A/N: So here is the new Alucard/OC story I mentioned. It starts just before Lisa is taken and she lives, but please don't think this will be an all happy fic. These are dark times, even without Dracula's night horde. There are lots of bad things that go bump in the night that aren't supernatural, and some that are. At least we will get to see Sypha and Trevor along the way eventually. Some things are just meant to be, no matter what changes :) I hope you like the beginning!

Chapter 1

Lisa Tepes eyed the woman across the table from her. It was hard to tell from her voice alone if she was young or in her middle ages, but she was not yet old or infirm. That was the most she could discern, as her hood was still up, and she refused to look directly at the doctor. Shifty would be an excellent way to describe her. Though Lisa did not feel threatened.

She sat back once more as the woman spoke again. "I was told there was a doctor in this house. One that was new to this town and that would not be averse to treating an outsider. Is that you?"

"I am a doctor, yes, and I will treat any that need my help. What can I do for you?"

The woman reached for her hood but hesitated. She then dropped her hand, and her voice lowered into a near whisper. "I must ask first, I do not wish what as spoken of between us to leave these walls. For any reason, not even to the church."

Lisa wondered what on earth had happened but still placed a hand over the other woman's where it rested on the table. "Fear not. I will vow that your confidence is safe with me."

At her reassurance, the woman finally pushed her hood back. Lisa gasped when the girl faced her, for surely that was all she was. She could not have been more than her own son's age, no matter the hard note in her voice. That was not what made her gasp. There was days old bruising around the girl's jaw and a split lip that was nearly healed. Somehow, she had a feeling those were the simplest of the injuries.

Lisa got up without a word and locked her door before she turned back to the girl. "No one can interrupt. Please tell me what happened."

The girl sighed and stood to remove her cloak and then hesitantly removed her tunic as well. Lisa was a little shocked that the girl was wearing trousers, but brushed it aside as she saw the pattern of bruising and the gash that ran along the girl's stomach below the strange binding she had for her breasts. Her voice was nearly a monotone when she spoke. "I have been little more than a wanderer for almost two years now, but I have learned to take care of myself. This time I was attacked by too many for me to fight off alone. I am worried about infection, among other things."

Lisa put a comforting hand on the girl's shoulder. There was no easy way to ask what she needed to know. "Did they-"

The girl cut her off before she could finish. "One of them- he started, but a drunk with a nasty whip happened by. I didn't stick around to ask for a name."

Lisa sighed. This story was not unusual. It was unfortunate, and she could well understand why the girl had asked for her story to be kept quiet, even from the church. Those men would probably blame her for the attack and stone her for it, or worse. She gently took the girl's arm and led her to the back room. "I will need to complete a thorough exam. Will you be alright?" The girl gritted her teeth and nodded.

Much to Lisa's surprise, the girl was not as skittish as she had expected. Though she was stiff. Luckily, the examination did not take long, and she was glad to find that although there was evidence of trauma, it was not as extensive as it could have been. There was also no sign of infection.

Once the girl was dressed again, Lisa gave her a look of concern. "Why don't you stay here for a few days, and I can observe you to make sure nothing develops."

The girl gave her an odd look. "Why would you make that offer? You don't even know my name."

Lisa smiled at her. "Nor have you asked for mine, yet you trusted me enough to examine you."

The girl shifted uncomfortably for a moment before she looked back. "Coraline Watanabe."

Lisa blinked at her a few times. "Excuse me?"

The girl shrugged. "My name, though when I was younger, my parents just called me Cora."

Lisa smiled. "That is a lovely name, though I must admit I have never heard the likes of your last name. You must have traveled quite far. I am Lisa Tepes, by the way, and you are more than welcome to stay, Cora."

Cora looked back with a frown. "Would your family not object?"

Lisa gestured around. "My husband is away on business, and my son will not be back for a few days. Won't you at least agree to stay until then?"

Cora finally nodded. "I will agree to stay if you will allow me to help in any way I can."

Lisa stood to show her the way to where she could clean up and rest. "I would be happy for the help."

Over the next few days, Lisa was shocked to find that Cora was surprisingly good at mixing the compounds. All she had to do was show the girl once, and then she could replicate the mix again perfectly every time. It made her work much simpler, though the girl would practically disappear if any others came to call on her.

That was one of her many quirks. Lisa also found that the girl seemed to carry several blades on her person that she had somehow missed during her initial examination. The only reason she knew of them at all was because she would occasionally see the girl pull one out for something or another, and she noted they were each different and came from different hiding spots.

Despite how secretive the girl was, she was not threatening. Lisa did not once feel that the girl meant her harm. On the contrary, she almost felt as though the girl was drowning, and she was the only one that could see it behind the tough front she presented. She didn't bother saying anything about it as she had a feeling it would be unappreciated. Instead, she did her best to make Cora feel welcomed while she was there. It was the least she felt she could do. The girl seemed like she had seen little enough of that in the last two years, at least from what she could gather.

It was a shame too. The young woman was a pretty thing when she wasn't scowling or hiding her face. She had cut her hair short, probably to look more like a boy, but it did little to help her elfin features. Her nose was pert, and her lips were full. She had the greenest eyes Lisa had ever seen, but her hair was black. There was a tilt to her eyes that was obviously foreign as well, though the girl spoke Romanian well enough. At least the cloak she wore covered her curves. She was not tall, nor was she as full-figured as some women, but without the baggy clothes, there would be no mistaking her for a boy, that was certain.

It had been nearly a week, and Adrian had yet to return. It was not unusual, so Lisa was not worried. At least she had convinced Cora to stay. Unfortunately, the girl was currently hiding in the back room and mixing up some of her own concoctions. She had gotten permission from Lisa to use the equipment and had been busy at it all day.

The old woman that Lisa was currently speaking with had a nasty cough, but it didn't sound like anything that should be too hard to treat, despite the way she went on about her previous treatments. Lisa cringed at some of them. It was hard for her to believe that people actually did those sorts of things.

When she went into the back room, she saw Cora putting several things into her pack before she turned with a smile. "I just finished the last of them. Thank you."

Lisa grinned at her. "Are you going to tell me what it was now? This room reeks."

Cora just grinned back. "Maybe later. I promise the smell will be gone soon. Right now, you have a patient, right?"

Lisa gave her a mock glare. She knew the girl was being evasive once again, but there was little she could do for the moment. Instead, she grabbed the ingredients she needed to mix the serum and headed back out. "I'm almost done."

Cora just gave her a nod before she went to stand in the doorway just out of sight to watch. Her pack was still in her hand as she observed the conversation. Part of her wanted to go out and join them. She missed being able to socialize for the hell of it, but she squashed the urge. She was already too comfortable here. She needed to move on and find the truth.

It was only a few moments after Lisa handed the bottle over to the old woman that there was a knock on the door. She went to answer it as she was going to let her patient out. They were both shocked to see several men in clerical robes standing outside. The bishop was the one to step forward and speak. "Are you Lisa Tepes, of Lupu?"

Lisa tilted her head to the side a little. "Yes, how may I help you?"

The man ignored her question as he spoke again. "I am an emissary of the archbishop of Targoviste. We have been told that you serve this village as a physician. Is that true?"

Lisa gave him a slightly confused look. "I am a doctor, yes. Is the archbishop ill, do you need my help?"

The man once again ignored her as he turned to the others. "You know what to look for."

All four men pushed past the woman in the doorway and started throwing her things around. She ran back into the house after them. "What is it? What do you need? If you tell me, I will gladly help you."

They continued to ignore her as the other man stepped in. By that point, Cora had seen enough. She stepped out of her hiding spot despite her fear. Though the men had not seen her yet. She walked to where Lisa was standing in time to hear the one in white tell her to be silent. She was not shocked to hear the older woman refuse.

She was also not shocked to hear the man accuse Lisa of using satan's tools. This was something she had come to expect from this deranged place. The main reason she had asked for her own plight to be kept quiet. Still, she couldn't let this woman be taken in for doing nothing more than helping people.

She started to step in front of Lisa, but one of the men had discovered the back room and called out. They all turned to go back there, but the man in white stopped when he saw Cora. "Who are you?"

Lisa spoke up before Cora could. "He is a vagabond that was passing through. I allowed him to stay and help me for a few days. He has nothing to do with this, he only worked for a roof over his head."

The bishop sniffed with disdain at the tattered cloak and pretty features of the young 'boy.' "Leave now, unless you are not a god-fearing member of the church."

Lisa gave her a pleading look that Cora balked at. However, she realized that up against the five men, she had no chance. Not right now. She bowed her head and kept her mouth shut as she clenched her bag tighter and walked out the door. That didn't mean she was giving up. She also didn't go far.

She waited just outside in the shadows and listened as Lisa pleaded with them not to do this. Not because she didn't want to die, but because if they harmed her, 'he' would kill them all. It took a few moments for it to click in her head that the woman was talking about her husband. Vlad Dracula Tepes.

That was a name that had slipped out unintentionally one day, but Cora had managed to keep a straight face. That name from old legends was a familiar one, and yet was this woman's husband? Her pleas made sense if it was the same man from Cora's remembrance. The link to her own past. What a strange thing to have between her history and this place. Still, it made no difference. She had no plans to allow Lisa to come to harm.

She stayed out of sight as the men left, and the house went up in flames. She wished there was something she could do to save the things inside, but she was only one person. One person that was forced to rely heavily on stealth and her brain. Right now, she could not force her will. She would have to bide her time. At least she knew where they were going.

It was still the middle of the night, and the house was still burning embers. Cora had not followed after the men that held Lisa. Something had told her to wait just a short while. She did not want to get caught if she followed too closely. She could do what she needed after they arrived.

It was as she was walking around the edge of the burning home once again that she was tackled from behind without any warning. Despite the abruptness of the action, she was able to roll into it and away from her attacker. Though she was not able to keep away from him long. It was less than a second later that she found herself pinned to the ground, and the snarling face of a young man was hovering over her. "What have you done!?"

His eyes widened for a fraction of a second as he took in her face, but the hard look came back immediately. Cora had not missed the fact that he had fangs, however. It only concreted who she assumed him to be. It wasn't a difficult thing to guess, as he looked much like Lisa. She forced herself to stay calm as she spoke. "You must be Adrian Tepes."

He leaned back a little, though he did not lose his glare. "What happened to my mother?"

Cora pushed against his grip on her wrist. "She was taken by the church to Targoviste as a witch. I have plans to go get her back. I am only waiting until I know they will not be watching for anyone to follow."

He sat back with a start. It looked as though he was trying to process her words. "Why would you help? Why are you even here? I have not seen you in this village before."

Cora looked away as she got to her feet and righted her cloak to cover her face once more. "I am a wanderer. I came here for help. Your mother treated me, and in turn, I assisted her for a few days. She told them I was a vagabond. A boy that she gave a room to and they let me go. I refuse to let her good deeds be punished by idiots that can't see past their blind hatred for anything or anyone different."

She then turned back to him. "Will you come with me?"

He looked shocked, but only for a moment. "I have a horse."

Cora blinked a few times. She had not had the opportunity to ride a horse since she had been here, nor had she ever learned before. Surely it couldn't be that hard. She gave him a nod and followed him back to where he had left the roan. She watched as he leapt into the saddle and then turned to her. She eyed the contraption for a moment before he sighed irritably and held a hand out. "We don't have much time."

She took his hand and was shocked when he pulled on it with enough force that she went flying into the air and landed gracelessly across his lap. He growled once again as she quickly righted herself, and they were soon on their way.

It was only after the fifth time that Cora tried to rearrange herself in front of the man that he finally spoke. "Have you never been in a saddle before?"

Cora's back stiffened, but she wasn't going to lie. "No, I have not."

His voice softened slightly as he helped her shift into a more comfortable position. "Why did you not say so sooner?"

She only shrugged. "I didn't think it mattered."

The man sighed in frustration but kicked the horse faster. Nothing would happen overnight, but they also did not have time to lose. The inquisition would not be any less pleasant than the final outcome.