Well hello there, kiddies. I know I haven't updated in awhile, but I've been working on this beauty with the help of my wonderful friend Hayley. I hope you enjoy our baby.

Chapter One

Alfred threw down his pile of hay, squinting his eyes and wiping his brow. His eyesight was not the best, but he was just a humble guy with a farm and little money to live on. Besides, spectacles took away from his awesome manliness. Women didn't swoon over bespectacled men! He turned and looked away from his property, towards the tiny 'town square' which really was only made up of a general store, a bank, and a few bars. The year was 1766 and the Industrial Revolution was gripping the western half of the globe. It didn't really touch his small village, though. It was pretty remote, nestled between the mountain sides and large forests. He got his property cheap; it was one of the few small properties close to the mountains. No one wanted to live near the mountains. There is an old majestic castle hidden up in the mountains. The village is filled with rumors surrounding that castle. It is haunted, cursed, and evil, apparently. No one comes out alive. The biggest rumor is that a vampire lives there. A vampire. Ha! Alfred took advantage of this. The property was dirt cheap; it was perfect for his horses and his dog. There was obviously no such things as vampires. R-Right? Right. Wiping his hands on his shirt, Alfred stalked into his house to wash his sweaty face.

Arthur stood by his window, peering out into the world below the mountains. Living all alone in the castle on the mountain was rather lonely, and he bored easily. Nothing seemed to be able to amuse him for very long. The rats that scurried throught the old stone halls, the bats that hung from the beams overhead. Not even the cat, Alexander, could keep him entertained for long.

Oh! What a lonely life it was to be a vampire!

Young Arthur would usually spend his days staring out the window, watching the young man below tend his field. He was an interesting fellow. None of the other villagers would dare to set foot where his property was. Obviously, he didn't believe the old legends.

"Fool..." Arthur scoffed.

Just as he was setting down his water bucket to wash his face, a fuzzy mass barreled into him from behind, knocking his face into the bucket.

"Agh! Daniel, man! You want me cleaned that bad? C'mon, let's be civil." he joked, patting the Border Collie.

His forehead was throbbing now; it must have smacked the edge of the bucket. The dog simply looked up at his with a wagging tongue and excited eyes. Alfred knew that look: it was was the 'ALFRED I WANT TO PLAY' look. He sighed and picked up the bucket, pouring the whole thing over his head without bothering to wipe his face. It was so quiet around here. The surrounding properties were completely empty. It was too quiet. Shit, he needed neighbors. He let out a carefree laugh and grabbed his money pouch, looking down at his expectant companion, "No playing today, buddy. I need some alcohol to quell this headache! This is your fault, obviously. I'll bring some whiskey back for you."

With that, he walked out the door and headed downtown. Really, he needed to stop talking to his dog so much. It was becoming a habit. He was...okay, he had to admit it: he was lonely. He had no friends. Zero. Nothing. Don't misunderstand, he was the life of the party; everyone knew who Alfred F. Jones was! No one seemed to actually try to get to know who Alfred was. Yeah, it got kind of lonely. Maybe moving to his property was for the best.

Arthur watched the young man until he vanished from his sight. He wondered where he was going, if he was going to see someone, what he would do... The human ammused him greatly. With a sigh, he drew his curtains and withdrew into a windowless chamber, his bedroom. It was a well-fernished bedroom, with a large soft couch and an armchair. A desk sat in the corner, and on the desk, books containing a vast collection of fairytales. A large canopy bed was against a wall. He loved that bed. It was so much better than the coffin he used to sleep in as a child.

Arthur flopped onto the bed and yawned. He was hungry, and couldn't wait for darkness to fall completely so he could go into the little village and get a... snack.

Alfred itched his damp head and shoved his hands into his pockets, making his way down the dirt road to the town square. The sun was setting over the mountains, turning the sky a gentle shade of pink. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but sometimes he felt like he was being watched or followed...which was impossible because, hello, no neighbors. The funny thing is, this feeling didn't make him uncomfortable at all; it wasn't a scary feeling per say. Maybe this living alone thing was driving him nuts or something. He finally made his way to the town square, barreling into the closest bar.

"Hey, bartender! You have any whiskey on you!? I'm parched!" he plopped into a wooden seat at the bar, smiling up at a very irritated old man.

"How about I give you a whole damn bottle and you let loose. That's how much you usually drink anyways," the old bartender slapped a full whiskey bottle on the bar, holding out an expecting hand.

Alfred rubbed his throbbing forehead and put four coins into the man's hand, "Make that two, old man!"

The bartender grumbled something about 'drinking more than five mules on a dry day' and placed a second bottle on the table, handing Alfred a glass. A few men were seated around the bar, but the place seemed otherwise empty. Dull. He would have to liven this place up...if only his headache would go away. He poured some whiskey and held his face in his hands.

Arthur looked out a window. Hrmmm... The sun was setting. He went to his wardrobe and threw on a rather fashionable white shirt, dark purple vest, white ascot, and a black cloak. He ran his tounge over his teeth, his fangs growing a little longer.

"Time to eat..." he murmured as he patted Alexander's head. The cat mewled at him and purred. Arthur grinned and left the castle. He pulled the hood of his cloak over his shaggy blonde hair and made his way towards town.

Alfred was on his second glass now, his head growing hazy and the pain dulling. He wasn't completely drunk yet, but his spirits were lifted. He was already singing drinking tunes and yelling profanities. This town needed like..five more of him. Yeah, five more. Then the place would be a little more fun.

He beamed and draped an arm over the shoulders of the middle-aged man beside him, "Do you feel the high spirits, good man!? C'mon! Join me in song!"

The man shot him a glare, "How much alcohol does it take to quiet you? My god, you are going to wake the dead. You'll send the vampire down here."

Alfred tilted his head, frowning, "N-Nah. That's just a rumor. I live by the mountains, you know. I've never seen anything strange."

He took another swig of whiskey to calm his nerves. The man shot him another glare, "You watch yourself, boy. People disappear in this town, you know."

Alfred shook his head, pouring himself another glass.

Arthur walked into the town, keeping his head down. He looked for a suitable meal... There. A young woman stood in an allyway alone. He walked over to her.

"Excuse me, miss? Do you mind if I talk to you for a moment?" the woman shook her head, and Arthur led her deeper into an allyway. He pinned her to a wall and bit into her neck, quickly draining her of blood. When he was finished, he stepped back, letting the woman's body fall to the ground. He wiped the blood from his mouth and hurried from the allyway.

Not soon after he had, someone had noticed the body.

"Vampire!" a townsman shouted. "The vampire is here!" There was utter chaos. People began screaming, and running indoors. So as to not seem suspicious, Arthur followed a group of men into a bar. To Arthur's absolute suprise, the young man he would always watch was inside this paticular bar.

The tranquility (minus Alfred's carrying-on) of the bar was broken when there was a scream outside. Outside the window, the townspeople were scurrying frantically to get inside, as if there was a criminal on the loose or a gang fight. Alfred fumbled with his belt, feeling for his pistol in case he was going to be needing it. If there really was a criminal, he was ready to protect this bar...although his vision wasn't at its best. Right when he was getting ready to stand, a group of men came fumbling in, locking the door latch behind them.

"A vampire! Th-there's a vampire..." one of them stammered.

The man beside Alfred gave him a smug look, "See what I said, boy? Must have been your horrid singing."

Alfred felt his face pale. He picked up his bottle and took a swig straight out of it, "A-Are you sure it was...?"

No one replied, everyone in silent shock. Another man spoke up, "Well, just wait it out here for a bit. That thing is probably still out there. Make sure you all sober up so you can get home to protect your wives."

The men all took a seat, some of them cocking their guns. Alfred gripped his bottle and stared at it, not sure what to think. These vampire things were scaring him.

Arthur smirked under his hood. Oh? The humans thought a gun would kill him? He gave a soft chuckle as he sat down. It would take more than a silver bullet to kill him... He rubbed his throat, thirst returning to him. The woman's blood had not satisfied him, he would need more. The vampire looked around the bar. Perhaps he could use his magic and alter his appearance... Bite someone...

The man beside Alfred gave him a nudge, "Hey, boy, you don't look so chipper now. Where's your singing?"

Alfred stood up and clumsily slammed his bottle onto the bar, "A woman is dead. This could have been a murder and you all are cowering about a vampire. A-A rumor!"

"No, son. We saw it with our own eyes. Two holes," someone retorted, pointing to their neck, "...right here."

This was not looking so good. Alfred could feel a fear setting in. He couldn't be acting like a coward, he was a hero! A manly one, at that! The man beside him nudged him again, a little harder this time, "Cowering? Are you stupid? Go back to that shack of yours and say we are cowering then. I bet the thing has eaten all of your livestock."

The alcohol was clouding his judgement; Alfred was starting to feel the urge to punch the man. He didn't want a fight...he had to get away from the guy. He grabbed his two whiskey bottles and stomped over to the emptiest part of the bar, sinking into a wooden chair across from a quiet hooded person, grumbling profanities. He couldn't tell if it was a man or woman, judging by the slender frame. It was dangerous for a woman to be at a place like this.

He decided, despite his seething temper, to be a heroic gentleman, "Are you sure it's safe to be here at this time of day?" His voice came out startlingly pleasant. At least he still had control of that.

Arthur didn't look up. "A vampire is a dangerous thing." he told the young man. "There is sure to be another kill tonight. A vampire isn't satisfied with just one kill..." he looked up from under his hood and gulped. This man... He smelled... good. But alas, he had drinken so much whiskey that the taste of his blood would not be as sweet for a few days. Arthur pouted slightly. His fangs throbbed... He would need more blood, and soon. His green eyes scanned the bar, looking for someone suitable.

Alfred almost spit out the whiskey he was drinking when the person, who was indeed a man, spoke. Oops. Oh god, he miscalculated that one. He listened to the man's words, sloshing his half-empty bottle around nervously.

"A-Another, you say? Well, shit!" his voice accidentally went up an octave. Hopefully his drunk state covered that up.

For a split second, he caught a glimpse of green eyes, before the man diverted his gaze to somewhere else in the bar. Wow. Those were pretty. Kind of looked like emeralds. Man, this guy looked so serious. Like...doomsday or something.

Alfred didn't need alcohol to be nosy, "Hey, what'r you looking for? Someone piss you off? That fat guy at bar is looking for a fight."

"Oh? Is he?" Arthur smirked. "Excuse me for a moment." He stood up, and made his way to the bar. He looked up at the man. He was indeed large, which meant more blood. Hmm... He might as well put on a little show for the frightened men and the... non-believer.

"Come here." he commanded, motioning with his finger, green eyes turning a bright shade of red.

Alfred put his whiskey bottle up to his mouth again and tilted his head to the side, watching the cloaked man walk over to the bar. So he was looking for a fight...? No wonder he looked so gloomy. He needed a good laugh or something, seriously.

He watched the cloaked figure mumble something to the rude guy from before, motioning his finger. God, was he pale. He needed some sun, too. Sun and a good laugh. The man turned his chubby face up to the cloaked one, looking kind of mesmerized and out of it. What, did he see how green the guy's eyes were? I mean, they were pretty impressive, but seriously.

Something looked a little off. He couldn't tell, his vision was getting blurry from all of the whiskey.

The man walked up to him. Arthur smiled. "Good, now lean down and turn your head slightly... Yes, like that. Now, stand still." Arthur stood on his tiptoes and sunk his fangs into the man's neck, drinking up the blood greedily. It took a moment for the men to realize what was happening, but when they did, screams and shouts of horror and fright filled the bar.

He shrugged, tilting his head back as far as possible and taking a giant chug of his whiskey. The bottle was almost empty...he needed to stop before he got too messed up to find his way home. His thoughts were interrupted by a frenzy of curses and shouts. He blinked, confused, and looked around at the frantic people. What the hell?

"Vampire!" someone shouted, blindly shooting their gun and accidentally taking out the bartender's leg.

Vampire!? Eh? He threw his empty bottle on the ground with shaky hands, fumbling for his gun. He was too panicked...he couldn't see straight. His hands wouldn't work with him, so gave up on trying to find his gun and sprinted into the small crowd, ready to protect any of the elderly. Ugh, everything was so fuzzy! He could hardly tell people apart. He squinted, seeing a cloak on the ground and a puddle of blood near it. Huh...? The cloaked dude! He wasn't dead, was he? Alfred felt sick and frustrated. What was going on!?

Bullets were flying everywhere. These guys were ready to kill. He quickly ducked to the floor, on all fours and crawled under the bar.

Bullets hit him, but did no harm. He continued drinking the bartender's blood. When finished, he drew back, letting the body fall to the ground. He turned to the men, eyes still bright red, a trail of blood running down his chin. Arthur laughed at the men and slapped the guns from their hands.

"You think it's that easy to kill a vampire?!" he laughed. "You fools!" He went over to the bar, looking at the young man.

"Thank you for finding me a wonderful meal. I shall not forget this." he tilted his chin up. "I like you..." And with that, he left the bar, transforming into a bat and flying back to his castle.

That was fun~

His vision blurry and his heart racing, Alfred quickly covered his ears. The explosive booms of guns seemed to never end. He heard a familiar laughing voice and then silence. Well...not silence; his ears were ringing something painful. He saw the fuzzy outline of legs walking towards him.

"Thank you for finding me a wonderful meal. I shall not forget this."

He felt cold fingers on his chin, guiding his face upwards. All he could see was red. A pale face with bright red eyes stained with red blood. His panic faded into a numb feeling, his ears still ringing.

"I like you..."

With that, the red was gone along with the cold touch. He crumpled to the floor, feeling weak as his vision faded to black. He heard distant voices, one saying his name and something about 'get the drunkard home'. The last thing he remembered was arms lifting him off of the ground.

When Arthur finally returned back to his castle, he returned to his human form and rolled his shoulders. Flying always made him sore. He went into his bed chamber and collapsed onto the bed. Alexander pranced through the door and jumped onto the bed. The cat meowed and lay down on Arthur's chest.

"That man is very interesting, Alexander." he said as he stroked the cat. "I like him... Perhaps I shall... Visit him tomorrow..."

Alexander mewled at him.

"Yes," Arthur chuckled. "You may come along with me."

How was it? Did we do alright? Please review, thank.