Skylar made her way through the house, taking slow steps. She recharged with Sumi and Taka's souls, but she didn't know if she did the spell correctly. And if she didn't. She would need to explain a few things to Alucard. Things she wasn't sure she was ready to explain just yet. When she reached his door, she froze—just listening to the room inside and the silent hallway around her. She took a deep breath and knocked on Alucard's door. She waited for a moment when she heard a sharp movement inside Alucard's room.
"... Alucard?" Skylar called out through the closed doors. Quick, frantic footsteps inside. Skylar was about to reach for the door to open it when it slammed open, and Alucard stood in the doorway, his face pale, eyes wide in fear. Skylar's eyes widened in shock. She had never seen Alucard like this. "Alucard-"
"..." Alucard didn't let her finish speaking before he yanked her by the waist and hugged her tightly, burying his face in her neck, shaking like a leaf. Skylar froze in place. She couldn't move. Alucard was shaking and clinging to her. She didn't know what to do or what to say. Alucard was in pain before tonight, she knew this. But his clinging to her like this was unlike anything she had seen with Alucard until now. Skylar looked at Alucard, his face buried in her neck, his hair blocking her view of his face. Skylar couldn't see his expression, but he felt... terrified. "... They came after me..."
"... Who?" Skylar spoke shakily, terrified that Alucard remembered what happened. She wasn't sure what he dreamed about in the short time, but she needed to be sure that Alucard was thinking the new memory she put in his head would hide what happened with Skylar's power. She needed to figure out what was happening in his head. "Who came after you?"
"Sumi and Taka," Alucard almost sobbed. Skylar froze, terrified of what he would say now. "They attacked me in the field, and you came and..."
"..." Skylar let out a breath and hugged Alucard. The spell worked; he didn't remember how Sumi and Taka actually tried to kill him, and had no memory of how Skylar saved him. "It was just a nightmare, they're gone. You aren't in danger anymore. I'm here with you, Alucard."
"..." Alucard clung onto Skylar. She could feel her shoulder growing wet. Alucard was crying on her shoulder. "... Thank you, Skylar..."
Skylar held Alucard close. She brought him back into the room and closed the doors behind her and Alucard. Skylar walked Alucard back to his bed, while he leaned heavily on her shoulder.
"Okay, let's get you back into bed," Skylar said and leaned a little to get Alucard into his bed. But Alucard pulled her back down with him and held onto her while lying in bed together. "What? Alucard?!"
"..." Alucard was silent and just held her in place, holding onto her like she was his lifeline. Skylar couldn't move. "... Stay with me."
"I..." Skylar sighed and gave up on trying to reason her way out of this situation. "Fine, I'll stay in your room."
"Not just tonight," Alucard said, pulling her impossibly closer. Skylar could feel his heart beating in his chest. She hadn't felt his heart race like this. Sky looked up at Alucard and saw that his pupils had dilated widely. "Every night. Forever. I want you to choose me."