Chapter IX: Hell Fire

Rage welled inside Simon and Trevor as Dracula walked into the throne room.

"I knew it." Simon said full of hate.

Dracula ignored him, a smile was playing on his lips but he withheld it as he thought, "It seems the tables have turned in my favor young Belmont."

"Well now, son, why have you barged in on my little party?" Lucifer asked as he took a step towards Dracula.

"I am no son of yours." he replied simply.

The two started at one another for several moments before they were engaged in a furious battle.

"You know who is the strongest between the both of us, this is futile." Lucifer laughed as he slashed at Dracula with long black nails.

Dracula did not reply, he dared not as Lucifer could wipe out his and everyone else's existence with a mere swipe of his hand. The only thing keeping him alive right now was Serenity.

"Serenity…" he thought.

Lucifer smiled at him and thought, "Do not bother with her, she is mine now. Your thoughts cannot reach her."

Dracula's eyes hardened on him as rage over took the feeling of wanting to help Serenity. He roared and shot several dark matter balls at him. Laughing he dodged them easily and returned Dracula's fire with ones of his own.

"We have to do something. If we could just reach Serenity…" Eric whispered as he and the others watched the battle waging between the King of Hell and the Prince of Darkness.

"What can we do? She's on Lucifer's strings now, and even if we broke the connection she could go on a rampage." Soma whispered in reply.

Adrian started at Serenity, he could feel his father's blood in her veins, and if that was true then maybe he could get through to her.

"Serenity…" Adrian said.

The eyes of the other hunters turned to look at him in shock. He had never shown interest in her before, had never cared about what happened to her as long as she could keep the Spirit under control. Only Nathan had ever seen him have genuine feelings for her, and that had been ages ago.

"Serenity, I know you can hear me. Since Lucifer doesn't have direct access to my mind he won't be able to hear what I'm saying to you." he projected to her.

For the first time since Lucifer entered the throne room Serenity became aware of what was happening. She heard someone's voice inside her mind, at first she thought it was Dracula, but this voice was calmer. It was the voice of…

"Don't, Lucifer can still hear you when you think." the voice commanded.

It was, her eyes widened in disbelief.

"Now listen, you do not have control of your body do you?" he asked.

Thinking hard Serenity shook her head slightly. She could think now, but she could not move any of her limbs.

"You have to focus, I know you can get away from his influence." he paused, and then added, "I believe in you, I always have."

Serenity's heart began to race faster than it ever had before. She never admitted it since becoming a vampire, but she knew why she loved Dracula, why she was so hurt when he showed interest in Lisa. The fight between Lucifer and Dracula had come to a head, Dracula was full of rage, he wanted to split Lucifer in half, but something caught his attention. He saw his son looking at Serenity, and to his amazement Serenity's eyes were locked on Alucard's.

"You took your eyes off the game." Lucifer called to him, but he did not attack.

Lucifer's smile disappeared for the first time since he gained control over Serenity. Something had happened to the bind he held on her.

With all his force Adrian shouted, "Serenity!"

Lucifer was shocked into silence as Serenity began to move her legs and feet inch by inch until she was standing with her back to the wall.

"What did you do, boy?!" Lucifer asked in rage as he glared at Adrian.

A slight smile was all he got in reply, which set him into frenzy. He charged at Adrian, but was caught by a wave of crimson flames.

"Leave him be." Serenity demanded.

Once more Lucifer was dumbstruck as Serenity slashed at him and sent him sailing across the room. She came forward and stood ready for Lucifer's attack, and this time she would not face him alone.

"Serenity…she came back." Hugh stated with surprise and disbelief.

"How is it possible?" Nathan thought to himself.

At that Nathan looked at Adrian, sure that it was he who had broke Lucifer's hold on his sister.

Lucifer laughed as he rose, "How amusing. So the puppet strikes back at the master."

"I'm sick of that laugh." Serenity stated.

She charged Lucifer, but was thrown back by his forceful aura. Hardening her eyes she focused her energy on her sword and let loose an enormous wall of fire.

"Serenity, that's not going to work." Lucifer laughed.

He allowed the fire to hit him at full force, and just as he had said it did nothing to him. Serenity did not back down, and she sent another wave of fire at Lucifer.

"What is she doing? She should know fire wouldn't hurt Lucifer." Jonathan said through gritted teeth.

"No, look. There's something odd with her fire, it doesn't look right." Soma replied.

After her third wave of fire Lucifer took a step back, and looked like he was in pain.

"What is this?" he asked to the air in not pain but wonder.

Serenity fired a fourth wave, but it was no longer crimson fire that burned forth from her sword, it was pure white.

"This is…" Nathan said quietly.

Morris was nearly eighty feet away from the castle when he sensed it, and stopped. He turned and looked back at the castle.

"That couldn't be Serenity." he said with hard eyes.

He sensed Lucifer take control of her not twenty minutes ago, but now he could feel a divine energy coming from the throne room.

He desperately wanted to return and see this new power with his own eyes, however he wouldn't be able to make it up to the throne in his current state.

"Damn you both." Morris said to the night air and turned to continue his path.

He hated all of the Vampire Hunters, his son included, but he hated Serenity the most, even more so than Lord Dracula. She was the only reason his son became a vampire, the one thing in this world he swore to kill. He discovered not long ago that Hugh was in love with her, and that made his blood boil.

"And Lord Dracula." he stated and stopped once more.

Where was he in all of this? He also loved Serenity, but that shouldn't be possible. Dracula only cared for his late wife, he didn't even put claim to his son on most occasions. The entire situation was nothing in Morris' mind, he had to kill every last one of them.

"Hugh…"

Suddenly a stronger power emanated from the castle. It was purer and brighter than anything he had sensed before.

"I see, so that's what it is." Morris thought as he began walking.

He recalled the power he had sensed from the youngest Belmont the first time they fought all those years ago. This felt like the same thing, with one hint of difference. He was sure the Graves were not related to the Belmonts, but then why did the power he was feeling from Serenity so similar.

Morris stopped dead, his eyes wide he stammered, "No it couldn't be"

He turned around so fast his feet almost slid out from under him.

"Not that." he continued in horror.

He watched the white light cover the throne room window a moment longer, then gritting his teeth he turned for the last time, transformed into his wolf form and took off into the night.

"That is supposed to be nothing but a legend…" he thought as he ran at full speed.