Short chapter because yours truly needs some sleep.

[Insert "I don't own..." disclaimer here.]

Happy reading!

"That would explain my father's notion that he met the devil," mused Integral.

"You're not at all bothered?" asked Seras, shocked.

"Only slightly," said Integral with a shrug. "I've read stranger."

"Miss Integral, you are very strange," said Seras as she pulled out a particularly frilly nightie.

"Not that one," said Integral as soon as she saw the nightie. "Do you have any with less frills?"

Seras rummaged in the wardrobe for a bit before pulling out a nightgown with less frills but some embroidery. "How about this one?"

Integral eyed the nightie critically. "It will do," she sighed. She would have preferred just a plain cotton nightgown, but if that was the best Seras could find, it would do.

"Right," said Seras as she began to help Integral out of her traveling clothes and into the nightgown. "Would you like a bath in the morning?" she asked.

"That would be nice," said Integral.

"Very well," said Seras as she finished helping Integral into the nightgown. "I'll have one prepared when you awake. Good night, Miss Integral."

"Good night, Seras," said Integral with a yawn as she settled into her bed.

Meanwhile, Alucard sat in the library, deep in thought. Integral seemed promising thus far. She was prettier than he'd expected. She was educated, which was a plus. He was quite fond of what he had managed to glimpse of her personality, as well.

But what, exactly, would he do with her? Seras was unable to break the spell, for she had ended up as one of his kind. He had eaten two others and one had died of old age. Would he keep her until she too died of old age? Would he eventually grow tired of her and eat her? Or would he change her into one of his kind as he had done Seras? None of his approaches thus far had worked. Perhaps it was time for a new one, if he was able to devise one.

"Master?" said Seras as she entered the darkened library. "Miss Integral is asleep."

"Very good," said Alucard.

"Master, are you going to eat her?"

Alucard chuckled. "No. Not yet, anyway. Come, Seras. It is time to hunt," he said as he stood.

"Do I have to?" groaned Seras.

"Yes," said Alucard in an almost fatherly tone. "Now come."

With that, the two monsters were gone in a flurry of mist.

Morning came and Integral was awakened by the sunlight streaming into her room. She yawned and looked around. As Seras had promised, a bath was ready and waiting for her and there was a note on the bedside table.

Integral,
You are free to wander and the library is open. Unfortunately, Seras and I sleep during the daylight, so you will have to prepare your own breakfast and midday meal. Supplies are in the kitchen.
-Alucard

Slipping out of her nightgown, Integral left it on the bed and made her way to where the bath sat. The water was still warm and soap and a washing cloth had been set out, as well as a towel. As soon as Integral was in the bath, she began to scrub the dirt and grime of travel off of herself. By the time she was finished, the water had cooled and her fingers and toes resembled prunes.

Integral stepped out of the tub and pulled on the towel, then headed for the wardrobe. She hoped it contained better choices in daywear than it did sleepwear.

After a bit of poking around, she found something she deemed acceptable – a sapphire blue dress with limited frills and embroidery. It seemed she couldn't find anything entirely without added decoration; one of the dresses she had found even had gemstones sewn onto it, something she found to be rather outrageous.

Once she had pulled on the dress and a pair of slippers, for she had no plans to leave the castle, she headed to the library. She had started a book the day before and wanted to finish it before her midday meal. She had missed breakfast during her bath and wasn't particularly hungry after the feast the night before anyway.