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 THIRTY

Unexpected Reunion

Sunday Evening, December 28, 2031, Hotel...

Green mist slithered over the window sill, a whisper of dark longing crawling across the floor. Slowly, it crept under the furs and blankets, caressing her legs, her hips, stomach, ribs, then her breasts. This made the young woman writhe, half-asleep with her eyes closed, emitting sounds of heated need.

"Oh yes, my love," she whispered, "you've found me..."

The mist disappeared to nothing, and the woman listened as the whispers became a single man's voice, "My most precious life..."

"I've wanted this to happen," the young woman said, shuddering out, "I know that now." As she felt more of the presence's touch, her breath caught between words, "I want to be with you. Always."

His need was mutual, but his response was almost sad, "You cannot know what you are saying." Brown orbs opened, locking with the darkened blue of her prince, with the man between her legs under the covers, his arms holding up his upper torso to keep his weight off her, wearing a dark shirt with the buttons undone.

Delicate hands rose to touch his face, needing him closer. "Yes...I do know." Slowly, her hands led him to her lips, the first kiss short, but it held so much. She gasped as he begun to kiss downwards; her chest, the valley between her breasts, the space between her ribs, her stomach, and further. "I thought I'd never feel your touch again," she confessed between breaths. "I thought you were dead."

He sat sat, taking her hand and pulling her up, placing that same hand over his bare chest where his heart should be, holding it there lovingly with both of his hands. He stared into her eyes, saying firmly so that she would understand, the woman watching him in confusion, "There is no life...in this body."

The woman's eyes widened once she realized there was no heartbeat, pulling her hand away to cover her mouth in shock as she emitted a small gasp. She edged back a little, whispering in astonishment, "But you live." Breath shuddered as she repeated, "You live." She shook her head once, unable to believe it. "What are you?" Her confidence rose as she demanded the man who stared at her with melancholy, "I must know. You must tell me."

He looked away from her, trying to find the words that had caught in his throat. "I am...n-nothing. Lifeless...soulless..."

"What do you...?" she breathed.

Before she could finished, he continued with more conviction, "Hated, and feared. I am dead. To walk the path of..." The woman's sympathy rose her hand to run up his arm, gripping the shirt at the shoulder, but he raised that arm, pushing her away gently without touching her. "Hear me." Her hand dropped away. "I am the monster that breathing men would kill. I...am Dracula."

Meanwhile, Alex sat with Alucard on the bed, her eyes glued to the screen while leaning against the vampire, his arm wrapped lazily around her waist. The movie wasn't particularly interesting, but it was certainly a different take than most Dracula films. However, the beginning...he tried not to think much on it, but scoffed when it was revealed that the lead character, Mina, was the reincarnation of the princess. The Count said nothing at the part where Dracula had fed a newborn to his three brides, even when Alex gave him an incredulous and perhaps wary look.

Alex laughed at the part where Dracula had turned Mina's tears into diamonds. Remembering how she had asked him before about whether he could make diamonds, he grinned, just as amused. Even Alucard had to chuckle a little darkly at how Van Helsing was portrayed, like his bluntness at the funeral for Lucy Westenra, and again during dinner with the newly weds. He was even beginning to like this movie, but then he really began to like it as things got interesting in Mina's bed where Dracula snuck in.

What surprised him, was the way Alex squirmed a little as things got a little intimate between the two characters. Her eyes couldn't tear away, and he watched her with interest from the corner of his eye, smirking a little when he realized that this was her favourite part. It was to be expected, since she had apparently been celibate for seven years, that she would be drawn into such a darkly provocative scene, even though they didn't go far. Making mental note of it, they watched the rest of the movie.

When it ended, Alex gave an uncharacteristic sigh. "I love that movie."

"And why's that?" he asked, truly curious.

The girl sat up a little more, Alucard barely resisting pulling her back. "Well, usually, filmmakers have a tendency to portray Dracula as a strictly evil character."

"It's because he is a strictly evil character," he said, grinning to emphasize, eyes glowing brightly with his face obscured by shadows as she stared at him.

Unimpressed, Alex's mouth twitched. "Anyway, I like the films where it seems like there's more to him than just evil." Alucard watched her, intrigued. "This movie basically shows that even someone like Dracula, constantly labelled as an evil monster, can love."

Alex froze instantly, realizing what she had just said, slowly turning her gaze to look at Alucard, she saw something she couldn't decipher. His expression was unreadable, but his eyes never left her. Yes, he was more than capable of love. The proof of it was right in front of him. The problem was that it had already been taken from him once before. Who's to say it won't happen again? With that thought, his brows drew together with a look of sad reminiscence.

"Alucard?"

His gaze dropped. "For you to say that I too have human feelings...is indescribable."

The girl swallowed, picking at the covers. "Even if you might disagree with me, I mean it. Vampire or not, you're not really a monster. It's only when we lose those feelings do we truly become monsters. That's what I think, anyway. That's why I always fear for you, because you always tell me that only humans can defeat monsters."

Crimson rose to meet her brown pools. "I've killed without a shred of remorse."

"But you have compassion and respect for life," she argued. "You keep calling yourself a monster, but you still have a heart. The moment it stops caring for others, is the day you become a real monster."

The Count stared at her. Those words had touched him in some way. He longed to regain the humanity he had thrown away so carelessly, always deeming himself a true monster. The way she spoke of it, it had given him some hope that he was not the beast he claimed to be, and that he had his humanity all along. Yes, he enjoyed the heat of battle, and he lived for the thrill of it, but that all paled in comparison to how he felt about the people he genuinely cared about. The master he served without question, the servant who admired him, hell, even the hunter, Van, was growing on him, but most of all, Alexandra. Without anyone asking, he would protect them all, and kill in their name. Ever since becoming the No-Life King, he had searched for his purpose in living on. For centuries, he had felt numb, but his human side had begun to surface since he became a servant of Hellsing.

In the darkness of the room, Alucard and Alex watched each other. For some reason, Alex felt strange while looking at him. Something in his eyes held her there. "Alucard, I..."

The sentence wouldn't finish, and Alucard found himself hanging upon her words. Rather than say anything, Alex turned away her head and climbed off the bed. As she moved to walk away, she walked into Alucard, nearly falling back, but his hands caught her wrists, balancing her. Embarrassed, she gave a short laugh, a little flustered. Neither of them said anything, but the silence was killing her, and even Alucard wasn't willing to let her go. He had no idea why he suddenly reappeared in front of her.

Reluctantly relinquishing his hold on her wrists, he asked, "What were you going to say just now?"

She went rigid, staring determinedly at his chest to avoid looking him in the eye. Swallowing, she said, "Nothing. I didn't know what I was going to say." It wasn't a total lie, as she had only been half-aware that she was talking at all. Dismissively, she added, "I'm tired. I'm going to sleep."

Alucard allowed her to pass, standing there as she gathered clothes from her bag, going to the bathroom to change. The vampire closed his eyes, moving to the corner to sit in one of the chairs. As they grew closer, things became much more complicated somehow. It seemed so easy to speak comfortably with her, and over the last couple of months, it increasingly got more difficult, especially with both of their pasts serving as barriers. The hotel door clicked, opening as Van came in, his coat wet, his hair slightly frosted and damp. Alucard rose his gaze to the young vampire.

"Weather must be bad if you're this late," he quipped.

The Dracul shrugged off the coat, sighing. "Well, I managed to get us a ride. The problem is that it won't arrive until the thirtieth. And it won't leave until the second."

Alucard angled his head. "I fail to see the problem."

Van huffed, sitting in the other chair, running a hand through his wet hair. "The problem is that we're stuck here until the storm clears and we can catch a plane instead, or we wait for the ship to arrive and set sail. Either way, we're stuck here, and the chance of being attacked has increased. Wait...where's Alex?"

"Changing."

The bathroom door opened, Alex coming out in a long-sleeved shirt and pants. "Oh, hey Van." Taking note of his slightly damp appearance, she backtracked into the bathroom, emerging again with a dry towel. "Here."

"Thank you." Unfolding the towel, he draped it on his head, rubbing it back and forth. "We'll be here a few days," he said before explaining exactly what he told Alucard. Alex looked a little disappointed, but said nothing. "So, what have you two been up to while I was out?" he asked casually.

Monday Morning, December 29, 2031, Hotel...

After a good night's sleep, Alex felt surprisingly refreshed the next morning. She took a shower, dressing up in clean clothes, and made the bed. For some reason, she was in a good mood, and she was actually in the mood to have some breakfast. Since both vampires were still awake, they accompanied her downstairs, despite her annoyance at having chaperones. Regardless, she felt good. Maybe the steak from last night had her in a rare mood. The same restaurant she and Alucard had dined in last night was serving breakfast, and Alex crooned with want over the smell of bacon and sausages. When they sat down, she ordered plenty, Van staring aghast at her while Alucard grinned with amusement.

The young vampire shook his head, ignoring the surprising amount of food. "I'll have to go out again."

"Why? Where?" she asked, munching on a toasted bun with melted cheese on it.

"I need to report to Integra, let her know that we won't be showing up for a few days. She was expecting us to be back today, however, seeing as that's impossible at this point..."

"Why don't we all go then?" she suggested.

"I don't think that's such a good idea."

"Oh, c'mon, please? I'll be bored all day stuck here watching movies. At least this way I'm not racking up the bill with pay-per-view."

"Instead, it will be with breakfast," he pointed out, indicating to the waffles, fruit, sausages, bacon, and cheese buns. "I thought you didn't eat breakfast."

"The part of my brain that operates the stomach woke up sometime during my shower," she explained casually, chewing on a piece of bacon halfway before looking at Alucard with some consideration. Part of her felt like sharing, but she kept her mouth shut. "Well, what about it, Van? Can I come?"

The vampire pursed his lips in consideration. Even if he denied her, she wasn't likely to back down. Once she had finished eating, having everything else wrapped up for her to eat later, the trio left the hotel, Alex nearly being blown away. Something grabbed her before she could fall over. Catching her balance, she looked up at Alucard who was smirking at her. The girl flushed a little, pulling away a little as she walked through the inches of snow. As they were heading for a library, Alex bent down, balling up some snow. Alucard watched her curiously, keeping close in case she fell again. Grinning like a she-devil, she reared back her arm, then threw the snowball, hitting Van in the back. Alarmed, he spun around, reaching into his coat, and Alex laughed at him.

Blinking, he lowered his guard a little, frowning in disapproval. "That wasn't funny."

"I thought it was!" she exclaimed, grinning. "Lighten up, Van." Van sighed, straightening up again and moving along. Alex made a tiny pout. "Jeez, you're no fun."

"Indeed," Alucard agreed. "All work and no play."

She stroked her chin in a dastardly gesture. All she was missing was a long, thin, curled moustache and a top hat. The image made Alucard smirk. "We should do something about that."

"I can hear you two!" Van shouted. "Stop plotting against me!"

Both snickered childishly, resuming their trek. It took another twenty minutes before they reached their destination. Before them was a structure of clear windows, one floor of the building with tinted reddish-orange glass. It was a modern design, and Alex thought it might look pretty awesome during the summer. As of right now, it was frosted over from the storm, salt layering the sidewalks for easy access. Going inside, Alex and Van shook themselves off while Alucard just stood there, half covered in snow. Because it bugged her, Alex reached up to brush him off, which he allowed.

Van walked up to the front desk, taking off his coat, speaking for a few moments while Alex and Alucard waited, also having shed their jackets. Looking around, the place was huge, if it wasn't for the storm, it would have been lit brilliantly with all the windows. She remembered Conley mentioning the Halifax Central Library once and how much space it had. It was also Eco-friendly, with a kids area, a cafe on one of the upper floors, and wifi throughout. It was the first time she had been to Nova Scotia in general, so everything would have been new for her here. Van returned, urging them to follow him as they went to the next two floors up. Finding the computer area, they walked over, Van taking the most secluded one, his companions standing on both sides of him.

"What do you plan on doing?" Alex asked.

"I'm going to connect to Integra's phone through the internet. Since I can't get a signal for a normal phone call, I have to do it this way," he explained, connecting a cord between the computer and his phone, then a bluetooth headset on one ear.

As it loaded, a messenger program came on screen. Alex immediately recognized it. "Is that Skype?" He grunted. "But...it sucks."

"Hush," he demanded, dialling a number from his phone, waiting for the call to go through. "Come on, work. I hate this blasted program."

"Told you," she quipped.

Just as she had jested, the call was answered. "Hello." It was Integra's clipped voice, and Van could tell she was a bit annoyed.

"It's Drake," he answered.

"Mr. Drake? Dammit, why the hell did the three of you jump off the face of the earth?! Where's Alucard and Miss Rows?!"

"They're with me," he replied reassuringly. "I apologize for the late call. There's been a persistent storm for the last couple of days, cutting off my signal. We were hoping to be back in London as of Saturday, but the storm made us change plans entirely."

"Why? What has happened? Why the early return?"

Van glanced at Alex. "It was Alex's choice." Turning back to the screen, he said, "As for what happened, I can't discuss it right now. I'm calling from a computer in a public library. We're just waiting to find passage to England right now. Hopefully the storm will clear up, but if it doesn't, I've made arrangements to journey by freighter. We can't stay here longer than necessary, and Al—Bram made the suggestion of venturing by sea for...safety reasons."

There was a sigh on the other end. "I see. Understood. Get back as quickly as you can. Put Alucard on the phone."

Removing the headpiece, Van handed it over to Alucard, who pressed the device to his ear, grinning a little. "Good morning, my master." Van and Alex looked around to make sure no one was giving them weird looks.

"Hello, my servant. Seras told me you stopped by last night."

"Just came to grab a few things for her. She lost most of her belongings during an...incident."

"You were attacked again."

"Indeed. You'll be interested to know what we have to show you upon our return. Also, there was something I wanted to discuss with you when I got back." This time, his tone was serious.

Sensing it, she asked, "What about?"

"It'll have to wait. It's just a possibility that I thought you might be most concerned with looking into."

She sighed. "Very well. Return quickly, Count. I hope you're not terrorizing the poor girl." Alucard grinned mischievously. "And I know you're smiling, so stop that."

The vampire chuckled. "Of course, my master. Whatever you wish." He handed back the headset to Van. "She hung up."

Cord disconnected, Van pocketed the device, getting up from the chair. The vampires replaced their coats, heading for the stairs. Alex followed close behind them until she heard someone call out, "Alex?" At first, she ignored it. Alex was a common enough name, boy or girl. However, that someone persisted, growing closer. "Alex, is that you?"

The girl froze suddenly, a chill running down her back. The vampires turned to the source of the voice, but Alex didn't want to look. Everything in her screamed for her to run. She knew that voice, still recognizing it after seven years of never having to hear it. Swallowing, she just couldn't not look. Alex turned, pupils shrinking as her brown orbs locked on target. Before her stood a young man with dark brown hair, framing his face neatly in layers, eyes nearly as dark boring into her with recognition. Like Alucard, he had a narrow face, though his jaw wasn't as strong, nose a bit smaller. He was perhaps around Van's height, only slightly thinner in build. He wore a black dress shirt, a neat grey suit, and black dress shoes.

Van showed mild interest in this individual, but the look of recognition and shock on Alex's face made him suddenly apprehensive, and he had no idea why. Alucard also took notice, and had a very keen idea who this person was. It was obvious in the way Alexandra looked at the young man. For a moment, Alucard thought Alex might collapse from the shock, and so he moved close behind her, catching her if need be.

"C-Conley?" she uttered almost breathlessly. The Count's gloved hands curled into fists in his coat pockets, eyes narrowing behind his indigo shades.

Conley seemed even more surprised, and much to Alucard's annoyance, he ignored the vampires. "Jesus, it is you." His eyes never blinked, astonished to see Alex right in front of him. "What are..." He stopped, closing his eyes, reevaluating his approach before looking at her again. "How are you?"

Alex swallowed once again, suddenly thirsty. It was unbelievable that the one she had once thought was her true love was standing in front of her. Hoarsely, she answered, "F-fine."

Like hell you're fine, Alucard thought bitterly, eyes never leaving Andrews. A muscle twitched in his jaw.

Conley nodded, the moment a little awkward. "I see."

"What are you doing here?" she asked a little more harshly than she had intended.

Surprised by her tone, Conley's back went straighter. "I was about to ask you the same thing."

Her tone didn't change, the girl looking away from him, brows drawing together in lingering anger. "I'm just passing through."

Again, he nodded. "I usually come here in my free time," he replied, giving her an awkwardly warm smile. "It's good to see you."

The look he gave threw her off balance, unable to comprehend the words he said. As Van watched the exchange, he took notice of Alucard's stance. He appeared rigid, as if preparing to attack the stranger at any moment. Knowing how affectionate the Count was towards Alex, Van feared the worst behaviour from him. Would he attack this Conley? If so, why? What did Alucard know about Alex and Conley? Feeling that he needed to be ready to step between Alucard and his obvious prey, Van watched and listened carefully, his eyes darting between the other three with careful scrutiny.

"Oh," she managed.

Conley chewed on his lower lip in consideration before his smile turned a little more confident as he proposed, "Would you like to go to the cafe upstairs and catch up?" Seeing her wary expression, he added quickly, "My treat. I mean, you don't have to." The boy started fumbling over his words, rambling, "You're probably busy anyway. Sorry."

"Yes, she is," Alucard cut in suddenly, his voice full of authority. Startled by the tone of his voice, Alex turned to stare at him, astounded by the subtle fury radiating from him. "As you can plainly see, boy, we were just about to leave."

As Alucard expected and hoped for, he finally got a reaction, Conley turning his attention to the Count. However, it wasn't one of fear or even simple nervousness. In fact, from what the vampire could hear, the sound of this human's heart beat was very calm. This boy was either very brave, or very foolish, as he sent Alucard a look that showed he was unimpressed, even by the Count's domineering presence. Conley arched a brow, hardly concerned by the obvious threat.

"Your...friends can come too if you want," he said, ignoring Alucard completely. The vampire nearly snarled at this boy's ignorance, and if he wasn't one of great self control, then he surely would have stepped forward by now to tear out the little shit's throat. "If I'm going to be rejected, I'd rather hear it from the one I'm asking."

Alex turned back to Conley. "Why not?"

Alucard's face fell with shock. What? What?! After what she told him last night, she was going to accept a sit-down with the one who made her turn her back on relationships entirely. This time, he did growl. Van grabbed for his arm, and Alucard nearly turned on the young Dracul for his insolence, but Van remained firm, shaking his head. Logically speaking, he was right, but even as Alucard gradually calmed himself, the anger was still there. Why? Why would she say yes to that piece of shit?! He didn't understand, and he desperately wanted to know her reasons, nearly breaking his own personal vow to never read her thoughts knowingly. Shrugging off Van's grip, Alucard walked down the stairs.

"We'll wait in the atrium," he said coldly. "Don't take long."

The chill in his tone surprised Alex, watching him descend away from her. Then that shock turned to annoyance. Fine, fuck him. Alucard had no right to answer for her, which had irritated her as well. They weren't even together, and he was acting like a petulant child who got jealous easily. The only reason Alex accepted Conley's offer was because it was the polite thing to do. Besides, if she couldn't hold a grudge against her ex forever. It wasn't healthy to dwell on the past.

The young woman stared indignantly after Alucard, turning her head away with a scoff. Van spoke with some uncertainty, "Will you be alright?"

"Fine," she said bitterly. "Don't worry about me."

He nodded. "Take whatever time you need."

With that, he walked off after Alucard, and Alex sighed, turning to Conley. Together, they walked up the multiple flights of stairs in silence, Alex keeping three feet between them. She could sense him watching her as she took off her hat, pocketing it in her coat. Brows rose at the shorter length of her hair. Seven years made a huge difference, however, some things didn't change. It was obvious in the way she behaved around him that she was probably angry with him. Well, he couldn't blame her. The young man inwardly sighed. As they reached the cafe, he got himself a water and Alex just sat down, staring out the window. With the sound of a bottle being placed before her, she glanced at the extra beverage quizzically.

"You still like Dr. Pepper, right?" he asked, sitting down.

She blinked; he still remembered that? "Yeah..."

He smiled, twisting off the water's cap. "Your hair's shorter. I'm just not used to it since I only remember you with long hair. Either way, it suits you."

Alex shrugged, dragging the soda closer. "Your hair's a bit longer, I see. Didn't your mother always force you to get haircuts, making you look like Mr. Spock?"

His eye twitched at the memory. "Lovely woman," he said sarcastically, clearing his throat afterwards. "So, who were those guys? One of them a boyfriend?"

"I don't see how that's any of your business," she replied coolly.

Hands rose in defence. "I'm sorry. You're right. I was just asking." When she relaxed, his hands dropped. "So, what have you been up to these last few years?"

"Working." There was a hiss as carbonated air escaped the confines of the pop bottle.

"Like what?" he asked, leaning back in his chair.

Looking deadpan, she replied monotonously, "I'm a vampire hunter in-training, and my blood happens to be especially valuable to vampires. So valuable, that it would likely mean the end of the entire human race."

There was silence, and if this was an anime, there would be that sweat drop appearing out of thin air, descending a few inches to indicate the ridiculousness of her statement. After a moment, he laughed. "Well, um, okay then." Casually, Alex tipped the bottle, gulping a few mouthfuls. "Good to know your sarcasm hasn't been neglected over the years."

"What about you?" she asked casually.

He shrugged one shoulder while sipping his water. "After I took a coarse, I am officially what one would call an Audio Engineer." Alex paused in mid-sip, surprise on her face. "What?"

"Nothing, I just thought you wanted to be a pilot."

He smiled a little. "I did, but then I got fascinated with making sounds than flying around."

The change of heart must have happened sometime after they broke up, she mused. Actually, she was just depressed that Conley had moved on to more interesting things while she had fallen behind the rest of those her age. It was like she lacked ambition for every available career in the world. The thought of Conley inventing sounds, recording, mixing...it would have been a great job. But for Alex, she had no idea where her ambition lied.

"I see. Good for you," she said. Looking outside again, she sighed, standing up. "Listen, I can't keep them waiting, so I'm gonna go."

Much to her surprise, he actually looked disappointed. "Oh." Rising with her, he stood there, somewhat moving from one foot to the next. "How long are you in Halifax?" he asked suddenly.

Pausing, she looked at him. "A couple more days. Why?"

The news seemed to make his face brighten a little. "Well, I was wondering, if you want, did you want to have lunch with me tomorrow? Of course, if you're unavailable, I completely understand."

For a long moment, Alex actually remembered one of the reasons she had been so attracted to him before. On the rare occasion he was flustered, he could be so darn cute. Finally, she nodded once, not looking at him. "Okay."

He grinned. "Great! Can I have the address where you're staying? I'll come pick you up."

Nodding again, Conley handed her his phone, and she punched in the information wordlessly. Something must have been wrong with her to even be doing this. After all, he had unceremoniously broke her heart. Still, it was seven years ago. She had to let go and move on eventually. Besides, she would never trust him again, and the girl was going to be bored stuck in a hotel room for days. Handing the phone back, she slipped her coat on.

"Bye," was all she said, turning to walk away.

"I'll see you tomorrow," he said after her.

Alex waved behind her, leaving for the first floor. Her mind ran at a dangerous speed, a thousand words playing over and over in her head. What had just happened? Seven years of no word, and suddenly there he was. Though she tried to be a little hostile to show she was still made at him, he was undeterred, even asking her to join him for a chat, and now she had a lunch date with him. Maybe she should turn back and cancel it now. No! That was rude and cowardly! Or maybe it was cowardice to not admit that she felt uncomfortable with the whole thing. Who the hell knew?!

Slipping on her hat as she descended the last set of stairs, her eyes landed on the two vampires who were actually standing outside. While she only saw Alucard's back pressed against the glass, Van was next to him, looking serious as he mouthed words she couldn't read without her glasses. The young vampire spotted her just before she reached the doors, straightening his back and relaxing his shoulders. Cautiously, Alex stepped out, looking between the two of them.

"How'd it go?" he asked.

"Fine. We just talked."

He nodded. "Alright, well, let's head back. Not much we can do except wait."

The girl chewed on her lip as she avoided Alucard's gaze, and thankfully, he wasn't staring at her. "Um, there is something I should mention. He asked me out to lunch tomorrow." Van's brows rose in surprise. "I told him I'd go, if that's okay?"

Van frowned, glancing at Alucard for a second before his eyes darted back to Alex, smiling at her. "No, that's fine. Staying inside the hotel room all day would prove dreary. Alucard or I can keep watch from a distance."

There was a snort from the Count, both Van and Alex glaring at him in disapproval. Ignoring them, he said, "Let's go."

Again, he was walking away, and Alex couldn't help but feel a little hurt. During the entire half-hour journey, Alucard ignored her whenever she fell over in the snow, Van helping her up instead. The Count had become cold towards her, and it just served to piss her off. When they finally reached the hotel room, Van watched as Alucard retreated immediately to his coffin, Alex going into the bathroom. Upon slamming the door, Alex leaned against it, staring angrily at the floor tiles. Alucard sat in his coffin, frowning at the bathroom door, then lied down, the lid snapping shut. The hunter-vampire sighed, sitting in the chair, feel exhausting from the amount of tension between them. If this kept up, a fight was bound to happen, no doubt, both of them would lose in some way.

A/N: Finally watched a couple of older Dracula movies, starring Christopher Lee, but I still need to read the book! I will eventually. This story will likely require me to do just that. Conley has finally shown up, and of course, he's already putting the moves on Alex, and now there's tension between her and Alucard over it. Le gasp! Whatever shall happen next chapter?! Now that Conley's entered the picture, I definitely promise some delicious drama in chapter 31. I might try to squeeze it all into one chapter, which will make it long. If it's long enough, I'll split it into two. Chances are it will be, but if it does, I'll post both chapters at the same time. However, it might take me a few days to write it, so please be patient, especially since I might be a little busy as well. Just fair warning.

Now, I'm tired, so please leave a review, your thoughts, and any questions. Thanks so much for reading, following, favouriting, and hell, even favouriting me, even though I don't really deserve it. No, seriously...stop, the love...it BURNS!