Good Evening,
Elena is a character that will show up in other fics btw.
I hope you guys are enjoying the story.
This was recommended by lobalunallena.
Oxford Not Brogues
Chapter Three
It was an extremely long night. The hours felt like they were droning on, feeling almost like an eternity to every person in that flat. Seras was quiet the entire time after she threatened Alucard and Sebastian with supplies from her kitchen. She had cooked herself a small plate of spaghetti, which she ate in the kitchen away from the monsters. After she took care of the dishes, she kept herself busy by cleaning the rest of her flat. It was her way of avoiding Alucard and Sebastian all together, despite her apartment already looking pretty clean. It was also her way of keeping herself awake. It was about eight o'clock at night, but she had work early in the morning and would have liked to gone to bed early so she wasn't groggy tomorrow. But, she couldn't sleep knowing that the males were just sitting in her living room. So, she stayed up, hoping Alucard and Sebastian would leave without her threatening or telling them again.
Seras started in her bedroom. She reorganized her closet and dresser drawers. When that was done, she worked on her bathroom. She wiped off the mirrors with a special cleaning spray. She cleansed the vanity and sink, and she scrubbed the toilet. When she was finished there, she went to her kitchen and decided to take out every pot, pan, plate, bowl, and glass from every cupboard. She then proceeded to wipe out every cupboard and put everything back in incredibly neat stacks. She cleaned out her fridge and swept the entire kitchen and dining room. She wiped down her small dining table, the chairs, and even the stools at her counter. She continued to clean every aspect of her flat, like she was on a cleaning frenzy.
It became abundantly clear to Alucard and Sebastian that Seras cleaned when she was stressed. What a strange coping mechanism. They watched her silently from the couch. Their eyes followed her carefully as she flitted around cleaning things that didn't really need to be cleaned. She had music playing on her stereo, but the males were unfamiliar with modern day music. When the CD ran out of songs to play, she turned off her stereo and switched to late night news on her telly. And yet, she continued to clean. She dusted everything, reorganized her CDS and movies only to put them back just the way she had them originally, and started vacuuming. Without speaking to them, she managed to get them to move from the couch so she could vacuum every inch of it. For a moment, the males couldn't help but think jokingly that she would vacuum them next.
When she finished vacuuming, she worked on making a grocery list which only took several minutes. After that, she went through her mail and started making out checks for all of her bills. By the time Seras finished with her cleaning frenzy it was a little past ten. She stood in the middle of her living room looking utterly lost. Her eyes flickered about her entire flat, looking for something to clean that she hadn't already touched. But…there was nothing. She had tackled every little thing in her flat and had nothing to do. And that scared her. If she had nothing to do then she would be forced to acknowledge the men that were still sitting on her couch. Not only did she have nothing to do but because of her cleaning frenzy she was now completely exhausted. Her body and mind felt so worn. It was a little past her normal bed time and she was so anxious to just pass out in her bed and leave this horrible day behind her. But she couldn't. Her unwelcomed guests were still here.
Seras refused to even look at them though. She won't acknowledge them! But that didn't really turn out as planned. The second she turned off the telly and set the remote down on the coffee table, she froze when seeing the bulb of garlic and canister of salt. She had nearly forgotten about them. Awkwardly, the small blonde slowly reached out to pick them up. She was just filled with guilt and confusion all over again. She shouldn't have felt bad for threatening these complete strangers, but she did. She didn't intend threatening them again or seeing that dreadful look in their eyes that made her feel guilty. Without looking at Alucard and Sebastian, Seras finally said her first word to them in over two hours.
"Sorry," She whispered as she stood up straighter with those items in her hands. She gnawed her bottom lip as she thoughtlessly picked at the skin around the garlic. The monsters stared up at her in disbelief. They hadn't been expecting an apology. They hadn't even expected her to say anything to them at all.
"It's…alright," Sebastian answered softly while his browns eyes looked her over carefully. He wouldn't say that she was warming up to them, but this was definitely a big change; a change that he welcomed. Perhaps there was hope that Seras would come around eventually. The demon wondered for a moment if they should apologize as well. They made her feel highly uncomfortable by invading her flat without permission. They stayed even when she told them to leave. They have caused her so much stress and made her feel so much fear. He wanted to apologize for doing all of this to her, but, surprisingly, Seras was speaking again to them. His eyes lifted to her face when she opened her mouth.
"I've always wondered why garlic was used to ward away vampires." Seras spoke as she continued to stare down at the bulb of garlic in her hand. It was obvious, she was still trying to avoid eye contact with either of them, but they didn't mind because…she was talking to them. It pleased them. "It just…seems so silly and strange. And yet, here I was desperate enough to try it." She snickered, but the small smile she had formed on her lips immediately fell again. Finally, Seras' eyes lifted and she looked at them. Sebastian's heart jolted hard in his chest when his mate finally looked at him. It was such a relief, even if she hadn't accepted them as her mates yet. "Why is garlic used to repel vampires?" She asked. She continued to surprise them. Seras carefully sat back down on the coffee table in front of them, but she showed no signs of hostility like last time. She kept the garlic and salt in her lap away from them.
"Humans used to have strong beliefs that garlic would protect them from evil. This was before vampires were ever in the world." Alucard explained to her. "However, this was just a silly human superstition. Garlic doesn't ward away evil. The reason why vampires hate garlic is because our senses are far more heighted than humans. Naturally, garlic gives off a very strong scent. Since vampires have heightened senses, the smell of garlic is basically suffocating to us." Alucard and Sebastian both were bewildered when a charming giggle came from Seras.
"So, basically, garlic just smells really awful to vampires and they need to get away from it?" The small blonde chuckled at the thought. The males stared at her mesmerized for a second or two. For the first time in their presence, she was actually…smiling. That smile was so warm and soft, and they swore that smile illuminated her beautiful blue eyes. Seras looked back at the bulb of garlic in her hands. "Then how come the garlic didn't bother you? I practically shoved it in your face and it's been sitting here on the table for the past two hours. Why aren't you running for the hills?" She asked with a small chuckle.
"The smell is terrible, but it's not exactly suffocating. Since I'm centuries old, I have learned that I don't need to breathe. So, when necessary, I hold my breath." Alucard answered. Seras nodded her head in understanding.
"I should…probably put it away then." She muttered. The small blonde stood up to head back to the kitchen, but stopped when noticing the canister of salt in her arms. "What about the salt?" She asked and looked back at the males. "Would that have worked?" The demon snickered before he rose from his seat on the couch.
"Let me show you." Sebastian whispered while pointing at the canister in her hands. "May I?" Without question, Seras handed him the salt. "We should probably do this in the kitchen. You just vacuumed in here and I would hate to make a mess." He said this as he made his way towards the kitchen. Seras followed after him slowly. When she entered her kitchen, she found him standing at the kitchen sink, waiting patiently for her to come and watch. The girl's brows were furrowed in curiosity as she slowly approached him. Along her way, she set the bulb of garlic on the counter. When she reached the demon's side, making sure to keep at least a good two to three feet between them, she stared at the canister of salt intently. What did he plan on doing with it?
Sebastian held out one of his hands over the sink with his palm up and his fingers extended. Carefully, he began to pour the salt into his open hand. The second the grains of salt came into contact with his pale perfect flesh, blisters started forming right before her eyes. Large, red blisters that looked quite painful. There was even a sharp sizzling sound that reached her ears that she found rather unpleasant. His skin reddened from inflammation and in some areas he began to bleed from open sores. Seras' eyes flickered to his face, looking purely horrified that such a thing could occur from the mere contact of salt. Yet, the demon remained unfazed by the pain. He stared down at her with a small smile on his face. He was allowing her to take her time to process all of this, so his skin continued to burn for her. But Seras had no desire to watch this any further. Disturbed and sickened, the small blonde flung herself forward to turn on the faucet. Instantly, cold water flowed out and poured over the demon's hand, washing away the blood and the salt.
Stunned by her action, his smile faltered slightly and he shifted his head to watch his hand. He could still feel bits of salt that clung to his hand and continued to burn his skin. But it still didn't bother him. He was far too old to take notice to the pain any more. Then again, this was only a small amount of salt. Any more and he was sure the pain would have been intolerable. Sebastian hesitantly set the canister of salt down on the counter near Seras.
"I…apologize," The demon whispered as he rinsed off his hand. "I didn't mean to disturb you. I thought you wanted to know what would happen." Seras didn't acknowledge him though. She calmly pulled out a fresh hand towel from a drawer. Afterwards she turned off the faucet and proceeded to wrap his hand in the towel, acting as if he would bleed out without the necessary care. Sebastian watched her ever so carefully as she tended to his hand. He had fully healed since washing off the salt, but she didn't seem to notice. Despite her not saying a word and despite her eyes holding no real emotion but unease, she…stood close to him and…touched him. She wrapped the towel tightly around his hand and then…she just stood there. With her hands cupping his, she stood there for several long seconds. It was so quiet in the room and the demon had no desire to break her from this moment. So, he just stood there in utter silence too, and stared at her.
Finally, after a short while, Seras moved. Her hands slowly slipped away from the towel, leaving it wrapped around his hand. Once her hands were back at her sides she took another few seconds and just stared at his hand. Sebastian still didn't dare move from his spot. His eyes flickered between her and his hand, waiting to see what she will do. The little human sighed through her nose and turned on her heel. Without a word or a side glance, she left the kitchen. Alucard stood in the doorway of the kitchen, but the small blonde barely took notice to him. She walked on by without a word. The demon turned to watch after her. A part of him hoped she would come back or say something to them, anything. Just look at them. But she didn't. She calmly sunk back into her chair and stayed ever so quiet about what just happened.
Sebastian glanced back down at the soft kitchen towel wrapped around his hand. She had…tended to his wound. Was it because the sight of his blistered skin had sickened her? Or…because…it had frightened her to see him hurt? Then again, she had continued to hold his hand into hers even after she had wrapped the towel around it. If he had sickened her, wouldn't she have pulled away? The demon glanced back at his mate from the corner of his eye. She was still seated on the chair, refusing to acknowledge him and Alucard. But he could see the look in her eyes. She looked concerned, maybe even guilty still. Did she blame herself for what happened; for what he did? Was she afraid that she had pushed him to pour salt onto himself? His little mate had such a good heart, and he adored her so. Sebastian clenched his fingers into a loose fist before he made his way out of the kitchen. He decided to keep the towel wrapped around his hand, despite his blisters and sores having already been healed.
When Alucard and he came back into the living room, the unease only grew in Seras' eyes. She gnawed on her bottom lip and drummed her fingers along her arm. She still didn't look at them, even when they sat down on the couch across from her. She kept her eyes glued to the floor the entire time. When the silence and tension became too much for her, she lunged forward to grab the magazine from the coffee table. Instantly she tore open the magazine and tried keeping herself distracted by skimming through the articles. Though, that clearly didn't help. The girl continued to fidget in her spot and the monsters doubted she was able to focus on a single word. Sebastian curiously glanced at the clock on the wall and saw that it was nearing eleven o'clock. He looked back at Seras with a look of curiosity.
"You have work tomorrow, do you not?" The demon asked her. Her grip on the magazine tightened and the girl's back straightened when she was spoken to.
"Y-yes," She answered behind her magazine.
"And you have to get up early?" Sebastian proceeded with an arched brow. He saw her nod before he heard her speak.
"Yes," She responded again.
"What time do you have to be up by tomorrow?" He asked.
"Five, my shift starts at six though." Seras answered.
"That's six hours of sleep." The demon murmured. "Humans need at least seven hours of sleep. I'm not parenting you, but don't you think you should be going to bed pretty soon, Seras?"
"Especially if you plan on working ten to twelve hours tomorrow," Alucard added. "How do you plan on functioning if you don't sleep?"
"Lots of coffee," Was Seras' smart remark. "When I go to bed shouldn't concern either of you. I'm an adult,"
"Who makes very poor decisions," Sebastian interrupted, but the small blonde didn't pay any mind to him.
"I'll go to bed when I feel comfortable and safe." She added. The demon tilted his head to the side.
"You don't feel safe with us?" He asked her carefully. They couldn't see her emotion behind that magazine, and the tone of her voice sounded so expressionless. It was like she was hiding her true feelings from them.
"Don't act shocked." Seras sighed. "You both know that you already make me uneasy. How am I supposed to sleep?"
"Do as Elena request: ignore your instincts." Alucard suggested. "Then you just might feel secure." The little human didn't respond though. The demon arched a brow at the girl. Did she plan on staying up all night with them? As time ticked by, his question was answered. The three of them sat in the quiet living room. The only sound that could be heard was the gentle ticking of the clock that was mounted on the wall. Seconds turned to minutes. And minutes turned to hours. The magazine lay forgotten on the coffee table. Seras was slumped in her chair with her arms crossed over her busty chest. She stared at them. An emotionless stare that was a silent promise she was going to stay her ground until they left her flat. But Alucard and Sebastian didn't move from their spots on the couch. They sat there perfectly still and stared on at her, as if it was some sort of staring contest.
It was reaching two o'clock in the morning, but the girl showed no signs of budging. Though, the monsters could tell how tired the little human was. Bags had formed under her eyes and her eyelids seemed heavy as they rested halfway over her eyes. Every few minutes or so, a yawn would escape her and she would reposition in her chair. Two hours past and she still found herself sitting in her flat across from Alucard and Sebastian. Neither male looked tired in the slightest. They both looked rejuvenated and energetic. However, the little human's body was languid and her mind was exhausted. Every so often she found her eyes had closed and she would immediately have to open them. Her spot on the chair was so comfortable. The air around her was warm, feeling almost like a cozy blanket. She felt…tranquil and sleep sounded like pure bliss. Seras stared on at Alucard and Sebastian through lowered lashes. And for a second, she thought how peaceful she felt with them here before she couldn't help but drift off to sleep. Her eyes closed and she was consumed by the darkness of unconsciousness that would lead her to dreams.
To Seras, it had only felt like she had closed her eyes for a moment. She jerked away and her eyes flew open, but only to find that she was in a completely different room. She was staring up at the ceiling in her bedroom. She was tucked away in her warm bed. The curtains had been drawn, leaving her room dark. She was unable to tell what time it was, but she believed it was nearly five o'clock. But it was very strange to her. She felt so refreshed as if she got a really good night of sleep. Hadn't she stayed up until four? Shouldn't she be absolutely exhausted and unable to function properly? But, no. She felt almost new. Seras slowly sat up in her bed to look down at her sheets. She didn't recall going to bed. She remembered sitting in her chair in the living room and only closing her eyes for a moment. Now she was suddenly here. Had one of the males carried her to bed? How had she not wakened from that? Automatically, her eyes flickered to the alarm clock beside her bed and she felt like she had a small heart attack. The clock didn't read a few minutes to five, like she thought it would. It read eleven o'clock.
"WHAT?!" Seras shouted as she threw off her sheets and jumped out of bed. She definitely remembered having set her clock for five so she got up on time, had some breakfast, and would be at work by six. But somehow she had overslept and missed work. How was that possible? Had she slept through the alarm? Had she been so exhausted that she just wasn't able to hear that loud, annoying chime in the morning? There had to be a mistake. The clock had to be wrong. The small blonde rushed over to her window and drew back the curtains. But she instantly blinded herself by the sun that was high in the sky, signifying that it had to be around noon. After blinking several times and giving her eyes time to adjust, Seras stared out her window at the busy streets of London. Cars drove by and people walked from street to street. She had most definitely missed work. She had never missed a day of work before. What was going to happen now? Would she get in trouble with her department?
Seras turned sharply to look at her closed bedroom door. Were Alucard and Sebastian still out there sitting in the same spots on her couch? The small blonde bit her lower lip nervously. Ever since she met them, everything was becoming so screwed up. They were screwing up her schedule and life. Hesitantly, she walked across her room and gripped the doorknob, but she stopped there. She stood there for a while, debating on whether she should go out there or not. Should she confront them? Demand them why they were so persistent in screwing up her schedule and trying to get her fired from her job? Were they still there? Seras was so scared to open the door and see them there on her couch. How was she going to get them to leave? Finally, Seras found her courage and she pulled open the bedroom door. Immediately, she saw the back of the couch in her living room and there they were sitting on that couch. The small blonde slump her shoulders in misery. Of course they were still here. Why did she ever think that they would just leave? Out of discomfort, Seras wrapped her arms around her body before she slowly stepped out into the living room. They must have heard her approaching because instantly Alucard and Sebastian turned their heads to greet her with soft grins. Seras stared at them in unease though.
"Did you have a good sleep?" Sebastian was the first to break the silence among them. But the girl only blinked at them as if she didn't understand what he was saying. "You look well rested." He added when he didn't get a response and his smile widened.
"My…alarm," The girl muttered as she pointed towards her bedroom.
"Yes," The demon replied with a nod and he stood up from his spot on the couch. "I turned it off so you could sleep. I also called your department and notified them that you won't be coming in today due to being ill. They hope you get well soon."
"It's…eleven," Seras proceeded. Her brain was still groggy after her long sleep, so she was only able to accumulate a few words at a time.
"Yes," The demon once more agreed with another nod. "You fell asleep around four-thirty. Humans need a good seven hours of sleep a night. We didn't want to bother you, so we let you sleep." The little human then pointed towards her chair that was across the room.
"But," She started back up again. "I fell asleep there. Did you…"
"Yes," Sebastian interrupted. "I apologize," He added quickly. "I know you're against any physical contact with us. But I feared you would have a back or neck ache from sleeping in that chair. So I carried you to your bed so you could rest comfortably. I hope you don't mind." Seras' hand lowered as she continued to stare at him with a curious look in her eyes. There was a short time of silence among them once again until the girl decided to finally break it.
"You called my department?" She asked carefully. The demon, for the third time, nodded his head.
"Yes," He answered softly. She couldn't say that she was mad at him. She wasn't. He did have the decency to at least call her work and tell them that she wasn't coming in. Though, she did find it annoying that the only reason why she missed work was because of them. If they had just left her flat she would have gone to bed early, got up early, and had gone to work. Seras' gaze fell to the floor.
"Thank you," She murmured awkwardly. But a question suddenly dawned on her. "How do you know where I work? I never told you,"
"We promised nothing but honesty," Sebastian sighed.
"Have you been stalking me?" Seras asked outright as her gaze flickered back to the demon's face.
"I wouldn't call it stalking." The demon responded with a frown. He lightly rubbed the back of his neck while he tried to find the right answer to give without having to lie. He didn't want to look bad in her eyes, but no matter what he or Alucard said, they were going to look bad to her.
"There's no other word for it." Alucard finally spoke as he stood up from the couch. He walked around to stand beside the demon. There was a small grin on his face while his red eyes trained on the little human.
"We know a lot about you, Seras." Sebastian admitted. When Seras gave them a strange look that was close to the look of repulse, the demon actually drew back in discomfort. "Well, not everything. There are still many things we don't know about you. But, we know enough."
"How?!" Seras barked while anger simmered in her eyes. There was that hellish look again. Every time Alucard and Sebastian thought they were making progress with her, they always did or said something that took their relationship with her backwards instead forward.
"As we said before, we've known for fifteen years that you were our mate." The demon reminded her.
"And as your mates, it's our responsibility to make sure you're safe." Alucard added.
"We left you alone. We didn't approach you or keep in contact with you or anything. But, occasionally, we did check up on you to see if you were alright." Sebastian continued. "Perhaps once every few months we would see if you were alright."
"You had caring parents that were killed in cold blood." The vampire spoke. "You grew up in a religious orphanage. And you followed in your father's footsteps; you became an officer."
"Alucard and I are aware of how you became who you are today. But there's still so much more to learn about you." The demon muttered. "We're not stalkers. We don't know every little thing about you. We can't even say what your favorite color is. So, please don't be cross with us that we know a little bit about you already." Seras was quiet once more as her eyes looked them up and down several times. She was still a little freaked that they knew some stuff about her; that they apparently have been 'checking up' on her for years. But she was stunned to find that she wasn't truly mad. Shouldn't she being feeling unfathomable rage at them? Shouldn't she be yelling? Seras frowned when nothing, not even a small stirring of anger came up. She sighed through her nose and dropped her gaze.
"Blue," She whispered, earning a strange look from both men. "Blue is my favorite color." Something sparked in Alucard and Sebastian's eyes when she gave them that bit of information willingly. A blush decorated Seras' cheeks and she looked elsewhere to avoid their gazes more. She had no idea what compelled her to even given them an answer. Perhaps it was the need to make small talk to make things less awkward? Or perhaps to get off the topic of them having been watching her since she was a child? But a part of Seras knew the true reason; a part of her felt…comfortable around Alucard and Sebastian. And that scared her that she was becoming comfortable with them around. "What's…your guys' favorite color?"
"Crimson," Alucard breathed after a moment of silence. He stared at her carefully, taking her all in slowly. Was his mate finally warming up to them? God, he hoped so. Ever since he'd met her those fifteen years ago, he has felt so lonely without her.
"Pretty," She whispered a response to his answer.
"I would have to favor purple." The demon whispered. The girl jolted when hearing his answer. She was so shocked that she actually turned her head to look at him in disbelief.
"Purple?" She repeated. A demon liked the color purple? She was so sure he would say black or not have given her an answer at all. But purple? Sebastian lightly smirked at her reaction and he chuckled.
"Yes," He snickered. "I promised to be honest and I will keep to that promise. Purple is a pleasant color."
"Purple," She repeated once more but this time with a smile. "That is a nice color." Neither male could resist smirking at that almost warm look in her eyes. But it was over far too soon for them. The smile slowly faltered from her face and her gaze once more left there's to stare at the floor. "Look, I'm not saying that what you guys did wasn't wrong. You were both grown men watching a child. But…you both did keep your distance and you were just concerned for my safety…I guess. I'll drop this since it is in the past, but I just thought you should both know that it was wrong to do." Taking a deep breath, Seras turned her back on them. "I'm going to go brush my teeth." She murmured.
"Miss. Victoria," Sebastian spoke. "Would you like some breakfast…or brunch, in this case? I can make you something if you like. Anything you want,"
"No, that's okay." Seras responded without looking back at him. "I'll make something when I come out." The demon frowned in disappointment from her clear rejection.
"Then would you like me to make you some coffee or tea while you tend to your morning necessities?" He asked, hoping she'll let him help her in some way.
"No, Sebastian." She said sternly. "But thank you," With that, she left the room and headed to the bathroom.
About six minutes later, Seras emerged from the bathroom with her teeth and hair brushed. She didn't really pay any mind to Alucard and Sebastian who were both just standing around her small kitchen. The vampire was leaned back against one of her counters with his arms crossed. He was out of her way while Sebastian stood in the center of the small kitchen, but the girl merely worked around him. They watched the little human as she grabbed a canister of coffee grounds and a filter. She walked over to a counter that displayed her small, black coffeemaker and she got to work making a pot. Sebastian's frown deepened as he watched her measure her coffee out into the filter.
"I told you that I would make you a cup of coffee." The demon spoke.
"I know," Seras muttered as she pressed a button so it would start to brew. "But I got it, thanks."
"Do you not trust me to make you coffee?" He asked.
"It was polite of you to offer, but I can do it myself." She answered as she walked across her kitchen near Alucard and retrieved a bowl from one of the cupboards. "I'm guessing you guys don't eat…human food that is."
"No," Alucard responded with a shake of his head.
"Hmn," The human hummed as she poured herself a bowl of cereal. But this only disappointed Sebastian further. Cereal for breakfast? It wasn't much of a meal and he didn't think it was that healthy either.
"I could have made you eggs or pancakes, something good, but you chose cereal?" Sebastian sighed.
"I like cereal." Seras defended her cereal while pouring the milk over the cornflakes.
"How about I make you some eggs with it? Do you take them scrambled or perhaps you would like an omelet?" The demon tried persuading her.
"Sebastian, the cereal is enough. Please, stop." She begged of him lightly as she took her bowl of cereal over to the dining table. Afterwards, she headed back over to her coffeemaker and poured herself a hot cup of coffee. She put two tablespoons of sugar in and a small amount of cream. Mixing it all together, she walked back over to the dining table and sat down to have her breakfast. The monsters were unsure if they were invited to sit with her at the table. Would she be alright with their presence there? Sebastian was the first to test it. He walked across the kitchen, cautiously approached the dining table, and sat down in the chair to her right. Seras glanced at him but said nothing as she continued to eat her cereal. It wasn't exactly an invitation, but she didn't reject him either. He gave her a charming smile. Curiously, the little human glanced to her left, wondering if Alucard was going to join any time soon. She wasn't exactly eager for them to sit with her, but she was slowly getting used to them being there in her flat. Though, it did still feel a little strange. When seeing her glance his way, a grin formed on the vampire's lips before he strolled over to sit in the chair on her left.
"Missed me?" Alucard couldn't help but tease her.
"Do you really want me to answer that?" Seras muttered before taking another bite of cereal. To her surprise, the vampire actually chuckled. "Okay," The girl sighed before she pushed her bowl of half eaten cereal out of the way. She then clasped her hands in front of her on the table. Sebastian perked up a little in his chair when realizing that the girl wanted to have a serious discussion with them. He didn't think it was going to be a pleasant conversation, but hopefully they'll make some form of progress with her since she's willingly to talk and look at them. "How do you guys even know that I'm your mate? What if you're wrong? How can you even tell?"
"It's a feeling," Sebastian answered.
"A feeling?" Seras repeated with an arched brow. "Like a gut feeling?"
"No," Alucard snickered. "And there's no way for us to be wrong about this. When a vampire or demon knows who their mate is, they can never be wrong."
"Why?" The little human asked with a light wave of her hand. "People can always think that someone is the love of their life, but can be wrong."
"This is different." The vampire responded. "And how to explain it to a human is difficult."
"I suppose the best way to describe it is that our souls are similar to metal detectors." Sebastian spoke, earning the small blonde's attention. "You are familiar with metal detectors, yes? When metal is detected, they go off."
"I know what a metal detector is." Seras snickered with a shake of her head. "But what's confusing about this example you're giving is that you said 'souls'. Aren't vampires and demons soulless, especially demons?"
"Ouch," Alucard chuckled as he glanced at the disappointed looking demon.
"Yes, perhaps saying soul was a bad example." Sebastian sighed. "Though, Alucard still technically has a soul. His soul is damned, but isn't given to the devil until he dies. But, in my case, I am soulless. However, demons do have something similar to a soul. It's basically our life source; it's just not as pure or wholesome as a human's soul."
"Really?" Seras murmured. "Demons have their own kind of soul?"
"Anyway," Sebastian proceeded. "Our souls are like metal detectors. But instead of detecting metal, it detects the 'twin' or 'mate' of our souls. When we came across you, our souls…responded." The demon physically cringed. "Before you say it, I do realize how corny that sounded. That is the proper term, yes? Corny?"
"Yes," The small blonde whispered with a light nod.
"Vampires and demons can detect their mates quite easily. It just takes years to find them." Alucard added. "Neither of us had ever found a mate before. In fact, I don't believe it occurred to either of us that we could have a mate out there somewhere."
"A person can have more than one mate?" Seras asked.
"Obviously," The vampire snickered as he gestured between him and Sebastian.
"But…that's normal?" She asked with furrowed brows.
"Quite normal," Sebastian answered. "There are millions of humans in the world, Seras. And on top of that, there are thousands of vampires, demons, and many other supernatural creatures. You are bound to make a match with quite a few."
"Okay," Seras whispered as she licked over her lips nervously. "Let's say for a second that this whole mate thing is real and I'm your guys' mate. And let's say that…I do eventually accept this. What if…I don't fall in love with one of you? Or what if I don't fall in love with either of you? What then?"
"If you do eventually come around and accept that we are your mates, Seras, it would be physically impossible for you not to love us." Sebastian told her. "Of course, the process of loving us will take time, but eventually you would love us. In the meantime you'll just have a natural need to be with us; to possess us and to be possessed in return."
"Possessed?" Seras whispered under breath. "Possessed isn't the same as being loved."
"No, but we're territorial creatures, Miss. Victoria." The demon responded. "If you choose us, you must stay with us. And if we dare see another man come near you, we will kill him." A smirk then played out along his lips. "It would be the same for you. You would possess us, and any woman who dares comes near us…Well, I think you'll take care of her."
"Do you love me?" The little human asked outright, shocking both males from that sudden question.
"No," Alucard answered. Relief flashed in her eyes.
"We haven't spent enough time with you yet." Sebastian reminded her. "We just started to get to know you."
"We have grown kind fond of you over the years." The vampire admitted.
"But it has not blossomed over to love as of yet." The demon finished.
"Why? Do you love us?" Alucard purred with a toothy grin. He leaned forward in his chair while he gave her a chilling look. Seras lightly shook her head, but never truly voiced an answer.
"That's alright," Sebastian chuckled. "We didn't expect you to be."
"So…what happens if…I don't accept you guys as my mates?" Seras asked in a whisper.
"It's unheard of," The demon responded. "Mates are like magnets, they're hard to separate once together."
"But what if I don't want you guys here? What if I don't want to be your mate?" The girl asked, raising her voice while giving him a serious look. "How are we like magnets, Sebastian? I've practically begged you both to leave my flat, but you both just stick to me like glue." The little human lightly shook her head. "We're not magnets."
"No," Sebastian whispered after he spent a long moment staring at her. "I suppose we're not at the moment."
"These things take time, Seras." Alucard spoke. "We haven't even mated yet. We only just made our presence known to you. In time, you will see that we naturally bring you comfort and warmth. You will welcome our company and rejoice…"
"I'm sorry, but all of this feels so surreal to me." Seras whispered. "I can't believe it; it's too hard to believe."
"That's alright if you don't completely understand it." Sebastian responded softly as he subconsciously reached across the table to cup her hand. The small blonde jumped in her chair, startling both males from the sudden action. Her eyes were wide in her head while she stared intently at Sebastian's hand that was placed over hers. She was in denial the first time Alucard had touched her. When he had grabbed her face and showed her his deadly teeth. At the time, she had been so calm in their presence, but yet her heart had raced in…excitement from the vampire's touch. It happened again. The second Sebastian's flesh met hers she felt an almost overwhelming sense of excitement. Her blood rushed through her veins, her heart pounded in her chest, and her breath caught in her throat. His skin felt so hot against hers that it was comforting. She wanted to be lost beneath that warm flesh, to feel more of him. Shouldn't she be terrified touching him? Shouldn't she hate the feel of his skin and be repulsed? But no, she was ecstatic and spellbound. She had never felt this way when touching anyone before. Just the touch of this man's fingers and she felt…safe.
Lost in Sebastian's warmth and softness, Seras gingerly moved her hand. She didn't dare break the contact of their flesh though. The demon watched her carefully as the little human flipped her hand underneath his so fingers met with her palm. He calmly stayed put, not wanting to wake her from this little 'dream' of hers. One of her fingertips gently tapped his palm. The girl gasped and she jumped again in her chair, but she continued to explore the flesh of his hand. Her fingers met with his palm again and she lightly danced them across his skin. Sebastian watched her ever so carefully. His brown orbs were trained on her face the entire time. He had an idea of what was happening. Mates had a need to feel each other's skin. It brought them comfort and warmth feeling connected to their mate in such a way. Was Seras feeling the phenomenon of touching her mate's skin?
Warily, the little human pushed his hand upwards until it was hovering between them. She shifted her hand and interlaced her fingers with his. And then it felt like time stood still. The girl sat there so calmly, staring at their interlaced fingers like she was in some type of trance. Sebastian could only sit there and stare deeply into those gorgeous blue eyes of hers, awed by her very being. He made the mistake of running his thumb over hers, since he too enjoyed the feel of her flesh. But he accidentally woke Seras from that trance. He saw the haze leave her eyes as her mind returned to reality. She lifted her gaze to meet his and her face reddened in embarrassment. Immediately, Seras pulled her hand away from his and she dropped both of her hands into her lap under the table. She was absolutely mortified that she just did that. What had overcome her? Had the feel of his skin against hers have really done that to her?
Seras was so entirely humiliated that she wanted to die! The girl groaned before she buried her face in her hands. Why the fuck did she ever got out of bed today?! To her left, she heard Alucard's chair creak as he got up from it. His footsteps were light as he moved, but Seras didn't pay him any mind until she heard those footsteps stop right behind her. The little human perked up in her chair as a tingle shot down her back. Her face left her hands and she quickly pulled back her head to stare up at Alucard from upside down. The vampire gave a wolfish grin as he leaned over her chair, coming face to face with her. His eyes hovered over hers, forcing her to stare deep in blood red irises. His hair caressed over the side of her face and mingled with her hair. Without warning or permission, Alucard raised his hands to cup her face. His cold flesh was soft against her cheeks, but…the iciness didn't bother her in the slightest. Her eyes widened from the sudden contact, but instantly afterwards he saw a calmness wash over those ocean blue orbs of hers.
"Seras," Alucard breathed her name. His scent, she was unable to help breathing it in and it was…intoxicating. Feeling comfortable enough to do so before this monster, Seras closed her eyes. She relaxed in his oddly enough warm hold. She enjoyed the softness of his fingers and hair on her skin. And she relished in that scent that permeated from his body. The vampire's grin widened when his mate basically fell into his hands, completely submitting to him even if she was unaware of what she was doing. Perhaps Michaelis and he had found a way to overcome all of their mate's little fears. A little touch and she ignored all instinct and was suddenly theirs. She was allowing them to touch her all because it brought her tranquility and comfort. God, it was so easy to please their mate. Alucard purred deeply as he brushed his thumbs over her soft cheeks. The sounds of his purrs only deepened the feeling of comfort. Warmth spread through her stomach and twisted it all up. Next, she felt a tingle in her nether regions, and all from the sounds of his purring and gentle caresses.
"Alucard," Seras whispered. But as soon as she heard her voice, heard what she had said, she remembered what was happening. Her eyes flew open wide, meeting his heated gaze, and she freaked. "No!" She shouted before one of her arms flung out to sweep his hands away from her face. In the process, she fell right out of her chair and landed hard on her ass. But she didn't care. She hyperventilated as she gazed up at Alucard and Sebastian purely terrified by what just happened. She couldn't believe that she had just melted into a warm puddle of goo when they touched her. She refused to believe that she had felt safe and comfortable or that she had actually got aroused from hearing the monster's soft purrs. She didn't believe any of it! However, both men stood there looking utterly confused and heartbroken all over again. They stared down at her, disappointed that she acted out in that way all because they had touched her. She looked absolutely terrified of them and that stung them.
"I'm sorry, Seras." Sebastian apologized. He clenched his fist lightly, angry with himself for doing this to her. It hadn't been the right time to introduce her to something like that. They should have waited a little while longer. Now she was just back to being scared of them. How did they always manage to do this? Whenever they get Seras comfortable enough to sit with them and talk, they always did something that made her scared of them. "Damn," The demon whispered under his breath while he gazed down at his mate. "I'm sorry, Seras." He repeated as the little human climbed to her feet. "We won't touch you without permission again." But he didn't get a response. Instead, their mate sprinted right by them and ran to her room for safety. Both men winced when she slammed the door behind her and locked it. Alucard and Sebastian both knew that nothing, not even a thin door would keep them from their mate. But, she was deeply upset with them at the moment, so they will give her time alone to recollect herself. And when she was calm, they'll be there waiting for her.
End of Chapter Three
I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter.
Oxford Not Brogues