AN: This is a re-upload of an old fic.


She's curled in his lap like a little girl, his coat around her narrow shoulders. It's far too big, and the fabric drapes and gathers around her, making her look like Little Red in wolf-baiting red. He's seated in his throne-like chair, watching the cobwebs creak and the shadows move as dusk turns into night. Watching her too. In her death-sleep she looks like a doll, all china white skin and fine yellow hair, rounded face and long lashes made preternaturally perfect by the blood he'd given her.

Seras begins to stir, and Alucard instinctively pulls her closer against him. It's a curious thing – he would never be accused of coddling her, but the protectiveness he feels toward his fledgling takes him by surprise. His previous wards never stirred up this kind of sentiment.

Not long ago she would never have allowed herself to sleep like this. She'd be down in that four-poster joke Walter had fixed up for her, curled up and stiff and missing the gentle mental contact, the animal reassurance, that came with staying near her master. Over time, though, she let her guard down, bit by bit. It's not that she no longer believes he would hurt her, he thinks. He would, and does. It's more that she knows he doesn't want to kill her, only hurt – and that she can survive any pain he inflicts. And that she can hurt him right back.

She opens her eyes and looks up. Her gaze is unfocused for only a moment before her mind awakes completely, and then she smiles. It's such a perfect, sweet smile that Alucard wants to bite it right off her face.

"You're getting lazy, police girl," he says. "The moon's already out. It's been dark for over an hour."

Where once she would have quailed at any admonition from him, now she only continues to smile. "I'm sorry, Master," she says meekly. She reaches up and presses a kiss to the hollow of his throat. He gives an irritable growl and pulls her head back by the hair. She gasps, teeth bared. They're still for a moment, red eyes burning into blue, before he lowers his head and kisses her. She bites at his lip and draws blood for a moment before it heals, and she swallows the liquid with a quiet purr. He's turned her into quite the monster.