Iona's POV

"You fucking reek of the Tepes family! Tell me… Where is Dracula's castle?!" She screamed in my face.

"I would never, in my dying day, tell you Carmilla!" I roared back at her. A swift smack hit my face and a burning sensation followed. Blood rushed out my nose and pooled at my feet below me.

"You're worse than Hector and he actually has a use to me. I could kill you right now and no one would come looking for you." Her voice cut through the air. Everything she said, she said with meaning. There were no lies that came from her mouth, only truth. So if she said she wanted to kill me, she was going to.

"If you kill me, you will never get the answers you're looking for. I know much more than you think I do Carmilla." I murmured through bloodied lips. Carmilla turned to glare at me,

"Take her to the dungeons, but keep that stupid human alive. I'll eventually find a use for her." Carmilla turned away from me, her slender body walking down a narrow hallway. I was thrown into a freezing cold dungeon, and cold stone lay roughly across the ground. I tumbled into the cell, knowing damn well this would probably be my fate.

Carmilla found me trembling in the forest far from Alucard's home and took me forcefully under her wing. I had no say, she just took me and rapidly transported me to her home. I didn't quite understand how we got here, but I knew I would live out my few and final days here, trapped in a putrid, tiny cell. Leaving Alucard's castle wasn't my wisest decision, but it made the most sense at the time. If I were to die, at least Carmilla was left with very little information about Alucard's castle and his whereabouts.

I didn't know how much time had passed. Days, weeks, months, I could only try to guess. A permanent chill held tightly to my bones. Warmth was few and far between. I winced as I watched Hector waltz through the outside cell doors.

"So they've sent you back to bargain have they?" I raised an eyebrow at him.

"Don't speak unless spoken to, runt. You have little power here in Styria." Every time Hector spoke to me, I found his voice hostile and annoying to listen to. He sounded like a child even though he was much older than me. I had my hair braided behind my back and tied it with a piece of straw I found on the cell floor. I did this to keep my long hair from getting matted.

"Look at me, runt. Get up, we're going somewhere." Keys rattled in the cell door lock. Hector tied my hands together in front of me, a bad choice on his part. None of them knew I was a magician and that my hands were my lifeline. I decided to wait for a better moment to grab the opportunity to escape. Down here in the cell block, I had no idea which way was out.

I followed Hector silently. Watching the sky open above us, the stars flooded my eyes, something I hadn't seen in quite some time. I looked around us and took in the surroundings. The castle was perched carefully in the mountain range, escaping from this height meant certain death. I would somehow have to get down to the lower levels to even dream of getting out of Hector and Carmilla's clutches.

"Here we are… Take a seat. I'll be back shortly. Don't do anything stupid, you know damn well your life is on the line here." He diligently tied me to the chair while he spoke. I nodded and I was met with a brisk slap to the face.

"Nodding is a form of speaking. Don't do it again." Hector walked away from me and I felt completely defeated. I let my head fall and stared directly at my feet. I was broken and maybe this was what Carmilla was waiting for. Waiting for me to be completely broken so that I would crack and give up the information she was looking for.

"Hector you really are useless aren't you…" I heard Camilla say before she graced me with her unpleasurable presence.

"Nice to see you again… Now maybe you'd like to tell me where Dracula's castle is?" The words came out like venom. She would never stop until she got what she wanted. I never looked up to see her eyes. I continually stared at my feet in silence, until an unbelievably loud scream rang out into the air. Carmilla turned and started sprinting away from me, Hector followed close behind. If I had any chance of even getting away, this was the only real chance I had. I let fire spew from my hands, burning my bonds away from the chair. I got to my feet to see Alucard's bloody face before me.

"I found you…" He looked angry, if it was at me, I completely understood. He had every right to be angry. But I stared at him in disbelief regardless.

"H.. Ho… How?"

"A fucking pen Iona. A fucking pen," He put an open hand out towards me, offering it to me, "Can we go home now?" He asked gently, letting his face soften with his words.

"Yes…" I whispered.

We arrived back at the castle in an instant, the gusts of wind settling around us. I hadn't noticed before, but Alucard's strong arms were wrapped around me. I felt the warmth emanating from his skin and heard the strong beat of his heart in his chest. I was sobbing. I was confused, fear-stricken, and very grateful. Many emotions flooded my eyes, coming out in the form of worried tears. Alucard placed a finger under my chin and brought my face to his.

His warm lips met mine before I even knew what was happening. But I let it happen, I didn't want it to stop in all honesty. After spending ages in that cell, I had come to realize that the only true friend I had was Alucard and I felt far deeper feelings for him than I had grown to accept. Could he feel what I was feeling now? That I had truly yearned for his attention.

The kiss lasted forever but ended with a soft moan escaping my lips. He met my gaze, locking his eyes with mine.

"Promise me, Iona. That you will never, ever do something stupid again." His gold eyes never moved from mine. I looked away, getting ready to answer him,

"No. Look at me Iona and promise me that will never happen again." I looked back at him, tears still lining the edges of my eyes.

"I promise. I'm sorry, Alucard. I didn't mean for that to happen." I spoke softly and with care. I needed him to feel the sincerity behind my words.

"Carmilla has a way of doing things far beyond her authority. I finally was able to take care of that. But what I really want is to take care of you." His words were filled with kindness. I looked at the ground, the quiet tears flowing from my eyes.

"You have nothing to fear when you're here with me and I'd like to prove that to you. I know the last time I spoke to you, I spoke to you in anger. I'm sorry about that. Please take my hand, and let's get some rest." His words brought a small smile to my face as I took his hand. He gently led me towards a part of the castle I had never set foot in until we reached his bedroom.

He motioned for me to sit and I did. I eased myself onto the edge of his bed and watched as he crossed the room to a nearby dresser. He grabbed a large white shirt and what looked like white underwear before returning to me. He placed the clothing on the bed and then turned to me,

"Would you like a bath Iona?" My heart skipped a beat as he spoke. I searched his face and I could tell he wouldn't take no for an answer. I, in turn, decided to accept. Alucard wrapped his arms around me and carried me to a nearby bathroom.

More magnificent than the bathroom in my bedroom, his tub could fit roughly five to six people inside it. A large chandelier hung above the floor, letting its sparkly light fill the room. A lush rug was laid just outside of the tub to catch wet drips off the body and elegant towels were folded just over the edge of the tub. I watched carefully as Alucard started the water to let the tub fill. He threw in what he could find, rose petals, sweetly scented soap, and other things that he thought could benefit the water.

He turned back towards me and motioned for me to come closer to him. I took a few cautious steps in his direction, taking my time to reach him. He took my hand in his and kissed the top of it. Flipping my hand over he traced his long nails over the scar he gave me many months ago. I'm sorry he mouthed, pleading silently. He sat me down and he stood up, basically trading spots with me.

"You can close your eyes if you want. But… Just let me do this." He whispered into my ear. I took what he said almost as instruction and slowly let my eyes close. I felt his large hands run over my body. He took his time before I felt him pull at the buttons on my shirt. With ease, he worked his way down the buttons. In the end, he gently pulled the shirt off my shoulders. Just as easily he took off my shoes and pants. All that was left were my undergarments. I oddly felt no fear in this situation. No shame and I didn't feel shy. I opened my eyes to have his meet mine in almost an instant.

"You alright?" He caressed my leg and goosebumps covered my skin. I smiled,

"I... I'm happy I'm here with you… Right now, at this moment, I wish we could stay like this forever." Alucard let a genuine smile run across his face. His lips never parted, but he looked incredible, smiling at me with the kindest look in his eyes. He continued undressing me until I was completely naked. The cold air nipped at my tender skin. I sat quietly as I watched him undress. I stood up, letting my hands touch and trace the large scar on his chest.

I looked into his eyes, I guess asking him what had happened with only the pleading look I had on my face.

"This…" He placed my hands in his, "Is a story for another time, alright?"

"Alright." I breathed. Alucard carefully picked me up in his arms, before taking the three steps into the large tub. I let him handle my body and let him get us situated in the hot water. Alucard leaned himself onto the wall on the tub, pulling my back towards his chest so that I sat in between his legs.

Alucard bathed me from head to toe, taking his time on sensitive areas of my body. He took the time to even wash my long hair of the debris that had been sitting in it for months. As Alucard was beginning to finish, I interlaced his fingers in mine.

"Thank you…" I whispered, the tiredness pulling at my eyelids.

"Come on, let's go to bed." Alucard lifted us out of the water and wrapped my tiny body in a warm, fluffy towel. He carried me back into his bedroom and silently dressed my naked body in a long white shirt. He himself put on the underwear that I watched him pull out of the drawer earlier. I lay down after he dressed me, letting the warmth of the comforter cover my skin. I listened and felt as he lay behind me. He tucked us both in the bed and again pulled me into his chest before whispering,

"I love you, Iona…"