Episode IV

"Hey, come on, man! Quit holding out on us!"

"I told you already, you'll get it once we get back to the dorm! I can't just show you right now. We might get caught!"

A group of college fraternity jocks walked across the sidewalks of their campus, navy blue athletic jackets embroidered with patches and Greek letters, the words 'UC Riverside' sewn on the jacket chests. The sky was lit orange with the setting sun, and the street lamps began to glow as night's darkness grew over them. Out of the group of five, one kept his hand stuffed firmly inside his jacket, holding something close to his chest. Eventually, the group made their way to the dormitory's entrance, stepping inside and hurrying down the hallway excitedly.

"Do you have what I think you have, Mitch?" one said to the student with his hand in his jacket.

"Shut up! Do you want someone to hear?"

"No way! You did get your hands on some, didn't you?" another chimed in.

"Will you shut the hell up?! Now come on, get inside!"

The five boys hurried into the dorm room, a rather simple four-bedroom dorm with a single living space and kitchen. They rushed to the couch and chairs, gathering around in a small semicircle.

"Okay…" the student named Mitch said, taking one last glance around before removing an orange prescription bottle from his jacket and setting it on the table. "Here it is."

The bottle was without a label, but inside were several small, round, red pellets that filled about half the bottle. Each of the other four boy's eyes widened as enthusiastic smiles grew on their faces.

"Dude! You actually did it!"

"Wasn't easy. Had to really dig to get these babies."

"Are the rumors true? Can these really make you stronger?"

"The person who sold them to me said they'll make you stronger than the pro athletes!"

"No way! Do they work?"

"Hell if I know, but if they're the real deal, we'll soon find out won't we?"

"I don't know about this, guys…" one of the boys said, shrinking back somewhat.

"What's the matter, Andrew? Chicken?"

"We don't know what these things are made of!" Andrew continued to protest. "For all we know, they could kill you!"

"Okay, you pansy," one of the other boys said, shoving Andrew aside. He took the prescription bottle into his hands and opened it with a pop of the lid. "I'll prove to you that these things aren't scary. So how do we take these things anyway?"

"Crack it a little and sniff it up. Like you're trying to keep back a nosebleed," Mitch said.

Taking one of the pills between his fingers, he cracked it with a slight pinch and set it up against his nostrils, throwing his head back and inhaling sharply. A slight trickle of red fluid ran down the side of his face.

"What, did you miss?" one of the other boys chuckled.

"Shut up. It's just some excess. I got most of it."

"How do you feel?"

"I… don't really feel anything yet… but whoever's beating all those drums should quit it."

"Drums?"

"Yeah, there's like, six of them."

"Dude, no one's playing drums."

"What are you…?"

His eyes began to widen as his vision began to sharpen and become clearer than ever before. He could smell new scents that he couldn't detect previously, and could discern every one individually.

"Whoa! Guys! My senses just got kicked up a notch!" he exclaimed.

"No way! Is that a side effect?" Mitch asked, picking up one of the pills as well.

"Guys, you've got to try this!"

Excited by the potential these pills offered, all but Andrew followed the first boy's example, sniffing the red fluid within the pills enthusiastically.

"You were right!"

"Yeah, this is amazing! I feel like I can do anything right now!"

"Ow!" the first pill popper said, clutching at his mouth.

"What happened?"

"I just… bit my tongue…"

"Getting a little too excited, huh?" the others joked.

"Shut up. Just tell me, am I bleeding?"

He stuck out his tongue, and the other boys recoiled. There was a puncture wound going straight through his tongue, but the source of the puncture was even more frightening. Two long, pointed fangs now protruded from between his teeth.

"What happened… to your mouth?"

"I don't know, but… why does… my blood…"

He began to shift his tongue within his mouth, becoming delighted by the taste of his own blood. Eventually, the other three boys who had sniffed the liquid began to show similar symptoms, fangs and all. Andrew was the only one remaining who hadn't taken a dose.

"Andrew, you've got to try this!" they all insisted, pushing the pills toward him.

"What are you, crazy?!" Andrew exclaimed, becoming fearful. "Look what those things have done to you all!"

"It's so worth it!" Mitch said, breathing in deeply. "It's the greatest high I've ever felt!"

"I'm done with this!" Andrew finally said, heading towards the door. As he was about to reach the door handle, two of the boys appeared at his sides, taking a firm hold of both of his arms.

"Where do you think you're going?"

They dragged him back into the room, forcing him to the ground. A new red luster shimmered in their eyes as they pinned him down.

"We can't let you go and rat on us," Mitch said, a manic smile spreading across his face. His new fangs were gleaming with a slight hint of red; he still wasn't used to them, and had accidentally bitten through his own lip, causing a slight trickle of blood to run out of the corner of his mouth.

"I won't tell anyone! I swear! Come on guys, you know me!" Andrew said hysterically.

"We'll be able to do so much with this new strength," Mitch said. "Our time has just begun. I can't let you take this from me so soon! Guys! Hit the lights!"

One of the other boys flicked the light switch on the wall nearby, turning the room near pitch black save for the glow of the street lamps just outside the windows. From within the glow of this light, two things became clear: the menacing silhouettes and the red glow of the eyes of the new vampires, and the distinct shadow of a very tall figure standing just outside their room window.

Immediately taking notice, the boys spun round, eyes wide.

"Who the hell are you?!"


Vitus took careful steps across the floor of the dorm. Bits of shattered glass cracked underfoot as he moved to analyze one of the bodies that had been strewn across the threshold of the now shattered dorm window. Wesley wasn't far off, taking samples from the other bodies in the room.

"Any luck finding a blood sample?" Vitus asked, lifting his glasses before allowing his electric blue eyes to scan the windowsill.

"Only from the traces left by the single survivor," Wesley said, tossing a dry cotton swab into the nearby garbage bin. "I can't find a speck of blood on these corpses."

"Corpses drained?" a deep voice echoed as a large shadow drifted up in the open doorway of the dormitory. The shadow became surrounded by a crimson glow, gradually growing more definite. A pentagram insignia became distinct on top of a white glove that held in place a pair of round red-orange shades. A dark red cloak soon formed beneath a wide-brimmed fedora. "No blood? Struggling survivor? As far as I can tell, this is the work of an average vampire."

"When the hell did you-?!"

"Stealthy in your appearance as always, Alucard," Vitus said, giving a polite nod. "When did you arrive?"

"I arrived in America several days ago," Alucard said, walking into the room. "America's hospitality has never been disappointing. Small talk aside, I have yet to be brought up to speed on the situation. An incident like this could easily be handled by your average field agents. This begs the question: why are you here?"

"I'm surprised that you of all people haven't noticed," Vitus said, lifting the head of the nearest corpse. "These victims weren't human."

Alucard peered over the top of his glasses, red eyes fixed on the pair of fangs that protruded from the victim's open jaws. Making slight glances at the other bodies surrounding his feet, his eyes narrowed with suspicion.

"What's more," Vitus continued, "these bodies have only one mark in common among their wounds."

Lifting the body closest to him once more, Vitus drew attention to a single round puncture wound in the corpse's chest cavity, directly over the left half of the upper rib cage. It was surrounded by incredibly pale skin, paler than the rest of the body.

"The drain point, I take it," Wesley said, motioning towards the wound.

"Considering there are no other marks from which blood could have been sufficiently drawn, it would be a very safe assumption."

"No other marks?" Alucard asked.

"None," Vitus said. "If you're wondering, they all used these."

Vitus tossed the vial of red pills that had been found on the coffee table in the middle of the room. Opening it, Alucard took one small sniff of the contents inside.

"Vampire blood in mid-metamorphosis," he said, capping the bottle with a click.

"They seemed to have ingested the fluid in those pills through their nasal cavities," Vitus explained. "Traces of the pill residue were found in their nostrils."

"They snorted those things?" Wesley asked, taking the pills from Alucard.

"To put it in layman's terms, yes."

"The vampiric virus doesn't take long to manifest," Alucard said, studying one of the corpses. "With this unusual administration method, the symptoms progressed in an adverse pattern to traditional vampire transformations. Bodies usually perish before the virus takes hold completely, but it would seem this variant can make vampires of the living."

"That still doesn't explain why they're all drained of blood, not to mention a human bystander was left untouched by whatever did this," Wesley said.

"Is the survivor still here?" Alucard asked.

"Yes, but he's still in shock. We haven't been able to get a word out of him since we arrived," Vitus explained.

"Where is he now?"

"Outside, in the second car."

Alucard turned to exit the room, but paused.

"Agent Felix."

"Y-Yes?"

"Come with me. I'll need a human hand in this."

Wesley looked to Vitus, who nodded and motioned for him to follow. Wesley got to his feet and hurried after Alucard, who was walking quite briskly.

"Does the car have tinted windows?" Alucard asked as they walked through the halls.

"I'm sorry?"

"Tinted windows," Alucard repeated with a scowl. "The sunlight is rather intense today, if you didn't notice."

"Oh, right. Yes, they're tinted and ultraviolet resistant."

"Good. Now get the door."

Wesley hurried ahead, opening the doors to allow Alucard swift passage through the front doors of the dormitory hall. As he stepped out into the sun, a smell of burning flesh and cloth immediately radiated from Alucard's person. He swiftly moved to the designated vehicle, Wesley opening the door for him.

"Ugh," Wesley coughed, holding a hand to his mouth and nose. "You're not being hurt by this?"

"Of course I am," Alucard said. His red eyes leered up at Wesley from beneath his wide fedora. "But then, I'm stronger than most."

Wesley followed Alucard into the car, shutting the door behind him. In the front seat of the car sat Andrew, the only survivor of the attack. His head shifted as the stench Alucard brought with him reached his nostrils, and he looked around trying to find the source. His eyes eventually falling on Alucard, he quickly recoiled.

"Boy," Alucard said, staring down Andrew. "You witnessed what happened here the night before, did you not?"

Andrew didn't say a word. With a sigh, Alucard removed his glasses and fedora before staring him down once more.

"I asked you a question, boy," he said, his voice carrying with it a strange allure. "Tell me what it is you saw."

Andrew's body trembled slightly before becoming absolutely still. The irises of his eyes began to glow a faint red, his voice rising from his throat in slight murmurs at first.

"I… saw… an angel," he finally said.

"A what?!" Wesley almost yelled.

"Quiet!" Alucard commanded, shocking Wesley back into silence.

"An angel," Andrew continued. "Black wings… silver hair… shining armor… a spear in his hand… he killed them all. Saved my life."

"Did this angel give his name?"

Andrew barely shook his head no.

"Did he say anything to you?"

"He told me… he told me I was pure. Looked at me with… those pale white eyes… and said I was pure."

A single tear slid down Andrew's face. His voice almost sounded joyful as he recalled the angel's words.

Alucard replaced his fedora and glasses on his head, opened the door and stepped out into the sun. He moved to return to his own vehicle.

"Wha- hold on! Alucard! Wait!" Wesley called after him, stepping out of the car as well.

He rushed after the once again smoldering vampire as he quickly opened the door to his limousine and stepped inside. Wesley attempted to get in the car after him, but Alucard locked the door. Instead, he rolled down his window just enough to allow his voice to be clearly audible.

"Inform Vitus of everything you have heard," Alucard instructed. "Don't leave anything out. I'm going to contact my informants in England. Have the Men in Black begin research as well. Now stand aside."

With that, Alucard commanded his driver to return to the hotel. Wesley was about to head back inside when he heard a pronounced thud come from the second car. Glancing back, Andrew was now passed out with his head firmly planted against the car door's window.

"You've got to be kidding me!" he groaned, hurrying to Andrew's aid.

Alucard sat motionless in the back seat of his limo. Behind his glasses, his brow was furrowed.

"Everything alright, sir?" the driver asked.

"Drive."

"…Yes, sir."

Alucard remained seated in the same position for several minutes, the only motion coming from the rock and sway of the car as it continued down the road. Finally, he opened the side compartment and removed the cellular phone, dialed, and placed it firmly against his ear. After several dial tones, the sound of a click signaled a connection.

"This is the Hellsing Manor. May I ask who is calling?" a rather formal Englishman's voice spoke at the other end of the line.

"Hello, Walter," Alucard responded. "Just the person I was looking for."

"Ah, Alucard. We were not expecting a report from you just yet."

"I'm calling in regards to another matter," Alucard said. "Is my master available?"

"Sir Arthur Hellsing is currently away on other business."

"He's out indulging his habits again, isn't he?"

Walter gave a slight chuckle. "Not quite, sir."

There was the sound of footsteps, a slight shuffle as the phone was repositioned, and then the clear sound of snoring rang through the earpiece. Alucard gave a sigh, waiting for Walter to resume conversation.

"I just finished cleaning up after his usual mess when you called. I know this man can drink, but he never ceases to amaze me."

"Just as well. This can be done without my master's assistance."

"How might I be of service, Alucard?"

"There is something I need you to research for me. Find anything related to the following description…"

Alucard continued to detail the crime scene, the victims, and the description of Andrew's supposed angel. From Walter's end, the sound of a pen scratching on parchment was almost constant.

"As soon as you find something, contact me," Alucard said, preparing to hang up.

"Alucard," Walter's voice interrupted. "Forgive me for saying so, but… you don't sound like yourself. As you described these things to me, it sounded as though you were more familiar with whatever this angel is. At the mention of it, you sounded almost… tense."

There was a moment of silence.

"You misunderstand, Walter," Alucard said. "I have only a slight suspicion as to what this new monstrosity is. I have only heard tale of its existence, but I must make certain my suspicions lest my focus trail from me. As for my tone of voice…"

Alucard stared forward, his eyes now wide and gleaming. A large, fanged smile spread over his face as a deep chuckle began to resonate from his throat.

"… you must forgive me. I was trying to contain my excitement at the idea."


"An angel?" Agent Wolfgang said as she looked up from the dried husk of a vampire corpse she was examining. "Are you serious?"

"That's what the guy said," Wesley said with a sigh.

"You sure he wasn't already on something?"

"The toxic scan was negative," Vitus said, wiping a smudge from his mirror shades. "What's more, no one's ever been able to lie to Alucard and live to tell about it."

"Is there anything… else that could match such a description?"

"From the intel gathered by our research department, we've only drawn one parallel between an angelic figure and death of vampires."

"And that is?"

"A Crusnik," Alucard's voice resounded through the room as he walked through the wall. "An incredibly powerful creature that feeds on the blood of vampires."

Agent Wolfgang's face became pale.

"Just how many weird ways can you enter a room?" Wesley asked.

"So you arrived at the same conclusion," Vitus said.

"My sources were quite thorough in their research," Alucard said with a smile.

"So this thing is a vampire that feeds on other vampires?" Wesley asked.

"Essentially," Vitus said. "Are you alright, Agent Wolfgang?"

Wesley looked over to see Ariel pale-faced and wide-eyed, gripping the edge of the medical table until her knuckles were just as white as her face.

"Whoa, whoa, hey!" Wesley said, springing to his feet and grasping Ariel by the shoulders before she collapsed. "Take it easy. What's wrong?"

Ariel blinked several times, gasping slightly as she regained her footing.

"I, uh… I'm sorry…" she stammered.

Ariel glanced up at Wesley, becoming slightly transfixed by the concern in his gaze. Quickly snapping back to reality, she stepped back from him and regained her composure. A slight blush slowly faded from her once pale features.

"This woman," Alucard said, eyeing Ariel. "You're-"

"Agent Wolfgang," Wesley said, "do you need anything?"

"No, really, I'm fine," Ariel said.

"Why the fainting spell?" Vitus asked, just as concerned.

"It's just… a Crusnik is the stuff of legend. And even that's a stretch. Any record of them is absolutely miniscule at best, only hinted at in most cases. Even then, they are not creatures born of the earth. They're something else entirely."

"You mean… like… alien?" Wesley asked.

Vitus, Ariel, and Alucard all raised an eyebrow at him. Wesley opened his mouth to retort, but shut it after Vitus shook his head at him.

"No one knows what they are," Ariel continued. "They might very well be divine or some form of angelic creature."

"The last I checked, angels didn't need the blood of others to keep themselves alive," Alucard said.

"Alucard, did your sources turn up any means by which to kill this creature?" Vitus asked.

"Wait, what?" Wesley said. "Kill it? Why would we kill it?"

"Excuse me, Agent Felix?"

"Why kill this thing? All it does is our job, but better. No innocent people caught in the crossfire, no chance of the vampires escaping. So far, this Crusnik has done a better job at keeping people safe than we have!"

"Just because someone is a vampire, it does not make them evil," Alucard interjected.

"So far, you're the only exception that I've seen to that rule!" Wesley protested. "And even then, something as strong as you couldn't have gotten that way just by sucking on animal blood, or so I'm assuming!"

Alucard cast his eyes down.

"You forget your place, Agent Felix," Ariel spoke up. "What Alucard says is true."

"I'll believe it when I see it with my own eyes!" Wesley snapped. "Or have you forgotten that vampires are the reason I'm here to begin with?"

"Agent Felix, I didn't mean-"

"They killed my SISTER!" Wesley yelled, slamming a dent into the surgical table with his fist. "My FAMILY!"

"Wesley!" Vitus yelled, grasping him by the collar and staring him in the face with his electric blue eyes. "That's enough!"

Wesley glared back for a few moments. Vitus let him down gently, grasped Wesley by the chin, and gently turned his head to one side. Wesley's eyes fell on Ariel, whose face was now lowered, fresh tears dropping from her chin.

Vitus then released him. Wesley looked from Ariel, to Alucard, to Vitus, and back. The silence was thick.

"…I'm sorry," Wesley finally said.

Ariel looked up, wiped her eyes and gave a single nod.

"The passion of humans never ceases to amaze me," Alucard said.

"Getting back on track, we intend to kill this Crusnik," Vitus said. "Let's not forget that we have a vampiric drug on the streets, changing those innocent people into packs of bloodthirsty killers at a time.

"Not only will entire families be endangered," he continued, glancing toward Wesley, "but even those masses will be nothing but food for the Crusnik. We do not know what kind of threat he can pose. He hasn't harmed a human yet, but I don't intend to wait around to see if he does."

"So is there a way to kill a Crusnik?" Wesley asked.

"That's one reason I'm so worried," Ariel said. "We don't know."


"Attention, we have a code four fifteen in the vicinity of Ridgewood Drive. Reports of bright flashes of light and explosive noises have been reported, no apparent structural damage to any nearby homes. Backup requested, any units in the vicinity please respond. I repeat, we have a code four fifteen near Ridgewood Drive, any units in the vicinity please respond."

The red and blue lights of a police patrol car flashed in tandem with the blare of the siren. The two officers both gave wearied sighs.

"So close to the end of our shift," the officer driving said.

"Isn't that always how it happens, Brad? Stuff always happens later at night," the female officer in the passenger's seat said, picking up the radio's handheld speaker. "This is car five-oh-seven responding, we are en route, over."

"Explosive sounds and bright light. What do you think it is this time, Marsha?"

"Probably some kids who got their hands on some fireworks. Loud noise and lights without the damage, that's what I'd say it is."

"Well, let's see if you're right. We're here."

As the patrol car rolled down the road, more bright flashes could be seen coming from the backyards of nearby homes. Thunderclaps resounded through the air, shaking the car's window panels.

"That's not fireworks," Marsha said, drawing her pistol as she rushed outside.

Brad followed behind, pistol drawn as he and his partner reached the front door of the property. They found the door ajar, and proceeded inside.

"Eureka city police!" they called into the house. The inside of the house was dark, no audible sound save for the officer's own footsteps on the tile flooring. As their flashlights glanced over the walls, tears, cracks, and scorch marks became visible, growing steadily more numerous as they approached the back of the house. As they reached the end of the front hallway, they arrived at what used to be a dining room; the table was broken in two, chairs were either completely broken or driven into the walls nearby, and dishware was scattered around in pieces along with minute traces of blood.

The sound of rushed footsteps on stairs suddenly came from in front of them. Looking through a clear sliding glass doorway that led out to the back yard of the property, a young teen raced at breakneck speed up the porch.

"Freeze! Police!" Brad yelled, aiming his gun at the panicked teenager.

Not paying him any attention, the boy simply slammed into the glass door, struggling in a mad rush to open it. Before he could do anything else, a lance pierced his chest and shot through the glass window, sending a spider web of cracks across the windowpane. The shock of the incident caused Brad and Marsha to jump, Brad's pistol discharging a round by accident. The gunshot startled the teen, who unexpectedly hissed and bore a pair of sharp fangs and glowing red eyes in the policeman's direction. This was a short lived expression, however, as the life quickly drained from him. His eyes sank into his head, his skin tightened over his degrading muscles, and his jaw fell slack.

The lance slowly pulled back through the door until it disappeared behind the teen vampire's body, which fell through the cracked glass doorway. Zerachiel stared down the police officers with his white eyes, a hint of crimson blood surrounding his lips. Left speechless, Marsha and Brad held their pistols steady, not moving an inch. Zerachiel then moved to walk away from the two officers.

"Freeze!" Marsha almost screeched, her voice cracking slightly. "You're… you're under arrest!"

Zerachiel paused. He smiled and chuckled slightly before continuing his walk away from the house.

"I said you're under arrest!" Marsha yelled, walking after Zerachiel with pistol ready to fire.

No longer amused, Zerachiel spread his wings in one large burst, sending a blast of air that knocked Marsha back through the opening in the sliding glass door.

"Humans, the both of you are pure souls and keepers of law and order. Interfere again, and I won't restrain myself."

Angered at the attack on his partner, Brad raised his pistol and fired a pair of rounds at Zerachiel. One grazed his ear while the other pierced his throat, sending a stream of blood down his silver breastplate. Still, he remained standing.

Turning around to face the officers, the blood flowed back up into his throat and the wound closed without leaving a mark.

"An unfortunate decision," Zerachiel mused.

The cries of the two officers were drowned out by the thunderclap of Zerachiel's lightning bolt. The Crusnik then took his leave, flying high into the night sky and above the clouds, where the dull light of a crescent moon colored the mists a dull grey.

Taking a deep breath of the night air, his brow furrowed and he gave a lamenting sigh.

"Still so many souls choosing the path of impurity and hatred," he thought. "And even now, the humans interfere with their own purification. I cannot afford such merciful acts any longer. Any further disruption will be met with-"

His eyes snapped wide open. He spun round to face south, the wind rushing over him as it approached.

"This scent… this presence…" he marveled, breathing in the air once more. "It's absolutely rank! So many defiled souls in one place. And…"

He sniffed the air again.

"…and one… incredibly tortured soul presiding over them all. I can feel the anguish. The hatred. The longing. And such bloodlust!"

Zerachiel appeared almost seduced by the scent that he described with such passion.

"This is a prize worthy of my purification! A creature with a power fit for my consumption! However, I mustn't be impatient. Something such as this and a being such as I will be fated to cross paths; it is inevitable. And when we meet…"

A delighted laugh complimented the wide, fanged smile that had spread wide across Zerachiel's face.

"It will be mine!"


Wesley walked through what seemed like perpetual darkness, the ground beneath his feet solid but his stride uncertain. At the sight of light a distance ahead of him, his stride quickened. Despite how far away it seemed, he was surprised at how quickly he reached the source.

"I… know this place…" he thought.

It was the living room of his family home. Everything was just the way he remembered it. The vanilla white walls; the three-seat brown fabric couch with an old tear in one of the arms from when his father had been a little too overconfident with his box cutter; the pale recliner with a hand-knit blanket where his mother always used to sit reading her romance novels; the dark patch on the carpet near the television set from when Lauren had knocked over a glass of grape juice, despite promising she would use a lid whenever she had a drink in the living room; and the wide doorway that led to their backyard porch, the door of which was difficult to slide open ever since Wesley had slammed into it on accident when running through the house one day when he was ten.

And there in the middle of the room, standing and making idle chit chat, were his parents. They looked at him with all-too-familiar delight, expressions which caused a lump to form in Wesley's throat.

"Lauren! Someone's here to see you!" his father called.

A familiar face circled around from the hallway coming from the bedrooms. Her blonde hair, blue eyes, and warm smile made Wesley's insides cringe.

"Big bro, you're home!" she exclaimed, walking towards him with arms outstretched.

Wesley was speechless as he felt his sister's arms wrap around his neck. He quickly returned the embrace, holding her close. For the briefest of moments, he felt peaceful again. Delighted by the return of such happiness, he hugged her a little tighter.

He felt warmth within his arms. It grew warmer. And wetter. Something trickled down his forearms and hands. Confused, Wesley loosened his embrace and stepped back.

The pale, lifeless eyes of his sister's body stared back at him. A deep gash in her throat allowed blood to pour down past her shoulders and down her chest and back.

Frightened, Wesley released his sister's body, and it tumbled back onto the floor. Near where she fell, the bodies of his parents also laid dead in pools of deep crimson. The light of the room had vanished, the walls now splattered in red and shadows.

This darkness seemed to mix with the red puddles, and a mass of the concoction began to rise from the floor. A bloody red jacket morphed over black arms, and a wide-brimmed fedora spread over a figure's pitch black hair.

"We're not evil!" Alucard's voice almost growled. Raising his head, an insane bloodlust and twisted smile contorted his features. "We're not evil!" he snarled again, almost tauntingly.

"No! NO!" Wesley tried to yell, but no sound came from his throat. He fell to his knees, bowing over and clutching his head in agony, screaming with a voice he didn't have.

"Wesley," a new but familiar voice said calmly.

Looking up, Wesley now gazed into Ariel's green eyes. By degrees, he felt the peace he had felt before begin to return, and with it the warm light of his surroundings. The living room had vanished, and he now stood in an illuminated space void of detail, save for the one person standing before him. Ariel helped him to his feet, taking hold of his face as she had before, when Vitus was about to break his finger. This time she had a faint smile on her lips.

"I'm right here," she said in the same calm voice.

"Ariel…" Wesley said with a newfound voice. "You're… like an-"

"Angel?" she said, completing his thought. Her smile grew and she gave a slight giggle. "Don't be ridiculous."

A slight shade suddenly cast itself over the two of them. Looking up, Wesley saw two large angelic wings spreading upward. They were stretching from Ariel's back.

Wesley gave a slight laugh. "What do you mean? Of course you are!"

He suddenly felt Ariel's grip tighten. His eyes shot back down to her face. Sharp red eyes stared back at him, pointed fangs now glistening in Ariel's smile.

"No… I'm not."

She snapped Wesley's head to the side and sank her fangs deep into his throat. Stabbing pain shot through his neck as he felt blood burst from his skin.


"GAH!" Wesley yelled, sitting up straight in bed.

He grabbed at his neck immediately, finding it completely intact. He did, however, feel a layer of cold sweat on the surface of his skin, which sent an immediate chill down the rest of his body. He breathed heavily, clutching at his chest as he tried to slow his throbbing heartbeat. After a few moments, he brought his hand to his forehead, his lightly dampened blonde bangs sticking to the back of his hand.

"A dream," he said aloud. "It was just a dream."

He hunched forward, lightly clutching his head in his hands.

"Just a dream."

END EPISODE IV