Good evening,

"Grief" will have a short sequel coming called "An Appetite for Love".

I hope you that you enjoy.

Oxford Not Brogues

Grief

Alucard and Sebastian were going mad from hunger the second they smelled something absolutely mouthwatering. Without second thought, they followed that appetizing scent that led them straight to a cemetery of all places. Upon seeing a small blonde sitting in front of a headstone, they knew they had found their next prey. Normally, they took their time by playing or seducing their meals, but tonight the hunger was so strong and her blood was practically calling for them, they didn't want to take it slow. Going in for the kill, the starved men snuck up behind the clueless girl. The demon reached out a clawed hand, intending to grab a fistful of her hair and kill her slowly, painfully. They wanted to feel her struggle and hear her scream as they devoured her blood and tore apart her fragile soul.

However, before Sebastian could lay a single finger on her, the little human made a sound that instantly made both men freeze. It was a soft, muffled sob as if she was doing everything in her power to keep from crying her eyes out. Her shoulders shook and she wrapped her arms tighter around her legs. She bit her nails into her thighs, hoping the pain would keep her grounded so she wouldn't get further lost in her grief and cry uncontrollably. When hearing that soft cry, a novel feeling overcame the old monsters. Their stomachs twisted and churned as a heavy feeling weighed their hearts down. Even their very conscience was screaming at them that their intentions weren't right. How could it not be right? They were predators and she was prey. This is what they do regularly, what they had to do for centuries, to keep alive. Why wasn't it right to kill this one girl? However, the guilt that ate away at them, that made them actually pity that little creature, told them why it wasn't right. Would her death…haunt them? Confused, the demon lowered his clawed hand. Why? Why did they care? Why should they care at all?

Such foreign feelings confused Alucard and Sebastian all the more as the guilt and sympathy fully consumed them. Seeing her shake like that hurt them all the more. For once in their long lives, they could have sworn they were feeling the same pain she was in. They could imagine the feel of her heart shattering, the struggle to breathe or think clearly, and the grief that stayed with her for god knows how long. Lifting their gazes, they looked at the headstone she was sitting in front of. Two names were listed side by side, both having the same date of death. Johnathan and Morgan Victoria. Judging from how much it still hurts for her to even be near those graves, they assume she's been dealing with this grief for ten whole years. Which stage was she in? Who were they to this young lady?

Given their date of birth and how old the girl in front of them was, probably early twenties, they could only assume the graves were her parents'. But they didn't just want to assume anything. They wanted to ask her, to help her through whatever stage of grief she was in, but how did they go about that? They were literal strangers, predators even, having about nearly slaughtered her only a minute or two ago. She came to grieve, not to be frightened by strange men. Did they just leave her then? Could they after the emotions she made them feel just from simply crying? A deep desire to meet with this intriguing girl stirred in the monsters.

The men noticed when she dug her nails even deeper into her legs, but even that extra pain couldn't keep the tears from coming. Unable to hold back any longer, the little human cried freely. Hearing her sobs caused Alucard and Sebastian to frown deeply. It was odd for them to want this, but they wanted nothing more to take away that pain completely or, at least, bear some of it so she wouldn't feel this way. They wanted to ease her pain as much as possible. Perhaps see her smile or hear her laugh. They bet she had an amazing laugh; a melodious one that was capable of warming anyone's heart and brought about smiles. The demon couldn't stand by for a second longer. He made his presence known.

"Are you alright?" Sebastian spoke, breaking the silence. The little human jumped and they heard her heart skip a beat before pacing rapidly in her chest. The girl then quickly tried wiping her face, trying to hide the evidence that she had been crying. Why? Alucard and Sebastian thought with a frown. Did she think crying was a form of weakness or was she afraid to look so vulnerable? Is that why she's here, this late at night, so she could cry freely without being judged? A second later, the little human turned to look up at them. The men were ensnared the second they gazed into those large, dark blue, sparkling eyes of hers. Those eyes were full of such innocence and, unfortunately, pain. They were so beyond lovely that the monsters were certain they had never seen anything like them before.

"Sorry," The little human apologized. She again wiped at her eyes, making sure she had collected all the rogue tears. It was evident that she was doing her best to keep the tears back, but she did so beautifully, making them aware that she was an expert at bottling up her emotions.

"Why are you apologizing?" Sebastian questioned with furrowed brows.

"For crying," She answered before looking back up at him. "You both came to mourn but have to listen to this. I'm sorry. I'll try to be quieter."

"Never apologize for crying over someone you love, especially if you lost that loved one." Alucard advised her.

"Your crying didn't inconvenience us in the slightest. It…" Sebastian trailed off to take a moment and gather his thoughts. He then sighed and proceeded. "Are you alright?" He asked again.

"What a ridiculous question." Alucard scoffed and folded his arms over his chest. "Clearly, she is not alright."

"I'm fine," The girl answered with a small wave of her hand. She then turned back around to look at the headstone in front of her. "I'm just sad." With a look of consideration in her lovely eyes, the little human looked back up at them. "Who are you both here to visit?" She asked. Of course, neither male was eager to answer that question since their real reason for being there was to kill her to satiate their hunger. Thankfully, the monsters didn't have to give an answer because the little human spoke up. "Oh! That was probably insensitive of me and personal to ask. I'm sorry!" She squeaked with a look of shame in her eyes. Chuckling in response, Alucard knelt to come more to her level.

"You tend to apologize a lot, don't you?" He noted out loud.

"It's…" She had started but trailed off. Embarrassed, she dropped her gaze to stare at the ground. "I do. It's a hard habit to break. But I just…don't…want to offend or unintentionally hurt someone."

"You seem like a kind girl." Sebastian spoke up, causing her to smile.

"Thanks," She muttered. "You guys seem nice too."

"What's your name?" The demon asked as he knelt. The shy girl peeked up at him through her fringe.

"Seras," She answered without hesitance.

"Seras?" Sebastian repeated before he and Alucard looked back at the headstone. They reread the last names before looking back at the interesting girl.

"Seras Victoria," Alucard purred. Instantly getting an idea of where he learned her last name, she took a quick glance at the headstone. "Such a strong and beautiful name. I hardly know you, but just looking at you and I know it's extremely fitting." With wide eyes and a blush, Seras looked back at the vampire to see him giving her a grin. "Excuse me for asking this, but you are a tough girl, aren't you, Seras?" Despite the answer she would give, Alucard knew that Seras was strong. There was just something about her. Something he could sense.

"A tough, but kind soul." Sebastian agreed with Alucard's thoughts. The demon smirked at the bashful girl.

"I…I don't know." Seras murmured with a frown. Once again, she looked at the ground. This time, she played with the grass. "I try to be, but no matter what I do, I don't feel very strong." She then sighed. "I could always be stronger, and I fully plan on working to become stronger." Alucard's grin widened. He could help make her stronger. He could make her unbelievably strong. She could be invincible and wield unimaginable power. How would Seras feel about becoming a vampire? The little human then glanced back up at him. "You said that my name is fitting. Why? Does my name mean something?"

"You don't know?" Sebastian asked with a look of surprise. Seras shook her head.

"No," She responded softly. "I was always made fun of by my name. Kids always said that it was funny or just plain stupid. I don't think I've ever met anyone who actually liked it until now. Why do you like it?"

"Seras Victoria," Alucard repeated her name. "It means you will be victorious."

"Really?" She asked with a wide smile and a proud look in her eyes. "That's so cool." Looking from one man to the other, she asked her next question. "You both seem so…worldly and intelligent, but how did you know that about my name?"

"It's really quite simple, my dear." Alucard chuckled. "In Spanish and Portuguese, serás means 'you will be'."

"As for the name Victoria. It could loosely be translated to 'victorious' or 'victory'." Sebastian added.

"Thus, your name means 'you will be victorious'." The vampire finished explaining.

"Does that make you feel better about your name?" The demon asked with a gentle look in his eyes.

"It actually does. Thank you." She responded with a warm smile and a bright look in her eyes that further attracted them. "Both of you are so incredibly interesting." She studied them closely. Her eyes taking them in from head to toe. "Are you going to tell me your names?" Without hesitance, the gentlemanly demon held out his hand to her.

"Sebastian Michaelis," He was quick to give his alias, knowing she may not be ready to know his true name or that he's a demon. Happily, she put her small, soft hand into his and shook it.

"It's nice to meet you." She giggled.

"It's unfortunate it's under such bleak circumstances, but it is really quite a pleasure to make your acquaintance." Sebastian responded. He hardly knew her but she seemed such a fascinating girl, and he yearned to learn more about her. Why were they so awed by her, and before she had even spoken to them? Just the mere sound of her crying had elicited something inside of them.

"You're so formal and polite." Seras muttered as her hand left his.

"Is that bad?" The demon asked. His brows knitted together, showing his curiosity and uncertainty.

"Not at all," The little human assured him with a heartthrob of a smile. "Honestly, it's refreshing. There are far too many rude and nasty people, especially in the younger generation. Meeting someone like you guys is a nice change of pace." Her eyes then flickered to the side to look at the vampire. "What's your name?" She asked once more.

"Alucard," The No Life King responded with a welcoming grin. Seras' eyes widened the slightest bit and she cutely cocked her head to the side.

"Alucard," She repeated. "How…different. Is that what it says on your birth certificate or is it a name you've adopted recently?" Before he could answer, afraid that she had unintentionally offended him, the girl quickly spoke up. "I'm sorry!" The pale human exclaimed as she frantically waved her hands. "I don't think it's a terrible name! That's not what I'm saying at all!" She panicked, looking as if she would die from embarrassment. Alucard, on the other hand, was not offended. If anything, he was only growing more amused by her innocent reaction. "Alucard is…a lovely name! Very Gothic, really! But, again, that's not bad at all!"

"Seras," Alucard chuckled. Placing a hand on her arm, he got the little human to stop panicking. She stopped waving her hands about and instead focused all of her attention on his face, noticing the look of delight and amusement there. "You hadn't offended me, my dear." He shook his head at her. When he was convinced that she was done panicking, he removed his hand from her arm, allowing it to rest on top of his lap. "No, that isn't my real name. It was a name given to me some time ago." What he said only seemed to confuse the human. Her brows furrowed and she frowned.

"Oh?" She muttered, unsure of how to respond to such a thing. "If you don't mind me asking, what…is your real name?" The grin shrunk on the monster's face. Sighing deeply through his nose he gave the answer she sought.

"Vlad," Alucard replied. "But I would prefer it if you called me Alucard." He added. "This is who I am now. The person I was, he was an ignorant, old fool blinded far too much by pride. I may still carry my pride, but I'm not as foolish as I once was. So please, refer to me only as Alucard."

"Alright," Seras whispered with a nod. His brows knitted together, purely stunned by how understanding she was being.

"You understand?" He asked in disbelief.

"I can understand wanting to let go of a part of yourself and move on to a better version." The little human answered with a shrug. "People are always learning and growing. We're always changing." Seras then gave him a friendly smile. "I hope you are who you want to be now, Alucard. I hope you're happy."

"Are you who you want to be, Seras?" Sebastian asked, drawing her attention to him. The smile vanished from her face, causing their hearts to physically hurt.

"That's a bit complicated, isn't it?" She sighed and lowered her gaze. "No matter how hard I work or how strong I become, I can't help but feel that I'm not doing enough. I want…I want to be strong and brave. I want to be able to help those who can't defend themselves. But no matter how hard I try, I feel like a failure." Hesitantly, Seras glanced at the headstone and she stared at it for a long moment. There was a distant look in her melancholy eyes. Was she faraway from that cemetery? Somewhere in a distant memory?

"I'm determined to become stronger and braver, and I'm not going to let anything get in my way." Seras proceeded. When hearing this, wide grins graced the monsters' faces. How utterly fascinating. This girl was only intriguing them more and more. "I won't let anyone else get hurt or die on my watch." Interesting, Sebastian thought to himself before he too studied the headstone. Had these people died under her watch? Did she blame herself? Is that why she was still drowning in grief and pain?

"Who were they?" Sebastian asked while gesturing his head at the headstone. He then glanced at her, though she was still focused on the graves.

"My mum and dad," She answered softly. Shifting on the grass, she turned to fully look at the headstone. Cautiously, Sebastian maneuvered to sit beside her on her left.

"They have the same date of death." The demon mentioned aloud. "What happened?" A visible shiver shot down the girl's spine before she squeamishly lowered her gaze and anxiously started playing with the grass. Alucard sat down in the grass to her right. "Apologies," Sebastian muttered. "That was extremely personal to ask. I just thought that you may want to talk about it; that maybe it would help make you feel better." Focusing his gaze on her, he attempted to read her body language and facial expression, but it was difficult from his angle. Because her head was lowered and her hair was in the way, he couldn't see her expression. And she was ever so still that her body hardly gave him any indication of what she was feeling. So, he focused on her heart. It was racing rapidly, telling him how nervous and scared she was.

"Have you ever talked about it, Seras?" Alucard asked her. Instead of verbally answering, she shook her head.

"Do you think you would feel better talking about it?" Sebastian asked then.

"I don't know." Seras answered a moment later. "All this time I've just tried…forgetting. And whenever I think about it and I get sad or angry, I try to bury it or distract myself." She then gave a dry laugh. "I guess my method isn't really working because I swear the feeling gets worse and worse. It's to the point where I want to scream on the top of my lungs and hit something. I'm tired of feeling that way. I'm tired of…these…negative feelings. I just want…to go a day where I don't think about it. I just want a day where I can be…normal and happy." The girl shook her head again. "I'm tired of feeling this way." She whispered under her breath.

"Then talk to us." Sebastian offered again.

"Why do you even want to listen?" Seras asked as she turned her head to look at him. She looked so lost and confused. It was apparent to him that she wanted to talk to someone, anyone, but perhaps feared judgment or perhaps she feared that no one would understand and lack empathy. Why hide that part of herself? Why was the true reason why she hasn't talked to anyone about it? "We're strangers and you guys gain absolutely nothing from this. So why would you be willing to listen?"

"Is it so hard to believe that we simply want to help you?" Sebastian asked. "We saw you grieving and…the sound of you crying…" The demon then sighed and looked away from her. He hardly understood why he wanted to help her. But that ache in his heart and that almost nauseous feeling in his stomach told him to help her. "I only wish to help take some of that pain of yours away. I want to help anyway that I can, Seras. I know we're strangers, but that doesn't mean that I don't care." He glanced back at her to stare into those lovely dark blue eyes of hers. "Allow us to help you. Talk about your thoughts and feelings. Tell us what happened that night and why it's so hard for you to move on. Talk about anything that you feel comfortable telling us. We'll listen." Unable to hold his gaze, Seras looked back at the ground.

"Why don't you start with something that's easy and tell us why you're here at eight o'clock at night." Alucard suggested.

"It's definitely not safe for a young woman to be walking the streets of London at night." Sebastian added.

"I can take care of myself." Seras muttered. Alucard and Sebastian glanced over her head at each other, knowing that she had nearly been killed by their own hand.

"You would be surprised of the dangers that lurk these streets." The demon spoke as he looked back at the girl.

"Well, I'm not surprised." The little human interrupted before he could continue to lecture her. "Given that I lost my parents at a young age and that I'm a police officer, I'm definitely aware of the horrible people in this world."

"A police officer?" Sebastian repeated in surprise. The girl then gave a heavy sigh of what appeared to be exhaustion and not annoyance.

"Yeah," She murmured and raised her gaze to look at her parents' shared headstone. "I just got off of a long shift and…" Her frown deepened while a look of loneliness and pain mingled in her eyes. "And I didn't want to go back to my flat, so instead I came here."

"Why didn't you want to go back to your flat?" Alucard asked before the demon could.

"It's going to sound stupid to guys." Seras whispered. "But it doesn't feel like home, despite me living there for a little over a year now." She paused for a moment or two before continuing. "It just feels…cold and empty. It makes me utterly miserable. It doesn't matter what I do. It doesn't matter how much I decorate it or how much time I spend there, it never feels like home. And…" The girl trailed off again as the pain swelled further in her eyes. "Sometimes it feels like I'll never find a place that will feel like home, and that honestly scares me."

"That doesn't sound stupid at all." Alucard replied with a forlorn look in his eyes. "I have traveled the world and lived in numerous places. Hell, I've been living in the UK for a great number of years. But…like you, I've never felt at home." Seras shifted her head to peek up at the vampire. "While I don't fear it, like you do, I feel that I will never find a place that feels like home to me. I believe I'm doomed to wander around endlessly, forever feeling like I don't belong anywhere but in a coffin six feet below."

"Jesus," Seras whispered. Looking sickly, she looked back at the headstone. "That's so depressing. I'm sorry you feel that way. That sounds like a nightmare." He is most definitely depressed, but is he suicidal? The monsters overheard the concerned human's thoughts. Does he wish that he was dead? Should I say something to assure him that his life matters? "Alucard," Seras was quick to speak, but Alucard spoke over her.

"Don't worry, Seras. I refuse to take the easy way out." The No Life King assured her. "I've been fighting my demons for a very long time. Right now, I want to focus on your demons and offer the best advice I can so you can overpower them."

"I think the reason no place feels like home to you is because your definition of home is where loved ones are." Sebastian considered. "Do you have no one else, such as siblings?" While she shook her head, a small smile appeared on her lips.

"When I was younger, I wanted to be a big sister so badly." Seras told them. "I remember once, I think I was about four, I begged my mum and dad to buy me a little brother or sister at the store. When they told me that babies didn't come from stores I bawled." She laughed. "But…I'm actually relieved that I'm an only child. If I wasn't, I think it would've been so much harder after Mum and Dad died. It would have been crushing because more than likely I would have been separated from my sibling. We could've gone to different orphanages or one of us could have been placed in foster care or one of us could have been adopted. I would have lost a sibling on top of losing my parents. No, I'm glad that I'm an only child. It's easier this way."

"Do you have any other living family members? Uncles and aunts? Grandparents?" Sebastian asked.

"I've never met my grandparents and I don't know of any aunts and uncles." Seras answered with a shrug. "As far as I know, I'm the only living Victoria."

"For now," The demon attempted to assure her with a smile.

"What?" Seras questioned as she glanced over at him.

"Do you not want to have children one day?" Sebastian asked with an arched brow. The girl only showed confusion however.

"I mean…one day, in a couple of years, I guess." She answered awkwardly. "But, assuming that I'm married when I have these children, they'll have their father's last name."

"It doesn't have to be that way." Sebastian told her and the smirk grew on his face.

"Things are always changing in this world. Humans are always progressing, heading towards a better future." Alucard spoke. Seras' eyes swept to her right to look at the vampire. He sat there so coolly with his head tilted back so he could admire the night sky. "Nowadays, it's more common for a woman to keep her last name, even if she's married." Snickering to himself, he shifted his head to glance down at the small blonde. "It's not my place to tell you what to do, but I think you should keep your last name. It's far too lovely and fitting to just let go for some man. I also think your kids should take on your surname. Then you wouldn't be the last living Victoria. Since it clearly matters to you, the name will be able to live on that way." Seras gave another heavy sigh and looked ahead of her.

"Honestly, I do want that." The human admitted. "I don't want to change my name and I would like my future children to carry on the Victoria name. But…that seems extremely selfish because my husband and his family will want their name to live on as well. I suppose we could compromise and just hyphenate our names or something. I don't know."

"Don't do that." Sebastian responded with a displeased look on his face. Seras automatically looked at him after that soft outburst. "Sorry. Alucard is right. It's not our place to tell you what to do, but…" Disappointed with what she suggested, he pulled his gaze away from her to look at the headstone. "To think that you would change your name just to appease your husband. I still struggle to fully understand humans and why they do certain things." Seras furrowed her brows when once again the word 'human' was used. It was so odd to her. But, then again, Alucard and Sebastian were odd fellows, so she decided not to overthink their diction.

"Whoever you marry would have to be an idiot to force you to change your name. The name Seras Victoria is perfect as is and should not be tampered with." The demon voiced his annoyance on the matter. A sweet laugh brought him out of that sour mood. Instantly, Alucard and Sebastian glanced down at Seras and were bewildered to see her smiling so beautifully. And that laugh. Earlier, they had craved to hear her laugh instead of cry. And now, hearing that laugh, it was everything they had imagined and more. That sweet, girlish laugh warmed their fluttering hearts and gave them such a peculiar feeling in their stomachs, as if butterflies were flapping like crazy inside of them. What was this feeling? They wondered as utter adoration for this little creature showed so intently in their dark eyes. What was she doing to them? What was she making them feel?

"I'm starting to think you guys care more about my name than I do." Seras giggled. "You speak so passionately about it, as if it was your very own." Her smile widened then. "Thank you for that. Until tonight, I had never really cared for the name Seras. But you guys have helped me appreciate it." Alucard and Sebastian were only stunned further when they picked up on some of the human's thoughts. It's crazy. We're complete strangers but it feels like I've known them forever. I feel so comfortable talking to them. The demon's eyes widened and his pupils dilated to express his awe.

"I've never really enjoyed conversing with humans. I've always considered it a waste of time. I normally don't care about anything or anyone. But, I have to say that I've enjoyed talking with you." Sebastian admitted to her. "It's different. Refreshing." The little human looked at him in surprise.

"Strange," She murmured. "I was kind of thinking the same thing." She gave him another beautiful smile. "I usually struggle to say what I'm thinking because I get all shy and nervous. But talking to you guys is so easy." Despite her smiling at him, Sebastian ended up frowning.

"Even so, you still hide your pain and anger from us." The demon whispered, causing the smile to vanish from her lovely face.

"Why is it easier for you to drown in that grief and misery instead of overcoming it by talking to someone about it?" Alucard asked. "You're only further hurting yourself, Seras."

"Are you having trouble accepting their death?" Sebastian asked bluntly, knowing that question could trigger her. But the kind girl didn't show signs of anger, instead only sadness as she looked back at the graves.

"I don't know." Seras whispered. "I know that they're dead and I know that I'll never see or hear them again. I've had ten years to cope with that, but…I still…feel so…raw about it. As if…it only happened a week ago." Her face twisted to show how sickly she felt as she recalled the day of their death. "I keep going back and forth between feeling absolute rage and devastatingly depressed. And in between where I feel…numb. Like I'm on autopilot or something and don't comprehend anything around me." Feeling defeated, Seras hung her head to stare dishearteningly at the ground. "I just want to stop feeling that way. I'm tired."

"Why not get professional help, then?" Sebastian asked. "Don't people normally seek professional help after a traumatic event?"

"I saw a psychologist once, a day or two after my parents' death, but the orphanage I grew up in…" She trailed off as old memories stirred, causing her to get lost in the past for a moment. "They didn't believe in psychiatry. They thought if a person's faith was strong enough, then God would help them through the pain. I was told to pray and trust in God. That He did what He did for a reason; it was just a part of His big plan. Even as a kid, I knew it was a bunch of bollocks, though." Pulling her legs to her chest, the human wrapped her arms loosely around her legs and rested her chin on top of her knees. She then shrugged and continued speaking.

"I don't really know if I believe in Him or not. Scientifically, I would say His existence is rubbish and there's hardly any proof of Him being real. But…this world is full of mysteries. Who's to say if He does exist or not? All I know is that I don't have any faith in Him. I'm sorry if that offends either of you, but I am allowed to have my own beliefs just like you are."

"It doesn't offend us." Sebastian replied with a shake of his head.

"Continue to speak from the heart. We're listening." Alucard assured her.

"Why didn't you seek help after leaving the orphanage?" The demon asked, encouraging her to open up more to them.

"I didn't think I needed it." Seras admitted. "I thought I was fine, despite feeling angry and…sad."

"Depressed," Sebastian corrected her. "Don't sugarcoat it, Seras. That won't help you process your emotions." The little human exhaled to gather her courage and accept what she was feeling.

"Depressed," She agreed softly. "I guess…I was just hoping that…it'll get easier to deal with overtime. But…it just seems like the feelings are getting worse. I feel like I'm drowning in negativity anymore. No matter how hard I try to be more positive, to smile and laugh. Those negative feelings are like a monster that has its claws sunk deep into me and won't let go. It's…difficult. Suffocating."

"Trauma and grief are a lot for a person to deal with, especially alone." Sebastian responded. "You've been alone for ten years. Really, it's no wonder why you're still in a dark place." Seras stared silently at her parents' graves for a long moment. He was unsure why, maybe she wanted to get it off of her chest, maybe she absolutely needed to talk to someone about it, but the human finally told them what happened.

"My parents were murdered." Seras said, shockingly, in an unwavering voice. Was she feeling numb again? Sebastian wondered as he studied the impassive girl. "And I was there when it happened."

"Do you want to say how it happened?" The demon asked. Snapping her eyes shut, the small blonde was quick to shake her head.

"I don't want to relive it." She whispered in a begging tone.

"What happened to the killers?" Alucard asked. Cracking open her eyes, Seras stared mournfully at the headstone.

"Nothing," She answered softly. "They…got away with it." Despite what she said, a large grin swept across the No Life King's face.

"And what if you had the opportunity to come face to face with them one day?" Alucard asked. The human shifted her head to meet the vampire's gaze.

"Interesting question, Alucard." Sebastian spoke up and he smirked. "Yes, what would you do, Seras?" Stunned, Seras' head snapped to the left to look at him in bewilderment. "Are you the forgiving type? Would you simply just want to talk to them? Tell them how you feel? Or…"

"I would fucking kill them!" The human exclaimed with a look of anger in her gorgeous eyes. "They took everything from me! My parents! My home! Even my cat! How the fuck could I possibly forgive?! And why the fuck would I want to talk to them about my feelings?! Fuck that! I want to see them suffer as much as they had made my parents suffer before I put a bullet in each of their heads!" Alucard cackled openly in delight, earning the little human's attention. Taken back by his amusement, the girl stared at him with furrowed brows and a deep frown on her lips.

"Talking with you has been such a delight, Seras Victoria." The No Life King purred. "You are by far one of the most interesting humans I have met in a long time."

"Humans? Why do you keep saying that?" Seras finally asked.

"Did you mean it?" Sebastian asked, grabbing her attention. "If you had the chance, you would torture and kill them, Seras?" The demon was smirking so widely, though one of his brows was quirked to show his lack of faith that she had the stomach to do such a thing to another human being. She opened her mouth to answer, but before she could, the demon spoke over her. "What would you do exactly before putting a bullet each into their heads?"

"Beat them to a bloody pulp, like they did my dad." Seras answered.

"And you can do this to another human being, Seras?" Sebastian further questioned her.

"They're not human beings in my eyes! They're fucking animals! Monsters!" The human corrected him. "They would be getting exactly what they deserve!" Again, Alucard cackled, but the girl ignored him this time.

"But do you think that by killing them, by getting revenge, you would feel better?" Sebastian asked. "You would have blood on your hands then. Your conscience may never be clear." Seras then sighed heavily and faced forward.

"I don't know if it'll make me feel better or not. Maybe it will only fuck me over more. But I've been thinking about this since the day it happened. I know deep in my heart that I want them dead. I want them to feel the pain my parents were in before they were shot in cold blood. I want to believe that I would have the courage to do it myself; to…torture and kill my parents' killers. But…maybe I'm just fooling myself. Maybe I'm letting my anger and hate speak for me. I don't know." She whispered while shaking her head.

"A part of me feels like…it would help me though. That I can finally let go of this anger and hate, and start to heal, if I knew that they were dead." Something then stirred in the girl's eyes. A dark, menacing look while she mindlessly scowled at nothing in particular. "No, I don't want to be the one to hear or read that they died, especially by someone else's hand. I want to see it with my own eyes. I want to see them die in front of me. Only then will I be satisfied. Only then I'll be able to fully wash my hands of them and move on with my life. Maybe then I'll be happy." All too quickly, that dark glimmer left her eyes and she became depressed all over again when something new occurred to her. "It doesn't matter. It'll never come to fruition."

"You never know, Seras." Sebastian responded in a velvety voice that sent shivers down her spine. "You never know what the future holds for you."

"I…guess," She murmured while the frown deepened on her lips. "But…I should probably let go. The chances of that happening are low, and…I don't want to become obsessed by the thought of revenge. I don't want it taking over my life and further hurting me. I should work on my grief in a healthier manner and try to think more positive thoughts." While it was disappointing for them to hear that she wanted to let go of the thought of revenge, they couldn't exactly blame her. They knew all too well what revenge did to people. How it could blacken someone's heart and mind, make them obsessive and deranged. They certainly didn't want that sweet girl to get wrapped up in it. "How did you guys overcome grief?" Seras asked.

"Pardon?" Sebastian asked, looking slightly confused.

"You and Alucard came to visit someone. Obviously, the person means something to you if you still mourn them." Seras reminded them, not knowing the truth behind why they were actually there. "When that person died, how did you guys overcome the grief?"

"It was difficult," Alucard spoke while Sebastian was still trying to conjure an answer to give to her. Unlike him, Alucard had once been human and had dealt with his fair share of deaths in his family. So, the demon allowed the ex-human to do all the talking. "I had lost so many; family and friends." When hearing this, Seras' head snapped to the side to stare at the smiling vampire in pure disbelief. How many people had he lost? Her thoughts came so clearly to them. "It was certainly painful, but I always pulled through."

"Family and friends?" The small blonde repeated in a whisper. "What…happened? How many people have you lost, Alucard?"

"My entire family. My mother, father, brothers, my first wife, and my children. Trustworthy and courageous soldiers. The list is truly endless, Seras. I've lost too many to count." Alucard told her.

"Holy shit," Seras mumbled as she looked forward with nothing but horror in her eyes. "That's…inconceivable. I can hardly wrap my head around it. How can you? You've lost…so much, and yet, you sit here and listen to my problems, which are far smaller than yours." Alucard frowned at the clueless human.

"Pain is pain, Seras. We both lost loved ones. My pain is not greater than yours as yours is not greater than mine." He explained. "I have had more than enough time to process and accept their deaths. I have moved on. Let Michaelis and I help you process the pain, anger, and grief." A smile crept on the girl's face and she snickered under her breath.

"That's not something that can be processed in a single night, Alucard." She laughed before she shyly peeked at him from the corner of her eye.

"I know," The vampire responded. "But a friendship typically lasts for more than a single night, Seras." He flashed her a grin, causing the girl to blush. Is he sure that it was just a friendship blossoming between us? Seras' thoughts came to them again. Delight twinkled in their eyes as they smiled widely at the girl.

Did Seras also possess questionable and foreign feelings that she was having a hard time deciphering? What feelings were currently stirring inside of her? The men were left wondering. The big question was, were any of them willing to delve further into these feelings and do something about them? Unexpectedly, Seras' stomach broke the silence with a loud growl. Her whole face instantly turned a dark shade of red and, completely embarrassed, she looked at the ground.

"Sorry!" She squeaked. "I haven't eaten since noon." The monsters merely smiled at the human and laughed at how cute she was. Standing up, Sebastian politely held out a hand to the young lady, offering her a hand up.

"Let's go get you something to eat then." He suggested. Furrowing her brows, she hesitantly placed her hand in his.

"Aren't you guys hungry?" Seras asked as she climbed to her feet.

"Alucard and I ate earlier." The demon lied, though he could honestly say that his hunger was the last thing on his mind. Right now, he could only focus on wanting to spend more time with this little human. "But we'll happily accompany you anywhere you would like to go. Where is your favorite place to eat?" Almost immediately, the girl's eyes lit up with excitement and hunger.

"Ooh!" She exclaimed. "I know this great little pizza place! They have amazing pizza! I know you guys aren't hungry now, but surely you'll get hungry the second you walk into that place! I know I always do!" She laughed sweetly, charming the men more and more.

"Show us the way, dear." Sebastian chuckled while gesturing towards the opening to the entrance. Excited, the girl took the lead while prattling on about the different delicious types of pizza they had and trying to figure out what they would like. However, Alucard and Sebastian were far too distracted by the amusing thought of predators taking their former prey out to dinner. Honestly, what has this woman done to them?

The End

I hope you enjoyed.

Oxford Not Brogues