I don't own Hellsing, never have, never will. Thank you to Until We Fall and Denekrad for reviewing!

"It is a great pleasure to have you here with us." My father smiled at the Count from his spot at the head of the table.

"It is a pleasure to be here." The Count returned the gesture before glancing at me. "And to be in such fine company."

The kitchen doors opened and the servants emerged with several different dishes. After helping ourselves to the food, conversation began again.

"So what do you plan to do with the land Count?"

"Hopefully I will be able to farm it, but if that fails I can always raise cattle or sheep."

"Wheat grows well on the moor, but watch out for the wild ponies. They love to eat it."

"I didn't know there were wild ponies this far north."

"Oh yes, we have a whole herd running around. Quite a nuisance really, one of the stallions got India's mare pregnant about a year ago."
"That is a nuisance."

Servants cleared the dishes when we were done and then brought in the dessert. The cooks pulled out all of the stops, it was coved in white frosting and sugar roses were placed all around the base with a large one sitting on the top.

After we had all finished our slices of cake, I was shooed away while the men went into the poolroom to smoke. There was nothing left for me to do so I headed to my lab in the basement.

"Miss India," one of the servants stopped me at the door.

"What is it?"

"Your Father will want you to say goodbye to the guest."

"When that time comes, you can come and get me."

I didn't let her say anything else as I headed down the stairs. None of the servants would go into my lab, they were too afraid of what was down there.

"Now to get back to this." I sighed. "Maybe Father won't interrupt me this time."

Wishful thinking. Hopefully I won't spill boiling Holy Water on myself this time.

Time flew by and I was surprised by the clock tower chiming midnight. My experiment was a complete failure, which was starting to frustrate me. I'd been working on it for about a month.

"Damn it. Why won't this work right? Everything is there, but it still isn't working."

I can't go to bed now, I'll go for a ride, maybe then I can clear my head.

The wind whipped through my hair as I galloped along the path. It was a dark night so I had a hard time seeing the path. That was why I noticed a light in the distance.

"What is that?"

As I got closer, I could see it was a fire, with a group of peasants standing around it. One of them was tied up and it looked like they were going to throw him into it. My heart raced as I galloped towards them.

"What do you think you're doing!" I yelled at them.

They dropped the man before dropping to their knees. When I dismounted I could see that the man was pale and shaking. I turned my attention to the man who looked like the leader of the group.

"What is going on here?" I growled.

"Miss Hellsing, this man is a vampire." He replied, not fazed by me at all.

"Prove it."

"He has fangs."

I moved to the pale man and gently opened his mouth. There were no fangs.

"He does not. Now get that fire out or I'll have all of you hanged."

"Yes, m'lady."

They went about putting it out while I untied the man. He was able to stand, which he did while looking at the ground. I gave him my flask of water, and he drank it in one gulp.

"Thank you, m'lady." He whispered.

"Are you sure that you're alright?" I asked gently. "I can arrange a ride home for you."

"No, m'lady, you have helped me enough." He gave me a small smile before turning down the road.

"As for the rest of you." I spun around to look at the peasants. "You are to go home and never bother that man again. Do you understand me."

"Yes m'lady."

"And if you ever have a complaint against another villager, take it up with may father. We don't need you all burning people at the stake. Now go."

They scurried away, as if afraid that I'd do something to them. Sighing, I mounted my horse and watched them run down the road.

"They'll probably be out tomorrow night too." I told my horse. "We'll just have to get Father to stop it."

"Peasants fear the things they know nothing about." The voice came from behind me.

"They also fear authority." I turned to see Count Dracula.

"True, but which fear is greater?"

"The clearest one."

"It is not often that I see the same woman out past midnight, it is even rarer that I see her twice in a week."

"It is not often that I see anyone out besides peasants, especially Counts."

He laughed.

"You are quite the young woman."

"Thank you, you aren't that bad yourself."

"Tell me, what brings you out this late Miss India?"

"A troubled mind."

"I would think that the Lord's daughter would have no troubles."

"More than you would think."

"I do not doubt that. Come, let's walk."

My horse followed his as we walked over the moor.

"I told your Father that I am interest in your hand in marriage."

"He told me."

"Yes, I believe that he was extremely surprised after we'd only just met."

"You are very right." I laughed. "He'd almost given up on finding me a suitor."

"I do not get the image that you are a difficult young woman."

"It's more of that I am not interested in things women do. I'd rather ride my horse than sew or work in my lab instead of flirting."

"Ah yes, your Father said that you were a scholar. He also said that you worked on finding new ways to kill vampires."

"Yes."

"I thought they were all legends."

"My family has been hunting them for years, and our methods have been a little behind the times. I've been working on newer ways."

"It looks like my new wife will be a brilliant one."

I laughed.

"I'm not brilliant."

"There aren't that many women who can claim to have worked in a lab. In fact, I don't know of that many men. Most are afraid of the church."

"Ah, the church is nothing."

"You don't believe?"

"I don't believe in corruption if that is what you mean."

"You think the Catholic Church is corrupt then?"

"That is just my opinion."

"I see. Now, I am afraid, we must part."

"I enjoyed your company Count."

"And I yours. If it is not a trouble, I must ask if you may do me a favor."

"Of course."

"Meet me at the fork of the roads to London and Derby tomorrow night."

"Alright, I'll see you then."

He must not have heard me fore he turned his mount and galloped away. I let a small smile come on my face before turning towards the manor. Then I noticed something, many of the lights were on.

Father must know I'm gone. I spurred my horse into a gallop and made it to the door as he opened it. His face was filled with rage; he pulled me into the house by my hair.

"Where the hell have you been?" He roared, throwing me down on the sofa.

"I was out riding." I gasped.

"With that devil."

"What?"

"You were out with the Count, were you not?"

"I met him out there and he walked me home."

"You are not to see him again."

"What? Why?"

"He is in leagues with vampires." My oldest brother, Cedric said as he stepped out of the shadows.

"What?"

"The peasants have been saying that he is a vampire and he recently revealed to me that he knew about the graveyard."

"The graveyard?"

"Stupid girl."

I felt his hand come across my face. There were tears in my eyes when I looked up at him.

"The graveyard where the master vampire is buried. He said he was going to visit there at midnight."

"Why would that matter?"

"You pay no attention, do you? It is only at midnight that he can be resurrected."

"I have also looked into his past." Cedric looked at me from across the room. "His father was burned at the stake for witchcraft. When he lived in London, he seduced several young women before bleeding them to death. They were never able to prove that he did it. It is said that it was a love spell."

"Impossible."

"You've fallen in love with him!"

Father hit my other cheek this time.

"You are under his spell."

"I am not."

"Cedric, take her to her room. I am going to send for the priest to bless her. Then we are going to make plans to burn that manor."

"Of course, Father."

He grabbed my wrist and pulled me towards the stairs. I struggled with him, but he wouldn't let go. Eventually he got tired of my struggling; he hoisted me onto his shoulder. After kicking open my door he dropped me on the bed.

"Stay here." He said. "And everything will be sorted out."

With that, he closed the door. I heard a key turn and the lock click. My mind began to race; my eyes scoured the room, looking for something, anything, to help me get out. Then I remembered something and dashed to my closet. Inside was a rope I'd hidden in there in case of something like this.

"Forgive me Father." I whispered as I tied it to the bedpost. "But you're wrong."

A/N: There's chapter 2. I've just finished Chapter 3, and I'm going to post that next Saturday. Until then, sleep tight.