Disclaimer: All of Hellsing and its characters are copyright to Kouta Hirano. Any original characters belong to the author of this fanfiction.

HELLSING

EREBUS

Here standeth the Bird of Hermes,

Eating my own wings to make me tame...

CHAPTER THREE

Night of the Dead

Friday Midday, October 31, 2031, Hotel...

Since Alexandra would be potentially safe while the sun was up, Alucard had returned to his hotel room to sleep the rest of the day away. As he stepped into the room, his phone vibrated and he answered immediately. "Good afternoon, my master."

"Alucard, did you find her?"

"Yes, my master, it wasn't difficult. I found her at her residence last night and I stood guard for the entire night. Everything was quiet."

"What's your impression of her?"

He actually hesitated, and when she called his name, he said firmly, "It doesn't matter what I think of this human. What matters is the mission at hand."

Alucard half-expected Integra to rebuke him for such a tone. Instead there was silence on her end of the line. Finally, she said, "Do you think she is the one they are after?"

He scoffed. "My instincts say it is such."

"That's all I needed to know. Any idea of where she will be tonight?"

"She mentioned a party at an establishment called GLOCKWYRK. I will be going the moment the sun is down. During this time, she isn't in any danger. I'd like to catch up on some sleep in the meantime. Getting up in the middle of the day is exhausting."

"Very well. I want your report by tomorrow morning."

He grinned as he asked derisively, "Are you speaking of my time, or yours?"

There was a snort at his remark, a sound he chortled at. "Well, I'll be more awake by the time daylight hits your area."

"Very well, Sir Integra. Until tomorrow then."

The phone snapped shut, feet slowly strolling towards the coffin where it opened slightly from his approach. Alucard stared at what was his kingdom, and climbed in, the lid sliding back into place. As he waited for sleep to take him, he thought of the perfect costume for tonight's party. It was simply pure genius, and wondered how Alexandra would take the look. Eyelids drew shut, and sleep came easy. Soon...very soon.

Vlad had grown quickly, a teenager now. The high ruler's abuse never lessened, but Vlad's will had only grown stronger. The silver cross dangled around his neck as he ate the slop that the Ottomans were willing to give to prisoners. Next to him, Katarina just stared at the food. Her silence worried him and he looked at her.

"What troubles you?"

She blinked out of her daze, shaking her head. "Nothing...it's nothing."

His blue orbs narrowed, but he did not press the matter. "When I leave this place, I want for you to come with me."

"Vlad!" she cried out, staring bewildered at him. "Don't say such things out loud. If anybody found out, you'd be severely punished, or worse!" His simple words had brought her into a state of hysteria.

His bowl fell from his hands when he grabbed for her arms, shaking her some. "Get a hold of yourself! I won't stay here for the rest of my life! They can punish me all they want, but I will never bend to their will. I will never submit! I refuse to give them the satisfaction!"

She gritted her teeth, face contorted with misery as she gripped his sleeves, as if trying to cling to his words. "I don't want you to die. I couldn't bear it. Please promise me you won't do anything reckless."

Vlad's eyes softened, and he sighed in resignation. "I won't do anything reckless."

Days dragged on into weeks, and weeks turned into a year. Vlad was allowed to wander the Ottoman palace, ignoring the sneers of the guards. He was almost a man now, even with his body defiled by that bastard. Vlad would not relent, but he was bothered by the fact that he was seeing less of Katarina. Every time he had seen her, her dirty face was blotched with clean trails of dried tears. Whenever he asked her what was wrong, she had easily lied, saying that her hands and feet hurt from being overworked. He knew she lied, but still he said nothing. Even the high ruler stopped seeing him, which was odd. Perhaps his features were slowly becoming that of a man's instead of a child's.

Then came a blood chilling scream. His eyes widened, barely recognizing its owner, as Katarina had never screamed before. It was something she refused to do, much like how he refused to pray for salvation. As if they had a mind of their own, his feet gradually broke out into a run towards the high ruler's chambers. The doors gave way, revealing a nightmare. Katarina was on the bed, trying to push off the vulture that was thrusting away inside her tiny body. The girl screamed and cried, agony evident on her face. Vlad couldn't look away and every muscle in his body burned and shook, his eyes unblinking.

The creature raping her didn't hear the call of a monster released that day, and by the time he looked up, Vlad was already upon him, clutching around the fat neck so tightly that the fingers pierced through the skin. The man choked and clawed at him, but still, he would not relinquish his hold, only driving his fingers deeper. Teeth clenched in rage, he huffed and puffed, seeing only red. Blood trickled down his arms and finally, he released the noble, spotting the bastard's own dagger close by. In an instant, the dagger was driven into his forehead as the man sat up, shock on his face before falling over a moment later.

With the high ruler dead, Vlad had no choice. He turned to Katarina, who was still crying, body trembling from the pain. He leaned over her, cupping her face and forcing her to focus on him. "Katarina... Katarina!" Her eyes snapped to his. "We need to go. Now!"

After a moment of hesitation, she nodded, hiccoughing. Mutely, he removed his tunic, helping her put it on before taking her hand. After a moment, her trembling finally stopped, relieving him. She would be alright. Together, they escaped the palace, then Ottoman territory altogether. Never again would he allow anything to touch her. The Ottomans would pay. He would find the most appropriate way possible to overthrow them. One by one, they would all die by his hands, and he would make sure that death did not take them swiftly. They would suffer.

Friday Evening, October 31, 2031, Hotel...

A howl broke out of the black box as Alucard tore the lid away, sitting in his resting place, gritting his teeth with residual fury. A quietness went hand in hand with the approaching darkness as the sun was shining its last rays. He felt something on his face and he dabbed at it, pulling the hand away to find blood staining the glove. Had he been crying in his sleep? Fist clenching, he glared at the remnants of the sun as it died. He had work to do.

Friday Evening, October 31, 2031, GLOCKWYRK Club...

Alex arrived, grinning at the decorations. The floor tiles looked like they were made of copper, covered in ruby red carpets. The tables, chairs, booths, stairs leading to the VIP area, were made of real copper and red velvet and brown leather. Behind the bar almost looked like a fancy fallout shelter, holographic screens showing electric visualizations swinging like pendulums. The liquor that could be seen on glass shelves behind the counter were placed in beakers and chemical flasks. The club was accentuated with ruby, gold, emerald, and black velvet curtains. On the light up dance floor, that was actually made of glass with water underneath, was covered with a thick fog due to the mist generators.

They didn't pull their punches in the Halloween decorations, as the water dance floor was lit red tonight, the fog matching, the dance lights purple, red and green. Carved pumpkins were everywhere, and decorative bones were littered everywhere, but out of the way. Corpses hung from the walls, terror on the faces, and tonight, much of the beverages and food had a ghoulish look to them. Every one of the drinks seemed to have a layer of mist smoking from them. Everything was just...bloody, gorgeous, and delicious. The excitement Alex felt could not be contained, especially with everyone in costume.

The disc jockey looked like a Dr. Bones type of character tonight, appearing as a skeletal gentleman, complete with a top hat. And just like she called it, she recognized a majority of the vampires. The bartender decided to take her idea and be a dreary zombie. Though her costume was more detailed, his costume was complete with white contacts, which she couldn't get because everywhere was sold out. The zombified girl went to the bar, ordering one of those misting drinks. Naturally, candy was being dished out to everyone, and Alex grinned like a fool.

One man in a dark suit with dark shaggy brown hair and purple eyes took an immediate interest in her. He was sitting at the bar when the girl had approached the counter. He grinned toothily as he turned to her. "Aren't you the prettiest little undead?"

Alex blinked at him. The man eyed her outfit, impressed by the detail. It was an all black dress with patches of white and white lace trimming. It had a Victorian courtesan feel to it, as the skirt was high in the front, the hem lowering around the back. She wore black stockings that reached her thighs and black high heeled ankle lace-up boots. Around her neck was a different choker, this time with a skeleton cameo pendant dangling from it. On her hands, a pair of white silk gloves. To add to the costume's authenticity, she had added rips and tears everywhere, and fake blood stains. The torso was a black pinstripe corset with white ribbon for lacing in the back. Atop her head was a tiny black top hat with the same white lace trim and a black rose. Alex had done well with her make up, trying to give all her visible skin a deathly and sick pallor, artificial wounds and bite marks everywhere, as well as the blood. Around her eyes had been darkened and her lips a blood red.

Her effort was nothing to laugh at and he inwardly applauded her. "Your costume is pretty amazing."

"Thank you," she replied, sending him a smile. This man didn't look like he thought much about really dressing up, so she asked casually, "What are you supposed to be?"

"A vampire," he said with a grin. "I like to be simple."

"So I see."

"Are you here with anyone?"

At first, she almost said yes, but decided the guy seemed decent enough. "No, not really. I'm kind of expecting to see someone, but I'm not with him. I just mentioned the party to him, so I don't know if he's really coming or not."

"Ah, the not-a-date date."

She laughed. "It's not even that. I only met him just today. I didn't even get his name."

He grinned, showing his impressive fangs. "Well, would you object to honouring me with a dance?"

Her smile never wavered. "No, I don't think I would object."

That mysterious smile of his began to have an effect on her. For some reason, she felt incredibly drawn to the stranger. His cold hand took hers, though she didn't complain, and he brought her to the dance floor, where he began to lead her in a waltz that didn't match the music. Slowly, he inhaled her scent, hiding his face beside her cheek. Though Alex found this strange, she thought nothing of it. The waltz continued for many minutes as she looked over his shoulder, seeing others dressed similarly to him, watching her and her alone. Still, she did not feel uneasy. She was in a crowd. She was safe. Safe.

He pulled away to stare at her face. "You're very pretty. What's your name?"

"Alex," she murmured.

He smiled. Yes, she was falling for his spell easily. The alcohol she had previously consumed probably contributed to this, but no matter. Now that he had the target within his grasp, he would drink her blood and analyze. If she was the one, he and his companions would take her back with them. If not...well, she'd end up just like the rest. He felt the hunger aching in his fangs. His comrades had felt it too. With one glance at them and a nod, they all rose, joker-like monstrous smiles on their faces, eyes shadowed over, only gleams of red shining out.

Finally, Alex broke out of her daze to feel a sense of deep and frightening foreboding. When she turned her eyes to the rest of the club, the screams finally registered in her hearing as if her senses were catching up. What was happening? Were people just playing around and pretending, as it should be on this night? No, something was off as her blurred vision began to clear and she discovered with terror that people were literally being slaughtered by the very men that dressed like her dance partner. The cries hurt her ears and the music had long ceased since the DJ was bleeding out on the floor. Why weren't they running away? Looking up, she saw the doors bolted shut as survivors slammed on the steel surface, pleading for help, but they too were killed.

"What... What's going on?" she asked, her brain finally catching up.

"Oh, you broke out of my little trance. That's too bad. I could have drunk your blood without you feeling a thing, but oh well."

"What?" she repeated, turning to look at the dark stranger. "Who are you? Why are you doing this?! Why are you killing these people?!"

He grinned. "If you must know, it's Lionel. My boss has been looking for someone...special." Lionel took delight in her fear, grinning madly. "See, we've been killing women with your description, just to find...well, that exceptional lady, one that will change vampires."

"V-vampires?" she repeated, confused and terrified all at once. What was he talking about? "What did you do to me?!"

"Not much," he admitted. "I only hypnotized you as a precaution so that you wouldn't refuse my advances. Now that you're in my grasp, it doesn't matter that you've woken up."

She gritted her teeth. "Let me go!"

He laughed. "No, I don't think so." The vampire tightened his grip painfully, causing her to cry out as he gradually crushed her right hand. "I'm going to drink your blood. If you pass, you get to live a little longer."

"A-and if I don't...pass?" she asked warily, not liking where this was heading.

"You die. First we will drain you of every last drop, and then we will lop off your head. Speaking of which," he added, turning to his colleagues. "Don't forget to decapitate the bodies before we head out. Ghouls are an eyesore."

Ghouls? What the hell were ghouls?! Alex's heart and mind raced, close to hyperventilating from the stress. The others nodded in acknowledgement but before any of them to tend to the task, the steel doors were blasted inwards, smoke obscuring the exit. Everyone froze and Lionel's eyes narrowed, trying to peer through the dust. The other vampires joined his side, gritting their teeth while looking astonished at the damage the intrusion had caused. Alex stared, trembling terribly as she heard the faint echo of boot steps. They dropped heavily and with purpose, and as the smoke cleared, a tall figure in red stepped into the establishment.

Lionel growled out, "Who the hell are you?!"

Alucard smiled mockingly. "Your death."

The answer didn't phase the vampire as he chuckled. "Is that so? You're a funny man. Kill him!"

The other vampires grinned, instantly drawing out their various firearms before firing relentlessly upon the red figure. Alucard did not move to dodge, taking on the barrage of bullets, his smiling lips unmoving, even as the bullets tore through his face. Alex screamed, begging them to stop, but her cries went unheard and for the most part ignored. Lionel laughed like a madman before he told them to cease fire. Steam rose from the barrels, and Alucard's body fell over in an unrecognizable slump, blood pouring out from all over. Alex's mouth was agape with horror, shaking her head with disbelief that this was happening. He was dead... He was dead, and now, so was she!

Lionel continued to laugh. "Well, what a disappointment. I thought he'd be a little interesting, seeing how he made such a loud entrance. My death? HA!" He pulled the girl closer to him. "Quit your blubbering, or I'll—!"

"Or you'll what?" came a dark hiss.

Lionel went still. Who said that? As if his mind already knew the answer, his eyes landed on the corpse at the entrance. The blood seemed to stop in its flow, droplets rising into the air as if in zero gravity. Gradually, the sound of laughter filled the air, growing louder and more ominous with each cackle. The vampires gaped as Alucard's body twitched, legs bending upwards at the knees, head leaning back as his torso rose slightly, arms outstretched, fingers clenched as if ready to grab them if they came close. The temperature dropped significantly, and all the blood in the room began making its way towards the body that should have been destroyed, the air thickening with the smell of it.

The men that had indiscriminately killed all the people in the building shook with profound fear, gasping when Alucard's head leaned forward, his face obscured with shadows. Suddenly, bright crimson eyes widened and peered at them with maliciousness and dark promises, sending them visions of their own brutal deaths. The gravity-defying blood circled and rushed around his body like gusts of wind, wild hair flailing around his head. The wind picked up in the room as he stood up straight, engulfed in flaming shadows that threatened to devour them all. Within that shadowed face, a Cheshire smile appeared, reminiscent of the devil himself.

Lionel stood there dumbfounded as their enemy regenerated his wounds, as if he were made of blood and smoke. Strangely, Alex watched in amazement. She had to be dreaming. Wasn't this man dead a moment ago? The Count grinned just as the last remnants of his glasses and hat were replaced. Lionel then gritted his teeth.

"What... What the hell are you?!"

"Why?" Alucard asked mockingly. "Don't you recognize a vampire when you see one?"

"Vampire?! That's impossible! You can't be!" Lionel was beginning to panic now.

Alucard pursed his lips, expelling a cold breath. "Do not think yourselves in the same class as me. You act like serial killers, and lousy ones at that. Even murderers know better than to leave themselves behind. The Hellsing Organization does not take kindly to the crimes of trash like you."

"W-who are you?!" he stammered.

"Just call me the Garbage Man."

Lionel shook until he noticed that the corpses were beginning to move. "HA! Now it's our turn!" His lips curled in a smug expression. "We'll let the ghouls deal with you while we take our prize."

Alucard barely paid the zombies any mind as he reached into his trench coat, pulling out a silver handgun that was ten inches in length, larger than any standard pistol. Outstretching his arm, he fired upon the ghouls, effortlessly defeating them with a smug grin of his own, the bodies bursting into blood and ash. The enemy vampires stood back in shock as he dealt with the undead with ease.

"How...?! How are you killing them! This is impossible!" Lionel declared angrily.

The magazine fell to the floor as Alucard slapped in another. "The silver cross of Lancaster Cathedral was melted down to make these thirteen millimetre exploding shells." As if it wasn't already impossible, his grin widened to an unnatural size, raising the firearm in a way that was almost showing it off. "Nothing I shoot ever gets back up again."

Lionel ground his sharp teeth. "Kill him! Whatever it takes! I'm taking the girl elsewhere!"

The other vampires blocked the opposing vampire's path, a look of glee on their faces, while Alex felt herself being pulled elsewhere, screaming as he dragged her through the back exit and out into the city streets. Annoyed, he regarded her with a snarl, knocking her out to cease her noise and struggles. Cradling her unconscious form, he took off as quickly and as far away as possible.

Meanwhile, Alucard stared in amusement at their efforts to hold him back. One jumped at him and he raised his gun, the barrel pointing into their gaping maw before blowing their head off. Two others charged, and Alucard dodged side to side, firing their guns til their clips ran empty. He bared his fangs in ominous glee before shooting one through the chest and the other in the face as they lunged. He danced around every assaulter as they attempted to land a fatal hit on him. More and more came, and were consequently shot through either their hearts or their heads, turning them to ash with no bullet wasted. They charged at him blindly, firing their weapons in another barrage. Jumping out of the way, he landed on the ceiling softly, hanging upside down to grin mockingly at them.

"Vampires these days seemed to have no self-respect anymore. From what I can tell, you lot don't even even know how to change into mist or a bat." He casually walked along the ceiling, watching them regard him warily as they were petrified of what he was capable of. "You make it too easy for me to shoot through your weak points, and still, you fire upon me with useless weapons, regardless of what the previous result had shown you. Have you no shame in what you are? You depend on guns to save you. And you call yourselves nosferatu! You disgust me!" He emitted a dark and hateful chuckle. "What will you do when you run out of the bullets you hope will save you? What will you do, faced with a real vampire?!"

As an answer, they continued their attack, firing their guns at him. Alucard frowned. Pathetic. He dropped down like the incarnation of death, firing his gun at them, taking them all out one by one, revelling in their cries as they turned to dust, their blood splattering over every available surface. By the time he landed in a crouched position, the obstacles, if one could even call them that, had been dealt with. He grinned, and took out his cellular, dialling a number.

"Drake," announced Van on the other end.

"There's a bit of a mess over here."

Van paused, and Alucard could easily sense the displeasure through the phone. "Where's here?"

"A nightclub called GLOCKWYRK. I imagine someone has heard the disturbance and contacted the authorities by now. It won't be long til the police arrive."

"What will you do?"

"I'm going after the girl. There's a stray left and he ran away with her in tow."

"I'll do what I can. I should be there shortly."

Alucard hung up then, running out of the club and taking a whiff of the air. She was still close. That pathetic excuse for a vampire hadn't gotten far. Now was a good time as any to test his new abilities. Closing his eyes, his third-eye sought out the girl through the area. Her mind was blank, which he thought strange. Perhaps the vampire had knocked her out. At least she wasn't dead, since he managed to seek her out while he sought her captor, easily finding the piece of trash. Seeing where they were located, he soon found himself in front of an abandoned building.

Opening his eyes, he strode forward, the doors creaking as they opened to the darkness inside, lit only by the full moon glaring through the broken windows. At the end of the empty building, which seemed more like an old factory that lacked its machines, stood Lionel, Alex limp in his right arm, back bent downwards as she just dangled there. Alucard took another few steps, then stopped when Lionel held a gun to the woman's chest, right above where her heart was.

Lionel grinned when the Count stopped his advance. "So, you're here to save the girl. Hellsing, did you say?" Alucard just smiled toothily at him. "The fact that you're here suggests you've killed the others. Why is a vampire killing his own kind? Why side with humans?"

Slowly, Alucard reached up to remove his glasses, tucking them away in his jacket as he peered at his opponent with that crimson gaze. "I can't allow filth like you to go running amok amongst the humans. Given your way, you'd bleed the human race dry, and we can't have that. One becomes two, two becomes four, four becomes eight, eight to sixteen, sixteen to thirty-two, thirty-two to sixty-four. It applies to both vampires and ghouls. I shouldn't have to explain such a simple concept to you. Once the humans are gone, you will by extension destroy yourselves. Humans are fragile creatures and should be treated with the utmost care. Unlike us, they die easily."

"And what sweet poetry it makes, their death. It will truly be lovely to hear her screams once we are done with this one."

Only now did Alucard catch a whiff of blood. His eyes darted over to Alex, examining her neck, then her wrists, finding her right hand dripping. He inwardly cursed, having taken too long to come after her. Impassively, he stared at the vampire. "It's blood you're looking for," he said matter-of-fact. "So tell me, what's the purpose of this venture of yours?"

Lionel grinned then. "A new dawn for vampires." Alucard raised a brow in interest. "That's all you will need to know."

The sound of shuffling could be heard as hundreds of ghouls, all of them armed with heavy weaponry, came into view. They stood on upper levels and came out from behind crates and out of crates. There were so many, that Alucard smiled with amused glee. "Oh? What's this? For someone who doesn't want to produce ghouls, you sure have many in your arsenal."

"I was told that contingency plans for survival and success are always a necessary precaution."

The body in his arms began to stir with a rousing groan as Alex came to. The girl opened her eyes, seeing Lionel with his attention on something else. Looking over, she saw the vampire from before, finally recognizing him as the man she saw at work today, not sure whether to be thankful, or more anxious. Her hand felt strangely numb and she raised it, finding puncture marks in her wrist, hands dripping with blood. Only when she had looked at her wound did it finally begin to feel sore. Even her head hurt. After a moment in a daze, she noticed more zombies everywhere, giving a tiny shriek.

"Ah, look who's awake," said the vampire, holding her up a little more firmly, shifting her til her back was against his chest. He leaned into her ear as he stared mockingly at his enemy. "Well, Garbage Man, if you want her so badly, you'll have to come and rip her from me!" Alex struggled then, trying to pry his arm away, wriggling to get free as she made sounds of her struggle. He laughed, making her freeze in terror. "I wouldn't move so provocatively, if I were you. I might just be tempted."

Brown eyes shut tightly, just wanting this to be over and be a harmless nightmare. Then she heard Alucard's voice speak softly to her, "Alexandra." The soothing tone made her look at him. He wasn't smiling or frowning, but he was looking at her, and perhaps into her. "You will not die," he promised. "Especially not here and now."

The way he said it made her believe it was a fact, and once she did, she felt calm. "What's your name?"

Lionel gritted his teeth, annoyed that both were ignoring him. "Enough of this prattle! Die!"

Not bothering with a warning, Alucard took out another gun, this time slightly bigger and it was black. He fired both guns even as the ghouls returned fire. The vampire took the damage, a devil's smile on his face. Lionel gritted his teeth as the ghouls were annihilated, guns dropping, blood spilling, body parts flying. When Alucard was finished, he aimed the iron gun straight at Lionel's head. Reacting, he dropped the girl and flashed out of the spot just as he fired. Alex fell to her knees, an explosion blasting out the wall behind her.

Lionel was on the upper levels as he stared in shock at the more impressive damage compared to Alucard's silver gun. "A pistol...did that?"

Alucard almost stared fondly at his weapon, eyes moving towards where the vampire was. "These are thirteen millimetre armour-piercing rounds. The casings are made of Macedonian silver, the hollow points containing an explosive charge of pre-blessed mercury. The weapon is perfect is every way, but you are not worth such magnificence. A lowly vampire like you doesn't deserve the honour of being shot down with this gun. You pitiful creature barely know what you are."

"Shut up!" he demanded. "Even if you kill me now, she won't ever be safe! They will find her, and when they do, they'll milk every last drop of her blood until her body is so broken she can't produce anymore!"

Annoyed, Alucard suddenly appeared in front of Lionel, who gasped in shock. A silver barrel pressed against his forehead as Alucard said, "Goodbye."

Lionel's scream was cut short as a single shot rang out, blood splattering the grated floor, dripping to the level beneath. As he walked away with his back turned, the body turned to ash, floating away. Alex stared stunned, sitting on the ground, body involuntarily trembling from the adrenaline and shock. She almost flinched when Alucard approached her casually and slowly held out a hand for her. Warily, she stared at it, then at him. Hesitantly, she reached for his hand and he helped her to her feet with no effort.

"Alucard," he said.

"What?"

"My name is Alucard. You asked for my name before that piece of trash rudely interrupted," he explained calmly, knowing that when the night's events finally sunk in, she'd probably break down. No, he decided suddenly. If this woman was anything like her, she would remain strong.

"You...you're a vampire?" she asked with a swallow.

"Yes."

There was a slow nod of acceptance there. "Are you—no... What do you want with me?"

HA! If only she knew, he thought. His devilish grin returned, though he did try to tone down the fright-factor. Politely, he bowed much like he did for Integra, his eyes never leaving her face. "I was sent here for your protection, Miss Rows."

She wanted to ask more, but the pain in her wrist was becoming more prominent. "Ow!"

The Count regarded her wound for a moment, then reached out, surprising her with a gentle grasp. He examined it intensely, and he felt the tension in his shoulders dissipate. "You're very fortunate. Those bitten by vampires tend to turn into ghouls. Luckily, he only took a sample." Her relief seemed to be mutual. "Still, we can't have you bleeding out."

Alex's eyes widened as Alucard brought her hand up to his mouth. One finger was slipped between his lips, forcing a surge of heat that turned her face red with embarrassment. As he slowly licked her hand clean, the vampire nearly groaned at the very taste of it. It was beyond description. He had never tasted anything like it. Finally, he reached her wrist and licked around and over the wound rather than put his mouth directly on the skin, lest he be tempted to bite in. Alex watched, transfixed by the sight, and when he finally released her, she was left in a sort of daze.

Suddenly, she heard a rip and a tug from her dress, and she cried out in shock when she saw what was in Alucard's hand. "Oi! What the hell are you doing?!"

He grinned, then took her wrist again, wrapping it up securely. "The wound will continue to bleed until it can be properly treated."

"But it took me weeks to make this dress," she whined.

"The other dress you made was much more fetching on you. Though you make a very becoming zombie, I think it would be better that you don't become one." Alex stared at him as he turned away, coat billowing behind him. "It will be better if you stayed with me from now on. You'll be safer that way."

Alex stared after him, and despite her best judgement, she followed the vampire. What's going to happen to me now?

A/N: Be honest, wouldn't you just die if Alucard was sucking on your fingers like that? Alucard is walking sex. Enough said. Anyway, I did warn you last chapter that there would be rape themes in this chapter, so you can't blame me for not preparing you. If you braved the scene, bravo. Give yourself a pat on the back and reward yourself with ice cream. As for the flashbacks in general, I'm going based on what I'm reading of Vlad the Impaler's wiki page. A lot of what will be in the memories is not going to be 100 percent accurate, historically. I'm just using what I learn about Vlad and integrating it to make it fit the story. Don't worry, all will be revealed and such! I did until this chapter call the High Ruler, Sultan, but changed it, because Alucard's profile did not specify that the man that raped him was a sultan.

Now, the first couple of chapters had a completely different storyline altogether. The beginning of this story was scraped twice before I settled on what you are reading now. It was difficult getting a story in my head, but once I figured it out, it's actually pretty easy to write. A lot of it has to do with the fact that I'm constantly looking at Vlad's wiki for references. It allowed for an interesting back story that's already figured out in my head. What I am ashamed to admit is that I have yet to read Dracula. I should be shot for such insolence. I've seen the 1992 movie with Gary Oldman, and a couple of spoofs, but that's it. I have it saved on my computer though, so I'll get to it eventually.

Now, please leave a review/question! Thanks!