Castlevania Nocturne: A Sneak Peak

Sneak Peak: Creatures of the Night

Tera hated leaving Maria behind.

Although it was necessary, hunger clawed at her belly making her a potential risk, leaving her daughter to hunt felt like leaving part of her own heart behind. She spent the day with Maria sheltering from the sun in the old shed. The young teenager lay on the straw bed, staring up at the hanging chimes she brought from her home. Marial didn't know why she took it with her, perhaps a reminder of her old life. Something familiar in a world turned upside down.

"You made this for me." Maria pawed at the bird-shaped chimes. "I used to stare at it when I had trouble sleeping, and imagine all the birds taking flight. I'd tell myself stories about the places they'd go, and I'd always, always imagine them coming back."

"We're lucky when the things we love come back to us." Tera thrummed, surprised by the calming purr in her chest. Outside the light diminished, and Tera sensed the coming of night.

Vance waited for her outside. "Are you ready?"

Tera quietly nodded, bidding farewell to Maria and reminding her to stay safe. She was too afraid to even kiss her daughter on the cheek, in fear of triggering her instinct to bite. "I love you." Maria said flatly. She looked at Vance. "Keep her safe." Vance nodded and bid her a good evening. Both vampires knew Maria would be safe within the powerful ward and under Amalie's protection. Neither knew that the young mage would sneak off to the standing stones later that night, and play the key role in Lyudmil's awakening powers.

The vampires sprinted into the field. The night air poured into Tera's lungs, exhilarating her blood and surging her instincts as the moonlight kissed her skin. The scent of flesh and iron lingered in the air.She may have been a vampire, but she'd never felt so alive.

Tera, this way. Vance flicked his eyes at her and veered into the woods. They followed the scent boar into a patch of wood. Dispacting the creatures was easy, Tera surrounded them with flame, and in the confusion ambushed them with Vance. The fearsome beasts put up a fight, inciting Tera's instincts as she bit down on its throat and drank until it struggled no more.

Vance shrieked when one razorback tusker gored him in the arms, stirring his rage and savagely biting into the creature's neck. The boar squealed in its death throes when an icicle pierces its skull.

"Are you all right!?" Tera ran to him, sitting beside Vance and tenderly holding his injured arm.

"I'm fine." Vance grunted in reassurance. "That wound would have crippled a human, but not a vampire. See how it's already healing? In a few minutes it should be patched up completely." Tera gawked watching Vance's torn skin pull itself together and mend. "As long as we're fed and healthy, we can heal ourselves quickly." He gulped at her touch. "I should speed it along."