Alright, now the might make this chapter sound worse than it is, but it is certainly traumatizing for Gwen. This is another bonding moment for Dracula and Gwen. Please do remember that everyone is out of character when they dream.

...

Gwen sighed as she stared ahead glumly. This week was turning out to be a very foul week indeed. First, she did as Vlad had said only to have Lorelei lie and get her into trouble still. Then Mr. G acted all weird about her dream, saying that she couldn't have dreamt of the Queen Mab and that she was supposed to be dead. The cherry on top of it all was when a family came to the orphanage; they took one look at her before muttering to each other and walking away. She knew that they were wondering how the orphanage could still have a demon child like her up for foster care, much less adoption as they were from the same church as the Adairs.

She slumped back as she sat at the feet of a weeping angel as she waited. She didn't know this cemetery and figured that it must be one that Vlad knew. It wasn't long before he walked up to her with a smile until he saw her gloomy face. He sat next to her solemnly as he gazed at her curiously.

"I take it," he started, "that things haven't gone so well."

"I did like you told me to," she mumbled.

"And?" he implored, dreading the results.

"It was going good at first," she stated, "but Lorelei caught on and said something that wasn't true to the teacher, and I was the one who still got in trouble."

He winced; admittedly surprised that he hadn't considered that. Even if he had though, he couldn't have offered her any advice that would have kept her out of trouble. Humans were such fickle creatures that it baffled him that he used to be one sometimes. "Something tells me that there's more."

"There was a family at the orphanage today."

"Oh?"

"They took one look at me before walking away, muttering as they kept glancing back at me. I knew that they were probably saying the same thing that the Adairs said when they left me on the orphanage steps."

"Now, that might not be true."

"It is."

"How would you know?"

"They go to the same church."

"Hmm, I can see the ruin that that church is heading for then." They both sighed in unison before he lifted her up and set her on his lap. "Would you like to know why this place is special for me?" When she looked up to him, curiosity welling in her eyes he smiled. "A woman is buried here that I had once tried to turn. She's one of the few who got away."

Gwen looked out to the cemetery before crawling off his lap to go venturing. He smiled at having gotten her mind off of her depression as he stood to follow her. He stayed a few paces behind her to watch her as she wandered through the graveyard, searching for the woman who had avoided his grasp. However, his casual nature stilled when he saw her tense up as she stared off in the distance. He gazed ahead to see a shadow lurking there. Its glowing eyes gazed at her as she trembled before it. It held the shape of a man, although the hair reminded Vlad of a feather duster. He wondered how Gwen could be terrified of such a shape until it took a step toward her, hand reaching for her.

She ran for him, screaming that the "feather man" had come to take her and pleading not to let him as Vlad acted on instinct. He shifted into a monstrous bat and shrieked at the shadow that stumbled backwards. He was too busy focusing on the shadow that he didn't even notice that Gwen had stumbled back herself, hitting her head. He roared that she belonged to him and that it had no claim to her. The shadow stood there, visibly unsure of its next step. Vlad was at a loss as a blue demon with red eyes raced under him and grabbed Gwen before dashing off. He screeched indignantly as he gave chase, the shadow a few meters ahead.

He grew anxious to reach her as the demon ran closer to the heart of the city. He soon passed the shadow, and in an act of rage and sheer desperation, he bit down on the demon's leg. He was surprised by the human cry that was expelled from the creature as it dropped Gwen and began to fade as Vlad shook off the bite, which froze his teeth.

As he made his way to Gwen to see if she was safe, the demon cried out, "Leave her alone! Don't hurt her!"

He glared at it as it continued to fade before nuzzling Gwen to get her to move. Gently, he lifted her up and held her as he whispered, "Hannah, you need to wake up now. Come on, angel. You don't have to be afraid of us scary monsters." He fought his hardest to keep from biting her. If he were to do it now, he would ruin her soul leaving her body a hollow husk. With a look of warning, he watched as the shadow placed a hand on the bite mark of the fading demon before it healed and the demon faded entirely. It then turned to face him fully.

"Such a strange creature of the night," it hummed, sounding like multiple whispers and hums mixing in the air.

Vlad looked at it in confusion as it turned and faded itself. He then rocked back and forth as he continued to cradle Gwen, who looked more like a lifeless doll than a child. His head shot straight up to see her standing in front of him a ways away when his arms suddenly became empty. She looked at him nervously as she wrung her hands. Knowing he couldn't rush her in this form, he slowly crept over to her. He knew that he was terrifying, remembering the many people who fled from his very presence in this form. He kept his head low so as not to appear as a threat.

If it had been anyone else or this had been reality instead of a dream, he knew he would have too much pride to lower himself so, but he knew she was special. He sighed and leaned into her touch when she finally reached up and delicately grasped his face. For her to be willing to face him but not the shadow, he soon suspected that the shadow might have been the "strange man" that had tried to take her that one fateful night. He nuzzled into her chest happily as she hugged him.

...

Alucard: He gets a happy ending?

MsN: It's not an ending.

Alucard: Still...

Chase: Jealous?

MsN: Baby, are you feeling neglected? *hugs Alucard*

Alucard: ^.^