A Modern Guy in the Lesbian Vampires' Court 8 (Patreon)

A Modern Guy in the Lesbian Vampires' Court 8 - or ‘My business as the treasurer is surely a troublesome one among those ‘supposed’ world-conquerors’ (Castlevania Animated Series, Vampire!SI)

Count Dracula Tepes was far from a fool, and could recognize when someone was far too aware of things that shouldn’t be available to others.

If there is something that a vampire is to fear, it is their knowledge. Sure, being a powerful entity on a physical standpoint does prove to be beneficial in most occasions, but in a battle of wits knowledge is key to success. And potential plotting.

Years had gone by since he put himself to study and master the dark arts that his powers opened to, fully shedding the man that he once was as the name ‘Mathias Cronqvist’ mattered no more to him. Now he was Dracula and… he came close to lose it all again.

Despite power and knowledge being in his hands, he almost lost Lisa… like he lost Elisabetha all those eons ago. No, peace was no longer an option. As much as his wife tried to pardon some of the slights committed by her kind, Dracula was too familiar with the precepts of the Bible himself- people remember power through fear. Not through an entire livelihood of it, but through a single moment that shall be marked for decades to come.

So, the war was needed. What Dracula was not sure he needed was the outrageously dangerous vampires from Styria. None bore ill intent towards him. He could perceive just this much. What he feared was less of an intent-driven attack but one of awareness of things that should not have been rendered public. Even if those knowing were just a handful of people.

John Bukharin, Dracula ruled out, was a potential threat to him. Not as a political entity, but one that could disturb the identity he mustered after eons of careful planning. And the worst part was that it would render one of his last heinous sins against the Belmont in vain.

When Leon had proclaimed vengeance through his family, the Count had not expected for his son to get so close to where his castle was. Driven by intents mustered by his father’s revenge, Claudius Belmont embarked on what would have been the first of many expeditions to kill him.

Dracula was still busy in his studies, unwilling to stamp on his fate by allowing a fight with that boy and that dangerous whip in his hold to lead to his demise. A plot was thus ordained through the means of poison. The boy was driven to seek booze, his mind and body abused by his father through the harsh sessions of training to ‘prepare him for that moment’.

One thing that Dracula had not seen happening was the decline of Leon Belmont into a man that cared not much for his wife and children. A dark soul tempered by a sense of ‘justice beaten upon his skin’. By killing him, the threat was contained. Claudius dropped dead while crossing a ford, the whip retrieved from his corpse by some of his servants.

Part of him wanted it to be destroyed. Vampire Killer existed with the sole purpose of killing him. And as he laid his eyes on it after so many years, Dracula felt a strong sense of shame erupt within himself. He could feel her gaze despite her passing. That strong and loyal soul that made Leon a good and happy man that still fought against him.

Ultimately, Dracula had it hidden away in a special reliquary that was based after a church. Deep within the castle, sanctified to pay it… respect. If any could be accepted by such an upset and righteous entity.

For a long time, the Belmont family had been out of his mind, only partly returning as he considered being active again after so long. To learn that the family had been mostly crushed was a relief and a concern. He knew that it was because of his actions.

Without Vampire Killer, all the Belmont Clan had was papers that could be disproved. Dracula had gone missing for so many decades it made sense their position had declined and then employed as a scapegoat to destroy a group of ‘dangerous heretics’.

It was frustrating how ironic it was. Dracula was the one that had destroyed the Belmont Clan and he did so without even trying to go for something too excessive. Still, the name was brought up. A survivor, a broken man, someone with a malleable mind that wasn’t whipped and pushed around by Leon. The hatred had dulled the more generations came, and soon this ‘Trevor Belmont’ was left of them.

Part of him was worried. Maybe he was still going to hate him, to try and hurt him and his family. Maybe the pain he suffered would make him a good ally. But what had convinced him was a talk with Lisa. The woman had asked, reasonably so, why he hated the Belmont Clan.

Hate was a strong word for him towards them, but it was a good enough alternative to what he truly felt. Guilt. Despite becoming a monster, despite losing what humanity he once had, the rekindled soul of his as he got a wife and a son made him feel more alive than he had been for long.

And the thought of what could have been if Leon and Sara Trantoul had been married and formed a proper family made him realize how much he ‘hurt’ his old friend. There is no word to describe the grief he unconsciously caused as his own pain made him see Leon as a fellow ally within the pain.

Still, he refused to tell Lisa the real reason. Only limiting himself to ‘something he did may have led to the feud’ and shutting the conversation down to only that.

…

“Isaac?”

The dark-skinned Forgemaster kneeled before him. “Lord Dracula, how may I be of service?”

Always the faithful man, Isaac was the one he trusted in this task.

“I need you to give this to someone that may find you a foe,” The vampire answered calmly, providing a rectangular box to the loyal man. “I want you to approach Trevor Belmont and give him this and… this letter.”

A rolled up piece of paper was firmly wrapped with the box with a special blue string.

“He will reach Gresit in two days from now, you shall find him there by the local bars. Provide him with a degree of care in not being too antagonistic or sarcastic- it’s possible he may be drunk.”

There was just a hint of surprise in Isaac’s eyes at this unexpected task, but no complaint came from the ever-loyal servant of the dark lord.

“His face,” Dracula remembered before letting Isaac go. A mirror manifested and Trevor’s bust was shown to Isaac. “Don’t forget it.”

“I will not, milord.”

“Then go. Prepare for the journey. I will keep track of you to help if needed.”

A slow thankful nod was all Isaac gave as he left the throne room.

…

“I could tag along-”

“No,” Dracula flatly remarked, turning his gaze to the shadows in the corner of the room as his son walked into sight. “You will stay close to your mother.”

Surprise appeared in Adrian’s face. “Why?”

“I have something to check after the guests are away.”

“Is it that important to force me to guard mother?”

“Yes.”

That silenced the boy for good, and yet the curiosity had manifested from that order.

After all, what could get Dracula to be this irritated to leave his wife and look into said matter?

—--------d-d-d-d—---------

AN

And as John and Lenore leave the Castle, Dracula tackles a rather deadly affair.