Iona's POV

A year and a half later…

I found myself lying down in an inn. The winter snow beat down the side of the glass window. A glass of water was at my bedside and the flicker of the candle gave me reassurance that my light wasn't filled with darkness. I spent the last several months giving my aid to the people in worn-down and ruined cities. Never once letting anyone see my fangs. I wasn't ashamed of them, I just refused to let anyone live in fear.

I adorned myself in a long dress of emerald green. The tight bodice was covered in small crystals, elegantly sewn into large arrays of lace flowers. The bodice cut down into a deep V, but was not cut out too much that it showed off my chest. The back of the dress had one layer of sheer green fabric. It swayed in the breeze when I walked. The rest of the dress was layers upon layers of that sheer green fabric, pulled together to become opaque.

In the wintertime, I would add a black cloak. It had long flowing sleeves, something which I would use to conceal my weapon. Faux black fur around the edges and a shiny black lace lined the edges. I usually wore black boots, winter or summer. It felt safer to hide my skin from prying eyes. Men were dirty monsters well left alone to their own devices in worn-down villages.

I hadn't thought of Alucard in ages. His mere presence is a simple memory. A time period that I hoped I would soon forget. I did remove the ring though. I tied it to my sword with a strip of red drapery I ripped from a curtain before I left the castle. That's what you wanted, wasn't it?

I was back in Targoviste, lending my aid to the city once more. People were in disarray, living between half-built shacks and the remains of what looked like stone buildings. I was there day in and day out lending a helping hand to those who looked the worst. Helping the elderly find valuable shelter and sending orphans into the homes of those who would take them. Not only that I became the main defense for the village. Arming it's people with the knowledge they need to kill the bastardly creatures that moved throughout the night.

Distant screams could be heard in the distance. Once again Targoviste was under attack. I heard the distant clank of swords, the people doing what they could to defend their powerless city. I jumped into action, slipping my cloak on before leaving the calm setting of the inn. I shifted to the front gate until I saw those eyes. The people didn't know any better, they were afraid. Nobody traveled anymore because there was nothing to travel to. So the golden eyes of a stranger moving about in the night scared these people.

"I mean you all no harm." His calm voice bellowed throughout the night. I grimaced. I couldn't let myself find him here. As much as I wanted the townspeople to put up a fight, they all let their swords down and the murmur of the knowledge of his being was soon passed from person to person. I shifted to an alleyway, not letting anyone see me or my breath in the cold winter air.

"I'm looking for someone…," His voice continued, "I've heard of a young lady that may have been providing aid to your city." Some of the townsfolk started mentioning my name. Who was I to give these starving people an alias just to cover my ass? That's right. I wasn't. I hid amongst the shadows. Pushing my slender body up against the wall out of sight as Alucard strutted by.

"She usually stays in the old inn. But there's also the chance that she could be out for the night. She always tells us that darkness frightens her." An old elderly lady said to Alucard.

"Could you take me there?" Alucard replied gently, a smile in his eyes.

"Of course!" A wide smile on the old lady's face. I recognized her, but never quite caught her name. I always distanced myself in case these people faced a horrible demise. It detached me from the situation entirely. I never moved from my position in the alleyway, but I could hear their conversation from up the street.

"Her bed is still warm. She must have left not too long ago." Alucard stated. The old lady chimed in her reply,

"Maybe she got up and headed towards the front gates when the commotion started."

"Hmm… Maybe you're right. If you'll excuse me for a moment?" I could hear the old lady leave his presence before his voice reentered my ears,

"I know you're here Iona." His voice was deep and dark. Anger but tenderness filled the voids I tried so hard to keep from cracking. I decided to quietly reply,

"I'm here Alucard… Try and find me." Little did he know, but I spent the last year and a half honing in on my vampire skills and perfecting them. I could hear practically everything now, my visions of landscapes impeccable, I could shift with ease, and my strength had grown tremendously. I walked up and down alleyways, darting back and forth between shadows before I made my way into the lower levels of the city. Most of it now abandoned, besides the occasional rat, I came down here to wait.

I could still hear Alucard's steady heartbeat in my ears. I was waiting. The memory of our bodies lying next to each other in bed still felt fresh. I wanted to forget, I wanted to. But hearing his voice again brought all the things I had fought so hard to push down come flooding to the surface.

The townspeople continued to ask Alucard questions. His voice became more annoyed by the minute.

"I'm sorry everyone, but I'm here on business. I really need to focus." I knew he said this because he wanted to try and focus on my heartbeat which he knew so well. The footsteps dispersed around him, leaving him in the town square alone. I heard the soft swish of his sword as he unsheathed it from its casing. He knew.

I had been standing with my sword out in front of me. Was I really about to put up a fight? He could easily overpower me, there was no doubt about that. I had my hood pulled up over my long flowing hair. It had grown down to my lower back in the months I had been away.

In the few minutes of standing, armed, in the lower levels of the city; his heartbeat inched closer. And there was a noticeable difference from one second to the next. He had to know where I was. I envisioned the city around me, Alucard was so close. My heart pounded in my chest. I was anxious. I didn't want to see his gorgeous face and let all those stupid feelings bubble back up.

"Put the sword down Iona…" he spoke out to me. He was in the next hallway over from mine, maybe a mere 300 feet away. His footsteps echoed around me. The tears began to fall, falling in little pools on the hilt of my blade. My hands were shaking, I was terrified. I wasn't scared of him. I was scared of the emotions that were flooding my brain. Everything was so loud.

I dropped to my knees as Alucard turned the corner. The loud clank of my sword hitting the dusty rock-covered floor broke the unfamiliar silence. I let my hood cover my face as I cowered, the tears were continuous and I refuse to let this man see my weak side. He'd seen it one too many times and I always let him get the better of me, then he would turn on me in anger. I never truly knew what he wanted.

"Please… Please just leave…" I cried out. I let my sword float in front of me horizontally. As Alucard took steps forward, my sword inched closer to my throat.

"I've been looking for you… Come home, Iona. Sypha wants you and Trevor asks about you." I listened to his soft, tender voice.

"And what about you?" I retorted. He took a few more steps forward, my sword was now pushed up against my neck.

"I… I live in daily regret for what I've done. I'll never be able to mend the valley that has grown between us." He stated as he knelt down in front of me. I looked up just to see those gorgeous gold eyes. He looked pained and lonely, like a piece of his life was missing. I felt the blood trickle down my neck, the pain from my sword was the kind of pain I wanted to feel. I hated the emotional pain, but I felt it every day.

Alucard reached out to my sword and pulled it away from my throat and I let him. I didn't want the blade to hurt him as he pulled it away. We sat together in silence for a while. His hands slid up and down the blade of my sword until eventually, he stopped on top of the ring.

"You took it off." His poor voice sounded disappointed.

"I mean do you blame me..?" I sighed.

"No, I don't," I watched as he slowly untied the ribbon and held the ring in the palm of his hand, "Come home…" He held out his hand to me, offering the ring.

"So that in three to four months time we can do this whole charade over again? I don't think so…" I stood up, taking the ring from his hand and sheathing my sword.

"I'm not leaving without you Iona. I know I've broken a lot of promises, but I'm not leaving you here. Targoviste is not safe."

"A year and a half ago you told me no place was safe in Wallachia. So, you need to pick one Alucard." I snapped back at him. I began walking away from him. I was tired of the heartache and I was ready to live alone. I wanted to take on the world in my own way.

"Nothing can and will ever change. I want to help people. Nobody has taken care of these poor people and the people who do hold some sort of power refuse to organize and help. I will not stand going back to that bloody castle knowing hundreds of people are suffering." I pulled my hood down, letting my long locks fall in a fluid motion.

"Sypha and Trevor have established a city on the castle grounds. I'd be more than willing to help you gather people and bring them back with us. There are several empty homes there and we are in the process of building a few more. Iona, I have taken the time to understand your tendencies, you were a human once. It took me ages to understand that, and I have to understand that there are parts of you that will never change."

I turned to look at him. A fierce look in my eyes,

"You're right. I was human and there will always be pieces of me that remain that way. These are my people Alucard, I used to be just like them. Struggling constantly to find food and shelter. They need leadership and so far I've been the only person able to provide that for them."

"Then in the morning we will gather them and they will travel back home with us. Like I said before, I am not leaving without you." He answered sharply.

"Then you better get several wagons together. Most of the elderly can't walk that distance safely. The young children will need better clothing and shoes. You will have to ration supplies and make sure the people have enough food for the two week long trip. We will need blankets and weapons. And those people will need a guarantee of their safety because so help me god if one of them dies in our travels I will never forgive myself."

"I can do that for you Iona. If it get's you to come home, then I will do anything to make that happen. I'm sorry for what happened, and I hope at some point in the future you can forgive me. But if this is what it takes to bring you home to safety, then I will do it." He looked gently at me. A subtle pleading look embedded in his eyes.

I began making my way back to the surface, Alucard following closely at my heels. I could feel his eyes wandering over me.

"Say what you have to say. I can feel you watching me." I stopped dead in my tracks to speak.

"When was the last time you've had a real meal?" He asked in response.

"What do you mean by that? I don't have time for riddles Alucard."

"You've always been thin, there's no doubt about that. But you've lost so much weight Iona." His voice was saddened.

"Do you think I felt right taking away food from people who barely have any to begin with? Besides, eating is a waste of time and I never feel hungry anyway." I knowingly let my mind, body, and soul deteriorate. I took care of those around me, more than I ever took care of myself.

We continued walking until we made it back to the surface.

"I will meet you in the townsquare at the rise of the dawning sun. By that time you need to have a plan laid out for me as to how we will get these people back to your city." I spoke to Alucard with a little more kindness than before. Being mean and harsh wasn't who I was as a person, but I was constantly guarded. I shifted away into the darkness and left Alucard to his own devices.