Sorry for the delays, thanks to LadyLunarPhoenix for the help.

---

"Okay, Arikado," Soma sighed as he tucked his feet under him after settling on the bed once more. "Go ahead and explain."

"If you were wondering how you were tied up, you had fallen asleep while we traveled, and I did distinctively remember you had told me you sleep walked. So as a precaution to keep you from inflicting harm on yourself, I had you tied up." The dhampire paused to gather his thoughts, and sort them out in his head. "I did so because I genuinely did not wish for you to be in danger."

"And why's that?" The teen unconsciously leaned closer, as he tilted his head – his cerulean eyes almost gleamed in the low light. "Are you afraid the vessel will break?" There is a slight sneer in his voice.

"In a way yes – but not in the way you think. In a manner, you reminded me much of what my father was, when Mother was alive." Arikado spoke in an unusually soft voice. "I did indeed thought you were just a human-shape vessel for my father's magic, and my perception in the gallery was the image of a broken vase." Then he rose up abruptly, and he looked rather uncomfortable about revealing his thoughts, his secrets to the young man. "However, I can't think that any longer."

"Why not? You did well in believing that in the castle." Soma flicked a white strand of hair from his face. "So what, did you have a epiphany or something?"

"More like it's because you had." The man replied coolly. "The visions, the dreams, and the memories you have been gaining. There is no possible way to say you are just a vessel now."

The room plunged into silence as the words and implication hung over their heads.

--

The forest fell into a deathly silence as the trio left the temple towards the rental car Julius had drove to the shrine in. Benji and Mina were both deep in conversation, unaware of the strange, sudden quiet.

"Mina! Benji! Back to the temple!" The Belmont shouted in alarm as he withdrew a hatchet from his inside coat pocket. With the vampire killer drained of its powers, the older man was forced to hone his skills with other weapons.

"Back to…- what?" The redheaded male called back in confusion, then Mina grabbed his arm in alarm and yanked him back, just as the scent of decay filled his nostrils.

"No time, hurry!" The older man bolted down the stairway towards the blackened aura that appeared in his vision. With that, the Priestess and American rushed up back towards the stairway, with Mina glancing back to see what it was that alarmed the Belmont so.

Shambling corpses swayed, and almost danced around a white cat with twin tails, their bodies making a sickening groan from the shifting of internal organs, and the creaking of bones and loosen tendons. The powerfully-build Belmont skidded to a halt.

A cat? No… something else, Julius crouched, his weapon facing towards the strange cat; it's sharp edge glinting in the evening light. "Leave or be destroyed!"

"I think not," The cat purred in antiquated Japanese. "Dance with him, my flesh puppets," She hissed as the corpses flung themselves at the Englishman.

"I fought worse then this! Do you really think this will stop us?" The russet-haired man grunted as he swung the weapon, slicing through rotting flesh, A quick glanced upwards from the fallen ghoul showed that in the cat's place was a nimble woman of alabaster skin with snow hair, with burning crimson eyes.

"Of course not – foreigner, it's only to soften you up." Yuri smirked as she withdrew war fans from her sleeves, and with a fluid grace, she darted around the undead, moving to strike at the vampire hunter.

He pivoted as he raised the axe to block the strike of one fan, his foot thrust out to smash it against the cat-creature's torso. Who taught you to fight? – Julius wanted to ask – her movements were amateurish, and she telegraphs her next action quite 'loudly'. However, the redhead kept his focus on the fight itself.

A sharp hiss escaped the albino's throat as she attempted to slash him with the spikes on the fan's edge in much the manner a cat would swipe at another. "You fight… well… for a dirty European." She snarled as she stumbled back when the kick connected. "No matter… hssss – your kind will perish." Her pretty face was twisted in a most bestial expression of rage of an aristocrat when finding a mere beggar had insulted her.

"Enough talk." The Belmont snorted between clashes of weapon against weapon. A terrible attacker, but she did know how to parry attacks – he'll give her that. Despite his age, Julius did not wear down as the spar went on, as he kept a sharp eye opened for a flaw in her defense – a mistimed dodge, a parry to the wrong direction or-

A-ha! The feline-like vampire screeched in a manner that would do a banshee proud as the curved blade of the axe dug into her hip, almost bouncing against the pelvis, shearing her skin in a ragged, crooked manner. "Give up already, beast – You were a fool to challenge me directly." He jerked to keep the weapon from catching onto muscle and bone. Last thing he needed was to have it stuck in a creature of unknown vulnerability.

"Challenge?" She backed away quickly, a manicured hand clutching at the injury, her breath coming out as labored hissing. "Har…-" whatever the Gaki was going to say, she quickly changed her mind. "You'll pay for this, you disgusting insect!" With a florid gesture, she pulled some of the down corpse-puppets back up, and started to bolt into the woods, shifting into a small, white cat – so hurried in it she forgot to meld her clothes into the animal form.

"God damn it!" She was just like the vampires, all threats and no sense of courage, Julius cursed as he moved to re-dispatch the ghouls.

---

"…What the hell was that, Mina?" Benji jerked his head back to where they ran from. He had caught the scent of a cat – but it wasn't… normal. Somehow it was both part of nature and yet not.

"Gaki, Nekotama, they're something like vampire cats – that can control corpses." The priestess explained quickly as she shut the door behind them. "Don't worry – he can handle it. Julius has fought worse."

"Why us though?" The half-Navajo pointed to himself. "Is it about cross?"

"Most likely, they're probably trying to get him to show himself – oh! I wish Arikado let us know where they went!" The young woman slammed her hands against the door.

"So – what? We can't just hole ourselves up in here!" Benji looked exasperated. "And how the hell does a vampire get on sacred ground?"

"Gaki are different from western vampires – they can go on sacred ground unless it's specifically warded against them – they are Youkai – which – how best to describe it? Nature demons." Mina went into a back room, where her parents kept the scrolls. She wasn't sure if they were work or not. "Forgot what you see in those movies, a lot of it isn't true, I'm sorry you got dragged into this whole mess!"

"Hey – knowing me, I'd probably get in some sort of trouble like this… you sure he can handle those things?" The stocky teen glanced towards the window nervously.

"Yes he can-" The door was pushed open, the two teens turned about looking at the new arrival.

---

"Yamato!" A voice called out to the Gaki. The ronin turned about to see the owner of the voice. Ayame stopped at the doorway, her hair disheveled.

"Yes?" The man questioned as he rose up from his lily pad position.

"That horrid thing… tried to kiss me!" The onnagatta hissed as her unusually broad hands reached up to fix her hair.

"What?" The voice was low, and throaty – a veiled threat with in. "How dare he… I should-"

"No, you gave your word, you can't go back on it," She urged himself as she moved forward, her fingertips brushing against his chin.

"He tried to violate you."

"He is a stupid westerner, he'd probably be shuddering in horror, if he knew." The painted lips chuckled in cruel amusement. "Besides, if violation would require the removal of my clothing, Brother." The tall woman tone was teasing on the 'brother', as she kissed his cheek.

"I'm going to keep a closer grip on that Orlox, Sister." A faint smile appeared as if they're sharing a strange secret. "This death god he summoned does not care for him either – perhaps another alliance can be made, one that doesn't involve a two-faced man who goes behind one's back."

"Hmmm… I like how you think." She slid down, pushing him down with her so he would sit. With that, she laid her head in his lap.

"Is there something you don't like about me?" Yamato curled a clawed finger around a strand of Ayame's raven tresses, the soft sigh of his silk sleeve audible only to them.

"Let me think…" She turned her head so her chocolate eyes met his amber ones. Pausing, her face scrunched up as if it was hard to think. "No." Ayame smiled.

---

"So… I'm your dad? Does that mean I can ground you?" Soma tried to joke – even if his mind tried to rebel against this. No, no, and hell no! He thought with some disgust at himself – he couldn't really be Dracula himself, could he?

"I hardly find that funny," Arikado's lips pursed as he stood up from his seat, brushing a stray bit of lint from his sleeve, using it as an excuse to avert his eyes. Part of him felt that tiny spark of remorse at breaking the news to the boy – but his cold logic squashed it flat. He had to know, for everyone's sake.

"I know…" You never found anything funny, the albino pouted. "The – woman that imp mention – was that your… mother?"

"Aye, and the love of your life in your previous form." The man took in his breath sharply. The memory – despite his centuries long lifespan was still painful, still as fresh as when he was fourteen. Alucard could almost smell the burning flesh; hear her pleas to him. He steeled himself, trying not to become nauseated.

"She must've been something," The young man shifted in his seat, staring at his feet. Soma wondered if he thought hard enough, maybe he could… perhaps know this person.

"She was. She was." His voice cracked in an uncharacteristic display of emotion, turning his head away.

"Adrian… I'm sorry." The young man bolted up. Then wondered how he knew that name, his hand clamped over his mouth in shock. "Ahn…?"

"It's nothing, Soma-" He almost flinched at being called by his natural name. "She was a good woman, you'll recall in time."