Title: Hatred
Fandom: Castlevania
Rating: M
Length: 871
Content notes: Warnings for a one-sided underage relationship, violence, body horror, and character death. Spoilers for the bad ending of Castlevania 64/Legacy of Darkness.
Author notes: Also doubles as a prompt fill for 30flowers.
Summary: What the Dark Lord reborn desires, the Dark Lord reborn always gets...regardless of who stands in his way.

"He's mine," seethes the child. "You should have died when you had the chance, and now, you'll pay the price for betraying the power I granted you."

The roses come to life, those beautiful flowers she's so diligently cared for, and twine around her pale form. Thorns tear into her, leafy vines meld with the sinew on her bones, and the lovely white of her skin dapples green. Her hoarse cries crescendo into inhuman shrieks as the vines fracture her skull and protrude at odd angles. Bones rattle and crackle until the screams suddenly cease, and all that remains of Rosa is an amalgamation of flesh and greenery.

Vincent smiles and applauds his master's handiwork. "A marvelous display, sire! A fitting punishment also, I believe. Your wisdom precedes the age of your new vessel."

"Enough," hisses Malus through his teeth. "He's here."

The doors fling open and there stands the object of his dark desire. Reinhardt's eyes widen and he stops in his tracks at the sight of Rosa's punishment. It's such a lovely expression, thinks Malus with a lick of his lips, and he hopes to see more like it from his faithful knight in the future.

"V-Vincent?" croaks the hunter, still in shock. "Is this…your doing?"

"'Twas my Master's doing," replies the vampire with a grin full of pearly teeth, assuming his role as a distraction for Reinhardt. "I warned you about her, didn't I? Thankfully my Master saw through her façade before it was too late." His sharp nails brush against the gnarled trunk of Rosa's leg. "You'll be glad to know that the whore suffered terribly."

Reinhardt clenches his fist around the whip and slowly unfurls it from his belt. Tears sting his eyes and his heart reels from the inevitable loss he must endure again. Duty and godly design spur him on, though, and he advances towards the vampire.

"Ah-ah, my friend," cautions Vincent, clicking his tongue. He hoists Malus into the air by his shirt collar and chuckles. "Rosa isn't the only one dear to you."

Huge tears fall from Malus's eyes and he wriggles in Vincent's strong grip. He chokes through his sobs, "P-Please help me! Reinhardt!" The hand around his slender neck vices tighter and squeezes a pathetic whimper from him.

Without another moment's hesitation, Reinhardt charges the vampire with the whip in hand. Vincent throws the child to one side and bares his fangs, catching the hunter off-guard with a series of fireballs. Grunting, Reinhardt lashes forward and the fire evaporates on contact with his weapon.

"You're as much a child as he," taunts the vampire, nimbly dodging a glittering crucifix hurled in his path. Reinhardt lunges at him again, but he flips into the air this time and lands in the blond's blind spot. "How could a mere boy with no faith in his own bloodline hope to compete with such raw, awesome power?"

"Argh!" Reinhardt struggles as the fiend latches onto his wrists and bears down on him with all of his weight. Vincent's foul breath ghosts over his neck and his fangs jut out form beneath his lips. "N-Not this way, Vincent! You're…my friend!"

"My poor, simple Reinhardt," relents the vampire with a smug grin, "I am no longer the fool you once called comrade." He dips lower and presses his fangs to the hunter's neck. "You're far too kind for your own good and – Ugh!"

A knife sticks out of his back, silver and decorated to the hilt with the Belmont insignia. Vincent croaks and looks over his shoulder at the demon he calls 'Master.'

Malus's smile is saccharine and dripping with venom. "I told you he was mine, didn't I?"

Reinhardt finally overpowers his opponent and shakes him off. Plunging a second knife into Vincent's chest, he coils the Vampire Killer around his neck jerks it backward with a definitive crack. The vampire's head is rent from his torso and his corpse tumbles to the floor in a heap.

"R-Reinhardt!" cries Malus from across the room, scurrying over to claim his prize. The dark bruises around his neck evoke new pity within the hunter, and Reinhardt drops to his knees to embrace the boy. "Is…Is it finally over?"

Smiling ruefully, Reinhardt uses his thumb to wipe the tears from Malus's face. "Yes, it's over now. You're safe." He takes the child's outstretched hand and stands with him.

"Ah!" Malus stumbles and loses his grip, falling. Much to his delight, the hunter has better reflexes than he anticipates, and he lands in Reinhardt's arms.

"You shouldn't strain yourself if you're injured." Reinhardt holds him close and rises to walk once more. His smile fades when he notices the boy's flushed face. "Don't fret, Malus, we'll get you a doctor's care and you'll be as good as new."

The temptation to reveal his true identity as the Dark Lord reborn is great, but Malus relishes the attention lavished on him because of the childlike form he's taken. Perhaps another day, he tells himself with a giggle. Yawning, he clings to the mortal man's arm and basks in the warmth.

With all obstacles now removed from his path, Malus truly does have Reinhardt Schneider all to himself.