#witch! reader

“Still have to make that batch of flutter cakes…” You mumble quietly to yourself as you try to reach the top shelf for your jar of honeysickle, fingers brushing the edge of the glass. Letting out a puff of air in growing frustration, you have half a mind to call it down from the shelves with your magic before an arm moves to eclipse your own. Fingers gripping your intended jar, the smell of wisteria and a cool summer night's breeze wafts across your nose and the smile that lights up your face is almost instantaneous.

You turn to face the fae behind you, soft eyes reminiscent of the aforementioned flower greet you as he hands you the glass, careful not to scratch you with his sharp nails. Tilting his head to the side so that the long black horns atop his head don't get caught in the herb hanger on the ceiling, Hobie grins down at you warmly, piercings on his face catching beautifully in the sunlight. His long braids follow his movement, dangling earrings and glittering charms his partners lovingly crafted for his hair clinking together.

“You've been busy since we left this mornin’ love. Could smell everythin’ from a mile away.” He says as you take the jar from him, his hands snaking across your waist to pull you closer to him. Lips press gently against your temple and you hum, basking in the attention of your love. Fireflies dance in your peripherals then, the scent of clovers and honey wrapping around you and a giggle escapes you at yet another pair of lips kissing your cheek.

“Our girl's working herself ragged, Bee”, Ekko chimes teasingly, mirth shining in his honeyed amber gaze. The fireflies dance around his white twisted locs that spill over his shoulders, golden leaves and emerald green clovers woven into each one. He raises a loving hand to swipe at the bit of flour left on the underside of your chin. “Thought you'd be done by now, sweetheart. It's past noon.”

“I had a lot of orders to fill today”, you sigh as you lean up to press your own sweet kiss to each of their lips, chuckling when they sought another. “You know I like to make my sweets to order, that way they stay fresh.” Moving back towards the bowl, you make the still self stirring spoon lift up into the air towards you, trying the batter and letting out a satisfied hum at the taste. Ekko walks over towards the opposite end of the table, leaning forward on his elbows with Hobie moving to wrap his arms around his waist from behind. The dark fey rests his chin on the other man's shoulders, large feathered wings spreading out a bit to cover them both as they look upon your mountain of magical baked goodies.

Cranberry and cherry pies, snickerdoodles and chocolate chip cookies, carrot cake and lemon cake bites, raspberry and cinnamon apple danishes, pumpkin spice and gooseberry muffins. The table overflowed with the delights, each one containing special magical properties as requested by your clients. It was a wonder that you were still baking after everything you'd made, having started right before dawn could even think to approach.

“‘M sure your clients won't mind if you take a little break, lovie”, Hobie mumbles with slight concern, even as his eyes stray towards the carrot cake bites sitting pretty in a little opened box. Ekko hums in agreement, side eyeing the fae that was leering hungrily over his shoulder.

“Just sit for a bit, trouble. Or let us help you.” Shaking your head with a placating smile, you gently pull the box with the bites a little closer towards you and farther away from Hobie, the pupils of his wisteria colored eyes turning to slits. The pixie across from you holds your shared love back by placing a firm hand on the scruff of his neck. “Down, boy”, he huffs and Hobie scoffs at the playful words, sulkingly nosing at the man's jawline and you have to bite down on your lip to stifle a giggle.

“I'm perfectly fine, you two. Besides, I'm almost done! Just gotta finish up these blueberry scones and a batch of strawberry flutter cakes.” Practiced hands working the dough with ease, shaping and cutting it into eight pieces. As you ready the pastries for baking in your brick oven, you twirl your hand about in the air. Ingredients begin to float towards another empty bowl on the table, slowly settling down near it before you turn back around. “Now! Tell me how the court was today. Any law changes?”

Hobie and Ekko both begin to regale you with the tale that is the fae court meeting all while you finish making the enchanted treats, the event that pulled them from their loving home with you earlier in the day. If not for you pushing them to go, they'd have gladly skipped the entire thing, if only they could snuggle you closer between them while you three slept in. At least, until you'd reluctantly pull away from the warmth of the embrace to fill the long list of orders.

“Tha’ bloke Miguel was goin’ on ‘n on ‘bout some bloody humans breachin’ our land”, Hobie groans with exasperation while he pushes more of his body weight forward onto the pixie’s back, fingers sliding onto the table. Ekko nods in agreement, gazing at you wearily.

“Yeah, and Sevika kept arguing about letting them stay, saying it was better for our collective futures.” Heavy sigh leaving his lips, Ekko scrubs a hand over his face, not seeming to mind the extra weight being pushed upon him. “It was just a whole lot of shit. They just kept arguing with each other until we all forgot what the damn meeting was about.”

“Sounds like an eventful morning. I know you didn't want to go, but you guys are prominent figures in the court. Your absence would've been noticed.” Hanging their heads, they know you're right. Faerie courts demanded the eldest beings be in attendance, no matter how small the issue. Punishment for fae disregarding that staple rule was not to be taken lightly.

“We can do whatever you guys want after I finish this”, you suggest with an apologetic smile. Eyes straying back towards your bowl of batter, you notice that the dark fey’s hand is now hovering over the carrot cake bites. He's quick to snatch one of the treats before you can slap his hand away, backing away from both Ekko and you with a shit eating grin on his face. Frantically shaking your head, you point a stern finger at the man, quickly rushing over towards him.

“Hobie, don't you dare-!”

“Bee, those are enchanted-!”

Your warnings seemingly go in one pointed ear and out the other as he swiftly pops the sweet into his mouth, smug and cheeky grin still visible even while he chews. The pixie sighs and rubs a hand against his temple, sucking his teeth and shaking his head.

“Hobes, what the fuck…?” You huff, eyes narrowing at the way he throws up a thumbs up at you.

“Tha's bloody brilliant, lovie! Who'd you make those for?”

“Ned's bunny. It was to treat its fatigue...” That makes him stop mid chew, nervousness making him swallow the treat that still clings to his taste buds. Sweat beads at his forehead as he looks at you, an anxious smile flitting on his face. He's starting to feel a little remorse for his stubborn display.

“Y-You mean Flopsy…?” Your exasperated nod does little to quell the anxiety bubbling in his stomach, his lips pursing as he tries to push it down. Sure, he knew it was one of the enchanted goodies you were making but he'd just assumed it was for insomnia or something else. Like good health! Not for Flopsy the bunny rabbit. Sweet residue turning bitter on his tongue, the familiar taste of carrot is now making itself known. Nose twitching and pupils dilating, the dark fey lets out a ragged breath.

“We told you not to touch it, Bee. Now we don't know what's gonna happ-”

Ekko's words are cut short when Hobie suddenly explodes into a glittering pink cloud of smoke with a poof, making you both shout in surprise. Worry etched on your face for your shared love, the pixie uses a small wind spell to blow away the smoke, the glittery air tickling the backs of your throats. When it finally dissipates, a fuzzy face greets you. There hovering in mid-air, flapping its little dark feathered wings, is a horned lop bunny with droopy ears and fluffy black fur, eyes the familiar color of wisteria. Silence stretches between you, Ekko, and the bunny hovering in your small cottage, several minutes spent blinking owlishly at each other. Little nose twitching, the horned bunny opens its mouth.

“...Either I've shrunk, or you two have gotten really fuckin’ huge…” The deep voice of your shared love coming out of the small, adorable bunny rabbit has both you and Ekko keeling over, laughter bouncing off the walls and tears welling up in your eyes. “Oi, oi! Wha's so funny? ‘M missin’ somethin’?” It takes several minutes before either of you can speak, chest heaving as you cough, the giggles still bubbling up from your throat. Ekko is on his hands and knees on the floor, wheezing and struggling to steady his breathing while his stomach clenches from the harsh bout of laughter.

“That's totally what you get for being grabby”, you wheeze, wiping away the tears that fell from your eyes. Sniffing, an amused smile still gracing your lips, you walk closer towards the black rabbit. The pixie finally gets control over himself again, slowly standing up as you gently take the rabbit into your arms. “Eating rabbit food turned you into one. Sounds about right.”

“‘M a fuckin’ what?!” Hobie screeches as he struggles in your arms, only stopping his writhing when you let out an annoyed sound. “H-How long do I gotta stay like this?”

“Since you only ate one, I'm pretty sure it's just gonna last for a few hours.” Ekko chimes softly, moving closer towards you in order to wrap a hand around your waist, pulling you closer against his side. His other hand comes up to tenderly scratch just under the dark fey’s furry chin, lips quirking up and amber eyes sparkling at the way your bunnified love’s eyes close as he leans into the affection.

“This ‘s bonkers…” Hobie grumbles as you kiss the top of his little head before gently passing him over to Ekko, stifling another chuckle when he burrows deeper into the pixie’s arms. As much as you wanted to dote on the cute little mishap in the shape of your rabbit lover, you still had to make those flutter cakes. Gliding back towards the kitchen area, you open the long forgotten jar of honeysickle, enchanted knife already slicing the strawberries.

“Next time, don't touch my client's goods, Bee”, you say in a sing-song tone, flicking your wrist so that the tray of scones magically pop themselves out of the oven. And the dark fey just grumbles to himself, reaffirming what you already know. He would definitely touch them again given the chance.

“Are you ready?”

You draw your eyes over to the blond, readying a chestnut mare, the two of you standing in the castle stables. Adrian tells you that the town is not too far, it may take a bit longer to get back with such a large supply he hopes for. The castle’s food supply was dwindling, and Adrian kept a list of what needed to be restocked.

Adrian was kind in giving you some spare clothes, simply because you didn’t want to get your pretty dresses dirty: simple dark pants with a pair of riding boots, a dark green vest and a white tunic shirt that was too big and you had to cinch in with a belt. You also carried on you a small satchel, a cloak and gloves in case of the cold.

“Yes,” you shuffle closer to him, wary of the large beast in front of you, its beady black eyes staring right into your soul, “it’s a beautiful creature.”

“Indeed,” Adrian answers, soothing the horse by scratching just behind the back of its neck, behind its ears, “she is a gentle soul. She will not be frightened by you.”

You warily stare ‘her’ up and down, inquisitively, “What is her name?”

“Oh,” the Dhampir seems understandably abashed for not giving her one, “I did not think that far.”

“Really?” You stare between him and the beast, surprise blooming in your voice. It only makes sense for you to give her a name now! “How about… Lady? No, no—or maybe—”

“Luna?”

His voice catches you by surprise, but it is a wonderful idea. “Luna?”

“It’s a pretty name,” Adrian strokes her snout affectionately, “I like the other name too.”

“No, I like Luna more.” You follow with a guide of Adrian’s hand in knowing where to stroke Luna; just above her snout, his hands lingering longer than you both expected in this subtle affection before he pulls back. His touch still lingers, and it comforts you the size of his hand compared to yours.

“Shall we get going?”

“Indeed.”

It takes some minutes of humbling yourself to get onto a horse- with Adrian’s help- but you’re far more ashamed of how you embarrassed yourself in front of him. It’s not graceful how you straddle, the discomfort that comes from your legs so far apart and how you’re already dreading when it moves.

 Adrian is quicker than you, almost leaping on with ease as he sits behind you, his hands coming from behind to grab at the reigns.

“Easy,” you think he’s telling the horse to be at ease, but you realise it’s directed to you, his hands reassuring you, “You’re not going anywhere, little witch.”

You’re thankful he can’t see the way your face heats, the way you wish he would do what he said, but you have to stop those thoughts from occurring.

The laugh that comes from you is more of a wheeze, and you correct yourself before you can embarrass yourself further. “Are you talking to the horse or me, Adrian?”

Adrian chuckles lightly at your jab but knows it is all a tease. He guides the horse out from the stable, and almost immediately begins a sprint. The castle seems like a speck in the distance the further you travel, trees whipping past like shadows of figures you thought were human.

Animals could be heard within the trees as if they surrounded you, but instead of fear, you felt the wind whip through your hair, and across your face. You imagined this was what it felt like to be a bird, or the fastest horse free in a field. It was in some way what you imagined what a vampire felt like hidden and part of wildlife.

With the speed and wind on your side, you arrived in the town by the time the sun was highest in the sky. You forgot how lively a town could be: bustling with life. People of all ages, genders and skin tones wandered the market. Mothers with their babes and young children playing around her skirts. Those who came to sell and trade within the markets. Couples of old and young fill the streets with tender displays of affection for one another.

It made you blush when you looked around, realising that some could maybe say the same about you and Adrian looking like a couple. Would Adrian notice this too? Would he feel ashamed to be associated with you?

You didn’t realise you had been distracted by your thoughts when you felt a tender hand shaking you gently out of your thoughts. Blinking owlishly, Adrian stood before you, his golden eyes were wrought with concern. “Are you alright?”

“Overwhelmed, but I’ll survive,” you told him, puffing your chest out to show you weren’t feeling all sorts of worries. “Have you got the list?”

Adrian doesn’t want to shake away his concerns for you, but he unravels the crumpled note from inside his coat pocket to hand to you. You scan over it quickly before you nod. “See you back at the carriage?”

“I must hire one first,” Adrian chortles, “but yes, I shall see you then… be safe.”

Be safe.

It’s enough to make your heart swoon, and you nod, fleeing like a lovesick teenager who just said hi to her crush. You absorb yourself by finding the necessary things, trying your best to not get engrossed by the things around you.

You get mostly through your list before something catches your gaze.

An array of jewels of different sizes and colours greet you: some attached to bracelets, necklaces and brooches, others gaudy and lavish and sitting for all to see. It doesn’t take you long to fully stop and be standing in front of the older woman’s stall, looking over them carefully.

If only I had enough money.

“The peridot would suit you nicely, young lady,” you look up to catch the warm gaze of the woman, her crow’s eyes wrinkled. “Or alexandrite. Very pretty, will catch anyone’s eye.”

“They are very pretty,” you muse, though you already know you won’t be buying anything from her, it is always nice to look around. “I wouldn’t know where to start.”

“Light colours would suit your skin tone,” she begins as she points to different items, holding them as if for you to compare until the next thing to come from her mouth leaves you practically gasping, “I’m sure your husband would agree.”

“Husband?”

“There you are.”

The first thing you notice is the arm that snakes its way around your waist, a body leaning in closely to you as you feel your body freeze on the spot. Adrian is looking over the jewels with you with interest, softly musing to himself, “I knew I’d find you here.”

You’re gawking now, no words are coming to you and it’s only when the old woman brings up impatiently that you’re buying anything that Adrian pulls a bag from his pocket, casually handing the woman the change as if it's nothing. “The peridot I think would look lovely on you.”

He’s moving away, back to the wagon with you following behind like a lost puppy.

“What was that?” You whisper when it’s just the two of you, watching the world go by.

“What do you mean?” He asks as he pulls out the necklace to inspect himself. “I thought this colour would look nice on you.”

“Yes,” you replied, fiddling with the hem of your gloves. “It’s just—”

Adrian seems to read you easily, and he knows when you’re showing some discomfort. “Have I made you uncomfortable?”

“Far from it,” you laugh it off, though your heart hammers to great lengths, “She had been the one to say I had a husband.”

Your laugh leaves Adrian silent, quieter than he normally is, and it leaves you spiralling. What was he thinking? Was he too uncomfortable with the choice of words?

“Turn round for me?”

You blink thoughtlessly at the question, slowly following as you turn your back on him. You have to stop yourself from gasping aloud when his gloved fingers graze over the back of your neck, pulling back your curls to give him a proper view.

You’re shivering, and you realise what state you’re in, crumbling just from a singular touch, but you try your best to keep your cool. Adrian steps close behind you, his scent is strong in your nostrils as he collects the links of the necklace, putting it around your neck before securing it.

 “It suits you.” He quips, knowing that his words are having an impact on you, before he turns away to the cart, you follow hot on his heels to nag him for making you feel so unsteady.

-

It's sometime later on the cart on your way back when Adrian suddenly touches your hand.

Even when he wears his leather gloves, you can feel the warmth that resonates within him, the raw strength and power that comes from him. He’s a killer, a killer who could’ve overpowered you a long time ago, but who you put your undying trust in.

Your shock freezes you as you look over at him, his gaze on the road ahead, but you know for a fact, that he’s aware you’re staring. “Is something the matter?” He draws softly, looking at you through his peripheral.

“You’re…” You can’t find the right words, but you direct your gaze to his free hand occupied in holding yours, and he follows. “My hand,” he states coolly, though you feel as if there is a hidden motive to this. “You were cold.”

Right, you tell yourself that, and a harsh chill bristles through you before you have time to think it through. He’s smart, too smart.

“Oh." You don’t consider he’s telling the whole truth, but you don’t shake away the way he’s holding your hand. It brings a great comfort to you. You’re still side-eyeing him as he continues on the road, the silence that envelops you is calming and quaint.

You’re very aware that your heart is hammering, the necklace wrapped around your neck is being twirled as you think heavily with your thoughts. Shall you tell him now how you feel? Would that break everything you built with him? It’s only a matter of time before your feelings are split accidentally and your friendship is cursed.

You squeeze his fingers to get his attention, “Adrian, there is something I wish to tell you-”

You’re lurched forward from your seat at the front of the cart, the suddenness of it is all to not still your nerves. The horses snorted in anxiousness, and all around you stood still as if holding their breath. Adrian’s eyes were deadest on something within the trees, and you couldn’t help but feel even more nervous at what could be out there.

“Night creatures?” You whisper to Adrian, but he only gives a glance your way, a way to tell you it was way, way worse.

It was still far too early for creatures of the night to be out, but with the fading sun passing over the horizon of the trees, that was when you spotted them.

They blended with the trees at first, but you could see their silhouettes, standing as rigid as statues, ready as soldiers for war, staring down at you like vultures. They can’t be just human bandits on the road, their presence alone gave off a bad omen. You don’t know how many you count, their clothes blend as one with the growing darkness as the sun settles.

Adrian’s voice is already speaking to you, cutting the silence with a knife.

“Y/N, get to the back of the cart, do not come out until I tell you so,” it’s not a warning, but an order, and you don’t want to waste his time by stalling. His voice is serious, eyes stone cold as he glares down at the figures not far and lurking around the trees.

Adrian easily hops down from his spot as he flicks the scabbard off his longsword. You watch in a mix of wonder and dread at the scene that unfolds.

The figures draw in closer, watching and snarling as Adrian holds a solid line, almost unfazed as he holds the sword close to his face.

His sword glows suddenly as if imbued with holy light, a shocking flow of blue flames engulfs it, glowing and hissing with life. The flames flicker close to Adrian’s face as he readies his action, changing his stance before he is on the closest one.

He’s quicker than your eyes can register, a shadow of crimson shifts as he moves at lightning pace, soon in front of the hooded creature as his sword moves as one with him. He is no longer holding it, rather, the two of them move as if it is a dance, fluid and graceful.

A hiss of a cry lurches into the darkening skies, one is down on the ground, its skin hissing and bubbling as it disintegrates.

Two more are on him with a flash, but Adrian fights with valour and dances around him, swords crashing against the sound of their taloned nails. You’ve not stuck around to know what was happening, having crawled through to the back of the cart for safety.

Once huddled in a spot surrounded by crates, you can only rely on sound: clashes of silver clang loudly around you, bodies fall and you have no clue if Adrian is winning or not. You can only assume he is, from the way you can still hear the glow of his magic sword, twirling around as silent as he is.

Another noise resonates from just outside, creeping behind you and you freeze, before the sound of splattering blood and a gargled choke dies down. You look just to your left to see that the material of the cart is splattered in the thick, viscous liquid, and you shudder that Adrian is here to protect you.

You don’t know how many of them are left, and you can only think that the best thing for you to do is protect yourself if one finds you inside. You scramble to your feet, clumsily looking for any blade that could be of use. You find only a flimsy dagger, and you clutch it close to your chest as you settle in the back of the cart, trying to calm your racing heart.

Something draws in close and you stutter a gasp before you realise it’s too late. The figure pauses almost dramatically, inching closer to the back of the cart, their movement deliberately slow, trying to edge as much fear out from you.

You pray it’s Adrian coming to your rescue, to tell you the area has been cleared, but as the face emerges through the curtains of the entrance to the cart, it’s not those golden eyes you’ve grown to love staring back at you.

They’re red, crimson as the blood that will soon spill from you.

Your screams fall silent as the face erupts into a smile, wide and fanged as the rest of its vampiric kind. The dagger in your grasp feels more like a twig as you stare down, wide-eyed the vampire in front of you.

“What a pretty little thing you are,” his voice is soft yet hoarse, and his red eyes seemed unblinking as he seemed to taunt you from the entrance, blocking one of the ways you could escape. “What a delicacy you’ll be.”

Your fight or flight had kicked in and instead of either of them, you had become frozen in your spot, dreading that this would be the way you died, dying in a smelling cart as a vampire ripped at your throat.

“Don’t worry,” he coos, inching closer, a clawed hand bracing the inside of the cart as he further draws inside, “I’ll make sure I’m quick with you.”

-

Adrian's POV

Blood soaks through the leather of his clothing, but he is thankful it is there’s and not his.

The last of the creatures die within an inch of him, sizzling into nothingness as he stares down what remains. Ash of their bones and the burnt clothes remain, the reminder to anyone who crossed him he would do it a hundred times over.

All in the name of love.

He had once didn’t understand the meaning of love, the way it would pull at his heart and lurch within him. He needed it as if it was necessary like water or food, a hunger that he yearned for in the waking hours of the day to the late hours of twilight.

He is his father's son after all.

Dracula did it in the name of love, and he found he was killing his kind all to keep you safe.

“Y/N, it’s safe.” He calls you to, and he listens for any sound except for the sounds of nature surrounding him. It’s startling how quiet the outside world could be, and how quickly his heart could plummet in knowing something was deeply, deeply wrong.

His heightened senses could not smell blood, not the blood that came from you but what had fizzled and dried. It seemed almost deathly quiet, but Adrian’s mind was racing, the pulling of his heart meant you were not here, or worse, he had failed to keep you safe.

A scream brings his attention, and he wastes no time in hurtling towards the back of the cart, his heart racing.

No, no, no, if he's failed in doing the one thing, he's failed you and himself.

He hasn't even got his face an inch through the gap before he senses something telling him to move out of the way, an object being flung just where his face would be. His head snaps to see a dagger clatter to the dirt just behind him before it turns to what stands before him, a snarl leaving his curled lips.

You were safe, for now, though the vampire he failed to miss had his disgusting fangs inches from the base of his neck, his clawed hands wrapped around you, keeping your body locked to his chest.

 “Son of Dracula, the Messiah,” the vampire greets him, observing him with a lazy smile. You continue to squirm in his grasp, eyes locked onto Adrian for any semblance of safety. “Care to take a bite of your pet first or shall I do the honour?”

His venom is bitter and his anger is boiling at the words he uses for you. How dare he call you a pet!

“Unhand her now,” his voice resonates inside him and he channels his father, the voice he would use and boom across the castle grounds, “I will not ask you again.”

“Ah, ah, one step and I spill her neck open.” The hooded vampire fusses, his movements almost consoling to Y/N as he runs a hand down her cheek, tears drying on her skin. “This one is a waste if you keep it.”

He laughs easily as he stares Adrian down, his next words bringing Adrian close to lopping his head clean off. “Though it is no surprise, you are Dracula’s son, keeping human women around as your pets. It was Dracula’s weakness,” he leant close into Y/N, drinking up her tears as he licked his tongue up the side of her face, “and it will be your undoing.”

Adrian is hunched as if ready to pounce to get him off you, but his golden eyes are never leaving you. A cry leaves your lips when his tongue licks up the side of your face, and you’re shivering, hands clutched around the tightened grip of his forearm.

There is a silent connection that only he can feel when you are close, and it comes from your eyes that stare back at him. They don’t seem as frightened as they did before, and he believes he knows you want him to be calm and not quick to action. Your eyes calm him like a storm approaching, ready to destroy all in its wake.

The vampire holding you runs a hand through the links of your necklace, the hands glimmer in the low light inside and it’s the only thing Adrian sees, trying to not imagine it coated in blood. “Such sweet, sweet blood.” The vampire says, his face drawing into your neck, but you stop him from doing anything further.

With your hands clutching his forearms tightly, Adrian watches how you shut your eyes tight, before shouting the words that resonate through you:

“Ardeo!”

It amazes him every time when you speak that spell, the way flames spill from your hands as easily as water flowing. The endless cycle of nature flows through you, and the power within your hands cries with a mighty scream that neither Adrian nor you know who it’s coming from.

The flames roar as they lick up the clothes of the vampire, and his screams join in fright as they clutch around his arm, a grip in itself that never lets him go. They take and they take, scorching the fabric as they bury deep into the skin.

The vampire is held in place as if something within an endless cycle of life and death ties him to his spot, scorched by your touch as he squirms and screams. He sounds like a pig, Adrian notes, but the sound is as annoying as the actual animal dying.

The vampire is quick though, and though his arm is distorted, blackened and charred, he shoves you away from him, his nails catching you by the skin of your arm, nicking it as you collide with the side of the cart.

Adrian is there in a flash to end it all, to end its misery, to end its hellish torment. He does it for you when his sword is a flash of lightning, quick to the bite and cold as a kiss to the vampire’s neck, coming out the other end before anyone could realise.

Your breath is caught in your throat as you’re unaware you’ve been cut, though the adrenaline dies down as quickly as the body slumps in front of you, turning to ash before your very eyes.

Adrian is beside you, a hand tending to your arm before the sting catches up with you. You hiss in pain, realising what had happened and how deep the wound is. Three long scratches reach down to your elbow, bleeding freely.

“Careful.” He’s quiet with his words, delicate as if treating you like the fine China you are. He rips part of your shirt, wrapping the open wound to stop the flow of blood. He reminds himself he needs to clean it when you return to the castle.

You’re staring at him as he does so, your eyes glazed over as if in a daze, and before he has time to register if you’re okay, he feels something press against his cheek, and he realises it’s your warm lips, chaste and sweet.

“Thank you,” you murmur, leaning into him as the silence fills the cart. Adrian is silent for what feels like forever, but his mind is screaming. You kissed him, and he’s gaping like a dead fish. You kissed him and he feels like a boy all over again.

He shakes out of his thoughts to collect himself, to calm the rush of blood that goes straight to his head, and he feels lightheaded, but he gladly accepts your embrace, cradling you to his chest.

“No... thank you.”

-

Latin Translation: