Castlevania Nocturne: A Guardian's Tale (Part 2)

A Different Perspective

Edited 3/4/25

Vance clenched at the ache in his gut. It was dawn, he knew should have hunted last night, it had been over forty eight hours since he last ate.

It's all right. He told himself. Given the circumstances there was no time, and you needed to watch Emma.

Yet, he was beginning to regret that decision, a hungry vampire was more dangerous than a sated one. He couldn't risk the one he loved.

Vance had more endurance than other vampires. He could go longer without feeding than most due to his age. These were the beginning hunger cramps, the warning signals his body gave him to start looking for food before the bloodlust overtook him.

If I were human I'd only have to worry about grouchiness or dizziness, not killing my friends out of sheer hunger. Sometimes he hated what he was so much.

"Of course." Vance remembered the blood bottles Amalie saved for him in the hospital icebox. With the rising sun Emma was safe, and Amalie would take watch while he rested.

First he needed to eat.

Vance floated down the stairs like a ghost, shifting soundlessly into the infirmary so not to disturb the sleeping humans. At the back of the infirmary sat an icebox where Amalie stored her potions that needed to be cold. The top shelf had rows of bottled blood in wine glasses set aside for Vance. He uncorked one bottle and took a large swig of it like a drunkard with fine wine.

Relief swept over him for a satisfied hunger. Vance paced himself, letting his body comprehend the food taking in. He sat for a few moments before resuming his drink, much slower and far less voraciously.

A gasp startled him from his early morning breakfast. Tera walked into the infirmary to find medicine for Maria. She stood frozen like a gazelle seeing Vance downing a bottle that obviously wasn't provincial wine.

"Good morning." Vance greeted her awkwardly, setting down the bottle on the counter.

"Hello."The Speaker mage said quietly, not taking her eyes off Vance while she searched the cabin for the antibiotic pellets. Vance tapped his claws on the table, unsure if he should get up and leave. He hoped Tera would quickly scurry off to wherever she needed to be.

Tera didn't leave when she found what she was looking for, taking the bottle and slowly passing Vance, staring at him as if he'd jump her at any moment. "I thought you were watching Emma."

"It's morning." Vance said. "Amalie will monitor her during the day while I rest. I take nights."

"I see." Tera replied stiff, her eyes locked onto the half empty bottle. "I suppose that's...."

"Yes." Vance clicked his teeth. "It's exactly what you think. People like me.....well....we have a very restricted diet." His attempt at levity only hardened her stare. "It's pig's blood, Amalie makes it from the meat she gets from the butcher, puts it in empty wine bottles to make it fancy." He winked, swirling the wine bottle. "Did you know pigs are omnivores? They eat both plants and meat, that's what makes their blood tastier than regular herbivores. Good alternative to humans because it tastes virtually alike which probably says something.....and I'm not making this better."

"No. You are not."

Vance put the bottle away. "I can't change what I am, Tera, but I can choose alternatives to what I must eat."

"If there weren't bottles stored, what would you eat?"

"Animals, and if I couldn't hunt them, yes. Humans. More often than not they're the easiest choice." He heard Tera's pulse spike.