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 FORTY-FIVE

Frustration

Rage was all that fuelled the dark prince. Rage and duty, and his obligation as a father. It was what kept him going. The passing of his wife had hit him harder than he dared admit, drowning the pain in heavy liquor, and wallowing in solitude in his too-empty bedchamber. Any man who doubted his resolve in the fight against the Turks, however, would find themselves piked, joining the rest of the fools on the borders. Katarina's death did not weaken Vlad's resolve. It had strengthened it.

The prince had made sure to make every Ottoman suffer. While he employed his favourite tactic, he had also gotten creative and expanded his library of methods. At one point, he had tried his hand at trampling his enemies with his steed after cutting them down. When on foot, he would press the weight of his boot upon their heads, drowning them in mud, shit, and blood. Regardless of the method, it did little to shrink the void within his chest, and he found that he did not pray as much anymore.

At home for the first time in months, he sat alone in another drunken haze, staring at nothing, thinking of everything. He still stunk of the battle and the long journey home. By now, Katarina would have scolded him until he took a bath, unless he distracted her by slaking their shared lust, having missed one another during the separation. Sometimes she would offer to wash him. There would be none of that now. Not ever again. He didn't even have the stomach to bed a woman. The thought made him nauseous.

Eventually, he would rise to open his door and bark out an order to have a bath readied. Servants scrambled and he was soon sitting in a tub, unmoving, while the world marched forward, apathetic to his grief. When he was sufficiently clean, and slightly sober, he readied for bed, weariness dragging him down to oblivion.

Crossing the room to the bed, he stopped, suddenly alert to a new presence in the room. He'd been about ready to reach for the nearest weapon, only to meet a blue gaze that matched his own, his young son standing at the door.

"Mihnea," he rasped gruffly, relaxing. "You should be in bed."

"I wanted to see you, Papa," came his small voice.

Vlad nearly dismissed the boy, but as he opened his mouth, his throat closed up, instead releasing a weary sigh. "You could not wait until morning?" As Mihnea shook his head, Vlad weighed his options. What would she have done? She would never turn their son away, he realized, inwardly wincing at his own reaction. After a moment, he would offer his hand. "Come to bed, then. I am tired."

Father and son soon settled on the mattress, Mihnea only too happy to curl up to Vlad's side. Paternal instinct had an arm wrapped around the child, Vlad looking down at his son. Mihnea's hair had taken on the wildness of his own, but the shade belonged to the mother, and he found himself reaching for a lock and playing with it, noting the softness belonging to her as well.

"Papa?"

"Yes?"

"Do you think mama is watching over us?"

The query gave the prince some pause. He wanted to say yes, but felt it was a lie, as heaven would not have taken her. His arm tightened ever so slightly around the boy, and he prayed even less after that night.

Wednesday Morning, February 25, 2032, Hellsing Estate...

Happiness had never seemed so peaceful. To find one's self waking in the arms of another, it was a feeling one could easily grow used to basking in. Alucard opened his eyes partway, half asleep, but quite aware of the presence beside him. Turning his head, he saw a mop of rich brown, mussed with random locks sticking up every which way. The sight made him smile, warmed by the view of his beloved tucked into his side, softly snoring and lightly drooling on his shirt.

After their return, Alexandra had asked him to stay with her, and he was only too happy to oblige, forgoing any obligation to report to his master. However, that could no longer be avoided, and he predicted that he would be harshly reprimanded. Not only was his report late, they had been posthumous returning as well, the memory causing a lazy grin to surface.

Carefully, he manoeuvred reluctantly from her embrace, not wanting to wake her from her peaceful slumber. Kissing her, however, was a temptation too great to resist, leaning down to lightly press his mouth to hers. Suddenly he was caught again in her clutches, her hands finding his shirt, keeping him there. He purred in his throat, easily sinking back, an arm slipping under her and pulling her close. The young woman hummed happily, her arms sliding around his torso.

Sweet as this moment was, Alucard had to pull away before his passions got the best of him. "Alexandra," he murmured against her lips.

Her own smiled against his. "Good morning," she greeted.

Her grip loosening, he leaned away slightly, a toothy smile bared for her. "And a good morning to you, my dear."

Inhaling deeply, a sigh escaped her as her arms dropped to the bed. "You leaving?"

"Yes."

"Integra?"

"Integra."

"Okay," was her lazy response. "I need to get up anyway. I have to report to the Lieutenant for any training exercises. I'm sure he's gonna train me extra hard for taking yesterday off." The thought soured her mood a little.

"You'll persevere as you always have," Alucard told her, leaning down to kiss the junction between her neck and shoulder. After which, he stood from the bed, his usual trench and suit appearing on his form with a shift of his shadows. The hat, seemingly appearing out of nowhere in his hand, was soon placed atop his head, tilting the rim towards the brunette in a gentlemanly fashion. "Miss Rows."

Alex couldn't help her amusement. "Good luck?" She knew he would be in trouble.

As a grin appeared on his face, his form would fade from her sight. Her gaze lingered there a moment more before she grabbed the pillow he had used and held it over her face, inhaling his lingering scent while giddiness welled inside her, recalling the events of the day before. Feeling a burst of energy, she jumped out of bed to get ready for duty.

Meanwhile, Integra sat in her office reading case files. Feeling a change in atmosphere, she raised her eye, finding the Count standing before her desk, a pleasant smile on his face, and being...quiet. Arching a brow, she dropped the folder onto her desk, clasping her hands over her stomach as she leaned back in her chair, glowering disapprovingly at the vampire, yet curious to his mood.

"You're quite late reporting in," she stated.

"I apologize," he said without sounding the least bit apologetic.

"I gave you twelve hours, vampire. Twelve. You were supposed to inform me of your return with the girl the moment you came back. Explain yourself."

"I suppose I lost track of the time," was his lame excuse. He grinned naughtily as her glare intensified, the woman looking much like a scolding mother. "Perhaps we were a little late coming in," he conceded.

"Need I remind you that the time constraint was for the benefit of her safety? Gabriel and his followers are still out there, planning who knows what next. I cannot have you gallivanting off with the girl whenever you please." At his silence, Integra's shoulders relaxed. "How late were you?"

"No more than an hour."

"Then why did you not report in last night?"

"Alexandra asked that I keep her company," he said vaguely.

Her brow and eye twitched, lips parting slightly. Despite the fact she was scolding him, Alucard was unusually taking this conversation in stride. Wait a tick, did that mean...? "There's been a development?" There was the slightest upturn of his lips and Integra's single eye widened, the woman leaning on her desk now. "No...you didn't. Did you sleep with her?"

"Define 'sleep,'" he replied. He arched his own brow as Integra was trying desperately to maintain her English sensibilities and not fish for details. "Really, Integra. I never pegged you as one who fed on such topics."

The Hellsing Head stared in disbelief at the vampire. "Did you sleep with her?" she repeated. It wasn't polite to ask, but she had to know.

"No," he said after a moment. "I merely stayed the night in her room."

Falling back against her chair, the finely-aged woman didn't know what to think. Her curiosity sated, for the moment, she replaced her stoicism. "That aside, I presume things went...quite well for you two."

"Indeed," he replied, a serene look on his face.

Scoffing, Integra regarded him with a smirk. "I'm happy for you, Alucard. Regardless, do not make these discrepancies a habit."

"But of course," he returned, somewhat placating.

Wednesday Afternoon, March 10, 2032, Hellsing Estate...

Over the last few weeks, Alex spent entire days in training, focusing mainly on her aim and reflexes. She had vastly improved since her very first day under her instructors, but lately found that the training was limited. There was only so much that stationary bullseyes could improve. Even the automated targets that moved side to side proved to be pointless after awhile. Emptying her revolver of standard bullets, the gun was lowered, having beat her latest time. It wasn't enough.

It's like I'm kicking at a wall with no way around or over it, she thought in frustration.

Unlike her, the rest of her fellow soldiers had years of experience, and likely received far more advanced training outside of Hellsing. That was the thing—anyone who was recruited into Hellsing had been trained before. Most the officers did here was target practice and drills. Alex had been learning the basics for who knows how long.

Having tired of today's training, the brunette cleaned up the area, putting away her weapons after emptying them of normal ammo. That done, she marched back to the mansion, a deep frown etched in her features, a crinkle between her brows. It was only moments later that she found herself in front of Integra's office doors, having not realized where her own feet had brought her. Understanding what her subconscious was telling her, Alex raised a hand, hesitating for a moment.

It occurred to her that Integra could be busy with other matters, and Alex did not wish to disturb the older woman with the huntress' own thoughts. She had been about to drop her hand when she recalled something Seras had told her during one of Alex's hand-to-hand lessons. It had to do with any situation at hand having little room for doubt, especially when fighting vampires. There was a good deal of self-confidence needed in order to push one's self to succeed. When the blonde had said that, Alex noted a hint wistful knowing in the other's tone. When asked about it, Seras had replied that it was something she had to learn years ago, and it was a hard lesson.

Making up her mind, knuckles would rap sharply upon the wooden surface, a prompt, "Enter," answering her call. Alex stepped inside, seeing the Hellsing Head sitting at her large desk. Integra raised her singular gaze, regarding the young woman. "Ah, Miss Rows, I was about to send for you."

Blinking once, Alex approached the desk, barely remembering herself and standing at attention, hands behind her back. "Sir."

Amused, Integra leaned back in her chair, a new cigar already between her fingers as she removed the tip. "If you're here without my summon, then I can assume that you have your own reason for being here." Alex nodded ever so slightly, and Integra's features softened, noticing the apprehension on the girl's face. "At ease, Alex. Due to your situation, you're a...special case, and therefore not a standard soldier of Hellsing. If you feel the need to voice your thoughts, then rest assured that my door is always open."

At that, the brunette's shoulders dropped, her arms relaxing at her sides. "I'm not looking for special treatment."

"I'm aware," she told her, flipping open her zippo, sparking the flint, igniting the flame that soon burned the end of the cigar while she inhaled. With a flick of her wrist, the lighter snapped shut. "Be that as it may, not only are you a fresh cadet of the Hellsing Organization, you are also a client under our protection. The circumstances are a bit...unorthodox, you understand. Suffice to say, you're becoming a capable hunter of vampires."

"Thank you," Alex replied with some uncertainty.

The platinum-blonde took another inhale, exhaling plumes of the sickly scent. "While fate has seemingly forced your hand in that regard," she said, referring to the multiple attacks in Canada and on that freighter, "you still have a long way to go."

"That's why I'm here, actually?"

The older woman arched a brow. "Yes?"

"After some...speculation, I've noticed that I've reached a...hurdle. A very tall hurdle."

"That being?"

"While my...know-how has improved, I feel like my training has slowed down considerably. I've been doing the same thing for months. I shoot the targets, I quicken my reflexes, and while I know there's a lot more I can learn about hand-to-hand, there's this...wall I can't climb. I don't feel the strain as much, and I can't help but wonder if that's a bad thing." She paused, trying to read Integra's face, which was rather hard to do at the moment. "Does that make any sense?"

Integra considered the young woman's words, a feeling of inexplicable pride filling her. "Your training has lost its efficiency," she simplified succinctly. "In what way?"

Slightly emboldened by Integra's understanding, Alex said, "The targets on the field. They either go side-to-side, up-and-down, or just sit there. There's no randomness. At this point, I just shoot to warm up and it's...boring! I've even had myself timed to try and quicken my response to targets, and I'm barely breaking my own records now. As for hand-to-hand, I know Seras is holding back for my sake so she doesn't accidentally hurt me."

Silence filling between them, Integra thought over Alex's conundrum. Integra had to admit that Alex had a fair point. The training courses were limited, and the Head had never had the need for more before, as her small army was filled with preemptively and thoroughly trained soldiers. Alex was soon surprised to see a smile on the woman's face.

"You've given me an idea that may be effective, not just for you, but for all of Hellsing. You reminded me of something various military across the globe have been working on. I'll need to get in contact with Sir Penwood about it. In the meantime, I have another case for you."

Surprised for a different reason, Alex resumed her rigidness. "Sir!"

"For obvious reasons, Alucard will shadow you, but he is not to help you with the case. This assignment, you will be doing alone."

Dark eyes widened a fraction at this. "Really? What if I..." she cleared her throat before she could cuss, "fudge it up?"

"I suggest that you make the effort not to fudge it up," she remarked plainly. "The case is this: Men and women have been disappearing across London, all missing-persons last seen at local hot spots, such as clubs, pubs, and restaurants."

"As opposed to Planes, Trains, and Automobiles?" she quipped.

"Pay attention," she reprimanded.

"Sorry."

"The police investigating have not found any leads. They don't know if those people are simply missing or dead, raising the question of whether we have a serial killer lurking about London." Alex frowned. "Thoughts?"

"Why would Hellsing be handling a...human-based case like this?"

"The police cannot find an identity of a suspect, despite going through hours of surveillance." At that, Integra watched as the gears turned in Alex's head. It pleased her to know that the girl was getting quicker at putting together the puzzle pieces.

"Vampires cast no reflections," she realized. "So, cameras can't capture them either?"

"Precisely. That's why the case was passed on to us. While there are witnesses, none of them are consistent in their description. Your job is to figure out who is responsible, and if possible, find the missing-persons. If they have been turned into ghouls or vampires, then they need to be dealt with accordingly. I very much doubt that you'll be dealing with more than one vampire. Regardless, exercise caution. And when you do find the vampire, eliminate it."

"Yes, sir!" Alex affirmed with a salute.

"Good. You begin as soon as you're done speaking with Mr. Drake. I believe he has something for you."

Moments later, and Alex had journeyed to the basement, standing before Van's door. She knocked, barely noting what time of day it was. While it had darkened a bit outside, for all she knew, the hunter was still asleep. Goodness knew how much he actually slept. Van really was all work and no play. She didn't have long to wait, for the door creaked open, and there he stood, his messy hair tamed in its usual fashion and his clothes smoothed out.

"Good evening, Alex," he greeted.

"Hey."

"Please, come in," he offered, stepping aside, gesturing to the usual stool he always had available for her.

Alex stepped in before the vampire closed the door again. She took up the offered seat, her feet swinging freely. "So, Integra put me on another case and said you had something to give me."

"Indeed I do," he confirmed, walking over to his workbench. "I thought it would be most useful to you, in times of close encounters." He reached into a small wooden crate filled with hay, bringing whatever he grabbed over to the young woman before placing it in her hand.

Raising a small spherical glass, Alex peered at the clear surface, looking into its swirling contents of what looked like mercury swimming in water. "What the heck is this?"

"It's a vial containing holy water and liquified blessed silver. Any vampire who has the misfortune of being doused with such will be thoroughly scalded as though it were acid. The mixture is very corrosive for the undead.

Alex eyed the vial, a delighted grin on her face. "Please can I call them 'Holy Hand Grenades?'"

A deep chortle escaped him. "It astounds me the amount of dated pop culture references contained in your head, when such things are perhaps a decade or so, or even half a century before you were born."

"My parents are Millennials. They grew up with that stuff, and in turn I grew up with that. I thought you would appreciate a Monty Python reference."

"Alas, my work permits me very little time to appreciate such marvels like moving pictures and boxes containing miniature actors. I even forget to stare in wonder at this thing they call an automobile. Or this glass jar that traps lightning, illuminating an entire room."

The girl guffawed. "Oh my god, stop! 'Else I might actually call you old."

He grinned. "In any case, they're not grenades. They're vials."

"'Holy Bath Bombs!'" she exclaimed excitedly.

"Dear lord, woman," he said in exasperation. "They're not bath bombs either!"

"It's too late," she declared in a menacingly low tone. "It's already sticking! And there's nothin' you can do about it! Muwahaha!" She made a show of raising her palms and shaking her shoulders during her evil laugh.

Van could only face-palm, groaning at this turn of conversation. "I refuse to call them that! And stop that! You look ridiculous!"

"Takes one fool to know another," she pointed out, grinning ear to ear.

"Only takes one Alucard to lift your mood, though," he remarked, smirking when she turned red.

She scowled. "S-shut up!" He could only laugh.

Wednesday Night, March 10, 2032, London...

Gearing up was easy, for all Alex needed to bring was a suitcase full of clothes and essentials, and a backpack carrying her new laptop, since the last one was destroyed in a missile attack. A reservation had already been made at an inn under the name Alice Brewster, Alex wincing at the very identity she came up with on the fly back in Bleadon. Dropped off by a cab, she checked in before heading to her room.

The elevator seemed dated with its old wallpaper and chipped wood panels, its overhead light yellow and flickering every now and then. The lift itself felt rather precarious, creaking from age, and Alex had to wonder when its last safety inspection was. At least the building itself was no more than five floors, but she still would not want to fall from such a height trapped in this box.

With a weak ding, the doors parted from the middle, with some struggle, briefly summoning images of her previous thoughts of being trapped in here. Getting a bit paranoid, Alex forcibly opened the doors the rest of the way, rushing through them with her things. The halls matched the theme of the elevator's interior, only the walls had cheap paintings and aged sconces, the carpets reminding her of that movie she watched with her parents once, The Shining.

Finding room 505, she produced the key from her pocket before slipping it into the lock, retracting the bolt. Stepping inside, it did not surprise her in the least to see the theme continue, sans the Shining rug, this time a simple brown carpet. The bed was a twin-size mattress with surprisingly clean sheets and pillows, and the room had a bay window with a decent view of the busy street below. Putting down her things, she went into the bathroom, deflating from the sight of the shower stall.

"So much for a luxurious bath," she lamented. Scanning over the room again, she added, "Could be worse. Place could have bedbugs or cockroaches."

Making sure the door was locked, she went to her belongings, pulling out her laptop and the case file, situating them on the table next to the window. Having a vague idea of what to do, she started up her computer. Unlike her last laptop, this one was personally provided to her by Integra during Alex's recovery from hypothermia, reinforced and modified with military-grade parts and software. As such, it had hardwired internet, allowing her access anywhere. This gave her immediate access to the Hellsing database and archives if need be, and she could send Integra regular reports. That, and the processing power and hard drive space was amazing, so Alex had been quick to reinstall a lot of her games.

Plugged in, she sat down, grimacing at the hard cushion that did anything but. Logging in, she pulled up the database while flipping open the folder, glancing at the information on the pages. Sitting straight, she went into her open case on the computer, pulling up the surveillance videos, missing-person images popping up on their own when said person was recognized by the program. Though she had fiddled around with the program before, Alex still needed to get used to its functions.

"You won't be able to get anywhere tonight," came a familiar voice.

It never failed to incite a shiver through Alex every time she heard his voice, especially now. Glancing over, she saw Alucard stretched along the bed, his back resting against the headboard, hands clasped over his stomach. He looked relaxed with his eyes closed, head tilting slightly forward, and it only occurred to her now that the bed was very small compared to the vampire.

It surprised the young woman less and less to find him in her bed. Still, while she did enjoy using him as a pillow as she slept, she always got that pit of nervousness from his proximity. The relationship they shared had evolved into something serious, but it was still felt fresh after a couple of weeks. She had no doubt that one day she would give herself entirely over to him, but despite all the sexual tension that had been there between them from even before they officially got together, Alex was not ready to jump to that platform just yet. And while he continued to tease and flirt with her, Alucard did not exceed his liberties, as though knowing she wasn't ready for that without having to ask.

"I'm establishing my first steps," she told him. "And you're not supposed to be helpful."

At this, crimson pools were revealed to her, his teeth bared with amusement. "Then am I meant to distract you?" His smile only widened as he spotted the darkening of her cheeks.

Rather than dignify that with a response, she turned back to her work, making notes on the various establishments she would need to visit, hopefully during the daylight hours. She did not want the vampire she was hunting to spot her and put two and two together. Going through the witness reports next, she tried to create a list of the most common traits. All she could determine was that the suspect in question dressed nicely. That and they seemed to only go hunting at middle to higher class joints. No dive bars, underground clubs or fast food places. The suspect had refined taste, but not so picky as to lower their standards slightly. Clean, she realized. They wanted clean meals.

There was a rustle behind her just as she narrowed her eyes at the information. "What are you up to?" she asked Alucard slowly, almost sensing his grin without looking at him.

"Being nosey," he retorted.

"Be nosey over there. You've got your super vision and don't need to hover over me," she scolded, a mixture of irritation and amusement lacing her tone.

"I was being literal," he told her.

Before she could ask what he meant, Alex felt him press his nose into the back of her head, inhaling deep as he nuzzled lightly through her thick hair. An arm was soon wrapped around her shoulders, encasing her from behind as a sigh passed his lips, the chill of his breath on her neck. Her face grew hot, but her body shivered, a soft sigh escaping her own mouth. With Alucard being so daringly affectionate, it was difficult for her to be annoyed with the distraction.

Exercising a habit he had developed of late, a kiss was placed between her neck and shoulder, causing the woman to angle her head, exposing more of the flesh to his hungry mouth. Greedy to taste more, he took up the invitation, nibbling his way up to her ear, very careful not to even scratch her delectable skin with his fangs. Alexandra shuddered beneath him, though was trying to hide it, making him smile at her poor attempt.

"You know," he began, his tone rather husky, mouth nearly pressed against her ear, "the bed is quite small."

"Then why did you forgo bringing your coffin?" she asked, her voice small due to his distracting ministrations.

"I have no need of it at this time. I'm quite content to share your bed," he teased. "With a bed that small, we'll be quite...close."

While she knew where he was going with this, she was in the mood to play along with the game he started. "Well, being a known bed hog, there's a high chance of me kicking you off the bed in the middle of the night. Ah, wouldn't that be a sight, you stumbling to the floor."

Chuckling, he nipped her ear, making her jump. "You know precisely what I meant, my dear."

"I do, but one, you know my stance on that at this point. Second, that bed is just as questionable as the rest of this inn. And lastly, I'm here to work, not fool around with you."

While not the least bit offended, he did express mock disappointment, "Well, ain't that a damn shame." Kissing the side of her head in an affectionate manner, he eased away. "In any case, you require rest. Begin with a fresh mind tomorrow. The work will still be there."

Taking his words into consideration, Alex conceded to his suggestion with a resigning sigh, logging off and shutting the lid. "Alright."

Getting up, she went to grab her suitcase, putting it atop an old dresser. Opening it, she picked out a pair of pyjama bottoms and a tank top, going into the bathroom to change in private. Coming out a couple minutes later, she saw Alucard already ready to receive her company, wearing only his slacks and his white shirt. Seeing him in such a casual state, Alex couldn't help but gulp. Even the top two buttons of his shirt were undone, a scandalous tease to her senses. She'd yet to see him without a shirt, and while they were a thing now, Alex hadn't been brave enough to ask him to take it off. One thing could lead to another, and she wasn't ready, even if the idea of him shirtless was very, very tempting.

The vampire regarded her curiously, "Are you coming to bed, or are you simply going to stand there and admire me?"

The epic frown returned, the girl clearly flustered by him calling her out on her obvious staring. That man had the confidence and ego of a king! Ignoring his Cheshire grin, she huffed silently, coming over, noticing that he had the foresight of pushing down the blankets before taking his place on the bed. Climbing in next to him, his eyes flickered for a moment, his telekinesis prompting the blankets to enshroud the pair as Alex got comfortable, his arm already around her.

The chill of his body was a comfort against the heat of her own, Alex rubbing her cheek against his chest. While her eyes were closed, her mind was restless, sleep evading her for the time being. She focused on the rhythmic way his thumb would rub along her shoulder, hoping it would lull her, to no avail. As though sensing her troubles, Alucard shifted her slightly so that she laid more on top of him, giving him better access to run his fingers along the length of her spine. It calmed her mind some, distracting her pleasantly.

"I can hear you thinking," he commented.

"Is that a literal statement due to your ability to read minds?" she asked, mumbling against his chest.

"A little. I try not to delve too deep if I can help it." He pressed his mouth to the crown of her head, murmuring into her hair, "What's on your mind?"

It took a moment or two for her to organize her thoughts to formulate an answer for him. "I guess...I'm still getting used to this relationship. I haven't been in anything serious for a long time, and it's the first time in a long while that I haven't felt like an emotionless robot." She moved her head slightly, opening her eyes as she stared into space. "It's like I'm human again. It's weird." A snort escaped her, the girl showing a disbelieving smile. "And to think that was brought about by Count freakin' Dracula."

That enticed a chortle out of him. "I suppose I should be flattered to have succeeded where others have not."

"Just don't go having a big head about it," she warned him lightly, yawning some. "It's just a bit surreal, everything that lead up to this point." Those fingers of his only continued to stroke her back, finally beginning to take effect on her. "You don't mind waiting, do you?" she asked, a hint of worry in her tone.

"Alexandra," he began, keeping his voice firm, "I will have you willingly or not at all. I may coax and tease, but I would never expect you to give in to me if your heart is not ready. I know your emotional scars run deep due to that fool." That fool being her ex, Conley. "He betrayed your trust, and I endeavour to keep yours."

Alucard watched as she tilted her head to look up at him, something swirling in those dark pools. A moment later, and Alexandra was pushing herself up to reach him, his arm helping her do so as their mouths met, her kiss laced with gratitude for his understanding. Cupping the side of her face with his free hand, fingers toying with some of the strands of her hair, he released a soft growl, suddenly hungry for more than a simple kiss.

It did not take much coaxing on his part, the tip of his tongue grazing her bottom lip, silently asking for permission. Her mouth parted, accepting his invitation as his tongue delved in to wrap around hers. His arm tightened around her slightly, bringing her closer, the woman soon straddling his stomach with her hands on his chest. Confidence seemed to give her a kind of glow, he noticed, causing him to increasingly grow more entranced by the second. However, if he did not pull away soon, something else was bound to grow.

There had been much danger of that recently. Had he not been known for having a substantial amount of self-control, he might have followed through on just his basic instincts alone. Perhaps not as a beast, but as a man. Though the line between the two was threadbare as it is. As her hand found its way beneath the collar of his shirt, splaying her fingers across his chest, he released a quiet groan of need for the tempting woman.

Senses attuned solely to her, Alucard's hands found their way to her waist, and in one swift movement, and a short squeak of surprise from her, she was on her back, his form hovering above her. He closed the distance between their bodies, mindful to not crush her with his weight, just to resume tasting her mouth again. Alexandra's fingers slid into his hair, causing him to purr and smile against her mouth, knowing exactly what she was doing, well aware that she was attempting to calm him, with some mild success. He inwardly reminded himself to settle down, moving his lips down her neck.

"You don't know your effect on me," he rasped. "I can smell your blood laced with the same hunger I feel."

"What do you mean?" she asked somewhat breathlessly, her lips a bit swollen from how thoroughly he kissed her.

"The potency of blood is heightened by certain emotions," he explained, somewhat thankful for the distracting topic. "The stronger the emotion, the more it flavours the blood. Most vampires are drawn to the taste of fear. Others, like myself, prefer the taste infused with lust."

Knowing that now, Alex couldn't help the prominent blush on her face. "Oh. That's interesting. I figured there would be different flavours between blood types, but I didn't know there were more facets to be considered."

"The flavour wouldn't matter much to humans," he pointed out, the distraction now waning as his nose ran up her cheek. "Do you think you'll be able to sleep now?" he asked.

Thinking it over, she eventually smiled. "Yeah, I think I could."

A/N: I did have this mostly complete for awhile, but didn't like how it was done, so I rearranged and rewrote and added some scenes, that and I got distracted and ended up reading Memoirs of a Geisha. Good book. Had only intended on this being a single chapter, but now it will be two. Oh well. In other news, I might be getting internet soon, so I won't have to rely solely on my work's wifi for much longer. Things are still hectic right now, and I've still gotta clean and organize my apartment. Booooo.

Just out of curiosity, do any of you readers watch the show Lucifer? In some ways, I compare the relationship between the title character and Chloe Decker similar to how I've portrayed Alucard and Alex, but VERY loosely, though I only started watching the show about a year and half ago. Ugh, Ella is a precious cinnamon roll that needs to be protected at all cost! And I love Mazikeen. She is the first character ever that I would deem my ideal "waifu." She's damn hot, what can I say. Or maybe I wish I could be like her. Hehe.

Anyway, please follow the story for future updates, leave a review, and stay safe in this tumultuous time!