I entered the cave, my eyes searching for any sign of danger. Scanning the surroundings, I didn’t find anything which could pose a potential threat, but I still didn’t relax my posture.

My stake was gripped tightly in my hand and I grew tenser by the moment. There was an eerie stillness and even in the broad daylight, the cave was dark as night.

I was remembering my previous battle, the pain of my transformation, my awakening into the world of the unknown, the loss. I shivered unknowingly.

“Dimitri!” there was a sense of relief in the voice.

“Rose, is it you?” I asked though I could have identified that voice anywhere. That voice was laced with death now.

I saw her slender figure emerge from behind a couple of rocks, her hair wild, her red-rimmed eyes, boring into me.

I instinctively moved forward.

“Stay there,” she warned, moving back, “I haven’t hunted for days and dhampir scent is the last thing I need to break my self-control. So please stay away.”
There was a predatory gleam to her eyes, but those eyes were recognizably filled with a different kind of love.

“Come back with me to the court. I’ll ask the spirit users to restore you,” I pleaded.

“I can’t come alone, I need to bring Lissa. I had explained everything to her and well she has realized her mistake. But there is a new problem. When Lissa had turned, she had done it in her own free will. But when she was wandering aimlessly, Prince Vlad III found her. He took her under his wing. And now when she wants to return, he’s not willing. She went to get his permission but hasn’t returned still. I bet they’re keeping her captive again. We need to go rescue her tonight.”

“You mean Vlad Tepes (the Impaler) of Wallachia, the voivode (prince), second son of Vlad Dracul? He is the one who is really famous as being the inspiration for that book ‘Dracula’ in the human world, by Bram Stoker. But as far as I know, he was a human and had expired long since,” I enquired, utterly confused.

“No, he was a Moroi, nobody knew that. His death as mentioned in history was simply a staged one. He had awakened himself and is one of the oldest Strigoi of Romania,” she informed.

“But where is he? Where can Lissa be? You have any idea?” I was still unable to comprehend the news.

“Castelul Corvinilor (The Corvin Castle), the Gothic- Renaissance castle in Hunedoara, Romania. He had once been held a prisoner there by John Hunyadi, Hungary’s military leader and regent during the king’s minority, for seven years after Vlad was deposed in 1462. Later Vlad entered into a political alliance with Hunyadi, which allegedly led to the execution of his father. This Vlad now stays in that castle after so many years. Tourists never know what danger is hiding in the dungeons. So I think that’s where they have kept Lissa,” she ranted on in one breath.

“Wow, that’s too much history for Rose Hathaway,” I tried to sound convincing.

She gave a tight lipped smile, “We need to rescue Lissa to restore her. The newly awakened Christian is with her too, as far as I know. But what I don’t know if you’ll trust a Strigoi like me enough to go alone with me to the den of Strigoi?”

I stood still for a moment, not knowing what to do.

Could I trust her?

I was remembering all the training ingrained in me.

“Dimitri, always remember they are not the same person you know,” my instructor used to say.

But I had undergone the transformation myself, and I knew I was the same, so there was absolutely no doubt in trusting Rose.

“I trust you with my life,” I sighed, “Just come back to me.”

Her eyes turned sad as she looked down. My heart was breaking too.

“Dimitri, there’s a battle and a danger in that too. Are you ready?” she asked, her voice quivering with emotions.

“Only if I have you as a reward. I’d go the underworld for you,” I closed the distance between us swiftly, giving her no time to protest.

I embraced her and as she tried to pry me away, my lips crashed into hers, and we drowned in that perfect moment for a second, as she responded with fervor.

But she broke away abruptly and was back to business mode, “Dimitri, we need to go.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“What are the protection systems of the castle?” I asked, still missing the kiss. I wished to do that again, now that she had fed.

“There is a moat surrounding it, though I doubt that there are crocodiles. I got a map of the castle and I kind of managed to get the location of the dungeon from sources,” she said, handing me a map.

She had marked an area in a red circle and cross and we soon chalked out a route on how we would enter the castle, scaling the wall and defiling its Strigoi security systems.

Then we deftly slipped out of the cave, under the cover of the night.

Rose took my hands and guided me through the darkness. To her it was clear as day. As we ran hand in hand, she slowing down for me to catch up, I felt that renewed touch of familiarity.

I prayed with all my might that we could rescue the duo and I would get her back.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Come down,” she whispered, “FAST!”

“I’m not a superwoman like you. I’m still a dhampir,” I hissed.

Nevertheless I let go one of the wall crevices and lightly landed on my feet. Together we moved along the periphery of the castle, keeping to the shadows.

The castle was well lit and I could smell Strigoi. There was a fair chance that their heightened senses would pick up my scent. We had to get out of there, fast.

I gestured her to the direction of the dungeons.

She gave me a thumbs up sign, as we scrambled to the back of the castle.

Suddenly there was a flurry of footsteps, followed by the snarl of beasts. My dhampir blood had attracted those nocturnal predators.

I deftly took out my stake, plunging it into the heart of the first that lunged for my throat.
Another was reaching out to catch me, when my stake slashed out, making him scream.

Rose caught a man and ripped his apart with bare hands. Soon four of them were on the ground as Rose fought to save herself and me.

But soon more Strigoi started coming.

Rose threw herself between me and the advancing bloodthirsty beasts.

We began backing off, but there was only a wall behind us as they closed in. I knew it was useless to fight. Once and for all, we were trapped, and in a sticky situation.

“Rose, go find Lissa,” I said, “If you sprint fast enough, you can dodge them. I’ll try to keep them distracted meanwhile.”

“Certainly not,” she changed her position, guarding me with her whole body, “No way am I leaving you.”

1200 words completed.
A/N First time writing for a historical fiction prompt. Entry for the purple belt in write to rank by action

Thanks Pipigrin KashishBelikov Meghana_violet  KlaraSofe  frostwingakfor all your support and encouragement friends...