1Chapter Fifteen: Nightmare

Alucard's laughter was all around him. He heard desperate cries for help from people, and ran to them.

Lui was wearing his black uniform, two pistols held in his hands. He was running to the voices, as fast as he could.

He found himself in a clearing (He was in a forest?), and their stood Alucard, grinning insanely. Johnny and Seras were on the ground, tied up and screaming. The red clad vampire held another person by the neck off the ground. A woman, with long brown hair and red eyes that were filled with fear. Her skin was rather dark for a full blooded vampires, and her clothes were loose. She struggled desperately in Alucard's grip.

"MASTER!" Lui cried, running forward, firing his pistols.

The bullets cut off Alucard's arm, and freed his victim. However, the elder vampire turned towards him, and the grin didn't fade a bit.

"Ah Luis. So glad you could join us. Your just in time for the first course."

"Why are you doing this Alucard?" Lui asked, getting ready to fight the elder vampire.

However, Lui could only watch in horror as Alucard, well for lack of better term melted. The black shadow spread out, eyes and mouths appearing in the shadows as they slithered towards Lui.

And at the center of it all stood a large black dog, with who knew how many eyes. It was grinning, and Lui could see Alucard's face in the hell-hound's.

He ran forward, dodging the various tendrils of shadow that shot towards him. However, as he neared the hell-hound, it did something unexpected. An arm shot out of it's side, holding a large black pistol, which shot Lui. The American fell backwards.

"Come on! Come on! Come on Luis! Don't disappoint me now! Fight me!"

However, Lui couldn't move. He felt shadows wrap around his arms and legs. He struggled, but to no avail.

Alucard appeared in front of him, frowning, "Pathetic. You aren't worth my full power. My pet's will feast on your flesh and blood."

A pack of hell-hounds appeared, dashing towards Lui. Alucard's grin returned.

"You're nothing but dog food."

"You only wish it was that easy ALUCARD!"

Red and black shadows erupted from Lui, incinerating Alucard and all of his monsters.

Alucard phased into the younger vampire's room, yelling, "What the Hell is going on Luis?"

Then Alucard noticed the crimson light filtering in from the cracks of the coffin. He only just managed to step back when the coffin burst apart, and something launched itself out of it.

It was a horse, but larger than any natural one. It was coal black, with a fiery mane and six red eyes. The tail was also flame. Yet instead of heat, the flames were cold. Freezing cold. Alucard felt it grip his heart, paralyzing him. The monster looked down on him, and he felt a mix of relief, anger, and hatred come from it.

Suddenly the door burst open, Johnny and Seras running in. The horse turned to them, neighing and jumping up defensively at their approach.

Alucard felt he could move again. He slowly motioned to the two vampires, who held weapons in their hands, "Put down your arms, slowly, and raise your hands into the air. Then Seras, try and calm it down."

"What?" Seras asked, looking at her master in horror, "Why me?"

"Because. "Johnny said, setting his sword on the ground and stepping back, "You're the youngest and most innocent. It won't be as frightened of you."

Seras saw she didn't have a say in it, so complied with them. She put down her pistol, and slowly approached the horse, which drew back and began to pace slowly.

"Shhh, your ok. My, you're a big, flaming, demon horse aren't you?" Seras said, trying to hide her fear and sound soothing, but failing miserably. The horse went up on it's hind legs, and was ready to come down and crush her. She fell backwards, screaming and holding her arms up defensively.

That made the horse stop, and land harmlessly to her side. It looked sad, and nudged her gently. She looked up slowly, and smiled when she saw the concern in it's eight eyes. She slowly, gently put her hand on it's face and said, "There, I'm not trying to hurt you."

Then much to everyone(but Alucard, who realized what was happening)'s surprise, the horse dissapeared. Seras was looking at Lui, with her hand gently placed on his cheek. He was on one knee, as if he was making sure she wasn't hurt.

Lui jerked back, and looked around him. For the first time they thought they saw fear in his eyes, and surprise. He looked like he had no idea what was going on.

He cried out in pain, and phased from the room. Alucard immediately started after him, yelling, "Get Integra and Walter! Now!"

Seras and Johnny dashed from the room, quick to follow the master vampire's orders. Alucard smiled grimly as he phased after Lui. This was going to be an interesting day. At least it was about to storm, the thick clouds would make this easier.

Walter was serving Sir Integra her afternoon tea, when two young vampires ran into the room. Walter raised his eyebrows at their appearance, and at Seras being in a nightgown. Both looked extremely scared.

"What in the world?"

"It's Lui, something's wrong with him. Alucard told us to come get you."

Walter and Integra ran after the two vampires, all else forgotten. Seras and Johnny lead them out of the mansion and towards where they sensed the two older vampires. Out on the grounds, a large open area, there was a large hill. And on top of it were Alucard and Lui.

Alucard was keeping a fair distance, which was odd. He motioned to them as they reached the bottom of the hill, "Don't come any closer unless I tell you to!"

They stopped instantly, even Integra. There was urgency and a little bit of fear in his voice. They watched as he turned back to Lui, who was holding his head.

"Luis..."

"Alucard? Vladimir?" Lui asked, looking around blindly, "I can't see you. Where am I? What's going on?"

Alucard nodded to himself, that was normal, "Don't try and fight it Luis. You'll only make things wor-"

A wave of energy caught Alucard off guard and sent him sprawling down the hill. Seras began to run to him, but he yelled, "He'll kill you if you come closer!"

"Alucard... What's going on!" Lui cried, his body locking and making him fall to the ground. He writhed in the pain that ripped through his body. He hadn't felt pain like this since...

Then another wave of pain stopped the train of thought. Pain, incredible pain, agony. He tried to make it stop, to stop it from ripping him apart.

"Let it happen Luis! If you don't it will just happen again, and then it will be worse than now!"

Lui managed to struggle to his feet. Then with another cry he dissapeared, the flaming horse taking his place. It glared at Alucard, and charged forward full speed. The flames burned wildly, but once again, no heat. Only cold. Freezing, heart stopping cold. Cold like when you realize that you about to die a very horrible death cold.

Alucard stood, slightly crouched as the horse approached, diving out of the way as it tried to trample him. Alucard rolled to his feet, only to see the horse coming at him again. It was fast. Faster than him. The elder vampire braced his body.

He had never felt something hit him so hard as when the demon horse careened into him. He felt ice cold hooves trample over his body, and bones braking. He was on his feet again in a second though.

The horse turned into Lui, and they saw him running as fast as he could but quickly losing his balance and falling to the ground. He twitched uncontrollably, as if there was an electric current was running through his body.

"He's fighting it..." Alucard muttered, followed by a curse in some forgotten language. He looked at the American, then smiled grimly. It had been just as bad when Alucard went through this, "But, it's taken him a long time. And that thing is very powerful..."

Lui waved his hand around, sending out his telepathic powers. He was trying to find something, anything, everything that would make this stop. But it didn't work, every time he thought he felt a presence something blocked him off. He couldn't see, he couldn't hear anymore, and now his telepathy was completely useless. Such torture, being so alone... Lui felt himself struggle against it, but to no avail.

Then something broke through the black barrier around him. He heard a voice that sounded so dang angelic he thought he had died and gone to heaven. He heard the voice calling, as if it were far away, so quiet, but relief swept through him when he heard a simple question,

Lui?-

The American poured all the power he had towards that voice, as if it were going to flutter away in the wind. Which for all he knew, it just might.

Seras? Please tell me that it's you-

It's me, what's wrong?-

I don't-

The link shattered, and Seras was almost thrown back from the sudden cut. It was like a rubber band had snapped. She looked, and saw only a red and black blur. Alucard stood ready, and dodged the first pass, but it came back again far to fast for him to turn. He took a step forward from the force of the blow, then another on his side. He could win, but he didn't want to hurt Lui.

He went down on one knee, considering he was sure that his leg had just snapped. He shrugged it off though. Physical wounds weren't what worried him anymore.

Seras didn't see it that way. She saw her master go down on one knee, grimacing heavily. Blood was pouring from various wounds. She looked to Johnny, who was desperately trying to figure out what was happening. Walter and Integra just stared, they had no idea what they were seeing. Seras didn't think. She saw what she thought was her master in trouble, and her friend freaking out.

She ran forward, getting between the horse and Alucard, and yelled "Stop it Lui!"

Seras sent mind spear at that moment, penetrating the dark shell that had surrounded Lui. Her eyes suddenly weren't seeing the real world anymore.

She looked around at the darkness around her. Pictures hung in mid air, and movies seemed to appear from nowhere. She walked up to one, and heard laughter. She watched as what appeared to be a camera followed behind someone running she didn't recognize, then look back. There stood a furious woman, who was waving her fist threateningly.

"I think we may have finally broken her patience that time Lui!" The man in front of the camera said.

"I do believe we did." She heard Lui's voice say, the picture going up and down as if the camera was nodding.

Then it clicked. This wasn't a movie, it was a memory! Seras turned, and saw another one. It was the moon, and some humming. That was Lui. Then a small voice asked from behind him, "Mister Luis?"

A small girl in a frilly white dress appeared. She looked shy, and shifted like small children do, "What is it Rebecca?"

"Um, can I ask you a personal question?"

"As you wish." Lui's voice said, turning back to the moon.

"Why are your eyes red? Are you sick? And why does mommy not want me to be around you much?"

Lui sighed. Suddenly Seras got a feeling of both adoration and sadness from the memory. He turned back to the girl, asking, "Remember how I told you that your father was killed by bad things?"

The girl nodded slowly.

"I am one of those bad things."

The girl looked at him, confused, "But, you're too nice to be a bad thing."

Seras shuddered as a warm feeling spread through her body. She was feeling what Lui had been feeling. He had really adored this little girl, "Thank you for saying so, but that doesn't change what I am. Some of the others like me aren't very nice though. They didn't like your father. I tried to stop them, but..." He trailed off, looking out. Regret. He was feeling regret now, "I couldn't. I wasn't strong enough. Now I'm here to make sure nothing happens to you or your mother."

Seras stepped away, cursing herself. She had no right to be shifting through Lui's memories. She looked around, and not knowing what else to do, yelled, "Lui!"

Nothing. She began to walk, glancing at memories as she did. Many of them involved a brunette vampire woman who without even trying Seras felt Lui's emotions for. They seemed familiar to her somehow. He... loved her, she was a mentor, a teacher, a protector, a mother. Then Seras realized where she had felt this before. It was like with her and Alucard!

Then suddenly all the memories dissapeared. She felt herself being flung out of his mind, though she wasn't sure if Lui himself had done it or not. She was back in the real world, with the flaming horse barreling down on her. But it faltered suddenly, and turned into Lui. He looked weak, and indeed was slowly rapidly and didn't look stable.

Finally he collapsed onto Seras, knocking her and to the ground and latched onto her. She felt the urge to push him away, but then stopped when she heard him start crying. He held onto her like if he let go he would die, and tears poured down his face. It upset everyone that the normally upbeat American was crying like this. She began to gently stroked his hair, trying to comfort him.

Alucard walked up, limping slightly. Johnny was beside him in an instant. The red-clad vampire smiled as he looked at Seras and Lui. She looked up at her master, "What's wrong with him?"

"What was wrong with him you mean. Nothing now. He was advancing as a vampire, taking one of the last steps. He just gained his familiar."

"Familiar? Like your hell hounds?" Seras asked.

Alucard nodded, "And now I see what was taking him so long. That was impressive. Very impressive."

"Will my brother be alright?" Johnny asked, still slightly panicked.

"He will be fine. Come on, let's get him to his room before it starts to rain." Alucard said, but Seras shook her head.

"No, I think it would be better just to let him cry it out here. Besides, I don't think he's letting go. If I had to breath I would be suffocating."

Alucard shrugged and walked off, emmediatly being questioned by Integra. She wanted to know what had just happened. This he had expected, and began to explain it.

Johnny sat down next to Seras, smiling, "Thanks. I don't think I could have done that."

"Done what?" Seras asked.

"Ran out in front of him like that. You aren't afraid of much are you?"

"Look who my master is."

Johnny laughed. This sound seemed to jerk Lui out of whatever trance he was in, and he jumped back from both of them. However, the movement made him dizzy and he fell down again. He rose a sitting position, then said softly, "Johnny, go. Now."

"What? Why-"

"NOW!"

The younger vampire almost ran off, knowing that his brother wasn't the best person to be around when he talked like that. Seras was about to follow, when he said, "No, we have to talk."

"What?"

"How much of my memory did you see?"

"Ummm..."

"How much!" He asked with greater authority.

She backed up defensively, "I didn't mean to, I didn't know they were memories. I only saw a few."

"Which ones?" Lui asked softly.

"One with you and another vampire annoying some lady, and I walked by a few about you and who I assume is your master. And..."

"And? And what?"

"One with a girl named Rebecca."

Lui sighed and muttered, "Good..."

"What was that?"

"Nothing. Just glad you didn't see the... darker half."

With that, he phased to his room. Seras sighed and began to walk back when it began to rain. She sighed again and kept walking. She needed to learn how to do the teleport thing.

Then suddenly she felt someone grab her hand, and after a few seconds of darkness she was in the basement. Lui let go of her wrist, and walked to his room. She tried to put her mind in order. That was way to nice for him. She caught the look in his eyes as he stepped through his door, and felt an odd feeling run up her body. He managed to look thankful and threatening at the same time.

You brought this on yourself Police Girl-

She looked around, Brought what on myself Alucard?-

Hahahahahah... He believes you just saved his life, twice.-

And?-

And now he's going to have it in for you-

What? That doesn't make sense. Why would he have it in for me if I saved him?-

Because. Vampire pride. Good luck Police Girl, you'll need it-

Ha! Another cliffhanger! Sorry this chapter wasn't funny, but the next will be. This is a build up chapter. And besides, how do you like my thing about how vampires get their familiars? (The only reason I wrote this chapter was for that part). Oh, and sorry about the wait. Writer's block.

What new powers does Lui have? And how will he restore his vampiric pride? Read to find out... Duck and cover Seras.