My Daughter, Isa

5/19/20

The sound of a muffled thud awoke Nicholas in the middle of the night. He felt a weight on his chest, and lit his bedside lamp to reveal Isa laying her head on his chest, completely asleep.  He pinched the bridge of his nose, His eyelids heavy. "Who's there?" He whispered, calling into the dark bedroom. Nick Dared not move, fearing he would disturb Isa. Something Scratched against wood, and there was the sound of a leathery flop against the floor, followed by silence. the noise seemed to rouse Isa, who stretched, grabbed a pillow, and rolled over to fall back asleep, freeing Nick.
Nicholas grabbed the base of the oil lamp and held it out, scanning the room with the light. A shape on the floor caught his attention. Carefully stepping off of his bed, he Walked over to the object and picked it up from the floor; a book, 'Asian culture and history' To name its title, had found itself in the middle of his bedroom floor.
Still half asleep, Nick rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand and closely examined the book, looking for any abnormalities. Something in the night made wood creak from his bookshelf, And made an impact on the one opposite of the first. "Melana?" Nicholas asked the darkness, Knowing her preference for shadows.
A low growl sent a chill up his spine, His eyes watered with fear, his whole body stiffened like prey. After a few seconds of terror Nick slowly, reluctantly, began to turn around. Once he did, he was frozen solid in place by the sight of two blood red eyes, Little embers Danced away from The outer edges of the eyes. A demon? a phantom? A sub-species human? Nick's mind began to roam. The answer became apparent as a toothy grin spread below the eyes, The sharp teeth reflected dim lamplight. The mercenaries had sent another non-human after Nicholas early. The Eyes and teeth lept at nick, hitting him like a bull. Nicholas shouted in a panic as he was pinned to the floor, A fur-covered hand covered his mouth and part of his face, The attacker leaned into the light.
Her hair was like oil, Her skin like smoke. The fur covering her forearms and legs Was thick, and smelt of sulfur. The strangest feature, however, Were the two feline-esque ears on top of her head. "Shut up and die." The non-human Hissed. Nick began to feel an increasing pressure as the fur-covered limb began to squeeze his head.
A flash of red tackled the assailant, black and red struggled in the dim light as Isa began to crush the non-human in the coils of her tail, "You dare threaten my father, mongrel?" She growled, the one exposed arm of the aggressor struggled to get free, helplessly clawing at Isa's tail. "Father, get help, ill crush this bitch into submission."
Nicholas was shocked, this was unlike Isa, But she was fighting out of daughterly love. Without sparing another moment, Nicholas ran out the door, and bolted towards the servant's quarters. running through the dark hallways without caution was a poor decision, as he ran into a body, heard a cry of pain, and landed on his back after flipping in the air. "Whos there? another one?" He rolled over and felt around, Touching the plume of downy feather and hearing a familiar voice groan gave away the identity of who he collided with: Sora. "Apologies Sora, But I must be going." Nicholas scrambled to his feet and charged through the kitchen, skidded to a stop at Melana's door, and started pounding rapidly on it's surface, "Melana! theres an intruder, Isa is holding her in my quarters!" He blurted out. After a few seconds of no response, Nick Pounded on the door twice before it swung open, revealing a severely agitated, messy-haired, half-dressed vampire. Melana held up a finger to stop Nick's explanation, and fast-walked past Nicholas.
Nick jogged down the hallway to another maid's door, and repeated his frantic pounding, "Wake up! I need your help! Isa has captured an intruder!" He heard a moan of defiance, followed by the rustle of bedsheets, and watched the doorknob jiggle before the door opened, Revealing Lydia, Her hair equally as messy as Melana's. "It's midnight, sir Nick, what could possibly be the issue?" The sandworm rubbed one side of her face, her eyes barely open.
Nick rolled his eyes, snatched her hand, and ran back to his bedroom despite Lydia's protests. Yanking open his bedroom door, he found a more or less disturbing site, Isa was huddled in a corner, covering her mouth, Tears streaming down her face. The lights had been turned on, Melana stood over the corpse of the intruder, examining the fur on it's arm. Melana looked up and gave Nick a disapproving look, "Dragging off a maid to your bedroom for your own devices, Nicholas?" Melana commented.
Nicholas turned his head around to see Lydia covering her bare chest. he awkwardly let go of her hand and turned his gaze away, allowing Lydia to return to her room. Nick shut the door behind him, and was nearly tackled by Isa as she ran into his chest, the lamia clutched at his shirt, Shaken and scared. Nicholas held her, trying to calm her down.
Melana adjusted her bra after dropping the non-human's arm on the ground, "What we have here is what is called a Hellhound," Melana explained, "Theyre vicious, aggressive, and very strong." The vampire squatted next to the hellhound's head, it's eyes wide with fear, its lips spotted with dark blood, "Isa got lucky, she managed to catch it in one twist, if she had let any more of this monstrosity go free, She may not be so unscathed right now." Hearing this, Isa wrapped her arms around Nick's upper torso, half of his shirt was damp with her tears.
"Thank you, Melana," Nicholas started, "But I think thats enough." He explained, pointing at Isa. Melana stood up and shook hair from her face, then gave Nick a Raised eyebrow when he cleared his throat, "And could you please cover yourself, and avoid adjusting your bossom when You lack anything beyond a nightgown?" Nicholas added, Feeling a bit embarassed. Melana Humphed, and strutted up to Nick, "I dont care as much as you do, because I find humans unappealing in every respect." The words Melana spoke stung, she always had a superiority complex.
After the door shut behind her, Nicholas and Isa had the room to themselves, "Are you okay Iss? You did the right thing here." Nicholas tried to calm her, He stroked her head Trying to comfort her.
"I do feel I did what was right in saving your life, but I still killed one thats like me, a subspecies human." Isa Explained, "I feel..." She trailed off, at a loss for words.
Nicholas let go of her, and stepped back once she had released her grip on his shirt, "I wouldnt be standing before you if you hadnt attacked," Nicholas explained, Isa's face was wet with tears. She sniffled, and Nick dried the moisture from her cheeks with the end of his sleeve, "This may not be the last time you need to take action to defend me, or Sora, or Chandra, or Melana, or even Zenia, we must defend our home at whatever the cost." Nicholas nearly tripped over her tail, she had wrapped it around his ankles.
Isa exhaled a shaky breath and rubbed one of her eyes with the back of her hand, "I should become stronger-hearted shouldnt I? This is our home, but if we fall it may become our tomb." Isa Looked over to her violin on the floor for comfort, "Thank you, father, I will be stronger next time." She clasped her hands in front of her, and bowed her head in an appreciative gesture.
"Im going to take this one to Alicd, maybe she can give us some insight on how to more easily beat a hellhound, and any affiliation she may have had with this one while she was working for our friends outside." Nicholas Informed Isa, and pointed at his bed, "You should go back to sleep, youre still traumatized and Tired, neither of us have slept long." Nicholas kissed the top of Isa's head, "Good night, darling."
Isa slithered back to the bed, and caught Nick's attention as he headed to the door, the hellhound's body in his arms, "I dont feel safe, father." she grieved from the bedside.
Nicholas picked a key out of his pocket and tossed it to her, "My Bedroom door key, Lock the door and draw the curtains once I leave." He suggested. Isa looked at the skeleton key in her hands, And locked the door behind Nicholas once he stepped out.
The air was crisp in the backyard, Cool on his chest where Isa had cried. He approached the Greenhouse and found it's glass covered in thorny vines, hardly able to see in. Nick laid the hellhound against the side of the greenhouse, next to the door. Rapping on the glass door made the vines tense up, "Alice, its me, I have a matter of importance." He raised his voice, and tapped on the door again. He could see motion through the spaces between the thorns, The rose Opened, and the thorns lazily pulled back to reveal a groggy Alice, Who was leaning against one of the red petals.
The vines completely retracted from the greenhouse walls, and Alice nodded her head for Nick to enter. Nick pulled the door open and apologized, Before dragging The hellhound around the doorframe and gently set it inches from Alice's Base. "Can you tell me more about this one? she tried to kill me moments ago, Isa squeezed her to death." Nicholas explained, But alice had dozed off back to sleep in the sweet-smelling honey of the rose. Nick poked her shoulder and she lethargically brushed it away, Mumbling something inaudible. Nicholas Shook the alarune's shoulder and she woke up.
Alice stood upright, Unbalanced, "Sorry, fell back asleep," She apologized, Wobbly like she was standing in a canoe, "What matter of..." Her sentence drifted off as she spotted the body of the hellhound, Lost in thought. Suddenly she was wide awake, Alice knelt over the flower's petals and closely examined the face of the non-Human, "Did you kill the other one as well?" Alice asked.
Nicholas shook his head, looking concerned. "This hellhound is a twin sister, I spoke to them once. For being solitary, aggressive creatures, This one and her bigger sister were inseparable, You didnt take down the other, did you?" Alice asked again, rising up to Nicholas' nose.
Nick shook his head again, "There was only this one that ambushed me." He answered. Alice's vines crept up the greenhouse walls as she leaned back from him, Her eyes wide with terror.
"You just signed our death certificates," Alice Whispered, "You must prepare, time is short." She urged.
Nicholas Pursed his lips, "How long do we have?" A Grim howl Shook Alice and Nick to the bone.
"Seconds." Alice Hissed, as her vines Covered the glass.