Wazaga says: "my finals are finally over. Yippee, I feel so darn tired I can't even celebrate right now, but here is another chapter for those who are actually reading."

To Daenis: "me, rush things? Perish the thought. I'll take all the time my imagination needs. And don't worry for not reviewing. I know all about computer problems. If it's not the contraption itself, it's the phone line. lol"

Chapter 8: "Fur and Fang."

The rain had faltered but never ceased. The grey murky sky bleed into a dark purple while the sun slowly set behind the hills. A shepherd was herding his flock back into their barn for the night. He led them on horseback urging them in. two of the younger ones had strayed from the flock and made to run off back up the hill. The shepherd, who was quite in a bad mood from the day's rain, cursed his luck and locked the gates hastily before racing after the two strays.

The two sheep bleated in protest when they were urged to go back: "off with you two. I've had enough rain for today."

The cheep reluctantly went where he led them but stopped dead in their tracks so suddenly that his horse nearly trampled atop them if it had not stopped in its own tracks as well.

"oi, what's gotten into you all? Get a move on!" he said clicking his tongue.

But the animals would not move. The horse pranced in place plowing the mud nervously with its hooves. The sheep cried out as they huddled together. Their little black eyes rolled around in their heads from fright. This got the shepherd spooked. He got down from his mount, still holding onto the reins. He patted the horse's head which snorted in discomfort. The sheep backed up a little still bleating like crazy. The shepherd took hold onto one of their ears to try and get things under control but the frightened animal jerked away with a bleat just as lightning struck. This startled the horse, making it rear on its hind legs.

"WHOA, steady there old boy, steady!"

But the horse had gone berserk. It had seen something within the moment of light and had gone mad with terror. It reared and whinnied, trying to escape the shepherd's hold on the reins. Another flash and the sheep screamed. The shepherd turned to them to see the most frightening thing imaginable.

A large, vicious wolf had attacked the two creatures. One lay dead under its enormous paws, the other was wheezing its last breath hanging in the great beast's jaws by its flesh torn throat. The wolf let the carcass drop and bore its monstrous fangs, dripping with blood. It let out a blood curdling howl which brought the shepherd back to his stunned senses. He leaped back on the horse just before it bolted.

The wolf gave chase within a heartbeat. Its silver grey fur ruffling with its body as it slinked closer to the horse's heels. The horse screamed as the wolf nipped its ankle; the fangs grazed the flesh to allow a small steam of blood to flow but had not taken hold on the leg. The shepherd kept looking behind his shoulder, his eyes widening with fear at how close the giant wolf was. He hugged himself to the horse hoping to give it less wind resistance. But the wolf was still only inches away.

The chase seemed to go on for eternity. The rain stung his face like cold, wet needles. When he looked back once more, he was shocked.

The wolf was gone.

Lightning flashed once more, and the horse was suddenly tossed from its feet. Both rider and mount cried out as they landed in the mud. The horse had fallen on its back pinning the shepherd's leg between the ground and its flank. It kicked its legs in the air trying to right itself. It rolled onto its side freeing the shepherd who crawled away. And just as the horse was about to stand, the wolf had attacked.

With one fluid strike, the horse was disemboweled. The creature screamed in pain as it struggled in a pool of its own blood and guts. The shepherd watched in stunned horror as the wolf clamped its jaw over the horse's throat. Blood spilling down the wolf's grey wet chest. The shepherd backed away kicking at the mud with the heel of his boots. His hand blindly grabbing for anything he could use to defend himself.

The wolf had let go of the dead horse and circled around the shepherd with its head held low. Its black lips pulled back in a gruesome snarl as it bore its crimson stained teeth. Black eyes followed the man's every move. He had found a piece of fallen lumber that was the size of a bat. The shepherd had climbed to his feet and was now in a defensive stance holding the stick at the ready.

Man and beast were staring each other down in a combat of wills. Water poured down the shepherd's face, his hair hanging in loose, wet locks. He tightened his grip on the stick and made a quick movement trying to frighten the beast away. The wolf stepped forward barking and snapping its teeth in a counter threat.

Another flash of light and the man made the first attack. He swung the stick like a club aiming for the wolf's head. The wolf ducked and clamped its jaw on the end and almost pulled it free of the man's hand. A brief tug of war then the shepherd kicked his boot into the wolf's lower jaw. It yelped and released the stick. This threw the shepherd off balance making him fall flat on his back.

The wolf pounced with jaws wide open for the kill, but was stopped short with the stick jammed into its mouth. It bit into the rotting wood causing splinters to fly. The shepherd tried to get back up while keeping the wolf at bay, but the stick suddenly snapped in half, and two large paws pinned his chest to the ground with the wolf's face only inches from his.

He felt the hot, sticky breath wash over him in a low growl and had closed his eyes waiting for the sharp teeth to tear at his face. The weight on his thighs was shifted to his pelvis. Then he felt the paws slide down his arms and grip his wrists in place.

Hold on! Grip? Wolves didn't have opposable thumbs!

He opened his eyes to see a man hovering over him. A man with pale skin and shining black eyes; Silvery white hair framed his beautiful face.

The sudden appearance of such a man in place of the wolf confused the shepherd. He couldn't comprehend what he was seeing. He looked about trying to see any trace of the beast, but could only see the carcass of the horse. He turned back to the man who was staring at him with those dark eyes.

He, the shepherd, opened his mouth to speak but no sound came out. Then he noticed them; two pearly white fang tips were visible between the pale man's slightly parted lips. In that moment, he knew what this man was. He tried to pull his hands free, but the vampire held them tight. He struggled harder, a terrified whimper escaping his lips. He heard the blood rush to his ears as his heart quickened.

"Don't struggle. You'll only make it worse." whispered the vampire.

He stopped even though his mind screamed for him not to. His breathing came in short gasps.

The vampire came closer, his hair spilling over his shoulders dripping with rainwater. He kissed the shepherd's cold, trembling cheek, tracing the jaw line softly, slowly, almost lovingly. Then he placed another kiss on his cold wet lips. Through the kiss, the vampire could feel the warmth of the blood that pulsed so quickly beneath the flesh. He could hear the beating of the shepherd's heart. Hear the flow of the living liquid as it rushed through the veins. He wanted it. He craved it. His entire being cried out for it.

The vampire released a wrist and combed his fingers into the man's hair. He parted from the kiss and gently pulled the head back to expose the throat. He watched the pulsing vein for a moment before he closed in and punctured the skin with his long ivory fangs.

Rebecca sat on her bed combing her hair. She watched the rain splatter the glass on the window and wandered how long her mother could keep the spell up. She hated magic. All it did was cause destruction and pain. She was glad her mother didn't force her to learn the craft, but in its place to had to put herself to another use for the family business.

She had to be the seducer.

Rebecca never liked what her family did for a living. And she abhorred the roll she always took in their plans. It always ended up with someone dead. Be it the so called demons they hunted or a relative. She already lost several cousins along with her eldest brother to the meaningless cause. She had sometimes contemplated running away from it all, but she had nowhere to go.

Rebecca sighed heavily with these thoughts in her mind. She set the comb down and paced the room.

She stopped at a small corner table that held a vase with roses. She noticed that countless numbers of this same setting was scattered about the castle; And always with red and white roses. She wandered if it was because they were so beautiful or if Alucard simply liked roses. She smiled at herself for such a silly thought. But the idea appealed to her.

A knock at the door pulled her away from her thoughts "come in."

It was her younger brother Tom who entered.

"What are you doing out of bed? You know what father told you to do." She said.

"I'm sick of playing sick. I had to get out of that room before I threw up or something. Besides, you wont tell him I left for a little while, will you?" he pleaded.

She could only give a small smile "of course not, Tommy. Why would a do that?"

"Thanks! I knew I could count on you." He jumped on the bed and sat in it cross legged "so, what did the monster do with you today?"

"Monster?"

"Yeah, you know. The one Arthur wants to kill so badly?"

"Alucard isn't a monster, Tom."

"Mom and dad said he was. So he has to be one, right? He couldn't be anything else. Cause we only kill monsters."

Rebecca felt pained by her little brother's words. He was only eleven and he was thinking that what they were doing was right. But how could she tell him otherwise? If she herself wasn't entirely sure if they really were killing demons or people thought to be demons.

She sat on the bed next to him "he didn't do anything with me. He only started showing me around the palace."

"That's it? That doesn't sound like something a monster would do. Why was he doing that?" he asked.

"Enough questions Tom. You have to get back to your room now."

"awww, do I have to?" he whined.

Rebecca nodded "yes, you do. But if it'll make you feel better about it, I'll tell you stories for a while."

"Ok."