- The Year of our Lord 1110 -

Seven years had passed since the Prince of Darkness had been defeated at the hands of Simon Belmont. There were times when it felt like it had happened only yesterday, but then there times when it felt like nothing more than a distant memory. Now, at the age of forty-three, Simon was content living a simple life with his family in their cabin on the edge of the forest, the mountains of his youth within sight.

Never in his wildest dreams did Simon imagine he would one day find himself settled down, tamed by a single woman who held his heart firmly in her dainty hands. He chuckled at the mere thought. It seemed a bit strange after all the years he had spent devoting his time and energy into training with the hope of one day avenging the death of his parents, but it was true regardless.

He had to admit that he felt happier than he had in a long time. The last time being back when his parents were both still alive. For so long he had been engulfed by the need to seek revenge. That was why he had never bothered to get married before. He had never had the time or desire to do so. It was as if his whole life had been centered around revenge. The more he thought about it, the more he realized that it probably was a result of the mirror shard he had worn around his neck for so long. He hadn't thought about revenge ever since he took it off, even though he suspected that Dracula was still alive. That led him to believe that Alucard had been correct. The mirror shard had been controlling him.

Glancing across the room, Simon watched as his beautiful wife, Selena, cooked dinner. He didn't quite understand why, but for some reason he found it oddly satisfying to watch her, watching the way her hips swayed as she hummed a folk tune to herself. Unable to help himself, he got up from his seat at the table and coming up behind her, wrapped his beefy arms around her form.

Selena let out a small startled yelp, turning her head to glance back at her bushy-haired husband. "Simon, you shouldn't scare me while I'm cooking!" she scolded him. "It's dangerous!"

Simon could only smile as he ran his hands up and down her curvy waist. "Cooking is hardly dangerous when compared to facing werewolves and vampires."

Selena shook her head at him disapprovingly, but couldn't repress the grin that tugged at her lips. "Braggart," she said, reaching up to bop him on the nose.

"Well, I do have a lot to brag about. A beautiful wife, for example."

"A sweet braggart."

His hands moved from her waist to her belly, pulling the loose-fitting material of her dress against her skin to reveal the swell that had started to form; a testament to the fact that he couldn't keep his hands off of her. This would be their third child, and if Simon had anything to do with it, it wouldn't be the last.

Simon was very much a family man now, who loved nothing more than spending time with his children. He had already determined that he wanted two of each, and there was a good reason behind it. As a child, he had begged his parents to give him a little brother or sister. All of his old friends at the time had siblings, and seeing how close they were made him feel a bit left out and lonely. As you can imagine, that wish was never granted. He wanted two of each so that his children would never feel that way.

"Could you go find the children and call them in for dinner?" Selena asked.

Simon nodded, patting her belly before pulling away and heading for the door.

Pulling open the solid wooden door, he stepped outside and looked around. The children were nowhere to be found. He let out a small sigh. No matter how many times their mother told them to stay close to the house, they always strayed off into the forest. They were just as wild as he was at their age.

"Mary! Christopher! Time for dinner!" he called.

He waited for a while, hoping that they were close enough to hear him. When they failed to appear, he started off into the forest, a combat cross hanging from his belt as always. Even though years had passed since Dracula was defeated, he still kept his father's weapon on him at all times, ready to defend his family should anything happen. He wasn't about to lose any more family members.

The forest was silent as the grave and an oddly eerie mist had fallen over, making it difficult to see clearly. This put him on edge. The forest was never this quiet. Something was amiss. With this in mind, he picked up the pace, breaking out into a run as he called out for his children.

He came to an abrupt halt as he heard a howl, followed by the sound of twigs crunching not too far away. Turning in a circle, he scoured every inch of his surroundings, searching for even the slightest movement. At first, he saw nothing, but then something started to appear out of the mist.

"Papa!" he heard the familiar voices of his children call out to him.

In a moment of panic, he reached for his combat cross but stopped when he got a better look at the wolf. His eyes widened at the sight that he was met with. Standing before him was a huge white wolf with glowing yellow eyes and riding on the wolf's back were his two children, who were smiling and waving as if there was nothing abnormal about what they were doing.

"What on earth are you two doing?" Simon asked.

"We made a new friend, Papa!" said Christopher as he slid off the wolf's back, helping his younger sister down as well.

"We named him Wolfy!" three-year-old Mary exclaimed.

His gaze went back and forth between the two children, but in the end, it stopped on five-year-old Christopher. "Care to explain how this happened?"

Christopher's mouth failed to open.

Simon was about to ask a second time when something strange happened. The wolf began to glow, and right before his eyes, the wolf began to change, slowly turning into a man. When the glowing stopped, Simon found himself face to face with none other than Alucard; the vampire who had helped him defeat Dracula years ago.

"Alucard? Is that really you?"

The white-haired vampire nodded his head, straightening from his crouched position. "I was hunting in the area when I came across two children playing by a cliffside. I thought it best to get them to safety, so I offered them a ride on my back and went in search of their home."

Hearing this, Simon glared over at his children, but they weren't paying him any attention. Christopher and Mary could only stare at the white-haired vampire in awe. With a sigh, Simon returned his focus onto his friend.

"It seems you've helped me once more," Simon stated. "Thank you for finding them."

"You're welcome."

Silence washed over them after that, both at a loss for what to say to the other. Many years had passed since they saw each other last. There were many things that Simon wanted to talk to his friend about, many things he wanted to ask him, but he didn't know how to go about it. Though Alucard was his friend and had saved him and now his children, the fact remained that he was a vampire and was a bit intimidating to say the least. He was the son of Dracula after all. It was to be expected.

Alucard broke the silence first. "It was nice being able to see you again, Simon, but I must leave now."

Simon watched as he turned and started to walk off. He felt an all too familiar tug in his heart, the very same tug he felt as he had watched his friend leave all those years ago. He knew only one thing … He didn't want him to leave … At least, not yet.

"Will you at least stay long enough to join us for dinner?" he asked.

The white-haired vampire stopped in his tracks. "You know I don't eat the same things as you do."

Simon silently cursed himself for forgetting about his friend's eating habits. He mentioned that he had been hunting when he found the children. Whether he meant humans or animals, that he didn't know. He seemed to recall something about only feeding on monsters, but he wasn't entirely sure if he was remembering correctly.

"Then at least come and visit with us while we eat," he insisted. "It's the least I can do to thank you after you saved my children."

At that, Alucard finally turned back to face them again, a small grin tugging at his lips. "Very well."

Returning the grin with one of his own, Simon motioned his children to him, taking hold of their hands as he began to retrace his steps, leading his group back to the cabin. The mist was cleared by that point, making it much easier to see. He assumed that to be Alucard's doing.

As they walked, he noticed the children kept glancing back at the white-haired vampire, as if to make sure that he was still there. It still surprised him how quickly his children had come to trust his friend. He had taught his children about the dangers of monsters, telling them stories of some of the ones he had fought. Perhaps they could sense that Alucard was different, that he meant them no harm. The thought pleased him regardless.

With the cabin within sight, Simon released his hold on the children, allowing them to run on inside ahead of them. With them gone, he took the opportunity to get a decent look at the white-haired vampire. For the most part, Alucard looked no different than he had seven years ago. Simon had to remind himself that his friend did not age. Though, he had to admit that he looked a bit more … healthy. His body had seemed a bit malnourished and corpse-like when he last saw him. It was good to see that he had regained his strength.

"Did you build this house yourself?" Alucard asked.

Simon nodded, "Aye, I built it around the time I got married. Didn't think my wife would appreciate living out in the wilderness like a wild animal."

"I don't know many women who would," Alucard let out a small snort. "You did a good job. It looks like a good home."

Simon smiled. The fact that his handiwork had obtained the vampire's approval made him feel pleased. After a moment, he followed after his kids into the house, motioning for Alucard to follow as well.

When the two of them stepped inside, they found the children already seated at the table, their mother standing with the pot of stew she had made, dishing spoonfuls of it into their bowls. It was on;y when Simon cleared his throat that Selena looked up, her eyes widening when she saw who was standing next to her husband.

"Selena, this is Alucard, the man who helped me defeat Dracula," Simon introduced. "Alucard, this is my wife, Selena."

Setting the pot of stew down in the middle of the table, she quickly wiped hands on the fabric of her dress before going to meet the man. "It's nice to meet you, Alucard," she said, reluctantly extending her hand for him to shake. "My husband has told me much about you."

Taking her hand, Alucard raised it to his lips, pressing a gentle kiss on top of it. "It is a pleasure to meet the woman who succeeded in taming the wild monster hunter that was once Simon Belmont."

Selena giggled at both the vampire's chivalrous gesture as well as his teasing remark. Every ounce of reservation she might have held towards him previously was now gone. "Such a gentleman. Simon could learn a thing or two from you."

Simon gasped, clutching at his heart in false shock. "You wound me, Selena."

"And I see that the two of you have been busy," Alucard claimed, motioning to Selena's belly.

Simon chuckled as he moved to his wife's side, wrapping an arm her around as he pressed a kiss to her cheek. "What can I say, I find it hard to resist such an attractive woman."

Selena rolled her eyes, pulling away from her husband as she returned to the table. With a motion of her hand, Simon and Alucard joined her, sitting down across from each other. After dishing a couple of heaping spoonfuls into Simon's bowl, she turned to offer Alucard some, which he respectfully turned down, claiming that he had already eaten.

Dinner passed by in relative silence, the only ones talking being the children. Alucard passed the time looking around at the inside of the house, and though she tried to keep her thoughts to herself, she couldn't help but voice some of them.

"If I didn't know better, I would think that you've never been inside a house before."

Alucard jumped slightly as if he had been snapped out of a trance. "Forgive me for staring, but it has been a long time since I've been exposed to such warmth and family love."

Selena immediately regretted her previous remark. "I'm sorry for my rudeness. I imagine Dracula isn't the most loving father in the world."

Alucard let out a small chuckle at that. "No, he most certainly isn't, but I suppose that's hardly his fault."

This remark piqued Simon's curiosity. He had never given much thought to what it was like to be the son of Dracula. It couldn't be easy. From what little interaction he had witnessed between the vampire father and son duo, he observed that the two were not close by any means necessary. He didn't know much about their history together, except for the fact that Alucard was angry at his father for turning him into a vampire.

"What do you mean by that?"

The white-haired vampire didn't reply at first, as he appeared to be lost in thought again, but after a while, he snapped out of it again.

"My mother died shortly after I was born. My father was away at the time, completely unaware of everything that was happening. The Brotherhood of Light stole me from my home to protect me from the monster they knew my father would become," he explained. "I knew nothing of who I was or where I had come from for many years. The Brotherhood chose to reveal the truth to me after I reached manhood, telling me only of the monster and nothing of the man he had been before. Ashamed of who I was, I marched into his castle with the intent of killing him, but … fate had other plans … It was as I lay dying that my father finally saw who I truly was."

By the time he had finished his story, tears had formed in the eyes of everyone in the house, including Alucard himself. Simon was at a loss for what to say. He had no idea that Alucard had suffered such a tragic life. Though that wasn't exactly his fault either. How could he have known with the tiny amount of time he had been given to get to know him. He felt horrible. The white-haired vampire had suffered so much, and yet he continued to help humankind, as he had heard he was through the stories of the White Wolf. It was at that moment he fully realized just how selfless and brave Alucard truly was.

"And that's why he turned you," Simon finished for him.

Alucard shrugged. "There was a part of me that hoped he might have turned me simply out of love or compassion, but upon our last encounter, I realized that I was mistaken. He only saved me because he thought I would join him in remaking the world."

Simon understood why he might think that. One of the first things Dracula did when Alucard entered the throne room was to express his disappointment that Alucard had not joined him. Obviously, he did not know the mindset of the Prince of Darkness, so he couldn't say for certain whether that was truly all he had hoped to obtain in saving his son. As he thought back on the battle, he recalled something that he had found odd at the time. Someone as powerful as Dracula could have easily broken free from Alucard's hold, but he didn't … It was almost as if he had allowed his son to hold him back … It was almost as if he had been willing to die.

He shook that thought from his mind. There was a possibility that what Alucard said was true. As an experienced monster hunter, Simon knew that you couldn't allow possibilities to cloud your judgment in battle. The important thing was that they had defeated him and gotten out alive.

No one spoke again until dinner was over. Mary and Christopher said goodnight to everyone, waving goodbye to their new friend as their mother led them upstairs to bed. Soon after they were gone, Alucard got up and headed towards the door.

"I shall take my leave now and let you rest," he claimed. "I thank you for your hospitality." And with that, the door was opened and he stepped out.

After hesitating for a moment, Simon got up and went after him. A part of him was half expecting to find him gone by the time he reached the door, but he wasn't, much to his delight. He could still be seen. Although, the mist was starting to set in again, indicating that the vampire was getting ready to vanish again. Simon couldn't bear the thought of that … especially after everything that had happened this evening. The thought of never seeing him again hurt his heart.

"Father, wait!" he shouted out.

Alucard froze in his steps, allowing Simon to catch up with him. When the white-haired vampire turned, there was a look of sadness etched upon his face rather than the shock that Simon had expected.

"You know." It was a statement, not a question.

Simon nodded his head. "The specter showed me who you were in the Mirror of Fate after you left the throne room."

Alucard hung his head. "I had hoped to spare you the shame of knowing what I had become."

Simon reached out and placed a hand on his father's shoulder. "I am not ashamed of you, father," he stated firmly. "In fact, I couldn't be more proud."

Raising his head to look at his son, Alucard couldn't help but smile as he reached out and pulled Simon close, wrapping his arms around him in a tender embrace. "I'm proud of you too, son."

Simon didn't hesitate to return the embrace, clinging to him tightly, perhaps a bit too tightly, but he knew that it wouldn't hurt him. His father was a vampire after all. At that moment it was almost as if time had rewinded itself somehow, taking them back to the last time they had hugged. The only obvious difference was that he was now a full-grown man, whereas he had been six years old the last time. His father's embrace still felt the same nonetheless.

"Please, don't go," Simon pleaded. "Not again."

Reluctantly Alucard pulled away from the embrace, the look of sadness returning to his face. "I have no choice, Simon," he said. "The Brotherhood is after me and they will not hesitate to come after you as well if they find out that I am staying with you."

"Then let them come!" Simon declared, allowing his anger towards them to come out. They were the ones who had separated him from his father in the first place. "I have defeated far mightier foes than them, and so have you!"

"I know, but it's too risky. You have created a wonderful life for yourself here, and the last thing I want is for you to be ripped away from your wife and children as I was from mine."

This statement rendered Simon temporarily speechless. All he could do was stare into his father's glowing yellow eyes, seeing the deep sadness within them. It was only then that he realized that his father was right. It was too risky. He couldn't risk the lives of his children or his wife, especially not while she was pregnant. As much as he didn't want his father to leave again, he knew that he had to let him go.

"All right," he relented. "Just promise me one thing … Promise me that you'll come back when you feel it's safe enough to do so."

Alucard nodded his head in agreement. "I don't know how long it will take, but I give you my word that I will come back."

Then with one last reassuring shoulder squeeze, Alucard stepped back, transforming himself back into his wolf form.

"I'll miss you, father."

The wolf howled back at him before turning and running off, disappearing into the mist. Simon wasn't entirely sure if he was just imagining it, but he swore he heard his father's voice echo through the air saying, "I'll miss you too, son."