The music had stopped playing, most of the musicians having gone on the hunt for Van Helsing and the others, but even as the hall began to dwindle, none of it existed to the two who remained. Vladislaus, the strongest vampire in the world, stood frozen in disbelief. It left him open to attack, not that normal silver or blessed weapons would work on him, but Adrianna didn't move. She had spent years wondering what this moment would be like if she ever saw him again, and only recently had she thought about it again after the Cardinal had first spoken of their mission to Transylvania. The meeting would have been inevitable but she had never known how it would happen or where. She had hoped to have said more before this, at least explaining to Van Helsing and her son, but here she was after fifteen years. And it hurt to look at him.

"How is this possible?" Vladislaus questioned but still did not move.

Straightening, Adrianna steeled herself as best as she could, "I survived."

"But where did you go?" he pressed, daring to take a step back towards her again though he still kept his distance.

Odd considering it was hardly like she could hurt him. A flash of anger bubbled in her chest at his question and the suggestion behind it.

"I left because it was the only way to survive after almost being burned alive in my own home!"

"You know I would-"

"What do I know Vlad?" she suddenly demanded, brazenly closing the distance just so she could push him back.

If she had been calmer she would have been surprised by the way he gave way to her push, stepping back rather than standing firm as would have been all too easy for a man like himself. But years of emotions began to boil to the surface all because of the man stood before her.

"For all I know you sent the villagers to burn down my home!"

Her words were like a slap to his face but it quickly turned into anger as he bristled, drawing closer to her but not yet touching.

"Is that what you think of me?" his tone was dangerous, as cool as the night sky, his tone as level as steel, but she ignored it.

"You left me!" Adrianna was almost shouting now, "almost a year with not even a word from you! As far as I knew you'd gotten bored of the stupid little human. Clearly you had other women to attend to," she all but spat, "when had you planned to tell me about the three Brides, hmm?"

"And what of you?" Vlad shot her a dark look, "you return with a child? Is it Gabriel's?"

Adrianna raised her hand before her mind had caught up to the action. He caught her wrist firmly inches from his face but still she did not cower.

"So you don't deny it?" she demanded but already she could feel her anger inching away, being replaced by something she had desperately tried to hold back for years, "are you telling me that the man I loved ordered my death?"

His face was unreadable in that moment as his dark eyes bore into her. Slowly he let go of her wrist and instead idly brushed her hair from her left cheek. A dark look settled in those eyes as they fell on the burn scar across her cheek. She couldn't help but shiver as the back of his fingers ghosted across the scar.

"I would never have hurt you Adrianna," Vlad finally spoke in hushed tones, "that day when I found out what happened I slaughtered every single one of them."

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?"

"I thought I had lost you."

Sucking in a breath shakily, Adrianna couldn't meet his gaze, not when she was struggling to keep herself together. All these years she had blamed him for her fate, deciding that he must have gotten bored of her which was why she hadn't seen him in so long, only to be attacked in the night. She had cursed her heart for falling for him. She had cursed him for being so cruel. She had questioned everything about her life; had he ever cared for her? Had he merely been toying with her? And though she wanted to cling to those thoughts which had helped fuel her all these years, training hard so that she could prove that she was not weak, there was something about those familiar dark eyes that made her suddenly second-guess herself. Adrianna didn't know what hurt more; the fact that she had blamed him and he had may not been involved, or that she had run from Romania rather than trusting in Vlad.

"Master?"

Vladislaus' eyes didn't move from Adrianna's even as the red headed Bride from before crept forwards.

"Tell me," Vlad spoke quietly once more, his full attention on the woman before him who met his gaze without flinching, "did you come here with Van Helsing to kill me?"

Had she? Of course that was what the Vatican had sent her for, to help Van Helsing navigate Romania and aid him in his hunt. But that hadn't been her reason; not quite.

"I came back because I wanted answers," she finally replied after a moments pause, her heart squeezing painfully in her chest, "I came back because I couldn't live anymore without knowing the truth."

Whether he believed her was up for debate as his expression remained unreadable until the Bride pressed herself up beside Vlad, eyes glowering at Adrianna.

"We should leave Master, we still have yet to find the monster."

Despite everything, Adrianna couldn't help the way her body tensed at seeing this woman latched onto the man before her. She tried hard to remind herself that despite everything, fifteen years had passed and much had changed. This was not the same man who had once filled her life with joy, and she was not the same woman who had welcomed him into her home. Right?

Something made Vlad's eyes narrow, glancing off to the side as if hearing something.

"Fly Aleera," he all but ordered before his gaze fell back on Adrianna, "tell me where the monster is."

"You should know by now Vlad, I don't know any monsters."

Despite her obvious attempt to brush off his question she caught a smile pull at his lips.

"Then it is a shame that I shall have to take you with me."

An arm wrapped around her waist before she had realised, drawing her close to his cold body once more and then he began to change. It was not the first time she had seen the transformation and it still stoked an instinctual part of her mind, telling her to pull away and run. His skin darkened like pale ash, his body growing to twice the size as muscles rippled beneath cold skin. From the longer limbs, clawed hands and feet, to the angular, taut face that looked down at her with pale blue eyes and a large mouth filled with teeth as long as her fingers; it was anything but human.

Back then she could still see the man she knew behind it all but now there was only questions. In one swift move he had lifted her into his arms, two huge bat-like wings expanding from his back and stretching out. Adrianna barely had time to grab a breath when they suddenly beat downwards, lifting into the air with intense speed and force that it tried to rob her of her precious breath. In the back of her mind she heard the shattering of a window before she was hit by freezing winds that quickly sapped her of her warmth. Black spots appeared in her vision as she caught sight of the ground below growing quickly further and further away until they hit dense clouds, swept aside with each powerful wingbeat. The last Adrianna saw before she passed out was the river below where a glimmer of light bobbed in the water. Despite the distance she knew it must have been her son and Van Helsing. At least they were safe. It was yet to be seen whether she would be.

"ADRIANNA!" roared Van Helsing as he bobbed in the waves of the river, unable to tear his eyes from the shapes that crested through the clouds above.

There was no doubt in his mind that they had taken her. They had only just rescued Anna and Adrian and now he had lost her. And it had been his fault. Why hadn't he gone back? To hell with it, he should have gone back! He lashed out in anger, a fist slamming into the water as guttural growls tore from his chest.

A hand gasped his sodden shoulder at the wrong time. Immediately he lashed out, grasping the suddenly terrified friar and all but lifted him from the river.

"V-Van Helsing!" Carl stuttered out barely.

"Stop it!" another voice yelled before a hand gripped his arm like a vice and yet it was enough to calm the animal that had begun to rear its head inside of him.

Glancing sideways he found Adrian at his side now, concern shining in his eyes that peered at him from beneath sodden locks and rather than desperation there was only determination on his pale face. It was almost like he had aged in the short time they had been parted. Or perhaps he was as guilty as Adrianna for believing him to be younger than he was.

"We'll get my mother back, Van Helsing. I know it."

Shaking himself, Van Helsing finally let go of Carl, avoiding the friar's wide eyes, ashamed.

"I… I'm sorry my friend."

Though Carl's panic softened it only seemed to melt away into worry as he silently nodded, struggling to stay afloat in the river once again.

"We must hurry," it was Anna now who interrupted them, the Romanian woman gesturing towards the river bank, "morning is not far away, they will likely still be within the city. If she is still alive, we will find her here."

"My mother is alive," snapped Adrian, "my mother has survived this country once before. She will do so again."

-Sixteen years ago-

It was not like him to be caught unawares. Perhaps he had been too deep in his thoughts after pillaging the small village on the outskirts of the Carpathian mountains. Perhaps he had been too lost in the rivers of blood, Vlad wasn't sure but he found himself in the rare occasion where he was without shelter from the rising sun. He could feel it almost like a itch across his skin; the promise of burning beneath golden rays that chased him through the sky. Sheltering in the mountains was risky but he was already too far from the village, but perhaps he could find a cave to dive into?

To his surprise, as he deftly swooped through a ravine, he noticed a plateau with a large wooden house sat in its centre. Judging by a flickering light in one of the windows it wasn't vacant. Beside it sat a stable that sheltered a sleeping horse and large hay bales. Not a second later the first rays of sunlight crested the mountains. With a hiss, Vladislaus dove towards the stable – the house had far too many windows for his liking. He had barely reached its safety when light stroked the skin of his back leaving searing burns across his flesh. His roar of pain startled the horse who quickly rose to its feet as he shot past, colliding with the hay bales and burying himself in their depths and the welcoming shadows. Its whinnies of disquiet echoed through the stable as it began to nervously prance around its stall, wide eyes searching and nose flaring in the growing light.

"Woah there Maria!" a voice suddenly soothed, footsteps softly hurrying across the plateau.

Vlad watched from the shadows of the stable, still nursing his healing back but coiled, ready to strike should the human get too close to the darkness. He watched with inhuman eyes as a woman appeared around the corner. She had clearly dressed in a hurry pulling a thick coat around her and the light sleeping dress she wore, even her feet were bare. Long raven hair fell across her shoulders in lustrous waves that highlighted her pale complexion and startlingly pale grey eyes lined with thick lashes. It had been a while since Vlad had felt himself taken in by the sight of woman who was not his Bride, but there was something about this woman as she hurried over to her horse, resting a hand gently across its snout and uttering soothing words, that intrigued him.

Whether she saw something or heard him move, he wasn't sure but a second later her eyes darted into the darkness where he hid.

"H-Hello?" she called out, still resting her hand on the horse's head, "are you okay?"

Vladislaus could have chuckled; if only she knew what it was that had taken residence in her stable. When she received no answer she surprisingly sighed. All the while he listened to the sound of her heart beat as if it was right by his ear and noted it was oddly calm.

"Well then, stay there if you like though I can't suppose it's comfortable. Just please don't eat my horse, I really don't want to start having to walk to the nearest town again. The blisters are a killer."

He had to swallow the bark of laughter that dared to escape him as he stared stunned at the odd woman as she offered soothing words to the horse once more before hurrying back to her home. There was no worry in her step, only the desire to get out of the cold.

As morning gave way to early afternoon he remained there in the darkness of the stable, healed but unable to leave. Deciding to revert to his human form, though it pained him to lie amongst the hay like an animal, Vladislaus silently watched the strange woman go about her day despite knowing something was residing in her stable. All the while she appeared at ease even as she tended to several potted plants outside her home, shooting a questioning look towards his direction before continuing with her day. From his spot he could see through the large windows that made up the right corner of the house, quite odd architecture for their lands, but it meant he could continue to watch her as she roamed her home. From spending several hours with her nose in a book to preparing food, pickling vegetables and even preparing a fresh hare. He wondered if she had perhaps hunted the creature herself or bought it from a local hunter. It was baffling why he found himself so interested in watching her mundane life, but perhaps it was because it was far from his usual, it had him watching silently without complaint. How many would act so complacently with an unknown person or creature nestled by their home?

When the sky finally began to darken with crimson and amethyst hues, Vladislaus stepped from his confines, stretching his limbs that dared to ache in complaint. Perhaps he had remained still for a little too long? Even an undead body like his didn't take well to remaining in one position for too long. Once sure he'd rid himself of stray stalks of hay, he idly tucking aside a rogue lock of hair from his eyes and glanced around the plateau once more. The entire day no one had come and gone bar the strange woman. Did she live alone in this place? It certainly made for easy prey. There wasn't a single living soul for tens of miles and with it being off the beaten track, he doubted anyone would simply stumble across this place. A pre-flight snack sounded just right to him. Would her heart finally beat a beautiful samba as he drained her of life? Would those grey eyes continue to sparkle or would they dull?

Those thoughts persisted as he strode towards the house now lit by a soft golden glow. Pushing open the door that hadn't been locked, Vladislaus stepped into the house, his boots silent against the wooden floor. Soft humming led him straight towards the woman who had her back to him as she moved about the kitchen. She'd tied her hair back, held up in a loose tail that left her pale neck visible for him. Taunting him. He had barely taken a step closer when she turned around, reaching for something on the table beside him when she spotted him, eyes widening. For a moment her heartbeat skipped, dancing up a quick-step beat before it slowly began to calm once more.

"Oh! You're up! Wait," she suddenly frowned, "did you honestly just walk into my home? You know you're supposed to knock and ask politely."

Momentarily lost for words, Vladislaus could only blink. Perhaps he should have felt offended by her words but their nonchalance threw him off. It took a moment for him to find his voice again while she merely regarded him with crossed arms and an arched eyebrow.

"Are you… well?" he couldn't help but ask.

"What do you…" she trailed off with a frown until understanding lit up her eyes with mirth, "I promise I'm not insane."

"But you know what I am, correct?" Vladislaus couldn't help but ask, baffled.

Even more surprising was her nod as she reached past him for the small pots of herbs on the wooden table.

"Of course, you're that vampire I've heard about from some of the townspeople. I figured as much when you didn't want to step out into the sun."

He couldn't help himself. Laughter rose from his chest, a feeling he had almost forgotten. In answer the woman shared a smile with him as she dried her hands on a small towel.

"You are certainly the strangest human I have ever had the pleasure to meet."

"Thank you."

All thoughts of draining this woman of her lifeblood melted away in that moment, replaced instead by an insatiable curiosity. Just who was this woman and why had she been so accepting of a creature from Hell itself, in her home?

"Are you not worried I'll kill you and drink your blood?" Vladislaus couldn't help but ask curiously, testing the water as he stepped closer to the woman who's back was to the countertops offering her no escape.

And yet her heart still did not quicken as those grey eyes looked up at him evenly.

"If that was the case then so be it, perhaps it's my time finally. There's only me here," she shrugged lightly, looking around the home with distant eyes, "and I'm sure there are some who would be glad for my family line to finally be gone… but no," she looked back to him, "I don't fear you."

That curiosity burned brighter with those words. Holding out a hand to the woman she paused only for a moment before taking the offering. Her soft fingers felt warm in his hand as he lightly held it, raising her hand to his lips. He was rewarded by the sound of her heart skipping softly.

"Tell me, who is it I owe the pleasure of such fine company?" he asked, his voice a low purr as he spoke against her skin.

"Adrianna Dimir… and what can I call you, sir vampire?"

"Vladislaus Dracula."