Author's Notes: This idea came to me when an anonymous reader left a review on my last Castlevania one shot, As the Rain Falls on this site. While it took me some time, I'm happy to have finally completed it. This story went down the sensual route, and honestly, I'm satisfied with the end result. I hope you guys enjoy it as much as I did!
It was another beautiful, sunny day in the forest near the destroyed Belmont Estate and Dracula's abandoned castle. Alucard had his usual basket as he sat near the river and caught some fish. His lover and newest companion, Rosalyn was gathering herbs and berries in her own basket while also befriending the woodland animals nearby. She stared up at the clear, blue sky, taking in the sunlight and the heat as she picked some fresh berries off the tree before her.
Right as Alucard reeled in his latest catch, a sudden twinge of pain rang up her right temple. The next thing she knew, her legs became shaky and gave out from underneath her, causing her to collapse on the cool grass. Alucard's ears caught the thump as she hit the ground, and he ran to her in a panic.
"Rose!"
She was unresponsive to the call of her name, and he scooped her up in his arms before gathering both their baskets and the fishing pole he used. It didn't take him long to return to his father's castle. He set everything down near the door, and then quickly went up to his room. He pulled back the thin sheet of the blanket and set her down gently, adjusting her head on the pillow so that she was comfortable. Her brow was covered in sweat, and when he placed the back of his hand on it, his fear was confirmed at how hot she felt.
She has a fever.
He went to grab a cloth from nearby and soaked the fabric in a bucket of cold water. Wringing it out, he folded it neatly and then placed it on top of her brow. Judging by her steady breathing, Rosalyn had fallen asleep. He thought to let her sleep for as long as she needed since he'd done everything he could for the time being, and he'd check up on her after a while.
He left the room and made his way back down to the front door, gathering the baskets and carrying them to the kitchen. He soon began to boil a pot of water, intending to use the fish he caught to create a broth. He also planned on using the herbs she gathered in her basket to create a liquid medicine based on the knowledge he acquired from his late mother.
He was going to be busy for possibly the remainder of the day, depending on how long she was going to be asleep.
Her body felt heavy, and her skin felt hot as she slowly opened her hazel-green eyes. She could see that the room was dimly lit by a few candles, and after blinking a few times, Rosalyn saw that she wasn't in her room, but rather Alucard's room. Taking a look out the nearby window, she saw that it was already dark outside.
She reached for her brow with the intent on rubbing it, only for her palm to come into contact with the cold, damp fabric of cloth.
What the hell happened to me?
"I would advise that you not move too much, Rose."
She turned in the direction of the familiar, velvet voice, and saw Alucard sitting by the bed. A bottle of green liquid was on the nearby stand, and he held a bowl of what appeared to be a hot broth.
"What happened to me, Alucard?"
"You caught a fever and passed out while we were in the forest. I've been taking care of you all day. You've been asleep since."
She breathed out a heavy sigh.
"Damn. The whole day's been shot because I fell ill."
"It isn't your fault, Rose. Right now, the only thing I'm worried about making sure you feel better. Do you think you can eat? I made some fish broth with what I caught today?"
"I can eat," she replied with a nod.
She placed her palms down flat on the mattress to steady herself as she slowly pushed herself up. Once she was up, she leaned back against the headboard, and Alucard scooped a spoonful of broth and offered it to her. The taste of the fish and the warmth of the broth flooded her throat as it made its way down, and he continued to feed her until she finished the bowl. He set the bowl down and then grabbed the bottle of green liquid.
"Is that medicine?"
"Yes. I used the herbs you managed to gather along with some other herbs I found in the forest and put this together. Drink up."
She nodded and placed her lips on the rim of the open bottle, and Alucard carefully tipped the bottle upwards. The green liquid made its way down her throat, the bitter taste hitting her tongue hard. She made a sour face as she sipped, drinking about a quarter of the bottle.
"I think that will do for now, Rose. I'll give you another dose in the morning."
She nodded. "Thank you. I'm sorry again I got sick."
"The important thing is that you're okay and beginning to feel better."
His golden gaze followed her body, her clothing clinging to her like a second skin.
"You were sweating pretty badly throughout the day. How about a bath? If you stay in those soaked, sweaty clothes, your fever may just go back up."
Rosalyn looked down at her clothes, taking note of how soaked they were, and simply nodded. He wrapped her arm around his shoulders, and placed his free arm under her legs. She buried her face into the crook of his neck as he carried her into the nearby bathroom. A vast basin of warm water was ready to go, and once he set her down, Alucard began helping her out of her clothes.
"It's okay, Alucard. I can do this."
"No need to be stubborn, Rose. Your fever drained you of most of your strength. Let me continue to take care of you."
She felt her cheeks heat up as he reached for the hem of her shirt and pulled it up over her head. Even though he had seen her naked a few times already, his intense gaze whenever she was exposed to him never ceased to make her heart race. He then carefully removed her pants and underwear, scooped her back up into his arms and then set her down gently into the basin. She leaned back against the basin, allowing herself to relax as her exhausted body adapted to the temperature of the water.
"How are you feeling?" she heard Alucard ask.
"I'm starting to feel a lot better," she replied. "Maybe I'll be much better than I was just a moment ago in the bedroom when I soak in this bath for a while."
"Good to know, my darling."
As much as he wanted to leave her alone, a part of him was also tempted to strip down and join her. Despite her catching a fever, she still looked enticing. However, she was still in a weak state, and it was against his own code of conduct to take advantage of her just because his lust was creeping in on him.
"How about I leave you to it?"
He was about to leave when he was suddenly stopped by the sudden grab of his wrist. When he looked over his shoulder, he saw that she had reached for him.
"Don't leave just yet, love. Can you stay with me for a little while longer?"
The look in her hazel-green eyes in combination with how she held his wrist made his heart leap. How could he refuse her when she wants him to stay?
"For you, of course I will."
He approached the basin, and without thinking twice about it, Alucard leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers in a kiss. Her lips were still hot from the fever, but he didn't mind as he savored the sweet taste of her lips. It was an addicting, exotic taste, and one that he never got enough of, no matter how many times he kissed her.
He kept the kiss going for as long as he could, and then he moved down to her neck, sucking on her luscious skin. His fangs grazed her throbbing pulse, causing her to moan his name and writhe with pleasure. He kept his lips on her neck for a little while longer, and then he pulled away from her.
"You're still under the influence of that fever, Rose. I wouldn't want to make things worse while you're still recovering. Kissing your lips and your neck will have to do until you're better. Soak up the water while it's still warm."
A twinge of disappointment hit her hard; the only thing she could do was let herself recover and hope the fever would settle down soon.
"As long as I can sleep with you afterwards."
"I'll be waiting in my bedroom, love."
With that, he made his exit, leaving her alone in the bathroom.
Good things come to those who wait. I'll just wait for the fever to pass and enjoy this bath while I can, she thought.
End Notes: Now that this piece is written, I'm hoping to finally get back to Beauty Slept in Sodom after a while. I have an outline written for the next chapter. All I have to do is write it out and hope it comes out the way I want it to. I'm also hoping to get to the fifteenth chapter, as I intend for it to be a smutty one. Wish me luck, and check back!