eiahmon | Escape - New Castlevania Fic!

Title: Escape
Rating: R
Disclaimer: I only wish I owned.
Summary: Instead of trying to grab the Ebony Stone after injuring Walter, Joachim runs for his life and makes it safely to Silvanus' territory, where the older vampire claims him as his own. How will Joachim's life be with a different master?

My rage surged, and before I could think, I pulled my legs up - I was not tied - and kicked him hard in the chest. He laughter gurgled to a stop as the impact shattered his ribs and drove the fragments into his lungs and heart. Immediately my own chest exploded with pain, though I knew that it was nothing like what he was feeling. I scrambled off of the bed, fully intending to flee. I wasn't sure where I was going to go - I was hoping just to make it out of the Eternal Night - but I had to get out before Walter recovered. Silvanus had protected me once, maybe he would do it again

Decision made, I bolted from the room, unmindful of the fact that I was completely naked, running as fast as my legs could carry me. I ran out of our wing, and through the hidden doorway into the Pagoda of the Misty Moon. Behind me I could hear Walter gurgling for breath, and I could feel his rage through the bond, but I did my best to ignore that as I ran through the door and into the entrance hall, grateful that Walter had not sealed it. I didn't know if I was actually going to make it out of the Eternal Night, or even if I was going to clear the castle before he caught up to me, but I didn't care. I just had to get away. I couldn't take the abuse anymore.

I could sense Walter gathering himself together to chase after me, and I dropped into my wolf form to run faster and bolted across the drawbridge, but it started to rise before I was even halfway across. My claws scrabbled for purchase on the sloping surface, which forced me to turn back to my normal form to keep from sliding. I dug my claws into the wood and climbed up. I reached the top and stood there for a second. I looked behind me to see the castle wall getting closer, and I could sense Walter moving slowly my direction. Seeing no other option, I turned back to look down at the moat, took a deep breath, and jumped.

I landed in the freezing water with a loud splash, and the cold hit me like a punch to the chest. The air was forced from my lungs, and I struggled up to the surface and climbed up on the bank, coughing. I scrambled up the embankment, and upon reaching the top, I morphed back into my wolf form and started running through the trees. I could still sense Walter behind me, and I hoped that he was still healing, which would slow him considerably.

I ran west, towards Walter's western boundary. Beyond that was Ezra's territory, and beyond that was Silvanus' lands. I would have to take the paths between the territories to prevent being caught by Ezra or Actose, who had the northern territory. I honestly didn't believe I had a chance of making it. If it came down to it, I decided to cross onto Ezra's territory, which would require that Walter give him something in compensation. If I was lucky, I was hoping that Ezra would ask for me.

I reached the borders of Walter's territory, and to my relief, it was dark outside the Eternal Night, something that I hadn't even given thought to while running. I crossed the border into the path, and I felt rage from Walter's end from the bond, as well as an unspoken threat, warning me what would happen if I didn't turn around and come home immediately. No threats could be worse than what I had already suffered. I could feel Walter chasing after me, and his rage beat down on me through the bond, and if I had been in human form, I would have been sobbing in terror. If he caught me, I had no doubt that he was going to have me begging for death by the time he was done.

I ran down the path, crying to myself, and tried to ignore the thirst burning in my veins or how my muscles were beginning to protest the vigorous exercise I was subjecting them to. Walter hadn't fed me in two days, and I had spent most of my time since I had been caught in bed with Kerwin tied down, unable to move. At least, I thought, Walter would also have to follow the path to catch up to me, which would slow him down a little. Overall though, I didn't think it would do much good.

Ezra's territory was small, thankfully, so I made good time in getting around it, but it wasn't enough, as I could feel Walter closing in behind me at a terrifying speed. Obviously the injuries I had given him had healed, and they were no longer holding him back. Ahead of me I could faintly sense the border of Silvanus' territory, but my thirst and exhaustion were catching up to me. I stumbled, fell to the ground, and I changed back to human form, unable to maintain the wolf any longer.

"Joachim!" Walter's voice yelled my name, and I cried out and dragged myself to my feet. I had to keep going. Tears streaked down my face as I stumbled down the path, closer to Silvanus' border, but then I saw something that gave me hope.

Silvanus was standing there, just inside his border, watching me. I reached out to him, but he didn't move. I stumbled again then, but before I could regain my footing, I felt Walter grab me from behind.

"Where do you think you're going?" he growled in my ear as I screamed and struggled to get away from him. He threw me to the ground and pinned me down by my wrists as he kneed me legs apart. He was going to rape me right there, in full view of Silvanus.

"No!" I screamed. "Let go of me! I don't want this!" I wiggled and thrashed under him, as pointless as it was. I wasn't strong enough to fight him, and he wasn't going to let me get a hit in like he had earlier. I tilted my head back to look at Silvanus to find him still standing there, but then he twitched two of his fingers, and Walter was flung off of me. I didn't waste any time; I scrambled to my feet and ran towards my only chance of survival. I heard Walter getting to his feet behind me and coming after me again, but I ignored it as I crossed Silvanus' border and ran right into his waiting arms. I felt his arms close around me protectively, and I hid my face in his hair, crying, as Walter came right up behind me.

"Thank you for catching him for me." Walter snarled, and I shivered. Silvanus said nothing for a moment, and I wondered if he was going to hand me back as he had years ago at the council.

"Walter Bernhard," he said formally, and his voice thrummed with power that made me shiver again. "Your child has invaded my territory. As compensation you will hand this child over to me with no argument, as per the vampire laws. You will then cease any and all attempts to harm this child, and you will never come near him again. Am I understood?"

Walter growled. "He's mine, Silvanus."

"Not anymore!" Silvanus snapped back at him, and the air around us crackled with energy that made the hair on my arms stand up. "I raised you better than this, Wathari, and yet here you are, having made your own child so terrified of you that he ran to someone he barely knows for protection! Joachim Armster is mine now! Now go home and bother him no more! I will deal with you later!"

I felt Walter flinch through our bond, but then he snarled: "I will get you back, Joachim, and when I do..."

"Leave Wathari!"

Walter growled something then, but I felt his presence begin to recede as he left the area. I kept my face hidden in Silvanus' hair as he went.

After a few minutes, I felt Silvanus relax slightly. "He's gone, little one." he said gently as the energy around us dissipated. "Let's get you home now, shall we?" I raised my head and looked up at him, and I will never forget the look of kindness and concern in his silver eyes, something that I had never seen in Walter's gaze. I started to cry again as I laid my head back down, and a second later, I felt his arm slip behind my knees, so he could pick me up.

"Everything's going to be all right, Joachim." he said gently as he began to carry me to my new home. "He's never going to hurt you again." I didn't answer; I only cried as he carried me away, and I cried myself to sleep in his arms.

******

I woke up with a terrified gasp. Walter was furious at me; he was going to hurt me so bad, he was going to... !

"Joachim?"

I jumped and looked to my left towards the voice that had spoken to see Silvanus sitting there, watching me. I relaxed slightly as I remembered my terrifying run to his territory after I had attacked Walter, but I could still feel the burning rage that had woke me, and I whimpered slightly before I could stop myself. Silvanus held his arms out to me invitingly, and I didn't hesitate at all before I climbed out of the bed I had been lying on and onto his lap. I dimly realized that I was wearing a nightshirt and that I had been bathed, but I ignored that as I felt Silvanus' arms close around me and hold me close. I closed my eyes and laid my head down against his shoulder.

"Do you remember what happened, Joachim?" Silvanus asked me quietly after a few minutes, and I nodded slowly. "You understand that I claimed you as mine?" I nodded again. "Is this what you want?" I nodded a third time; I didn't know what kind of master he would be, but he couldn't be worse than Walter. Silvanus shifted me on his lap so I was straddling him. "Then let's close the bond you have with him then and make you mine." I didn't say anything, I just tiled my head to the side, so he could better reach my neck to bite me. I saw him eying the side of my neck for a second, and then he pressed me against his chest and bit down.

I gasped as the feel of his sharp fangs, followed a second later by the gentle suction of him drinking my blood. It didn't hurt, like it often did when Walter drained me, instead it was a... relaxing feeling, almost arousing. I closed my eyes and tried to ignore the feel of Walter's rage; he knew what Silvanus was doing, and he didn't like it at all.

I was dizzy when Silvanus raised his head a few minutes later, and I looked at him through half lidded eyes to see him licking a stray drop of blood from his mouth. He then tilted his own head to the side, raised me up so I could easily reach his neck. I bit down without hesitation, caring only to satiate the thirst that was burning ever stronger in my veins. Silvanus' blood was hot, and it seemed to burn with power as it filled my stomach and then ran through my own veins. As I drank, Walter's anger seemed to fade until I could barely feel it as the sire/child bond I had with him weakened.

I drank until my stomach was full, and I leaned back in Silvanus' arms, feeling full, sleepy, and pleasantly warm. Silvanus smiled gently at me and laid me down on the bed as I closed my eyes, and I felt him pull the covers over me just before I fell asleep.

-- Chapter 2
Back to the Side Stories Archive
Back to the AMoS Archive
Back to the Main Archive

Escape - New Castlevania Fic! - AU to AMoS Part 1