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The garden behind Castle Wales could hardly be called a garden; with carefully trimmed hedges and a series of towering shrubbery, it was far more accurate to call it a maze instead. But for a young vampire such as Percival, the garden was his favorite place to play.
It was especially useful for hide-and-seek.
Percival giggled as he turned a corner, expertly weaving in and out of the maze. His brothers most likely knew the maze as well as he did, but he could at least buy himself some time before they find him.
However, when he reached the gazebo at the end of the garden, he was not alone.
"Percival?"
Percival blinks as he registers the hand being waved in front of his place. He pushes it away lightly, his gaze now focusing on the brown-haired young man in front of him.
"You okay?" Gran eyes the vampire with a furrowed brow. "You've been staring at the body for a while... Did it freak you out that much?"
"Don't be ridiculous. I should be the one asking you that." Percival strides forward, gently moving Gran aside as he walks closer to the body. He kneels down once he's in front of it.
Had it not been for the fact that the young man's face had been virtually untouched, Percival wouldn't have been able to identify the victim at all. The body lies in a bed of viscera, the lower half split open, intestines spilling forth. Even the man's legs are warped, bent at unnatural angles, as if he had been dropped from above. While the telltale bite marks are on the victim's neck, Percival can already tell that this isn't the work of the vampires of Wales. It couldn't possibly be, not with the agreement they have with the humans of the kingdom; in return for their protection, the vampires of Wales can feed on the humans. Even then, none of the vampires are so uncouth that they would maim a human during their feeding.
"It matches the descriptions of the bodies found in Feendrache and Dalmore." Percival hears Gran stop right next to him. The hunter speaks with an even tone, one of the many displays of his experience despite his youth. "For an attack to happen here as well... Knowing you guys, it had to be someone else, right?"
"Naturally. I have been watching my brother closely. I would have known if he had been plotting something, and if one of our own had been the perpetrator, then he would have known."
Percival glances at the human beside him. While he had agreed to accompany Gran on his investigation, he had done so in part because he had to confirm with his own eyes if Wales had any part in these tragedies. With the state of the body before him, he couldn't be any more certain that this was not the doing of his people. "Though it does not make for a succinctly airtight explanation, I do not think that House Wales is behind these attacks. At the very least, I can promise that whoever it is, they are operating outside of our knowledge."
"I believe you." Gran's smile flashes in the moonlight. "You and Aglovale wouldn't let any one of your people come to harm, and I don't think any of your vampires can escape Tor's watch. Honestly, I wasn't actually expecting to find anything when I was asked to look here, but..." He frowns, looking at the body once more. "From what you've told me, there hadn't been any attacks in Wales so far. Obviously that's not true anymore, but with the pattern set in the other kingdoms, that means that there are more to come."
Percival clenches his fists at his side. That Wales had come to suspicion at all because of the acts of this fiend, and for said killer to be hiding somewhere in his beloved kingdom... "I'll let my brother know at once," he declares as he rises. "For the time being, you should rest at Castle Wales. We can guarantee your protection for the night."
"Thanks for the offer, but-" Gran partially lifts up his blue hoodie, revealing the belt- with its many, many pouches- wrapped around his waist. He lowers his hoodie, and then pats at the sword sheathed at his side. "I can protect myself. It might be a long shot with how much time has already passed, but I should at least search for more leads while it's still night."
"Then I will-"
Gran shakes his head, successfully interrupting Percival. "No, Aglovale should know as soon as possible that Wales is being targeted. You're faster than me, so you're the best one to deliver the message." He places a hand on Percival's shoulder. "Trust me, I can handle myself."
Percival narrows his eyes. Finally, he sighs. He knows he can't change Gran's mind, but then again, Gran's determination is what had enticed Percival to name him his vassal in the first place. "When I have warned my brother, I will find you at once. If I cannot locate you, or if you end your investigation early, you are to come to Castle Wales."
"I promise." Gran makes a shooing motion with his hand. "Now go. The sooner you can get someone to bury this man, the better."
Percival nods. He turns around and sprints to the castle, leaving Gran alone.
Percival eyes the figure lying on the gazebo warily. Though all he could see was the man's back, he could not recognize the figure lying on the gazebo bench. From his scent, he didn't smell like any human Percival knew, nor did he resemble any vampire of the castle. Could he be a newcomer? A visitor? But the gardens were typically closed to everyone but his family...
Still, blood trickled down the man's body. Stranger he may be, Percival was the only one around to help him.
He ran forward.
The moment Percival told Aglovale, Aglovale had ordered the other vampires to search the kingdom at once, Percival joining them. But though they searched long and hard, they could not find any trace of the mysterious attacker.
Of greater concern, however, was that there had been no trace of Gran either.
Percival clicks his tongue as he runs across the streets, trying but failing to shake the stray thoughts out of his head. When he had returned to the castle, his vassal had been nowhere in sight. All Percival could do was wait for night to come once more to even begin searching for the hunter. He growls as he forces himself to speed up. If the killer had gotten to Gran, then he could never forgive himself for abandoning him.
Though as he rounds the corner, Percival stops in his tracks. At the end of the alleyway is a lone figure, blue hoodie immediately recognizable.
"Gran!"
But saying his name doesn't stir the human. Even as Percival walks up to him, Gran doesn't move. The closer Percival gets to him, the more he realizes that something is wrong. The sword that he carries is no longer on his person, and the hood on his head uncharacteristically obscures his face.
"Gran...?" Percival shakes him. Gran's head lolls to the side; Percival's stiffens when he sees two bite marks on Gran's neck. "Gran!" Percival shakes him harder, but that only succeeds in swaying Gran's hood off.
The moment Gran's hood falls off, Gran snaps his head up. Percival steps back, the hunter staring at him with crimson eyes. He opens his mouth:
"Such a cute little toy you have." The lilting, mocking voice is a stark contrast to the human's normally cheery one. "Don't you know not to leave them lying around? But don't worry, I cleaned this one up for you."
Percival snarls. "You coward! Come out and face me!"
"'Come out'? I'd rather let you in." Gran leans closer. "If you want to finish what you've started, then seek me out. I'm sure you can find that sweet spot within these walls." He smirks. "And don't tell anyone. As much as I love a party, a midnight tryst is best kept secret, isn't it?"
Percival opens his mouth, but the red fades from Gran's eyes until they return to their regular brown.
"Percival..." The human's words are hoarse. "The garden..."
Before Gran can say anything more, his body dissolves in the night air as if it's made of ash. The only thing left behind is his hoodie.
A vampire's blood is special. While a human's blood sustains, a vampire's blood can heal. To be more precise, it can help accelerate the body's natural healing processes.
However, not many can withstand the potency of a vampire's blood.
Percival knew the risks, and yet he decided to offer his arm all the same.
Percival knows the garden like the back of his hand, but even he cannot explain why in particular he headed for the gazebo first. It would be illogical to hide in one of the most obvious places in the garden, especially to one familiar to it, and yet he knows he's right.
And there Gran is, laying on one of the benches, a black hoodie now on his torso. Though as much as Percival would love to go to his aid, the figure in front of him prevents him from doing so.
Percival jumped back, tugging his arm sleeve down. His chest rose and fell rapidly, red staining the white of his clothes.
Any longer, and he would've been sucked dry.
But his blood seemed to have done the trick. The man rises, six black leathery wings unfurling from his back.
Percival froze. On the back of his mind was a memory of one of his studies, of how humans thought that they could transform into bats because of a single being.
The Original.
The man turned towards Percival, crimson eyes glittering in the moonlight as he smirked.
"Belial." Percival starts reaching for his arm, only for his hand to go to his head instead.
"You make for quite a tasty snack, kiddo." The man bent down and patted Percival on the head, although Percival barely registered his touch. Under his stare, Percival felt trapped. "Now I've gotten up faster than I was supposed to."
The man grinned, his grip on Percival's head tightening so that Percival could not look away. "For now, this will be our little secret. Don't worry though; I'll be sure to give you your reward next time we meet."
Even though his head throbbed, Percival's eyes drooped, the red fading from his vision.
When he woke up later that day, he was on the bench, his brothers scolding him for falling asleep during the game. Percival had only laughed, rubbing the sleep away.
"Long time no see, Percy." Percival scowls as the beast says his name, his headache the only thing stopping him from attacking at once. "To think that the one that helped me was a prince of Wales!" The man does a low bow. "I should be honored, Your Highness."
"Let him go." Percival raises his head, summoning as much power as he could and focusing them on his voice. "Leave Gran out of this."
"How cute."
Percival's eyes widen as Belial sticks his arm into his gut, the wings on his back slowing down their flapping. He squeezes, claws digging down on his intestines, and Percival hitches his breath. "And here I was about to give you your prize."
Percival opens his mouth, but Belial sticks his forearm in it instead. Instinctively, his fangs elongate, piercing through skin to seek the blood that assaults his nose.
A vampire's blood can heal.
There is a sickly sweet fire that burns his tongue, but he cannot get himself to stop feeding. Rapidly, his wounds begin to close, but that only succeeds in trapping Belial inside him. The demon swirls his hand around his innards, but any internal damage he inflicts is cured immediately thanks to his blood. As he thrusts his hand in and out of Percival's gut, Percival can only wince, the pain a flare blooming inside his body.
Even when Belial finally yanks his arm away, abruptly ending the feed and leaving a bitter taste in Percival’s mouth, Percival’s head swirls. “Wh-why...?" Though his words are quiet, breathless, Belial seems to understand clearly.
"I told you, didn't I? I'm giving you a little something for helping me." He takes out his arm from Percival's gut, a purple mark spreading where the hole closes. His grin widens as he drags his tongue along his forearm, catching each drop of blood that falls. "And now that I'm at full strength, what better way to celebrate than picking up something that is mine?"
He takes a strand of his hair, lifting it to Percival's face. Percival watches as the scarlet drains away, to be replaced by an ashen white.
"You-!"
But Belial grabs Percival's head, forcing him to look at him. "Sleep, Percy."
The effect is immediate. Black corners around his vision until there are only two dots of red.
"Now... Wake up."