A/N: My greatest apologies for the long time to update, but life was quite insistent.

Tower Terror

"Mademoiselle?" a voice called from the darkness as a bright light was shined across her cold face.

The young woman's eyes flitted open as she stared into numerous faces above her own, their expressions a mix of anxiety and curiosity. The guide was at the forefront, his face pale as he held a torch in his hand which lit the passageway. The traveler realized she was lying upon the dank stones of the catacombs, her dressed soaked through with the water of the damp ground. She slowly pushed herself upward, brushing off assistance offered by the entrepreneur, and rubbed her forehead with one hand.

"Are you alright?" her guide asked, a genuine tone of worry in his voice. He looked over her tiny form, apparently searching for any wounds, but the young woman had an idea his intentions weren't entirely noble. "What has happened?" he inquired as she stood to her feet, for the first time realizing she was now at the entrance to the horrid passage.

"I...I was attacked" the young woman answered, looking back into the black hall behind. "The man at the gate, he attacked me" she explained, turning a suspicious glance upon the guide.

"Ah, my greatest apologies, mademoiselle" the businessman quickly stated, looking nervously about his other customers. "I assure you he was not a friend of mine" he attempted to comfort, knowing his known affiliation with such a person would ruin his business. "Is there any way I can be of assistance?" he anxiously asked the young woman as she slowly stood to her feet.

"No, I am fine" she answered, shaking her head as the last bit of sleep left her mind. "But I wish to return to my hotel.This instant" she emphasized, and the guide quickly acquiesced to her blunt hint.

"Come, come, mon adventurers" he called out as he politely took the young woman's hand. "We must return the young mademoiselle to the surface, but perhaps later she will finish the tour?" he asked, receiving a soft smile and a shake of the head. "Ah, well, ze catacombs are indeed too dangerous for some."

With those words the guide led his small group back through the cramped passages, his torch shining off the damp walls as the young woman thought of her terrible experience. She shuddered as the remembrance of the man's screams came upon her thoughts, and breathed a sigh of relief as the cool night air hit her senses. With a joyful smile the group exited the dank underground and all breathed the pleasing smells of the river and night air.

The young woman bid a quick farewell to the guide and her stranger companions, much to the relief of the latter, and made her way quickly toward the hotel. She felt exhausted from the ordeal and could feel by the night air that day would soon come upon the city. With brisk steps, for now every shadow held an unpleasant reminder, she soon found herself in front of the large establishment which she currently called home.

The traveler hastily stepped through the doors and passed the empty front desk without seeing a soul, as even the revelers of the city had retired. Her footsteps echoed along the empty hallways and stairwell as she finished her journey at her bedroom door. She hesitated and turned for a moment, her eyes looking to Alucard's door with a fleeting glance.

The young woman had half a mind to knock upon his door to receive some solace, even at the price of his ire at the late hour disturbance. However, she slowly shook her head and placed her key in the lock, ashamed at her thoughtless idea. To trade his kindness with her emotional burden seemed quite an unfitting reward for the assistance he had so far given to her in her dilemma.

To her surprise, however, his door suddenly opened and her companion quickly stepped out into the hallway. Seeing her, with her disheveled appearance and pale skin from her horrid ordeal, his face became a mask of worry as he stepped across the passageway.

"What has happened?" he bluntly asked, peering over her form in order to check for signs of injury. "Were you attacked?"

"Well, yes and no..." she began, unsure how to approach the conversation now that Alucard had actually arrived. "Someone did try to attack me, but I escaped with assistance from someone else."

"I see" Alucard spoke with relief, sliding his hand over her own which held the key and turning the lock. The young lady blushed at the contact and quickly pulled her hand away, but he seemed not to notice. "Come into the room, the hallway cannot be too warm at this time of night."

"You are quite right" she agreed as she pushed open the door and stepped into her room, hearing Alucard's footsteps to the same. She walked over to the plush couch of the room and nearly collapsed upon the cushions, the adventure of the night finally catching up to her body. "I suppose it was foolish of me to go on such a tour, but the idea sounded so exciting."

"So you decided to take one of the Paris tours?" he questioned, receiving a nod for an answer. "Of the catacombs, I presume?" Again he received the same response, and a frown crossed his lips as he reclined in a chair opposite where she lay. "That was unwise" he bluntly stated, earning a grimace from his companion.

The young lady felt as if he had slapped her with his forward manner, but she felt she deserved such a tongue lashing. The other visitors in the tour had been wise enough to bring companions while she had gone alone, and the outcome had been predictable. She would need to learn from her mistake, or she would not be able to weather the next adventure so well.

"But perhaps now is not the time to be so harsh" he slowly added, his dark eyes moving up and down her form. "The night is almost gone and you appear to need rest." He stood to leave, and a small smile played upon his face. "Tomorrow I would like to take you to the Eiffel Tower, if you wish to go."

"I would be delighted" she replied with a weary smile as she stood to her feet with unsteady movements.

"Then tomorrow evening we shall see Paris together" Alucard spoke, grinning slightly. "I hope the excursion will be less eventful than tonight's."

"We can only hope" she agreed, walking him to the door and waving goodnight as her companion stepped out into the hall.

Softly the young traveler closed the door and leant her back against the hard wood, sighing quietly. His reprimand for her behavior was less harsh than she had expected, and the talk had eased her mind of the horrible memories of the catacombs. She now felt she could sleep peacefully, especially knowing Alucard was only a hallway from her own room. He was now her only lifeline to the world, and she realized she needed him for both support and protection.

The sun began to peek over the horizon as she lay her head upon the plush pillows, exhaustion finally taking its toll as she drifted into a deep sleep. Her dreams were filled with a mix of light and dark as the day drifted by, the world moving on even as she felt her own time stop. She felt as if a moment had gone by when she awoke, but the setting sun told her otherwise as she looked to her balcony in some astonishment.

"Have I truly slept the day away?" she asked herself aloud as she slipped from the bed.

The traveler quickly slipped into evening wear, the best she could find in the trunk, and as she finished she heard a knock upon the door. Opening the heavy portal, she found her new guide, handsomely dressed in a dark suit, standing upon the threshold with his peculiar half-smile upon his lips.

"Are you ready to see the Tower?" Alucard asked, looking upon her dress with satisfaction.

"Very much" she responded with a broad smile, stepping out onto the passage and closing her door.

"Then shall we go?" he inquired, offering his arm for her to take.

"I would be delighted" his companion replied, eagerly joining their arms.

The pair walked through the hall and down the flights of stairs to the busy lobby, the night scene of the city having returned with the moon above the sky. The young woman smiled in contentment as they passed through the doors and out into the night air, the numerous people milling about adding to the excitement of the evening.

"I thought we would follow the long route to the Tower" Alucard suddenly spoke, interrupting her thoughts.

"Oh?" she replied with a surprised expression upon her face. "Where are we to go?"

"The Champs Elysees" he announced, leading them down the numerous paths toward the famed arch.

The couple strode easily through the crowds, who seemed to part like the wave to the Hebrew deliverer. The female traveler looked upon the sights and people with innocent curiosity, her eyes astonished by the numerous images of evolving wardrobe fashion and ancient buildings. Soon, however, they reached the first destination upon their nightly adventure.

The young woman's eyes widened with astonishment as she caught her first glimpse of the impressive way. The Champs Elysees was lined with beautiful gardens and rows of chestnut trees, perfect borders for the colossal site of the Arc de Triomphe which rose above the pathway. The young traveler awed at the impressive arch which commemorated one man's victories in the fleeting world. However, her eyes were quickly turned to lights beyond the river, signifying the great beacon of the city.

The Eiffel Tower stood at the end of the Champ de Mars just across the River Seine, its majesty rising high above the buildings. Many people around them also viewed the structure with awe as they milled about the

"Impressive, is it not?" Alucard inquired as he stood beside her, his eyes upon her form rather than the object he mentioned.

"Yes" she softly answered, feeling a louder pitch would ruin the moment. She turned and smiled back at her companion, though she vaguely wondered why he held such interest in her entertainment. "Shall we go to the Tower now?" she asked, stepping forward and turning around playfully to face him.

"If you wish" Alucard agreed, grinning as he led her toward the tall structure beyond the river.

The companions walked with purpose toward their destination, the distance passing quickly as the River Seine came upon them and was then swiftly left behind. However, the young woman began to have doubts as the crowds thinned to nothing, the streets deserted and the buildings dimly lit.

"Are we truly allowed to climb the Tower during the night?" she asked her companion nervously as she realized the last building had long since been passed.

"I obtained permission" Alucard replied with a half smile, looking down to his uncomfortable escort. "There is no need to worry."

"All right" she answered, clutching at his arm somewhat tightly for assurance as the base of the tower came upon them.

The female traveler's mouth opened in awe as she looked upward at the tall structure, her eyes blinking furiously in amazement. She could hardly fathom man creating such a massive building, but the proof stood before her very eyes.

"Most visitors are only allowed to the first three floors" Alucard informed as they approached the entrance. "But I have managed to have the highest platform open for our use."

His companion smiled up at him in glee and they went into the building. However, she immediately became confused as he led her toward two doors and pressed a button. Looking up at him with a quizzical expression, he chuckled slightly.

"Though you have no memories, I believe this may be your first ride upon an elevator" he spoke as the doors opened.

He carefully led her upon the platform of the elevator and the doors closed behind them, causing her to give a small shriek of surprise. She clutched at his arm for safety as the machine began to slowly move, climbing to the highest of the accessible floors. Only by the time they had reached the third floor and the doors opened did the female traveler begin to ease her grip upon his arm.

"Come, we have a climb to make" Alucard announced as he gently led her from the elevator and onto the platform.

He guided his curious companion toward a small shaft which he quickly opened, revealing a small ladder. Then the male turned to his female counterpart, his eyes quickly sweeping over her dress.

"I would invite the lady to go first, but I believe I would receive quite a sight for my chivalry" he teased, earning a blush from the young lady.

"Then after you" she managed to say, gesturing clumsily for him to proceed first.

Alucard bowed slightly and began to climb the ladder, the footsteps of his fellow traveler following quickly behind. The pair silently took their path upward, but after a few minutes they came to a latch. With a quick pull the leader opened the metal board and climbed out, offering his hand to the young woman as she pulled herself up onto the platform. As she raised her head, her eyes met with a wonderful view and she quickly strode to the small railing which traveled around the floor.

The young woman looked out upon the City of Light, wondering at the magnificent sight of so many lit buildings like torches in the ocean of night. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply as a breeze came from behind, cooling the night air with its fragrance. However, she wrinkled her nose as an unusually unpleasant odor wafted in the wind, displeasing her senses.

She turned around in confusion, trying to find the source and distinguish the strange smell.

"Is something the matter?" Alucard asked, his eyes upon her small form.

However, before she could reply a man rounded one of the large beams, a mad look upon his face as he brandished a large, strange looking knife. She realized too late his direction as he ran straight toward where they stood, indistinguishable words flowing from his mouth in a foreign tongue. Without thinking, a moment before he was upon them, she shoved Alucard to the side along with her own body.

The man, shock upon his face, was unable to stop his frenzied advance and slammed into the railing which surrounded the platform. With a horrified scream he was pitched over the metal and fell over the edge. The young woman and her companion quickly looked over the railing and watched the man fall to his death, a look of agony mixed with unconcealed hatred in his face as his features fell too far to distinguish.

The young woman, however, upon looking at his expression suddenly felt dizzy and she swooned upon the platform. Flashes of pictures shook her mind as she seemed to witness another scene within her vision of thoughts. She could see another man, similar to the one who had fallen, lying upon the ground with the same look upon his features. A figure stood over him, but she could not decipher where they were a man or a woman as the vision faded to the darkness of the Tower.

"We must leave" Alucard instructed as he guided her toward the ladder, his arms about her shoulders as he assisted her to the lower levels.

The young lady could only comply with his command as she numbly shook her head, her body quivering as she struggled down the ladder. Rather than taking the elevator, which she expected, he led her toward the stairwell. As they passed the door he suddenly swept her into his arms, a small grin upon his face once again.

"Pardon my impudence, mademoiselle" he spoke as he swiftly jumped over the rail of the stairs and down to the next landing.

The young woman could only cling to him as she shrieked with horror, the drop a good ten feet to the next floor. However, he landed perfectly and proceeded to repeat the process to the first floor, causing her to merely clutch at his suit. Thus they were soon within the lobby of the tower, where she was carefully set upon the ground, and then out into the cool night air. Unfortunately for the weakened woman, the dead man also awaited their arrival.

She covered her mouth to stifle her horror as the prone figure lay upon the hard ground a dozen feet from where they stood. Thankfully the dark night hid anything grotesque, but she could not help but sense the scent of death in the air. Alucard quickly guided her around the body, for that was all that remained of the poor fool, and led them to the hotel by a different route then across the Champs Elysees.

"Now is not the time to mourn" he whispered into her ear as they quickly strode from the premises.

The return to the hotel took some time, but neither spoke of what had occurred. The young woman could feel nothing, as a numbness had taken hold of her mind and body, and she was thankful when they reached their final destination. Swiftly they traveled through the empty lobby and to the hall which contained their rooms, all the while the young female holding tightly to her companion's arm.

Upon reaching her door, however, she reluctantly let go and for a long moment fumbled with the lock. She would not ask for help and she could not look into Alucard's face, the horror of the dead man's expression still emblazoned upon her mind. However, a hand fell upon her shoulder and she was forced to turn around, her eyes meeting his strange dark orbs.

"Tomorrow we shall discuss tonight, and other matters" he softly ordered, his hand hesitantly slipping from her shoulder as he turned to his own door.

Without another word Alucard entered his room and shut the door behind himself, closing the young woman off to any further discussion. With a shake of her head to clear her mind she opened her door and softly entered, dropping her shoes carelessly to the floor as she stumbled to her bedroom.

Sleep awaited her, one she desperately desired with her current state of exhaustion, and she quickly fell upon the bed . The past two nights of adventures took their heavy toll and she soon slipped into the land of Morpheus.