Never Letting Go

by Oxford Not Brogues

"I am both yours forever." Those were the words Seras had used. Something she had vowed to them no less than a week ago. "Yours forever." Those words had filled them with such hope, such happiness, but she was a liar. Alucard and Sebastian will do everything in their power to get Seras back after she unexpectedly flees the country.

6. Chapter 6

Good evening,

I hope you guys enjoy the chapter.

Oxford Not Brogues

Chapter Six

Seven Years Later

Alucard and Sebastian had thought finding Seras would have been simple. They thought that once they arrived in Amsterdam, everything would just fall into place for them. Surely they would catch up to her before she could settle or run off somewhere else. They were sorely mistaken. Once again, that little minx had given them the slip. There was not a trace of where she had gone after arriving in Amsterdam. All they knew for certain was that she left the airport in a cab. After locating the cabbie who drove her from the airport, they found out a little more. The cabbie had taken her to a hotel. Racing to the hotel, the concierge informed them that she had only stayed two nights before leaving. After that, Alucard and Sebastian lost all leads. No one knew where Seras went.

They considered the airports and train stations, figuring that she might be on the run again. But after weeks of scouring through hours and days of footage from all the different airports and train stations, they found absolutely nothing. Figuring that Seras was still somewhere in the country, Alucard and Sebastian searched. For a few good months, they scavenged all of Amsterdam, investigating every nook and cranny, and interrogated anyone that might've seen anything. When they came up with nothing, Alucard briefly returned to his home in Bucharest to see if Seras was there waiting for them while Sebastian flew back to London. When that turned out to be fruitless, they returned to the Netherlands and decided to broaden their search.

They went from province to province, town to town, searching every little area they could. They talked to hundreds of people, maybe even thousands. Humans had no idea who she was and vampires who did know hadn't seen her at all. The more Alucard and Sebastian searched, the more hope they lost. Where was their mate? Had she died? Needless to say, both monsters were exhausted and felt utterly defeated. They searched over three hundred towns and cities looking for her. And it took them seven years before they finally got a new lead.

"Have you seen her?" Sebastian asked what felt like the fiftieth person that day. In front of them sat an old man that was at least in his sixties. His hair was white and he had a big, bushy white beard. It was a bright sunny day out so he was sitting outside his little fruit shop with his hands interlaced over his round stomach. When being asked, the old man looked up to inspect the picture.

"Oh," He murmured as he gingerly took the picture to look at it closer. "Yes, I do believe that's Seras. Bit of an unusual name and she is a bit reserved, but she's an incredibly sweet girl. I know her a little." He then handed the photo back before glancing up at the stunned males. "Did something happen? Is she okay?"

"You know her?" The demon asked once more to be sure as he pointed at the girl in the picture. Despite the man having given her name, he was still in shock that they finally found someone who knew something about their mate.

"Yes," The old man answered with a nod. He then gestured his head to the side. "She owns a couple of shops here in Arnhem, and I think one down in Angerlo."

"A couple of shops?" Sebastian repeated. He was still unable to process what he was being told. Seras was here? Had they finally found her?

"Yes," The old man responded once more with another nod. "She owns a coffee shop, it's name I can't exactly remember, but it's over on Burgemeester. And she owns a cute little cafe bookshop called The Cozy Nook on Van Lawick." The man then snickered as a charming smile spread across his face. "My wife really loves that place. She drags me there every Saturday. Sometimes you can find Seras working there or at her coffee shop. I think you'll mostly find her in her bookshop in Angerlo. I'm positive she lives somewhere over there." Something then sparked in the old man's eyes. "Oh!" He exclaimed then. "She also comes here a lot to donate blood."

"Donate?" Sebastian whispered with furrowed brows. He instantly figured that Seras wasn't donating but, in fact, collecting blood bags to satiate her hunger so she wouldn't have to hunt.

"Yes, she goes to the sanquin blood supply at least every week." The old man told them. "You never did answer my question."

"And what question was that?" The demon asked.

"Is she alright?" The man inquired with a concerned look. "She's such a sweet girl. I hope nothing happened to her."

"She's fine. We're just looking for her." Sebastian answered.

"I hope you're not going to give her any trouble." The old man told them in a stern voice as he gave them a warning look.

"Thank you. You've been a tremendous help." The demon responded with a pleasant smile. Alucard and Sebastian then walked away to fully go over what they had learned. "We finally have a lead of where Seras might be. I think our best chance is heading to one of her three shops. The employees must have Seras' address or phone number."

"Then let's not waste anymore time." Alucard purred before he started walking down the street. "It's been a long seven years, and I'm ready to be reunited with my mate."

"The elderly man said that Seras can be found at The Cozy Nook on Van Lawick or her coffee shop on Burgemeester." Sebastian announced as he mindlessly followed after the elder vampire. His eyes flickered around, showing his curiosity as he looked for the name of the street they were on. "I don't know this town well enough, unfortunately. I haven't seen a map to be able to memorize it."

"It's truly amazing," The No Life King murmured.

"What is?" The demon asked as he glanced back at the vampire.

"You're perspicacious, yet you can't even remember what that human taught us a couple years back." Alucard snickered. "How there's a map on Seras' cellphone."

"I'm not used to relying on technology." Sebastian sighed while he pulled out the cellphone. Flicking through the various apps, he searched for the map that will tell them exactly where they are and where they need to go.

"You're not used to it? After seven years of relying mostly on technology to help us find Seras?" The No Life King reminded him.

"I'm not going over this topic with you again, Alucard." The demon grumbled, purely frustrated with this constant argument of theirs. "Ah!" He exclaimed when finding exactly what he needed. He allowed that frustration to melt away when all he could think about was how close they were. A handsome smile graced his lips as he carefully looked over the map. "Burgemeester is just one street over, and Seras' other shop is on the corner of Lawick and Van Pallandtstraat. We can check with her cafe first to see if any of her employees have any information on Seras, and then we can check with her other shop, The Cozy Nook." He shoved the phone back into his pocket as they proceeded making their way to the coffee shop. "I had no idea Seras had any desire to open a small business. I wonder why she chose a coffee shop of all things."

"Coffee appeals to humans. It's an addiction to some." Alucard responded.

"True," Sebastian snickered in amusement. "She must be doing well if she owns three different shops, right?"

"Financially, she could be doing well, but how is she physically and emotionally?" The elder vampire questioned.

"The elderly man did say that she's a sweet girl. I'm guessing that she still has that sunny demeanor." The demon hoped.

"But he also said that she's reserved." Alucard reminded him. "That could be because she's a vampire and doesn't want anyone to know or…" He trailed off for a moment as a displeased look appeared on his face.

"Or?" Sebastian murmured as he waited patiently for him to finish that sentence.

"Or she's secretly depressed; hiding all that pain, frustration, and sadness behind a fake smile." He theorized. The demon then frowned as a new thought crossed him.

"Do you think Seras will be pleased to see us?" Sebastian asked in a whisper. "Or do you think she will run again?" The No Life King hesitated answering that question. Truthfully, he didn't even want to think about how his bride would react to seeing them. He was considering the worst, but tried burying the idea the best he could. He just didn't want to think about it.

"I don't know," Alucard replied softly. "One thing's certain, I refuse to let her run a second time. This time we will catch her." Sebastian hardly liked the sound of that. What were they going to do? Catch her and hold her against her will?

"Alucard," The demon sighed.

"She owes us an explanation, Michaelis." The No Life King reminded him for the umpteenth time.

"I'm aware," Sebastian agreed with a nod. "But I'd prefer if she was willing to speak to us instead of us forcing her to talk."

"Force her?" Alucard scoffed. "You sound as if we would go as far as torturing our mate for information. Are we really so monstrous?"

"We aren't, but…Seras may view us as such." The demon muttered.

"No!" The No Life King growled as his eyes started to glimmer with hatred and betrayal. "She left to protect us! She said it herself! I refuse to believe Seras actually left because she feared us!"

"Alucard," Sebastian interrupted while he subconsciously placed a hand on the vampire's shoulder, forcing him to stop.

"What?" Alucard hissed as he turned to glower at the demon over his shoulder. Michaelis, on the other hand, was far too focused on a building they had been about to pass.

"This is Seras' cafe." The demon responded. His brown eyes flickered about the small building. He stared at it with such wonderment. There was a small twinkle in his eyes that told the vampire that his hope had fully been restored.

"And how do you know?" Alucard asked as he shrugged the demon's hand off of his shoulder. Sebastian simply pointed upwards at the sign displayed just above the door and bay window of the little shop. The No Life King's fierce gaze flickered upwards. In bold red lettering was a blinking sign that read Vlad's Cafe. Seeing his own name being used for something that Seras seemingly loved brought him comfort. A calmness overtook all that negativity he expressed in his eyes. "She hasn't forgotten me." Alucard whispered, feeling so much relief knowing this. "She may still have feelings." The demon peeked at him from the corner of his eye. Hearing those words made him feel a stir of jealousy. What about him? Has his mate moved on from him? Has he been forgotten? Nothing more but a second thought? Looking back at the blinking sign, Sebastian frowned in disappointment. Was he chasing after someone who didn't want to be with him? Someone who didn't love him anymore? Was he the true reason why she ran? She feared him? Fearing the worst, Sebastian took a step back away from the little shop.

"Why don't you investigate this shop, Alucard?" The demon whispered as he dropped his gaze to stare at the ground. If Seras was in there, she probably didn't even want to see him. It was clear where her heart truly lied. "I'll go on ahead and investigate The Cozy Nook. We'll get things done quicker that way."

"What are you trying to escape from? Meeting Seras?" Alucard inquired, not being fooled by the demon's lame excuse. "You can't avoid her forever, Michaelis. Considering she's your mate, it's physically impossible for you to stay away from her. I'm sure it's tearing her apart as much as it's tearing us apart." The No Life King then glanced at him while a grin graced his lips. "Stop acting like a spoiled child. Just because our mate didn't use your name for her little shop doesn't mean that she loves you any less." The demon scoffed as he turned his head away from the annoying vampire.

"I'm not avoiding her. I just want to find her as quickly as possible." Sebastian knowingly lied. Before Alucard could say anything else, the demon rudely walked away. "Try and get any information you can out of the employees. I'll do the same." Was he acting like a spoiled child? The demon couldn't help but wonder. He missed Seras terribly. He wanted her back more than anything. But did she even want him back? These horrid thoughts plagued him. If they did find her, how was he supposed to act in front of her? Should he move and act cautiously so he won't scare her?

It was rude of you to end our conversation so abruptly. Alucard scolded him. That baritone voice resonated in his head, making him want to close his eyes and cover his ears, like a child. But the demon refrained from acting so childishly and proceeded on his walk to the next destination.

Bugger off, Alucard. Sebastian hissed harshly as he grinded his teeth together. He could feel his temple throbbing from an oncoming headache. Normally, demons were immune to headaches, but Alucard was able to achieve the impossible, as always.

Why are you deciding to throw a tantrum when we are so close to finding Seras? Are you giving up on our mate? Do you not want to find her? The No Life King continued to push and ask these questions that infuriated him further. Mindlessly, Sebastian balled his hands into fists so tightly that his nails bit deep into his palms.

Leave me alone, Alucard. The demon warned him for a second time.

You're a coward! Alucard groweld. Running away with your tail between your legs because you're afraid! After seven long years, why are you now giving up on our mate when we're so close to finding her?! Why?!

Stop, Alucard. The demon hissed as he closed his eyes tightly, as if this would stop the vampire from talking.

Answer me! The No Life King roared.

"Enough!" Sebastian raised his voice before he slammed his fist into a nearby wall. The bricks practically shattered on impact. Red bits of the broken bricks rained down on the sidewalk. He kept his shaking fist pinned to that wall for so long as he glowered at the ground with gritted teeth. There was such anguish in his heart, it was almost suffocating. And yet, behind all that anguish, he felt an overwhelming amount of anger. When was the last time he was ever this angry? It took him a moment, but he eventually remembered. Perhaps seven years ago when they realized Seras was slipping more and more between their fingers. But that anger came from not getting answers; from being kept in the dark by a woman named Alana. But now? Where was all this anger coming from? Who was this anger directed towards? Alucard and his meddling? Or…Seras? His beloved Seras who he ached to find? Was he truly mad at her? Mad at her for running in the first place? For leaving them behind without a single explanation? Or was he mad at himself for being a monster that everyone feared, including his mate? If he wasn't a monster, if he was normal, maybe…his mate would love him. Maybe she would have stayed. All that anguish overpowered that anger until he felt nothing but defeat.

"Am I being a fool?" Sebastian asked. Slowly, he pulled his shaking fist away from the cracked wall. Opening his fingers, he stared at his palm and all the little lines that, supposedly, told his future. Was he unfortunate? Was he not destined to have…a happy ending? Would the woman he loved never want him? "I'm aware, it's foolish to be jealous over something so small." Sebastian proceeded, knowing that Alucard could hear. "So what if she used your name over mine?" However, saying this didn't make him feel any better. He only frowned at his open hand and wondered what it would take to change his destiny so he got the ending he wanted most. "But what you said, it…got to me. It got under my skin and made me wonder if Seras…had forgotten me. Does she no longer remember the love she had felt for me? Are you the only man in her life? But what bothers me more is…" Sebastian trailed off for a moment as he allowed his gaze to flicker away from his hand. Closing his fingers to create a loose fist, the demon pushed off the wall and started heading back down the street towards his next destination.

"When did I start to fear being alone? Of never seeing her again? Of never feeling her hands on my face or her lips on mine? When did I start to crave her love?" The demon asked out loud. "I don't know when it started, but I think those feelings started to develop way back during our Hellsing days. I found her so…intriguing and…irresistibly cute. I was charmed by her. And as the years progressed, I found that I enjoyed her company. Seeing her smile or hearing her laugh…brought me comfort. And when Sir Integra perished and the Organization permanently closed, when we were finally free, I stayed because…leaving her, never seeing her again, it just wasn't an option. I wanted to stay with her for as long as possible. See her grow and live life to the fullest. I couldn't part from that smile. I couldn't say goodbye to those eyes. Even knowing that Seras won't live as long as us, I wanted to be there with her from the beginning until her very last breath. So when did my love for her blossom? And how long did it take until I finally noticed my true feelings?"

"I digress," Sebastian whispered as he lowered his gaze to stare at all the imperfections on the sidewalk. The small cracks and strange coloring, along with the filth from litter. "If Seras no longer loves me, Alucard, I don't know what I'll do. What if she left because of me? What if she fears me?"

You're avoiding confrontation with her because you believe she may be afraid of us? We have already considered the possibility that Seras left because she was scared of us. Alucard reminded him. From the start, we agreed that we would find her no matter what, Michaelis. I intend on following through on that promise. I will find Seras and then she'll explain her reasoning. If she does admit of being afraid and wants nothing to do with us, then we'll leave her in peace. But, remember, until we hear those words from her lips, Seras is ours. Sebastian sighed, not feeling better in the slightest after their little talk.

"There's hope for you." The demon whispered. "It's obvious she still has feelings for you." Whatever will he do if he learns that Seras no longer loved him? Could he honestly leave her in peace? Could he leave and not be offended or hurt? Or…would he lose all control? Would he lose himself to the madness and rage? Would he let this entire city burn to the ground and take his pain out on anyone that was unfortunate enough to come across his path? Or would he just curl up and die? Could a broken heart kill a demon?

I wasn't able to get much out of the employees. They at first refused to give me any information, so I had to resort to my specialty. Unfortunately, they do not have Seras' address, but they were able to give me her phone number. Alucard spoke, either completely oblivious or was outright ignoring the absolute pain the demon was in. His heart throbbed in his chest with every reminder that his mate chose Alucard over him; that at some point, she had decided she didn't love him anymore. I'll meet you at The Cozy Nook. And then all was silent in Sebastian's head, besides those horrible thoughts that told him repeatedly that Seras despised him. She had forgotten him. She hated him. She wanted nothing to do with him. How did he ever think she could love him? That beautiful creature could never love something like…him. He was filth compared to her. The demon's heart beat harder as the anguish intensified in his chest. Is this what he will feel for the rest of eternity? Will this agony terrorize him for the remainder of his days? How awful. This feeling. It was unbearable.

Lifting his gaze, Sebastian peered across the street to see the shop standing right where he said it would be, on the corner of Lawick and Pallandtstraat. The bricked building was old, but was in pretty decent shape. Not being terribly small, the little building looked quite welcoming. On the dark green door hung a black sign with white lettering in cursive that read 'Welkom'. The smell of fresh coffee permeated from the darling building, making bystanders feel warm and cheery. On the front window of her shop was gold lettering that spelled out The Cozy Nook. There were already so many occupants inside. A couple of girls were reading at a table in front of the bay window. They looked so snuggled and content, probably having no intention of leaving anytime soon. Other people were chatting and enjoying a cup of hot coffee or tea on the other side of the shop.

Sebastian stared for a moment. A part of him admired the little shop his mate created, but he couldn't find the courage to move. The demon felt torn down the middle. He wanted to barge in there and demand information of where he could find his mate. But, knowing that Seras may never want to see him again, made him stay frozen to that sidewalk. What was he supposed to do? As he dealt with these conflicting feelings, something unexpected happened. Something he never even considered as a possibility. A small blonde exited the shop right then and there. Upon seeing her, Sebastian's eyes widened and his mouth fell open. Could it be? Seras stood right across the street from him. A sense of relief washed over him when seeing how well she looked. There were no longer bags under her eyes or a pained look in her eyes. There was only a small smile on her face and a sparkle in her crimson eyes. He almost forgot that precious look. How?

Slung over one of her shoulders was a small cooler, which he could guess meant that she had recently visited the blood bank before stopping by her little stop. In one hand she held two books: one that was full of short horror stories and another that was a Batman graphic novel. Having lived far too comfortably here, she had completely let her guard down and was oblivious to her surroundings. She hadn't even noticed or sensed a demon standing there, staring at her.

"Seras," Sebastian breathed, barely going above a whisper. But with her significant hearing, his mate heard it. Seras' gaze immediately flickered upward and their eyes locked. He saw it as her body stiffened the second she realized who she was staring at. Her wide crimson eyes shimmered with disbelief. Slowly, the girl took a step towards him, moving closer towards the road. Did she think her eyes were playing tricks on her? The demon couldn't help but wonder. He had to wonder the same thing though. Was his mate truly standing before him after so long? Was it really her? Suddenly, some feeling sparked in his bride's eyes and before he knew it, she was running across the street towards him. When within arms reach, Seras dropped her cooler and books on the floor only to lunge at him.

Sebastian gasped when his mate's body collided hard into his. He stumbled back a little, but instinctively wrapped his arms around that familiar body. Her arms were already wrapped tightly around his neck as her sobs reached his ears. Surprising him further, Seras kissed him without any hesitation. The kiss was deep, reminding him of simpler times. It told him how much she had missed him, how much still loved him, and how much she never wanted to let him go. When feeling those lips on his once again after seven years, he gave in completely. Submitting entirely to his little mate, Sebastian kissed her back. Her hot tears caressed along his cheeks. It soaked into their kisses, giving them a taste of blood and salt. A gentle moan escaped his lips before he pulled out of their kiss.

"I missed you." He whispered against her lips. All that agony, all that heartache melted away the second those lips met with his. Seeing her tears, knowing that they were for him, brought a small smile to his lips. His mate hadn't forgotten him. She had missed him as much as he had missed her. The demon brushed strands of hair behind her ear and stared deep into those tearful eyes of hers.

"I can't believe you're really here." His mate whispered through soft sobs. Her body trembled against his as her hug became tighter. Seras then buried her face in the crook of his neck so she could cry freely. He could feel how scared she was to let him go. He had no objection. He held her in his arms with her legs wrapped around his waist.

"Seras," Alucard whispered, breaking the brief moment of silence. Both Sebastian and Seras glanced off to the side to find Alucard standing there with a stunned look on his face. The little vampire gasped before she untangled herself from Sebastian.

"Oh, my god! Alucard!" Seras cried out before she raced over to her other mate. Without hesitance, Alucard wrapped his arm around her lower back and pulled her close. With her body pinned to his, he did the only thing he could think about doing. He kissed her hard on the mouth. His mate didn't deny him her lips. She only leaned up further, balancing on the tips of her toes, just to deepen their kiss. He tangled his fingers in her hair, allowing the strands to caress between his fingers. Was this real? "Alucard," His mate whispered his name between their kisses. And then, she parted her lips from his to look up at him. "I can't believe you're here." She cupped the side of his face and ran her thumb along his cheek. The small blonde then glanced over her shoulder to look back at the demon, making sure that he was still there. "You're both here." Seeing that sparkle in her eyes drew the demon in. Seras didn't think twice about shifting just so she could wrap her arms around both of her mates the best she could. Alucard purred before he buried his face in her soft, short hair. That familiar scent wafted into his nose, relaxing him in an instant. His mate was safe. She was here in his arms and nothing would ever become between them again. He had nothing else to worry about. He could finally relax now. His exhaustion did finally catch up to him. He suddenly realized how tired he was. He couldn't recall the last time he had a decent sleep.

"How are you here? Is this just convenience that we ran into each other?" Seras asked while she mindlessly played with Alucard's hair. She stared up at Sebastian with such a curious look in her eyes.

"We never stopped looking for you." Sebastian admitted to her. He had a hard time letting go of her. He didn't want to; refused to. Why would he when he finally, after seven years, had his mate back in his arms? He would be a fool to let go of her now. His arm tightened around her lower back, keeping her pinned against their bodies.

"Really?" She whispered. "You both have been looking for me this entire time?"

"Why do you sound so surprised?" Alucard snickered as he lovingly brushed his thumb over his bride's cheek. "We weren't going to just let you go." The small blonde only ended up frowning though before she lowered her gaze to stare at the ground.

"I thought you guys would hate me." Seras admitted softly.

"Hate you?" Sebastian chuckled. "How could we ever hate you?"

"Because of what I did. Ending our relationship and running off without a word." Their mate responded. "It was awful what I did. I think about it all the time and I'm still filled with regret. To this day I wonder if I did the right thing. Or…was I being stupid? God! I wish I didn't overthink everything." To quiet those pestering thoughts of hers, Alucard kissed his mate on the mouth. It seemed to do the trick. She stopped overthinking everything and just melted into that old, warm kiss that they both so deeply missed. Seras moaned softly in his mouth before pulling away to lick over her lips. "God, I missed you both so much."

"Why did you leave, Seras? What drove you away?" Sebastian asked, causing his mate's face to pale. He wanted an answer. After seven years of looking for her, Alucard and he most definitely deserved an answer. But, seeing how deeply it bothered his mate, he couldn't help but feel bad for asking. Would it be best to just forget what happened and move on with their mate? She was alive and safe, that was all that mattered right now.

"I'm sorry," Seras whispered. She then distanced herself from them by taking several steps back. All physical contact ended as she moved out of arm's reach. "We can have a lengthy discussion about that later. Right now, I have to go." The girl anxiously looked at her wristwatch to get the exact time. "I have to go." She murmured.

"Go?" Sebastian repeated, looking alarmed that she was just going to leave after reuniting with them. "What do you mean? Where are you going?"

"I have to go back home. But, I promise you, we can talk more about this later. I'll be back at dawn. We can meet right here, outside the Cozy Nook." Seras vowed with a small smile to help reassure them.

"How do we know that you're not just going to run again?" Alucard asked with a deep frown that showed his disappointment. He couldn't believe that his mate was ditching them after all they've been through. How can they trust her not to run off to another country? Would he even bother trying to find her again? Or would he just come to terms that his mate wanted absolutely nothing to do with him? No! He would hunt her down again! "You can't leave again, Seras. We've spent years looking for you. Don't do this again to us. Don't leave without a word and not expect us to hunt you down again." Acknowledging the pain that glinted in their eyes, their mate acted. She moved back in to wrap her arms around their bodies, knowing that it would soothe them some. And they hated it that she was right; her touch, her gentle embrace did calm them.

"I know it's hard to trust me." Seras whispered. "I know what I did was…horrible. I should have…talked to you guys. Maybe things would be different if I had, but…I had to trust my instincts. You always told me how important it was that I trust my instincts, Alucard. I did what I thought was best, and since then I've been wondering if I made the right choice. You both deserve an explanation, but now is not the time. I have to go." Without hesitance, Seras reached around and unclasp her golden locket. "Here," She said as she placed her locket in Sebastian's hand. "I would never leave this behind. Since you guys don't trust me, take the locket. I will come back." Her eyes flickered between the two males before she locked gazes with the demon. "You know that I'm telling the truth, Sebastian. Assure Alucard that I am not lying." She begged him softly. The demon gave a light nod of his head, though he felt like he shouldn't trust her. He was too afraid that once she was out of their sight she would disappear. Maybe this time forever. They've worked so hard to find her and they didn't want to part from her.

"She's not lying," Sebastian whispered while regret weighed heavily on his heart. He wished he hadn't uttered those words. He wished that they were able to talk their mate into staying. What was so important that she had to leave in a hurry? Where was she going? What was she doing? When would she be back? Why couldn't they go with her? His eyes then lit up. "Can we not come with you?" Sebastian asked, hopeful that Seras will think it's a wonderful idea. Instead, his mate gave an odd look, as if she was uncomfortable that he had asked her that.

"I don't think that's a good idea, Sebastian. I'm sorry. I promise that we'll talk later. Why don't you guys go get some sleep? You both look so tired. I can show you where a nice hotel is before I leave, if you want." Seras offered. A curious look then crossed over her face and her brows furrowed together. "Wait, where have you guys been staying?"

"We bought a penthouse in Amsterdam. We occasionally go back every other week to rest up." The demon answered.

"Well, there are plenty of hotels here if you guys want to be closer." Seras responded with a shrug. "Again, I can show you if…"

"You will be back?" Alucard interrupted her. He was so hesitant to trust her, but they had to, otherwise how will they ever be able to have a healthy relationship with her? His mate looked him in the eye after he asked her that.

"I promise, Alucard." Their mate assured them for the third time.

"Fine," The No Life King sighed. "Don't worry about the hotel. We'll find it on our own."

"Alright," The little vampire murmured. "I guess…I'll go then." But she didn't go. Instead, Seras just stood there and stared at them for a long few seconds. Her eyes kept flickering between them, getting one last good look at them. And then, a gentle smile pulled at her lips and warmth appeared in her eyes. "I really did miss you guys." She whispered. "I'm happy that…" She then lightly shook her head and said what she truly wanted to say. "I still love you both so very much." Her smile widened and she snickered as a blush decorated her soft cheeks. "Maybe more than I ever have. I won't lie, these last few years have been really rough without either of you. And maybe I'm getting ahead of myself, but I hope we can pick up where we left off." Sebastian naturally cupped the side of her face. His thumb brushed along her cheek, caressing over that red mark that indicated her bashfulness. He then leaned down to kiss her on the lips. Seras' eyes snapped shut and she gave a melodious little purr of enthrallment. However, it was over far too fast when the demon broke away from her lips to smirk at her.

"We'll talk more later, Seras." He breathed against her lips. His thumb distracted her as he brushed it over her bottom lip multiple times. "I think you already know that if you do run, we will hunt you down. And who knows how we will greet you the next time we catch you. Maybe I'll pull you over my knee and punish you. Do you think you'll learn anything from a spanking, Seras?"

"God, I have missed you." Seras whispered before she bolted up to press her lips against his once more. Feeling satisfied by those little words, Sebastian allowed all of his stress to melt away. No, he didn't have to worry about Seras running again. He trusted her that she would return at dawn, like promised. The demon once again ended their kiss.

"Go do what you have to do. We'll meet you back here at dawn." He promised softly. Afterwards, she leaned down to grab the items she had so carelessly thrown earlier. She slung the cooler back over her shoulder and picked up the books.

"And then we want answers, Seras." Alucard added.

"We'll talk," Seras agreed with a nod. And then their mate was gone, vanishing before their very eyes. Tired, but feeling better after their chat with their long lost mate, Sebastian sighed as he dropped his gaze. He opened his hand to stare at the locket she had left behind. It was a pretty golden, heart shaped locket with a curvy 'S' engraved in the center. It was unrecognizable to him, so he figured it was something she had bought within these last seven years. He wondered why the locket meant so much to her, but he didn't question it. Just as long as she came back; that's all that mattered.

End of Chapter Six

I hope you guys enjoyed.

Oxford Not Brogues