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the-sloth-woman · 6 years

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Life After Life

Header by @there-was-liddle

Dracula Au. Introduction // Part One // Part Two

This particular section turned out to be longer than I anticipated, so it’s split into two parts. The first part is here, the second is linked at the end. Also, Yuma wears a cowboy hat in this~ The second part is NSFW

Words: 3064

Evelyn waited eagerly for Ayato’s visit. After Lilly’s departure, she took to walking the streets of Whitby alone, always making sure to return before the sunset. She enjoyed her first walk around the pier, happily picking up little pink seashells as she went along. But on the way back Evelyn began to feel terribly fatigued as if she had been out and about for hours. Feeling a slight headache she decided to skip dinner and went straight to bed.

That night she found herself having another one of what were quickly becoming her favorite dreams. She was alone in her bed, just like how she was when she was awake. She sat up slowly and looked around. It was uncanny how similar the room looked to the real thing. Her stuffed bunny was in the very same place she left it. Her shoes were in their neat place by the door, and her coat was even thrown over Lilly’s former bed. The window was open slightly, and a light breeze floated in through the gap.

“There you are.”

His voice seemed to float to her ears on the back of the breeze. Evelyn stood up immediately, her head whipping around. “Where are you?” she asked in the softest voice.

“You have to let me in,” his response was clipped. “Quickly, I want to see you.”

Evelyn, unsure of what to do, opened the door and looked around. “You can come in?” she asked hesitantly.

“Good girl…” the voice sighed.

“Where-?”

“Turn around,” his voice came from behind her. Evelyn spun around and there he stood, shining in the moonlight.

A wide smile broke out across her face and she ran to him, her arms wide. He stood stock still in the room, his cape draped over his shoulder. The cold glare in his eyes made Evelyn stop, her arms frozen in midair. He looked angry. No, more than angry. He was utterly furious. “What is wrong…?”

He made no move to answer her. Instead, he grabbed her arm quick as lightning and yanked her to his chest.

“Ah! That hurts…”

He ignored her and fisted his hand in her hair, tugging her head sharply to the side. The man leaned down and pressed his lips to her throat. A sharp momentary pain pricked at her skin but the feeling was replaced by the comforting feeling of his kiss. A low groan escaped Evelyn’s lips and she tugged at the material of his cloak until it fell from his shoulder. She closed her eyes as pleasure filled her. She wanted him to kiss her and kiss her until all thoughts that weren’t of him faded away.

He pulled away from her too soon for her liking. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and gazed down at Evelyn, his eyes still hard.

“D-did that not please you…?”

He kept his arms around her and squeezed until she gasped under his weight. “You’re forbidden to leave me. Do you understand?”

Evelyn nodded. “I would never leave in the first place,” she said soothingly.

He pulled away and threw himself down onto her bed. Evelyn shivered. She had secretly longed to see him in her bed for the longest time. He folded his arms behind his head and stared up at the pale ceiling. Evelyn bit her lip and sat beside him, her hands smoothing out the lines in his shirt. “I’ve never seen you so upset,” she whispered. “Is there something I can do to help…?”

He glanced over at her from the corner of his eye. “Hmm,” he hummed after a minute of contemplation. “Yes, there is.”

“What is it? I’ll do it, whatever it is.”

A smirk tugged at the corners of his mouth. “Call me master when you speak to me.”

“M-master?”

“Yes. And come here, lay beside me. You’re warm and I’m cold, and I don’t want to think. So distract me for a while. Do you understand?”

“Yes.”

“Yes, what?”

“Yes M-master,” she whispered. It was embarrassing to call him that, but her heart fluttered in her chest when she said it. Evelyn obediently lay beside him and he threw an arm around her waist, pulling her onto his chest. She blushed as she was pressed against him, she had never been so casually intimate with a man before. Evelyn was thankful that this was all a dream. She could never lay next to a real man so easily, not even Ayato.

She tilted her head up until she saw the lines of his jaw. She wanted to reach out and stroke those hard lines, to trace her way up to his lips until he kissed her. But his expression was still set in a hard mask of anger. She bit her lip. “Would it please you to talk about my friend?”

“No.”

She flinched at his hard refusal. “T-then, what should I do to distract you, M-master…?”

He thought for a moment. “Tell me about yourself.”

“About me? I don’t really think there is much to tell.”

“Then tell me a story you remember from your childhood. One that does not include your friend Lilly.”

“Well,” she struggled to begin, “A story like that would have to be from when I was an infant,” she chuckled to herself. “But… I remember when I was two my father took me to the bakery to look at cakes.”

“Go on.”

“He lifted,” she yawned, a sudden drowsiness coming over her. It was so strange that she could feel sleepy in a dream, yet she could not shake the feeling of fatigue. “Me up so I could see the cakes… but I only saw boring cakes...and...and…the pretty ones… were up top...” Evelyn gave a great yawn and fell asleep.

She awoke the next morning feeling as if she hadn’t slept at all. Her head ached, and there was a strange tingling feeling that lingered on her throat. Evelyn did her best to make herself presentable, but her skin was paler than it had been before. She hoped Ayato would not notice her pallor. But the prospect of finally seeing her fiance after waiting so many weeks put her in such a good mood that Evelyn didn’t terribly mind the paleness of her skin or the fatigue in her limbs. She went down the stairs and waited eagerly for his coach to arrive.

The arrival of Ayato Sakamaki was met with a large reception, not just from Evelyn but from the innkeeper and several of the other guests. The innkeeper was ecstatic that a member of the notable Sakamaki household was going to stay at her establishment, especially if he was the one who was to inherit the title of Lord Sakamaki. Evelyn greeted him with a big smile and Ayato looked her up and down and cracked a toothy grin. “You look like you haven’t been sleeping. I can’t blame you, I’d stay up all night waiting for the future Lord too.”

They spent the week together riding horses and going on long walks by the pier. Ayato insisted that they go on a fishing expedition, and although neither one of them had ever piloted a boat before they fearlessly sailed away from shore and caught a few little minnows. The boat almost capsized on their return trip, but Ayato blamed it on the rocks near the pier.

Her time with Ayato made Evelyn’s fatigue almost entirely disappear. And it was just as Lilly had said, his presence banished the dreams and sleepwalking as well. She was thankful for that, Evelyn would have died of shame if she had been dreaming of another man while she was spending time with her fiance.

But at the same time, Ayato’s little quirks that she once adored were wearing on her nerves. Evelyn loved his unabashed honesty, but she didn’t like how many times he told her that she was getting fat spending so much time with Lilly, or when he compared her flat figure to a pancake. His confidence dazzled her, but she needed to bite her tongue several times when he failed a simple task. One evening while he was writing a letter to his father he burned his thumb on the wax and he had the audacity to accuse Evelyn of heating it up too high. His hands were so rough when he held hers. When he was excited he would squeeze her hand so tight she was afraid he would leave bruises. And although she found his scruffiness charming, she could not help but compare his playfully disheveled appearance to her dream man’s consistently elegant attire.

In truth, that was the root of the problem. The entire time Ayato was in Whitby, Evelyn made little comparisons between him and the man who she dreamed of. That man never made rude comments about her appearance, and he never yelled at her for anything. His hands were always soft when he touched her. And so were his lips…

It was incredibly irrational, Evelyn knew that. She had a fiance that truly loved her, and a perfect life with him awaited her after their marriage. She would be by his side forever, spending her days managing his estate or perhaps becoming Lady Sakamaki, should his father choose Ayato as his heir. And she was happy with that.

But late at night when she was alone, Evelyn could not keep thoughts of that man from drifting into her head. As ashamed as she was, she couldn’t help but want one more dream with him. But fate appeared to work against her for each night she fell into dreamless sleep.

On the morning of the last day of Ayato’s visit, Evelyn awoke feeling like she ran around the entire bay in one night. Her muscles ached deeply, and any task that needed more than minimal effort seemed herculean.

She blinked and tried to figure out why she felt so terrible. For a moment she feared that she had been sleepwalking again, and that she had wandered even farther than she had when she went to the rock. But when she asked the innkeeper she was assured that the door remained locked throughout the night. She wracked her brain and tried to remember if she had any dreams, but the only thing that stuck out was the hazy image of red eyes.

Ayato was not pleased with her new state of health. “If you’re going to be like this then I see no point in staying,” he huffed. “You’ll come back to London with me today.”

Evelyn played with her fingers. “But Ayato, I still planned on finishing my vacation here with Lilly-”

“And that irritating woman isn’t here. Besides, think about how much of a great honor it will be to travel in the coach of a future Lord.

Evelyn smiled at that. “Ayato, we will be traveling like that when we are married.”

His cheeks turned pink. “W-well this will be our first time!”

She laughed; he was so cute when he blushed. “Then I will agree, I’ll return to London with you at once.”

When Lilly first arrived at the abbey in Budapest she was so frantic with worry that she almost attacked the sister that greeted her and demanded news of Miguel. After another sister forcefully pried her off the first she was led down a frustratingly long passage to a small but bright bedchamber.

Her fiance lay in bed, propped up by several pillows and surrounded by purple flowers that smelled faintly of garlic. He was paler than she remembered, and his shirt hung off his frail-looking shoulders.

“Miguel!” she cried, rushing to his side.

His eyes opened slowly, their blue duller and flatter than she remembered. He blinked once, the realization that she was really here dawning on his face. “Lilly…?”

She sobbed and threw herself onto his chest. “I’ve been so worried!” she cried. “When I didn't get any letters I thought… I thought…”

“Lilly…” Miguel held her as tight as he could. “My darling…”

After holding each other for several moments Lilly pulled away and wiped her eyes. “What has happened to you…?”

Something flashed behind Miguel’s eyes, like there was an unseen force preventing him from speaking. It looked like pure terror. “I don’t know,” he finally admitted. “I remember leaving England, but everything after that is hazy. My clearest memory is waking up here, which happened about a week after the sisters say I stumbled upon their doorstep. They’ve been so kind to me, truly.”

Lilly bit her lip and nodded, fighting back the tears that sprang to her eyes upon seeing him so pale. “Then, do you know what is wrong?”

“An acute case of brain fever, caused by what my superior believes was a great trauma,” the nun who had brought Lilly to the room spoke. “It has been very trying, but he is almost ready to make a full recovery.”

Lilly nodded eagerly. “Then I am happy…” she trailed off. “Sister, what exactly are these for?” She poked one of the purple flowers.

“It is an ancient remedy the mother superior suggested. They seem to be doing him a world of good, so we brought as many as we could to aid in his recovery.”

Lilly poked the flowers again. “They smell so strong,” she murmured.

The sister shrugged. “I admit it was a strange request, but Mr. Evangelos is looking much better with them,” she smiled kindly.

“Thank you so much…”

“It was our duty and honor, my dear. But I believe you two have things to discuss, so I’ll take my leave.” The nun gave a small bow and slipped from the room.

Lilly turned her attention back to Miguel. There were dark circles under his eyes. “You haven't been sleeping, have you?”

He grimaced. “I was hoping that you wouldn't notice.”

“Is it the sickness…?”

He shook his head. “It’s the nightmares.”

“Nightmares? But you never have dreams.”

“I wished that were the case now,” he looked away and sighed. Miguel banished the troubling thought and looked back to Lilly. “But it doesn't matter, you’re here now. Just seeing you is enough to make me feel better.”

“Oh Miguel, I’m so sorry. Please forgive me for taking so long coming to your side. If I had known I would have been here from the moment you arrived.”

“That’s my good girl,” he sighed wearily. “Lilly, there is something I want you to do for me.”

“Oh? What is it, darling?”

He glanced at his coat hanging up on the far wall. “When I arrived the nuns said I was clutching a pile of papers. I think they were my letters to you. I… I wanted to read them when I was able, but the moment I touched them I was filled with such revulsion that I almost threw them out the window. Lilly, I don’t know what I wrote you in those letters, but promise me that you will burn them.”

She was taken aback. “Burn them?”

“Yes. I don't want to keep secrets from you, you know I don’t. But whatever is in there, whatever happened to me, it is something I never want to revisit. Promise me that you’ll burn them as soon as you can.”

“I… Yes Miguel, I promise.”

“Thank you,” he relaxed against the pillows as if a great weight was taken off his shoulders. Lilly gently ran her fingers through his dark hair. “That feels so good…you truly do have healing hands.”

Lilly smiled gently. “I’m happy to help, my darling.”

“Mmm…” He was quiet for a moment. “Lilly, let’s get married.”

She laughed. “Miguel, you’ve already proposed. Or have you forgotten that too?”

He shook his head. “I’m serious. Let’s get married today.”.

She froze. “Are you serious?”

“Yes, I am,” he nodded solemnly. “This past month without you has been agony. I never want to feel like that again. So, Lilly, will you marry me today?”

“I…” For a brief moment she remembered the way Alrick’s hand had stretched out to her. She remembered how desperately he pleaded for her to stay with him. To choose him.

She quickly shook those thoughts from her mind. It was too late, she had already promised her hand to another. “Of course I’ll marry you, Miguel.”

“Then I’ll have the priest come to wed us soon. I hope that you do not mind that I can’t consummate our marriage right away,” he chuckled hollowly.

Lilly turned as red as her hair. “T-that’s not a problem,” she said quickly. “You just focus on getting better, okay darling?”

He nodded wearily and closed his eyes. “Will you fetch me the rings? They’re in my coat pocket…” he trailed off, his voice thickening with sleep.

Lilly stepped away from the bed and riffled through Miguel’s coat pockets. Her heart fluttered in her chest. She couldn’t believe that in less than a day she would be a married woman. She would finally be Mrs. Evangelos. She supposed that losing her last name was bittersweet, but it wasn't like it did her any good.

“Ah!” she exclaimed, her fingers touching a small parcel wrapped in parchment. “Found it!” She tugged the box free and it tumbled to the ground, bringing a stack of papers with it. Lilly huffed at her own clumsiness and knelt down to gather all that she spilled. The papers were wrinkled and covered in messy scrawl. Lilly frowned and smoothed out one of the papers.

Dearest Lilly…

It was the letters that Miguel asked her to burn. She rifled through them, noticing that the pages were torn in some places and stained by water in others. Lilly gathered them in a neat little pile and paused. These letters held the key to unlocking the mystery of what happened to Miguel while he was abroad. It would be a terrible waste to burn them, even if their contents were horrible. She glanced back at her now sleeping fiance and bit her lip. He wouldn’t even notice that she didn't burn them as long as they were gone.

Lilly grabbed the little box that contained their wedding rings and secretly tucked the papers away in her dress. She then came back and sat in the chair beside Miguel, holding his hand until he woke up.

Part Two of Part Three

#life after life #lilly #alrick #miguel #bb #ayato #everyone shows up in this chapter!#life after life part three

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