Disclaimer: All of Hellsing and its characters are copyright to Kouta Hirano. Any original characters belong to the author of this fanfiction.

HELLSING

EREBUS

Here standeth the Bird of Hermes,

Eating my own wings to make me tame...

CHAPTER FOUR

Forbidden Fruit

Saturday Morning, November 1, 2031, Hotel...

The sun was just beginning to peek through the buildings of Toronto, an orange glow cast upon the room while Alex sat against the pillows, arms wrapped around her legs as she stared into space. She managed to remove her aesthetic makeup, shower, and then find a spare white fluffy robe. Her hair was still damp, dripping onto the sheets, but she didn't care right now. Sleep evaded her, and looked up at the source of her concerns. Alucard was sitting in one the chairs, hat and glasses set aside on the table. One leg crossed over the other, hands clasped in his lap while his eyes were closed. The creature unnerved her. The sound of the door opening caused her to jump and stare owlishly as a man in black attire came inside.

Alucard wasn't fazed, his lids remaining closed. He sensed it was Van, now merely waiting for the young vampire to speak. Van strolled in, looking exhausted before regarding the girl. Forcefully softening his features, he nodded in acknowledgement. "Miss Rows, a pleasure to meet you. Are you hurt?"

Alex turned her right wrist around to stare at the clean and expertly applied bandage. "No."

The sight of the bandage startled him somewhat and he turned to Alucard then. "She was bitten?"

"She remains unaffected. The trash took very little," he replied monotonously.

Van's shoulders visibly relaxed. "That's fortunate." He sighed, crossing his arms. "It took some doing, but I managed to clean up the scene before the authorities arrived."

"Oh?" Now the Count opened his fearsome eyes, lips tugging at the corners. "You had, what, five minutes at best?"

"Oddly, I had much longer. I learned that the police were called away elsewhere in the city. A violent distraction as there was a bombing near Air Canada Centre. Whoever is after Miss Rows didn't want any obstacles. The ACC is usually very populated and there were many casualties."

"I see," Alucard murmured, recalling the building. "Has my master spoken to you?"

"We've spoken, but she still wants your statement."

"Master?" Alex muttered in confusion. Alucard turned his eyes on her, giving her a small jolt. Steeling her features, she asked, "Why are...vampires after me? I haven't done anything to them."

Van opened his mouth, but Alucard cut in, "It's not what you did or didn't do, it's what they want you to do for them. Your blood seems to be something they want. They've killed many women with your description already just to find you, and now that you've been marked, they'll be coming after you alone."

"Sir Integra will be expecting you to call any moment," Van reminded him.

Alucard scoffed, laughter in his expression. "Yes, she would be."

As Alucard took out the phone, Van turned to Alex. "You must be hungry. Would you like me to fetch some breakfast for you?"

Taken aback by his kindness, she nervously smiled. "T-thank you."

He nodded his head once, gave Alucard one final look, then left the room. Alucard put the phone to his ear, eyes remaining on Alex unblinkingly. After the initial few rings, an audible click was heard on the other end. "My master, I have news."

"So I heard. You made quite the mess for Mr. Drake to clean up, Alucard." The vampire grinned. "But he tells me he managed it thanks to the ACC bombing. Give me your report."

Almost as if he had practised a speech, he gave her the rundown. "I arrived at the club to find all of the humans killed. Those responsible made a failed attempt to put me down, and they were armed to the teeth...in a manner of speaking." His master didn't even titter. "The humans had turned into ghouls and I disposed of them before dealing with the vampires themselves. They were buying time while one of them escaped with Miss Rows to a warehouse. They were weak, as I had expected. After, I followed after the last one. We exchanged little conversation."

"Did he say anything of value?"

"All he said was that Miss Rows would bring vampires to a new age."

"How cryptic," she said bitterly.

"It's confirmed that she is their intended target. It has something to do with her blood. What it is, I don't know. He had already tasted her blood to confirm their success at locating her by the time I got there. After, more ghouls came out of hiding, which again, I disposed of, and then I killed him."

"You didn't drink his blood?" she asked with surprise.

"No." He didn't want to taste the filth in his mouth.

Not bothering to press the issue, she then enquired, "What else?"

"And now she is here, safe and sound. What's my score so far?" he asked playfully.

Amused, she replied, "I'll give you an eight out of ten. Now, is she awake?" He grunted in affirmation. "Put her on the phone."

Alex tensed when he focused on her. "What?" He crooked his finger, ushering her to come closer as he held up the phone. Reluctantly, she went over, trying to keep as much distance between them as possible as she snatched the phone out of his long fingers and jumped away, much to his amusement. Putting the phone to her ear, she asked, "Hello?"

"Miss Rows, I am Sir Integra Hellsing, the head of the Hellsing Organization. There are many things to be explained to you, however, we cannot answer all of your questions yet. I need you to listen closely."

Alex swallowed then nodded. Remembering that the woman on the other end couldn't see her, she said, "Okay, I'm listening."

"You will need to leave Canada. You will be given a week to sort your affairs and make any goodbyes to friends and family. You will not tell them where you are going, except to say that you are...beginning elsewhere. You may pack whatever you wish to take with you. Alucard is to remain at your side at all times. Everywhere you go, he goes."

Alex's mind raced with questions, but uttered her protest instead, "I can't just leave! I have a job, and my rent has already been paid for November! Even if I did quit my job, they require two weeks notice! As for my apartment, they require two months!"

"Calm yourself, Miss Rows," Integra commanded calmly. "Mr. Drake is making the proper arrangements for your employer and landlord. We are only doing this for your safety, as well as the safety of your loved ones. If you're away, it'll draw danger away from them. Do you understand?"

The girl gritted her teeth, but the woman had a point. Why was this happening to her, though? She had to tell her parents and her friends that she was going away. Finally, she asked with a strange sort of calm, "If this whole thing ends, will I be able to come back?"

Integra sighed. Honestly, the director had no idea when it would end, but she replied honestly, "Yes. We can arrange dates for visits. Does this satisfy you?"

Thankfully, it did. "I don't even have a passport," she said on a sigh.

"As I said, Mr. Drake is making the proper arrangements. You'll be well taken care of, Miss Rows. Now, please put Alucard back on the line."

Warily, she turned her brown eyes to the grinning vampire. Rather than hand the device to him, she tossed it. Retreating into the bathroom, the door was slammed shut, the girl emitting a sigh. Denying that she was afraid of the vampire would have been a blatant lie. Alex had been hypnotized, man-handled, nauseated, knocked unconscious, scared shitless, and her personal space violated all in one night. It was not a Halloween she would soon forget, but in the end, she had survived. Because her wrist was no longer bleeding, she was beginning to get feeling in her hand again, and with it, the soreness from when Lionel had nearly broke her fingers, simply to make a point that she was weak. If there was one thing she hated being...it was weak. Her independence did not allow her to bode well with uselessness.

Another thing she hated was the fact that a man had successfully put her in her proper place, cowering under his strength. It wasn't a good feeling, and just thinking about it made her angry. It was the usual reason why some of her relationships failed. Her boyfriends seemed to have the idea in their heads that she should need them, as opposed to want them. Her need for mass amounts of alone time and independence apparently offended them. Outright, she had never lied about the kind of person she was, and maybe she was selfish, but at least she was honest, and one good point about her is that if she was in a relationship, she would be fiercely loyal to them and never stray.

Ha, look at her, letting her mind wander over useless thoughts. This Integra had told Alex that she was being taken away to be safe, for her own sake, as well as the sake of her loved ones. Going meant she was doing something for them. It wasn't selfish to hope for their safety. At least she'd be leaving the country, just like she wanted to do some time in her future. But to pack up everything and simply leave? It all felt so surreal. Even now, last night didn't feel real. The only proof to her that it had happened was her injured hand, and...Alucard.

Exhaustion began to set in as her body slid down the door to the tiles, head hanging low. She wasn't ready to sleep with her mind so wired, but her body was beginning to shut down from the stress, needing to recharge. If she went to bed, she feared she would be at the mercy of the man in the next room. Even his damn coffin scared her. He wasn't the standard textbook definition of a vampire, that much she gathered. Alucard had proved his power in the most frightening way, as if he was the god of death, invulnerable to mortal weapons.

The knock at the door snapped her out of her reverie as she heard Mr. Drake's voice. "Miss Rows, are you in there? I brought up the food."

"Oh, um, thank you. I'll eat it in a bit," she said.

"Alright, I've left it on the coffee table."

Alex heard him walk away, speaking to Alucard, whose words she couldn't decipher through the door. Then the door into the room was opened and closed, indicating he left. Eventually, she opened the bathroom door, peering into the room. Alucard hadn't moved from his spot, only resuming the position he had before Van's arrival, eyes closed once more. Spotting a tray of sausages, eggs, pancakes, toast, chopped fruit and orange juice, she cautiously went for it, eyeing Alucard the whole time. Swallowing, she sat in the other chair, which was uncomfortably close to his own, bending forward to slowly drag the tray towards her. Crimson pools opened, watching her curiously. A strawberry was popped into her mouth, making her briefly wish she had chocolate mousse or some whipped cream.

Gloved hands unclasped, an elbow resting on the arm of his chair as Alucard rested the side of his head upon his knuckles, fascinated. Vainly, she attempted to ignore his staring while she ate, eating the sausages first before nibbling on toast. A frown formed as his examination started to get to her. She gulped down half the glass of juice, and she chanced a look at his face. Regret was immediate, because when she did look, his lips curled into that disturbing smile he apparently had a habit of showing, putting her on edge. Eyes turned away from the offending creature, scarfing down the rest of the toast, leaving only the eggs and pancakes. Frowning again, she wasn't sure she could finish, and there wasn't nearly enough maple syrup on her pancakes to make them tolerable for her.

"Better eat up. You're going to need your strength," he said, breaking the silence.

There was an involuntary twitch in her right eye, which she smacked at to make it stop. The stress truly was starting to get to her. Honestly, she didn't like scrambled eggs much, so she pushed away the tray, curling up in the chair, cradling the small bowl of fruit. Much to her surprise, Alucard held out his phone to her. Brows furrowed in confusion at his gesture, mouth full of melon.

"I imagine you will want to contact your friends and family. You should arrange times to meet them and say farewell."

She turned away from it then, looking embarrassed. "No...I'll contact them by other means."

He arched a brow. "Don't have their numbers memorized?"

"That and I hate phones," she confessed. "I'll talk on them if I have to but I just..." Alex couldn't even bare to stand the idea of talking on a phone.

After a moment of silence, Alucard chortled deeply. "How adorable." That caught her attention! Her head swung around at the comment. "You have phone anxiety, don't you?"

"I-I... So what if I do?! It's not like I can help it! They ring and ring and ring, and half the time you expect it to be someone you don't want to talk to, like a telemarketer or some kind of collection agency! Also, people have been killed because of those damn things! Idiots are practically glued to them while they're driving even though it's illegal! Did you know a train was derailed once, just because the driver was texting?! It's ridiculous!" When her defensive outburst was over, she panted, then flushed with embarrassment before turning her gaze away again, stuffing her mouth with grapes.

The laughter began, gradually building and growing louder by the second as his head hung over the back of the chair. How this human delighted him! Calling her out on her quirk had been the light of his morning so far. Alexandra was trying so hard to ignore him, but her shock at his amusement only increased his glee. Brown pools glowered at him, unimpressed that he was laughing at her, not that she could do anything about it.

"Stop that."

Eventually he did, entering a tense quiet, but when her eyes narrowed at him, as if expecting something disastrous, he couldn't contain it any longer. It started again, lasting for a couple of minutes. What an adorable human, indeed. He grinned at her, and her mouth twitched. Unfortunately for Alex, his laughter had been tickling at her, and she wasn't sure she could contain the giggle that threatened to escape. Though partially successful, she couldn't hide a defiant smile that she poorly attempted to turn into a frown, as if trying to pretend that she wasn't the least bit amused.

"Don't smile...you'll crack up."

She barked, then slapped a hand over her mouth, sides beginning to hurt as she couldn't contain it anymore. Bloody hell, his laughter and smiling was way too contagious! Eventually, it eased to nothing, and she sighed. "Dammit all." He chuckled. "Well, since you're not here to hurt me, I suppose I would like some answers."

He tilted his head curiously, indicating he was listening. "Go on," he urged.

Quietly, the empty bowl was put on the table and she avoided eye contact. "Those things last night...they weren't typical zombies were they?"

"No. Ghouls are the result of humans drained of their blood from vampires. They have similarities to zombies, but compared to them, ghouls are much more resilient. Ghouls are to be shot through the head or the heart with silver. That weakness is more prominent if the silver is blessed. Also, if the vampire that created them is destroyed, they perish along with them."

The Count wasn't surprised by her confusion. "Then...how do you make more vampires?"

"Only virgins of the opposite sex can become vampires," he replied patiently. "Ghouls only create more ghouls. Deflowered humans and those of the same gender are also turned into ghouls." He watched her, fascinated by the play of emotions on her face.

Alex looked at her wrist then, flexing her sore fingers. "So, if that man had drank me dry, I would..."

"Yes," he affirmed quietly. "You'd become a ghoul. I take it that you're not a virgin."

"No, I'm not. So, even if I had wanted to live forever, I'd be screwed," she said almost bitterly. The thought of living forever has crossed everyone's mind at least once, she was sure, just like everyone pondered the idea of death. "These vampires want my blood. What I don't get is why."

"My master and I aim to find out. Though I must say, your blood does have a certain...appeal to it," he said with a grin. The comment startled her as she stared at him. "Almost like forbidden fruit that was thought lost in time."

It didn't go beyond Alex's notice that his voice seemed to quiet at the end, as if trailing off. His eyes looked lost in thought and she found herself staring at them. Shaking her head, she announced, "I'm going to sleep."

"Goodnight then," he said. "Pleasant dreams."

She had stood and turned to look at him. "If I find you leaning over me, I'm going to think the worst of you and probably throw every bloody thing at you within reach. Just fair warning."

Ignoring his enjoyment at her claim, she went to bed, curling up under the covers. He chuckled to himself and waited for the sound of her breath to even out. Wanting to make sure she fell asleep before he retired to his coffin, the wait proved to be long. What was taking her? Perplexed by her uneasy task, he watched as she kept adjusting the comforters, huffing in frustration, a thought occurred to him. He stood then, catching her attention.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"I'll return momentarily. I think I know just the thing to help you sleep."

She blinked and he was gone. Alex laid her head down, annoyed with her predicament. For many moments more, she struggled with the sheets. Whimpers came out due to her stress, frustration and her exhaustion. She wanted to sleep but comfort seemed to elude her cruelly. Her eyes already stung enough, she didn't need to shed tears as a result. A minute later, the girl sensed a presence and looked over to find Alucard standing there. He walked over to the side of the bed and presented her with her body pillow. Astonished, she reached for it, wondering how the hell he knew! Instantly, she brought the plump object beneath the covers, clutching it closely with a possessive expression.

"Where did you get this?" she asked, warning in her tone.

He grinned. "The bench at the foot of your bed."

"You...you've been in my house?!"

"Yes," he replied unashamed. "I watched over you while you slept before you went into work yesterday."

She gaped. He'd seen and been in her house. He'd seen her naked. It was HIM! "You?! You were the one that tied my sash, weren't you?!"

His grin only widened. "Indeed. You looked like you needed some help, so I only obliged."

My, how lovely her scowling face looked, he thought, enjoying every moment. It didn't take her long to connect the dots. Alex reached for the pillows she didn't plan on using and threw them at his face, to which he laughed at. Huffing, she flipped onto her other side, adjusting the body pillow to a perfect position, again, trying to ignore him. He chuckled all the way to his seat, having expected some small bit of wrath. After all, he had invaded her home. Getting comfortable in his chair again, he waited for the human to drift off. Time passed and soon her breathing became quiet and soft.

He debated on a few things, and unable to help himself, he quietly moved to the side of her bed again, observing her sleeping figure. Alucard no longer held the delight he had only moments ago. Everything was quiet, with the exception of the muffled noise pollution from the streets. Bending over her form, he leaned in so close, that he was barely a millimetre away from touching her with the tip of his nose. The vampire closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, breathing in the scent of oranges. It had been stronger a couple nights ago, but now it was deeply hidden beneath the hotel's bath products, which were lightly perfumed. Underneath all that though, there was the definite odour of something familiar.

Ever so gently, he nuzzled her hair, not enough to directly touch her scalp or skin, but just the strands of copper that he was once so fond of. One of his gloves was removed as he reached for a lock of her soft waves, fingering the silk between his fingers, confident she would not wake. He indulged for many moments, brows furrowed in concentration as he memorized the feel of it, the smell of it, and the look of it. When he was satisfied, he replaced his gloves and went for his coffin, slipping into the box before giving the curled figure one final look. Sleep took him the moment he closed the lid above him.

"Ha, ha!" a man had yelled out heartily. "Vlad! I wondered when I would see you! You've grown so much since I last saw you!"

Vlad stared up at his uncle Bogdan, giving the older man a grim smile. "My lord," he said, bowing, the girl at his side following his example.

The prince of Moldavia grinned with welcome, getting up from his throne and pulling him into an unexpected hug. "Come, come! I heard that you had escaped the Ottomans some time ago, but I almost didn't believe it!" He turned to Katarina then, face going sober with the dirtiness of her face. "Friend of yours?" he whispered.

The young man ignored the question, not wanting to draw attention to Katarina. God knew she had been through enough. They both had. "I wish to humbly request sanctuary, my lord. We will work hard, sir."

Bogdan's face broke out into a smile. "You've been through much, nephew. You must rest tonight and tomorrow, you and I shall talk. I will have the servants tend to you both."

When Katarina was about to be separated from Vlad, he protested against it. The young man had earned many strange looks, but nobody questioned it. Later, they were bathed and scrubbed down til their skin was raw and red. They'd been dressed in fresh and more comfortable apparel, which felt strange as they were used to the rags they had been forced to wear for years. For the first time though, Vlad really stared at Katarina. Though he had always noticed how pretty she appeared, her face looked healthier now that it was free of dirt, and her hair had a radiant shine to it. The servants had taken care to make a braid of her hair on each side of her temples and tie them together into another braid in the back. Vlad had pulled at his own hair a little, now tangle-free but still untamed.

They had spent many happy days together under the care of Bogdan. Even Vlad was beginning to let stubble cover his jawline, a thin moustache forming above his lips. Bogdan began to train the growing young man in sword combat while Katarina watched him with a smile. He could have gone on like this, with her, with his uncle, simply free of troubles and worries. Even just having Katarina with him was enough. However, he'd always wondered why she never bore a symbol.

One day, he strolled around the perimeter of the castle, his beloved Katarina beside him. Now would be the time to ask. "Katarina, are you happy?"

She blinked those rich brown eyes curiously. "Of course! Are you not?"

He turned to her then. Honestly, he was happy as one could be, but he knew that one day, he would have to reclaim the throne that his father had once laid claim to. "Yes, I am. However, I won't be able to stay here forever. I have a responsibility to my countrymen. My father and elder brother are dead. One day, I'm going to have to confront my younger brother."

Katarina frowned when he turned his face away, hidden away by his thick hair. Shockingly, he felt her lean against him, gripping his tunic tightly, burying her face in his chest. "I know," she murmured. "And I will follow you wherever it may lead. I will not leave your side, just as you have never left mine."

"Katarina," he whispered, causing her to look up at him.

He swallowed hard. As future Voivode of Wallachia, fear wasn't permitted to settle. A commander should never hesitate. He wanted so badly to ask her, but the words escaped him like vapour through clenching fingers. Instead of saying what he wanted to express, he leaned down, stopping only a inch away from her waiting lips. She wanted this; he could taste her need for contact just as much as he felt his own. Their breaths mingled, and just as he was about to close the distance, he heard screaming, tearing his blue eyes upwards.

"Vlad? What's going on?" Katarina asked.

"I don't know."

They watched as one of the servants ran towards them, panting heavily, shock on their face. "The prince! Prince Bogdan has been assassinated!"

A/N: Aw, Can you feeeel the loooove toniiight? I'm done. I really hate the editor on this site. Keeps messing with my formatting. Will probably have to double-check the other chapters. Yes, Vlad Tepes did have an uncle, and he was assassinated during Vlad's stay, but I don't know who was responsible for Vlad's combat training but he had to get it from somewhere, so I made his uncle be the one to train him, much like Mario Auditore trained Ezio in Assassin's Creed 2. Also, Alucard is a total sucker. Figuratively speaking. In this story, he's enthralled with Alex's hair. It's a catalyst for fluff moments.

Those wondering what Vlad wanted to ask her, I will never tell! But you can speculate. It's kind of obvious. I won't even tell you if you're close, just because I like torturing you guys. And there is a reason Katarina doesn't wear a symbol, like a cross or something, which will be revealed in a later flashback.

Anyway, please leave a review/question. Thanks very much! One more of the chapters I've written so far to put up.