Chapter 7: I Miss Her

A loud footsteps can be heard as it grows nearer and nearer on the door. The sound of opening the big door echoed around the chamber.

"Princess!" Calcifer exclaimed and he froze when he sensed the flood of blood.

And there she stood, on the midst of the red blood, gazing at the king's throne.

It was dark, the clouds must've covered the moon. He can't see her face but he knows for sure, that's the princess.

It was not for long when the clouds that passed by slowly moved away. And the light from the moon shone from the window.

The image of the princess has come to illuminate. Her yellow dress was filled with blood stains. And her hair...

"P-princess, what happened to your hair?" He asked and took few steps forward.

Her beautiful long white hair is no more but turned into bloody red.

"Ah, Calcifer..." She slowly turned to him, "Great timing, I have news for you." Her sweet voice is no more.

And her gentle green eyes has now turned sharp and bright red, filled with madness and hatred.

"I declare war... on the Alucards."

"Princess, w-what are you saying?"

"I'll kill them! I'll kill them all!" She exclaimed and she seemed like a total stranger to him now.

And when he looked behind her, he saw the king's corpse, slowly turning into ashes with his head lying on the floor.

With that, he knew, how the king was brutally murdered.

And now he finally understand. The sweet, kind-hearted, loving princess is now gone. The one in front of him is a broken yet powerful princess.

"Now Calcifer..." The princess stretched and offered her hand to him, "Will you join me to wipe them all?" She grinned devilishly.

Rae slowly opened his eyes and saw the empty white space around him.

"Where... am I?" He mumbled and slowly got up.

He tried to recall what happened and how he ended there. But nothing seems to ring a bell. When he looked around, he saw someone standing nearby.

"E-excuse me... Can you tell me where I am?" He walked towards him and when he turned around, he saw a familiar face.

A lad taller than him, with pale white skin, pointed ears, long red bloody hair, sharp red eyes, white fangs, bigger body built and long sharp nails.

He has the same small mole under his lips on the left side.

"W-who... are you?"

The lad scoffed, "Who am I? You should already know the answer to that. I... am you."

When he heard those words, all the things that had happened flashed in his mind. He held his head and groaned in pain.

"Try to remember what happened.."

Rae recalled, he was fighting a level-C vampire. He was too strong for him and so he got wounded real bad.

"And then, what happens next?" Said the vampire in front of him as if he can see what's on his mind.

Yana's crying face suddenly flashed in him.

"Yana! She's still in there! I've got to save her!" Rae was about to run when his vampire self suddenly grabbed his neck

"Not so fast!" He smirked and lifted him up.

"Do you honestly think I'll let you off easily? Now that I'm awake, I'll do whatever I want! In order to do that, I'll be taking your body." He laughed in an evil way.

Rae struggled, "N-no! Let me... go! I won't let you... have my body... and hurt anyone!"

"Oh? And how are you going to do that? Kick me with your weak body?" He laughed mockingly.

"That girl..." Rae stopped struggling when he heard him say it.

"Her blood seems delicious... I'm going to drink all of it!"

Rae glared at him and struggled all the way more.

"No! I won't let you! I'm going to save her. Yana! YANA--!"

He gasped for air as he shot his eyes open. He saw the ceiling of his room with its little chandelier.

He slowly sat up and noticed the beads of sweat all through his body.

"Was it... just a dream..?" He panted. It seems so real. He can still feel the pain on his neck.

And he was reminded of something...

"Yana! I've got to check if she's alright!" He quickly got up and tried to reached the door when he suddenly fell on the floor.

'Ack! My legs! They feel so numb that I can't stand properly!' He held his legs and gently caressed it.

Just in time, the door opened and Calcifer came in. Seeing his state, he rushed towards his side.

"Young master! Are you alright?"

He helped him get up to sit on the bed.

"You should rest more, young master. Your body is still weak due to your first transformation."

"First transformation?" He echoed.

Calcifer nodded, "Yes, I was informed that you turned into a vampire two days ago."

Rae blinked few times, he still can't believe that what he saw in his dream actually happened. And that reminds him.

"How about Yana? Is she alright?" He asked worriedly.

"Worry not, young master. The human girl is completely fine." Calcifer replied as he placed the tray of food on his bedside table.

Rae sighed in relief, "Is that so? I'm glad." He smiled.

"I can't wait to see her again." He chuckled as he started eating.

Calcifer cleared his throat, "Young master, about that... I'm afraid you won't be able to see that human girl anymore." He looked down.

Rae paused from eating, "What do you mean?" He glanced at Calcifer who's having a troubled expression.

"Answer me, Cal." He pleaded.

The gentleman closed his eyes and sighed in defeat.

"Two days ago... due to the trauma of seeing your vampire side, miss Yana wished to never see you again." He said with a painful expression, "I'm sorry, young master."

The lad shook his head, furrowing his eye brows as he can't believe what he heard.

"No... that's not true... We're friends... Yana wouldn't say that!" He suddenly got up and rushed towards the door.

Just in time, Rin opened the door, carrying a bouquet of flowers.

"Good morning, young master!" She cheerfully greeted.

"Rin! Help me, I want to see Yana!" He held the lass' shoulders.

She patted his head and smiled, "We will, young master."

The lad smiled at her response.

"But not today..." She added and suddenly blew some powder dust on his face that made him dizzy and fell asleep.

Calcifer caught him and placed him back on his bed.

"Thank you, Rin."

"Are you really okay with this? Young master really looks sad." She gloomily said.

"It's for the best. Besides, right from the start, vampires are not meant to be with humans." He replied and noticed the bouquet of flowers that she's holding.

"Where did that come from?"

"Oh, this?" Rin raised the bouquet, "I picked them in our garden. I think this will cheer the young master a bit." She said and placed the flowers in the vase.

It was already dark but never late. Each step they take seems heavy and awkward especially for this lass. True, she was saved by a stranger and even helped them on their way home. But you still can't blame her for feeling awkward and she can't even start a conversation.

"May I know your name, miss?" The priest asked, walking a bit slower than his normal speed as he was carrying the unconscious lad on his back.

"Yana... Yana Valdez." She mumbled.

"What a pretty name." The priest chuckled, "Tell me, miss Yana... How did you meet this vampire friend of yours?" He asked in a gentle voice that would make anyone get comfortable with him.

"Uhm..." She was hesitant.

But the fact that he saved their lives made her changed her mind. And thus, she told the priest how she met Rae in a weird way and how they got along.

"It was the first time that someone asked me to be their friend. Someone as unsociable as me. Even I tried to push him away, even he's popular, he still chose a normal girl like me to be his friend." She narrated with a smile on her face as she appreciated what he did.

And the priest attentively listens to her.

"Oh, and Rae never drinks blood. He doesn't like it. Tonight's different because I wanted to help him with his wounds." She explained further.

The priest chuckled, "I never expect you'd go this far to explain his side. Don't be so hard on yourself, I can understand now why he chose you."

The lass blinked and got curious.

"Tonight, you've proven you're not just any other normal girl. You've proven that you're truly a good friend to him." The priest smiled.

A warm and gentle smile that seems familiar to her. A smile that could melt and touch any heart.

"Thank you, father Stephen." She smiled as well.

Not for long, they've reached their destination. Yana pressed the door bell as they stand near the black gate.

Calcifer and the others rushed immediately towards them.

"Young master!" He froze when he saw a stranger.

Not only that, he's wearing a familiar symbol around his neck, the golden cross.

"Good evening." The priest greeted with a smile.

"What did you do to him?!" He immediately took Rae's body away from the priest.

"Don't worry. He's just sleeping." The priest calmly replied despite the fierce gazes he's receiving from them.

"Sleeping?" Calcifer repeated and scoffed.

He handed Rae to the triplets and Yana helped them carry his body to his room.

When they left, Calcifer grabbed the priest's collar, "If the young master never wakes up again, I swear, I'll make you pay for it!" He threatened as his eyes turned bright red.

The priest didn't even faze. He knows he's just worried for the lad.

Yana stepped out and stopped Calcifer.

"Wait! Please don't hurt him. He saved me and turned Rae back to normal. He didn't hurt him, I swear!" She explained.

"You..." Calcifer let the priest go and glanced at the lass with his fierce eyes.

"Starting tomorrow, I want you to cut ties with young master."

"What?"

"I don't want to see you together with him ever again! Do you understand?" He said with a cold expression on his face.

"But--!"

"Once you show yourself, I'll make sure you'll regret it!" He warned and pushed her away before closing the gates.

"Wait! Mr. Calcifer! Please don't do this!" Yana pleaded but the gentleman turned away and went inside the house.

Remembering what happened last night can't stop her from sighing a bunch of times. She glanced at the empty seat beside her. Of course, he would be absent. He must be resting but she can't still shake the feeling of being worried.

Suddenly, the principal went inside their classroom.

"Everyone, I want you to meet our school's priest as well as your new Values teacher, father Stephen Celis."

Upon hearing the name, the lass held her head up and saw the same person she met last night. When their eyes met, the priest smiled at her.

"Oh look at that! He's so handsome!" Like how the girls murmured around, Ella whispered this to her ear.

Good thing, Ella's fine now. But what's weird is that she can't remember anything about what happened last night.

Not even the name Josh doesn't ring any bell on her.

'Well, I guess that's fine.' She thought.

Hours later, their class finally ended. Yana decided to pay the priest a visit as they were informed he's staying in the school's church nearby.

"Is anybody here?" She asked as she went inside the church.

She saw father Stephen, standing on the aisle while looking up at the big cross at the center of the pulpit. He turned around and saw her.

"Miss Yana, what brings you here?" He asked and walked towards her.

"Uhm, I just... wanted to welcome you.. here in our school, father..." She stammered and looked down.

Upon closer look, he's indeed handsome! He looks so young to be a priest. Probably he's around early thirty's. She didn't even notice it yesterday because it's dark.

The priest chuckled, "Come, let's have some tea." The lass didn't even get the chance to refuse his kind offer. He poured out the tea in two cups and she noticed that he's shaking.

"Father, are you okay?"

"Y-yes, yes. I'm fine!"

"You're... shaking..."

"Ah, you see... you're my very first visitor when I came here. I'm kind of nervous." He laughed awkwardly and the lass chuckled.

"But we already met last night."

"You're right." He laughed and handed one cup to her. Then, they sat on the bench.

"Is there anything that's bothering you?" He asked as if he can read her mind.

Yana became gloomy once again and looked down.

"It's about last night, I see." The priest said as if he can understand her silence, "I'm sorry for that." He took a sip of his tea.

The lass shook her head, "It's not your fault, father. I just... can't bear the thought that I won't be able to see him again."

For unknown reason, her heart aches so much whenever she remembers Calcifer's warning to her. As she recalled it, her tears started welling up her eyes.

"Miss Yana..." The priest called, "Rae is your friend, right?"

The lass nodded as a response.

"If he's so dear to you, should you give up?" With that one question, Yana recalled all the things they've been through for a while and how many times he saved her from danger.

'That's right! Rae cared for me, I shouldn't give him up!' She said to herself and wiped the tears from her eyes.

"Thank you so much, father!" She smiled and drank the tea in one gulp.

"I feel much better now. Thank you!" She stood up, bowed her head and bid her goodbye.

"I didn't do much but I'm glad it helped." The priest chuckled as he finished his tea.

It was dark once again. Dark and empty. But what's different is that he can smell something. Something that is sweet and fragrant. With that, he slowly opened his eyes and looked around.

He saw Rin, changing the flowers on the vase. That must be something sweet he smelled.

Rin noticed him watching her, "Good day, young master!" She greeted with a sweet smile.

Rae got up as he stared at the flowers.

"Oh, this? Pretty, isn't it? I just thought this will brighten up your day." She explained but got no response from him.

"Well then, I shall take my leave." Rin bowed before she left.

"Brighten up, huh..." Rae scoffed, "How can I if I can't even see my friend?" He mumbled with a painful expression and went back to bed and covered himself in a blanket.

It was tomorrow morning when there's a ruckus going on inside the Van Helsing residence.

"What?!" Calcifer exclaimed when he heard the news.

"He didn't even touch the food I cooked..." Ran repeated with her usual stoic expression.

"Cal, this is serious! He's not eating for three days!" Primo panicked who just recovered from his wounds.

"Heh! Maybe young master doesn't like Ran's cooking anymore." Ren placed her hands at the back of her head.

"That's impossible! No one can beat Ran's cooking!" Rin protested.

"Whatever that is, we have to do something. We can't let him starve himself like this!" Primo said.

"I'll bring his food this time." Rin volunteered, "Maybe I can convince him to eat."

Ren scoffed, "You?" Then she laughed.

Rin pouted as she glared at her sister, "What's so funny? Just watch me do it!" She said and took the tray as she marched towards Rae's room.

Rin began to knock, "Young master, it's time for your snacks!" She cheerfully said and opened the door.

There he is, sitting by the window while staring blankly.

"I don't feel like eating..." He mumbled.

"But young master, you need to eat in order to grow strong and healthy!" Rin insisted as she placed the food on the table.

Rae sighed, "I don't want to eat... I want to go out.."

"But young master..."

"I missed going out, Rin. I want to feel the breeze of air, to see the blue skies, and hang around in parks. I don't want to get stuck in here forever!"

He explained even knowing that it's Yana whom he misses the most.

"But young master, Cal will--"

"Please Rin!" He pleaded and looked into her eyes. In her point of view, he seems like a poor puppy begging for something.

And she can't resist the cuteness!

'Not the puppy eyes!'

It didn't take long before she sighed in defeat.

"Alright. I'll let you go out. But make sure you'll eat, okay?"

Rae nodded happily, "Yes, I will! Thank you, Rin!"