A/N: There is an alarming lack of Castlevania fiction here. I came to deliver.

*My Vampire Babysitter*

Part One

~Alucard is tasked with babysitting Trevor and Sypha's children for the day. The vampire lord realizes soon that taking care of human children, especially Belmont children, is a lot harder than fighting demon hoards~

The sun still had not awoken when the Belmont clan's wagon reached the threshold of Alucard's castle. The vampire stood on the steps, surveying the three tiny humans before him. The tallest was a girl, her black hair curling around her broad shoulders and strikingly pale face. Icy blue eyes glared back at the vampire. Alucard concluded that she was her father's child without a doubt.

The middle child was only an inch or so shorter but his presence was far less domineering. Instead, his aura was quiet, wise even. He carried himself like an aging Speaker.

The youngest was his mother's child. He had her innocent blue eyes and blond curls. He was holding a rag doll in his right hand and rubbing his face with his left. Despite appearing tired, the boy bounced back and forth on his heels like a ball of energy waiting to be unleashed.

"Hello, children," the vampire greeted. He attempted a friendly smile but was met with less enthusiasm.

Sypha's robes rustled as she moved towards her offspring. She planted a kiss on each of their foreheads. "Be good for Alucard," she whispered, her voice sounding watery. She stood upright then and nodded at the vampire. "Thank you for doing this."

Alucard placed a hand on her shoulder. "Anything for a friend," he responded gently.

Sypha took a deep breath and smiled despite her glistening eyes. "We must be going. My grandfather doesn't have much time left," she said, looking to her husband.

Looking at the sky, now decorated with streaks of orange, Trevor nodded in agreement. "If we move now, we'll be in Gresit by midday," he observed.

"Go," Alucard urged them. "Your children will be safe. I will not let anything happen to them."

Trevor smiled knowingly and took Sypha's hand. The two waved to their children and started towards their wagon. Trevor looked back at the vampire lord and said, "Good luck, friend. You'll need it."

Alucard knew Trevor was being humorous, but as the couple drove away, the vampire had a sinking feeling that perhaps he'd taken more than what he bargained for.

Following Alucard inside, the Belmont children let their eyes roam the castle. It was meticulously clean, for one thing. Lining the walls were multiple lamps, each one lighting on its own as they approached it. Leona knew that this kind of technology had existed courtesy of her parents' stories, but seeing it in front of her was a different experience. She quietly marveled at the velvet, jacquard and satin that surrounded them. Her family, by contrast, lived a fairly modest life. They only utilized the amenities they needed to be comfortable. She wondered why her father avoided saying his surname in front of others when he could use it as leverage and live as grandly as his friend, Alucard.

Leona didn't know much about this man, or rather, this vampire hybrid. She remembered him vaguely when he last visited their cottage in Oltenia. She was seven perhaps, playing with a toy whip her father had fashioned for her, when the front door opened and a marvelously tall, pale man entered. Her parents embraced him warmly. She remembered bursting into tears immediately, terrified by his fangs when he smiled. She'd refused to go near him, weary of the energy that surrounded him. Her father taught her how to read the auras that followed malevolent beings. She knew how dangerous vampires were. And while her parents trusted this being, she did not. She held her baby brother's hand tightly so he wouldn't wander too far. Gabriel, her other sibling, obediently walked alongside her.

Alucard knew the children did not trust him. He hadn't really spent time with any of them. When Sypha gave birth to Leona ten years ago, the vampire made sure to visit the new parents. The babe was still very much a newborn, red-faced and fussy, but her parents cooed over her like a puppy. Trevor encouraged Alucard to hold her, but he declined. The immortal wished he could understand the human impulse to love their children, as his own mother had, but when she died, so did Alucard's desire to have his own family. By the time Simon was born, Alucard had felt that he'd been cast out of the only family he'd been part of. The truth was sealed when he walked through the door and little Leona glared at him like he was the devil. And maybe it was true, but it still hurt. Trevor must have sensed that Alucard had become distant, because his letter to him seemed apologetic. It was as though the Belmonts had abandoned him by moving the family to a safer location.

Out of guilt, the immortal accepted the task of watching the children. He'd given up hope on being part of their family, but at the very least, he wanted Trevor and Sypha to know how much he missed them.

"I'm hungwy."

The crystal-clear, high-pitched voice broke the vampire from his thoughts. He turned to see Leona kneeling beside Simon, the little boy. She was whispering something to him, her voice harsh. "I told you, mama gave me some jerky. I'll give you some later!"

Alucard pitied the boy. "I have food," he stated.

Leona responded by stepping in front of her brother protectively. "Vampires don't eat. They drink blood," she said. Gabriel nodded.

Letting a small chuckle leave his lips, Alucard replied, "Yes, you are correct. Vampires only require blood to sustain themselves. However, I am part human, so I also require food. I occasionally enjoy a pastry here and there. Do you like pastries?"

Gabriel nervously looked up to his sister. Alucard could respect how much she resembled Trevor, in both appearance and behavior. She was their protector. Leona opened her mouth to speak, but Simon tugged on her sleeve.

"Hungwy!" He whined.

Leona sighed and looked back at Alucard. The immortal did everything he could to be less intimidating. He softened his expression, pulled his mane back and relaxed his shoulders.

It seemed to work. Leona nodded to Gabriel and took a few steps closer to the vampire. "...What kind of pastries do you have?" She asked.

"Many," Alucard replied with a smile, careful not to flash his fangs. "I have dobrogenea, pasca, plum cakes; and those are just the Romanian desserts. You can try whatever you like."

The children followed him to the kitchen, where he brought several glass platters out of the pantry. He opened the ice box and pulled the frozen pastries out. The children watched as the vampire prepared their plates and brought them to the table. Leona helped her brothers climb onto the chairs and then seated herself. Alucard brought them each a glass of milk.

"Enjoy," he said.

Leona took the first bite. Alucard watched, almost nervously, as the girl plucked a tiny piece of cake with her fingers and popped it into her mouth. She chewed delicately and swallowed, following it with a sip of milk. Her eyes seemed to brighten instantly. Gabriel appeared to take this as permission, because then he began eating. And Simon excitedly shoved as much cake as he could into his tiny mouth, though most of it ended up on his face.

The vampire proudly sat at the end of the table, sliding his fork into the piece he'd cut for himself. As he ate, he said, "This is my favorite recipe. My mother made it for me all the time as a boy."

"Your mother sounds nice," Gabriel commented softly, taking a drink of milk.

Alucard smiled at the memories. "Yes, she was," he replied.

Leona asked, "What happened to her?"

The vampire looked up in surprise. He wasn't expecting the girl to be interested. But he figured that children were curious and the Belmont offspring were no different.

He sighed, wiping his lips with a napkin. He folded it back together and placed it in his lap. "My father had extensive medical and scientific knowledge that he shared with my mother," he started. "She used that knowledge to become a doctor and started helping people. Her love for her people convinced my father to travel so he could learn about their cultures and practices. When he came back, he learned that she had been taken away by members of the church and was accused of being a witch. She...she was burned at the stake."

The last few words cut into Alucard's heart. He still carried tremendous guilt about his mother's death. A hand touched his elbow and the vampire looked down to see Simon there, his face coated with cake bits and cheese. His blue eyes were watery and sad, as though he too was grieving. Alucard put his hand over the child's and smiled.

"Thank you," he said.

Leona walked over to them and cleared her throat. "Mr. Alucard," the girl said. "Simon needs a wash."

The vampire nodded. "Agreed," he said. "There's a bathroom down the hall. Let's get you cleaned up."

A/N: This is clearly based off the series and not the game. I've also taken a few liberties with the children's names and such. There will be a part two coming. Thank you for reading!