Muddled

Anger and disappointment were his two main emotions. He always felt these emotions when up against an enemy that didn't live up to his standards, but this reason was so different and it baffled him.

Fate was a cruel witch indeed, granting him something that was the last thing on his mind and not beating heart. And what was even worse was that he was half vampire. HALF vampire, the sheer thought of it sickened him down to his freezing core. To give birth to such an abomination and have it hidden away for so many long years.

It all seemed too perfect of timing. How is it that Dragos and Marian stole away into the night as Abraham and Seward arrived, with the former human sealing his fate to where he is now? Perhaps they planned his demise from the get-go, yet he would have smelled their scents lingering amongst the humans. Alucard gave a roar of rage, throwing done the full wine glass as it shattered into thousands of tiny pieces, some catching into the skin on his face. The pain was practically nonexistent. Physical pain didn't bother him anymore, in fact he relished in it. The more pain inflicted upon him, the more he wanted it. A pure masochist he was, and yet he dished out what they gave him, sometimes even two or three-fold. Pain and killing, what kept him going. Yet what kept the dhampir going? It certainly wasn't killing like him. The glass shards fell out of his face as he regenerated from the minor wounds, still angry at the sheer confusion of the situation.

A sigh came from his eternally cold lips as he slumped into his throne chair. How the hell did he wind up with such a bastard child? Not just out of wedlock, but also a half-breed. A disgusting half-breed who accepted both halves of himself nosferatu's head lolled back, staring at the ceiling as he kept wondering why…and how?

How was the dhampir conceived anyway? He refused to acknowledge Dorian by his name, somehow feeling if he did, he gave the half-breed more power that was not needed. Alucard searched through himself, seeking out the blood of his dhampir son to try and find out what the cause was. Ah! There were the memories, and even ones before his conception of the mother. Blood bonds were a powerful thing indeed.

There it was, his bite. The magical transformation going through her body, ready to ghoul her, yet…there was a presence there. A spark of life not yet known. The spark leading to a soul ready to be formed and memories ready to be shaped. The vampire watched as the inky shadow of his vampiric power went through, tainting the soul but not corrupting it all the way. Like oil and water, the two halves were formed upon the soul. Human and vampire. Life and un-life all in one.

So that was his answer! His power had corrupted the soul within, but had not taken out all of the light of the soul. This was most enlightening. But Alucard wondered if he should tell his Master of this development. While Integra had power over him, she didn't know how to tap into the mental connection that the bond gave between slave and master. Hence, he could see things in her head and she would barely notice. Yet she didn't know how to do the same. So he could keep things from her. Oh the secrets he could not hide from Abraham, but he could hide them from Arthur and Integra.

Coming back from his internal searching, his senses barraged him with things unpleasant. That scent, that bond. Oh lovely, he's back and knowing Integra he's going to be staying here. Then again, that doesn't mean he can't torment the little brat. A face-splitting grin coming to his face, Alucard rose from his throne, phasing through the ceiling to get ready to break down his 'son.'

Reading. Oh how Dorian loved reading. It took his mind off the stupid things and let him immerse himself into worlds not his own. He didn't have to deal with Integra and Alucard in the works of Tom Clancy or Agatha Christie. No, he was the third person looking in and watching the events unfold before him. Sometimes he knew what was going to happen long before they did in the book. Though he refused to read anything remotely related to Laurell K. Hamilton. Way too much going on for the character and much too overpowered in his eyes. Having finally put down his book with a bookmark where he left off, he laid on his back on the rug and stared at the ceiling.

Oh he was going to hate his life now. He started hating it even faster as he felt a familiar force coming his way. "Go away."

"I don't think so. Long as you are here, I will never leave you alone." The form of Alucard phased through the floor to Dorian's room. "Besides, what fun would it be if you were calm all the time?"

"You really are a glutton for pain." Dorian said, glancing up at his father. "Because last I remember you said you didn't want to hear me bitch and moan over my parents."

"I didn't, and I still don't. But that won't stop me from gaining some semblance of pleasure in your torment." Dorian sat up, green eyes meeting red ones as the tension mounted between them. Making a face of indifference, the dhampir went back to staring at the ceiling, which was slowly being obscured by his father. "Could you get out of my line of sight, please."

"No."

"You know, you being like this makes me REALLY happy I never had siblings growing up. We can always, oh I don't know, avoid each other." Alucard scoffed loudly at this. "Knowing Integra, she will put us on missions together to see how your skills fare and to see if I have any compassion for you. I can tell you right now, I don't."

"I don't intend on you being compassionate towards me. I can stand on my own two damn feet, thank you." Dorian narrowed his eyes.

"But as you are my child, I am required to keep you in line like any good parent should." the nosferatu said, waving his hand in a flippant fashion. "I honestly could not care less. If you get injured or chewed out, that's on you. Don't come crying to me for answers to your problems."

"Can I ask you a question?" Alucard looked down at his son, who had a mischievous glint in his eye. "Shouldn't you be eating some dead babies by now? Or is the shipment so low that you have to resort to torturing everyone around you?"

"You….you little shit!" Alucard was about ready to reach down and snap the dhampir's neck when a voice saved the half-blood from certain death.

"ALUCARD! I wish to speak with you." Seething inside, Alucard phased through the ceiling of Dorian's room, giving a glare that most would want to commit suicide over. "Be grateful Integra saved your sorry hide."