[ The top layer of stone under his shadow cracks into dust with the sound of bone scraping against stone. The Belmont is standing now, between him and the speaker, hand on the whip at his hip, the speaker's white-knuckled on her gun but not taking aim yet. Even Dracula himself seems to be caught off guard by his own rage, eyes going wide and shadow quickly retreating to where it ought to be, the floor oozing that thick dark bloodlike substance as it heals itself. Claws sink away into his flesh.

All these centuries, and this is still new territory to him. The same way every part of Lisa's existence was. ]

I have failed you. [ He finally admits, to that. ] I failed to protect you. Failed to prepare you to exist within your own world. Forced you to seek shelter from the last people who ought to provide it.

[ And he was doing so well! For about three seconds! ]

I will not do so again. This is protecting you, Adrian. From a people who stole secrets from God himself and will not hesitate to rip your own from your tongue. From a family of pretenders to a greater man's name, who have been ready for centuries to destroy you. These humans will do to you what humans did to your mother, Adrian, and I will not stand by and watch.