A/N: Phew! Sorry to take so long updating, but this chapter was slowwww in coming to me. I appreciate all of your encouragement about this story, and I'm glad you like it! Here's some review responses.

Believe: That's right. And it's actually canon, according to the anime. In the fight in the subway between Alucard and Anderson, he flashes back to himself in a WWII uniform, facing a vampiric shadow, and putting a gun in his mouth. I assume the regeneration kept him alive, since aging is simply deterioration in the ability of cells to reproduce themselves properly. Regeneration would fix that.

Redrose Moon: (evil grin) why yes, that was a very deliberate cliffy. And she was so surprised because she just didn't know how to react to what she was doing and feeling.

Thess: Ah, thanks for clarifying. I don't usually read translations, so I'm waiting on the mangas as they come out over here. I need to get my hands on volume four...

Sethriel: Glad you like it....fan art? Would you maybe consider doing fan art for this story?

Chapter Six

Alucard had trouble understanding human mentality. So it was that he stared down at his sobbing fledgling with more confusion than anything else. Because let's be honest – Seras Victoria might be a vampire, but her mentality was still very human.

He placed a gloved hand on her back while she wept into his clothing. She must have cried at some point before, but he couldn't recall her doing so – and certainly not with such enthusiasm. Probing into her mind, he tried to sort out what was causing this unusual display. He had an inkling that it was somehow connected with the judas priest. For obvious reasons.

His scarlet eyes widened, then narrowed. His fangs gleamed as he smiled. Of course. What else would cause this level of confusion? Some of her mentality was finally changing – and she hadn't the slightest idea what was happening.

Momentarily, he chided himself. He was being remiss in his duties, even if it was not intentional. He'd forgotten that many things instinctive to him were not to her. Or – not yet. She had to be told things like any child.

Part of him was also amazed at her willpower. The very first time she'd tasted hot blood, and yet she'd restrained herself from biting down on the ex-vatican dog's flesh. Unbelievable.

: You have been drinking blood,: he told her mentally. Sometimes speaking aloud was unnecessary. : Both your abilities and your instincts have begun to come fully awake for the first time. : She began to still against him, her crying receding.

: I don't understand, Master. I don't understand what I'm thinking or feeling or WHY!: He chuckled.

: Integra's father tried to put it into human terms once, : he said with amusement. : A human is not by nature a predator. Not a true predator, although some of you do seem to manage to transcend that. : His mind flashed briefly on both Integra and Walter. : We are predators, blood and bone, mind and soul. That is what you are feeling, what you are coming aware of. The claim you feel on the Judas Priest is on many levels. : Alucard smirked wider and decided he'd remain silent on one of the levels he'd begun sensing. It was just too amusing. : You have placed him under your protection. You regard him as 'yours' on a very deep level. If you were a true no-life king, you'd be preparing to make him one of us.

: Oh! : Clearly that shocked her. : You're that way about - : He made a soft sound, and she cut that thought off faster than he'd thought her capable. In truth he wasn't really angry, but something had occurred to him. If she was feeling this way about the Judas Priest, then maybe, just maybe...

: Be silent. : He made sure his voice would strike her like a slap to the face. : You will not speak of such things while I am your Master. : Alucard could feel the delightful anger welling up unbidden in his fledgling. Even better, she did not try to suppress it as she had so often before. She pulled away from him, eyes flashing, fangs biting her lips as she held her tongue. Clearly he needed to push just a little farther. : You are naught but a puppet while my blood still makes yours flow. Puppets may not think above their Masters! :

That finally did it. Suppressed rage, built up tension, all sorts of dark and powerful emotions welled up to the top as she finally was pushed too far. The weak often found a way to kill themselves at this point. But Seras Victoria was not weak. He'd known that the night in Cheddar when he'd seen her fighting to stay alive while all around her things went to hell.

: I'M NO ONE'S PUPPET! : she screamed mentally, and launched herself at him. Alucard did not move, did not block, though he could easily have done so. Instead, he laughed wildly as she sank her virgin fangs into his throat and began to drink.

"That's it, Seras Victoria," he purred even as her teeth bit deeper into his flesh. Marvelous. "Drink. Drink of my blood, walk the night under your own power as a true no-life king. Take the next step in becoming a midian of my family!"

He felt her hold start to slip in surprise at his words, but she'd already accomplished what he'd tried so hard to get her to do. Her heart, still for many months, gave one solitary, painful beat as she retook control over her own systems. Seras screamed into his shoulder, then collapsed shuddering against him. He caught her as she started to slide off of him, and set her down on her feet.

Seras stared up at the grinning vampire, panting, feeling extremely strange.

"You did that on purpose," she accused hoarsely, still shaken up. His grin widened. Part of her was infuriated, but another part of her was thrilled. Understanding had come with his blood – that he did this not to get rid of her, but to make her stronger, independent, and ready for the next part of her growth as a midian. The deep seated fear of being ripped away from his mental touch in the back of her head, being alone again, was gone.

She was his family, in ways that a human could not process the term. He was no longer her Master, but still her Sire, and that bond would be between them until true death claimed one of them.

A/N: Yes, I know it's an itty bitty chapter. I just wanted to make sure you all knew I wasn't dead and would still be updating this. The next chapter should come out faster, HOPEFULLY within the next week – and whenever it does come out, I promise it will be lengthy. Til then – ja, ne!