Why did she want these flowers to live if she knew that the Succubus had killed them? It was useless. It confounded her.
But the Succubus remembered that disturbed expression on Annette’s face when she stepped in the room. Had someone given her trouble? Something worse? Or was she simply having a difficult day?
“Did something happen earlier?” The Succubus asked. “You seemed upset before I even arrived.”
“Maria came by today.” Annette said, frustration in her voice as she sat down at the table once more, running a hand through her lavender hair. “She said Richter had gone missing for three days.”
The Succubus wanted to vomit at the mere mention of Richter.
“Are you serious?” The Succubus gasped as she pulled up a chair and sat beside Annette. “Is he alright now?”
“Yes, but I’m still worried. Maria said he came back with a haunted expression on his face, as if had seen something horrifying.” Annette replied with a defeated sigh. “He left the mansion for three days, Serena. What on earth was he doing in that time? I thought he was sick. I don’t understand.”
“Perhaps we’ll never understand.” The Succubus hummed. “Maybe this… sickness he had is beyond us.”
“How could you say such a thing?!” Annette’s voice raised. “What’s gotten into you today?”
Annette stormed off, walking up the stairs to her room, not even sparing the Succubus a glance. She didn’t even take her sketchbook with her. The Succubus frowned at the sight. Well, her plan had completely backfired. She regretted even looking for those flowers in the first place.
Curiosity getting the best of her, the Succubus flipped through the pages of Annette’s sketchbook. She knew that she had invaded Annette’s privacy, but she honestly didn’t give a damn anymore. She stopped when she saw an illustration of Richter, clearly drawn by Annette with love and care.
She did everything in her power to not rip up the drawing into a million tiny pieces right then and there.
The Succubus sat there, her orange eyes drifting from the illustration of Richter to the vase of wildflowers on the table.
She carefully took a dark blue wildflower in her hands, considering it in her grasp.
The Succubus crushed it, watching the petals fall to the hardwood floor.
Annette could still remember the moment she and Richter met like it was yesterday.
Annette sat in her father’s shop, a book in her hands, ignoring the discussion between her father and his clients. Her father’s clients on that day were none other than the Belmont family themselves, searching for something fresh and fashionable to wear.
She noticed Richter Belmont staring at her in the corner of her eye.
Annette promptly returned to her book, even if Richter’s staring intrigued her. They were both young teenagers when they met, the two of them still figuring out who they were. Richter’s hair was a mess, as if he had tried to cut it himself and failed miserably. Annette thought he looked adorable.
Perhaps he had read her mind, as Richter walked from his grandparents and towards Annette.
Richter practically stumbled over his words as he greeted her, a blush on his cheeks.
He asked her about the book she was reading. She told him it was an adventure story. He said that adventure was his favorite genre, even though he wasn’t much of a reader himself. He was too focused on training. Annette smiled, asking him to tell her about whenever he read something good. A book club, of sorts.
Richter accepted the offer, returning Annette’s smile.
They used to be close. Annette missed those days.
That was why she was so confused as to why Richter barely spoke to her anymore. He rarely visited Aljiba, and when he did, he spoke in short sentences, and his reaction time was extremely slow. She remembered what Maria had said about him going missing for three days straight. December was nearly over and Christmas had passed.
Without Richter. She wondered if he even celebrated with his family.
She knit a gift for him, a long blue scarf with a pattern of shining white stars. She couldn’t even give it to him herself. Antonia had to do it for her, an apologetic, nervous smile on her face when she saw her. Annette wondered how Richter’s family was handling his illness, how it was affecting them.
But he never recovered from his illness. In fact, it got even worse.
In the past month, Richter had been found sleepwalking in and outside the Belmont Mansion, holding his arms out, as if he was in a trance. His nightmares and hallucinations only increased. Both Maria and Antonia said it had become progressively harder to talk to him. He spent so much of his time sleeping. When he was awake, mostly at night, his words were erratic and disturbed, especially during his worst moments. He had said that he had become the maker of his own evil. He wondered if this darkness festering inside him came from himself or something much more sinister.
In the rare occasion where he was awake during the day, he stared out the window in his room, his gaze never leaving.
Annette told him he had to have faith in God. He would be able to protect him.
Richter clutched the cross necklace he wore around his neck. He told her that God trusted him too much.
There was something wrong with him. She knew that she had to help him, but she knew that she couldn’t do anything. She hated this constant feeling of helplessness. She wished she could do more, truly help Richter.
But he stayed in the Belmont Mansion, like a prince locked away in a tower, waiting to be rescued.
Was Annette supposed to rescue him? Was someone out there, waiting for him?
Would Annette ever meet that person?
It was no use. She had to clear her mind from all this turmoil. It wasn’t healthy.
Richter’s isolation wasn’t healthy for either of them.
Annette sat on a white bench in the small garden near her house, facing an even smaller pond.
The water strangely hadn’t frozen over yet, various fish swimming around. It was a miracle that they were still living, despite the harsh temperatures.
Annette could smell her father’s cooking from inside the house. It was nearly lunchtime, but Annette wished to stay outside for just a little longer, despite the snow-covered grass that surrounded her. The sun set much earlier those days, causing the town of Aljiba and Transylvania in general to be drenched in the moonlight. She wanted to savor the daytime as much as possible.
She sat there in silence until she heard the sound of boots crunching against the snow behind her.
“Do you mind if I sit next to you?” Serena asked.
“Not at all.” Annette turned her head, a small smile on her lips.
Serena nodded and sat beside her, a calm expression on her face.
“Tell me about these fish, Serena.” Annette asked, trying to distract herself from the storm in her mind. “I want to know what your mother taught you. So I can remember her.”
“You never met her.” Serena said, furrowing her brow in confusion.
“That’s why I want you to tell me.” Annette insisted. “I want to know if she was a good person, just like you are.”
“Annette…” Serena trailed off, seemingly shocked by Annette’s sudden words.
“I’m sorry about what happened earlier this month.” Annette said. She had truly never apologized to Serena about her outburst. “It was incredibly selfish of me to yell at you after you had given me those flowers. I still treasure them, despite what I said. I felt horrible that day, and I took it out on you. My mood doesn’t excuse me from what I’ve done. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me.”
She felt horrible that day. She still felt horrible. She would never admit it to Serena, though. She still hated telling her about her problems. The last thing she wanted to be was a burden.
Serena stared at her for a long, long moment, her orange eyes boring into her turquoise ones.
“It’s alright, Annette.” Serena nodded, placing a hand on Annette’s shoulder. “To be honest, I haven’t really thought about that moment in a while. I promise I didn’t lose any sleep over it. You were going through a lot. You still are. I forgive you.”
Annette felt Serena’s cold touch on her shoulder, despite the mittens on her hands.
She smiled, even if she felt that she didn’t deserve Serena’s forgiveness. Serena was too good to her. She wished she could sit by her side forever, telling her that everything would be alright, that life would go back to the way it was, long before Dracula had torn her life apart.
Annette knew it was selfish. She supposed her apology to Serena meant nothing in the end, regardless of what she had told her.
Regardless, Serena told her about the fish before them, what kind of species they were, how they differed from one another, which ones were the best to eat and during what season. She told her about the most common types in Transylvania, the ones that she and her mother had sought out when they went on their fishing trips just outside of Aldra. Serena looked so happy as she spoke about she and her mother’s escapades. She had never seen her smile in such a fashion before.
Annette knew she was selfish. She thought about the possibility of Serena leaving Aljiba and returning to her life as a nomad. Annette despised it. Annette wished that Serena would stay in Aljiba forever.
Annette didn’t know what she would do without Serena.
They fell eventually into the comfortable silence, the two of them simply watching the fish swim around aimlessly in the pond, never able to obtain whatever goals they had.
“Do you really think he cares about you, Annette?” Serena asked, seemingly out of nowhere, breaking the silence between them.
“Who?” Annette hummed.
“Richter.” Serena said, as if it was obvious. “He's barely been talking to you, right? He doesn't need you. And if he doesn't need you, then you don't need him. Just forget him.”
“I… I don't know.” Annette frowned. “He’s sick, Serena. He can’t help it. I would do the same if I was in his position.”
For once, Annette told the truth.
“He has plenty of time to go missing, doesn’t he?” Serena scoffed. “He’s out there doing who knows what. It makes me sick how he can do all that and keep you waiting here.”
Annette didn’t respond, at a loss for words. Did Serena really believe that? Why did she suddenly dislike Richter so much?
“I don’t think he appreciates you.” Serena stared at the pond as she spoke, her eyes locked on a fish with blue scales. “I don’t even know if he accepted that gift you gave him for Christmas. It disgusts me.”
Annette supposed Serena had a point. She never did get any confirmation if Richter got the scarf she had made for him. She trusted Antonia and knew she would give the scarf to him, but he had never thanked her. Perhaps she would never know.
She doubted she would ever see him wear it, either. He still spent nearly all of his time in the mansion, and she had the feeling he wouldn’t leave his home in a while.
She wanted him to get better, but a small, terrible part of her began to believe that he never would.
“It is strange…” Annette admitted, unsure what else to say.
She didn’t want to tell Serena all of her thoughts on the matter, regardless of how much she trusted her.
“Think about it, Annette.” Serena advised as she stood up, placing her hand on Annette’s shoulder one last time, possibly as some sort of reminder. “There are people who care about you. But Richter isn’t one of them.”
She walked towards the house, but she stopped for a moment, staring at the snow.
“What you need is… me.”
Serena left after uttering those words, closing the door of the house behind her, her footsteps caught by the wind.
Annette sat in the garden until the sun fully went down, processing what Serena had told her.
Annette loved Richter. She had loved him for years and years. She knew that she would never stop loving him.
But did Richter still love her?
Annette didn’t even notice the pair of orange eyes watching her from the window on the second floor.
The new year came to Transylvania along with a storm.
The Succubus had stepped out into the forest to secure firewood before the storm began that night. She had spotted Antonia and Maria having a snowball fight on her way there, just outside of Aljiba. Richter was nowhere to be seen.
She waved to them from across the way. They waved back. That was all the interaction she needed from them. The Succubus honestly didn’t hold any ill will towards Maria, but Antonia had to be the most pathetic human she had ever met, and that was saying something.
Antonia visited her and Annette a few days ago for tea, adjusting her glasses as she said that Richter had become strangely hostile towards his family members. Not rude, but he had been pushing them away, telling them to leave him alone. The Succubus hadn’t replied, merely sipping on her tea.
The Succubus hurried back home after her trip to the forest, carrying a bag full of firewood. It was going to be a long night, just her and Annette. If she was being honest, she hadn’t thought about Annette’s father in quite a long time. He wasn’t exactly an obstacle, but Annette was fragile due to everything that had been happening in the past few months. She would go to her father for comfort.
That wouldn’t do. Annette could only rely on the Succubus. Only her.
She would take care of him, then, once everyone in the house was asleep.
Then, only Annette and the Succubus would be left. Richter would be out of the picture. She would have no one else to turn to except her.
The Succubus, Annette, and her father placed the wood in the fireplace that night, preparing themselves for the storm. The streets of Aljiba were empty, all of the humans inside their homes or the shelter. The trio ate warm soup for dinner, knowing that the temperatures would only drop further and further as the night progressed.
The snow outside was nearly as cold as the Succubus’ skin. It made her miss her home in Hell, a place she hadn’t been to for what felt like an eternity.
Were succubi supposed to get homesick?
“I should be at the shelter.” Annette lamented as the wind howled outside. “I feel so useless here.”
She and the Succubus stood in her room while her father slept in his, retiring for the night. He said he was deathly afraid of storms and preferred to avoid them altogether. Annette sat by the windowsill, while the Succubus sat on Annette’s bed, drinking a cup of warm milk, wrapped up in a blanket Annette had given her. Annette wore a blanket as well, draped over her shoulders.
“Take a break, Annette.” The Succubus advised. “You need it. This storm is giving you an opportunity, you know.”
“I suppose…” Annette replied. “I just feel like they need me. Like they will need me.”
“They’re not your responsibility, no matter how much you think that. You still have to look after yourself.” The Succubus suggested, taking a sip from her cup. “We can only hope the storm won’t be too harmful.”
As if on cue, thunder boomed in the sky, a shower of rain following the snow.
“Great.” Annette laughed humorlessly and glanced at the Succubus. “Now I’ll worry even more.”
The Succubus chuckled in response, placing the cup on the nightstand. She loved when Annette looked at her, regardless of how she felt. She wished she could look at her forever.
The Succubus wished that she was the only person Annette looked at.
The Succubus wasn’t exactly a person, though, was she?
“I just hope that Richter is alright.” Annette sadly sighed, looking out the window and resting her head in her hands.
The Succubus didn’t know why, but something inside her broke when she heard those words. Annette should’ve been longing for her , not Richter. It made her sick to her stomach. She wanted to vomit right then and there. She could feel her brain splitting in two, her heart rising in her chest.
“Richter this, Richter that!” The Succubus shouted as she stood up from the bed. “All you care about is that man!”
Annette jolted back in shock from the Succubus’ sudden outburst, her back hitting the window with a thud.
“I…” Annette babbled, stumbling over her words. “Are you alright?”
“Alright?!” The Succubus practically screeched, nearly waking up Annette’s father. “Am I alright?! Absolutely not! Every time you mention him it makes me want to tear my hair out! Why do you care about him so much?! He doesn’t even care about you!”
The Succubus stood there, breathing heavily as she stared at Annette with intense eyes. Annette still sat by the windowsill, looking up at the Succubus with a frightened expression on her face. The Succubus couldn’t decide if she hated that expression or loved it. Regardless, it stirred something deep within her for a moment.
She quickly forgot it when she remembered how her outburst came out.
The Succubus had more to say, but she simply couldn’t put it into words. She couldn’t express her hatred for Richter without admitting that she was in love with Annette to her face.
Ah. So she truly was in love with her.
“I should go.” The Succubus muttered, already walking across the room. “Forgive me for what I said. Good night, Annette.”
Forgive me. That was what humans said when they had done something horrible. Perhaps the Succubus had to act like a human if Annette was ever going to love her.
Annette still sat by the windowsill, looking absolutely dumbfounded. She didn’t chase after her, letting her leave her room without another word.
The Succubus knew what she had to do. She should’ve done so when she first set foot in Aljiba. Her real target was Richter, but she didn’t object to spilling the blood of another hindrance to her mission. She wouldn’t feed on him, though. It was not a matter of hunger.
She would commit this act like a human would.
And wasn’t murder the most human thing one could do?
In the dead of night, the Succubus walked to the kitchen, choosing one of the steak knives that had been used to prepare many dinners she shared with Annette and her father. She walked towards Annette’s father’s room, ignoring the fact that Annette was most likely still awake, her mind consumed by the Succubus’ angered words.
It didn’t matter to her. She had to teach her a lesson. She had to show her who she really needed. The Succubus would always be there for Annette. She hoped that she would finally be able to understand that.
Annette’s lack of response after that moment in her room confounded the Succubus. She expected it, though. She hoped Annette would consider what she said, that she would finally realize that the Succubus could give her everything she desired. There was no one else in this world left for her.
Only the Succubus. Only her. No one else.
Dream of me, the Succubus thought. Only me.
She stepped into the room of Annette’s father, gently opening the door, considering the knife in her hands.
She crept towards his bed, as quiet as a mouse. She had killed many sleeping humans before, invading their dreams, but she would do it differently this time, how a human would.
She stood before him, raising the knife above him, aiming directly at his heart. Her orange eyes shined with bloodlust in the dark.
As she stared at him, her eyes drifted across his face. His hair was short and slightly matted with sweat, but it was that same familiar, lavender color as his daughter’s hair. His face was marked with the slightest of wrinkles, evidence of his older age. His mouth was in a thin line as he slept, the Succubus found it interesting that he managed to stay positive despite both his town and home being burned town, as well as the recent disappearances.
Annette most likely got that from her father, even if she had been slipping lately. She couldn’t hold onto this false hope for so long.
If the Succubus squinted, he honestly looked like an older, male version of Annette. They looked so much like each other.
The Succubus never learned his name, did she?
The Succubus gulped, not even realizing that she had held her breath. She gripped the knife even tighter, her knuckles turning whiter than her already pale skin. She had to do this. It was her duty, part of her mission. Eliminating Annette’s father would devastate her, thus causing her to push away Richter. Then Richter would be all alone, and Shaft could take him as his own.
The pieces were in place. Everything would be right .
But did the Succubus really want this? Did Annette want this?
If Annette’s father died, Annette would be destroyed for months, possibly even years, and the Succubus knew she couldn’t stay in Aljiba forever, no matter how much she wished to spend the rest of her life with Annette. The Succubus wanted her to suffer, to wallow in despair, but she also wanted to see her smile, wanted her to laugh with joy.
And the Succubus didn’t know if she could truly convince her to accept Lord Dracula’s eternal darkness if her father wasn’t with her.
She only wanted what was best for her. Killing her father would only drive Annette away from her, even if she never discovered who had murdered him. She would isolate herself in her room, refusing to interact with anyone. She did the same whenever Autumn came around.
She loved Annette. She loved her so much that her body physically ached whenever she thought about her.
She had agonized over these feelings for hours and hours. She accepted that she loved her, but she still questioned why .
Annette was fragile. The Succubus didn’t want to break her.
The Succubus dropped the knife to the floor, somehow not waking Annette’s father. She quickly picked it up and left the room without another thought, never looking back. She returned it to the kitchen, deliberately ignoring Annette’s room as she passed by it.
When she returned to her room, the Succubus collapsed to her knees, breathing heavily and grabbing her arms. She couldn’t understand why she suddenly felt so lightheaded and exhausted. A lump lodged itself in her throat, and she didn’t even notice the tears running down her cheeks.
The Succubus longed for Annette. She needed Annette. She ached. She ached. She ached.
She couldn’t kill Annette’s father like a human would. She began to believe that she couldn’t kill him at all. A man she honestly didn’t care for had caused her to doubt her abilities. Annette was tearing both her heart and brain apart, breaking them in two.
Maybe the Succubus could fully become Serena. She knew that she could eventually convince Annette to accept Lord Dracula’s reign, but she considered her other options, if the situation called for it.
Maybe then Annette would love her. Maybe she would fall for the human who had appeared at the shelter, the woman who was lost in the world without any goals or aspirations. The woman who just wished to survive a cruel, heartless world. The woman who had lost everything, just like Annette. They were kindred spirits, after all.
But the Succubus wasn’t human, and she never would be.
Weeks later, when Spring had already arrived, Annette wrote a letter to Richter.
She didn’t know why, but she was scared of speaking to Richter face to face. She knew she had to eventually, though. She needed answers. She couldn’t keep waiting for him like this.
She waited for him when Dracula kidnapped her. She had been waiting for him for many months while he continued to isolate himself from everyone he loved.
She had done enough waiting in her life.
She began her letter by greeting Richter and asking how he was faring, even if she already knew his answer. She said that Spring in Aljiba was plentiful and calm, despite the recent disappearances. Grimly, it had become commonplace in the town. The townspeople had begun to expect this mysterious culprit to strike once or twice a month. They were inconsistent. Annette asked what Richter thought about it, what he would do if he was there, if he would stop it.
She rambled on about her father’s business, which was doing well thanks to the demand for the Spring clothes. She said Serena was well, still helping Annette and her father with the business and the house. It was pleasant. She liked working alongside her.
But Annette couldn’t shake away the overwhelming sense of dread that seemed to follow her at all times.
She shuddered at the memory of a few of their regulars who had vanished off the face of the earth, no trace left behind.
Annette then invited Richter to her home in Aljiba. They needed to catch up. They needed to talk. Possibly over tea and pastries. Whatever Richter wanted, really. For once, he was a guest. Annette would be hospitable.
Annette finished her letter, wishing Richter well and signing her name. She gave the letter to the local post rider and eagerly waited for Richter’s response.
In the meantime, Annette laid down in her bed and stared up at the ceiling, her mind trailing back to Serena, of all people.
Serena’s words from last Winter had promptly made a home inside her brain. They couldn’t stop consuming her thoughts, no matter how much she tried to abandon them. The moment they shared at the pond and during the storm kept replaying in her mind over and over.
Think about it, Annette. There are people who care about you. But Richter isn’t one of them.
Every time you mention him it makes me want to tear my hair out! Why do you care about him so much?! He doesn’t even care about you!
What you need is… me.
A small part in the back of Annette’s mind believed that Serena was right.
Annette knew that Richter was suffering. Annette was suffering, too.
And both of them did nothing about it. Richter wallowed in his pain and went missing sporadically, returning to the Belmont Mansion at the strangest of times. Maria took care of him, but Annette didn’t know if a child was well-equipped to handle Richter’s seemingly endless sickness.
But Annette wasn’t any different from Richter. She refused to speak about Dracula unless it was necessary. She rarely confided in her father or Serena, even if she had been opening up to her a bit more lately. She just wanted to move on and leave the past behind her.
To forget.
Annette questioned if this relationship of theirs was even sustainable anymore.
It wasn’t like they spent time together, anyway. Annette couldn’t remember the last time she went to the Belmont Mansion. She couldn’t remember the last time Richter went to Aljiba.
Perhaps it was time to end this, if she and Richter couldn’t find a solution to this mess that didn’t seem to have an end in sight.
A few days later, Richter arrived at the house when Annette’s father and Serena were out for the day running errands.
To say that Richter looked like hell would’ve been an understatement.
His brown hair had grown much longer, reaching his upper back. Annette thought that long hair honestly suited him, but that wasn’t the problem. His eyes were practically sunken in, dark circles under them. He was still muscular, but he had lost a considerable amount of weight. Did he even sleep or eat at all?
Had his sickness done this to him? Why hadn’t Richter or his family told Annette about any of this? Did they not trust her anymore? Was she out of the picture?
Maria and Antonia still kept her updated, visiting her and Serena from time to time.
But never Richter himself, nor his parents and grandparents.
Richter awkwardly stood in the doorway, glancing at Annette with a nervous frown. Feeling a twinge of guilt at the sight, Annette took Richter’s hand in her own and led him to her room without a word. She had no idea what to say to him. She supposed he felt the same, too.
Perhaps they would never go back to when they met as children.
“Richter…” Annette sighed as the two of them stood in her room, placing a hand on Richter’s arm.
“I know you didn’t call me out here to catch up, Annette.” Richter said, the first words he had spoken to her in weeks, immediately seeing through Annette. “Tell me what this is really about.”
“Why are you avoiding me?” Annette asked bluntly. “You never come to me for help. You never tell me about how you’re feeling or what you’re dealing with. I’m right here, Richter. I’ll always be on your side. Why can’t you see that?”
Richter was being honest. Annette would do the same.
Even if she doubted some of her own words.
“You know why.” Richter responded, a strange lack of emotion in his voice. “I don’t want you seeing me like this. The only reason I came here was because Maria practically begged me to. I wasn’t going to accept your invitation at first.”
“Why?” Annette implored, resisting the urge to shake Richter’s shoulders, to let out all of her pent-up emotions for once, to tell Richter what she was really feeling. “Answer me!”
“I can’t involve you in this.” Richter replied calmly. “This sickness is… beyond you. It’s beyond me. I can’t describe it to you without sounding like I’ve lost my mind. This evil inside me is my own doing. No one will ever forgive me. You would never forgive me.”
“Just tell me, Richter.” Annette begged, nearly forgetting why she was angry at Richter in the first place. “Let me help you.”
“You would hate me.” Richter insisted. “I know that you hate me now, anyway. Just admit it. I won’t be offended. You would be right to despise me. I’m not the man you fell in love with anymore.”
Annette paused for a moment, questioning how Richter could see through her once more.
They had known each other for many years. He had still saved her life that night. She would always be thankful, and she would always love him.
But she wasn’t certain if she could ever go back to that night. Did Richter feel the same way?
“...I’ve been talking to Serena.” Annette said, questioning if it was the right thing to say. “Well, Serena brought it up to me.”
“Is that what this is about?” Richter began. “Serena?”
“What about her?” Annette asked nervously, mentally slapping herself for bringing up her housemate.
“You talk about her quite a lot.” Richter said. “You spend so much time with her. She follows you like a shadow. Really, I don’t think I’ve ever seen her without you.”
Annette gulped.
“Tell me, Annette.” Richter stared into Annette’s eyes. “Did you notice anything… odd about Serena?”
“What do you mean?” Annette mumbled.
“The townspeople only started disappearing sometime after Serena came to Aljiba.” Richter explained. “It’s strange. Tell me I’m not the only one who noticed it.”
Annette’s heart dropped.
“What are you implying, Richter?” Annette asked.
“I’m not saying she’s the one.” Richter clarified. “But it only makes sense if she was the one who did it. Who’s been doing it.”
“She…” Annette avoided eye contact with Richter, staring at the plush rabbit sitting on her bed. “She wouldn't do that.”
“How do you know that?” Richter asked in disbelief. “You barely know who she is!”
Annette knew Serena. She had told her about her journeys across Transylvania. She told her about her mother. She told her about life in Aldra, her hometown she loved so much, her hometown she yearned for.
But that was truly all she knew about her.
No. This wasn’t about Serena.
“It’s not like you’re any better!” Annette practically exploded.
“Annette-”
“You went missing for an entire week!” Annette shouted. “And that’s not even the half of it! All you do is isolate yourself, and you’re not getting any better! You’re so distant! You’ve been acting like a completely different person! It makes me sick! Why are you doing this to yourself? Why are you doing this to me?! Is this a joke?! What are your goals?!”
Annette breathed heavily, her hands balled up into fists. Richter only stared at her. Annette swore she saw a hint of green in his eyes. It was most likely just the odd lighting in the room.
She sat down on her bed, trying her hardest not to cry and make a fool out of herself in front of Richter. They had cried together before, but the man that stood in her room wasn’t Richter. Not anymore.
But Annette wasn’t the same woman she used to be, either. She had the exact same horrible coping mechanisms as Richter. Truly, neither of them ever coped with what happened that night. Dracula’s shadow still loomed over them, even if he was dead.
It was selfish of her to admit, but Annette wished Richter was never a Belmont. She wished none of this ever happened. Maybe then, they could’ve stayed together.
But Serena called to her from the back of her mind.
What you need is… me.
“This… us.” Annette finally spoke up. “I’m sorry, Richter. I think it would be best for us if we… ended it. You’ve been horrible to me. I’ve been horrible to you. It’s not right. It never will be.”
Annette was about to say they should’ve stopped seeing each other, but that was the exact reason she wanted to break up with him in the first place. She was nothing but a deceitful hypocrite, then, wasn’t she?
Richter stared at Annette for a very long time, his mouth never moving, his blue eyes surprised, but strangely unbothered, as if he had been expecting Annette to tell him this for months.
“I understand.” Richter uttered after what felt like an eternity.
Oh. Annette hadn’t expected that reaction at all.
“I’m sorry.” Annette apologized. “But I can’t keep going on like this.”
“I love you, Annette.” Richter confessed. “I always will. You’ll always be welcome in the Belmont Mansion. Never forget that.”
“I love you, too, Richter.” Annette replied with a quiet sigh. “And you’re always welcome in my home.”
She loved him. She meant it when she said that. She hoped Richter understood.
Annette stared at Richter for too long, as she felt tears pricking at her eyes once more.
She couldn’t face him. There was something horribly wrong with her.
She could never set foot in that mansion again unless someone physically dragged her there.
How could she explain this to Maria? Just how selfish had Annette become?
“Goodbye, Richter.” Annette sniffled. “Goodbye.”
Richter waved and left Annette’s room without a word, and she swore she saw his old self for a split second in that moment.
She saw the man who rescued her from Dracula, the teenager she spent countless days and nights laughing with, the boy who asked her about the book she was reading all those years ago.
Annette sat alone in her room, sunlight peeking through the window.
Annette didn’t see Richter for a long, long time after that.
One Autumn night in 1796, the Succubus stared at the moon from her bedroom window in the dead of night.
The Succubus found it hard to believe that she had been living with Annette, among humans, for about three years.
She knew what she had to do, and she knew that there was no going back, despite the fact that her brain had practically split in two. The Succubus and Serena were two different entities, but she felt as if the two of them had begun to melt together. It didn’t matter, anyway. This would all be over soon.
Annette and Richter had ended their romantic relationship the previous Spring. The Succubus was the happiest she had ever been when Annette broke the news to her, only pretending to console her. She would finally have Annette all to herself. No one could take her from her. Everything was going according to plan.
And that terrified the Succubus.
The Succubus and Annette were together. The Succubus continued to feed off the townspeople of Aljiba, even if she had made her killings even more spaced out than before. The townspeople she hadn’t killed had practically given up, the search parties dwindling. Richter was alone, his mind deteriorating further and further under Shaft’s spell, more susceptible to the darkness inside him.
The Succubus and Shaft were closer and closer to Lord Dracula’s return. The Succubus had questioned if it was what she really wanted in the past, but she simply brushed away her thoughts.
But as she stared out the window, her orange eyes locked on the sleeping town, she wasn’t so certain anymore.
Shaft told her to meet him in the abandoned Laruba Mansion that night. She knew what to expect.
The Succubus breathed in, her wings sprouting from her back. She opened the window and took flight, soaring across the town and towards Laruba Mansion.
She arrived at the mansion after what felt like hours, an uncertain feeling rushing over her. It was located across from the Devious Woods, far away from Aljiba, away from home. The Succubus wasn’t afraid, of course. She had no reason to fear Shaft. He was simply a priest, a human, at the end of the day. He had no power over her.
But a small part of her wanted him to put an end to this mess, to leave Richter be, oddly enough. He had left Annette’s dreams, after all. She couldn’t believe that he had actually listened to her pleas, but she knew not to get her hopes up.
The moonlight acting as her only guide, the Succubus stepped inside, navigating the halls of the abandoned mansion. She had heard stories of one Simon Belmont, the man who had defeated Lord Dracula twice. He had killed the vampire countess Carmilla herself in this very mansion. The Succubus never thought she would set foot in such a historical location.
She was pulled out of her thoughts as she felt a wave of cold air rushing across her body. The Succubus hadn’t even realized that she had arrived at Carmilla’s former throne room. The place was covered in dust, the windows shattered and broken, evidence of Carmilla and Simon’s fight from many years ago.
The Succubus missed Annette’s home.
Shaft sat on Carmilla’s throne, his ghostly form slightly flowing in the moonlight, the ends of his red robes floating around him. The Succubus knew that the ghost before her was merely a projection. The real Shaft lingered within the walls of the Belmont Mansion, waiting for the right opportunity to strike.
“I have been waiting for you.” Shaft said, his undead eyes gazing at the Succubus with a mix of contempt and lack of emotion.
“Could you have picked any other location?” The Succubus asked, moving a piece of glass aside with her heel. “This place is unsightly.”
“I don’t recall summoning you here to listen to your complaining.” Shaft snapped.
“Then spit it out.” The Succubus demanded. “What’s our next course of action?”
“I’d advise you to stay put.” Shaft said. “Stay in Aljiba, and stay close to Annette. You must ensure that she comes nowhere near the Belmont Mansion.”
“I understand.” The Succubus nodded. “It will hardly be a challenge. She and Richter have parted ways, you see.”
The Succubus smiled smugly as she spoke, but she knew Annette still loved Richter, regardless if they weren’t together anymore. Annette said they were still friends, even if they hadn’t spoken for a year. She wouldn’t exactly describe them as being on “good terms”. They seemed to harbor no ill will towards each other, though.
“What about the other Belmonts?” The Succubus asked. “You told me to go after them when we first devised this plan.”
“Do not fret over them for now.” Shaft hummed. “They believe the spell is simply sickness. They may pose a threat later, but I will take Richter for my own before they can sense it.”
The Succubus merely nodded in response. She frankly didn’t care about whatever Shaft did to Richter as long it helped them reach their goals. She just feared the idea of harming Maria and Antonia, if the situation called for it. She didn’t exactly interact with them much, but she loathed the very thought of their deaths, especially Maria. Antonia was a sad, pitiful young woman, but she didn’t deserve to suffer the same fate as her older brother.
Humans were born to die. But Maria was so young, only fifteen years old. It was strange to think that the Succubus had watched her grow up. She had watched Antonia age, as well. She was eighteen years old, an adult, even if she still had that permanent scowl on her lips. The Succubus didn’t know what to make of it.
Antonia and Maria aged. Richter and Annette aged.
And yet, the Succubus stayed the same. She wondered if Annette or her father had noticed that at all. If they had, they never brought it up to her. Annette was too kind for her own good. It would be her demise.
She wouldn’t harm Maria and Antonia, then, despite her distaste towards Richter’s younger sisters. Gwendolyn, Hugo, Juste, Lydie, and Maxim still deserved to die. She wasn’t certain if she would be the one to end their lives, as Shaft instructed her to leave them be.
“You're spending quite a lot of time with that girl.” Shaft observed, referring to Annette. “ If I didn't know any better, I would have believed you were courting her.”
“I'm merely doing what you told me to do,” The Succubus scoffed, but she couldn't deny the blush on her cheeks. “It’s simply part of the plan.”
Shaft laughed in response, a condescending, mocking laugh. The Succubus tried not to let her anger get the best of her, looking away from Shaft and instead staring at one of the many broken windows. She wondered why she was chosen out of all the succubi and incubi in Hell. Oh, why her?
“Lord Dracula’s resurrection will still take more time.” Shaft changed the subject. “But I have already begun preparations.”
Shaft held his arm out to the Succubus, a golden ring in his spindly hand.
“Here.” Shaft said as the Succubus gently took the object from him. “It is a golden ring. You will be able to find the silver ring in Castlevania once our Lord returns. By using both of them, you will be able to access the castle center. Do not let anyone else take it from you, especially that pet of yours.”
“She isn’t my-” The Succubus stopped, embarrassed by her own blushing. “Oh, forget it, old man.”
The Succubus quickly shoved the ring in one of the pockets of her cloak, barely paying attention to what Shaft said until he mentioned Annette. Why did that human have to have this effect on her?
“That is no way to talk to your superior.” Shaft rolled his undead eyes, but he didn’t seem to care. “I shall let it go just this once.”
The Succubus only nodded and turned, preparing to leave the mansion, the conversation coming to a natural close. She felt as if she hadn’t gained anything from their conversation, regardless of the ring burning a hole in her pocket. However, Shaft spoke.
“You should not underestimate that Renard girl.” Shaft advised, seemingly out of nowhere. “She may not look the part, but she is a force to be reckoned with. She fought alongside the Belmont, and she defeated countless numbers of our forces. Be wary of Juste Belmont, as well. You should tread lightly.”
“Yes.” The Succubus bowed, staring at the floor, slightly disturbed by Shaft’s words. “I will not fail you.”
The Succubus knew that Antonia, Gwendolyn, and Juste were all powerful vampire hunters in their own right. But Maria? Perhaps Shaft was right. Perhaps there was more to Maria’s animal companions than she thought.
Once the Succubus looked up, Shaft was gone. Carmilla’s throne was empty. Only the moonlight remained.
The Succubus left Laruba Mansion, her interaction with the dark priest leaving a bad taste in her mouth. She walked back to Aljiba, traveled the streets, all of the townspeople sleeping in their homes. It was peaceful, but it couldn’t distract her from the storm raging inside her mind.
The Succubus should’ve been happy. She should’ve been overjoyed.
Perhaps she wasn’t a Succubus anymore. Perhaps she had fully become Serena. Lord Dracula would despise her, even if she had never met her Lord.
The Succubus found herself in an alleyway, close to Annette’s home. She had begun to consider it her own home, as well. It was different from the flames of Hell she was so familiar with, but there was nothing wrong with it. It was a charmed life, living as Serena with Annette and her father.
That was why the Succubus was so terrified to give it up.
“Stop right where you are.” A voice called from behind her, pulling her out of her thoughts.
The Succubus obeyed, stopping in her tracks.
“Turn around.” The voice commanded. “Slowly.”
The Succubus nodded and did as she was told, facing the owner of the voice.
A young man stood a few feet away from her, illuminated by the moonlight. He looked as if he was only twenty years old, around the same age as Annette. She had seen him around Aljiba before, especially at the bakery and Annette’s father’s shop. He held a knife in his hand, his body shaking with a mix of determination, fear, and hesitance. A robber, perhaps? He was clearly inexperienced.
“What’s a young man like you doing out here so late at night?” The Succubus questioned, feigning care. “Haven’t you heard about the disappearances? You wouldn’t want to be next, would you? You should head home. Your parents must be worried sick.”
“I could ask you the same thing.” The man responded, the grip on his knife tightening. “I’ve seen you at night. I know what you’re up to. You may have fooled everyone else in this town, but you can’t fool me.”
“If you're looking for coin, I don't have any.” The Succubus scoffed, frankly not in the mood to deal with humans, even if the man’s words slightly disturbed her. “Now, run along. You shouldn’t be out at this hour. Monsters roam the streets. Didn’t your parents teach you that?”
“I see a monster right in front of me.” The man breathed heavily. “You’ll pay for what you’ve done. I’ll make you pay.”
“And what might that be?” The Succubus challenged calmly, but she couldn’t ignore the anger bubbling in her chest.
“Shut your mouth or I’ll do it for you!” The man yelled, his eyes flaring with anger. “I know what you are!”
The man lunged at the Succubus, knife in hand. Enraged, the Succubus grabbed his arm and effortlessly broke it, causing the man to scream in agony. He fell to his knees, but the Succubus wouldn’t let him go that easily.
The man knew that she was responsible for the disappearances in the town, or at least thought she was. He was smart. It was strange that the humans only started going missing once she arrived. She wondered why he was the only one to realize it. Why hadn’t anyone else? Was her disguise simply that convincing?
The Succubus knew what had to be done. She couldn’t let news of her true identity reach anyone else in the town. She couldn’t let this young man live.
“W-Who are you?!” The man cried, fat tears falling from his eyes, the Succubus still gripping onto his broken arm, refusing to let go. “What are you?!”
He knew that she had killed all those townspeople. But he didn’t know what she truly was, that she wasn’t even human in the first place.
She would give him a reason to fear the monsters that roamed the lands of Transylvania under the moon.
She didn’t speak. Her actions would tell the young man exactly who she was.
The Succubus extended her claws from her free hand, raising them above the young man. He watched on in horror, his eyes wide with fear and disbelief and utter denial.
It was just a nightmare. It would all be over soon. He would wake up, far, far away from his hometown. He would join his neighbors.
The Succubus brought her claws to the man’s stomach, plunging into his flesh and tearing his shirt and skin. He screamed in pain, even louder than before, even louder than all of her other victims. Then, she dug up, leaving long claw marks across his body, starting at his stomach and ending at his forehead. She slashed him slowly, savoring his pain, savoring every tear, savoring every plea for her to stop. His cries only encouraged her, rage blinding her.
Blood splashed on the Succubus’ face and cloak. She breathed erratically as the life faded from the man’s eyes. A pleasured moan escaped her mouth as she retracted her claws and brought her hands to her face.
Suddenly, she began crying, tears pricking at her eyes and falling down her cheeks. She dropped the fresh corpse to the ground, practically throwing it across from her. She fell to her knees on the cold cobblestone ground, sobbing profusely.
This… emotion she felt wasn’t remorse. Far from it, actually. She frankly didn’t know what she was feeling, or how to stop it.
Perhaps she didn’t want to know.
The Succubus left the corpse in the alleyway, too disturbed from her interaction with the man to dispose of it in the river. It was just another dead human, another dead townsperson. This time, there wouldn't be a search party. The people of Aljiba would find his body the next morning and finally realize that a monster lurked within their town.
The Succubus stared at the fresh corpse for the last time before returning to Annette’s home.
Would it be best if I just forgot? The Succubus thought as she sat in the bath in her room, washing the blood from her pale skin.
Red against white.
The next morning, screams echoed throughout Aljiba as the man’s brutally mauled corpse was discovered in the alleyway, right where the Succubus left it. The Succubus held Annette in her arms that day. Annette told her between tears that she had never seen a corpse so mutilated before.
It wasn’t the work of a human. It was something inhuman, something not of this world.
A monster stalked the streets of Aljiba, and she had lived among the townspeople for the past three years.
Annette screamed as she woke from yet another nightmare.
Her nightmares had only increased since Nicolas was found dead in an alleyway a week before, claw marks running across his corpse, a look of absolute terror in his dead eyes. His death was so different from the other disappearances. While the others went missing without a trace, Nicolas wasn’t even kidnapped. He was right there, in that alleyway, mutilated for all of Aljiba to see.
Was it a message? A bad omen? Fate?
Annette was awake the night Nicolas was killed. Well, more like half-asleep. She had tossed and turned, and she swore she saw a figure with red hair leaving the house before she fell back asleep.
It couldn’t have been a dream. Annette knew what she saw. She hadn’t lost her mind. Not yet, at least.
She just wasn’t certain if she could ask Serena about it yet. She would wait for the right moment to strike.
Rain trickled down the window a few feet away from her as she sat up in bed. An Autumn storm raged outside.
The strange thing was that she didn’t even remember most of her nightmare as soon as she woke up.
But when she closed her eyes, she could only see the woman with long red hair and pale skin who had tormented her dreams.
The woman that looked exactly like Serena.
As if on cue, Annette heard footsteps advancing towards her room from down the hall. Annette held her breath until she realized the footsteps belonged to Serena. She was relieved, but fear lingered throughout her body.
She loved Serena. She truly did. She would always be one of her closest friends. She would always be there for her.
But as she stared at the door, Annette wasn’t certain if she could trust Serena anymore. She wondered if she ever trusted her in the first place. Richter had planted seeds of doubt in her mind when they broke up the previous year.
The townspeople only started disappearing sometime after Serena came to Aljiba. It’s strange. Tell me I’m not the only one who noticed it.
Annette hated to admit it, but Richter was right. It was strange indeed. His sickness had nothing to do with his observations.
She just hoped that it was all a coincidence. She hoped that both she and Richter were wrong. She hoped that Serena was innocent and this was all just a dream. She hoped that she could forget, but she knew that it wouldn’t do her any good anymore.
Serena knocked on the door, and Annette asked her to come in.
The door opened with a creak. Serena stood in the doorway, a chamberstick in hand, the red flame casting shadows on her pale face. She almost looked like a ghost, her white nightgown caught in the darkness.
“Are you alright?” Serena asked as she stepped inside. “I thought I heard screaming.”
“I'm sorry for waking you.” Annette looked down at her hands. “I had a nightmare. I'm alright. Don’t worry about me. You should head back to bed.”
“I see.” Serena said with an almost unimpressed hum. “Good night, Annette.”
“Wait-!” Annette called, her hand reaching out for Serena out of pure instinct.
Serena looked back at her with a confused expression. Annette felt just as confused as Serena looked.
“I… I'm not alright.” Annette admitted, an ashamed look on her face. “I'm horrified. Especially after what happened with Nicolas and everything else in this town. Please stay with me.”
Serena looked around the room in thought, but she eventually nodded, silently. She placed the chamberstick on the bedside table, but she didn’t put it out. She crawled into bed next to Annette, but laid above the covers, staring up at the ceiling.
Annette frowned for a moment, wishing Serena could’ve been under the covers with her like so many nights before.
How selfish she was.
“What was your nightmare about?” Serena hummed. “If you don’t mind me asking, of course.”
“That’s the problem, Serena.” Annette sighed sadly. “I can’t remember a thing.”
Except for seeing you covered in blood again, Annette thought to herself.
The woman in her dreams wasn’t her. She just looked exactly like her, and it was driving Annette insane.
“Everything must be taking a toll on you, too, huh?” Serena asked.
“What do you mean?” Annette’s head perked up.
“You have no idea how worried I am.” Serena replied, disturbed look on her face. “Seeing all our neighbors disappear, especially Nicolas… It just reminded me of home. When we came to the alleyway, I felt as if I was back in Aldra. I thought of Dracula when I saw those claw marks. That wasn’t the work of an ordinary human. It has to be a monster.”
“Oh, Serena…” Annette lamented. “I never knew you felt that way. I… I’ve been so blind. I had no idea it hurt you so deeply.”
“Someone has to stop that thing, Annette.” Serena said as she sat on the edge of the bed, staring at the window. “It’s going to be me!”
“You can’t!” Annette nearly yelled as she jolted upright. “It’ll kill you, just like everyone else! I can’t let you end up like Nicolas!”
Serena turned her head slowly, looking at Annette with disbelief in her orange eyes.
Annette swallowed the lump she didn’t realize was in her throat, almost hypnotized by Serena’s surprised expression.
“I…” Annette looked at her hands for a moment, then back to Serena. “I can’t lose you.”
A blush bloomed on Serena’s cheeks, almost as red as her long crimson hair. She sat back down on the bed, lying next to Annette. She had never seen Serena so flustered before.
“Can I make a confession?” Serena asked.
“Yes.” Annette answered. “I’ll always listen to you. I’ll always be there for you.”
“Do you trust me?” Serena said. “Do you really trust me?”
“Yes,” Annette repeated breathlessly. “Of course.”
Serena and Annette faced each other on the bed, the two of them lying together.
Serena brought her hand to Annette’s cheek, cradling her. Annette welcomed the touch, exhaling softly and closing her eyes.
Annette found herself lost in Serena’s surprisingly intimate gaze. She simply couldn’t look away from her, despite her doubts about Serena. Her sudden distrust didn’t bother her at that moment, as if she never doubted her in the first place. No matter what happened, Serena would always be that shy woman she met at the shelter three years ago, someone who deserved kindness and… love.
“It’s you, Annette.” Serena confessed. “I’m always thinking about you.”
Annette didn’t reply, still staring into Serena’s eyes, intensely listening to her, as if they were the only two people in the house, in Aljiba, in all of Transylvania, in the entire world.
“You are the only one on my mind.” Serena whispered.
Her voice was low and thoughtful, almost romantic, but something lurked beneath the surface. Something possessive.
And Annette didn’t mind it at all.
“Even when you’re not with me, you are.” Serena breathed. “I can’t escape you, Annette. You consume my every waking moment. You’ve consumed me , and there is absolutely nothing I can do about it. And I’m not complaining.”
Annette’s chest ached painfully, something inside her, something she was never aware of, bloomed. She felt herself crushed by Serena’s words, struggling under the weight.
“Out of everyone, everything, in this world, you are the only one that still lingers in my mind, ever since I laid eyes on you in that shelter. You have my heart completely. I don’t care if you don’t have mine. I don’t want to escape you. I only want you to know that you are my sweetest nightmare.”
Annette and Serena stared at each other, for a long, long time.
Annette’s turquoise eyes drifted to Serena’s lips.
Serena noticed.
Without warning, without thought, Annette succumbed to the darkness brimming inside her.
What else was she supposed to do?
Serena and Annette’s lips crashed together, and Annette felt as if she was set free.
Annette couldn’t contain the moan that was immediately muffled by Serena’s lips on hers. Serena kissed her hungrily, as if she would never eat again. The kiss was deep, deliberate, and slow, taking and taking until there was nothing left for Serena, nothing left of Annette.
Suddenly, Serena grabbed Annette’s shoulders and flipped her on her back, all while her lips were still firmly planted on her, the bed creaking as she did so. Annette let herself be practically manhandled as she melted in Serena’s arms, the other woman looming over her.
Annette never wanted this to end, never wanted Serena to stop holding her like this, loving her like this. Serena licked at her teeth, causing Annette to open her mouth even further, allowing Serena to explore her. She shut her eyes even tighter and wrapped her arms around Serena’s frame, losing herself in Serena’s possessive, starving kisses.
Richter never kissed her like this.
Richter never kissed her like he wanted to devour every part of her.
Annette should’ve stopped. She should’ve pulled away. She still loved Richter, and she would never stop loving him.
But as Serena held her as if she would fall to pieces if she let go, Annette let Serena take her, let herself be consumed completely.
After what felt like an eternity, an eternity that didn’t last long enough, Serena broke away from Annette’s lips. Annette whimpered in response, almost pathetically, causing Serena to kiss her once more. This kiss was strangely shy, as if Serena regretted kissing Annette so roughly before.
Serena’s hands traced all over Annette’s arms and torso as she kissed her, breathed her in. Her hands were freezing, but Annette couldn’t care less. She had never felt so wanted before. Serena broke the kiss once more, her long fingers planted on Annette’s nightgown, hiking up her skirt.
Her breathing uneven, almost panting, almost animalistic, Serena slotted her knee between Annette’s thighs gently. Annette moaned in pleasure, but she couldn’t let herself go. She couldn’t do this, not when her heart still belonged to Richter, even if the temptation was screaming at her from the back of her mind.
Annette placed her hands on Serena’s shoulders and gently pushed her away. Serena obeyed, looking down at Annette with a wild, almost inhuman look in her orange eyes, her red hair wild and messy. Annette swallowed, fear, excitement, and guilt brimming in her stomach at the exact same time.
“Serena…” Annette whispered, in complete awe. “I’m flattered, but… I still love Richter. I’m sorry.”
“But why?” Serena asked, pain in her voice. “You left him. He left you.”
“That's true, but…” Annette began. “Richter will always have my heart, even if we're not together anymore.”
“What can he do that I can't?” Serena scoffed as she sat up in bed, still breathing heavily. “I can give you everything you desire. Just say the word, and I’ll do anything you ask of me. Snap your fingers and I’ll do it. You can order me around. You can step on me. You could do the most horrible things to me, and I would still be there for you.”
Annette paused for a moment, surprised by Serena’s words. She had no idea that Serena felt that way about her. The words slightly disturbed her. She would never do anything horrible to her. Why would Serena want that? Annette knew that Serena had lived a life of pain. She wished Serena knew that Annette would never subject her to such things.
“I do love you, Serena.” Annette confessed, knowing that her words were true, finally accepting them. “But I love Richter more. The horrors we went through together… there aren’t any words to describe our bond. I’m sorry, Serena.”
Serena sat on the edge of the bed, looking away from Annette. Annette couldn’t read her emotions at all, but she could tell that she was conflicted and lost in deep thought. The storm still raged on outside, rain tapping against the window, the moon eavesdropping on Annette and Serena’s encounter.
“I understand.” Serena eventually nodded after a long silence. “I shouldn’t have done that. I apologize.”
Annette didn’t respond. She wanted to tell her that she didn’t have to apologize. She wanted to tell her that she enjoyed when Serena kissed her. She just didn’t know if she could do it again. She didn’t know if she could betray Richter.
Was that how she could describe her relationship with Serena? A betrayal?
That couldn’t be.
But Annette could only stare at Serena’s back, an odd, uncomfortable feeling of unfulfillment and longing in her heart, trying to claw its way out of her chest.
Annette felt as if she had lost something she never had.
A few weeks after her encounter with Annette, the Succubus sat at the dining table, her eyes glued on the already cold soup bowl before her.
The Succubus never thought she was capable of making a mistake.
Of course that human deserved to die. Nicolas, or whatever his name was. She had to put him out of his misery, and she couldn’t let the rest of the town know that she was the one responsible for so much of Aljiba’s suffering. She did what she had to do for the greater good. If Annette ever did find out about what happened, she would understand. The Succubus simply had to.
Her only mistake was when she kissed Annette that night.
The worst thing about it was that Annette wanted it. Enjoyed it, in fact. She melted in her arms as if she was born to. Her lips reacted receptively towards hers. She tightly wrapped her slender arms around her torso, deepening the kiss even further. She had practically glowed as the Succubus loomed over her on the bed.
But she simply couldn’t let herself go, even if she had told the Succubus that she loved her.
Annette loved the Succubus. Except she didn’t love the Succubus. She loved Serena, a woman who did not exist. A woman who would never exist. A woman who was an idea, a concept. A woman that the Succubus could never truly be.
Annette said her heart belonged to Richter. But that didn’t make a lick of sense to the Succubus. They had both mistreated each other. How did Annette still love him?
The Succubus thought her encounter with Annette would’ve been a dream come true. She had been waiting to have Annette all to herself for a very long time. Instead, she felt completely empty, her experience soured by the mere mention of Richter.
A door creaked open in the distance, dragging the Succubus out of her thoughts.
Annette walked down the stairs, her lavender hair swaying as she did so. The Succubus stared at her for a few moments, but she quickly looked away.
She and Annette had talked plenty, but they never discussed their encounter again. The Succubus could see it in Annette’s eyes, though. She knew she still thought about her.
Shaft was going to take Richter soon. The possession was almost complete. She could feel it in the air, all throughout Aljiba. Dread. Hope. Feelings the Succubus could’ve never imagined before. Feelings she wished she could abandon, but she was in too deep.
She couldn’t resist Annette’s whims, no matter how much she tried to deny it. It was love. Love that devoured everything in its wake, love that Annette couldn’t handle.
Whether the Succubus liked it or not.
Annette didn’t say a word to the Succubus as she walked to the window by the dining table, sitting by the windowsill. She sat there for what felt like an eternity, staring at the streets of Aljiba, lost in thought.
The Succubus knew that Annette was horrified.
The Succubus knew that she couldn’t protect her.
No matter how much she wished she could, the Succubus knew she couldn’t convince Annette to accept Lord Dracula’s reign.
It wouldn’t stop her from trying.
“I know you’re staring at me, Serena.” Annette said.
“Hello to you, too, Annette.” The Succubus snarked, but she didn’t mean any harm.
Annette slightly chuckled at that, her shoulders shaking as she did so. The Succubus’ heart ached at the sight.
She couldn’t ignore the overwhelming silence she felt emanating from Annette, though. She couldn’t escape it.
“Can I ask you about something?” Annette proposed, still staring at the window.
Will you ask me to love you? The Succubus thought. Will you ask me to kill that idiotic Richter for you? Will you ask me to take you away from this pathetic town, where we can be alone together, just you and me? I will gladly do so.
“Always.” The Succubus replied. “You can ask me anything.”
“Do you remember that night?” Annette asked. “When Nicolas was killed?”
“I feel like we’ll never be able to forget it.” The Succubus hummed, memories of Nicolas’ rotten corpse in her mind.
“I was awake that night.” Annette said. “Of course, I didn’t see him get murdered. I was still at home in bed. I was barely asleep, but I saw someone, or something, leaving the house. It could’ve been my mind playing tricks on me, but I know what I saw.”
Annette paused. She breathed in deeply. The Succubus looked down at the cold soup on the table before her, purposefully ignoring Annette’s gaze as she turned her head.
“I… I think I saw you in the window, right before I fell asleep.” Annette began, her eyes drifting over to the Succubus.
Annette stared at the Succubus, practically burning her with her gaze. The Succubus swallowed, her eyes widening in fear she never knew she was capable of.
Was this the end? Had her cover been blown? Was this the death of the woman known as Serena? Would this be Annette’s first meeting with the Succubus?
“What really happened that night, Serena?”
The Succubus had no idea how to respond.
Right before the Succubus could open her mouth, before she could face the truth, footsteps advanced from outside towards the front door, followed by thunderous knocking against the wood.
The Succubus peeked outside to find Antonia Belmont herself banging at the door, worry in her blue eyes. Her face was drenched in sweat, her short brown hair matted and messy. She looked as if she had seen something so horrifying, so alarming, that she had to tell another soul about it.
Annette looked back at the Succubus for a moment before quickly opening the front door.
“Antonia?!” Annette exclaimed in surprise as she ushered Antonia inside. “Are you alright? What happened to you?!”
“It’s not me!” Antonia nearly yelled, grabbing Annette’s shoulders. “It’s Richter!”
The Succubus resisted the urge to rip Antonia’s head off right then and there. Instead, she stood up from the table and approached Antonia and Annette, a look of faux worry on her face.
The Succubus found it strange that Maria was nowhere to be found, though. She thought that Annette was close with the girl. Why was Antonia delivering the news?
“Did something happen?” Annette asked, her voice raising with concern.
“He isn’t responsive. He isn’t moving.” Antonia explained, letting go of Annette and pacing around the room like a woman possessed. “When we found him in his room this morning, he looked like a corpse. He was barely breathing. His eyes, God, his eyes… he looked like Death himself had visited him.”
Antonia stopped for a moment, adjusting her glasses and smoothing down the fabric of her red coat. She attempted to look composed, but she was failing miserably at it, practically falling apart at the seams. The Succubus truly had never seen a Belmont like her before.
“Maria and our grandparents are taking care of him at home.” Antonia explained, definitely leaving out her parents for a reason. “But it isn’t enough. I don’t know if he’s dying, or something even worse. To be completely honest with you…”
Antonia paused.
“I think he's possessed by a demon. There isn't any other explanation as to why he's been acting so strangely for the past few years.”
The Succubus swallowed.
“I need your help.” Antonia begged, her blue eyes locked on Annette’s turquoise ones. “Please, you have to come to the mansion. It’s urgent. You need to be there for him. Annette, I know you and him broke up, but…”
Antonia placed a hand on Annette’s shoulder once more, much gentler than before. The Succubus wanted to tear Antonia’s arm off for even daring to touch Annette in the first place.
“Please.” Antonia’s voice trembled as she spoke. “I don’t know what to do anymore, but I can’t lose hope. Not yet. You and Serena are the only ones I can turn to now.”
Annette stared at Antonia, but she soon glanced at the Succubus, as if she was asking her if this was the right thing to do, if she could truly move on.
The Succubus slowly shook her head.
He doesn’t love you anymore. The Succubus thought. He left you. He will never do anything for you. He doesn’t deserve you. What you need is me. Don’t you understand that?
Annette bit her lip and ran a hand through her hair, as if she could read the Succubus’ mind, as if she was contemplating words the Succubus never uttered. Antonia’s hand faltered, dropping to her side.
Eventually, Annette spoke.
“I’ll go.” Annette nodded, but the Succubus could hear the hesitation in her voice. “Serena will, too.”
The Succubus didn’t even protest. She had involved herself in this mess since the very first moment she met Shaft years ago. She would see it to the end, regardless of the outcome.
Something terrible was going to happen very soon, and the Succubus didn’t know if she could save Annette from it.
The sky was gray when Annette and Serena arrived at the Belmont Mansion.
The mansion stood tall, ominous and imposing, dark clouds blocking out the sun, another storm surely to follow. The wind howled, brushing through the grass and the towering trees of the forest in the distance. A bad omen, perhaps. Annette only expected the worst at this point, no matter how much she wanted to deny it. She wondered if the mansion was just as haunted as the streets of Aljiba.
Annette never thought she would find herself at the mansion again, but fate had a humorous way of going about things. She should’ve known this was bound to happen.
She should’ve refused Antonia’s pleas. She should’ve run. She should’ve listened to Serena, the woman she had welcomed into her home, the woman who kissed her like no one else had, the woman she wasn’t certain that she could trust anymore.
But Richter still needed her. He always would, despite their issues, issues that Annette would never forgive him or herself for.
When Annette and Serena stepped inside the mansion, the only maid employed there stormed out the door with terror written all over her face.
Apparently, she quit.
She couldn't handle it anymore, she said. There was something demonic about the mansion, about Richter, she said. She should've never trusted the Belmonts, she said. The church was right to banish them all those years ago, she said.
And yet, Annette and Serena continued on, Antonia leading them through the great doors of the mansion.
There was no going back. Not anymore.
Gwendolyn and Hugo waited for them inside, the other Belmonts absent from the grand hall, including Richter. It seemed as if they weren’t sticking around for long, though.
“I’m glad you two could make it.” Gwendolyn nodded towards Annette and Serena coldly. “But we must be going now.”
“Why?” Serena asked, seemingly trying her hardest to not sound accusing.
Hugo stepped forward, his movements graceful and deliberate. He looked just as snobby as Annette remembered, his black hair cut into a refined style. A tome of spells was attached to his belt, resting at his hip.
“We’re meeting with the Belnades Clan.” Hugo explained, pushing up his glasses. “We’ll be gone for a few days, maybe a week. We need their help with Richter’s condition. They’ll know what to do.”
“I thought you said you were well-versed in magic, Mr. Belmont.” Annette raised an eyebrow. “Why would you need the Belnades Clan?”
“ Magic .” Hugo repeated, correcting her. “Exorcism is not in my expertise. We need help from a professional.”
Exorcism. So it was true, just like Antonia had initially believed. Richter was indeed possessed by a demon, or something else entirely. Had his sickness been caused by the thing that possessed him? How long had this been going on for? Could she really trust Hugo’s words, a man that barely cared for his own son?
“He needs prayer.” Gwendolyn huffed in a low voice, looking outside the window.
“Prayer?!” Annette whipped her head around in disbelief. “Prayer?! He can barely move! He's unresponsive! Do you really think praying will help him at all?”
Serena grabbed Annette’s shoulder, trying to calm her down. Annette took a deep breath, grounding herself from Serena’s touch. She hadn’t realized it before, but she was yearning for the touch of her cold hand, despite everything that had happened.
She didn’t care if she had come off as rude. Gwendolyn and Hugo’s apathy towards their own son who had suffered so much, was actively suffering, couldn’t help but anger her.
Oddly enough, Gwendolyn and Hugo didn’t seem to be offended by Annette’s words. Instead, Gwendolyn looked away from Annette in shame. Hugo nodded apologetically. How strange.
Afterwards, the Belmont matriarch and her husband left the mansion, leaving Annette and Serena alone in the grand hall. Antonia had retired to her own room sometime during the conversation, seemingly afraid to confront the reality of the situation.
Annette didn’t blame her at all.
“I’ll put our things away.” Serena said, turning to Annette and gently taking her luggage from her. “You should see Richter. It’s for the best.”
Annette nodded, but she never expected such words from Serena. Honestly, she believed that Serena hated him. She didn’t understand why at first, but after Serena had confessed her love to her… it made sense.
Annette didn’t know what to think of it. She had never found herself in a situation like it. She was totally unprepared. Her father had never taught her about such things before.
But she had no time to dwell on it. There were much more important matters at hand. She couldn’t ignore them anymore.
Regardless, Annette walked to Richter’s room, listening to Serena’s footsteps as she headed in the opposite direction to the guest rooms.
She didn’t know why, but her heart ached when Serena’s footsteps were out of her earshot. She knew why Serena wouldn’t want to see Richter, but Annette still wished that she was there with her.
When she arrived at Richter’s room, the door was open.
Richter laid in bed, his eyes blank, his once blue eyes turned to the faintest shade of green. His voice sounded as if it was gurgling, foam, bile, and some other white substance trailing out of his lips and down his chin. His skin had turned an unnatural shade of pale, nearly similar to Serena’s.
Antonia was right. He did look as if Death himself had visited him.
Richter was surrounded by his grandparents and Maria, explaining their absence from earlier.
Juste sat by his grandson’s side, placing a wet cloth on Richter’s forehead, trying his hardest to comfort him in some form. His long white hair cascaded down his back, contrasting with the worried look in his red eyes. Annette knew that he was a powerful sorcerer, but even he had his limits.
Lydie and Maxim stood by their husband. A remarkably sad expression painted Lydie’s face, while Maxim looked heartbroken and conflicted at the exact same time, his brows knitted together. Lydie placed a hand on Maxim’s shoulder, comforting him.
Annette wondered if Maxim had experienced something similar in his lifetime, long before Richter was born, long before Gwendolyn was born. Something that would never be shared with the public. Something Maxim, Juste, and Lydie would carry to their graves.
And Maria, poor, innocent Maria, sat at the foot of Richter’s bed, burying her face in the sheets, waiting for him to wake up. Annette felt her heart break in two at the sight. Seeing Maria so distraught and hopeless… It was unlike her. Annette averted her gaze from Maria, too disturbed by the sight.
She still stood in the doorway, but she finally seemed to get the attention of Richter’s family members. Juste, Lydie, and Maxim’s heads perked up, but Maria still held onto her brother’s limp hand, as if she and him were the only two people in the room. Annette felt as if she was intruding on something she should’ve never seen.
“Oh, Annette.” Lydie nearly cried as she walked towards Annette, gently pulling her into a hug. “Thank the Lord you’re here.”
“I wish I could’ve been here sooner.” Annette smiled apologetically.
“That doesn’t matter, Annette.” Maxim reassured her. “We’re just happy you could make it. Richter definitely appreciates it.”
Maxim and Juste hugged Annette for a few moments. She lingered in their arms for a moment. She didn’t know them and Lydie as well as she did Richter, but she still admired their touch. It had been a long time since anyone simply hugged her. Sadly, she had become distant from Serena after their encounter.
“How… how is he?” Annette asked carefully, stepping towards Richter’s bed, her eyes once again drifting over to Maria.
“Not well, as you can see.” Juste shook his head sadly. “I should’ve noticed sooner. He is indeed possessed. I just can’t pinpoint exactly what demon is doing this to him.”
In the corner of her eye, Annette noticed Maxim gently taking Juste’s hand in his own, his thumb grazing over his skin.
After what felt like hours, Maria raised her head and looked at Annette, tears running down her cheeks. She let go of Richter’s hand and rushed towards Annette, nearly knocking her over from the force in the process. Annette wrapped her arms around her, tears already forming in her eyes. The three grandparents watched them silently, respectfully.
“Where have you been?!” Maria sobbed, but she seemed much more saddened than angered by Annette’s sudden presence. “I’ve been waiting for you for ages!”
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry.” Annette apologized profusely. “I should’ve been there for you much sooner. I’m sorry. Please forgive me.”
Annette felt as if she was holding that young girl she met in 1792, when Dracula had kidnapped them, Iris, and Tera. Maria had been much more hopeful and carefree back then, despite the situation she had been in. They were kept in a room together for a short while, and Annette had told Maria all about Richter, telling her that Richter would save them and the rest of Transylvania from Dracula.
Maria was only twelve when it happened. She was so young.
“I’m so sorry, Maria.” Annette sighed, gently running a hand through Maria’s blonde hair. “You’re so young. You don’t deserve any of this. You don’t deserve what Dracula did to you either. You were twelve. You should’ve had a normal childhood.”
“And you were seventeen.” Maria sniffled. “You act like everything’s okay, but it’s not. I want everything to be okay, and I do have hope, but… everything is just so scary. Ever since you came home all those years ago, you act like nothing happened. But it did. It shouldn’t have, but it did. And it’s okay to be scared. I care about you. I’ll protect you, too.”
Annette didn’t know how to respond. She always knew Maria was an intelligent young girl, but she instantly recognized Annette’s problems. She wasn’t that child she met all those years ago anymore. It was hard to believe that she had become a teenager. She had watched her grow.
“I…” Annette began. “I suppose you’re right. I’m sorry, Maria. You know me too well.”
Despite all of the discussion between Annette, Maria, Juste, Lydie, and Maxim, Richter never woke from his slumber, or coma, or whatever this thing possessing him had done to him. He merely stared up at the ceiling, something beyond the ceiling, his eyes blank, his breathing uneven and quiet.
Annette still held Maria in her arms, but her eyes were focused on Richter’s unmoving form, wondering if he was even lucid.
If he could even hear her.
Later that night, Annette laid in bed in the guest room. Her guest room.
A room she had become intimately familiar with, whether she liked it or not.
She felt incredibly out of place in the mansion ever since she and Richter broke up. She still loved him, but she felt like an outsider looking in. It was selfish of her, but a small part of her wished she had never gotten involved with the Belmonts in the first place. It only caused her despair.
Annette scoffed. How could she believe such a thing? That mindset was the exact reason why the Belmonts were shunned and banished all those years ago. Richter and his family members were in grave danger, not her. Serena was in danger, despite Annette’s growing doubts about her.
Oh, Serena.
Serena slept in her respective guest room. Annette yearned for her.
She wondered if everything she said about her mother and her home in Aldra was even true. It had to be. She came to Aljiba because everything she knew and loved was gone, just like Annette after Dracula’s forces nearly destroyed her hometown.
And difficult circumstances made people do terrible things.
Serena wouldn’t do that. She would never stoop so low.
Then why had so many of Annette’s neighbors gone missing after Serena arrived in town?
Annette prayed to God that it was just a coincidence, that she was just losing her mind. She was the one who was going insane, not Richter. She should’ve realized it from the very beginning.
The winds howled outside, nearly wept. Annette felt the exact same way. She truly had lost her mind if she was empathizing with the wind, of all things.
An odd feeling of guilt nagged at her for failing to realize that Richter was never sick in the first place. She had outright denied the possibility of the supernatural being involved with his condition somehow. She wanted to forget, to push everything into the vault in her mind.
It wasn’t healthy, but how else was Annette supposed to deal with her trauma? No one told her what to do about it. Her father, Serena, Iris, Tera, Richter, and Maria comforted her, but that was it. Comfort. Never actual advice.
Annette decided that she could only forget.
But how could she forget when her past was coming towards her, getting closer and closer until it consumed her completely?
She couldn’t sleep. How could anyone sleep in a situation like this? In just a few years, her life had become a living nightmare. It felt like a repeat of that night in 1792, except Dracula was nowhere to be found.
Could it be? Would she dare entertain such a thought?
Had Dracula returned? Was he the one who was doing these horrible things to Richter?
That didn’t make sense. Richter had killed Dracula himself. Dracula wouldn’t return until his resurrection a hundred years from now. It couldn’t be him. He had nothing to do with this.
Then why did Annette feel as if something horrible was going to happen, and Dracula was directly involved in it?
Perhaps it wasn’t even Dracula at all. Perhaps it was someone affiliated with him.
The corrupt priest that kidnapped Annette and Maria all those years ago came to mind.
No. He was dead, and he was never coming back.
Annette sighed. She had to rest. It was the only thing she could do.
Right before she closed her eyes, Annette heard a strange sound outside her room, like someone was running towards her door.
Immediately after, someone knocked on the door furiously, banging against the wood until their knuckles split open.
Annette quickly got out of bed and opened the door to find Richter, awake and afraid.
Awake. Richter had actually left his room, no longer unresponsive and bedridden.
But he was the exact opposite of healthy. His entire body and sleepwear were drenched in sweat, and his skin was still that unnatural shade of pale. Pure dread and terror painted his face as the moonlight shone down on him from the window in the hallway.
“Richter!” Annette exclaimed. “What’s going on?! Please, come in.”
Annette stepped back into her room and lit the chamberstick on the nightstand, the soft orange light gently illuminating the room along with the moonlight peeking through the gaps in the drapes.
“I'm dying.” Richter stuttered abruptly as he practically staggered into the guest room. “I think I'm going to die very soon.”
“What?!” Annette yelped in utter disbelief. “What on earth are you talking about?”
“Isn’t it obvious?” Richter paced back and forth by the doorway, a trait he seemed to share with his sister Antonia. “I don’t have much time left. I don’t know if I can stop it.”
However, his movements were much more erratic and disjointed, as if he wasn’t in full control of himself.
Richter turned to Annette, still standing by the doorway. He began to breathe heavily.
“It’s all my fault.” Richter confessed. “I’ve brought this evil into this house.”
Annette glanced at Richter, shocked.
“He stalks me in my dreams, my nightmares, Annette.” Richter ranted on. “I can feel him every single second. He's everywhere. He's nowhere. I can't escape him!”
“Richter-” Annette began, reaching her hand out towards Richter.
“Don’t touch me!” Richter screamed. “Don’t touch me! I’ll only hurt you!”
“You would never hurt me, Richter.” Annette shook her head. “Please, I just want to help you.”
“It’s too late.” Richter lamented in utter despair. “He’s coming. He’s already here. He’s going to take me. There’s nothing I can do about it. It’s over. It’s over. It’s over.”
“Who?!” Annette exclaimed desperately. “Who's doing this to you?!”
Richter stared at her for a long time, his breathing heavy and uneven. There it was again, that faint shade of green in Richter’s eyes for a split second.
Then, he sobbed. A full blown, body-jerking, hysterical sobbing, weeping, as he barely stood before Annette. He screamed uncontrollably, flailing his arms. The veins in his skin looked as if they would pop, his eyes screwed shut as his sobs increased, his hands shaking profusely.
Annette stepped backwards against her bed, further away from Richter, utter horror in her eyes as she could only stare, frozen in shock.
“I’ll go get your sisters and your grandparents.” Annette uttered carefully, quietly, unsure how to handle such a situation. “They can help you.”
“No! Wait! Please!” Richter shrieked, his hands outstretched towards Annette, his unstable demeanor shifting to one of timidness and embarrassment. “I’ll be good. I promise I’ll be good. Please, don’t tell them.”
Suddenly, Richter fell to his knees. He crawled over to Annette on all fours, a look of haggardness, panic, desperation, and something dark and unexplainable on his face.
“I’ll never yell at you.” Richter clutched onto the skirt of Annette’s nightgown, burying his face in the cloth. “I’ll never make you feel bad. I’ll never hurt you. Please, I’ll be good. Please, don’t leave me.”
This wasn’t healthy. This wasn’t right. Something was terribly wrong with Richter. Annette felt as if she would start crying right then and there at the sight of her ex-boyfriend so… so broken.
“Richter, please, you’re not thinking straight!” Annette begged, resisting the urge to run her hand through his brown hair. “There’s something wrong with you!”
“I know what I’m doing, Annette.” Richter looked up at Annette. “I’ve known since the moment I asked him to come to me. It’s all my fault, my fault, my fault!”
“You're sick .” Annette insisted, falling back into her denial, trying to ignore the distress in Richter’s blue eyes, as well as his frankly alarming words.
“You're right.” Richter sniffled. “I am sick. I'm unholy. I'm depraved. I'm disgusting . Please, you need to find a way to cure me.”
“I will, Richter.” Annette said, grabbing Richter’s arms and falling to the floor with him. “I promise.”
It was a false promise, no matter how much Annette truly wanted to help Richter.
“Something is inside me, Annette.” Richter whispered, gritting his teeth, spit falling from his lips as he spoke. “You need to get it out.”
Possession. Exorcism. Those words couldn’t stop swimming through Annette’s mind as she stared at Richter.
Annette and Richter sat on the hardwood floor with only the flame of the chamberstick and the moonlight to guide them. Annette held Richter in her arms as he began sobbing profusely once more. She gently petted his long brown hair, comforted him, telling him that everything would be alright. She didn’t know what else to do. She was useless.
Richter’s words echoed in her mind.
It was his fault, he said. He brought this evil into this house, he said.
Annette didn’t know what to believe anymore.
The Succubus awoke the next morning with an overwhelming sense of dread rushing over her.
The sunlight beaming through the window practically mocked her as she sat at the dining table for breakfast with Annette and the rest of Richter’s family, excluding Gwendolyn and Hugo. It was almost comical that they chose to leave the mansion right as disaster would strike. She wondered if they knew the truth.
She had heard Annette and Richter’s entire conversation from last night. Shaft was in the mansion, in Richter. He always had been.
But now? He was finally going to take control, and the Succubus would be there to witness it with her own eyes.
Like he wanted her to witness it, to witness proof that Lord Dracula’s resurrection was possible. The Succubus wanted to be happy. She had worked for the results of this plan for years. It was being handed to her on a silver platter after so long. Darkness would soon envelop Aljiba, Transylvania, and even the entire world.
The Succubus dreaded it. She couldn’t explain why. She had reached her goal, and she was horrified. The stench of death weighed heavily in the air, but the Succubus felt as if only she could smell it.
The Succubus never thought she would fear Lord Dracula’s return.
But fate had a strange way of going about things, didn’t it?
Attempting to distract herself, the Succubus glanced at Annette as she ate her breakfast.
Annette sat across from the Succubus, Maria and Lydie at her sides. Annette stabbed at her omelette with her fork, taking small bites. She was in pain, emotional distress. The Succubus hated seeing her so distraught, but she knew that she was powerless to stop it.
The Succubus sat next to Juste, one of the most powerful Belmonts in recent history. She didn’t fear him, but she heeded Shaft’s warnings. She knew not to mess with him in any way, shape, or form. She knew that he could kill her with the snap of his fingers.
Lydie and Maxim talked amongst themselves, but the table was mostly quiet. Antonia already brought Richter’s breakfast to him, but he was fast asleep when she found him in his room.
The Succubus sighed. It was strange, being the only person in the entire mansion who knew about what was going to happen.
As if on cue, a piercing scream rang throughout the mansion.
Coming directly from Richter’s room.
Nearly everyone stood up from their respective chairs, their eyes focused on the direction of Richter’s room. They ran towards his room as his screams and moans of pain increased. The Succubus followed after them, walking slowly in fear she didn’t know she was capable of, her hands shaking. The mansion suddenly felt smaller and smaller, trapping her inside as its walls closed in on her.
No one seemed to notice her late arrival to Richter’s room.
The sight before her horrified her when it shouldn’t have.
The Succubus immediately felt Shaft’s presence in the room. She held her breath.
Richter screamed incoherently and thrashed violently in bed, over the covers. His skin had returned to that pale shade, and his eyes resembled those of a corpse. Bile spewed from Richter’s mouth, his body contorting wildly and uncontrollably.
“What’s happening to him?!” Lydie shrieked.
“He isn’t with us anymore!” Antonia yelled as she and the rest of the group surrounded Richter’s bed. “It’s the work of that demon!”
Antonia pushed Annette and Maxim aside, grabbing Richter’s shoulders. He convulsed even harder at her touch, clawing at her red coat and ripping her sleeve.
“Let go of him!” Annette begged.
“She won’t harm him!” Juste replied as calmly as he could, but the Succubus could hear the uncertainty in his voice.
“He’s calling to me!” Richter finally spoke, his voice hoarse. “He’s coming! He’s here! He’s here! He’s here! Help me! You have to help me! Help me!”
“Who?!” Antonia held her brother tighter. “Tell me!”
Richter opened his mouth to speak, but spit, foam, and black bile spewed from his lips, staining his white shirt. He coughed and gagged violently, as if his voice was trying to free itself from the deepest pits of Hell. His limbs flailed uncontrollably, his screams replaced by odd croaking noises that brimmed from his throat.
“That’s enough!” Lydie insisted, her blue eyes wide with terror. “Hold him down! Please!”
The Succubus, Juste, and Maxim quickly obeyed, grabbing each of Richter’s limbs and pushing him onto the bed. Maria, who had been so silently terrified by her older brother’s suffering, summoned a faceless spirit with long blonde hair out of thin air. It grabbed Richter’s leg while Maria stood there, breathing heavily in fear. The Succubus had never seen a human so determined and horrified at the exact same time.
The Succubus’ eyes drifted over to Annette, who watched on in horror, standing in the corner of the room next to Lydie, the two women powerless. Richter continued to spasm and thrash about, strange guttural noises emitting from his mouth, animalistic, otherworldly.
Antonia grabbed her own necklace, snapping the metal cross from the wire. The Succubus watched as Antonia held the cross out towards Richter’s convulsing form. The Succubus avoided the direction in which Antonia pointed the cross. She couldn't let her cover be blown, especially at a time like this.
“Begone, demon!” Antonia shouted, her blue eyes intense and wild. “Leave my brother’s body immediately! Trouble him no more! The power of Christ compels you!”
A mix between a groan and a scream tore through the room as Richter’s convulsions increased. Suddenly, he pushed the Succubus, Juste, Maxim, and Maria’s ghostly companion away from him with his strength. They fell to the hardwood floor, and Maria’s spirit-like figure returned to its mistress, disappearing. The Succubus closed her eyes and brought her hands to her ears, knowing exactly what would happen next.
Richter’s eyes rolled to the back of his head as he began slowly levitating in the air, nearly touching the ceiling, his limbs still.
The entire room was silent. He opened his mouth, but Richter did not speak.
The Succubus’ breath hitched.
Shaft.
“The Belmont is mine. He gave himself to me. Our flesh shall embrace and we shall be as one. You will all die. This world will be drenched in blood, in darkness, and there will be no one to bury the dead because there will be no survivors. This world will be remade in my Lord’s image, and you will all wallow in despair.”
Then, Richter fell from the air and landed on his bed, closing his eyes, peacefully falling asleep. The color returned to his skin, no longer that pale shade the Succubus had become so familiar with.
She didn’t expect that. What was Shaft planning? Why hadn’t he told the Succubus about this? What on earth was happening?
No one spoke for a very long time, far too stunned from the disturbing events that had taken place.
That is, until Richter yawned and sat up in bed, stretching his arms like a cat who had just woken up from a nap.
“Um…” Richter began, oddly embarrassed as he looked around the room. “What are you all doing here?”
Richter’s room erupted into chaos.
“What have you done, Richter?” Antonia suddenly asked, utter terror in her blue eyes as she grabbed Richter’s shoulders once more, shaking him. “What have you let into our home?”
“It’s not him!” Maria insisted. “It has to be someone, or something, controlling him!”
“Give him some space!” Juste and Maxim said in unison.
The two men ushered Antonia and Maria out of the room, and Lydie followed after them, her graying blonde hair matted and damp with sweat, tears welling up in her eyes.
The Succubus stood in the corner of the room, watching as Juste entered the room once more. He sat at his grandson’s bedside, seemingly lost in thought. Richter looked at him worryingly, unsure what to do. The Succubus could empathize with him, something she loathed the very idea of.
The Succubus looked over at Annette, whose eyes were not focused on Richter.
Annette stared directly at the Succubus, an unreadable expression on her face.
The Succubus took a step back.
“Richter.” Juste began with a sigh. “How are you faring? After all… that.”
“What are you talking about?” Richter asked with seemingly genuine curiosity. “I feel fine.”
“Have you lost your mind?!” Annette exclaimed, turning to Richter. “You were contorting and thrashing about! Your mouth was foaming up! You levitated! How are you fine?!”
“I could ask you the same thing.” Richter said with an awkward laugh. “You all look like you’ve seen a ghost. Did something happen?”
Annette stood there, at a loss for words. It was as if Richter was back to his old self, but he had somehow become a completely different person at the exact same time. The Succubus buried her face in her hands.
“I… I’m sorry.” Richter frowned apologetically, taking notice of the Succubus. “Did I do something wrong? I didn’t mean to hurt you, Serena. And everyone else, for that matter.”
“Get some rest, Richter.” Juste advised, gently taking his grandson’s hand in his own.
“Why?” Richter asked. “It’s almost noon.”
“I think I’ll leave you all alone.” The Succubus interrupted, her discomfort nearly reaching the breaking point. “I should’ve never come here. This is your family’s private business. My apologies.”
The Succubus ignored Juste and Annette’s objections as she closed the door to Richter’s room behind her. She stood against the door, breathing heavily and staring out the window, the sunlight obscured by dark clouds.
A chill ran down her spine. She felt Shaft’s presence all around her. Everywhere, nowhere.
The Succubus slinked down to the hardwood floor, her back pressed against the door. She began to cry, hot tears rolling down her cheeks, drowning out Juste, Annette, and Richter’s frankly one-sided conversation.
She had been waiting for this moment for years.
Then why did the Succubus feel as if her cold heart had been ripped from her chest cavity?
Annette needed answers.
She and Serena had returned home to Aljiba after their excruciatingly painful and disturbing stay at the Belmont Mansion. Juste politely told them to leave. He harbored no ill will towards them, even thanked them for being so caring and supportive. He just couldn't accept visitors anymore, not for a very long time. What happened in the Belmont Mansion stayed within those walls.
But Annette couldn’t give up, no matter what Richter’s family had told her. Not after what she had seen.
There was something supernatural going in the Belmont Mansion, in all of Aljiba. No matter how much she wanted to ignore it, to deny it, Annette knew that she couldn’t any longer. Her denial had directly harmed Richter, his family, and her neighbors who had gone missing. She honestly believed that all of them were dead, especially after what happened to Nicolas. It was all her fault. She couldn’t just stand around and let the people that she loved continue to suffer. She had to get to the bottom of this. She had to act. She had to take a stand.
No one would be able to stop her. Discovering the truth was her responsibility. She had to protect Aljiba, the town she grew up in, the town she knew and loved. It was all up to her. She couldn’t think of anyone else who would do it.
Richter would’ve, but he wasn’t exactly in the best state of mind.
Annette believed that she was partially to blame for that.
Annette knew that she had to help Richter, but she had another, arguably much more important mission: to find out who Serena truly was.
She knew what she had to do. She was going to go to the ruins of Aldra herself, and she was going to get answers, no matter what.
The more Annette thought about her, the more she doubted Serena. Perhaps there was a reason why people began disappearing as soon as Serena arrived in town. Perhaps there was a reason why Serena was such a private, secretive person who refrained from speaking about her past. Perhaps there was a reason why a woman who looked exactly like Serena terrorized Annette in her nightmares.
Or maybe Serena was just a normal, traumatized woman searching for a home.
Was Annette making the right choice? If she learned who Serena truly was, would she be happy? Sad? Enraged? Something else entirely?
It didn’t matter. Annette believed that risks were meant to be taken. She had to trust her instincts. She needed to know the truth.
When the time came, Annette told Serena that she would leave for a trip in the morning to find herbs for the sick residents in the shelter. Of course, Serena knew she was lying. She saw right through her.
And yet, she did nothing about it. She merely looked at her with those piercing orange eyes of hers and nodded.
Annette didn’t know what to make of it, but she didn’t argue with her.
Perhaps Serena wanted her identity to be revealed, but only if Annette was the one to discover it. Did she wish to be betrayed? Was that what she really wanted, ever since she met her? What were Serena’s goals in the first place? Was Serena even her real name?
Annette didn’t want to harm her. She loved Serena. She always would, until the day she died. Maybe she could only truly love her once she knew who she really was.
Right before she left the house in the morning, Annette’s father baked a cake for her.
Annette didn’t expect it. Her father had been frightened and depressed, just like everyone else in Aljiba. Practically everyone stayed inside their homes, even during the day. The streets were empty, desolate. Annette barely recognized her own hometown anymore.
And yet, her father had an optimistic smile on his face as she watched him carefully bake with utmost focus.
It was a simple, small vanilla cake, as chocolate was incredibly expensive and hard to find in their area. Annette’s father said his wife, her mother, made it the exact same way when she was still alive. He learned it from her. Every day throughout their marriage, he learned from her. She learned from him.
Just like Annette and Serena.
“I love you, Annette.” Her father had said. “I know it’s been hard lately. We’re all suffering. But we have each other. You have me.”
“I love you, too.” Annette had replied. “I always will.”
She knew this trip had the possibility of being dangerous. She wouldn’t die, for her father’s sake. For Aljiba’s sake. For Richter’s sake. For Maria’s sake.
For Serena’s sake.
And so, after sneaking to the Belmont Mansion and practically stealing Richter’s horse Peony from the stables, Annette set out towards Aldra, a town she had never known, a town that didn’t even exist anymore. It had become nothing but ruins, as Serena had told her.
But could she trust Serena anymore?
Annette kept a knife on her, the same knife she had pulled on Dracula all those years ago, just in case.
Annette had stolen a map of Transylvania from the Belmont Mansion during her most recent visit. She was surprised to discover that Aldra actually wasn’t too far from Aljiba. It was located on the west bank of the Dead River, where Serena and her mother presumably used to fish before disaster struck. She would reach the ruins in no time, as she had left the house early in the morning.
She guided Peony through the forest and across grassy fields. Autumn leaves fell from the towering trees around them. Annette wondered how the seasons could change and how life could simply go on despite all of the horrible things that happened in Aljiba and throughout the entire world. She didn’t know if she regarded it as beautiful or despair-inducing.
Life moved on. Perhaps Annette had to do the same.
Hours later, when the sun was nearly about to set, Annette arrived at the ruins of Aldra. It was exactly where the map said it would be, right by the Dead River, gentle water flowing in the stream, slightly calming her.
Except Aldra wasn’t in ruins.
Annette was faced with a bustling town composed of buildings that were fully in-tact, populated by people who were very much alive, going about their days and yelling over each other at the market. Children played in the streets. Dogs barked joyfully. The town seemed to be completely inhabited by women, not a single man in sight. Everyone seemed to be in good spirits as they prepared for the coming night.
Annette felt her heart sink to her feet.
Maybe Annette was in the wrong town. Maybe this wasn’t Aldra at all. Maybe the map was outdated. The library in the Belmont Mansion was extremely old, after all. Maybe she had just read the map upside down. Maybe Annette needed to return to Aljiba as soon as humanly possible and ask Serena where Aldra really was.
Annette suddenly felt very sick.
She dismounted from Peony, who nickered carelessly towards her, finding the grass on the ground to be much more interesting. Annette stumbled over to the first building she noticed, an inn or a pub of some sort. She couldn’t read the sign, her eyes rolling to the back of her head.
Then, she vomited the fruit and cake she had for breakfast on the cobblestone ground.
“Hey!” A woman called as she exited the pub, running towards Annette. “Are you alright?”
“Where am I?!” Annette nearly screamed, vomit staining her chin. “Tell me!”
“Calm down, girl.” The woman, presumably the innkeeper, hushed, helping her up. “You’re sick.”
“Just tell me!” Annette begged. “I need to know! Now!”
“Alright, but you are scaring me…” The woman sighed in defeat. “You’re in Aldra. Do you understand?”
Aldra.
Aldra.
Aldra.
This was indeed Aldra.
Aldra was never destroyed. Aldra was thriving.
Everything Serena told her was a lie.
And Annette was nothing but a fool.
She couldn’t believe just how stupid she truly was.
“Hey? Can you hear me?” The woman frowned. “You’re not from around here, are you? Do you need help?”
“One more thing.” Annette struggled to speak, her head spinning. “Do you know a woman named Serena? She’s very tall. She has red hair. Her skin is pale. Her eyes are orange. Please, tell me you know her.”
“I… I’m sorry, girl.” The woman shook her head in confusion. “I don’t know anyone by that name. No one named Serena lives here, either. I’m very sorry. Are you alright?”
“Ah… I’m sorry for bothering you.” Annette felt as if she was about to faint. “Thank you for everything. Goodbye now.”
Annette stumbled away from the town, barely standing on her feet, fearing that she would vomit yet again if she even looked at the buildings. The woman yelled at her to come back, to stay at the inn before nightfall. She would die out there, she said. The harsh Autumn weather would kill her, she said. She would be eaten alive, she said.
Annette should’ve listened to her. She should’ve stayed the night, where she could distract herself from the horrifying truth she was faced with.
But Annette found most of the answers to her questions. She couldn’t deny them, despite her brain screaming at her to do exactly that. Serena would never lie to her. Serena said she would always be there for her. She had held her, kissed her like no one else had. She had poured her heart out to her.
Serena loved her.
Perhaps all of those things were true.
But Annette knew that it was time to put an end to this mess, even if she had her objections, her gnawing guilt. How could she betray Serena? How could she hurt her like this? What on earth would happen between them next? Would this completely ruin their relationship? Was it Serena who had betrayed Annette instead?
Why had Serena done this to her?
Who was Serena?
Annette shoved aside all of her transgressions for once in her life.
She mounted Peony and headed straight for Aljiba, disregarding the dangers when Transylvania was under the moon. She didn’t care anymore.
Annette needed answers, and she would hear them right from Serena’s lips.
The Succubus felt as if she had lost her mind, for lack of a better phrase.
She sat on the floor in her room, the drapes shut, the clouds still blocking out the sunlight, another storm surely arriving later that night. She buried her face in her hands, trying to stop her claws from digging into her skin, drawing blood.
When Annette had told her she was leaving for a trip, the Succubus knew that everything she had worked for in the past few years would crumble.
Annette doubted her. Anyone could see it. The Succubus knew it. Honestly, she felt as if Annette’s father knew that their relationship was falling apart at the seams. He had been distant from the Succubus lately, and she didn’t even blame him.
The woman known as Serena was shattering to pieces, after all.
The Succubus had reached her goal. She had actually done it. She had driven Annette away from Richter. Richter had been broken down, both mentally and physically. Shaft had possessed Richter. He nearly had full control over him. Then, under Shaft’s control, Richter would resurrect Lord Dracula, and no one would be able to stop him. Everything would be right with the world. The Succubus wanted to cry tears of joy at the very thought of it.
She couldn’t tell if her tears were of joy or sorrow anymore, though.
Truly, she didn’t know what to believe. She didn’t know if she had done the right thing.
But what was the right thing?
The Succubus was born in the flames of Hell. Truly, she didn’t know the circumstances of her birth. One day, she opened her eyes, and there she was. The other succubi and incubi guided her, instructed her to worship Lord Dracula, and drilled into her mind that the world above theirs would be bathed in the flames of their home. That was their ultimate goal, to bring the most painful suffering to humans. They only had each other, as succubi and incubi were at the bottom of the food chain in Hell, disregarded and seen as mere toys by the much more powerful demons.
Succubi only knew feelings of hunger, wrath, lust, hatred, contempt towards humans, and loyalty towards Lord Dracula.
Succubi only had urges to feed and kill.
But the Succubus wasn’t certain if she could even apply those feelings to herself anymore.
Annette had ruined her completely. Everything she had known since she was born didn’t matter to her anymore. If anything, she had unlearned it, and it was destroying her, tearing her limb from limb. Her brain had been rewired, and it was all Annette’s fault.
She had spent so much time in this disgusting Serena form she didn’t even know if she was a succubus anymore.
The Succubus once hated Annette for doing such horrible things to her, but she had accepted it. She wasn’t a succubus, but she wasn’t exactly human either. She was something in-between, something unheard of.
She had both Annette and herself to blame.
Oh, how she loved her.
Suddenly, the Succubus heard faint knocking from downstairs.
She walked down the stairs and opened the front door, expecting Annette. Truly, she had no idea what she would say to her. How could she face her when Annette didn’t even know the woman she had lived with for three years, the woman she had welcomed into her own home?
Instead, she was greeted by two humans she hadn’t seen in years.
Iris and Tera.
Annette’s friends.
Two of the four women who were kidnapped by Lord Dracula.
The nurse and the nun.
“Hello, Serena.” Iris smiled. “I hope I’m not bothering you. Tera and I just wanted to say hello.”
“And drop off a few gifts for you, Annette, and her father.” Tera added, a much more serious expression on her face. “We apologize for arriving on such short notice.”
Iris and Tera were both dressed in long coats, fitting for the cold Autumn weather. They looked as if they were in a hurry, only stopping by at Annette’s house for a brief moment.
“Ah… Hello.” The Succubus greeted awkwardly. “Annette went on a trip, and her father is helping at the shelter overnight.”
“Is that right?” Tera sighed.
“Well, we’re glad we got to see you.” Iris offered, ever the positive one, despite her pain. “I’ll give these to you then.”
Iris then handed a basket of apples to the Succubus, as well as a small, ripe orange pumpkin, freshly picked from the harvest. The Succubus accepted them after a long moment, unsure what to do with her hands.
So many of the humans she had met in Aljiba had been so kind, loving, and welcoming towards her, and she killed them and fed off their energy. She dumped their corpses in a river.
She didn’t even know their names.
“Oh? Annette grows apples, doesn’t she?” Iris laughed amidst the silence, her eyes wandering towards the apple tree next to the house. “My apologies. I suppose I brought these for nothing, then.”
“No, no, it’s alright!” The Succubus shook her head. “I’m sure she would appreciate it. Thank you, really.”
“Well, we’d best be going now.” Tera excused herself. “We just wanted to drop those off for you.”
“Things have been… worrying around here, Serena.” Iris gently placed her hand on top of the Succubus’. “I have the feeling it’s only going to get worse. Stay safe, please. It’s the only thing we can do now. Take care of yourself.”
Iris’ hand faltered. Her long braid gently flowed in the wind, along with the brown Autumn leaves that populated the streets of Aljiba, taking the townspeople’s places.
And then, they were gone.
The Succubus stood in the doorway, watching as Iris and Tera walked away from the house, their hands entwined. Iris leaned on Tera’s shoulder as they stepped further and further down the empty streets of Aljiba, until they turned a corner.
The Succubus never saw them again.
The wind brushed against the Succubus’ hair, her cheeks. She took a deep breath and headed inside, locking the door behind her.
She set the pumpkin and the basket of apples on the table, but she picked one up, holding it in her hand and simply staring at it. Its red skin was almost as red as her hair.
The Succubus couldn’t live among humans. She didn’t belong. As she looked at the apple in her hands, she felt the overwhelming need to crush it. It wasn’t hers. It would never be hers.
This life wasn’t hers. Serena was a lie. Serena did not exist. The Succubus was a liar. A deceiver. She deserved everything horrible that came at her. Perhaps Lord Dracula was sending her a message. Perhaps he wanted her to be punished for doing exactly what she was supposed to do.
But Annette didn’t belong among humans, either. Surely, she understood that by then. Perhaps there was another reason why Lord Dracula had chosen her.
The supernatural called to her ever since she familiarized herself with the Belmonts. It was her destiny. When the world would eventually become shaped by Lord Dracula and Hell’s influence, Annette would realize that she belonged there, with the Succubus.
Richter was lost to her, after all. Only the Succubus remained. She would take care of her.
And if she never realized? Well, that wouldn’t be an issue at all. The Succubus would save Annette from the demons and monsters that only saw her as easy prey. She would guide her through her new life.
The Succubus and Annette were fated to be together. She had seen it in her dreams, after all.
Perhaps she would offer Annette immortality, or she would stay with her until she passed. Human lives were fragile little things. Either option was what she yearned for. Annette was what the Succubus yearned for her.
She knew what she had to do.
She only wanted to protect Annette from her impending doom.
She only wanted to be with Annette.
And the Succubus would do anything to reach her goals.
The moon was full and rain poured down from the clouds when Annette came back to Aljiba.
She returned Peony to the stables, causing her to walk back home to Aljiba by herself, her lavender hair billowing in the wind. She deliberately stopped herself from looking up at the lit windows of the Belmont Mansion. She knew to expect the worst. She was drenched from her trip, raindrops rolling down her cloak.
She didn’t have any problems with walking to her desolate hometown. The rain couldn’t stop her, either. She knew her way home. It was etched into her brain.
And she knew exactly what she was going to do once she arrived at her house.
She still couldn’t shake off that gnawing feeling in the back of her mind that something terrible was going to happen, though. Her trip back with Peony was surprisingly smooth. Unsettlingly so. Regardless, the innkeeper’s warnings still stuck with her… for other reasons.
Annette couldn’t believe just how stupid she was. She didn’t even know who Serena was anymore. She didn’t know her in the first place. The woman she had lived with for three years was a complete and utter stranger.
And Annette let her in. She let her become a part of her life. She spent time with her, confided in her, slept beside her when her nightmares consumed her, told her her deepest, darkest secrets. She fell in love with her. Serena had kissed her like no one else had.
At that point, Annette didn’t even want to know who Serena was. Serena would only lie to her again, and Annette would fall for it again. Annette was too kind for her own good. Her warmth only harmed herself and others.
She just wanted to know why.
Why Serena had lied to her for two long years.
Why Serena chose her, out of all the people in Aljiba.
She wanted to know if Serena had any ulterior motives.
She wanted to know if Serena enjoyed what she had done to Annette, her father, and the rest of Aljiba.
It seemed she was going to learn very soon, as Annette stood before her house.
A lit chamberstick sat on the windowsill of Serena’s room. She saw her silhouette.
Annette’s heart ached with sorrow and guilt. She still loved her.
But she would never forgive her, whoever she was.
Annette slowly opened the door and stepped inside, placing her cloak on the rack to dry. Her father was staying overnight at the shelter with the residents, leaving Annette and Serena alone together.
Good. She loved her father, but she couldn’t drag him into this mess any further. Serena had manipulated him, as well. This was Annette’s responsibility, her burden to bear. She refused to let anyone else share it.
One day, she would break the truth to her father, but she knew she couldn’t do so in a very, very long time.
Annette slowly climbed up the stairs and reached Serena’s room. She took a deep breath, pondering if Serena really was an enigma, or if Annette had just completely lost her mind and Serena was a normal woman. The unrest in Aljiba and the Belmont Mansion only caused her to doubt her sanity even more.
Could she truly do this to Serena? What would be the aftermath? Would Serena apologize and leave Aljiba, never to be seen again? Would Annette ever see her again? Did she want to?
She didn’t know anymore.
“Come in.” Serena called from inside her room. “I can hear you breathing out there.”
Annette quietly laughed. There was the Serena she knew and loved, with her deadpan, teasing sense of humor that never bordered on too cruel.
She was going to miss it.
Annette opened the door to find Serena standing in front of her mirror, staring at herself. Annette found it strange that she was trembling.
Trembling with… what? Fear? Guilt? Both?
“You have a lot of explaining to do, Serena.” Annette began, not in the mood for any mind games. “If that is your real name.”
When she turned to face Annette, Serena looked as if she had just witnessed a murder, her orange eyes wide with dread.
Then, she rushed towards Annette and grabbed her shoulders. Annette did not protest, too shocked by Serena’s sudden movements and alarmed demeanor.
“Something horrible is going to happen soon.” Serena insisted as she shook Annette’s shoulders, her grip firm. “You need to leave. Come with me. Please.”
“What on earth are you talking about?” Annette asked quizzically.
“There’s no time to explain.” Serena said, just as Annette noticed that she had packed her belongings. “We need to get out of here. Quickly.”
For a moment, as she stared into Serena’s piercing orange eyes, Annette believed her. She felt fearful. Would it be wise if she did go with Serena before this supposedly terrible thing took place? The terror that painted Serena’s face actually looked genuine, like she feared for both her own and Annette’s lives. She understood her horror. Richter was possessed. Aljiba was a dying town. The culmination of all these horrible things had to happen soon. The end.
But the woman who stood before her lied about her entire existence. She sympathized with her, but she had much more important things to ask her about.
“Before we do that…” Annette sighed. “We need to talk.”
Serena stood there, silently staring at Annette.
“Tell me I’m not crazy, Serena.” Annette began. “Tell me this is all a joke.”
Serena did not reply, as if she was begging her to continue.
“I’ve noticed some things. I’m sure you have, too.” Annette said as she stepped towards Serena, circling her slowly. “I’ve asked you this before. Don’t you think it’s strange that my neighbors have gone missing ever since you came to town? That I saw you in the window the night Nicolas died? That it took you months to tell me about yourself, your family? That the woman who stalks me in my dreams looks exactly like you?”
“I don’t think you’re ready for the truth, Annette.” Serena muttered. “It will ruin you.”
“The truth?!” Annette sharply laughed in disbelief. “You think I’m not ready for the truth?! I went to Aldra today, Serena.”
“What did you see?” Serena exhaled.
“I saw a town. I saw buildings. I saw people. Live people.” Annette gritted her teeth. “Not ruins. I don’t think Dracula’s forces even came to Aldra in the first place! I don’t think your mother even exists!”
“You will regret this.” Serena said cryptically, showing a side of herself that Annette had never seen before. “Don’t make this mistake.”
“You… you’ve looked exactly the same since I met you.” Annette said, trembling and losing her composure. “You haven’t aged at all. How… how old are you, Serena? Really?”
Serena was silent, her red lips morphed into a thin line as she stared at Annette with an unreadable expression.
“Who are you, Serena?!” Annette yelled. “Tell me!”
Right before Serena could speak, rapid footsteps thudded against the cobblestone outside the house.
That was odd. Everyone in Aljiba stayed inside their homes these days. It was too dangerous.
Annette and Serena rushed to the window to see a disheveled Richter, drenched in rain, a wild look in his blue eyes.
Richter looked as if he was running from something. Annette didn’t know what it could be.
Noticing them, Richter stared up at the window and waved his arms wildly. He opened his mouth, but she couldn’t hear him. He mouthed something to them. Annette couldn’t lip-read, but she immediately recognized the urgency in his eyes and his body language.
Lightning struck. A ghostly figure appeared behind Richter.
A priest stood there, his long red and purple robes gently floating in the night air.
She knew that man. She felt as if she had seen him before, many years ago, when she was only seventeen years old, a mere child.
Shaft.
Suddenly, Richter fainted and collapsed. Shaft caught him in his arms before he could fall to the wet cobblestone ground.
And then, as if they were never there in the first place, Richter and Shaft disappeared out of thin air.
Annette’s heart sank.
Annette and Serena stood in the room for a second that lasted far too long, shock in their eyes.
“RICHTER!” Annette screamed as she opened the window, rain pouring into Serena’s room and extinguishing the chamberstick in the process.
Serena immediately pulled her away from the windowsill, the two women tumbling to the floor.
“Let go of me!” Annette cried as she attempted to escape Serena’s tight grasp. “I need to help Richter!”
“You can’t!” Serena yelled, grabbing onto Annette’s wrists. “It’s over! He’s gone!”
“Why?!” Annette challenged. “Why won’t you let me?! Who are you?!”
Serena stood up, shoving Annette away from her and pushing her to the hardwood floor. Annette cried in pain as her back hit the front of Serena’s bed. Strangely, Serena’s expression transformed into one of guilt and remorse, reminding her of her dream where Serena’s doppelganger had stabbed her, only to reach down to her level, comfort her, and kiss her afterwards.
Instead of that kindness, Serena stood tall before Annette, staring down at her intensely.
“Tell me you want this.” Serena spat. “Tell me you want to know who I truly am, because there’s no going back.”
“Show me.” Annette said immediately, without hesitation, looking up at Serena. “I want to see you for who you really are.”
Serena sighed.
And then, she obeyed.
Tera’s words echoed in Annette’s mind.
Then you don’t know much of anything, do you? And you’re letting her live in your own house, under your roof? God bless you, Annette, because I don't know if I can help you.
Annette watched in horror as Serena transformed before her very eyes. She grew taller, towering over Annette even further. Long, dark wings sprouted from her back, fusing with her red hair. Long claws protruded from her hands. Her skin was turned even paler than before. Slit pupils formed in her orange eyes.
Annette couldn’t believe she hadn’t realized it sooner.
Serena wasn’t from this earth. She wasn’t human.
She was a succubus .
And Annette had fallen for her tricks.
“This is who I am, Annette.” Serena breathed, her voice low. “Did you get what you wanted? Are you pleased?”
“How could you do this to me?” Annette asked, her voice barely above a whisper, defeated. “W-Why…?”
Serena refused to answer.
“I… I thought you loved me.”
“I do, Annette.” Serena breathed heavily. “I do. You taught me how to love. And for that, I will always cherish you.”
Annette quivered in fear.
“This doesn’t have to be the end.” Serena said gently. “Yes, it will be the end for this world. But I’ll protect you from all of the monsters and demons. I won’t let Lord Dracula harm you when he returns. Come with me, Annette. I’ll never hurt you. I’ll save you.”
Serena held her hand out towards Annette.
Annette genuinely considered taking it in her own.
Instead, Annette grabbed the chamberstick from the floor and threw it at Serena, anger brimming throughout her body.
“You need to leave.” Annette said darkly as she stood up, facing Serena.
“I can save you!” Serena yelled, who had dodged the chamberstick easily. “I can take you away from this place! I know what you’re really after, Annette.”
“Go.” Annette muttered under her breath, her head hanging low.
“You’re lonely, Annette!” Serena shouted, her voice trembling. “You want connection! You’re crying out for love, and I can give it to you, if you’d just let me-”
“I said go.” Annette replied, her voice raising barely above an octave.
“Annette-”
“GET OUT!” Annette screamed, reaching for her knife and pointing it at Serena. “I never want to see you again! If you ever show your face in Aljiba again, I will kill you! Do you understand?!”
Serena stepped back.
The woman and the monster stood in silence for what felt like hours. An eternity.
An eternity of raw, unbridled pain and betrayal.
“So be it.”
Annette dropped the knife, a loud clang echoing throughout the room.
Annette collapsed to the floor and began sobbing profusely, feeling as if her heart had been ripped from her chest cavity. She watched Serena take flight, escaping through the open window and into the rainy night, never to be seen again.
Ah. That was right. Annette truly never would see Serena again, because that monster was not Serena.
Serena did not exist. She was a lie created by that succubus to deceive her. Annette didn’t know how much of what that succubus had told her was true. Did she love her, despite her status as an unfeeling, uncaring monster that fed on the suffering of humans? Had Annette changed this creature of the night? Had this creature of the night changed her?
Was it love? Was it something else entirely, something inhuman and primal and violent?
Annette supposed she would never know.
That monster had said it herself. Annette wanted connection. She was crying out for love, and the succubus had offered it to her.
After everything they had been through together, she supposed it made sense if she accepted the succubus’ offer.
Even if she wasn’t Serena, Annette had still spent three years of her life with the succubus. She loved spending time with her, being by her side. She wondered if the succubus had trouble differentiating between herself and Serena. Was there more to her than what Annette believed?
She loved her. She loved her so much that she wanted to jump out of that window and chase after her under the full moon. She didn’t care if the rain drowned the both of them.
But she would never forgive her.
She felt as if she was back in that clock tower, trapped in her cell, completely at the mercy of monsters and supernatural creatures who regarded her as nothing more than meat, an offering to Dracula.
Except no one would save her this time.
Richter was gone. Serena was gone. Shaft had returned. Aljiba was doomed. Transylvania was doomed. The entire world was doomed.
And as she sat on the floor of Serena’s abandoned room, Annette realized that there was nothing she could do about it.
In 1797, the Succubus stalked the halls of Castlevania, alone.
Richter, more like Shaft, had finally done it. He had resurrected Lord Dracula and his castle. His goals had been achieved. It was only a matter of time before the world was bathed in total darkness, Hell seeping into the earth, as it always should have.
And the Succubus felt absolutely nothing. In fact, she felt empty. Shaft told her to rejoice. It was a happy time.
But she felt empty without Annette.
Her Annette.
She couldn’t believe it. She actually found herself missing the woman she had manipulated and lied to for three years, the woman she had lived with, the woman she had fallen in love with. A human, no less. She felt lost without her, like she didn’t belong.
She thought about confiding in Shaft, asking him if there was something wrong with her for thinking such things. She never did question him, though. She knew what to expect from him. He would tell her that everything was part of Lord Dracula’s plan. He would tell her that she had done her part. Now, she could relax and wait for the endless bloodshed to take place. In due time, he would say.
Regardless, it was difficult to communicate with Shaft, because he appeared as a green crystal ball that floated in the air as Richter sat in Lord Dracula’s throne. He always spoke through Richter. He had become the lord of the castle as they waited for Lord Dracula’s arrival in the Reverse Castle.
Richter was pampered by his personal servants, a minotaur and a werewolf. Shaft personally assigned them to him as he lazed about on the throne, absentmindedly drinking wine. They were merely there to keep him distracted, mindless, even if he was under Shaft’s full control. Their minds and flesh had become one, just as Shaft had promised.
There was a way to break the spell, to free Richter from Shaft’s control. Shaft had assigned the golden ring to her for a reason, declaring her its guard in case anyone tried to put an end to their operation.
Richter looked different. His skin had become extremely pale, around the same shade as the Succubus. His once blue eyes had turned to a piercing green, proof of Shaft’s possession. His brown hair had grown long, reaching his back. He had nearly all of Shaft’s mannerisms, reduced to a puppet, ranting on about an eternal battle and his unbridled wrath.
She knew about Richter’s desires to resurrect Lord Dracula. She knew that he wished to feel the thrill of battle again, something he yearned for ever since he killed Lord Dracula in 1792.
She honestly couldn’t tell if it was Richter or Shaft who was in control. Perhaps they both were, their minds becoming one, an unsettling mix of their goals mashed together.
The Succubus tended to avoid the throne room.
She found the castle to be incredibly boring, now that she lived there. Its labyrinthine manner might have impressed and excited her years ago, but she only felt annoyance and discomfort towards it. She spent most of her time wandering the halls and killing any monsters in her way, even if she felt absolutely nothing as blood splashed against her black corset and bare thighs.
Every time she closed her eyes, she saw Annette.
As she wandered through the halls of Castlevania, she saw Annette.
Whenever she looked in a mirror, she saw Annette standing behind her, that lovely, kind smile on her lips.
Every time she looked at a door, she expected Annette to open it and greet her with a shy wave of her hand.
Annette, Annette, Annette. She had consumed her mind. She had ruined her.
And the Succubus had ruined Annette’s life, took away everything from her, left her in her former room as she wallowed in despair and her own tears, mixing with the rain.
The Succubus sighed. It was too late. She would never see Annette again. She doubted she would be able to find her once the world was remade.
Soon, the world would belong to Lord Dracula. There was no one that could stop him.
At least, that was what she initially believed.
Until Death informed her and Shaft that an intruder had entered the castle.
And then, she saw him.
Alucard, the son of Lord Dracula, in the flesh.
The Succubus transformed into a mouse, hiding in the rafters of the castle as she watched Alucard traverse the castle, determination in his yellow eyes, holding his sword tightly in his grasp, his black cape billowing like bat wings. The Succubus never thought she would ever see Alucard in her life, let alone before her Lord.
A small part of her hoped that Alucard would save Richter and put an end to this mess.
It didn’t matter. Richter’s status didn’t concern her anymore. Even if he was the lord of the castle, he wasn’t the lord that she served. But she wished Alucard would free Richter from Shaft’s spell, purely for Annette’s sake.
The monsters of the castle attempted to stop him, but Alucard only mowed them down elegantly and without much thought, his power nearly comparable to his father’s.
She supposed it was up to her, then.
The more she stalked him, the more the Succubus noticed that Alucard would rest in coffins from time to time, regaining his strength. Afterwards, he would set out into the castle once more, searching for whoever was responsible for this mess.
She needed to stop him. Lord Dracula’s world was all she had left. Alucard needed to die.
An idea popped up in her mind.
She would lure Alucard into a false coffin in the Underground Caverns of the castle. Once he fell asleep, she would trap him in a dream, his own worst nightmare. Once he was vulnerable, she would rip his heart from his chest and eat it.
A thought clawed at the back of her mind. Perhaps it would be best if she let Alucard kill her in his dream, and she would wander for all eternity. He was more powerful than her, after all. He could kill her in an instant, and the Succubus wouldn’t complain. It was what she deserved.
That sounded just fine to her. A life without Annette wasn’t a life worth living.
She couldn’t. Her devotion to her Lord, a man she had never met in her entire life, was too strong. It was all she knew, ever since she was born in the deepest pits of Hell. It was all that remained for her. She had lost the one person that truly cared for her, and she was the one to blame.
She wanted to laugh. She had become just as pathetic as the humans she pitied.
Just as pathetic as Annette.
Eventually, the plan worked. She watched as Alucard fell asleep in the false coffin she created. She opened the coffin and crawled on top of him, entering his mind, looking into his deepest fears and insecurities.
Ah. His human mother, Lisa. She was crucified by humans for supposedly being a witch, when all she wished to do was cure her fellow humans’ sicknesses. Alucard had witnessed it himself, and he was powerless to stop them. He loved humans far too much for his own good, when he should’ve murdered every last one of them for killing his mother. It reminded the Succubus just how much she despised humans.
If she was honest, the Succubus had come to pity humans rather than outright hate them anymore. They were pathetic creatures that were better off dead. Suffering didn’t do them any good. Sinning never benefited them. Humans were born to die, after all.
Perhaps she should’ve killed Annette in her former room that night.
The Succubus shook her head. She could never bring herself to harm Annette.
The Succubus would force Alucard to relive that moment, then. It was what he deserved for disobeying his father and betraying his kind.
The Succubus then transformed into Lisa, based on Alucard’s memories of her, a perfect copy. She effortlessly recreated the scene, tying herself to a cross as dreamlike versions of the humans who had killed Lisa surrounded her, dark clouds flying high in the sky.
Just like the night the Succubus had revealed her true self to Annette.
She couldn’t distract herself, no matter how much Annette consumed her every waking moment.
It didn’t matter. The stage was set, and her scene partner finally arrived.
“Mother!” Alucard’s deep voice cut through the air.
“That voice!” The Succubus began, replicating Lisa’s mannerisms. “Alucard! It’s you!”
“Mother!” Alucard yelled, running towards her and pushing aside the humans. “I’m coming! I’ll save you!”
“No, Alucard!” The Succubus warned. “Don’t come here!”
“But Mother!” Alucard said in protest and confusion.
“It’s alright.” The Succubus reassured Alucard. “If my death can save others, I gladly surrender my life.”
“Mother! No!” Alucard looked as if he was about to cry, his voice trembling. “Please! No!”
“Yes, Alucard!” The Succubus insisted. “Watch me die and always remember my last words to you…”
The Succubus paused. Alucard watched her with bated breath, his yellow eyes wide, beads of sweat rolling down his pale skin.
She almost pitied him. His human side made him weak.
“You must despise humans.” The Succubus said. “They are to be your prey.”
The Succubus wasn’t certain if she was saying it to Alucard or herself, though.
“What?!” Alucard exclaimed in disbelief.
“Better for them to die than to let them compound their sins.” The Succubus said.
The first genuine thing she had uttered since she created this nightmare for Alucard.
“No…” Alucard stuttered. “It… it wasn’t like this…”
“What’s wrong?” The Succubus asked desperately, noticing Alucard’s doubt. “Alucard?”
“My mother never said such a thing.” Alucard shook his head, stepping away from the cross in fear.
“What do you mean!?” The Succubus yelled, her mask slipping. “Kill them and bring them happiness!”
That was the exact thing she should’ve done to Annette all those years ago. Maybe then, the guilt wouldn’t have consumed her alive.
“No!” Alucard screamed. “You’re not my mother! What kind of demon are you?!”
The Succubus sighed. So much for performances.
“You broke free of my spell!” The Succubus laughed as she transformed back into her usual self and descended from the cross, her heels clicking against the cobblestone ground. “I like that.”
“Demon!” Alucard bared his fangs, unsheathing his sword and pointing it at the Succubus. “Death is too good for you!”
Alucard was a man of few words, the Succubus had learned. She had forced him to relive the trauma of his mother’s death, and he barely had anything to say, his eyes burning with rage as he faced the Succubus.
“Come here, little boy.” The Succubus challenged, her wings sprouting from her back as she beckoned Alucard with her hand. “Show me what you’ve got.”
Just as she had expected, the Succubus was no match for Alucard.
The two of them fought ruthlessly, but she knew that she couldn’t compete with him. This nightmare she had pulled him into was nothing more than a death wish. She accepted the beating with open arms, only pretending to put up a fight. It didn’t matter to her. Nothing mattered to her anymore. She thought about Annette as she dodged Alucard’s sword strikes. She thought about Annette as she slashed him with her claws. She thought about Annette as Alucard finally defeated her, throwing her to the ground.
She deserved it.
“Heh.” The Succubus laughed pathetically as she fell to her knees. “It really is you. The son of Lord Dracula.”
Alucard breathed heavily as he stepped closer and closer to the Succubus. She looked up at him, his expression as neutral and cold as ever. She couldn’t ignore the murderous rage in his yellow eyes, though. Anyone could see it.
The Succubus knew she was going to die soon.
And she accepted it after all the horrible things she had done to Annette, her father, Richter, and everyone else in Aljiba.
“Death in the dream world will set your soul wandering for eternity, demon.” Alucard exhaled.
A memory of Annette flashed in her mind.
She saw her in the orchard near her house, picking ripe apples for the harvest, presumably to make a pie with her father. She couldn’t hear herself, but the Succubus must’ve said something humorous, as Annette erupted into laughter, her head tilting back as she did so. Her shoulders always shook when she laughed, a few strands of lavender hair falling over her face. The Succubus had just noticed that, years after she abandoned her.
She wished she could immortalize that memory of Annette’s sweet laughter in her mind. It comforted her. It reminded her of what she truly cared about.
She was all that mattered to her. She didn’t care about Lord Dracula’s eternal darkness anymore. She didn’t care about Lord Dracula. She didn’t know the man at all.
But she knew Annette.
The Succubus only wanted love.
Love from Annette. Love that the Succubus should’ve accepted wholeheartedly if she wasn’t a rotten coward that deserved every horrible thing in the human world and in Hell.
But the more she thought about Annette, the more the Succubus wished to be with her until the day she left her miserable existence.
The Succubus truly had nothing left.
She couldn’t die here. She had to get out of this nightmare, this castle. She had to save Annette. The end of her world would follow if Alucard didn’t stop Shaft.
The Succubus couldn’t lose Annette. Not again.
“Wait!” The Succubus screamed, realization washing over her. “Stop! I beg you! No!”
Without a word, Alucard pierced the Succubus in the chest with his sword, digging through her cold heart and through her back.
Her cold heart that had nearly been melted by Annette. If only she hadn’t ruined everything.
And she deserved it. She should’ve thanked Alucard. She should’ve been grateful.
Alucard removed his sword from the Succubus’ body, a neutral but nonetheless enraged expression on his face as she collapsed to the wet, cobblestone ground. The false humans disappeared into thin air, a mere memory.
In the last moments before Alucard awoke, the Succubus stared up at the gray sky of Alucard’s nightmare, rain and crimson blood trickling down her black corset and pale skin.
Thinking.
Maybe she could’ve lived in the human world with Annette, what Annette was used to. She could’ve eaten those plump red apples and watched the sun rise every morning and fall every night.
Maybe she could’ve dragged Annette down to Hell with her where they could’ve danced in the flames together.
In either lives, they wouldn’t have a single care in the world.
The Succubus laughed quietly. Annette would’ve liked that. She worried too much. It would’ve been nice for her to relax for once in her life. She deserved to rest after everything she had been through, everything the Succubus subjected her to.
The Succubus felt as if she had lost a piece of herself after she left Annette, a piece of herself she never realized that she had in the first place.
Without Annette, the Succubus was alone.
She wondered what Annette was doing, back home in Aljiba.
Aljiba was home, wasn’t it?
Annette was probably sitting in her room, reading a book or combing her hair by her vanity, glancing at herself in the mirror. The Succubus wished she could remind her that she was beautiful. Perhaps she was at peace, knowing that Alucard would save Richter and Lord Dracula would be defeated soon.
As long as Annette was happy, the Succubus was happy.
That was all that mattered to the Succubus as her last breath left her lips, the life from her orange eyes fading.
As her soul wandered through eternity, the Succubus kept all the precious memories she shared with Annette close to her heart.
It was the only thing that the Succubus could do.