Hello! This is the third chapter of the Bloodhound Saga and I hope you enjoy it~

-Outbreakgirl

"Mr Dire," Dorothy calls him from the staircase, and he quickly but silently moves up to meet with her.

"The time has come; we must act quickly. Where is the lady?" He asked her.

"In her room, she is prepared and has the mask." She said in a whisper, and she gave the location of the room. "We will wait for you there. I'll have the window open and the lights on."

"Dorothy." Mara comes into view, which surprised the maid. "What are you doing?"

"Oh, I was just trying to answer a question from this esteemed guest." She replies, and Mara stands there with a blank look on her face. "Um…Mara, are you ok?"

"...Yes, I am fine. As long as you are doing well, it shouldn't be a problem." She turns and walks away. Dorothy stares at for a bit before she gives a nod to Dire before she has to return to the lady's room to get ready for their departure. The man moves down the steps and is joined by Mario. The men made a silent agreement as they headed outside of the mansion through the front door. The servants are all inside to serve the guest which is a perfect distraction for them to move freely. They are heading for the east wing where the lady's room is located and watch the windows for the right one.

Dorothy returns to Dea's room, finding her already in her garments, A two piece suit that allows her to wear trousers that fit her. She turns to her maid, as she is just about ready for their escape.

"I am ready, now all we need to do is open the window." She said as the maid went over and opened the window wide enough for them, and dragged out a makeshift rope made of linen sheets they had made for climbing down. She looks out for Dire and Mario who should be arriving soon, but both women turn towards the door as there was a knock.

"My lady…." The monotone voice of Mara can be heard on the other side. "Mistress, the wedding is about to begin. There is no time to delay." Dea didn't answer, but quickly picked up her luggage and headed for the window. "I know you are in there, mistress. Stop hiding in there…"

The two still didn't respond, but looked at each other with concern. Dea quickly toss the luggage out of the window and watched it land on the grass.

"Quickly, mistress, you go down first. Mr Dire and Mr Zepelli will be here so-" She is interrupted when the door is yanked from it's hinges despite being locked. In comes the maid, discarding the broken door, followed by Straizo.

"Well well, is the mistress being disobedient in trying to escape again?" He tuts, shaking his head. "When will you learn?"

Dea grits her teeth, they have been found out already? The sunlight is fading into twilight outside, and it will soon turn into night. She will be spared, but she is more fearful of Dorothy as she might get killed for trying to help her escape. The maid is the closest to the window, and they could hear a voice from the outside, it must be them.

"Hm? Who is that?" Straizo frowns, but then is surprised when a figure suddenly jumps on the window seal.

"Straizo!" Dire exclaimed in anger, entering the room proper as he is between the girls and the vampire.

"Hmm? Have we met?" He ponders aloud, looking at this warrior, but shrugs. "Oh well, i'm sure it doesn't matter since you are going to die." With a snap of his finger, Mara quickly made her move as she ran towards Dire. He was ready for combat, but was surprised when three figures suddenly appeared from the open doorway. They jumped at him, and he had no choice but to turn his attention to them. This gives Mara enough time run past the warrior and grabs Dea by her arms. She struggles against the maid, but she is very strong in keeping her in place.

"No! Let her go!" Dorothy demanded, only for Mara to effortlessly push her out of the window. "AAAhh!" She screams as she fell, and Dea watched in terror before her captor placed her on her shoulder and fled the room.

"Damn you!" Dire moved his arms as he fought off the three hostiles, swiping at them with his open palms. With his use of hamon, it was enough to render the screaming foes into dust. Straizo is gone, but he quickly moves to the window, only to have a look of relief when he sees Mario holding the maid in his arms.

"Dire, what happened?" He looks up, while keeping the young woman in his arms.

"Its Straizo, he took the girl. We have no time to lose, I have to follow them!" He answered before turning around and leaving.

Mario placed Dorothy on her feet. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, but we have to go back to save the mistress!" She pleads with him.

"I'll go and join Dire, its too dangerous to return inside, please stay safe while we rescue Signora Brando." He promised, then ran towards the front door to try and cut them off from the other side of the east wing. The young Zeppeli raced into the foyer and took the stairway to the east, taking a moment to watch the corridor before he could hear the screaming of a woman demanding release. He followed the voice just in time to see three figures entering a room, and he made it as soon as the door closed.

"Mario!" Dire finally caught up, and skids to a stop. He understood that they have them cornered. "Be ready for anything." He warns him, as he grabs the doorknob and opens it slowly. It was pitch black, but he could tell it was a large room. The duo enters with caution, only met with silence in the darkness.

"You are foolish to fight creatures of the night in darkness, but then again, Hamon warriors are often willingly throwing themselves in the abyss. I should know…" Straizo's voice was heard and gave a sinister chuckle. "Hamon…sure it is powerful, but the power of the ancient race is even greater. Such magnificent, as I am able to retain my beauty for all eternity."

"Come out from the shadows, traitor! Face your end at the hands of those you turned your back on!" Dire demanded fiercely.

"Ah wait, now I remember you…Dire, that little orphan boy Tonpetty took in. It has been a long time." He said in amusement. "But our little reunion would have to be cut short. It was nice catching up."

Green-glowing eyes pierced the darkness, followed by snarling and hissing as if surrounded by wild beasts. Mario lifts his arms in the air, breathing in and out as he is gathering energy from his body through his fingertips, and Dire readies himself in a stance as a few of the attackers rush towards them. The warriors slashed at their opponents with their hands, connecting with their bodies as the power of Hamon caused them great pain and ignited their bodies before they fell to the ground.

"That was just a taste of what's to come. There are many more to deal with." Straizo chuckles, as the curtains open to light the room, with moonlight now shining brightly. The man was standing directly next to it, crossing his arms in amusement as Mara was holding Dea hostage by binding her hands behind her while the maid held them in place. It also reveals the snarling masses of people. There are men and women in the crowd, they are gray-skinned, their clothes ripped as if they were attacked, sharpened fingernails, and menacing green eyes that glow like light. The library is large enough to hold this many people.

"You bastard, how many people did you kill to amass this?" Dire asked, still angry.

"Fifty-four, It's easy to get some help from the Londoners who were oh so willing to assist me in this, but now you have dwindled the number of zombies to forty-seven. Can you manage to defeat all of them before they rip you apart? Let's find out!" He grandstands as he snaps his finger, and the zombies once again attack the two warriors.

Dire and Mario took their stances, preparing for battle as they let the creatures come to them. They used their reflexes to dodge incoming attacks and countered with quick jabs that rendered the zombies into dust. They are doing well so far, as they are gradually reducing the zombie horde. One zombie jumps at Dire, but its chest was pierced by two concentrated laser beams of, so he rolls out of the way of the beams as they were headed straight for him. Straizo smirks as he realizes he is the culprit. He missed but proves to have been an effective distraction as five of the creatures pile on top of him, holding him down.

Mario noticed and thought quickly. He threw a zombie at the pile, scattering them for Dire to escape. Straizo interferes again as lasers are shot from his eyes at the pair as they continue to fight. They are doing their best to dodge his attacks while still fighting the zombies, as some were collateral damage to Straizo's attack. Dire once again moves out of the way of the laser, only for the shelf of books behind him to be quickly covered in flames as an oil lamp is knocked over and the heat of the beam ignites it.

"Ahh, Oops, i'm sure Lord Joestar would forgive me for that." Straizo waves his hand in indifference. "Two bodies will be offered as my apology."

Finally, the zombie horde is no more, and the warriors turn to face the vampire.

"And now it's your turn, you're not going to weasel your way out of this." Dire told him, pointing at him.

"I'll embrace doing battle with you two, and i'll make it quick by ripping your throats." Straizo declares, as he runs towards the pair and attacks them, matching their skills with his own. Even though it is a handicap, he doesn't mind taking on the warriors.

He fought the two, as he used his vampiric strength to even the battle, as Dire and Mario were on offense, furiously attacking him while he easily dodged their attacks. He smirks, thrusting a palm into the young Zeppeli's chest, sending him to fly backwards and land on his back. He managed to grab Dire's wrist before he touched him, threatening to crush the bone with his hand. "Pathetic!" Before he could do anything, he hissed as he was forced to let go as the warrior tried to perform an uppercut with his free arm. This left him open as Mario kicked him into his chest, infusing it with energy, which was enough to blow him back and slide on the floor.

"Vile sanguisuga! I got you!" He cheered in confidence, as he was certain that the vampire would be at the very least critically injured. He is proven wrong, however, when Straizo sits up undamaged."Huh? What sorcery is this?

"You idiot, did you really think I didn't come prepared?" Around his neck and shoulder is a green scarf where he was hit, standing up as he runs his fingers through the cloth. "Before you die, I'll let you in on a little secret: there is a native species of beetle in Southeast Asia called Satiporja. Fascinating little creatures, as they conduct Hamon much better than the human body. After that discovery, I commissioned for their stomachs to be dried and woven in this scarf, 30,000 of them in fact. This is very handy, so your Hamon is useless." He smirks.

"Then we will rip that pretty insect scarf off before we finish you!" Dire declared, shaking his fist.

"You can try, but I intend to end this quickly." He crossed his arms, and his eyes turned to the burning bookshelves as they spread. "Ah, an idea! I'll simply burn you two alive!"

Mario eyes the flames, spreading even more as the minutes pass. "Oh yeah? Why don't you try it? Come at me!"

"Fine, you die first!" Straizo runs at the young Zeppeli, intending to kill, but is intercepted by Dire tackling him. He managed to still stand on his feet, but his arms were restricted. "Gah! Damn you!" He hissed in annoyance, trying to wriggle away from his grasp. The human had a vice grip, but the vampire is stronger still. "Miserable insect!" With his strength, he broke free from his grip and placed his hands on Dire's neck. He laughs cruelly as he attempts to strangle him, trying to sink his fingers into his flesh.

"Gotcha!" Mario's hands grip Straizo's shoulders, which distracts the man as his head turns to see him.

"What?" There was fire enveloped on both his hands, setting fire to his scarf. The vampire quickly releases his hold on his previous opponent to try and pry the Zeppeli off.

"You say that you wanted to burn us alive? How about this? Hamon!" The flames from his hand quickly engulf Straizo's upper body, setting him alight and causing him to scream. Both of the warriors watched him suffer as he was burning alive, his scarf, shirt, skin, and hair seared off.

"Damn you! Damn you both! I'll kill you!" He screams in agony as he blindly swipes his claws wildly at them. The same thing happened when he shot his eye beams in an attempt to kill them, only succeeding in destroying more of the library and spreading the fire even more. It wasn't long before the Hamon-charged fire melted both of his eyes, causing even more pain. "Bastards! You bastards! How dare you ruin my beautiful body!

"Your days of scourging the Earth are over, monster. Now go to hell!" Dire jabs his hand into his chest, and soon, Straizo's entire body was lit, and he screamed before it crumbled and turned into ash. "Finally...their deaths have been avenged. Every poor soul and Hamon warriors he has taken away, they can finally rest easy."

Mara, who has watched the entire battle, released Dea from her grasp, as she is starting to show fear. In self-preservation, she retreats through the window. Dea fell on the ground as she was shoved, covering her mouth to prevent the surrounding smoke from overtaking her lungs. She can barely see a thing, but can hear the men's voices.

"Signora, don't be alarmed, we are here to help." They hoisted her on her feet, protecting her as they quickly fled the burning library.

JOJOJOJOJO

Earlier

William is the first to attack, using his cane as a rapier skillfully as he tries to stab the young Joestar. He is just as skilled as he moves out of the way of the attacks, keeping his distances as he couldn't risk being killed in one fell swoop by the master. Jonathan kicks a stray chair right at the man, only for him to destroy it easily with a charged kick of his own.

"Not going to work!" He took a sip of his wine, and spit the liquid from between his teeth. They quickly crystalized by Hamon, transforming into sharp projectiles that the vampire quickly moves to dodge them.

"You are full of surprises, Mr Zeppeli. They don't call you a master for nothing." He complimented, all the while standing in front of a suit of armor then ripping the iron lance from it's grasp.

"If you think that was impressive, I still have a few tricks up my sleeve!" He attacks him again, as their weapons clash with each other as both men are skillful enough to use them.

Jonathan, while they clashed, raised his fist to strike at the old man, who quickly blocked it. Flesh and metal collide, causing the cane to bend from the impact, and Zeppeli jumps back. He sighs, dropping the object on the ground, and shifts to the champagne glass, it has been cracked and the wine is starting to leak.

"A damn shame, such a waste of fine wine," He frowns as the glass shatters, but the liquid stays afloat above his hand. "Allow me to return this." His hands smooth out the liquid into multiple crystallized shards, and throw them all at the vampire. Jonathan then used the lance to spin it at a rapid pace to protect himself against the assault, shattering the crystals. He stopped as soon as the projectiles were destroyed.

"Enough games, Zeppeli. It is time we put an end to this." He declares as he throws away the lance.

"Yes, you are right. Let us end this once and for all." William agrees, as he gets into a battle stance, breathing air into his lungs "Rest assured that you'll find peace afterwards. Hooo!" He dashed at him, using an open palm strike to jab at his opponent's stomach. This time, Jonathan grabbed his wrist before he made an impact.

"I'll make this quick." The vampire reaches for the man's throat to crush it with his pure strength, However, what he felt was searing pain akin to the sun as Zeppeli delivers a knee connected to his stomach.

"This is what I needed to get close enough to strike! Hamon!" The energy from his knee transferred into the other's body, causing Jonathan to experience agony before he was blown back and crashed into the wall behind him. Zeppeli looked at his dislocated wrist before using Hamon to put it back into place to heal himself.

Jonathan is still intact, albeit damaged as he struggles a bit. "Y-You…"

William is confused at first before he notices that his knee is cold and wet. "Ahhh, now I understand. You have discovered the freezing technique." He walks over to him. "Although it has saved you somewhat, you have yet to master it; the pain is still searing your insides...not enough to kill. Still, I am impressed that we were able to cancel most of the high level of energy I put into that kick. You would've made a promising Hamon warrior." He frowns, standing over him. "But alas, fate does not deem it so. I am sorry, dear boy, but it is time for you to embrace the sun."

"Master Joestar, Master Joestar!" The butler, Conrad, burst into the room. "The mansion is on fire! The fire is spreading quickly!" He said it frantically, but was stunned at the scene before him. "W-what is this?"

William is distracted by the frantic butler, and so is Jonathan at the news that his house is on fire, which gives him a horrifying realization. "Dea!" The thought of his love in danger gave him renewed vigor to push through the pain to try and get back up on his feet, but Zeppeli turned his attention back on him.

"No you don't!" He raised his hand to strike, but to his surprise, he was grabbed by Conrad to halt his actions. "What?"

"No! You fiend!" He tries to defend his master, all the while the vampire uses his sheer will power to stand up and leave the room to find Dea, as that is what he cares about the most.

As soon as he entered the corridor, the heat from the fire had already spread there. He could hear the screaming and footsteps of others running around, but he moved quickly to try and find his fiancé. Meanwhile, Zeppeli struggles against the butler that was holding him back, but he frees himself when he wriggles out of his grasp, causing the butler to fall on the ground.

"Dannare!" He cursed as his target escaped. He exits the parlor room and covers his nose to protect himself from the smoke. He spots Jonathan turning the corner and follows him.

Dire, Mario, and Dea quickly navigate to try and find the foyer; so far, they haven't seen any signs of life, as the servants and guests must have escaped by now, so they must do the same. Dire takes the lead, smashing down the door that takes them into the foyer at last.

"Quickly, this way!" They take the stairs, as they are in reach of freedom.

"Dea!" They gasp as they hear Jonathan's voice, looking down at them from the balcony above. He is livid that these Hamon warriors are trying to take away his bride. "Vermin! "How dare you, let go of my bride!"He demanded loudly, standing on the top of the staircase. Dire reacts quickly as he prepares himself for an attack that will surely come.

Just then, William vaults over the railing and lands on his feet, joining the others to face the Joestar.

"You stand against three Hamon warriors now. It's over for you." He said, as he turned to Dea. "Signora, flee while you still can. We will handle this." He told her, as it would be dangerous. Dea nods as she backs away, quickly heading for the door.

Jonathan doesn't mind this, as at the very least he knows that she will be safe as he is determined to kill the warriors.

He jumps into the air, then attempts to slam on top of them to crush them; however, Dire used his strength to toss William into the air to meet with him, gaining the height advantage. "This is it! Tornado Overdrive!" He began to spin rapidly like a top, diving feet first like a drill. Jonathan used his arms to block the assault, shielding himself as his arms were frozen over in ice as he decreased his body temperature. It certainly does cushion the impact, and the Hamon energy is being negated. However, he is pushed back by the force of the kick, causing him to fall backwards.

"Willaim Zeppeli!" He shouts in contempt, still blocking the attack. But it was too late when he realized that he was underneath a statue right beside the stairwell. It is a statue of the goddess of love, in which she holds a sharpened spear in her hand, and Jonathan fell on top of it, his chest impaled on it as he screamed in anguish. "Aaaaugh!" Zeppeli leaps from the statue, retreating as the flames become too hot for foyer is burning around them, and parts of the roof are starting to fall on the surface.

"Father, we cannot stay here any longer! The building will collapse at any second!" Mario warns him, and he nods in agreement as they have to leave before it is too late.

"Then the fire will take care of him." He said, almost somberly, as the three warriors started to flee, leaving Jonathan to burn as he was stuck where he was, still screaming.

"William! William Zeppeli! I curse you to eternal damnation! You will not escape oblivion by my hand, this is a promise!" His declaration is drowned out as he is consumed along with the rest of his house as he is left to die.

The nobles and servants who have escaped are watching with horror as the once marvous Joestar mansion is being destroyed, the smoking rising in the air and the flames bright. The three men escaped through the front door, breathing in the fresh air of the night before quickly moving down the steps in search of Dea and Dorothy. They avoid the crowd for now, but thankfully spot the two ladies on the side of the courtyard. "Retrieve the carriage, we need to flee to the city as soon as possible." Willaim said, as Dire nodded and raced to fetch their ride.

"My lady, are you alright?" Dorothy asked her, as she is glad that she made it outside.

"I am fine, I just need to breathe. It was so unreal…" She had a harrowing experience, but is relieved that her maid came out unharmed.

"Signora Brando," William greeted. "We finally met under peaceful circumstances."

"Indeed, you must be William Zeppeli." She is right of course, she has heard of a dapper looking man with strange powers. She watches the mansion, a neutral expression on his face as the home she has lived in is being completely incinerated. It is surreal, and she turns away from the sight. She is being comforted by Dorothy. "...is it really over?"

"Yes, vampires do not do well with fire. With enough heat, they can be cremated." Willaim explains, as he assures her. The carriage comes around, and he lead the girls inside of it so they can go to the city.

JOJOJOJOJO

They have returned to the hotel room, getting comfortable to heal from their experience, as they are sure to hear and see the commotion from the citizens sooner or later. Dea is sitting on the sofa, feeling a mixture of emotions welling up inside of her about what had happened this day. She is free, and it is such a relief that she cannot believe that it is real. Does this mean that Jonathan is truly gone?

"Mr Zeppeli, I want to thank you for your help. I…don't know what I would have done without it. You have my gratitude."

"It is no trouble at all. We are hunters of creatures of the night. It is our duty." He answers, giving a bow. "Although it was such a shame. I hope George and his wife would forgive us for what we had to do." He sits on an armchair. "Now then, there is still something we must do. Do you have the Stone Mask?"

Dorothy nods as she opens the luggage, and she pulls out the mask, handing it over.

"This is a terrifying device indeed. It shall be destroyed." He has the mask in his hand. It was then transferred into the mask using his Hamon energy. The power soon enough caused the mask to have cracks on its surface, and then it shattered completely. Millions of its remains fell to the ground and are now dust in the wind. "There's one less mask to worry about. What would you ladies do now if I may ask?"

That is a good question. Dea doesn't really have anywhere to go. She was so focused on her freedom at the moment that she thought little of her destination, just getting as far away from her cage as possible.

"Mistress, if you want, you can live with my family." Dorothy suggested while smiling. "They would be more than happy to have you, it wouldn't be a problem at all. " She didn't expect such an offer.

"You would really want me to live with you?" She asked.

"Yes, of course! This is the start of a new beginning for you!" A new beginning sounds wonderful: no more sitting in that accursed house, no more dread and struggle to break free, and no more Jonathan Joestar.

"Thank you, Dorothy. I guess I'll take you up on the offer. Also, I am technically not your mistress anymore. I am now back to being a simple commoner." She points out that there is no need for titles with her.

"Then allow us to escort you both. We are heading in the same direction." William offers. "It is about a three-day ride from London, so you should get some rest for the trip." He turns to his companions. "Mario, Dire, we would have to let the ladies feel as comfortable as possible. It is too late to get another room, but that's okay. I surrender my bedroom."

"Are you sure, Mr Zeppeli?"

"Yes of course, I insist. It would be ungentlemenly to force you ladies to sleep on the couch. It is a king-sized bed, so you can share it." They are grateful for the assistance and kindness, and Dea is indeed tired from the events. The hotel room is large and has three separate bedrooms. She does take Mr. Zeppeli's room and sits on the bed, alone with her thoughts.

"...Jonathan is…gone." It is a foreign feeling, but she lived fine without him, and she would do so again. Besides, the man she once loved died and was replaced by a monster wearing his skin. Still, why does she still have such conflicting emotions?

JOJOJOJOJO

Earlier

A horse carriage travels along the main road, carrying one passenger. Speedwagon is looking over a few papers, crosses his legs, then sighs. He places them back into his briefcase and tries to enjoy the ride back to Joestar Mansion; he is the best man, and he promises that he will be there for the wedding. "Hm?" Something wasn't right; he could see a pillar of smoke the closer they got and stopped at the entrance of the courtyard. "What is going on? Driver, why did you stop?" He opens the door, but his eyes widen when he witnesses a horrifying sight: the mansion is in a blaze. "Oh my god!"

He abandoned his ride and ran towards the crowd of terrified guests and servants. He grabs a housemaid on the shoulder to talk to her. "You!" He shouted as he startled her. "What happened?"

"M-Mr Speedwagon!" She gasped. "Sir, t-the mansion….it was set ablaze, I-I don't know how it happened."

"Where are Jonathan and Dea? Did they make it out?" He asked frantically, looking at the faces in the crowd to spot them. "Answer me!" She stutters trying to answer, but he abandons her and moves and screams for the young Joestar's name, hoping that he will answer. His eyes turn to the burning building, and he fears the worst.

"Mr Speedwagon!" He turns his head and sees Conrad quickly running up to him. "Its terrible! Master Joestar is still inside! Those horrible people have done something to him!" Thinking quickly, Speedwagon turns to the house.

"I'll go inside to check. Get everyone out of here." He said that before making a mad dash towards the entrance and breaking through the door. It is unbearable inside for a human, but he is a vampire, so he should withstand extreme conditions. The foyer is consumed by flames, but he looks around, and his eyes fall upon the goddess statue.

On the floor is a smoldering body, and he rushes over to get a better look. "Milord!" He could tell from the body's height and vampiric teeth that are still intact. "Oh good lord…don't worry, i'll get you out of here!" He picked up the body and carried it on his shoulder. "Come on, chap…" He grunted and gasped when the ceiling fell down, blocking the front entrance. Cursing lowly, he tries to think of an alternate path. It quickly came to him as he went behind the staircase to enter the underground cellar.

Luckily, it is untouched by the fire, which makes it easier for him. He knows a few of the ins and outs of the mansion, and this is one of them. The secret path leads outside, in the backyard, where they have an outside furnace for incinerating rubbish. Speedwagon had to climb a ladder in order to reach the surface, still carrying Jonathan's body through a double door.

He sighs in relief. They are far away from the mansion, closer to the forest now, and for now he would stay away from that area. What is most important is tending to the young Joestar. He placed him carefully on the cobblestone, trying to find any sign that he was among the living. His entire body is burned and blacked; his clothes, hair, skin, and eyes are no more, all that is left is charred flesh, with teeth and nails intact.

"Oh lord…Jonathan? Milord…please give me a sign." He begs slowly; he can't die like this.

"Mr Speedwagon!" A woman's gasp is heard, and he turns to the source. It is Mara as she stood at the oak gates of the small yard. She hurriedly approached them while on her knees.

"Huh, a maid?" He tilts his head. He has seen her around the mansion, but there is something wrong with her, as she has green eyes that pierced the darkness. "Wait, you are a zombie?"

She nods in confirmation. "Yes, it was my choice. It was the only way to ensure Master Joestar's safety." Looking at his charred body, she said, "Those people, Zeppeli and his two cohorts, did this. They have killed Straizo and the other zombies, and tried to kill Master Joestar, unforgivable…" She cursed them with venom in her voice.

"But what about the mistress? Oh god, what happened to her?" He asked, fearing that she might still be in there. He had been so focused on saving Jonathan's life.

"I do not know, she may have escaped…" She answered, trying to sound concerned.

"Right now, we first need to find shelter. I think I know where. He picks the body back up, as he leaves to head into the forest while the maid follows him. There is no path; however, he is going off from memory as he traverses through the darkness for quite some time until the moonlight leers at a dilapidated structure. It is a small wooden cabin, having no ownership, so it is theirs for the taking. They entered with no trouble; the interior is bare with no furnishing and a lonely fireplace. He took off his long coat to place on the ground as a covering before laying Jonathan on it.

"This is concerning…shouldn't he be regenerating?" The maid asked.

"He should be, but just to be sure, we need to give him blood as soon as possible." He stood up, looking around the cabin. "We will have to hunt for the animals in the woods and block the windows and any openings." As he approached the door, he gave the command."I'll get the blood while you take care of him." And with that, he heads out into the wilderness to look for food. It didn't take him long to find a couple of rabbits and a full-grown fox, and he made sure to kill them swiftly and without spilling a drop of blood.

Speedwagon returns with his game; nothing seems to change with Jonathan's condition. Mara is still by his side, and welcomes his return. He positions a rabbit above Joestar's mouth before slitting its throat, letting the blood flow so he will taste and absorb it. He watches carefully for any reaction and jumps in surprise when Jonathan's body arches his back, hands reaching out as he makes an unholy screech.

"Ah good heavens!" Robert backs away, and so does the maid, as they are both shocked. They watched as the body springs to life, reaching for the rabbit Speedwagon dropped and set upon it like a rabid dog as it ripped its body for its life essence. "U-Uh…M-milord?" He meekly tries to talk to him, but gets no response at first. The regeneration process is starting to kick in as his skin is slowly starting to regrow.

"More…more…" He mutters as his hunger is not satisfied. There are still a pile of five rabbits and a fox, and he crawls over to feast for more.

He is returning to his original state quickly, rejuvenated thanks to his vampiric abilities. He drops each of the husks, staggering a bit as he stumbles onto his feet as the moonlight bathes in all of his glory.

"Milord!" Both his friend and his maid approached him, glad to have seen him recover, but he is without clothing. Mara has to turn her gaze for modesty.

"Robert…and Mara…" He acknowledges them both, but doesn't turn to face them.

"Milord, i'm so glad you are alright! It's a good thing I came back as soon as I could. I managed to save you from the fire. It was an awful sight, I was told that you were in a fight with that Zeppeli fellow." He stopped when he didn't get a response at first, but the air was tense.

"...William…Zeppeli…" He growls, clutching his fist. "How dare he...how dare he take her away from me!" He threw his fist back and smashed it against the wall, blowing a hole wide open and stumbling out of it in a fury. "He took everything from me! Bastard, he is just like the parasites who drained my father of his life!" He started to walk away from the cabin, and the two followed him.

"W-wait! Jojo, wait a moment!" He caught up with him. "Where are you going?"

"London." He curtly answered, not stopping his movement.

"What? Please listen to me!" He moves in front of him. "I know that you are mad, but let us think about this rationally. I promise that we will get your beloved back; we just need to be patient."

He stares into the Joestar's crimson eyes, but he does calm down. "You…you are right. I am sorry." He grunts, sighs as he straightens up his posture. "I let my anger get the best of me, I have never been humiliated so thoroughly. Because of my carelessness…I have lost everything."

"Hold on there, guv. You still have me, so you haven't lost everything." He chuckles,

"Yes, of course." He looked at his hand, then realized something important. "First order of business: I need some clothing"

"Right, then I guess we better get on that, but we can't exactly go to the tailors." Speedwagon half jokes, but there is a town that isn't far from where they live, they can make it at full speed. "We would have to knick some for ourselves. There are houses on the outskirts, i'm sure that we would find some. I don't think we should go into town just yet."

"Very well." Jonathan's eyes scans the woods, and then places his thumb and index on his lips and blows, creating a whistling sound that echoes through the forest. The maid and Speedwagon are confused at first before after a few moments, they could hear galloping sounds that are coming closer to their location. Two black horses appear from the darkness, sporting the vampiric crimson eyes. Robert is amazed that they came quickly.

"Huh? The horses are here?"

"Yes, because of their nature, we couldn't let them be in the stable with the other horses. They hunt in the forest, but are loyal." He strokes the horses' chin as they come closer. "We can use the horses to travel, i'm sure we would have what we need."

Even without saddles, they could ride on the creatures. They avoid the main road and stick to the darkness of the forest. It was not long until they came across a cottage and explored the outside. Sheets and clothing are hanging on lines, and the trio approached the dry laundry and looked at the options.

"Here we go, let's see here. I think you can fit these." Speedwagon suggested as he showed him the clothes. He nods as he takes the clothes and goes over behind the trees to change in peace.

"Mr Speedwagon." Mara approached him, whispering a bit. "Are we really going to London? I honestly have a bad feeling about it." She told him

"Hm? Is it because of Zeppeli?" He asked, and she nodded.

"I have seen what those warriors can do. Their power is unlike any I have ever seen before; they even managed to take on a horde of zombies and turn Straizo to dust. I am scared of what would happen if he went and fought them. He almost died, even though he is a powerful lord."

"Yeah, you have a point. If that's the case, then there is only one thing he can do." He crossed his arms. It would be too risky to go find them directly.

"I am just worried for his safety, after what has happened."

"You both have a point." They turned to Jonathan as he returned, finally with clothing, but he didn't have any shoes. He doesn't mind this, as that isn't his concern right now. "I fear I may not be strong enough to fight them. Straizo has taught me things, but I didn't have enough time to master them."

He looks up to the moon, as if he is basking in it's beams. "That's alright, it was the stepping stone to discovering my potential, and I must cultivate it. So as you said before, i'll be patient. I'll take this time to better myself until I am strong enough to reclaim what is mine. Now come." He goes to one of the horses and saddles himself on top.

"Where are we going, guv?" Speedwagon asked him.

"Into the wild," He answers, riding off soon after.

April 28

"Okay, that is the last of our things." Mario placed their luggage at the back of the coach and fastened it so it wouldn't fall during the trip. "I think we are ready to get going, until we are forgetting something."

William shook his head. "We got everything we needed; we must be on our way." He said this as his eyes turned to the two ladies walking out of the hotel exit. "We are ready. I hope we can provide a smooth ride along the way."

"Indeed, but it would be worth it." Dorothy responds. Mario quickly opens the carriage door and offers a hand to her. Dea is behind her, slowly striding as she looks around the busy streets as if it is the last time she will see them. She has no reservations about leaving the city; it is, after all, what she eyes now focus on what is in front of her, as everyone is waiting for her.

"Mis-I mean, Dea…is something wrong?" Dorothy asked,

"No, i'm sorry. I'm just taking in the scenery." She answers, walking up to the carriage, and the young Zeppeli escorts her inside before getting inside. William and Dire are at the front seat, manning the two horses.

"Alright, to Windknight's Lot we go. Dire, let us start the journey if you please. " The carriage starts to move and travel along London's main road with the traffic. With in sun shining brightly, it has given Dea newfound hope of her future, as it would shine as brightly.

Vile sanguisuga- Vile Bloodsucker