Chapter Two
"Thanks for this, Aline."
Aline picked up cardboard box, placing it in Alex's boot.
"No problem." She smiled. She didn't know the man and his family, but knew she would do everything she could, to keep them safe. "I feel like I should apologise for this situation."
"It isn't your fault. Besides," he looked at her weapon sheepishly, woman's grin wolfish, "you are armed to the teeth. I'm not concerned." He smirked. "Should I be?"
"You've been nothing but cordial."
Alex's parents nodded their thanks, empty rooms bringing forth painful memories. They saw their son's eyes light up, dourness lifting, man looking at kettle, them, then Aline.
They declined, Aline nodding, former leaving latter, heading upstairs to finish packing.
"There is some coffee, milk and sugar left. Might as well use it."
"Milky, one sugar, please. Thank you."
Man wove hand through messy blond hair, ruffling it, corners of woman's mouth making downturn.
"Everything alright?" He snorted. "Should I even ask that, given the shit show outside?"
"I'm dredging up with past. I've witnessed several conflicts, and just want it to fucking end. I rely on myself. I lost my parents, friends. I won't let anyone else lose someone they love. I stopped trying to form bonds when I realised that those I care for suffer. The common denominator is me. So, I apologise if I speak out of turn, callously."
"Honestly?" Aline needed honesty, lies barbarous, sour tasting. "You're doing well, all things considering. None of this, what happened is your fault. I am sorry to hear of your loss. You're more capable than you think, gotten through a ton."
"I had to."
"That's the thing," Alex handed over cup of morning Joe, Aline nodding, "you didn't have to. None would blame you if you wished to crawl into hole, bury yourself deep down, refuse to come out."
"Bottle..." Aline panicked, pupils widening. "I am one of those people, convinced they don't have a problem, because I can walk straight, I don't drink every night, or day, for that matter. Should I apologise?"
"Definitely not. Go ahead, I've got all day."
Aline simpered, Alex's serene sea irises soothing her.
"I couldn't possibly take your entire day..."
Alex pursed lips, hands around mug.
"Try me..."
"You've seen Dracula around?" Alex nodded. "Well, my Father was a vampire. My Mother was human. I was born the seventh of August, 1881."
Alex did mathematics in his head, jaw dropping.
"You're one-hundred-and-thirty-six years old? You look better than I do, and I'm thirty-five!"
Aline coughed, choking, fighting to keep delicious brew in mouth, not splutter it down her front...
"Father gave me vials of blood, to drink with my meals. I had those up until two years ago. Stored them next to the milk..."
She paused, pulling face.
"Stop me if I'm scaring the merde out of you. I understand that this isn't exactly the stuff you talk about, especially not with someone you've just met. I, I need to get it out, and Dracula isn't the type of person you sit, have tea and chat with..."
Blues hazed, man far from disturbed. He'd vaulted over that bar some time prior, increasingly fucked up things he saw going from every few days to daily, surprisingly not bothering him too much.
Not after he'd witnessed Aline battling them, kicking the living daylights out of them.
Apparently, alongside Dracula?
"Considering what's happened lately, this is fine, trust me. So, does that make you a half vampire?"
"No. There are two types of vampires. Those who are drained completely, and fed their Sire's blood, so they die, then turn, and those who are turned whilst they are bitten. They are left with enough of their own blood to survive, so they are vampires, but still, technically alive. Half vampires don't exist. I am human. The vampiric blood within me is negligible. My Father was the former, so couldn't produce children. When he met my Mother, somewhat of a white witch, he remarked that sex meant nothing to him, until he met her. She changed everything. She was born 'feeble,' as she called it. Would have died, were it not for him. They married in secret, given what he was. See, I am dying. Human's aren't meant to live as long as I have. That's why I wanted, needed to speak up."
"I'm glad that you picked me to do that with, not that there were many options, granted..."
Aline let out high pitched giggle.
"Doing yourself a disservice, Alex. Your company is bloody well lovely, and you are bloody well lovely, too."
Alex blinked, slight simper creeping across features.
"Are you asking me out?"
"I know what I want, and I ask for it. Don't ask, don't get, right? If things were different? Then the answer would be yes."
"In another life? I like how bold you are. You just go for it, all guns blazing, and its pretty spectacular..."
He offered the sexiest smile Aline had seen in decades, obliterating her guard, making her wish situation was different, the inevitable wasn't inevitable.
That life was fair.
The bastard was far from fair.
Complete, utter, fucking, abysmally unfair.
"I would have said yes, regardless of what you've just said."
"Despite me dying?"
"Yes! If I could help you smile, help you forget, just for a while, however long that may be, that would make me happy. The world's given you a hard lot, all the shit cards, hand that fucking terrible, only option you had was to fold. Yet, you kept playing. If I could hand you the cards to do that, I would."
Damn the man!
Damn shitting life to Enfer!
Fuck!
Death stood in the corner of the room, laughing his bony arse off, chortling until bones rattled, scythe shaking, hanging precariously from digits.
Alex was witty, beyond kind, listened to her rambling for three hours, hours that felt like minutes, people that happening with Aline could count on one hand, and now, of all times, her body decided it'd had enough, mind scrambled, her clitoris (at some point) decided even it did not need any attention, Aline unable to find pleasure. She had sod all idea where she was, anymore, menopause dying her, desert level, just without the sand.
Even if the world around them wasn't going to the dogs, could she, would she, should she entertain Alex?
She'd let him down, then perish, in his fucking arms like some fucking pathetic moron, who died because she made the wrong choices.
Aline did make incorrect choices, she lacked 'dainty, gust of wind could blow her asunder' 'feminine' qualities, drank like it was going out of fashion, ate whatever she wanted, when she wanted, found any, all excuse to avoid exercising, growing lazier and lazier by the day.
Alex was lively, sprightly, gorgeous, and hilarious.
If she were younger, less acidic, able to get aroused and recalled what the actual fuck to do with a man, if he consented, she'd be all over him.
Right now? Dry humping pillow was option, but that took so long, she grew disinterested, throbs vanishing just as soon as they began, tide going out, instead of waves cresting.
Trying grew dull, everything grey, colour draining from her world.
Alex added his to the mix, shades vivid, grabbing paintbrush, pencil between teeth, ready to create something, with her.
Alex made her want to try.
They couldn't. They knew that, truth sore, tooth rotten, frustration ceaseless.
It was alright, it would be alright. Alex comforted with arms, shielded soul from growing that little bit with coffee and gave her hope with his number, in case she was still alive, after all of this was over.
The fact he'd like to see her again, after her admissions made Aline reconsider allowing herself to feel...
"Hello, Drac."
Aline practically bounced as she walked, hyper-alert, guns drawn.
"I met a wonderful man today, and his family. They are leaving tomorrow morning. Fifteen-eighty-four, West Spring Street."
"And why are you telling me this? Why should I care for your dalliances?"
"Not that. Honestly." Aline rolled eyes, blurting next part out, before she could stop herself..."I am unable to do that, anymore. Its been that long, I reckon its sealed up...No, Draaac..."
Dragon grabbed her arm, yanking her toward him, carmine swirling within irises spilling over, lips curling, fangs growing.
"You try my patience, Aline. Spit it out." He smirked. "The latter? I cannot say the same."
"Good for you." Aline deadpanned, skin on wrist swelling. "I'm happy for you, getting your dick wet. I dislike men who hurt me. Unless I ask for it, don't, or I will shoot you. Fair warning, Prince."
Dracula let go, stomach rumbling, senses trained on locating prey.
"I ask that you protect Alex, his family and their home. Please, Dracula. Whatever you want in return, I will give. Ask me, trust me? That's it. No games, no bullshitting, no fucking around. If I hunt, I won't be quick enough to stop something terrible from happening."
"Trust you?" Man snarled. "When you spew filth from your lips?"
"Women are allowed to have sex and enjoy it too, Dracula. Don't tell me you're the type who refuses to believe that? If you are, well," brazen, audacious as fucking brass, Aline went for it, "that means you've severely disappointed countless number of women over many a year..."
She squared up to him, head just about reaching his shoulders, cutting very unimposing figure.
"I used to enjoy it. I've had in love sex, just for the sake of it sex, being fucked hard against something sex, emotional, to the point I am sweaty and crying sex, and everything in-between. Funny how when men do that, they are praised, Gods among men, yet when I do that, I become a filthy sinner. Fuck off with that archaic merde. If you're going to speak to me like that, whilst thinking me a whore? Go ahead. You're wrong. I pride myself on knowing what I want, knowing the difference between yes and no, and shouting both from the fucking rooftops. Kill me, if you want. I couldn't give a flying pile of shit. What I care about is keeping my word. I have done that. Alex and his family are the last, still in the city. Once they are safe, you can 'retire' or whatever the Enfer it is you do up there, in your fancy, schmancy spire."
Something in Aline's words softened vampire's eyes, they looked average shade of brown, like they were when he was human?
Aline decided she'd have to do some research on the man, though doubted much would be online, and the Dragon didn't look the kind who kept filing cabinets.
Curiosity twitched, woman wondering if the vampire's domain had libraries filled with dusty, ancient tomes, reading her favourite past-time.
"With all that was thrown at you, the fact you remain alive when humans," Dracula returned, Aline smirking, viewing man's personality, the one beneath vitriol, thorny exterior tearing anything near it to ribbons, ripping skin as if it were paper...,"perish, ever so easily, that proves your intent. You may think me wizened fool, all you wish."
"Would I wish such a thing? Non!" Aline tilted head. "As long as you acknowledge that I too, have a voice, story. On the outside, I scream 'fuck off and leave me alone.' On the inside, I scream to be freed, free from suffering. Until I fulfil my part of the bargain, I seek to die, hopefully not as my Mother did."
Woman fell quiet, Dracula hearing distant echoes of howls, creatures on their way. His head faced their direction, musty scent of fur on the wind.
"She suffocated. Dracula?"
His gaze returned to woman.
"When I start to stumble, put me out of my misery, help me die as painlessly as possible, S'il vous plaît?"
...
...
"Yes."
"Come again?"
Dracula acquiesced, woman stunned.
"Thank you."
Woman smiled, genuine, beam piercing the night.
"Shall we?"
Aline heard growls getting closer, by the minute.
Dracula nodded, entertaining woman, acutely aware, seconds ticking by that mattered little to him mattered a great deal to the woman, fighting alongside him...