Hours had passed before I roused myself awake. The soft feel of cotton sheets on my skin was something I hadn't felt in months. I was warm and the sound of a roaring fire was soothing to my ears. It had to have been late as the moon shone through one of the open windows.

"Ahh, you're awake. Here, drink this." I turned myself to the sound of Alucard's voice before I found his gaze studying my wounds. I grabbed the warm mug from him and took a cautious sip.

"If I had wanted you dead, you wouldn't be here right now. Just drink it. It will take the edge off the pain of these wounds." Alucard leaned over and started gently cleaning my rib wound. I winced in pain but took another sip of the warm tea,

"Thank you. I really don't deserve your kindness." I murmured.

"Yeah, I agree. But without me, you'll die." His words came out harsh. I figured he'd been taken advantage of one too many times by people who just wanted him dead because he's a vampire. I couldn't even begin to imagine what Alucard has been through. I have seen some shit in my 19 years of life, he's probably seen decades of history through those eyes.

"Fuck… Ahh, that hurts." I choked out through my teeth. Alucard was gently scrubbing the wound with water, trying to rid it of any infection.

"I'd suspect it would. Just a little longer and I'll wrap the wound after I'm finished cleaning it." He spoke softly this time. A little more care in his voice caught me off guard. There's no way he could trust me, but here he is debriding my wounds to make sure I don't fall ill. I nodded in response to him and continued drinking the tea.

"What kind of tea is this? I've never tasted anything like it." I asked kindly.

"It's ginger and lavender tea. It's good for pain relief and relaxation. I figured your muscles were quite tense after passing out and hitting the ground, so I made that for you. All fresh ingredients from the surrounding forest." For once he sounded proud of himself, like finding and creating things was something he took great pride in. It was nice to hear a softer version of his voice. Someone who maybe gave a shit, even though the reality was he didn't.
"Sit up. I'm going to wrap your ribs now." I nodded, shifting myself forward so he could get the bandage all the way around my small frame.

"When was the last time you ate something?" He asked quietly. I sighed before speaking,

"To be honest… I think the last time I ate was 8 days ago. I haven't eaten much in the past two months. Between the constant fights at night and the travel, I lost track of time and what foods were safe to eat in the forest. So I just didn't…" I could tell Alucard was thinking after I spoke. As he finished wrapping the bandage a book flew off the shelf into his hand. Magic. I watched as he offered the book to me,

"Study this. Front to back, I'll quiz you on it eventually." Alucard stood up quickly,

"I'll be back in a bit. I'm going to start you off with a small meal. A big meal will just make you sick and your body doesn't have the energy for that." Alucard exited the room and I heard a soft click from the door. I was locked in. Instantly I knew how little he trusted me. I felt discouraged, but I had to understand that Alucard had probably been burned more than once by both humans and individuals of his own kind.

I continued sipping on the tea while also reading the first few pages of the book he handed to me. Simple stuff like which berries are the ones you eat and the ones you avoid, along with kinds of waterfowl that are best for easy protein. Half an hour had passed before I could hear Alucard unlocking the door. He laid eyes on me and I felt a sense of hatred. I assumed he didn't like being a butler for a puny human. He walked up to me and offered me a plate,

"I made rice and a small salmon. High protein and high carbs. Should give your body some energy to start healing."

I gently took the hot plate from his hand and studied the food. It looked delicious. The salmon was perfectly deboned and the rice was soft and fluffy. He paired it all with a couple of slices of lemon and a basil leaf.

"Thank you. I appreciate you cooking at this late hour." I gave him a shy smile as I didn't know how else to show my gratitude. Alucard's gorgeous gold eyes seemed to relax and he nodded in my direction. A simple way in showing he slightly appreciated my thanks.

"Try and get some rest. You need it. Just leave your plate on the nightstand and I'll be by in the morning to collect it. Be sure to at least finish the tea." Alucard walked away quickly and locked the door behind him. I looked around the room and finally got a good look at my surroundings.

There were three windows on each side of the bed which were centered in the middle of the room. I was sitting on the large canopy bed covered with red and gold sheets and blankets. The door to the room was direct across the room from the bed and bookshelves lined the walls. There were large paintings around the room of people I didn't recognize. The large fireplace roared diagonally from me. The fireplace had a wooden mantle that held a vase with dead flowers. I knew this room hadn't been used for quite some time.

After finishing the delicious meal and tea, I felt the tiredness wash over me. The meal, tea, and warmth finally gave my body a sense of ease and I was tired. I guess you could say I was safe, away from the sounds of the wilderness my body felt peace. I let my eyes close and let sleep take me into the dreams of the night.