Chapter Nine
Breaking up the Monotony
Alucard was finishing another round of monitoring Mercedes's neighborhood and found nothing amiss so far. This was the third check tonight. The cars parked in the streets were all without passengers or monitoring devices. A small construction company van parked behind the apartment building across the street from Mercedes's building was likewise empty and contained only sheetrock, plaster, paint and other building materials.
Mental scans found nothing but residents thinking asinine daily thoughts. The child was deep asleep in his bed, wrapped up in his blanket with a ridiculously large stuffed dragon, and therefore obviously not under attack.
The progenitor of vampires did find the choice in stuffed animals for the noble child a passing amusement, given that her grandfather's family crest had griffons and her grandmother's was without animals, yet his secondary family crest was a dragon. Alucard wondered who had bought the stuffed animal for the ebon haired child, and their reason for doing so. If she had lived in these modern times, it was the sort of thing he could imagine his wife to have done for their son to be playfully teasing of his family's house name and symbol. Mihnea had idolized his father and anything to do with their house, even though the former prince had been absent much of his son's young life due to the war he had been fighting. His son would have adored such a toy at that age and wouldn't have understood the subtle teasing his mother was making with the gift…
That line of contemplation barely lasted a minute in total before the vampire realized where his wistful thoughts had gone and furiously shoved the thoughts out of his mind. He wasn't that man anymore. He wasn't even human. He didn't have a human family to concern himself over. His wife was dead and his son was murdered. He was the Vampire King and his life was dedicated to battling those he deemed fit to unleash his powers and rage on, and simply finding some pleasurable diversions between the slaughters. It did no good to think about the past or things that could have been were they different. All it did was push him closer to the brink of insanity, and he had had enough of that over the centuries that he wasn't going to allow it to happen again.
Alucard instead shifted his attention to read the elderly babysitter's mind from a distance and found nothing to indicate she was a spy for Iscariot planted to watch the family.
Alucard even went so far as to peer into many of the apartments and houses around the immediate neighborhood, especially the empty building being renovated across the street from Mercedes's apartment building; just to be certain there weren't any Iscariot operatives, capable of shielding their thoughts to avoid detection, hiding out to survey Mercedes's apartment. The vampire found nothing to be concerned with. Except perhaps one rather large, hairy-bodied, balding man's apparent fixation with masturbating to hermaphroditic tentacle hentai who lived down the street from Mercedes.
Alucard shuddered as he recalled that unexpected and disgusting sight. He'd never entirely understand human mentality. Even when he had been in mortal flesh, he hadn't thought along the same lines as other humans in most circumstances. Six hundred years of being a vampire had only served to widen that difference in views.
The Vampire King sighed impatiently, wishing even a single member of Iscariot would show themselves so he could have some sort of diversion and a few answers. Alucard was still no closer to having the answers to questions he had been thinking of all evening. This was becoming insufferably dull and therefore extremely aggravating.
Alucard made his way back towards the part of Philadelphia dubbed "Center City" in his shadow state. It was a clear muggy night and a misty fog would stand out as an oddity. The fog was definitely a more useful state of movement in a place like England.
As Alucard swiftly passed over and around buildings, he caught sight of a pair of thugs halfway up a side alley that was otherwise empty.
'Hm… A bite to eat sounds like a reasonable idea on such a lovely yet dreadfully uneventful evening.' The vampire gave a malicious smirk as he dropped down from the sky silently.
Alucard materialized behind the two humans and began to follow after them with long measured strides that intentionally made his boot heels echo off the close set walls of the surrounding buildings crowded together.
The thugs in front of the vampire stopped walking and turned around, obviously surprised to find someone following them when they had previously thought themselves alone. The lighter one on the left nudged the darker one on the right with a smirk. The darker one chuckled and nodded. Both waited for Alucard to approach before speaking.
"What 'chu be doin' here so late at night, white boy?" the darker one asked with a heavy south-west Philly accent, glancing at the vampire's suit, long jacket, fedora and glasses. "Yous some sortta cop or yous just stupid and be lookin' fo' trouble?"
"I think he's lookin' for trouble," the lighter one said. "Pigs don't wear sunglasses at night. He's tryin' to look intimidating."
The darker one laughed. "Too bad that look went out 'bout thirty years ago. Though that is a pretty bangin' jacket he's wearing."
Alucard looked down at his crimson duster and smirked. "Why, thank you. Though, I must say, it offends the coat to have trash compliment it."
"Did you just call us trash?" the lighter one asked, fist clenching at his side.
"Do you have a hearing problem to match your companion's speech problem?" Alucard asked wryly. "Yes, simple minded punk, I did call you trash."
"Who the fuck do yous think yous are, rollin' up in our turf an' insultin' us?" the darker one asked angrily, hand shifting to his hip a few inches.
"I'm a bit higher on the predatory food chain than you, that's who I am," Alucard said with a broader provoking smirk.
"You stupid asshat," the lighter one said, his hand creeping towards his jean jacket. "I think you owe us an apology before you find yourself in more trouble than you can handle."
"I doubt two bottom feeders such as yourselves will be much trouble to handle," Alucard said, already becoming irritated with their lacking observations and motor skills. "And I'm thinking I can make much better use of you two as corpses than you'd find use for yourselves in your pathetic wasted existences."
The two thugs exchanged infuriated looks.
"That's it, jack off, yous in need of some schoolin' on how things be workin' on these streets!" the darker one said. He and his friend withdrew guns from where they were tucked and pointed them at Alucard.
Alucard raised an eyebrow and smirked. "It will take more than those puny guns to keep me from ending your sorry lives."
"Puny? This is a .45, you idiot," the lighter one said. "Here's a closer look for ya." He fired and a bullet went tearing into Alucard's right shoulder.
Alucard glanced down with an immensely bored expression, watching a tiny trickle of blood flow.
The two thugs exchanged confused looks, not firing again as they wondered why he didn't yell in pain or even react to being shot.
"Is that all the defense you have?" Alucard asked as he removed his glasses with his right hand just to illustrate how little the shot had effected him. He turned fiery red eyes on the thugs and gave a disappointed shake of his head. His elongated teeth flashed in the poor lighting as he continued to speak, the vampire intentionally showing them off. "Here I was hoping you'd be a little more entertaining than that before I drain you."
The two thugs both got a little more wide-eyed as they saw flames flicker in the vampire's eyes and caught sight of his teeth.
"What da fuck is up wit your eyes?" the darker one asked with a slight waiver to his voice. "Those some sort of raver contacts?"
"Looks like one of those Goth punks with the fake fangs," the lighter one agreed, though he sounded even less confident than his companion.
Alucard sighed and shook his head again. "Americans… So jaded and desensitized to danger," he said in dissatisfaction. The bullet in his shoulder popped out and clattered to the ground. "I suppose I have Hollywood and Goth culture to thank for that."
The thugs both looked at the bullet in surprise and growing fear.
"Here's something even a brain dead punk can understand and perhaps will get more of a reaction. It does have quite the impressive kick to it, though it's really wasted on such human filth."
Alucard reached into his jacket for his Casull strapped to his hip, not bothering with the Jackal as that really would be overkill.
The darker one saw his hand going into his crimson duster jacket and, recognizing that the vampire was about to pull a gun as they had, shot Alucard twice in the stomach to try dropping him.
Alucard gave a wicked chuckle and withdrew the Casull from its spot as the lighter one shot him in the left shoulder and the chest.
"Well now," Alucard said mockingly. He pointed the gun at the lighter one, as he was the first to shoot at him and the first to even attempt to aim for his heart. "That's a little more effort and a glimmer of sense. Try harder, maggot, and perhaps I'll make yours a quicker death."
Both thugs opened fire on the vampire, unloading the magazines as fast as they could. Alucard didn't even both trying to dodge the bullets. Panic was making the pathetic humans' aims worse and only a couple bullets entered his torso, one grazed his thigh, another his left arm (that time from the darker one).
Alucard fired four consecutive shots when the thugs ran out of rounds, one for each knee of each thug. The Casull's bullets predictably found their marks and tore through their knees like a hammer through paper.
Both men dropped to the ground, screaming in agony, not reaching for spare magazines. The bullets they had shot into the vampire left his body, the wounds quickly healing.
Alucard sighed and put the gun away. This truly wasn't worth the ammunition.
Resigned to the fact his night seemed fated to be without any sort of challenge, Alucard descended on the two thugs and unceremoniously drained them both. The vampire summoned a hell hound and had the beast dispose of the corpses.
'Time to resume my rounds and check in on the bar,' Alucard thought irritably.
The progenitor of vampires suddenly smirked to himself, thinking of a certain quick-witted and easily flustered heiress and getting an idea on how to liven up his evening. Alucard had a feeling he wasn't the only one who could use a distraction right about now… and he did find it amusing to see a blush rise to those pale cheeks and finding out what snappy retort she'd answer his taunts with. At least that was one human in this cesspool country with a brain accredited to them.
.
.
.
Mercedes's night was passing by without anything out of the ordinary happening. Which, unlike Alucard, the young woman was feeling mostly relieved by that, even if her mind was straying back to Iscariot issues.
Liam had called a few hours after Mercedes had gotten to work, once more wanting to check in on her. Mercedes thanked him for the concern and reassured him that all was going well and quietly tonight, though this time the reassurances had to be carefully given and were not so easy for her to say as she knew they weren't wholly true. Stressed over trying not to alert Liam of anything being wrong, she forgot to mention to him that Jackie had agreed the night before to give her the night off, and Val had cleared the sitter obstacle today. Mercedes remembered shortly after their call ended, but decided she'd call Liam back another time when she wasn't on a work break and had longer to talk. The party was still over a month away, so there wasn't a particular rush to respond.
Mercedes would be glad when this mess with Iscariot was resolved. though. She really didn't like having to tell evasive half-truths to those close to her and it was already becoming frazzling to her nerves.
Alucard had returned twice from checking in at the apartment. The vampire briefly sent her the telepathic message that all was quiet there. Alucard would then make an inspection of the neighborhood around the bar before departing to monitor the more defenseless Xander and watch for Iscariot possibly setting up for the attack.
So when Mercedes sensed Alucard approaching from his third round, near eleven-thirty in the evening, she expected to sense him poking at her mind again to deliver the 'All's Clear' message.
Instead, Alucard walked into the bar casually and approached the counter where Mercedes was. He was also missing the black fedora and crimson jacket. His hair was still a shaggy short style with long messy bangs that fell over his eyes and his glasses were in place, except the lenses were now crimson rather than orange. His suit was uniformly black, his dress shirt deep blood red, and the outfit was an even more flattering cut than before, drawing attention to his svelte frame.
CJ gave a smirk as he saw Alucard walk in, obviously and unabashedly mentally undressing the vampire.
Mercedes immediately, and subtly, cast an enchantment barrier similar to her son's to block each of her coworkers' minds from the vampire. The guys didn't notice as they were not able to see movement of energy and weren't looking in her direction to catch the quick deft gestures made.
But the vampire could see the faint pulse of indigo light laced with symbols, and therefore did notice. Alucard raised an eyebrow as he took a seat in front of Mercedes with languid grace. "Good evening, Mercedes."
Alucard's native Romanian accent was noticeable and his tone was akin to a deep purr. If she didn't know the sarcastic vampire better, Mercedes would almost deign to classify his tone of voice as being seductive.
"Good evening, Alucard," Mercedes said with a great deal of confusion, wondering why the abrupt change in routine. "Can I help you?"
"Glass of merlot, if you wouldn't mind." Alucard flashed a smile, (a rather charming smile, not his trademark malicious smirk, Mercedes noticed with growing bafflement,) his accent and tone of voice not changing. "Dinner has left a rather unpleasant aftertaste and I'd like something to wash it away with."
Alucard's smirk was back, though, when he saw Mercedes pause in turning to retrieve the wine. She glanced at her coworkers and then back at the vampire.
"And just where was it that you had dinner tonight?" Mercedes asked in an undertone, immediately concerned that something had gone wrong at her place.
Alucard tilted his head, a more sober expression on his face as he peered at Mercedes from above the rim of his glasses for a moment.
"Not far from here. It was a rather bland meal, with a chemical aftertaste, nothing to give a review of," Alucard replied, realizing why she had tensed so suddenly. He saw her immediately relax and his smirk returned once more.
"Well, in that case, I can certainly understand why you'd want a glass of wine," Mercedes replied, trying to keep the conversation seeming normal to outside ears. "The local cuisine is not generally noted for being sensational."
Alucard nodded his head once and Mercedes resumed her original intent of filling his order.
'So,' Alucard thought with no shortage of entertainment. 'The idea of me draining other humans, even if they're not attacking her and are therefore possibly innocent, does not seem to bother her. It was simply concern for the situation with her son. Intriguing ambiguous morals she's developed from exposure to other vampires.'
Mercedes grabbed a new bottle of wine from the cabinets and ignored the teasing looks from CJ and Tony as she poured the vampire a glass.
The female bartender was very glad for a change that their boss, Jackie, who was also the owner of the bar, barely spent any time at the bar. Jackie's now deceased husband had opened the bar and she kept it running because it made her good money, but she had very little interest in the daily going-ons. Mercedes could just imagine what would happen if this turned into one of those times Jackie came flitting in through the door to check on the bar, only to be just in time to see the stir Alucard was causing, negative and positive, with all the bartenders. Knowing the flighty personality Jackie had, she'd likely be acting as ridiculous as CJ was over the vampire.
After paying for the wine Alucard remained at the bar to drink. The vampire glanced at CJ and Tony and noted their continued looks in his direction.
"Your coworkers seem curious in regards to my presence," Alucard commented after Mercedes served a couple customers.
"Might be the outfit you're wearing tonight or that you're drinking wine in a bar like this," Mercedes said nonchalantly as she tried not to blush in embarrassment. The guys were not making comments, thankfully, but they were most certainly being obvious in their glances.
"Oh?" Alucard leaned closer so as not to be overheard and took on an expression of being confused. He asked as charmingly as he could to fluster the young woman, "And why does that necessitate you blocking their thoughts, draga mea?"
The vampire's knowing smirk returned as he saw Mercedes glance at him in surprise before averting her gaze.
Mercedes cast a quick look at her coworkers, ascertaining they were indeed far enough away in the noisy bar to not overhear the conversation, before responding fiercely but just as quietly. "Perhaps because I don't wish for them to incense your insufferable pride and find out tomorrow that the bar is suddenly and inexplicably short-staffed, and subsequently end up with new coworkers I don't get along with as well."
"'Might be' and 'perhaps', but I think not," Alucard stated confidently, smirk growing wider. "Why do I get the feeling the seer is attempting to evade answering my inquiry by giving suppositions rather than facts?"
The seer glared at the vampire, aggravated he had caught that and called her out on how she answered. "It's nothing I feel you need know," Mercedes said bluntly, meeting his fiery gaze. "And that, Alucard, is the whole truth."
Alucard leaned back and raised his glass to her with a flirtatious smile. "As you say, Mercedes." He took a lingering sip of the wine.
Mercedes noticed that CJ was watching the vampire with obvious interest again as Alucard sipped his wine. She glared disapprovingly at her friend, causing CJ to chuckle and go back to serving customers. Tony was likewise snickering and glancing at Mercedes in amusement from behind his spiky-gelled red bangs.
'Baiser ma vie,' Mercedes thought with an internal groan of frustration. 'Now the guys have all the more imagined reasons to tease me about this.'
Mercedes could suddenly sense Alucard prodding at her mind. She raised an eyebrow at him, not sure if she wanted to hear whatever the vampire might want to say privately with the way he was inexplicably behaving. Alucard simply gave her an expectant look and she could sense him once again trying to get her to open her thoughts so he could speak. Mercedes sighed and let down her mental barriers enough to allow him to do so.
"I will be remaining at your apartment for the rest of your shift as, if tonight is Iscariot's planned night of attack, the logistical decision would be to get their operatives in place before you return home," Alucard said in a serious tone, Romanian accent absent.
Out loud the vampire added, once more all seductive tones, "Enjoy your shift, draga mea. I will return for you at closing."
"Thanks. See you in a few hours," Mercedes replied with an effort to restrain her growing irritation. Alucard's switch in tones when speaking mentally made the seer intuitively realize that the suave tones out loud and more casual demeanor were a deliberate attempt to give her coworkers the wrong impression as to the nature of their interactions, likely for his own personal entertainment. Mercedes was trying once more to ignore the attention CJ and Tony were giving their way upon hearing Alucard's parting comment.
Alucard smirked as he saw understanding flash in Mercedes's eyes.
It was a particularly smug smirk, even for the progenitor of vampires, in Mercedes's opinion.
The vampire nodded to her with a wink behind his glasses, causing Mercedes to glare all the more indignantly at him. Alucard turned and strode out of the bar with attention-grabbing dignified grace and several sets of female patrons' eyes (and CJ's) followed him appreciatively.
Mercedes turned to her coworkers after the door closed behind Alucard. She saw CJ open his mouth to comment and Tony looked ready to join.
"Say so much as one word about him being in here again," Mercedes warned them, especially cutting CJ off before he could start his teasing, "and Halloween could very well be coming early as I will use both your boiled skulls as decorative garnish containers for the bar."
CJ and Tony snickered at the threat. They had heard even more creative threats from her before when annoyed. However, they kept their comments to themselves for the time being.
Mercedes glared at them both in frustration as she knew it was only a matter of time before the teasing started again.
"That is a threat," Alucard's entertained voice whispered in Mercedes's mind, "almost worthy of a vampire. Though you should add a bit more malevolence if you want them to take you seriously."
"Get out of my mind!" Mercedes mentally exclaimed in surprise and anger.
"Put your defenses back up if you wish for me not to enter your mind," Alucard replied unrepentantly. "Otherwise, it's an invitation to take a look or listen in."
Mercedes could hear his manic chuckles as she slammed her mental barriers in place, thankfully blocking the vampire out mid laugh. Giving a low growl under her breath, she stormed off to the back to retrieve some alcohol they needed. She was even gladder Alucard couldn't read her friends' minds with the enchantment she cast, otherwise the vampire would have really had a field day at her expense.
As Mercedes grabbed bottles of whiskey and gin, her thoughts were exclusively centered on Alucard.
Quite furiously centered on him, in point of fact.
'Egotistical, psychotic, manipulative, interfering bastard! Somehow, I will get him back for this! Help dealing with Iscariot or not, there's no call for making my work life more complicated like this!'
Such thoughts between busy spells at work carried Mercedes through the next few hours, trying to decide how she'd get payback on Alucard.
The young woman wasn't having any luck figuring that one out, but it was still something besides Iscariot to think about.
