Dracula's pale blue fingers froze, throwing an unpleasant BANG of
incompatible notes into the air.
"D..." Dracula's voice was soft, but deeper then D's. He stood up. His
long brown hair was pulled back in a pony tail, except for his shorter bangs
that draped over the right side of his face. He turned his head just enough to
see the dhampil. His eyes and a gentle smile could be seen past his hair.
"You're back."
"I'm not back." D said rebelliously. "All I want is to get the
girl and go."
Dracula's smile disappeared. He stepped away from the piano and stood a few feet
in front of D. He looked straight at the dhampil, trying to see his eyes under
the brim of his hat, but D had his head tilted forward so that he wouldn't make
eye contact with the vampire king.
"Don't come any closer." D demanded. "I have no intention to
fight you, Dracula, but I will if I have to."
"Ohh... don't worry. The girl is fine. It's YOU I'm worried about."
Dracula said, curling the fingers of his right hand around the trim of the left
side of his cape.
"I'm not here to chat. Tell me where she is." D demanded again,
tightening his grip on his sword.
Dracula took another step towards D. Within a split second, the hunter removed
the blade from it's sheath, sliced it through the air and brought it down upon
the vampire king. Just as quickly, Dracula shot a hand from under his cape and
caught the blade in his palm.
"So you wish to fight me, D?" Dracula briefly looked away from the dhampil
to watch droplets of blood trickle down his arm and the sword as the blade
pierced his skin.
The vampire suddenly disappeared and D stumbled forward, catching his balance
quickly, he lifted his sword and cautiously looked around. A shuffle from behind
him, and he spun, blocking an attack as Dracula leaped from a high stone shelf.
Their swords came together with an ear shattering clanging as they repeatedly
swung at each other until they were caught sword to sword and face to face.
Dracula had an odd smirk on his face as he looked past their swords at D.
"You've gotten good," The vampire commented. "but you can do
better then this. Come, come, hunter. Show me what you've learned."
More noise echoed throughout the room and nearby halls as they continued to
battle, too worked up in their dueling to notice the red glow intensifying from
the giant stain glass window at the end of the room. It wasn't until the ghostly
red cougar figure was ready to pounce did Dracula finally realize its presence
out of the corner of his eye, causing him to pause long enough for D to nick his
shoulder with his blade. The vampire king winced and jumped as he caught his
bleeding shoulder, dropped his sword, and landed just in time to see the red
ghost run right through the dhampil, attacking him.
"Damnit! Stop it!" Dracula shouted at the beast.
When the guardian backed off D was unconscious.