Title: Nothing Compares To You

Rating: M

Warning: Slash and Disturbing Content (talk of underage sex)

Author's Notes: I'm finally back with another installment of this story. I've had so many one shots sitting on my computer unfinished, but this one was the one I was inspired to complete. The original prompt came from the Van Helsing Slash Livejournal:

Van Helsing (in his oh-so-beautiful-masquerade-ball-outfit) is captured by Dracula at the Masquerade ball and his fate/evening/mind is in the hands of the count. What happens next?

I actually meant for this to be a PWP, but once I started working on it again the story just went in a completely different direction. I feel this story is darker and more serious than my previous installments of this story, but I don't think that's a bad thing. While my main source of inspiration was the above prompt, I was also inspired by the historical Vlad Dracula's life. I've read theories that when young Dracula was held captive by the Ottoman Sultan, he was raped. Its accepted knowledge that he was abused, but I doubt anyone knows for certain about the sexual assaults. Dracula was about 13 or 14 when he was sent to the Sultan and I believe he left when he was about 17. Either way, this story does talk about that time in his life, but I have made sure not to make anything too graphic. I apologize if this offends anyone. And it should be obvious I never condone sex with a minor. So, with these warnings I hope you can enjoy this story.

"Might I say you look ravishing this evening Gabriel," the demon hummed appreciatively.

Van Helsing couldn't tell if it was a natural repulsion to the vampire or the werewolf venom that made him want to snarl. The Count had managed to back him into a corner. Literally and figuratively. If he didn't give into the Count, Anna and Carl would be at risk. And with a solid wall behind his back he wasn't going anywhere anytime soon. He couldn't physically push Dracula aside…not yet. Instead he decided to save face. He couldn't remember ever being skilled in a battle of wits but the vampire might be a good creature to try it with.

"Thank you," he responded evenly, "I'm surprised to see you out of your usual attire."

An easy smile came to Dracula's lips. "All Hallows Eve is my favorite night of the year," he explained, "Besides my girls always liked me to spice things up a bit."
'Girls…?' Van Helsing furrowed his brow. "Your brides?"

"Bride. Thanks to you," the mirth was gone from Dracula's silken voice.

Van Helsing nearly gulped. The Count seemed too close for comfort and he wasn't in a good mood. "Sorry…about that," he blurted without much thought.

Dracula stopped his leisurely pacing. His golden embroidered cloak fluttered about the ankles of his spotless boots before settling. Calculating ice blue eyes focused on nervous hazel. Dracula squinted slightly, much like he had when he'd first encountered Van Helsing after centuries, followed by a look of understanding.

"Just like you," he murmured with a gentle tone Van Helsing didn't like, "You could always talk your way out of anything…you learned that from me. I learned just about everything else from you." Dracula smirked knowing Van Helsing couldn't help but be curious as to their shared past.

"What did I teach you?" he ventured.

"How to fuck," the vampire replied after a moments pause.

Van Helsing's mouth parted to blurt out a denial. "That…that's ridiculous. I don't believe that!"

"Of course you don't," the vampire sighed.

Van Helsing squinted himself almost sure there had been misery swirling in the vampire's eyes at the comment. "Why would I have taught you that?" he demanded.
Dracula looked off to the side and let out a breathless laugh…he seemed to be embarrassed. "Because you wanted to have me before the Sultan did," he replied.

Van Helsing remained silent and shook his head. No. It was preposterous. Perhaps he and the ancient vampire had a personal history…but for it to be that personal was just out of the question. He was assigned to kill the vampire…to kill…

'Yes.' What if he went along with the Count's words? Could he lull this creature into a sense of complacency before giving him the final strike? It was worth a shot, especially with so much at stake. Stake…what he would have given for another silver one at the time. His lips formed an un-amused thin line.

"I can always tell when the gears are turning," a voice broke him from his thoughts. Dracula was only a foot in front of him and still approaching. And while there was the ever present aristocratic air about him, Van Helsing could also see the Count was using caution. He neared Van Helsing as one would a wild animal. Interesting. "What are you thinking of Gabriel?" his silken voice ventured.

"That I wish I had a long pointy stick with me," the monster hunter quipped.

"You want to impale me?" Dracula asked with a delighted laugh.

Van Helsing resisted the urge to sigh. He had a feeling Dracula was alluding to their earlier conversation. He did not want to have to talk about sex with the man—no vampire— in front of him. Dracula hummed softly and pensively.

"With all the wolf's blood flowing through your veins don't you feel the need to claim what's yours? …I am yours Gabriel," he solicited.

"What?!"

"You know," he said with a tone that left no room for questions. But Van Helsing had lots of them.

"I wish you could remember Gabriel," the Count continued. Van Helsing furrowed his brows.

"Remember what?" He had the feeling he didn't want to know. Cold blue eyes looked into his and there was a flash of warmth to them.

"My first time with you. It was wonderful," the Count said richly.

Van Helsing almost gave a feral growl at the statement. He was glad he couldn't remember such an incident. He never had the slightest attraction to men, and he doubted it had ever been any different. Yet if the vampire was lying, he was curious to know why. What did telling such an elaborate lie gain the Count? Van Helsing fixed the Count in a calculating glare.

"Tell me about it," he demanded.

A dark brow was lifted silently as the Count processed his request. "Very well," the nobleman relented, "It's a fond memory. Why keep it to myself?"

The vampire moved closer and Van Helsing instinctually recoiled. And perhaps some of the werewolf poison in him intimidated the Count, for he did not move closer. Instead, he fixed Van Helsing with a sly glance and began his tale. "It was the spring before my father sent my brother and me to the Sultan's palace. I'd heard the rumors that I would be forced to leave home, and the first thing I did was run to find you. I was fourteen at the time, and you were like you are now. Only you didn't hate me then. When I came to you terrified you held me in your arms and then took me to your rooms. You asked me what was wrong and I told you what I'd heard. I've never forgotten the look on your face when I said it. I swear I thought you and I were going to run away together. And because I adored you, even if I didn't understand how so at that age, I would have loved it. But because you were the adult you knew better. You knew that my father would find us no matter where we went. You also knew what would happen to me once I reached the Sultan. I didn't. Your fears were so clear on your face, but I still couldn't figure it out. You sat on your bed and you guided me to sit down next to you. It was in the middle of the day, and the sunlight bathed you. I knew it was wrong to desire I man, but wanted you then. You looked at me kindly. And you told me you loved me. I felt the same way. I'd always looked up to you as my big brother. I followed you everywhere I could. I was your little disciple. I told you I loved you back. It was strange though. Though we'd both felt it for the longest time, we'd never said it aloud. You then asked me if I trusted you. 'Wholeheartedly', I said. I was still growing at fourteen, but you'd always been so tall. Naturally, I was overwhelmed when your tall form bent down and kissed me on the lips—"

"Stop it!" Van Helsing spat. The Count was the one to flinch this time. Van Helsing felt sick. He would never do such a thing to a child! And at fourteen years old even in the 1400s, Dracula certainly had been a child.

"Gabriel," the Count interjected, "Don't you see? You saved me from something so much worse. Instead of the Sultan as my first, I had you. Someone I trusted. Someone I loved. When it was him thrusting into me, I was able to think of you and survive another day."

Van Helsing nearly doubled over. He didn't know what knowledge was worse. The fact that he done such a thing to a young Dracula, or that he had done it in order to help Dracula through future torments…of course, that was assuming he'd done it at all. He straightened his spine defiantly and looked at the Count dubiously. The Count was most likely lying. He wouldn't fall for it, but he wanted to see how far this charade would continue.

"Go on," he said.

The Count nodded once and continued, "After you kissed me, I was immediately consumed by such a strong lust I'd never felt before. I was inexperienced, but I liked kissing you. I initiated the second kiss, a clumsy one at that. But you were always patient with me. I was terrified when you started taking both our clothes off. I didn't want you to see that I was getting hard. I knew that our kissing each other was wrong, and I was afraid you would hate me if you saw how aroused I was. But you were just as hard as me. It was intimidating seeing you fully naked for the first time. You were so handsome and so much bigger in every way than I was. I wanted you more and more though. The first time you touched me down there" the Count threw his blue eyes down to his hips before meeting Van Helsing's gaze once more "I thought I was going to explode. Your hands were big and rough. Finally you made me rest on my hands and knees atop your bed. I really didn't have a clue of what was coming next, and you didn't talk me through it. In fact, you were nearly silent. Perhaps because you understood the gravity of what the Sultan was going to do to me, while I was upset because I didn't want to leave my home and my family."

Dracula paused then. It was obvious he was recalling something that Van Helsing possessed no memories of. The Count inhaled deeply, before continuing as if there had been no intermission. "You weren't gentle with me. That was very untrue to your nature. I'd always known you as a kind man when not on the battlefield. It hurt when you took me. I think I cried for a while. In hindsight the best thing you could have done was be rough. It prepared me for what was to come, and remembering our time together made those years bearable. The pain eventually melted into pleasure. I came undone brilliantly and you followed. It was difficult for me to walk the next few days. I was anxious about what we'd done and yet I felt some strange sort of pride. I felt like I'd become a man, and I wanted to let others know. But I understood it was our secret. Never to be spoken of. As the months went by, I wanted to do it again with you. I was awkward in trying to seduce you, and you always softly told me 'no'. You never said it was because it was a sin. You never said you were ashamed. You just made it obvious that for now that would be our only time together. I must admit…I've never regretted it for a moment."

Silence enveloped them as the Count finished his reverie. Van Helsing was glad the vampire had spared him some of the more gruesome details. He was disgusted and unsure of the Count's intent with telling him this.

"I don't believe you," Van Helsing said at last.

"I know," the Count responded lightly, "But it's the truth."

"According to you."

The Count took a bold step closer to him. Van Helsing took a step forward as well, his back leaving the wall. He was closer to the Count than he'd ever been. Mere inches away from each other. Neither of them were happy with the proximity. But this time both men were going to hold their ground. Van Helsing couldn't turn into a werewolf yet, but he was sure he could hold his own against the Count. The vampire on the other hand wasn't going to let himself be intimidated by the poison running through Van Helsing's veins. They glowered deeply into each other's eyes. There was contempt, resentment, anger, indigence…but there was also a flicker of something else.

"Well," the Count murmured silkily, "Maybe we'll just have to fuck again. It might spark your memory."

Van Helsing leaned down slightly bringing himself closer to eye level with Dracula. "I might take you up on that."

End.