A/N: Another chapter up! All your reviews are really helping me. Special thanks to Eternal Dreamer and cryearthstearsfalltou for their info. I've tried to make the next few chapters more descriptive and fixed the spelling (It wasn't my fault, I swear! It happened when I loaded the pages onto fanfic! It's out to get me, lol!!). Thanks everyone for reading!!

Meeting together, the parting of ways,

Hope of reunion, in the heart stays.

Alucard growled in frustration. It had only been five days and the girl had managed to escape no less than seven times. Though her stubbornness and ingenuity were something to be admired. Twice by picking the lock to her room, once by throwing pepper into his eyes (where she had gotten it was beyond him), three hard punches to the face while on the stairs, and, finally, the coup de grace. She had challenged him to a drinking contest.

Now, Alucard knew vampires were more immune to the effects of alcohol than humans, so he hadn't been worried.

He quickly regretted his decision. This girl could drink! After the twenty-sixth goblet, Alucard's eye lids were getting heavy and his speech was so slurred that even he couldn't understand what he was saying. "Wuz the matta Seras? Cantcha hold yer drink?" he slurred.

Seras didn't appear to be in much better shape, her head lolling to one side. "Nothin's the matta wi' me. But why are thar three of you?" Those were the last words Alucard heard as his world went black .

Seras watched the vampire's head fall to the table with a dull thud. Shaking off her drowsiness and silently thanking her father's drinking buddies for their 'training', she stood up and ran out of the room. Halting in the doorway, she carefully took in her surroundings. She was unsure of what other dangers lurked in the castle, besides the vampire of course.

Windows lined the wall opposite her, placed every five feet to give light to the otherwise dark corridor. She could also see several doors located along both sides of where she was standing. Noticing through the windows that she was on the first floor, Seras decided to use one of those windows as an escape route.

When Alucard awoke, the girl was gone. Quickly snapping out of his intoxication, he opened all his senses, searching for her.

Seras had managed to navigate through the woods and reach the outskirts of the village before he appeared in front of her. Quietly grabbing her arm, he transported both of them to her room and then promptly left. She was a prisoner once again.

That was two days ago, and she had not seem him since. Only the food placed on the table every night told her he was still around.

Seras sat on her bed, wondering about her exile from his presence. Had she had hurt his feelings, trying to escape so many times? Wait, what did it matter if I hurt him? she asked herself. He's keeping me captive! She was just too soft hearted.

However, she couldn't help but feel a little glad at the company he had been. After all, there was no one else here to talk to except herself. Then there he was, just standing there looking at her. She smiled shyly, wondering how long he had been there and if he had read her mind.

Alucard had appeared in the room only moments before, still frustrated with her attempted escapes. But something else was gnawing at the back of his mind. He had seen her somewhere, he was sure of it. Then, as she smiled at him, memories came flooding into his mind. He remembered where he had seen her. It was years ago, outside his castle.

Flashback>

Alucard had been walking in expansive forests surrounding his castle. The sun had just gone behind the peaked mountains of the valley and the creatures of the night were starting to awaken.

Alucard had explored every inch of the woods long ago, but there wasn't much else he could do now. The villagers stayed away and only the occasional traveler would dare venture near. Though they did feed his appetite, they hardly ever entertained him in the way of companionship. Probably because he'd scare the wits out of them and then have himself a little snack.

Coming to a large clearing filled with spring flowers, he noticed a figure sitting among the tall grasses. With a sure step intent on terrifying the person to death, he was surprised to find that it was only a child. She had strawberry blond hair that reached to her shoulders and was wearing a white summer dress. The girl was a little short for her apparent age, and had a crooked smile that seemed to brighten up everything around her, even in the darkness of night.

The young girl was sitting among a large batch of flowers, gathering a bouquet for her mother. She was thinking how happy her mother would be to see all these beautiful flowers. The little girl was so preoccupied with what she was doing that she didn't notice the man until he spoke to her.

"Hello there little one, what are you doing?" Alucard asked.

The little girl looked up at the figure towering over her, her blues eyes sparkling in the rising moon. Wow, he must be ten feet tall! she said to herself. Then, remembering her mother always telling her to be polite, answered "I'm picking flowers for my mom, wanna help?"

This question stunned Alucard. Was she not afraid of him? He leaned down on one knee and looked into the child's eyes. What he saw there was not fear but innocence. This girl had yet to learn of death and the true pain of living.

Ah, but how would those eyes look if he were to show her his true nature? Alucard grinned widely, revealing two large and pointed teeth. They gleamed in the moonlight and could easily be seen by the girl.

The girl looked at the man that had large teeth and suddenly started laughing. This confused the vampire. No one had ever laughed at him, at least, not so brazenly. He looked into her mind, searching for answers. He was struck dumb. One thought was racing through her head. He looks like a demented walrus.

Alucard stumbled back. Demented he could handle, he'd been called that before. But a walrus? Didn't this little girl know who and what she was dealing with? Wait, did she even know what she was calling him?

"Little girl," he snarled, "do you even know what a demented person?" Her answer practically floored him.

"Sure, they're people that try to scare everyone away because they're lonely" she said, going back to picking her flowers.

She apparently had not noticed Alucard had read her mind. She looked innocent enough, but this little girl was more than she appeared. The vampire wasn't sure how. Alucard studied the creature before him more carefully. He suddenly sensed something from this girl, a strength so powerful that it made him wonder how he hadn't noticed it before.

"Mister?" asked the girl, wondering why he was looking at her so intently.

"What is your name, little girl?"

The girl proudly raised her chin. "Seras Victoria."