Far along the road, the group stopped in silence, listening around them. A small dog with the group was yipping at the forest. The sanake day creature lunged at the dog, just in time to slice away a night creature's claws before it could touch the dog. Skylar rushed at the night creature as the half-snake day creature carried the dog away; the other day creatures herded the villagers away from the danger. Dracule and Elizabeth rushed the night creatures before them. Tanya and Tara followed the villagers, both keeping their guard up in case they needed to jump in to keep the others safe from night creatures. Alucard followed after Skylar as she charged the night creature that bled from the bloody stub of its missing claw. Greta ran with them and got to work killing the threats in front of them.
"..." When the night creature fell, Skylar still hadn't spoken in any conversation. Alucard couldn't let her be silent like this anymore. Sheathing his sword, he walked quickly behind her, then caught her, his arms snaking around her waist from behind, his chin on her shoulder. "Skylar."
"Huh?" Skylar snapped out of her silent daze and looked at Alucard. "What's going on?"
"You've been staring off recently," Alucard pointed out, turning her to face him. His hand cupped her cheek carefully, as if she would break if he wasn't careful. "What's going on?"
"It's nothing," Skylar said, but Alucard caught a slight tremor in her gaze. She was hiding something.
"Skylar," Alucard pressed on the matter.
"I mean it, Alucard," Skylar pressed a kiss into Alucard's palm. "It's just a rough night."
"Skylar, Greta mentioned something," Alucard began. He noticed Skylar went stiff for a split second when he said Greta's name. "She asked... if you were jealous."
"I'm not!" Skylar said a little too quickly. "I'm not jealous! What would I even be jealous of?! or be jealous about?!"
"Skylar," Alucard tried to get her to calm down. But she wasn't exactly listening, then rushed off out of his touch.
"Anyway, we need to keep moving!" Skylar said as she rushed off.
"Skylar! Wait!" Alucard tried going after her, but she weaved through the crowd before he could get her alone again. "Damn it! What the hell is going on with her?"
Skylar kept weaving through the crowd of people. Her heart tightened after hearing that Greta had asked Alucard about something. Then she tightened even more when Alucard mentioned Skylar being jealous. She didn't know why she was. She didn't stop weaving through the crowd until she made it to the front of the group. Tara and Tanya were standing at the front. Sarah flew overhead, watching everyone.
"Skylar?" Tara asked as she and Tanya parted to give Skylar space to come up. "Skylar, what's going on?"
"I don't know, I was acting weird around Alucard just now, and I don't know what's going on," Skylar began to explain bluntly.
"Right," Tanya said, watching Skylar as she and Tara walked on either side of Skylar.
"Then he mentioned talking to Greta, and my chest got tight, and I don't know why in the fuck that happened," Skylar let out an exhausted laugh.
"Your chest felt tight?" Tara asked, finding a thought in what Skylar said.
"Tight, as in you can't breathe?" Tanya asked. "Or tight, like your heart is getting squeezed unpleasantly?"
"Both, I guess," Skylar said, rubbing the back of her neck while holding herself. Tanya and Tara looked at each other, then back at Skylar.
"Because Alucard is with Greta so much?" Tara asked, more curious than ever. Considering Skylar never had this expression on her face, as if she were tasting something bitter for the first time. Skylar had never shown an expression like this since the day she met Tara and Tanya.
Along the way, more night creatures came. This time, the villagers began to fight back. Striking the beasts till they were on the ground and were killing the creatures. Skylar explained how long she had been feeling the tightness in her chest and when it started. Tara and Tanya listened the entire time, not once interrupting to ask questions or to clarify details.
"And I don't dislike Greta, she is a damn capable woman," Skylar went on to say as villagers stabbed into a night creature. "I just... ugh! I don't know why I can't stop feeling this way when I see her with Alucard. It's not distrust like before, but I... fuck, what am I even trying to say?
"So, it's not that you hate her," Tanya said.
"No," Skylar confirmed.
"But..." Tara stepped in. "I would say it kind of sounds like you're jealous of her. Because that describes what Tanya and I feel when we see the other with someone we haven't met for as long."
"..." Skylar looked between two of her oldest friends, then groaned, hanging her head. "Why does the world do this to me?"
"Sounds like jealousy," Tanya and Tara said at the same time.
"You two aren't helping!" Skylar snapped at them. The two laughed and went to check on the villagers. Skylar sighed and headed back towards the other end of the group. There she saw Alucard talking to Greta. Skylar froze in place. She felt her heart and chest grow tight again.
"Oh—Skylar," Alucard called over when he saw her. Skylar managed to shake out of her shock and make her way over to Alucard.
"What were you two talking about?" Skylar asked.
"Not much," Greta said, stepping beside Alucard. Skylar visibly stiffened. "He was telling me sweet things about you. Honestly, he looked like a love-sick puppy."
"You didn't need to mention that," Alucard side-eyed Greta. Skylar saw a faint blush dust his cheeks. She almost missed it while watching him.
"You were talking about me?" Skylar asked, almost sounding hurt by it, but could barely hide it.
"Yes," Greta said, looking at Alucard with a smirk. "Love-sick bastard here couldn't stop telling me how powerful and capable you are."
"..." Skylar's eyes widened a little, then she snapped her head to look at Alucard. Alucard looked away, but Skylar could see a faint blush on his cheekbones.
"I'll leave you two alone for the next while," Greta said, heading off as the vampires and Dracule fought an acid-spitting night creature. Skylar never once looked away from Alucard.
"... You said that?" Skylar asked, her voice quiet, almost hesitant as she spoke her question.
"... Yes," Alucard admitted, turning to her slightly. His expression could be almost sheepish. Skylar took a few steps toward him. "Skylar, I--"
Skylar grabbed Alucard by his collar, yanked him down, and kissed him on the lips. Skylar felt the sunlight hit her skin, and could barely hear others speaking. But at that moment, Alucard was everything she needed.