A/N: 800 reviews?! I frickin' love you people!

I got an Xbox 360 for Christmas!

Half-life two is scaring the life right the fuck out of me. Halo 3 is fun, isn't that right, Marie? 'Excuse me sir, you're sitting on my body, which is also my face'. 'NOT NOW, I'M CHECKIN' OUT THE ARBITER'S FYNE AYSS!'

Hey look…Jen's working on illustrations. Can't exactly call it 'fan-art' cause I own it: Alucard's not in these (I'm not that confident in my skill or lack thereof!). I'm gonna get to that…later. I'll also need a scanner…ehh, this may take a while. But it's ok, because now I have one of these! (holds up blending stick) HELL YEAH!

Marie and I just may be the last people to see The Dark Knight, but it was awesome. MARIE DID YOU SEE THE VIDEO OF HIM EATING POPROCKS!?

In other news, we are completely inappropriate over Xbox live. Sadly, the other party could not hear us, and he spurned our advances. Sad face. But Left 4 Dead is fucking awesome-sauce. If any of you have a live account, tell me, and then we can meet…and you can stab me in the face during Halo 3/L4D versus for this wait!

Sorry about the wait; midterms. Also I got me a job. So that's kept me too tired to write.

Right then, I'm going to stop being lazy and write.

(Sets chapter down and runs as if it were a lit stick of dynamite, leaving readers standing around, confused.)

B/N: Markchop?

A/N2: Yes, Marie, markchop. Thank you for markchopping this markchop, even if you did need to do that dumbass 'sleeping' thing you markchop. Loser.


I woke up, too early. I groaned in annoyance, realizing the reason for waking up at such an ungodly hour was that I had fallen on the floor. I sighed, wondering if there was a point in getting back up to my bed.

I started to push myself off the floor, when an arm darted out, wrapping around my waist and pulling me back down (nearly giving me a heart attack in the process).

"And just where do you think you're going?" Alucard's silky voice purred from the darkness in front of me as he drew me closer.

Ah…This wasn't the floor…I had been lying on Alucard, but still on my bed. When had he snuck in here? I don't remember falling asleep next to him…

"Now I'm offended; how could you mistake me for the floor?" Alucard asked, his tone slightly mocking as he held me tightly to him. He chuckled as he effortlessly subdued my attempts to escape his unbreakable grip.

I dunno…perhaps your cold, rock-hard abs? I sighed and gave up, not having the energy to fight so soon after waking up. I cuddled against him. "For the record, I thought I had fallen on top of the blankets onto the floor." I said, my words muffled by his suit.

He laughed. "Your cover-up isn't at all believable, my dear."

I ignored his comment and nuzzled against his suit. "You weren't here when I fell asleep…" I mumbled.

"No. I smelled your fear. You were having a nightmare." I peeked up at him and he grinned evilly "Your nightmares are too good to resist."

I shuddered, remembering the real reason I had been startled awake. There had been ghouls attacking me, and no matter how many times I shot them or clawed at them, they wouldn't die… I involuntarily curled closer to Alucard.

"You fear the ghouls more so than the vampire, don't you…?" He asked, amused.

I didn't answer him. He was right, though. I don't know why the ghouls scared me more…they're slower, stupider, and far less of a threat than a vampire. They're easily killed, even if they had weapons.

"You forget the vampire controls them." Bastard had been reading my mind again. "You just see them as mindless, not caring, which they are, for the most part. But for some unexplainable reason, you think a vampire could be…reasoned with, I suppose. You think you could discover a way to talk to the vampire and rationalize with it, convince it not to hurt you or others. You're too much of a pacifist, little girl. And one with a wild imagination. I need to break you of this idea, you know. It's going to get you killed."

I didn't really want to know what that involved…I sighed and closed my eyes, feeling the terror from my nightmare start to leave, exhaustion replacing it. I wish he would have woken me up or ended the nightmare, but I guess he's just too goddamn sadistic to help me, huh?

He laughed quietly. "You're quite…clingy when you're dreaming, do you know that?"

That brought my awareness back. "What?"

I swear I could hear him grin. "Oh yes. The second I laid down next to you, you turned over and hugged me, letting out an absolutely pathetic whimper." He wrapped his hand around my neck. "You're lucky I let you sleep and didn't drain you instead."

I looked up blindly at him, casting a worried glance to the darkness. His chest shook lightly as he chuckled. His grip on my neck tightened slightly, and he pulled me up so that my head was on his shoulder. He stayed like that for a moment, and I had no objections to it.

Alucard grabbed my wrist, his hand easily wrapping around it, his fingers overlapping. He pulled my wrist up to his nose and inhaled slowly. I felt his frozen tongue slide over the vein, razor teeth grazing my skin.

Alucard spoke quietly, to himself, I think; I could barely hear him. "I wonder…how much would you panic if I silt your wrist and kept you from struggling? I wonder if your vein would close back up with that uncanny speed you sometimes heal with. Can you still heal in your human form?" What…healing? I tensed; would he try and test whatever this was? "Do you only heal if it's intensely life-threatening? Would you heal if I only snapped the tendon, without breaking your vein?" I felt sick at the thought of him breaking the tendon. Can someone even heal that? I thought I heard somewhere that once a tendon's broken, it's broken for good. I need to stop thinking about this; graphic mental images are making me sick.

Alucard stopped, going still.

"You don't know you can heal?" He asked, looking down at me, eyes now glowing.

"Wh-what do you mean?" I knew that when my ribs all got snapped, it healed a little faster than normal, but is that really so strange?

Alucard started laughing. "I know more about you than you do, my dear." He released my wrist and switched to wrapping his arms around my body. "I suppose it makes sense; every time it's happened you've been in such bad shape I doubt you would take notice. Pura, you're well aware that having your throat slit is normally fatal, correct?"

"Well yeah…but I thought…I got stitched up quick enough..." I trailed off. No, that still wouldn't make sense; they can't repair such important blood vessels fast enough, can they? "Maybe you missed something major…" What a stupid thought.

He chuckled. "Of course not; I severed every major blood vessel in your neck the first time. You should have been dead in less than a minute. I cut your tendons, too. And you're correct in assuming that once a tendon breaks, it's not going to heal. At least, not on its own. But you…you're a strange one. The reason you didn't die is that by the time you had stumbled out into the hallway, your neck had almost healed; muscle, tendons, and all. Granted, there were still tiny holes in your veins that kept bleeding, but they were not ripped open."

"Why, though?" So I am a freak…a human wouldn't survive that; nothing would survive that. So what does that mean about me?

"I'm not sure. There's a possibility getting bitten did have an effect on you; your healing abilities are reminiscent of those vampires possess, though you remain living." He gripped my neck again, threateningly this time "And, if you don't stop worrying about being a 'freak' or a 'monster', I am going to show you what a monster is."

I whimpered and struggled; was he going to strangle me?

At the sound he laughed and released my throat. "Calm down, my dear. I'm not going to kill you...not by strangling you, anyway." Alucard leaned in, his breath at my ear "Where's the fun in that?" He whispered menacingly. "Now then, go back to sleep, you're going to need to be…aware later."

I really didn't want to go through whatever I needed to be aware for. It's bound to be something absolutely horrible. Oh well. The thought of sleep was far too welcoming for me to fight it any longer, and I let myself relax again. Alucard made a soft humming noise as I felt his shadows wrap gently around me. As used to it as I was, I still had to fight the urge to try and squirm away from the cold, unsettling…things. Alucard chuckled, feeling my apprehension. The shadows began to feel comforting rather than threatening, and it wasn't long before I gave in.


Later, we were outside on the training field; not usual in itself but Alucard was definitely up to something. I hate being on the grounds at night, it's so damn creepy. The open space was free of soldiers, none were training and those patrolling knew better than to risk becoming a target for Alucard by walking in. The field was lit by a floodlight, moths batting against the hot bulb, flickering ominous shadows across the grass.

Alucard stood there, watching me with a slight smirk. I was trying not to run away, because nothing good could come of his plan… whatever it was.

"So…what are we doing?" I asked, knowing already I'd hate the answer.

He smiled. "I can think of no better time than now to uncover some of your…abilities."

"And what does that involve?"

"Hmm…Well, to my knowledge you've only 'changed' twice. We need to find out what triggers it. I know you were unconscious the first time, but do you recall any strange dreams?"

I had to suppress a shudder. "Well, no, not really…the only dreams I had were horrible…all of them, it didn't stop."

My heart skipped when I noticed Alucard considering this. He wouldn't make me go through that again…would he?

I took a step back nervously.

Alucard disappeared.

I wasted no time in bolting away from here, towards the house. It seemed like the safest place, however thin that illusion may have been. My extra speed that I had with my wings out seemed to help, that is, until the ground fell away.

My world was darkened so fast and so completely that I thought I might have gone blind somehow. But that thought was drowned out by the fact that I was falling, and I couldn't move my wings. I was calmed, however, by the realization that Alucard was making me feel this, just trying to scare me into going glowy-eyed crazy.

Well, I thought that until I landed.

I couldn't even scream when I hit the ground, on my front. It didn't matter, I guess; the sickening sound of my bones cracking drowned anything else out for me. The pain silenced anything else, too.

After a few agonizing seconds of lying there, feeling my blood begin to seep through the front of my shirt, I heard a choked squeak, and realized it was my own voice making the noise.

I choked, tasting blood, just before my eyes slipped closed.

I woke up with a gasp, sitting up to see nothingness. What the hell is going…?

Oh…no…No, please…

He was giving me new nightmares.

I scrambled to my feet, not knowing what else to do, and started running. Something slammed into the middle of my back, sending me rushing towards the ground, cracking my head of a surface that was about as hard as concrete. I pushed my self up off the ground, dazed. I tried to shake the blood from my eyes, but found that action to be unbearably painful. Before another thought could pass through my mind, however, a hellhound's teeth sunk into my midsection.

All I could see were the thing's six glowing scarlet eyes as it picked me up and shook me like a doll. I could hear a weird growling noise as I tried to pry its mouth open. And the way its eyes were kind of curved up…

It…it was laughing.

The monstrous thing bit down harder; I was sure its top and bottom teeth met. My muscles spasmed, and I finally lost consciousness again.

This time when I looked up I was already crying. It wasn't blindingly dark…I wish it was.

When I saw what was coming towards me, I felt sick.

It was Alucard himself. I honestly didn't think he would directly bring this back. Idiot.

"Alucard…no, please don't." I whimpered. He didn't hear me, or more likely just didn't care.

He walked towards me, wearing that horrible insane grin. I crawled clumsily backwards, unable to think clearly over the fear making my blood cold.

"Oh, your blood's not cold, little girl," came the low half-growled words. He grabbed my neck, clawing easily though my skin, making it too painful to struggle. He pulled me close, slowly licked my bleeding neck. "No…your blood is quite deliciously warm."

I screamed; it was all I could do.

"Quiet," He snarled, and titled my head back.

The sight of his shining fangs gave me cause to thrash. I don't care about the claws in my neck, if he bites me like that again, I won't recover. Even if I wake up, I won't survive it.

His cold fangs touched my neck, and he bit down.

I waited for the mind-searing pain, but it didn't happen.

I started to feel something different…the air wasn't freezing cold…I was curled up on the ground. No, something was holding me. My arms were wrapped tight around my chest, and I was shaking. I was sobbing, something I realized only through the sound.

"Stop crying," Said whatever was holding me. The voice was half annoyed half…worried?

I couldn't open my eyes, or even tell him I couldn't remember how to stop the pitiful sound.

"Pura?" Concern, again?

That was my name, wasn't it? "Huh?" I asked, my voice high through the crying. "Alucard?"

He sighed. "You're very stubborn, little one." He gently ran the back of his gloved hand over my cheek, drying my tears; a futile action, as another one immediately replaced it. I turned my head, hiding my face in his coat and breathing in the comforting scent. "I suppose I don't need to tell you that didn't work."

I could finally open my eyes to see where I was. I assumed we were still on the training grounds. But instead of a floodlight-lit grassy area, I saw we were in my room. I was in Alucard's lap, and he was sitting on my bed.

"It's late. You've been out for quite some time. And that's not equal to sleeping, is it?"

I shook my head. No, it was like torture. It was torture.

Alucard place me on my bed. "Do you want me to stay here, or should I leave?"

I thought about it for a moment. "Stay."

He lied down without a word, wrapping his arms around me and pulling me close. "I won't make you go through that again. You can sleep peacefully, don't worry." He gently pressed his lips to my forehead; I almost jumped. It was weird…this seems too…well, nice, for him. He put two fingers under my chin. "Cooperate." I obediently looked into his eyes, and he smirked. "Good girl." He purred as my vision blurred and went black.


A few days later Alucard decided to try again. Needless to say, I was terrified.

"Scaring you didn't work, as you've noticed." He murmured, circling me slowly like a friggin' shark. "So, I need to test your other possible trigger. I don't buy the thought that this is random."

What was this trigger then…?

"Hmm…" Alucard hummed thoughtfully, looking me over. "Ah! Alright, you stay right here." He said, smirking in a way I really didn't like, before running off into the trees fringing the grounds.

While he was gone, I weighed the pros and cons of running back into the house and barricading myself somewhere.

He appeared in a few seconds, and he was carrying something small…something wiggly…

Alucard stood in front of me, holding a kicking and obviously quite terrified little rabbit.

"Alucard what the hell are you doing?" I asked, giving him a glare.

"Helping you along." He replied, looking down at the rabbit.

He tightened his hold on the creature's neck, and the poor thing screamed.

"Let it go!" I yelped, horrified.

"…No."

He slid one finger down the rabbit's back, ignoring its pleading cries; blood began dripping from it.

"Stop it!" I shrieked, angry now. I felt ice creep along my arms, completely involuntarily.

I heard cracking noises, along with Alucard's laughter and the rabbit's screams.

I growled at him. Wait, how can I growl?

Alucard twisted the rabbit's neck, and it went still.

"What the fuck is wrong with you!?" I snarled, barely noticing my breath forming steam as if it were dead winter instead of late spring.

"Did I forget to mention? I found that rabbit crouching over a nest of its tiny young."

I didn't even feel myself move. But I saw the world rush by, the distance between Alucard and I disappearing a fraction of a second. A blue-tinted fraction of a second.


A/N: (In the distance, yelling) Please don't shoot me for the cliffy!

Fuck I work a lot this week…my weekend is shot. Damn it all.

B/N: GAWDS, JEN! LOOK AT HOW WORRIED HE LOOKS!

A/N2: OH MY GOD I HAVE NEVER SEEN ANYONE LOOK SO WORRIED IN MY LIFE!