Chapter 10

"L-lady?" Dante cried down the phone, after hearing a male voice say 'goodbye'.

Trish, who was sat in his office with him, shot off the couch. Dante stared at the phone, dumbstruck for a fraction of a second. Then time caught up with him again, and he slammed down the phone. Within 30 seconds he had grabbed his weapons and stormed out of his office. Trish stopped behind called Morrison, before making her way after the devil hunter.

Dante sprinted down the streets. He raced down the now sopping pavement. He stumbled more than once, his feet slipping on the saturated cobbles. His hair was clinging to his face and rain blurred his vision. Bouncing off his leather coat, the rain was coming down in sheets and people were racing around, trying to get home. Dante ploughed through them all.

"Hey, jerk!" shouted a few people as they got shoved out of the way.

Dante ignored them.

Dante finally reached the café, and slowed to a halt. He glanced around desperately for Lady.

"LADY!" he shouted out, earning some strange looks from passers-by.

He looked across the street, and noticed some red splotches on the dim pavement of an alleyway. Dashing across the road, and almost getting run over, Dante launched himself into the darkness. It was as sullen and dark as a moonless night, and at first all he could see was the little white glow of Lady's phone's screen. Then his eyes grew accustomed to the shadows and his heart stopped.

On the dank floor, lay the Kalina Ann, it's strap broken. Not far from it, he could make out Lady; a beam of moonlight cut through the buildings and illuminated her pale face. She was sodden from the rain. And then he saw the figured draped over her: its head was by her neck; a thin crimson line was trickling down and seeping into her white jacket; her hands were held behind her back by the figure's left hand and the other was yanking her head back. Falling in front of his face, his dripping, rain sodden hair concealed his features, but his glowing crimson eyes shone through.

"You're dead," Dante growled.

The figure looked up, dropping Lady on the floor like a rag. Dante's eyes followed her, frantic.

"No, she is," the figure grinned.

Dante recognised the face, and then noticed the small trail of blood coming from the side of his mouth.

"You..." Dante snarled, his veins burning with hatred and adrenaline.

He rushed over to Lady. He collapsed next to her and checked her pulse.

"Even if she is still alive, there's no way you'll get her to a hospital in time," Alucard growled happily , licking his lips.

"She's still got a pulse..." Dante sighed to himself, a miniscule wave of relief washing through him.

"Save the girl or get revenge. Such a decision is impossible for a creature to make." Alucard muttered from just behind Dante.

"IT'S A GOOD THING I'M NOT A CREATURE! I'M A HUMAN BEING!" Dante roared, his face red with rage.

Grabbing Lady, he stood up tall and kicked Alucard, who shot backwards into the wall. Tearing off a thin strip from his sleeve, he tied it around Lady's neck, slowing the blood which was seeping from the holes. He put his arm around Lady's abdomen, letting her slump against him, then with his free hand whipped out ebony.

Alucard had gotten up and dusted himself off by now, glaring manically at Dante.

"Come on. Shoot. Shoot me. COME ON!" Alucard was trembling with anticipation.

Dante stood for a moment. A crackle of lightning electrified the air, lighting up the alley. He crouched. Then he jumped up onto the roof of the building behind him.

"Take her to the hospital." He muttered to Trish, who was waiting for him.

"Of course." Trish replied, nodding and taking Lady gently from his arms.

Dante dropped from the rooftop, landing opposite Alucard, who's seal on his gloves were glowing, no doubt from a small release in his power restrictions. By now, the rain had really picked up. Billowing black clouds were clogging up the sky, cutting off the light from the stars. The moon occasionally peeked through. Silhouettes and shadows danced about, never settling. Around them people had cleared and had found shelter from the weather in their own homes. The roads were empty. The streets were empty. Alucard and Dante were the only two things which stirred.

"I'm going to send you to hell myself," Dante said quietly, "I'm going to tear out your heart, feed it to you, then destroy every last trace of your existence. Then when you're in hell..." He whipped out ivory and pointed both of his guns at Alucard. "I'M GOING TO MAKE SURE YOU SUFFER FOR THE REST OF ETERNITY!"

Seras stepped out of the car with a slight wobble, glancing up nervously at the crumbling apartment building in front of her. She looked back down at the little post-it note which she was clutching onto.

"Nero... Apartment 14... Right."

She patted her leg, checking her gun was still safe in its holster. It was.

Power walking a bit too quickly, she stormed into the building. The interior was as faded as the outside. Wallpaper was peeling, paint was flaking, and-

Seras shook herself. Last time she spent time gawping at the inside of buildings, her master had had enough time to kill the werewolf and set up a pointless riddle. But he wasn't there this time, so she had to pull herself together.

She flew up the stairs, and stumbled in front of the door. She paused a moment, and listened in.

"Nero, what's wrong?" A female voice asked, sounding concerned.

"I don't know... My arm... There's a demon nearby," a male voice replied.

Seras inhaled sharply.

'Demon?' she thought, reaching for her gun instinctively. Then she paused, and looked down at herself. 'Oh... right. It's me... Great.'

Slowly, she knocked on the door. Inside, she heard movement, but even after a few moments, no one opened. She knocked again. More movement, but still the door didn't open. Sighing, she opened it herself.

"Kyrie, I can't always keep you safe…"

They both looked up at the door, and the white haired man whipped out his gun, pointing it directly at Seras. Seras ripped her own gun out of its holster and aimed right at Nero's head. Nero looked at her suspiciously, but lowered his gun slightly.

"You're the woman who called?" Nero asked, moving to stand in between Seras and Kyrie.

"I work for her. I'm not here for a fight; I just need to ask you some questions." Seras said calmly, lowering her gun as well.

"...But you're..." Nero looked at her, then at his arm, then back to Seras again.

"I am a vampire, but I'm not here to hurt anyone." Seras said sincerely, putting her gun back, "See, I'm putting my gun away; I just want to talk."

Nero hesitated, then twirled his revolver around his finger and put it back his holster.

"Alright, I'll believe you," he jumped over the back of the couch, and slouched back, "Sorry for the lousy welcome, but you can't blame me."

"It's alright... So, um..." Seras played with her sleeve, "About Dante."

"I'll put on some tea." Kyrie said softly, gliding over to the kitchen.

"Okay, but Dante-"

"Yeah, yeah, I'll tell you… Even though your boss woman let me know why you're so keen," he sighed with a small chuckle, "Dante's not gunna start killing people, you don't need to worry about him," Nero shrugged, "Well, I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure he's a good guy."

Seras let out a sigh.

"Thanks, but you really should have said that a bit soo… ner..." Seras looked at Nero's arm, which was in a thick leather sling. "...I don't want to see nosy, but… What did you do to your arm?"

"Oh, well, I suppose I can show you," Nero grinned, lifting the strap of the sling over his neck.

Dante fired at Alucard and the bullets hit him right in the chest. Alucard stumbled backwards into the wall, before pulling out his twin guns. He fired two rounds at Dante. Dante flung his arms in front of him and the bullets hit an invisible wall and bounced off, not even touching the demon hunter. Alucard's face froze. Ignoring Alucard, Dante rushed in and ripped rebellion off his back. He jammed it right into Alucard's leg, splintering straight through the bone and into the wall behind him. Blood gushed from Alucard's wounds, spilling onto the floor and mingling with the cloudy rain water.

Glowing, Dante's arms were soon clad in silver metallic gauntlets, as were his feet. He pulled his arm back and smashed it into Alucard's face. Blinding light shot out of the gauntlets. Blood rushed out of Alucard's now broken nose. Dante didn't let up. His arms a blur, he hammered into Alucard, punching his head, his neck, his ribs, his stomach. Light flashed out, and Alucard let out a stifled roar. Dante tore rebellion out of Alucard's leg. More blood flooded out, staining the floor crimson.

"F-funny," spluttered Alucard, his eyes still manically happy and glowing, illuminating the blood smeared all over his face, "this is practically her blood you're spilling."

"I didn't give you permission to speak." Dante snarled, punching Alucard around the head and knocking him to the floor with a crack.

Alucard spat out more blood, some dribbling hopelessly down his chin. He licked it off his face with a grin. Looking at him in disgust, Dante jammed his glowing boot into Alucard's stomach. Bones crunched against each other.

"You'll have to try harder than that, boy." Alucard choked out.

He grabbed Dante's silver-clad boot, ignoring the hissing noise as his skin burned. Faster than could be followed by human eyes, Alucard had flung Dante high up into the air, and transformed his body into a tidal wave of shadows.

Snarling and writhing, the enormous black dog formed from the shadows, launching itself after Dante. Dante flipped in the air. Milliseconds away from getting ripped to shreds, he shot at the beast feet. He kicked the beast right in the head, but not before it had taken a chokehold on his leg, with it's razor sharp teeth, and they both went crashing into the roof of the building. Concrete smashed up as they landed. Chunks hurled off with the impact. Dante and the hound both scrambled off the sodden floor and onto their feet. The creature's colossal, gaping jaw lunged at Dante. It tore into his stomach and Dante winced as blood flooded out from both his abdomen and his shredded calf. Rearing back, the dog gathered momentum for another attack, blood flicking from its razor sharp teeth. It rushed in at the devil hunter. Dante moved his leg back, snarling with the pain, light beaming from the shimmering boot. Light burst out of it as the hellish dog was millimetres away from Dante. Blurring from the speed, Dante kicked the dog hundreds of times in the head, before giving one final kick with his other leg, and sending the yelping beast off the other end of the rooftop.

He quickly followed, the gauntlets disappearing, and instead an insect shaped quiver of glowing red swords appeared. Diving off the roof, Dante was soon fired at. Alucard was stood on the wall, resembling a writhing swirl of shadows, ignoring gravity and instead firing his guns mercilessly at Dante. Dante hissed as the blessed bullets left gaping holes in him. As he fell, he pulled out several of the giant pins, throwing six or seven at Alucard, lodging themselves in his chest and stomach. Dante pulled rebellion off his back. He fell onto Alucard and plunged the sword into his chest.

"You missed," growled Alucard's voice from behind.

Lucifer's pins exploded, and Dante looked in horror as the shadowed Alucard faded into nothing. Alucard grabbed his arm, span him around and his own arm lashed out at Dante's chest.

Hitting dustbins and old cardboard boxes, the pair collided with the earth with a sickening crack, as well as a smash as the paving stones underneath cracked and dustbin lids crumpled and clanged against each other. Alucard was first to rise, brushing himself off and walking away from Dante, who had not moved.

"Hmph, strange creature... Still," Alucard grinned as he looked back to look at the whole he had made in Dante's chest, "you were rather amusing."

Alucard blinked a few times as he looked at the crippled corpse of Dante. Or, lack there of.

Instead of the crushed body of Dante with his clothes in shreds, his body battered, tattered and bloody, and his chest missing its heart, there stood an all together different creature. Its body was covered in red, tough, scale-like flesh, and its chest was glowing yellow. Protruding from the base of its back, there were insect wings, resembling the tail of a coat. Spikes stuck out of its shoulders and some from his knees, and its face was grey, with a few small horns where stubble would be on a man. The eyes glowed a brilliant saffron, cutting through the darkness like a lighthouse in a storm.

"I told you," the creature spoke, its voice echoing on itself, sounding unearthly, "you're not allowed to talk."

Alucard turned his nose up at the creature.

"I see. So, you really aren't a man." Alucard's voice was thick with disgust. "How on earth do you plan on killing me then?"

"Easy. I'll rip out your filthy heart," the beast growled, his fury amplified by the inhuman sound of his voice.

"Oh, that won't do you any good now," Alucard grinned, his all of teeth turning razor sharp.

"Believe me, even if it doesn't kill you, it'll be revenge for what you did to her."

Dante's devil trigger form was engulfed in a writhing red glow, illuminating the new alleyway they had fallen into. Alucard grinned.

"Well, this isn't a very fair fight…" Alucard moved his hands in front of his body. "Releasing Control Art Restriction Systems three...two...one…Approval of Situation A recognized. Commencing the Cromwell invocation. Ability restrictions lifted for limited use until the enemy has been rendered silent." Alucard's twisted, pointed grin went from ear to ear. "Well, Mr. Dante, I believe it's time for us to end this charade of a fight. This is where the real battle begins."

Shadows licked the walls and around Alucard like flames as they slid out of him. Red, lidless eyes were bulging out of the shadows, their gaze never settling in one place. Casting their own crimson glow, the alleyway was soon coated in a blood red veil of light, from both Dante and Alucard, both of whom were fuelled with rage.

Dante rushed in first. Whipping out six of Lucifer's swords, he plunged them into the vampire's chest. He dashed backwards, and darted towards Alucard again, jamming in rebellion straight through Alucard. Alucard flew backwards. He pushed off with his foot and shot at Dante's chest. Three bullets hit Dante but didn't leave as big of a hole as before. Dante staggered over though, the pain from the blessed bullets amplified in his demonic form. A purple glow burst out of his hand and Pandora formed.

Stumbling out onto the street, Alucard howled as the pins exploded in his chest. He tore out rebellion and threw it to the side. Blood fell in torrents from the wound like a waterfall. He snarled, furious. Hundreds of gloved hands formed in the shadows and flew at Dante. Dante jumped back to dodge them, firing at some with Pandora's machine gun, causing them to dissipate. Some still reached him and ripped through his flesh. Dante raised Pandora, it becoming a massive rocket launcher. The missiles whizzed at Alucard. Alucard dived out of the way seconds before they hit him, and instead a building behind lost a large chunk of brickwork, smoke billowing from the impact.

Dante cursed and his demonic face winced as much as it could. Grabbing his ankle, one of the shadows pulled Dante onto his back and dragged him out of the alleyway. Dante roared and flicked his hand out to summon rebellion. He flipped over, and hacked at the shadows constricting and pulling him. Some writhed and hissed away from the demonic weapon, but more of the hands coiled around him, binding him.

Out in the street, Alucard could feel Dante's struggling against his shadows as they smothered him. For a small moment, the intense heat generated by Dante's devil form continued to radiate intensely, until the shadows snuffed out the warmth. Alucard grinned as he saw Dante's now cold, thrashing body being dragged towards him.

Grinning frenziedly, he grabbed the shadow covered devil hunter by the head, and lifted him up. He pulled his shadows away. Dante was still a shadow.

"You're not the only one with doppelgangers!" Dante hollered from behind Alucard.

With barely any time to react, Alucard just managed to spin around as Dante punched him with Gilgamesh, its spinning blades tearing into his face. Alucard flew backwards and crashed into a row of parked cars. Crumpling against each other, they were reduced to nothing but twisted bits of metal from the force of Alucard's impact. Alucard growled angrily and melted into the shadows. The shadows twisted and thrashed, and became a screeching, bloodthirsty cloud of bats. Dante swore loudly as they tore past him, battering against him and sending him hurtling down into an open man hole in the street.

Seras gawped at Nero's arm. It was deep red, with a glowing blue, ragged line leading all the way up to the back of his hand. His fingers were also blue and glowing, and the elbow bone was extended a short amount.

"Wh-what on earth…?" Seras spluttered, shifting backwards in her seat.

Nero rolled his eyes, and sighed. Pulling his sleeve down, he concealed his arm, and scooted to sit more comfortably on the couch.

"Well, this is what happens when you're related to a demon. Freaky arm crap," he complained.

Seras took a moment to take it in. Kyrie glided over to them, setting down a tray with a coffee pot full of steaming coffee, a small tea pot filled with hot tea. Also on the tray were a small milk jug and sugar bowl, as well as three plain mugs and spoons. She began to pour herself a cup of tea and then poured Nero a cup of coffee. Adding a splash of milk to each, she soon looked up with a small smile at Seras.

"Would you like tea or coffee?" she asked, scooping a spoon of sugar into her tea and whirling the spoon around without spilling any over the side.

"U-uh…" Seras looked from one face to the other, both with small smiles, yet their eyes melancholic. "…I'll have tea please… Us English and our tea, hehe…"

They drank their drinks in silence. Seras's mind was filling with questions and she was getting more and more edgy. Where they just acting civil but really planning on killing her? Was the woman a demon as well? And demons could produce offspring with humans? And why would demons choose to be with humans? She had barely had enough time to get to grips with vampires being real, never mind hell-demons. And now part demons too?

"Listen," Nero mumbled next to her.

Seras half jumped out of her skin because of the sudden noise. Nero sighed again.

"…Listen, just because my arms all messed up, doesn't mean you have to start freaking out. Your boss lady read all about me and the Order, so both of you know that I've been killing demons that have cause trouble for people. Just because I'm a part demon it doesn't make me a threat. Hell, that's just prejudiced." Nero smiled slightly, and Kyrie reached out and took Nero's hand.

"Nero really is a wonderful man," she said softly, her voice quiet and delicate, "and Nero saved a lot of people from being killed by demons. He's more human than anyone I know, and I would trust him with my life. Please," she looked Seras directly in the eyes, "You say you're a vampire, and yet you seem like a nice person," she smiled, "It's the same for Nero. He's got a good heart and wouldn't dream of hurting anyone unless it was necessary. The same goes for Dante."

"Dante's like you…?" Seras asked, suddenly remembering why she was there.

"Yeah," Nero shifted in his seat, his face lighting up a bit, "Somehow I'm related to him. His Father, Sparda, was a demon. Somehow I'm related to Sparda, so his demonic blood is what gave me this arm."

Seras took it in, pieces slotting into place in her mind.

"So… Dante's a demon… Wait, Sparda was the one who stopped an invasion of demons or something, wasn't he?" She asked, placing her tea cup back on the table and leaning in.

"Yes, he was the feudal lord of this city, but before that he rebelled again the Prince of the Demon realm and stopped demons taking over our world. He fought an entire army of demons pretty much single-handedly. Dante took on the family business I guess. He's had a fair few problems with demon invasions himself, or so I hear." Nero smiled, respect for Dante shining from his face.

"Yes. The filthy half breed scum has definitely killed a lot of us. Shame you don't both join the cause really. Getting rid of those pathetic humans would be SO much easier without having to kill off wretched do-gooders like you on top of it."

The three span around. A woman with glowing pink eyes, and toting a midnight black tracksuit was stood at the door. Grinning like the Cheshire cat, she pointed her hand in the direction of the three of them. Kyrie and Nero collapsed onto the floor and knocked the tray over on their way down. They wailed in agony as every nerve in their body seared.

Seras, unaffected, shot up, and pulled out her gun. She shot the woman three times in the chest. Coughing up blood, the woman stared in horror at the wounds, before her face became ferocious, her lips pulling back to revealed several rows of razor sharp teeth. Seras fired again and hit the woman right in the head. The woman keeled over faster than you could say 'head-shot'.

"Are you two alright?" She gabbled, dashing over to them to help them up off the floor.

Nero groggily propped himself up, then turned to look at Kyrie.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Kyrie, are you okay?" he said gently, pushing her up to sitting position.

Kyrie sighed, shaking slightly.

"Yes, I'm fine…" She muttered. "Oh!" She looked sadly at the upturned tray, tea and coffee and sugar and milk mingling on the flat surface then dripping off the table slowly. "…Oh, I'll have to get a cloth…" She mumbled.

Seras muttered goodbye and thank you and walked over to the corpse of the woman. Her face was still frozen in the blood thirsty grin as black blood trickled out of her forehead. Seras looked into the corridor. The silhouette of a man disappeared down the stairs. Creeping quickly but silently, Seras stalked the shadow, never too close to be seen, but never too far to lose sight. She followed him down the stair case and waited a moment before following him out of the door.

Stepping out into the rainy night, Seras didn't flinch as the fat drops bounced off of her. The cold didn't bother her. The fact that the man had disappeared did. Running out into the parking lot in front of the building, she glanced around. She smelled the air for his scent. She strained her already extra sensitive ears for the sound of footsteps.

Nothing.

The man who knew about the three of them meeting up had disappeared.

"I'm afraid she's not in the clear yet, she's lost a lot of blood, and infection could still set in," the male doctor said to Trish, scrawling on a clipboard. "Now, I'm not the police, but it would help us a lot if you and your friends here," he nodded to Morrison, Patty and Lethys, who had met up with Trish on the way to the hospital, "Could tell me how she ended up like this."

Lady lay pale and sweating in the hospital bed and was connected up to more wires and monitors than a computer. The holes in her neck had been bandaged up, and her arm in a cast; her wrist had been twisted when she was dropped onto the floor. Her bloodstained clothes were now replaced with a common hospital gown, and had it not been for the guns and knives which had been taken off her, she would've been just like any other patient.

Just outside the door, Trish wiped her brow, her face imitating sorrow.

"Oh doctor, it was awful," she said thickly, getting closer to the now blushing doctor "She said she was walking home, when we were talking on the phone, and then I heard this man talk to her. We rushed after her, and when we found her," Trish's voice dropped, becoming more husky than usual, "this horrible, brutish man had bitten her neck. I mean," she leaned forward, exposing more of herself, and the doctor desperately tried to keep eye contact, "Some tramps these days are just filthy. Wouldn't you agree?"

On one of the waiting benches, Morrison would almost have laughed, if it wasn't for Lady's condition. Patty was quiet. Lethys was jittering, looking fearfully at anyone who worked there, like they were going to tear her head off.

"W-well," the doctor choked, his clipboard suddenly becoming a lot more interesting, "You'll need to speak with the police, but," Trish stood up straight again, and the doctor sighed with relief, "We'll do our best for her. She's currently having a blood transfusion, so she should be alright… But like I said, it really could go either way right now."

"Thank you, Doctor." Trish sighed, genuinely smiling at him.

"DOCTOR!" Shouted a nurse some way behind the now relaxed Doctor.

He span around, and the nurse looked at him wide eyed.

"Come quick, she's gone into shock!" she gabbled.

The Nurse shooed Trish away, and they, accompanied by a couple of other nurses, rushed into the room. Morrison's hands grasped each other, holding each other steady. Patty's eyes were welling up, and she turned to the wall, swallowing the lump in her throat. Trish stood speechless for one of the few times in her short life.

Dante was back on his feet as Alucard dived into the man hole after him. Ducking as he sprinted through the narrow and low service tunnels, he could hear Alucard cackling behind him.

"RUNNING AWAY?" Shouted Alucard's manic voice, echoing through the tunnel. "HOW SAD!"

Dante cursed under his breathe, but was thankful he'd been down here before on more than just a few missions. He knew the tunnels like the back of his hand.

Careering into a shaft on his left, Dante splattered along through the dankness, and exited into a large opening, where the ceiling was quite a lot higher. It was a circular room, with water dripping down from above every so often, no doubt caused by the rain. Stagnant water sat on the concrete floor. It wreaked of mould and dampness and waste.

Alucard soon joined him with his hair long and toting his strapped up jumpsuit once again. Dante looked at him pitifully. He was covered in blood, shadows writhed around behind him, swirling more and more out of control, and in the dim light all that could be seen of his face was his frantic eyes boring into him.

"Look at you. You're just a monster." Dante said quietly.

Returning to some level of sanity, Alucard's face fell and morphed into a serious look. His shadows now writhed in fury rather than bloodlust.

"And what about you? You're some sort of shape shifter or something I suppose? Not completely human anyway. You're just as much of a monster as me, so don't act all self righteous with me." He growled back.

"Hmph, I'm more human than you." Dante snapped, "I never gave up my humanity. I was born like this, and I've never killed anyone for my own selfish needs. And I still have a soul, which is more than I can say for you."

"You know nothing about me," snarled Alucard.

Dante actually laughed.

"Oh, so that still makes it okay to attack young women in alleyways? Seriously, I don't need to know you, I've got you figured out. Traumatised childhood or some crap like that, right?"

Alucard didn't reply. He simply shot Dante in the head. Dante keeled backwards and lay still on the floor. After a short moment, he was back on his .

"I'll take that as a yes," Dante coughed, pulling the bullet from himself.

Alucard stood motionless for a moment. Then something caught his attention, and from his shadows he picked out his phone. Dante laughed to himself, sitting down for a moment's rest.

"Police girl…" He growled, "Just get back to the hotel… THAT'S AN ORDER." He hissed he last part with more fury than he had shown all night, his nose wrinkling in anger.

Dante picked himself up off the floor using rebellion as a crutch. Alucard took a deep breath and seemed to calm down.

Dante's own phone began buzzing, and Dante could have laughed. "Trish, what's happening?" He asked, suddenly remembering about Lady.

"She's gone into shock Dante. They don't know if she'll pull through. Please, I know you want to kill him, but you have to be here for her. She might d-"

"Okay. I will." Dante said quietly. He looked up at Alucard, who was in the same lacklustre mood as he. With a sigh and a shake of his head, he turned back to human form. "Looks like we've both got things to get back to. But, this isn't over. I'm going to kill you, you know," Dante said in a low voice.

Alucard looked at him with steady eyes, having shifted back to his normal self. He let out a low laugh, before melting into the shadows. Dante could have sworn he heard him say 'Don't be so sure about that,' before the chamber was completely empty.

Dante was at the hospital within 20 minutes, and collapsed onto Trish, half hugging her, half using her as a crutch. Once he had enough energy to pick himself up, he looked at her square in the face.

"How's she doing?" Dante asked, trying hard to keep composed.

Trish barely knew how to react. Shrugging, she gestured with her hands a bit, before sighing and sweeping her hair back some more.

"…Honestly? The doctors are seriously worried. Every time they get her stable, and she seems to be doing okay, she'll just snap and go back into shock again. I don't know why. This doesn't happen usually with vampire victims. Blood transfusions are usually enough to set them straight."

Dante frowned, an unfamiliar expression for him.

"Hey there Dante," Morrison said, standing up and patting him once on the back.

"Morrison." Dante grunted in reply.

"Dante," Morrison said in a low voice, "I know you're worried about her, but you need to tidy yourself up. You've got blood all over you, and you look like you slept in a dumpster for a week. Go have a wash in the toilets or something."

Dante glared up at him from under his brow. Trish hit Morrison on the arm and glared.

Dante skulked off the toilets, feeling exhausted. He swung open the door, and walked into the small toilets. The sinks were on the wall opposite the door, and he made no delay in filling the closest one up with cold water. Splashing the water on his face, the blood began washing off, tinting the water pink. After his face looked clean enough, he dunked his head in, soaking his hair, and turning the water a more crimson shade.

Pulling his head out of the now murky water, he felt the cold stinging against his eyes, waking him up, and making him more alert. Cold water dripped from his hair onto his coat, collecting more and more red as they tricked down. Once they reached the floor, they were completely sanguine.

He looked at himself in the mirror, and, feeling much better, shook his head to get the water off, and did a half-arsed job of wiping up the mess off the floor. He quickly returned to the waiting room, where he wasn't being gaped at by the patients and relatives waiting in there quite as much, and gave Morrison a grateful smile.

"Believe me," Morrison smiled back, "I did us all a favour."

"Ah, you must be her boyfriend," the Doctor said, coming out of Lady's room.

Dante gave Trish a quick glance. Trish just shrugged.

"Yeah, I guess I am," Dante sighed, "How is she?"

"Please, sit down," The Doctor said.

Dante did as he was told.

WOO! Ten chapters 8D

It's an achievement. Kinda xD

I hope you enjoy this chapter. I'm not too sure of it myself xD

There might be a few mistakes, since I wrote this ages ago, and kept changing things every so often. If there are, I apologise.

Thanks for reading 3 And for all your reviews 3