Something Weird is Going on and it's Not Just Alucard

His words registered in her mind slowly.

Mate… refuse me… kill…mine…body…soul…HUH? Her eyebrows furrowed together angrily and she whipped her head to him sharply, then drew a deep breath and -

"Okay, that IS IT! I've had enough! Just who the hell do you think you are… waltzing in here and stirring up a scene with your big guns and the whole 'vampire' and 'mate' thing? Not only do I get crap from Gwen telling me what to do or trying to copy my notes 24/7 and asking me for answers during tests but I also get patients moaning about how their toilets don't work or how not up to their standards the hospital food is or how there's blood, bile, barf and bowels all over me or all over the floor, and now I have this crap from you to put up with too! I have a limit, and today, you just made me cross that limit! So no, I will not be nice to you anymore! I will not be polite! I will not care if I hurt your feelings! So, er-hem, for your information, ALUCARD, I don't want to be your mate. I don't even know you, in fact, I don't even want to know you and I'm not the slightest teeny weeny bit interested in you! I certainly don't find you attractive, I think you're scary as hell and a complete and utter pervert and if this is some kind of sick joke I don't find it funny at all and think there's something seriously wrong with your head so please go to the east courtyard to the mental ward to get your sanity checked and – "

"Ruby!"

"WHAT? WHAT IS IT? CAN'T YOU SEE I'M FREAKIN' BUSY HERE? GOD!"

It was Gwen, standing at the door. She was pointing outside, and following the direction of Gwen's finger, Ruby's eyes landed onto one of the many tents that were propped up outside. She looked from Ruby, to Alucard, who had pulled a seat in front of the agitated Ruby and was now sitting down watching her intently, fascinated. "Stop arguing with your boyfriend and get your ass over here right now! We need help!"

Help? Ruby looked around. The hospital was a complete mess. It was then she saw the hundreds of ambulances and black vans outside. Soldiers with guns were storming around. Even a helicopter was circling the perimeter of the hospital. Maybe they were from that Hellsing company or whatever. She noticed that there were hundreds of people being led to the side to sit down and have their injuries tended to. Alucard was merely sitting in front of her with his legs crossed, as if he was enjoying this macabre situation.

Her eye twitched. While she had been yelling at him, people were dying or injured. Transforming into her emergency casualty mode once again, Ruby snatched a first aid kit from the side robotically, turned away from him and hurried over, "I'm coming!" But then she stopped, spun round to Alucard, her eyes narrowing acutely. "YOU! This isn't over yet! There's more from where that came from! I got plenty more to say to you! I'll be back! So you better stay right there until I finish work!"

"Of course; I would not want my mate to be left alone." He said with a smirk.

Didn't anything she had just said register in his mind? Ruby felt like strangling him. She really did. Sensing the murderous aura in the air, Gwen rushed over and grabbed Ruby before anything else could happen and dragged her kicking and screaming into a nearby tent. Yes, her friend Ruby, who had always been known to be quiet, soft-spoken and shy, had finally cracked.

Gwen thought it would never happen and she turned to Alucard who was still sitting down. In response, he smirked at her and Gwen blushed. Wow, he's so cool. If it doesn't work out between them, I'll go for him! She thought to herself with a snicker, before she disappeared into the tent to see that Ruby was now tending to a random patient on one of the stretchers.

"Moment of madness over yet?" She asked.

Ruby nodded, feeling slightly disoriented by her own outburst back there.

Outside, Alucard was approached by Integra as she emerged from one of the black tents. "And what in god's name do you think you're doing?" She barked, holding her cigar in between two fingers as she took a drag, "There's been a vampire attack in the city. Seras will take over from here. Hurry up and go."

He turned to her and smirked. "Yes, my master." From his seat, he gradually disappeared into the shadows whilst watching Ruby's tent, watching her tend to the other patients.

She didn't see him leave.

3 hours later.

"Oi, newbies! Get over here!"

Ruby's legs were aching by the time work was over. Her eyes were tired and her vision blurry; she rubbed at her temples to focus properly just as Gwen grabbed her arm and screamed, "That's us! That's us, we're the newbies! Finally! We can go home!" Gwen dragged Ruby over and they joined the rest of the trainees who had also been doing a graveyard shift, into the tent.

The supervisor glanced at them one by one as they lined up horizontally. "...Well done, you have all worked extremely hard tonight. I'm sure all of you have questions – but all you need to know is that some crazy madman with a contagious virus broke in here tonight, threw said contagious virus into the air vents, infected the patients and staff and turned them into mindless cannibals."

While everyone went 'Ohhh', Ruby cringed slightly. Is that what they are telling the public?

"They've turned the virus in to the GlaxoKlineSmith Medical Health Institute for research and they're developing a cure so there's no need to worry," said the supervisor who was now holding a lit cigarette in hand. "Those who survived, congratulations. Unfortunately, we don't have anywhere for you to stay tonight because they're closing down the hospital so you have to go home, or find somewhere else to crash. Until then, the course is postponed. If you have any family or friends here, you can get a form at the office and sign it so they can go somewhere else for treatment. We will contact you all once everything returns to normal. You can make a phonecall to your family and friends, let them know you're alright. Maybe ask them to pick you up or something. Well, I'm going home. See you guys whenever."

And the supervisor dawdled out of the tent and away, leaving the rest of the trainees to organise themselves. Gwen giggled and scooped out her two phones – one was a Samsung and the other was an iPhone - and began texting with one, and calling somebody using the other. Ruby meekly lifted out her brick-like, 5 year old phone, checked her data and minutes, then settled it into her pocket.

"…Ruby, what's wrong?" Gwen said, realising her friend seemed hesitant. "Aren't you gonna call your parents?"

"No. I don't want them to be worried. And it's too late anyway. They won't pick up at this time."

"Well…Do you need a place to stay? You can stay with me and my friends if you want."

Despite the rather generous offer, Ruby really wanted to be alone. "No, that's okay. I… I got a place to stay, but thanks, Gwen." She left the tent and looked around. The seat Alucard had been sitting in was missing - he was gone. He didn't wait. Surprisingly enough, she felt a little abandoned.

The next morning.

Ruby didn't have the nightmare that night and was enjoying a long lie-in the next morning until she woke up due to a throbbing cramp in both arms and legs. "Ohhhh, so tiredddddd…" She moaned out loud. Her arms hurt. "Ow." Throb. "Ow." Throb. "OWW…"

She whimpered and tried to go to sleep, tried to ignore the cramps until she felt a hand stroking her thigh. Her eyes snapped open and she swerved her gaze to see the tall man in red standing by her bedside, staring at her. Alucard. His usual hat and sunglasses were missing. She screamed as he grinned at her and she scrambled away, only to slam her head into the wall. Seeing stars, she slowly drifted under the covers, curling into a foetal position and cradling her aching forehead.

The hand on her leg lifted off her as Alucard turned away from her to glance around her small hotel room. "…Quite amusing," He began, "The way how you sleep. Like a small dog."

Horrified, Ruby glanced down at herself. Her night shirt had ridden up over her stomach and one of her legs had dangled off the edge of the bed. She gasped and quickly tried to reach for the hotel phone to call security – until he abruptly pinned her down on the mattress. She squeaked out, "W-what do you want now?"

"I believe I haven't introduced myself properly."

"You don't have to, Alucard."

She was remotely surprised when he let go; she rubbed at her head again before moving upwards to sit on the bed. Her hair was a wild, untamed mess…sticking up in all sorts of directions…and she was still so sleepy, too… Her vision was slightly fuzzy… With nowhere else to go, Ruby had to book a hotel room in the city until she found out what to do next. Ruby didn't hear from Gwen again after last night's fiasco.

"What are you doing here?" She croaked out. How did he even find me? NO, scratch that. How did he even get in this room?

"You keep forgetting, or do you just love to be reminded?" He sneered down at her as she scratched at her head, "Mate?"

That jolted her awake for a second. "I'm not your mate! Why do you keep insisting that? Leave me alone!"

He laughed – again, it was that sinister, slasher laugh and she shuddered all over, "I have waited decades for you… You honestly think I'll leave you alone? No… in fact, I can barely keep my hands off you…"

"Keep your comments to yourself!" She snapped at him, as she whipped off the covers, rolled off the bed and began to stalk towards the chair where she rifled through her possessions which she retrieved from her locker back at the hospital the previous night... such as her rucksack, jeans, a clean top, hoodie and her jacket. "…What are you anyway?"

He didn't follow her into the bathroom to her relief. She moved to the sink and opened the tap to splash some hot water over her face. Staring at her reflection in the mirror, she realised just how dishevelled and bedraggled she looked. Her face was enough to make babies cry. Grumbling, she reached for the supplementary pack of hotel toiletries, plucked out the toothbrush and glass they provided and filled it up with hot water before making a grab for the toothpaste.

She heard him say, "That depends."

Ruby rammed the toothbrush into her mouth and began brushing. "Onph phwhat?" She asked, as she continued brushing.

"Why don't you guess what I am?"

She was surprised he had heard what she had said. "Yoofa famphire fwoo?"

"Yes. They do exist. You were attacked by one yesterday."

She bent her head down to rinse, then mumbled under her breath, "…Does that mean unicorns and fairies and elves are real, too?" She wistfully hoped unicorns did. She liked unicorns…

When she lifted her head back up, she realised he was suddenly standing beside her on her left from out of nowhere and she gasped and choked. She coughed, spluttering the contents of her mouth down the sink but then she accidentally swallowed some and paled. She turned to him, furious, and wiped at her mouth with the sleeve of her nightshirt. "Ack! You made me swallow the toothpaste! Don't sneak up on me like that!"

When he grabbed her mouth and using his lithe fingers, drew her lips back, she gave him an incredulous look.

"Er…What are you doing?" It was hard trying to talk when someone was pulling at your lips. She clenched the toothbrush so tightly in her grip it almost snapped in half.

"…I wonder what you will look like with fangs."

Too bad the mirror was too small for the both of them; she wanted to see if she could see his reflection or not if he really was a vampire. "What do you mean?" He finally let go of her face.

"Does eternal life appeal to you?"

Her eyes widened as soon as it registered in her mind, "NO!" She screamed at him. "I don't want to become a vampire!"

"You don't have a choice."

Ruby tried to pull herself free from him, yet he slammed his hands on both her sides, his palms flat on the sink edge, caging her between himself and the sink effectively, "…I-I don't get it…If you're a vampire, how can you even be here? It's broad daylight. And how did you even find me? How the heck did you even get in this room?"

"You think so little of me, human." He mused, "I suppose it cannot be helped. Your mindset… It is too… traditional. Narrow-minded."

He didn't really answer any of her questions. She cracked a wry smile at him as she continued to pull and tug little by little out of his grip. "Yeah, about that… I have a name. It's not 'mate' or 'fresh meat' or 'nurse' or 'human'."

"Human." He insisted, as they both stared each other down. "Or would you rather I call you 'bride'?"

She blinked. A woman in a white wedding dress and veil carrying a bouquet of flowers popped in her mind then. "...Bride?"

"Yes, that is what they are called… Their blood is like no other… and they have a scent… a special scent that appeals to one…" He said, while chuckling softly under his breath. "And I've finally found mine. It cannot be helped. These things just happen."

"Yeah. It just had to happen to me." Pause. "Sorry, was I thinking out loud again?"

But his grin merely went slant into a twisted angle on his face. "Oh. You think you're funny." He purred, as he tilted her chin up before his long, slick tongue licked at her cheek. "Don't be too upset…I'll have you by my side for the rest of eternity…" He purred in her ear, while she swallowed down the huge lump in her throat. "There doesn't have to be any love."

"…Huh?"

"I will not be gentle to you. I will not be kind. I don't care who you are. I don't care about your past. Or your family. Your friends. What you like. What you dislike. Your dreams. Your aspirations. Your ambitions. All of those are insignificant to me."

"And why are you so sure it's me?"

Alucard's grin never vanished. Instead, it grew and grew and grew, until the corners of his mouth touched his ears, "A vampire's intuition."

She watched him warily for a long time, then – "Just how old are you?"

"Ah, that is something not many has questioned me." He replied, "All you should know is that… I am neither old nor am I young."

"But…how long have you been alive? You said decades… more than one hundred years? More? Back in the Victorian era? Or… even further? Like… back in the middle ages? Or even more way back?"

"…Do not test my patience, girl."

She took a few flying guesses, knowing that he could rear his ugly side and kill her at any moment. "…Were you royalty? Were you spoilt and brutal? Did you rape and pillage as you saw fit? Did you leech off the poor and punish the defiant?"

There was a silence and then -

"What? It's true? I was just kidding!"

"There are some things I have done, which I am not proud of."

"…Huh?" She squeaked out, "...N-Never mind." She figured she'd rather not know. Even if he raped and pillaged she didn't care because she didn't want anything to do with him.

There was another silence following.

Eventually, Ruby sighed. A part of her felt bad for having to say this to him again. "Alucard, there's probably been some kind of mistake. I'm sure you've got the wrong person. I'm sorry. But...I can't be your mate, so...um, if you don't mind I'd like to get changed so could you please – " She was cut short when he suddenly seized her and crashed his lips over hers. Her eyes went wide but it was over as soon as it started. "W-Wha…?"

"No - " He leaned in close and she stiffened all over, "I'm certain it's you. No-one's scent has thrilled me so much."

"W-Why did you – "

"I've saved your life numerous times now." He said as he pulled away from her, "It's only reasonable I get something in return for my efforts." Was this his way of changing the subject? And he only saved her life twice which wasn't exactly 'numerous'!

"...What." She grunted out through gritted teeth.

"Kiss me." He murmured, as he grasped her chin gently and tilted her face up to him. "Just a kiss. That's all I want."

Her eye twitched furiously at the mere thought. "...Will you go away and leave me to change then?"

"Yes."

"How do I know you're not lying?"

"My dear girl, what kind of 'man' do you think I am?" He replied, with a deep chuckle.

"O-Okay, fine." She stammered out, as she pulled away from him and crossed her arms over her chest, the blush on her cheeks never fading. "…But close your eyes."

"And why should I?"

"Just do it."

His expression clouded suddenly, and he seized her by the front of her nightshirt before pulling her up to him, their noses touching. "Choose your words wisely, human." He snarled, his tone dripping venomously low. "Lest you forget… I own you. I can turn you into a creature of the night whenever I want. You will not use that tone with me nor will you tell me what to do, or I'll rip that sharp tongue of yours out of your mouth. Or even better… I'll put that tongue to better use."

She stared. Sheesh, what is up with him and all of his sexual innuendos? And she shivered all over as she blinked at him in stunned silence, and he let go shortly. She glanced down at herself before realising he had torn off the collar of her shirt. What surprised him was that she didn't respond as he thought she would have to his threat. She seemed more…startled, than scared. She wasn't cowering or whimpering as he had expected her to be.

She was just… silent.

When he was sure she knew her rightful place, he closed his eyes, waiting. Her shoulders fell slack and her eyes widened in response. Dread began to build up inside her like crazy. She didn't want to… she really didn't want to do this…

He smirked inwardly, hearing her heartbeat quicken. She was panicking; she placed her two sweating hands on each side of his pale, thin face, silently hating herself for doing this, before she pulled him down to her level because he was so infuriatingly tall compared to her. Panting heavily, Ruby swallowed down, trying to regain control of her nerves, and she meekly stepped forward towards him although the small bathroom already made them stand quite close together. Just before she neared his lips, she licked her dry lips without thinking. Her mouth parted, then she closed her eyes and closed the gap between them, pressing her lips against his.

She felt a slight electric jolt from their contact. It wasn't like last time. To her surprise, their lips meshed together in a perfect fit. And she had expected him to take advantage… or do something that would make her loathe him more than she could possibly now...

But he didn't.

When she pulled back, her heart was thundering against her ribs; she was astonished to see that Alucard wasn't smirking at his own victory as she thought he would be. He wasn't frowning, either. No, he was simply…gazing at her, almost longingly. She let go of his face and turned away from him abruptly to shield her embarrassment. "T-There. Now can I get changed?"

"…As my bride wishes."

When there was a long silence, she swerved her eyes to where Alucard should have been standing.

He was gone.