A Night For Hunting Poll

Werewolves and vampires court with passion and zealousness once they find their mate, not that you knew what your company really was.

Contrast that with the Darling's sense of stranger danger –everything was moving too fast! Only the second date in, and he was trying to whisk you away...somewhere?! The man said he was bringing you to the countryside to watch the stars like he did in the days of old, to help ease your anxiety. His strange mannerisms didn't help. His words almost sent you into a panic and you thought of asking him to stop the car or jumping out.

The roads were getting darker. All you could think of as you passed empty meadows was how this was the sort of place where young women disappeared.

You told your best friend beforehand you were going on a date. Now that the plan derailed, you were discretely sending live feed of your location. If you weren't going to make it through the night, you hoped they'd at least find your body...

A Night for Hunting Ch.16 -Just Another Day in Paradise

T/W: Alucard (Ultimate) x F!Reader, soft yandere, pure sugary fluff, romance, slice-of-life, Valentine’s Day @alastorhazbin On AO3 Words: 4673

Happy Lunar New Year! It’s the Year of the Dragon, aka Dracula’s year. 

This was meant to be Ch 17, but I swapped the order between the two chapters because I thought this made more chronologic sense. This chapter also fits the theme of Valentine's Day better! We’re mostly just catching up with what has happened since the Reader moved in before they go on a little date.

There is a lot of narration because I don't have the ability to write that much slice-of-life for Alucard since his in-canon states are usually sulking, violence, anger, emotional breakdown, and cockiness (to hide the emotional turmoil). He's a romantic, but the joys of normal living don't come to him that easily. Same goes for me trying to write it.

A number of months have passed and you were settling into your life at Hellsing, strange as it had become. You continued to work, but were also required to report for training three times a week, where you would proceed to get your butt kicked. Despite the muscle ache and fatigue, it felt good to feel your body getting stronger, even if it sucked to have Alucard see you getting pummelled by the old man Ferguson whenever the vampire happened to drop by and watch. Last week, you finally began firearms training after Captain Ferguson decided your self-defence will suffice for now at your beginner's level.

Alucard was not always at Hellsing. Sometimes he was sent away to other cities for ‘assignments’ for days at a time. When he was not called upon for his services, he would have ample free time, where he mostly stayed in his dungeon staring off into space while sipping his precious wine. It appeared these days, other favourite pastimes were for him to scheme up ways to spook you around the manor and chasing you around the courtyard for sport as you returned from work.

You were quickly learning to check your surroundings for his presence, such as the funny shadows in the corner and misplaced eyes peeking from under tables. You knew to brace for him suddenly coming at you through the walls. But the vampire never terrorized you down in the basement. Whenever you went to see him at night, he never came with the intention of frightening you. It seemed his lair was meant to be a refuge and he reinforced your visits by not scaring you off with negative associations with the place. As if you were Pavlov’s dog in training…

The jerk! He thought he had you in his back pocket already, didn't he?! 

Still, you didn't venture into his dungeon nightly, even if wall lamps had been installed. It was just too uncomfortably eerie underground. The creeping darkness did not relinquish its clutches and every time you descended into the deep cold, it was difficult to shake the fear of the unseen despite knowing that Alucard would be at the end. 

Absent from the dungeon was the sun, which you were mildly surprised to discover you needed, and experiencing it from your balcony was wonderful on the odd days when it wasn’t raining and the sky wasn’t grey with clouds. When you basked in the early morning rays of late winter, Alucard would wait patiently inside your room for you to leave the warm light behind and return to him. He would frequent your chamber when you didn't reciprocate his visits, so eventually you had blackout curtains installed in your windows such that he wouldn’t have to deal with the light.

Your internal clock now operated on its own timeline. Sometimes you were up during the day for errands or the odd morning shift, where Alucard would come watch you getting ready and then see you off. You could also be training late into the night or spending the witching hours with him. There was so little time to be idle. 

With your sleep schedule all over the place, your circadian rhythm was likewise out of whack. When you nodded off in exhaustion in his arms or woke up in one of your beds, Alucard would hum to you occasionally when you were between consciousness and sleep, the enchanting baritone of his voice ushering you off into the safe realm of dreams or guiding you back into the world of wakefulness. He told you it was a lullaby Wallachian mothers used to sing to their babies to lull them to sleep. 

Nightmares were a distant memory. In fact, you never even experienced anything resembling an unsettling dream since moving into Hellsing. You suspected it had something to do with Alucard guarding your dreams, though he did not affirm this. You never expected your lover to do this for you and you thought it very sweet of him. Under the watchful eyes and gentle caresses of the vampire king, you slept more soundly than ever whenever you were at last given the opportunity.

Your most cherished moments were when you read together at night, when you’d sit just close enough to touch, but both be occupied with your own material. Too many times in the past, he came to watch you read. As it became too unnerving, you finally offered to lend him the first books of the series you were reading if he was interested. It was a cosmic injustice that the undead cat was capable of devouring literature nonstop night and day until he reached the end of a book. No eating or resting or even moving from his seat, except the times when he'd pause to fold you in half and–

You had precious little free time, but there were perks to living at an estate like Hellsing. Delicious meals were prepared and laundry services were provided when you didn’t want to do these chores yourself. When you wanted to cook your own food for Alucard and yourself, a smaller, fully equipped kitchen was available so you could be his home chef. What a quality of life improvement! 

You sighed, smiling to yourself as you stretched out in bed and recalled the whirlwind of the past months. At long last, you had a day off to yourself. Alucard was somewhere and you were excited to leave the premises to venture out into the city. Not only would you temporarily escape the polite small-talk and gossip of the serving staff, you could finally also get some fresh air away from the stringent rules of this military compound.

Alucard shadowing you was now a familiar comfort so you knew you were not alone, but there was a purpose to your trip today and with him absent, it was the perfect chance to go.

There was a bounce to your step as you made your way through one of countless identical hallways with freedom on your mind. One painting after another passed by. You halted, your hair standing on end at once when your eyes skimmed over a detail on the wall by chance. Crimson glowed from the irises in a noble’s portrait. Letting out a breath, you put a hand over your chest and scowled at Alucard. 

The eyes curled with laughter. “You are becoming quite adept at seeking out my presence.” The shadows peeled from the painting and the towering vampire stepped out to stare down at you. “You cannot escape from me. I will always find you wherever you go.” He announced with a self-assured expression.

“I wasn’t even running this time,” you replied with an indignant shrug and tugged the straps to your bag higher over your shoulders. “I already have plans today. Find something else to do with yourself that doesn't involve bothering me.” There was a glint in his eyes as that smirk grew wider.

Your brows twitched. “I don’t need an armed escort!”

He was following you down the hall, so you ignored him as you kept walking towards the foyer, now used to the way his smooth gait made him appear as if he was almost floating. When the infuriating vampire remained at your heel several paces later, you spun, bristling as you tried to shoo him off like a pest. “Must you follow me? I’ll be back soon and it’s daytime!” You asked him.

He caught your hands with a light touch and brought his face close to yours, softly rubbing circles on your palms with his thumbs.

“You are my responsibility,” he whispered. 

It was Sir Integra’s command. Vermillion pinned you to the spot and you glared back, pressing your lips together until you broke eye contact first and stared at the carpeted floor. You were his.

Alucard had already decided to join his human on the day’s adventures despite your protests. And so you ended up going shopping with an ancient peacock who didn’t know how not to attract attention.

--------------------

Colourful displays lined both sides of the boulevard and people were queuing outside several of the most popular boutiques. The atmosphere was electric with the air buzzing with life and excited chatter. You would have shared in the high spirits of the strangers around you, if it weren’t for your flashy companion souring the mood.

You were an idiot. You spent so much time researching which specialty stores you wanted to visit, you made no alternate plans in case anyone from Hellsing decided to keep tabs on you. Worst of all, it had to be Alucard. There would actually be no issue if it was anyone but him. All you wanted to do was to buy him a gift! How could anyone so old be this clueless?! 

The flamboyant vampire towered more than a foot over nearly every person around him and people were giving him space. The bright red of his fedora and trench coat screamed, but who were you trying to fool? Alucard would still stand out wearing anything else in each of his forms. It was in his nature for the curtains to be drawn for him on stage. 

The problem was you didn’t appreciate the attention as people gawked at Alucard, even if you couldn’t deny that it was convenient to have the crowd part to make way for the pair of you coming through. You stewed as you tried to think up a way to get him to give you a few minutes alone, but every swoosh of his duster only exacerbated your ire. With his telepathy, he should know what you were up to, so any element of surprise was already ruined.

“I can scent your frustration,” he stated with his signature grin plastered to his face.

“Why yes. Ever since I became incarcerated at Hellsing, it’s been ‘go go go’ all day, everyday. And now on my only full day off in quite a while, I’m stuck with you. Can’t a lady get some privacy?” You railed to air your grievances.

“You are not a prisoner,” he murmured with a frown while gazing down at you. Unreadable golden pools swirled lazily behind tinted lenses.

You rolled your eyes and was about to remind him of all your lost privileges.

“You are not a prisoner,” he repeated with his eyes narrowed, “You are mine.”

You jolted, eyes widening before your mouth clamped shut. The vampire was so casual with throwing the assertion around, especially in public. Of course you knew it already. He told you multiple times before and frequently referred to you as ‘his human,’ ‘his Darling,’ or something to that effect. 

Alucard’s gloved hand remained on the small of your back as he guided you through the throngs, feeling strangely comforted by the claim of possession. It was the same way as he would through the manor, particularly on nights you were feeling intensely uncertain about your place at Hellsing, he would proudly let the world know you were with him.

You wanted to melt into the ground at the thought that being Alucard’s was merely a euphemism for being his prisoner.

Lifting your eyes as you noted the cross-section and stalled, the background noise of the crowd disappeared as you became the only two people in the world. The people flowed around you. You fidgeted from foot to foot as you looked back up at your vampire.

“We’re here,” you mumbled.

Alucard’s gaze snapped from you to the storefront. A chocolate store?

“It was meant to be a surprise.” You muttered with a deflated pout. It really wasn’t that big of a deal for Alucard to accompany your outing, but you wanted to keep the small components under wraps until you were ready to present them together.

When you looked back up, your view was obscured by a huge white palm. Alucard’s hand landed on your head and he ruffled your hair. His expression was warm. “I will wait here,” he said.

--------------------

You made relatively quick work of shopping inside, though you had a blast conversing with the owner and choosing the chocolates for your……boyfriend…

Your choices were loaded with coffee and alcohol-infused truffles. Alucard seemed the sort to enjoy the various champagne, whiskey, and espresso flavours. 

Making your way through the patterned glass exit with the fancy bag filled with premium confections, waves of irritation washed over you upon seeing several young women making eyes at Alucard from a short distance. Luckily for them, they weren’t daring enough to approach the strange man. You pushed the feeling down and went up to him, whose gaze was already fixed on you before you opened the door.

“Little one, shall we depart to your next destination? The sun is rather fatiguing.” He greeted you with a grin as you took his arm.

“I apologize for keeping you past your bedtime. I told you to stay home,” you scoffed while rolling your eyes. “Why don’t you act more like a vampire and stay out of the sun like Seras?”

The original vampire lifted a brow at you. “The police girl refuses to drink and as such, she has not yet become a true vampire.” 

You peered up and let out an exasperated sigh, “Stop calling her that. It’s not nice! She has a name and you’re always too harsh with her.”

“I’m not nice.”

You snorted at the amused vampire as a teen on a hoverboard charged closer at speed until his eyes popped at the sight of the crimson giant ahead, swerving to avoid Alucard and nearly crashing to the side. Expletives were hurled his way by other pedestrians as you and your vampire left the scene without a second glance.

“Little human, you referred to Hellsing as ‘home.’”

“I did…” You tilted your head with puzzlement, not even noticing when the word slipped as you were conversing. When did you start thinking of that place as such when the lifestyle there remained so foreign? You glanced up to study your lover’s face.

Alucard purred softly, the image of satisfaction. Up against him, only you would feel the vibrations of the rumble. "If you were my fledgling, I would not hesitate to feed you. We would have an eternity for me to teach you the ways of our kind."

There was heat in his eyes and you quickly looked away, so flustered your eyes darted everywhere except back at him. You weren’t prepared for ruminating such prospects nor this discussion again. Your companion chuckled at your reaction as he led you through a quieter street.

People meandered leisurely, stopping to point at the latest statement releases of the season. You ambled along awkwardly, caught up in the reveries of your own life for some distance until something in a display caught your eyes. Oh! Your interest had been piqued for months; you even spent hours on researching the specs and other alternatives to this product. You turned your head to stare at it as you passed.

Alucard stopped.

You barely noticed him as your eyes watered at the price until he was slipping away and heading to the entrance.

“Wait! No!” Grabbing onto his wrists, you tried to yank him away from behind. “It’s way too expensive for what it is!”

He took another step forward, dragging you with him, so you raced around to his front to block his approach. 

“If you desire this item, I shall purchase it for you.”

“Alucard, stop! I really don’t need it!” Money was no object to the eldritch terror, but you put your hands to his chest and applied pressure to try nudging him away, to no avail. Several couples who were close slowed to observe the spectacle. A young woman tittered at what she undoubtedly thought was a cute exchange between a dark, dashing stranger and his romantic interest.  

“Sweet, you should seize the things you desire, but if you are unwilling, I shall, as my offerings to you.”

Seize–

Your eyes bugged and you giggled sheepishly at the Medieval man in front of you. You pushed at his chest to try steering him away again with a big smile. Alucard’s brows furrowed.

“Something is amusing?”

You bursted out laughing, but attempted to maintain some decorum, not wanting to cause any more of a scene than you already were.

You whispered so only he heard you. “Alucard, you’re so silly! Sometimes people browse stuff only because the idea of those material goods bring them some joy, not because we actually want or need them. Have you forgotten what it is like to be human? It seems you have a lot to remember about human emotions.” Still snickering lightly, you tugged the large vampire down to lay a peck to his forehead.

You beamed at Alucard before running ahead to the next store, leaving him behind with a stunned expression.

--------------------

You had the wine and the chocolate. And Alucard suggested a much better destination to enjoy them together than your original idea of having them in his dungeon with just the two of you, though you had to make a detour to pick up plastic wine cups.

The rambling hills of Hampstead Heath rolled in tumbling waves over hundreds of acres that embraced ponds and woodlands. You passed the drive leading to the historic grounds of the Kenwood Estate. As beautiful as the building was, the idea was to escape from British mansions for the day.

Dense reeds swayed in coordination with the wind, thick and with the likeness of a woman batting her lashes at a lover. Waterfowl were returning to the ponds and the occasional nature photographer stopped to capture these winged marvels. Alucard took you through trails down the east end of the enormous park, sticking close to the ponds until you reached a clearing, and suddenly, the tranquil stroll through nature exploded with life. 

It had been years since you last sat at this lovely hilltop viewpoint overlooking London’s skyline. Couples abounded in every direction. It seemed romance was in the air this mild, sunny day. Some younger pairs frolicked in a merry gambol while others sat together head on shoulder to enjoy the spectacular view. It was so warm there were even families picnicking.  

Yes, this was superior to that dingy basement. 

Nostalgia hit you hard as you took in the views of home. You used to live in that neighbourhood roughly over there. Day in and day out, you’d make your commute between work and home. And Alucard used to chase you around that area, though most of it was hidden from this vantagepoint. Turning to your lover, you found him lost in thought as well as he gazed into the distance, recalling a past brimming with events unknown to you.

The midnight essence of his locks billowed gently with the breeze. He was so pale. Despite his conviction about hating the sun, once again, the light casted his arresting features with a divine glow. Like a fallen angel, or something even holier. 

From out of the blue, the hilarious image of Alucard as Cupid bubbled up. He was a lanky deity draped in loose robes, wielding a bow and shooting arrows at random pairs of people for his entertainment. That they would fall in love was merely an accidental by-product of his fun. You squashed the ridiculous idea hopefully before Alucard saw it too, but let out a chortle. God of Love? Him? Who were you kidding? Your vampire’s gaze slid sideways to you with a slight fanged smile before he turned his attention back to the cityscape.

The mellow warmth of the unseasonal weather gave you comfort. You came to the realization your previous qualms about the obstacles of being with Alucard were fading. Like leftover winter sludge melting away with the balminess of spring, replaced by your gentle, simmering affection for the vampire. Spring will arrive early, and the barren trees will likely come into bud soon as the season of new beginnings comes into being.

As always, Alucard grounded you too. Watching him stand alone, all of your doubt suddenly went away somehow. You were getting used to the late nights, early mornings, and the smarting bruises from physical training. It wasn’t awful at Hellsing as long as you had him. 

You opted to forego Alucard’s old-fashioned way of taking his offered arm and laced your fingers with his instead. Putting your other hand over the back of Alucard’s, you exhaled. “You probably already knew of all my plans since you spoiled the surprise yourself by poking around in my head.”

You chose a grassy spot where the hill swelled higher to sit and your vampire joined you, throwing his spidery legs straight out as he leaned back on his hands.

“I know of the saint.” He glanced over. “Such an inane occasion.” To need the excuse of some saint’s legacy from over a millennium ago in order to celebrate one’s lover was indeed absurd.

The corners of your lips lifted. “Have you never celebrated Valentine’s before, Alucard?”

“Time spent with you is already the greatest gift.”

His stare was intense and your expression softened, your chest tightening at the sincerity of your lover’s statement, no longer feeling like being a brat. Time was indeed your limiting factor. You met halfway and kissed him with an extended, delicate touch to show him you felt the same way and he nuzzled you, as he usually did.

Yours.

“Feed me,” he murmured as you parted with a soft, dreamy look. This again. You rolled your eyes at his demand, but complied. 

After letting the vampire open his gift himself, you went with a champagne truffle to start –to commemorate the occasion, but also everything that transpired between you. How far you’d come from where you began.

You sucked in a breath as the cold muscle of Alucard’s tongue slipped around your finger after he took the treat. He licked the melting chocolate off your fingertips with a deep rumble. 

“We’re in public!” You gasped and ripped your hand away as he lapped at his lips with a satisfied grin. He sniffed the air.

“Scotch next,” he said.

“Only if you’ll stop being a creep!”

The vampire chuckled as he helped open the red wine. He turned the bottle over to read the label before decanting into the plastic cups. “Ah –an excellent choice.” He eyed the box as you referred to the legend to find his choice of scotch truffle. Not everyone could simply sniff out what was what from several feet away. 

You offered the next piece and he bit into it while holding your gaze. Not bothered by his antics this time, you tossed the other half in your own mouth and savoured the flavours melting into your tongue. Swirling your glass, you took a sip of wine when the chocolate passed, pleased to find the flavours went well together.

Beside you, Alucard sampled his own glass and let out a contented moan. You shimmied closer to rest your head on his shoulder in imitation of the other couples around you and peeked up at him again with a tiny smile. It really was pleasant to see him this relaxed and carefree.

He fed you a strawberry truffle, leaving his index finger on your lips while you chewed, only to stroke your bottom lip after you swallowed. You broke physical contact first, sure the two of you were the subjects of greater scrutiny to whoever watched you long enough. 

“This is why I can’t be in public with you!”

Your companion’s face broke into a wicked smirk. “Still heeding what others may think?”

“If you’d be normal, I wouldn’t have this issue. Not everyone enjoys being at the centre of attention.”

Alucard’s eyes narrowed into slits, though the smile now split his face in half. He was up to something and you were worried to find out what.

He stood abruptly and extended a hand to you, which you hesitantly took with a suspicious side-eye as he lifted you to your feet and you dusted off imaginary dirt from your bottom.

“Would my lady care for a dance?” The hypnotic timbre to his voice distracted you from the question.

Your mouth fell open when it dawned after a moment. You just told him! Centre of attention!

A busker was playing the cello in the park, the sweet melody carrying far into the distance. You knew all the lyrics to this song’s instrumental version.

The vampire guided your left hand to his outer arm to form a closed hold, a playful glint in his scarlet gaze. “H-here? I can’t–” you protested.

He was already moving. It was as if he pushed you along for the first few steps and you faltered, still reeling from the turn of events, but the vampire held you steady. Stand up straight, support your own weight, maintain muscle tone. Keep your weight at the front of your feet. The ballroom teachings from a lifetime ago whispered from memory.

Alucard was an experienced dancer. He led you expertly with fluid motions, drawing you in and nudging you away with clear signals that made it easy to follow. You felt the connection between your bodies. You twirled when he lifted your arm in an arc, spun into his arm backwards when he willed it. You stepped in time to the same rhythm as the background faded.

One step closer.

The chords sang out harmonious and clear. He was speeding up. Gradually, you danced faster and faster, waltzing to the beat in Alucard’s mind, a whirlwind of feet and swirling trench coats under the afternoon sun. You stepped backwards quickly as he rushed forward boldly, all your attention given to him for you to keep up. As was his attention dedicated to you. 

Never once did he step on you, one of his feet was offset precisely between yours whenever he brought you flush with him. Never once did he look away from you or let you lose your balance. Who would have expected this wild beauty to be able to take his battle finesse and flow like water transformed by music? 

Only you and him existed in the world, the colours and promises of a future together swelling your chest with joy that was at last blooming from a once dormant seed, one that only began to sprout in recent times. Despite his annoying quirks, you could envision a lifetime with this man. The idyllic routine of late was not so bad.

The song was nearing its end. The vampire picked you off the ground by the legs, the other hand around your back and spun with you cradled in his arms effortlessly. Your shit-eating grin matched your lover’s.

You finished your dance with one last spin and you curtsied to the audience that gathered. Your heart beat fast as you laughed and jumped at Alucard, throwing your arms around his neck and pulling him in for another kiss.

Please don’t let this end. You lost your reservations with the exhilaration, pressing your lips harder against the cool flesh and taking the time to breathe him in as the surroundings returned. 

Looking around, you heard cheers, whooping, and clapping for your performance as you caught your breath. That was so surreal, but it was actually a lot of fun.

The music of your laughter chimed in Alucard’s ears and mind, clear as a ringing bell and pure and indulgent. It was your jubilation in his chest, the innocent joy at being with him. There was a warm fuzzy feeling that flared as you caught his gaze again. Cupping the back of your head, his gaze grew tender and he leaned over to make doling out your affection on him easier on you. Your excitement wafted off your skin. His bangs formed a veil as he pressed your foreheads together and committed this moment to memory.

You were simply too precious for this world.

~To Be Continued~

Next Chapter- True Bravery

Notes:

The material goods Alucard uses are all luxury when it comes to weaponry, costing millions of pounds and a sizable dent in Integra’s budget. But Alucard can also be a minimalist and existed in less than Spartan conditions in the Hellsing basement before Reader. When it comes to his Reader, I think all Alucard would want is her time, touch, and her attention. He doesn’t need expensive gifts from her and would be displeased if she went out of her way to get something exorbitant for him. I actually wanted her to take Alucard to see a Broadway musical for a date, but writing a chapter following a live show’s plot and their interactions was too large of a task.

Reader is finally understanding Alucard's point whenever he declares that she is his and how it’s not a bad thing. It’s not merely a statement of possession, but also a promise.

Please read: Is anyone interested in reading some Vladcard bondage smut? I was staring at a pic of him and then BOOM! Horny! A potential Interlude 3 is brewing. Let me know either in the comments or on my poll to vote anonymously for a few more days. If this isn’t sexy, I’ll just keep my fantasy to myself, let it run wild, and continue with the storyline.

The above fanart is among my favourite images of Alucard that exists. It was created by the incredibly talented ケースワベ【K-SUWABE】 on Twitter (X). Thought it was perfect for the contents of this chapter.

The Bird of Hermes is my name, Eating my wings to make me tame

Predator (Yautja) by Michael Michera

Do you think madara would have a sweet tooth and enjoy treats or not so much ? What would he fancy ?

What a cute ask! Thank you!

I'm sad to report that Madara probably doesn’t love sweets. He'll eat desserts, but it's not his preferred meal (no second stomach for desserts unlike some of us). In Madara's time, the Warring States Era, conflict and survival were the major preoccupations in everyday life. He simply didn't think about pointless luxuries such as desserts. Heck, he might have not even seen many of Japan's (the Uchiha's culture resembles traditional Japan) cute treats! However, since he's a practical and utilitarian man, he is opportunistic enough to consume whatever extra calories he can during times of war, including desserts that aren't to his tastes.

If he must choose, his preference is for desserts that aren't too rich or sweet, so probably not a heavy chocolate or cheese cake. Possibly a lighter, fluffier version of those though. He loves his green tea, so matcha is a flavour he'd pick for himself. If you enjoy sweets, he will buy you those mochi you were craving as a surprise when he gets home and share them with you (but he'll only eat the single piece to please you) just to see you smile.

A Night for Hunting Ch.7- Fear

T/W: 18+, Alucard (Ultimate) x F!Reader, memory loss, horror, violence, gore, angry feral vampire, comfort, eventual romance Words: 5066 On AO3

I'm back! This chapter taught me that I have a long way to go as an amateur hobby writer! Action scenes are hard. Hope you enjoy anyways!

You thought about him on your stroll home after dinner, that vampire that hid in shadows, that delighted you with an adorable colony of furry bats, yet who could also summon a writhing sea of vile centipedes. He terrorized you endlessly and was the cause of many sleepless nights. He was like a tempest that upended everything in his path, leaving destruction in his wake, though his majesty was breathtaking. He made you beyond angry. 

But then he unexpectedly took care of you that time when you were drunk and alone. The way he looked at you when he wasn't being an infuriating ass hat…he also physically threatened you the last time you met.

He scared and confused you. 

To your chagrin, your thoughts lingered on him, and the longer they did, the more conflicted you felt. Several weeks later, he still hadn’t visited. Part of you was glad he was finally gone for good. Another part of you had gotten somewhat used to the routine of entertaining this uninvited guest and his extended absence was beyond odd. Yet you would also be unsure about seeing him again after the way you parted last time. 

You were right. All you needed to do was endure him until you earned your freedom. It was about time he got bored and moved onto his next victim.

--------------------

A breathy moan rang out from around the corner and you got ready to dodge the careless person who was right there as you rounded the corner.

Holy shit.

They were a corpse, their skin was sloughing off, hollowed eyes glowed with a ghostly violet light. You cried out in shock and stumbled back at the last moment as the thing's arms reached out for you.

What is this new devilry?

Your head pounded, but now wasn't the time for a migraine. You jerked your shoulder back again to avoid its flailing grasp. Its fingers looked like shrivelled sausages where dried up leathery skin was pulled taut over knobby bone.

Multiple people have disappeared after dark in London over the past months –by the popular tourist attraction Tower Bridge, at an abandoned factory, and even in Soho. The sirens of emergency vehicles have been much more frequent lately. The news reports of recent mysterious occurrences you once dismissed as irrelevant freak incidences slowly gained salience. 

Haaaa. Haaaaaaa.

Your skin crawled at the raspy breathing and you took off at a sprint. The slobbering zombie followed at a fixed pace and the stench of gangrene hit you. The walls blocking off suppressed memories were peeling back layer by layer to unveil the obscure truth within. That disgusting smell of rot…triggered the forgotten experience of being tailed by a homeless woman, who walked with an unnatural jerking stumble according to the tempo of a metronome. Her face was grey and she might as well have been dead. Your heart clenched with remembrance. What were these memories? They were yours? 

You ran blindly in terror-stricken confusion with the wind in your face, taking numerous turns before finally fleeing down a flight of stairs lined with trees while slapping away the offending branches that were in the way. 

You were hastily running through a park, the one where Alucard last chased you through, where the foliage became shapes of shadow that took on a demonic life of their own.

The soft murmur of flowing water whispered into the night. The lifeblood of London glided solemnly through its path, indifferent to the woes of the people who inhabited its banks. Oh no, you inadvertently came to the Thames River. 

You gasped for breath. Historic buildings painted the river’s face in sparkling gold streaks, the image of the capital city at night reflecting radiantly on the calm surface. It was awe-inspiring. And completely at odds with how you were feeling at the moment. If you weren’t this rattled, you would have paused to marvel at the sight where the beauty of nature met the sophistication of man-made architecture.

The fetor of decay invaded your senses once more. Calm down. Tower Bridge wasn’t too distant, but this was in the heart of a tourist area. On a Friday night, it should be bustling. And there was no way you could be that unlucky.

The riverside wasn’t deserted, but it was hardly bustling either. Where were all the people?

Glancing behind to confirm that the thing earlier hadn't caught up yet, you turned to go home, only to walk directly into a solid chest. You yelped, having completely missed this person’s presence. For a moment you panicked. It was impossible for that fumbling zombie to arrive here so quickly! You looked up and breathed a sigh of relief. It was just a normal man.

“A-apologies. I wasn’t looking where I was going. E-excuse me,” you stuttered, your eyes were wide and you looked away.

The man raised a brow and smirked. 

“There is no issue, Miss,” he told you with a sweet voice and gave you a quick once-over. “But if you’d like to express your sincerity, allow me to take you out for a drink tonight.” 

“I…that’s not a good idea. I need to go, I apologize.” You were skittish and checked behind you again. There wasn’t anyone else except another couple by the riverbank watching the lights.

An iron fist gripped your wrist and you went cold at the glacial touch. “I insist, Miss. Please allow me to show you an excellent night.” His leer turned cocky, revealing a razor sharp grin. You stared in disbelief. 

Attempts to pull your hand back were in vain. Unwanted fingers flitted across the palm of your hand and he sighed, “You are very warm. I was hoping you would share some of it with me…” Your skin crawled from his touch and goosebumps formed from the seeping chill. Everything about this was wrong.

…Vampire…the word tickled the back of your mind.

Your head went into overdrive to think of a way to escape your predicament. If you were right, the ‘man’ was much stronger and faster than you. He can see and smell better than you as well. What could you do when you were completely outclassed?

You started shaking. This experience was way too familiar. Not again! You stared at him in anguish, frozen to your spot when you came up with a blank.

“I-I’m sorry sir, I don’t drink!” You whispered weakly, hoping against all odds he would let you go.

His lips curled and he took a step closer well into your space. “...Unless you believe yourself too good for me?”

You inched away despite being unable to break free and thought about screaming for help before stopping yourself. Piece by piece, the puzzle was falling into place –the mind conjured up an image of red-rimmed shadows digging into a body’s crevices, snapping bones and ripping up its limbs in a dark alleyway.

If this man was the same, you doubted any human interventions would be of assistance to you. You were completely, utterly screwed.

“Is this man bothering you?” The two women who were holding hands by the river came closer with a frown, one of them with a hand on her phone looking like she was about to call for help.

No…don’t get involved…You thought helplessly.

“Tch. You two aren’t my type. What’s this?”

–A severed forearm holding a smartphone dangled from his other hand. The phone dropped from the lifeless hand, its screen shattering upon impact with the pavement.

“AHHHHHHH!!!!!” One of the two women howled in agony as blood erupted from the stub where her arm was moments ago. 

“Hahaha. Shh…quiet down bitch, or else you might summon the ghouls.” He let go of you and faster than any of you saw, the next thing he ripped out of the unfortunate woman was her throat. You will never forget the scene. Even years later this night will come to haunt you. 

With her remaining hand, the woman held the gaping hole in her neck where jagged wisps of flesh still held on like chicken skin. She was in shock, as were all of you. Surprisingly, she wasn’t instantly dead. For several seconds, she remained standing while blood shot out in pulsing squirts. All too soon, it was like someone turned on the faucet at full blast. Her forcibly severed carotids exsanguinated, multiple ropes of blood exploded out of her throat for only another couple seconds until she collapsed on the ground with a gut-wrenching gargle as her life essence continued to empty from her vessels in powerful jets. 

The thick pool spread beneath her rapidly. It sprayed everywhere. It painted your face and filled your mouth with copper as you looked on in horror. It dumped into her open windpipe and she drowned at the same time as she hemorrhaged. The gargling was the same…as that time. You remembered now. Not long ago, you witnessed someone else drowning in their own blood beneath a monster of lore.

This monster revelled in the pandemonium and smacked his lips. “AB+ is my favourite blood type, did you know that? Much more flavour.” You weren’t sure if he was asking you.

Already drenched from head-to-toe, her girlfriend wailed with a hand pressed to her mouth. “AHHHHHH!!!!” 

“Gah, shut up, will you? She’ll be back soon enough and you can join her.” The vampire bore a sadistic smile framed by wicked teeth. He thoroughly relished killing some helpless woman.

No…

He spun around to face the second woman who remained bolted in place staring at her now-dead lover twitching on the ground. He strutted towards her.

You had to leave. Closing your eyes in guilt briefly, you knew you had to go now. There was nothing you could do to save the other woman, if you could even help yourself. When your eyes opened a mere moment later, she was already dead. Her mangled body hit the ground with a thud. Too fast. You couldn’t keep up with the pace of everything that was happening. One foot inched backward, then your other foot followed the first.

“You still aren’t interested in sharing a drink with me, love? They weren’t my type, but you are. I’ll be nice to you, I promise.” His voice travelled and reached your ears. What a twisted joke.

With a breathless wheeze, you rushed from the nightmare in front of you. All you ever did was run, but you knew there was no way you were getting away this time. Tears of desperation fell down your cheeks. 

Golden lights streaked by in the periphery of your vision in a blur. There was no comfort in the beauty of the Thames. London was your home, but for all its old-world elegance, it was as callous and uncaring of its inhabitants as the river this city depended upon. This city will offer you no aid. No, two people just died trying to help, but what can anyone do in this situation?

From beneath your consciousness it bubbled up –a flash of the floating sensation on a night you fell asleep to a familiar purr while warm golden orange orbs kept vigil as you faded away. Your eyes widened in recognition. It was too late now to do anything with the truth.

I'm scared…Alucard…

"Smells like a terrified bitch." He already caught up and took a deep whiff of the air. Red eyes regarded you with a sinister gleam while you sobbed. You stared at the monster with frantic, despairing eyes, wondering how exactly you will be meeting your end. “That’s an excellent expression!” The vampire snickered as he cracked a knuckle.

You twisted around him and kept going back the way you came from. He chuckled, wearing a demented expression baring two rows of spiked teeth. This was too much like old times. You never escaped Alucard until he decided to allow you to leave. There is no reason this will be any different, but you will try until your body gives out.

Two figures stumbled towards you up ahead. You wanted to warn them to run too, that they were in mortal danger, but the breath wasn’t available.

They were wearing the same clothing as the two women earlier. They were the two women earlier. One was missing an arm and her throat, the other’s head was split open, dripping brain matter on the ground. Her chest cavity gaped through dismantled ribs.

What in the world was going on?! 

You heaved with over-exertion and managed to skid to a stop well before you ran into them. Zombies. You were literally looking at the walking dead. Somehow, the vampire did this?! 

You were so stupid. Why did you come back this way? Even if the two ladies stayed down, there was still the one chasing you from before. Three zombies blocked the way up ahead while you were trapped down by the river with no way back up its bank without access to the stairs.

You whipped around at the guffawing murderer. There were now dozens of undead behind him. They hobbled around in an identical manner as the ones you met previously, with arms out, their corpses at various stages of decomposition. You were surrounded by a whole den of zombies. 

As if you were just going to give yourself over to your fate. 

You panted as your eyes darted about. The creatures closed the last gap in the circle around you. Tears turned your vision into a blurry mirage. There was nowhere left to go, but even if you were brutalized and died screaming, even if you didn't know how to fight, you were going to resist them, no matter how useless it was.

“Did you know that power is both a blessing and a curse? I can do stuff like this now,” he decapitated one of his undead companions and you flinched. “Yet the ladies never seem to favour me until they are my pets.”

He studied the blood trickling down his fingers, pressing his thumb and middle digit together before pulling them apart. He bursted out in laughter. “I’ll be very good to you when you become my pet, even if you’re an unappreciative whore.”

--------------------

The surroundings exploded and you squealed in fright. It was suddenly bedlam. The menacing figure draped in crimson stood with his back to you. A massive firearm pointed out to his side and he snarled, the tails of his coat rippling as if they were immaterial tassels. You knew him immediately. 

Alucard!

The clash evolved into a symphony of horror. It was almost like you were in a shooter game with him, except he never missed. One after the other, zombie heads became popping balloons, spilling more gore in a splatter of blood and brains. Each shot exploded and left a hollow in the stone wall behind the felled zombie. After the heads were gone, he shot the corpses more for good measure. Arms, legs, bodies, nothing was spared. But he never missed the mark.

You were deaf from the gunshots. As your ears rang, all you saw was the butchery of Alucard unleashed for the first time. He spun and his guns went pointing in every direction. He was a tempest, the eye in a storm of flying iron and carnage. It seemed like even those monsters couldn’t react in time. Bodies fell at his feet in pieces. The squelching sounded like when you blended your minced meats with spice and seasoning by hand. He cackled again with glee, a glint of madness in the glimpse you caught of his visage.

He resembled the time you were reunited after you moved to this part of London. His demeanor screamed of bloodlust. This was a massacre.

You flinched and covered your head when a shot found its mark closer to you and pieces of a crumbling wall scattered nearby. Forked shadow tendrils formed a barrier encircling you that pulsed with dense, arcane power. Nothing got past it. Not zombies, bullets, nor fragmented stone.

“A sorry excuse for a vampire. What will you do now that your ghouls are dead and your weapons empty?” That was Alucard? His voice was guttural and nearly unrecognizable.

“W-what are you? You m-monster!” The other vampire sounded miserable.

“That is correct,” You heard the smile in Alucard’s voice. “I’m a monster. Where are your familiars? Turn into bats or mist! Fight me like a real vampire!" He boomed.

…"Tch. Pathetic. You do not even know what you are."

Too bad Alucard’s shadow didn’t shield you from sound. Your ears weren’t working properly. The buzz was getting louder and it was difficult to hear anything else despite straining. That might as well have been a watermelon crunching. Your eyes fell shut.

-------------------- Alucard saw red. The scent of blood suddenly blossomed in the air earlier. It was miles away, but it was so pungent and strong, the odour travelled far. He rushed to investigate the occurrence, only to discover the unmistakable stench of ghouls and a lone vampire that was ubiquitous in this area once he was close enough. And then he caught the overwhelming scent of your fear. He hoped he’d make it.

--------------------

He was on one knee in front of you with his head bowed when you braved peeking out again. Something was squashed under his hand, which took a moment to work out what it was. It was what was left of that vampire’s detached head, flattened into paste on the ground with splinters of skull coming through around a mush of brain. The rest of the body convulsed off to the side before he shot it without needing to look. Right in the heart.

You winced at the bang as bile came up and filled your mouth. You retched up the remains of a half-digested meal of ramen and broth. The festering flesh and your puke, as well as the thick metallic flavour, breached your nose. It stank like putrefying meat soaked in foul blood that should be crawling with maggots. You threw up again. 

The dead vampire’s blood seeped through the cracks in the pavement and trickled towards you, causing you to crawl back against a tree and gaze around. Everywhere you looked, body parts were strewn about. Who even knew which leg belonged to which body. There were no longer identifiable heads, only viscous pools of liquefied matter that oozed from the source body stumps. Some of that stuff dribbled from the leaves of an ash tree.

A wretched whine you didn’t recognize as your own crept from your throat and you hurled yet again. Your hand landed in the puddle of vomit as you bent over for your stomach to turn itself inside out.

You lifted a tearful gaze. Through midnight bangs, a pair of blood-red eyes watched you with an unworldly blaze. You whimpered.

--------------------

Aggression and the thirst for more violence thrummed through his undead veins, but there was unfortunately no one left to take it out on. The feeling of possessiveness left him berserk. How dare anyone else touch you. How dare anyone frighten you. How dare anyone threaten you.

Your distress saturated the air. He scented the other vampire on you and growled low.

He was this close to letting you get hurt. This close to losing you. The vampire king reached for you.

“!!!” You gasped in terror and pressed against the stone wall at the craze and blood thirst in his eyes, the breathy intake morphing into a fearful squeak at the sight of organic matter dripping from the hand that approached.

The tang of your fear tainted the air even more heavily, so thick it could probably be cut with a knife. Alucard recoiled as if you struck him. 

"You are afraid of me?" He whispered, drawing back from the discovery. 

He came back to himself and realized how he must appear to you. Like a bloody murderous monster dripping in the viscera of his foe. It took all his control, but he calmed himself. Irises swirled from raging crimson into a familiar orangey-gold.

Alucard was confused, he gleaned no pleasure from your terror. He strangely found he didn't want it anymore as he took in the sight of you cowering from him with your limbs drawn up tightly against your body. Even your small sandaled toes curled away from him. 

He said your name softly. No response. “Little one?”

Your lips pressed together and you clenched your eyes, shrinking further from him.

Alucard had been away from London for several weeks on a mission for his master Integra, which culminated in an assignment out-of-country. He almost didn’t make it back in time to rescue you from the ghouls and vampire.

"I will not harm you little one. That has not changed."

You stayed huddled against the wall in the fetal position, your gaze distant as you stared blankly at the soaked ground. Alucard couldn’t pick out any coherent thoughts from your head right now, only the unadulterated fear that was absolute and all-encompassing.

You couldn’t move or object as he bent down to pick you from the ground, taking care to cradle you in a comfortable position. He took off for your home.

-------------------- Alucard arrived on your balcony. Both of you were soiled and covered in filth, yet the balcony was no place to remain. He quickly considered his options before opening the latch with a thought and floated to the bathroom. He sat in the wide shower stall with you nestled into his chest.

…He was to report on the incident tonight as soon as possible, however…he watched your stiff posture and lack of expression. Alucard flipped open his phone and placed a call to Hellsing before putting it away after giving a concise report.

“Nest of ghouls and a vampire by Tower Bridge. Targets eliminated.” He hung up before the unfortunate sap who would relay his message to Integra could say a word.

He took another look at you and sighed. He detected no spilled blood of your own on your clothes, which was encouraging. He however didn’t know how to mend your other scars, besides wiping your memory clean again. It probably wasn’t something he should do repeatedly, especially with how traumatic this experience was. But if it will spare you this hell…

Your gaze tentatively crept up to his. Your pupils were fully dilated, your eyes so wide the whites were showing around the irises. The stench of fear permeated the air all over again and you made a tiny, shrill whine. You started quivering, then all at once, you collapsed into his arms, choking on your cries with your fingers tangled in his suit.

You were completely beside yourself in shock. Air came to you in lurching breaths you couldn’t control. Alucard remained still while you came apart, unsure of how to comfort you without utilizing his supernatural abilities.

“Ahhhhh…” You moaned softly, piteously. And still you sobbed, sending wave upon wave of your confusion and panic to wash over the vampire king’s senses. His hand drifted up with hesitation. It hung in the air behind you.

Again you looked up at him frantically, desperately beseeching him for something. Your fists tightened in his lapels. The tears dripped non-stop, leaving clear tracks over your blood-stained face.

“Ahhhh…” Your voice was so small. You were small sitting there helplessly in his lap. Your face landed in his chest, smearing putrid filth over yourself, but you were uncaring of your state of cleanliness. Your hands shook as they gripped their anchor with need. You were safe now, you somehow knew this, but everything that happened was too much to bear. You couldn’t just get over what transpired tonight. You needed…

A cool, bare hand landed lightly around the back of your head, bringing you back to the reality that you were alive. Another arm draped over your shoulders gingerly.

Your loose limbs spasmed against a solid frame that surrounded you. It remained steady no matter how much you quaked. Its sturdiness became the only thing that was definitive, the only thing you were certain you could depend on to hold you up and not harm you. 

You held on tightly to your lifeline.

-------------------- It felt wrong to touch you with his soiled hands even though both of you were stained from top to bottom. He figured it wouldn't make a difference, but he removed his bloodied gloves before making contact with you.

Then he sat with you for hours until your tears stopped. Eventually the sharp draws of air evened out as well and you were able to form words once more.

"Oh God, what did I see tonight?" 

"It's no use praying to God, my Dear, He will not offer salvation. But I will do what I can for you," Alucard muttered, feeling subdued now that your cries finally died down.

“What were those things?” You whispered.

“...The things that chased you were ghouls, the undead spawn of the lone vampire who set his sights on you.” He was hesitant to tell you much more. You were a creature of the day, a daughter of sunlight, and wholly unsuited for the violent way of life at Hellsing.

After tonight, you felt you shouldn’t even be surprised anymore at finding out that not only vampires, but other damned creatures of fable also existed. The obvious question of whether Alucard can create ghouls as well didn’t cross your mind.

“Are they common? Ghouls and vampires?”

How much should he tell you? His lips flattened. After your admirable show of strength tonight, where despite the hopelessness of your hellish situation, you remained steadfast and never gave yourself up…he supposed you deserved some answers.

“You will not encounter them every night, but they are more common than you assume. Lately they have been more numerous than in past times, but they have been exterminated from your old neighbourhood.”

The night is dark and full of terror.

Understanding unravelled over the course of this night like the queen of the night’s bud in bloom. Your prior encounters with this vampire were not as random as they had seemed. Everything suddenly made sense.

“You said you were employed…what do you do?” The silence stretched out, but you had to hear it for yourself.

Molten pools of lava flashed. “I hunt vampires and ghouls.”

Everything now made sense, but the revelation that dawned tonight still shocked you, especially after what had passed. You studied his face curiously, your voice now hoarse… “All this time…you were protecting me from the shadows?”

“...” The liquid pools continued to twirl lazily as this vampire studied you quietly.

"Alucard, I-" 

You were quaking again. You threw your arms around him and buried your face in his chest in relief. In spite of everything he did to you, by some miraculous stroke of luck tonight, you were alive, all thanks to Alucard. “Thank you,” you told him with heartfelt sincerity.

His eyes narrowed. The Nosferatu was not an altruistic being. Your gratitude was undeserved. You were right –he was selfish. You told him clearly that you wished for no further involvement with him, yet he didn't want to stay away. 

He had dedicated abundant time to patrolling your former neighbourhood. Ghouls and lesser vampires were non-existent these days in your old area as a result of his efforts. After your move to the other side of London, Alucard had to make nightly hunting trips to pave the way for your safety. 

He visited you on multiple occasions. One recent night, he had to dispose of a ghoul and vampire that stalked you. As he stood on your balcony to check on you after the fact, you tried fruitlessly to sleep, your fear so biting, he could taste it outside from the balcony. 

Somehow it was wrong to him. He enjoyed your fear for the better part of the year, but for you to fear for your life when nasty ghouls and lesser vampires hunted you, it wasn’t the same as when he did it. 

He growled, the unpleasant sense of having his territory encroached on pervaded. No one else was permitted to make you feel that way. He worried about what would have happened to you if he hadn’t arrived when he did tonight. It was why he dedicated so much time to following you home these last months.

Alucard shifted to move you from his lap, but you tightened your grip on his back. "No! Don't go!” Your words surprised you. “...Please don’t leave me alone tonight." 

The vampire was tense. His first instinct was to remove himself, to self-extricate from this baffling experience. Instead, he tentatively wrapped an arm around your side while you eased back into his chest. He was confused from the mixture of your emotions roiling through his sinuses. You felt good in his arms, and he was somewhat pleased with you seeking comfort from him, but you remained frightened. After the battle, he was disoriented to find he still no longer relished your fear. 

He put another hand behind your head to massage your scalp gently. This felt right. For the first time ever in memory, you trusted him. How strange it was to be needed by another person for something that didn’t involve putting a bullet in someone's head. Such an alien experience.

Time passed late into the night. 

Eventually, you sat up in his lap with your body away from his as you stared at each other. The showerhead let loose a drop of water from its nozzle.

Drip.

Alucard backed you against the wall and bent down to claim your lips, to make sure for himself you were unharmed and safe with him. You must have been entranced too. Or possessed, whatever. But your initial instinct wasn’t to flee from this vampire.

Your vision landed on the specks of gore marring his attractive face. Sharp fangs peeked out from behind smooth lips. An image of that twisted monster who promised to do horrid things to you reappeared. He too had dagger-like canines like Alucard’s.

Before your lips met, your eyes widened and your breath hitched, and finally, you shied away from him. He let you go, brushing off the tinge of disappointment. 

Much had happened tonight.

He may be a trigger-happy killer, but he can be a patient beast too. 

~To be Continued~

Next Chapter: The Currency of the Soul

Notes: Yes this whole time in Alucard’s mind, his creepy stalking was just his way of protecting us from the other night critters he hunted during your rendezvous. He was just having some 'fun' with us while doing so.

He may still believe that what he's feeling is a mixture of obsession and possessiveness, but it's been more than that for awhile.

Now that some "misunderstandings" between us are cleared up and he's in better standing with us, the relationship with our favourite No Life King will escalate! I'm quite excited about the next few chapters!

The queen of the night is a cactus that blooms nocturnally for only one night. The flower is huge and very fragrant. It’s most commonly white and hence also called the “moonflower.” Because of its short flowering time, it is seen as a gentle reminder to cherish the important things in life because they may not last until tomorrow. In some cultures, getting to see this rare flower bloom is very lucky and considered a sacred experience. The queen of the night attracts pollinators such as bats and produces dragon fruit.

How often do you publish the chapters of A Night for Hunting?

I try to have a chapter out at least every month. I tried every 3 weeks at first, but couldn't consistently sustain that due to real life obligations. That said, it isn't impossible to get chapters faster than monthly, just unlikely. It also depends on how much the writing juices are flowing and how detailed my outline is for a chapter.

☆ put this star into the inbox of your favorite blogs. it's time to spread positivity! <33

Oh wow, thank you Anon! I'm honoured! You don't even know how happy you made me!! Take care! 🥰

A Night for Hunting Ch.8- The Currency of the Soul

T/W: Alucard (Ultimate) x F!Reader, thirsty vampire, seduction Words: 2459 On AO3 @alastorhazbin

The smoke was thick in a somber, cavernous room which was only illuminated by moonlight through colossal windows. It twirled lazily before dissipating to join the silvery haze shrouding the rest of the room.

A lone figure stood by the immense desk, taking an extended draw on the cigar she then rolled between two fingers. Her exhale cut through the silence. What a massive headache her bureaucratic position brought. Nearly nothing was made easier by her servant. Sure, loosing him on enemies brought a quick demise to anyone who opposed Hellsing, but the Vampire frequently created almost more trouble than he was worth.

“You summoned me, my Master?” A deep, inhuman voice appeared from nothing and resonated through the space. 

An inky puddle of shadow emerged from the carpet, writhing and twisting into an overly long figure, one with pitch black hair that fell straight to the floor. Lanky arms reached past its knees as it removed its fedora hat in a courtly bow. A gleaming vermilion stare pierced the darkness to regard the one who earned its respect long ago and now commands its loyalty.

Integra’s eyes narrowed at the creature before her. As dramatic and unsettling as ever, but some things will never change. 

“You are to explain your actions last night, Alucard,” she demanded with the dignity of royalty.

“Protecting London."

“Your rampage was not sanctioned. Do you know how much damage you caused the area around an important architectural treasure?”

He shrugged with a nonchalant expression. “Tower Bridge was not compromised.”

She stabbed out the cigar on her desk, crushing it in the process of creating a new circular burn on the sumptuous wood. “Then do you realize how many civilians heard the commotion?! We at Hellsing operate under the guise of a paramilitary organization. We depend on the public’s ignorance of the supernatural and you are inciting them to furor–”

"Do you order me to cease my activities?"

“...”

Her brow twitched in irritation. Sir Integra Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing was certain she would die one day from a ruptured aneurysm due to her servant’s actions and not via any interaction with other lesser undead. She took out another cigar to help compose herself and her butler lit the end.

"No. A vampire’s nest was successfully exterminated. Do as you will, as long as your activities do not detract from your assigned missions."

Dracula grinned. "As you wish, my Master," he hissed in satisfaction.

--------------------

He came to you again one night when you were preparing dinner at home. There was knocking at the door and you put the ladle down in surprise when his voice touched your mind.

Permission to enter, Sweet?

It was him. You tugged the door open and awkwardly stood there staring at him, not knowing how to act since the truth that he did in fact save you came to light. You still experienced insomnia and night terrors from what you went through that night, but remembering the way Alucard kept you safe and tethered to reality afterwards made it more bearable. You shivered at the recollection of how you woke up earlier today.

“Permission to enter?” He repeated himself. 

His question jolted you from your reverie. Turning demure doe eyes from his crimson, you stepped aside and let him in before shutting yourself in with a vampire.

He held a bouquet. Show-stopping lilies in red and white with orange stardust speckling the petals opened to the heavens, which were offset by the romantic whorls of the red rose. Red really was his colour. Dramatic. Like he was loudly making a declaration. 

You blinked and commented without a hint of a sardonic tone. You were genuinely curious. “I recall you had disparaging words to say about flowers and bouquets.”

His grin was less eerie and off-putting than you remembered. "You seem to favour the living dead, thus I decided that I too will try my hand."

He really was proposing what you assumed. You loved flowers, but your favouring of the living dead? Memories resurfaced of a terrifying ordeal, where a monster from hell with razor sharp teeth hunted you through deserted streets, except it was with Alucard’s face. There were gunshots and bleeding. There was death and you sat in the midst of an extremely sad scene of pain and suffering. Wait, it was long ago, but the creature in front of you did chase you for sport once upon a time. After what he did…

He wasn’t the same monster as that other one. It seemed more apt to say that the living dead had a way of finding you.

With slow, hesitant hands, you accepted his gift and set it in a vase with fresh water. The vampire made a sound of satisfaction and headed over to ‘his’ seat. He took out his guns, which caught your attention and your eyes tracked his deliberate movements. He removed the magazines and set them down on the coffee table with a heavy metallic thud before leaning back to observe you.

He was disarming himself? As if he needed his weapons to threaten you. But at least you now knew why he possessed guns. After another moment of staring back, you turned away to continue preparing your dinner.

“I’m making pumpkin puree soup with stuffed chicken tonight.”

“Sounds appetizing.” 

Strange, perhaps vampires did eat human food unlike what the legends said? “I suppose I have enough for two if you’d like to try some.”

There was one food item for Alucard in the vicinity. She was standing right in front of him offering to feed him chicken instead. He chuckled. “I am well-sated tonight, little one.”

Did Alucard have a home chef prepare his breakfast of bloody gourmet dishes? Trying to picture this was mildly comical for some reason. Maybe he bit random people on the street before he came here? Or perhaps he had arrangements with a private blood bank where he ordered his favourite blood types. Why were you spending so much time considering his meal habits? Whatever they were, the answer probably wasn’t something you wanted to know anyways. And no, you weren’t upset that a vampire wasn’t interested in eating your homemade food.

“Suit yourself,” you replied flippantly. 

Soon enough, you became immersed in your cooking and forgot about your company and his hobby of watching you go about your night. You stuck an immersion blender in the pot to puree the soup. You started humming songs you couldn’t vacate from your head lately. After checking the temperature on the meat and taking it out to rest, you rinsed the garnish and prepared to chop it.

The melody was soothing. Ahh…the innocence of a lily indeed. They suited you well. Alucard tracked you around the kitchen and relaxed into his seat.

You suddenly remembered who you were with and lifted your gaze to catch your guest’s, which was of course already fixed in your direction, staring with lidded eyes, his posture and expression at ease.

…The darkness was oozing out of him and flowing along the wall and floor. The jagged shapes danced, the red-rimmed patterns constantly shifting in evolution between one moment and the next. It was actually quite mesmerizing and beautiful. What felt like several minutes passed. It was almost like the old times when he first visited, except this current experience was much less scary. He suddenly spoke. 

“Smells heavenly, sweet human.”

You jumped at his unexpected voice and the knife passed deep through the membrane of flesh between two digits where they connected. You could probably hear the sound of a pin dropping as the energy in the room shifted. Neither of you said anything.

You saw his pupils dilate and his gaze following the ruby rivulets trickling down your hand where the flesh was cleaved open almost down to the knuckle. The sharp pain didn’t register. You were too focused on the way he watched the flow and your heart began to gallop. You shielded your injury with the other hand as the drips pooled on the cutting board.

“Umm.”

"Sweet, allow me to assist with that." 

He was before you in an instant, taking your wrist into his grip and licking his lips. You gasped in shock and attempted to pry your arm from him unsuccessfully, wincing at the searing pain. A vampire faced with a banquet of blood. Danger. The stench of your fear quickly permeated the air and you glanced up in distress. 

"I promise I will not bite. I will only take what your wound gifts me," he told you softly, though those glowing scarlet orbs betrayed his excitement. 

You looked on with your heart in your throat as Alucard lowered his towering frame to his knees and peered up at you as his tongue slid out. It was unnerving to have the cold, wet appendage laving leisurely up the trail of your life essence from the wrist to your wound, where it dipped lightly into the broken flesh and circled around, making you hiss in discomfort. 

Your other fist balled up with apprehension. You forgot to release your bated breath as the vampire repeated the motions around his chosen path. Your jaw clenched as that muscle continued to extend and he pressed more of its length against the tear.

The licking stayed gentle.

You were still tense as you distantly noticed the pain retreating. And then there was purring. Heavy purring, the likes of which you’d never heard from this creature before.

"You...are a virgin," he breathed. He lapped at your blood again in wonder, though your scent alone was already unmistakable. 

"What's that got to do with anything?" You asked with a tiny voice, attempting half-heartedly to tug your hand from him again. 

Alucard’s interest was piqued. He had a taste last year, but that was only a miniscule amount compared to what he received from you now. You were so lovely, how was it that you remained untouched, unplundered? He nearly couldn't believe you were still a virgin. He was correct to call you “sweet.” The ambrosia coating his tongue invaded all his senses. His eyes travelled down your frame with a lascivious leer, his gaze darkening. 

But your anxiety was thick.

"Don't be afraid, little one. I will not hurt you," he promised with another purr. He kept licking at your wound with purposeful laps to help the flesh heal. It was getting difficult to contain his fangs. He sensed the blood under your skin rushing to your face. You were flustered. He smiled.

You were wet from the feeding. A brief fantasy flashed by. He was on top of you, your naked bodies entangled in passion. What would it feel like for him to plunge his stiff organ through your heated walls? Or his tongue? It was so long. A flush of heat raced to your groin.

You tensed and reprimanded yourself, but it was already too late. That grin looked extraordinarily pleased. It seemed he was made aware of your mind’s fancy. Oh no. 

The cursed creature made a show of inhaling and gave your hand back. The skin was bright pink where the cut was. If it weren’t for the numbing effect of the vampire’s doing, the wound would certainly still be tender.

Alucard rose gracefully to his full height with a suggestive, glittering stare. “That need not remain a mere fantasy,” he whispered, the lights once again catching his features in all the correct ways. His nose was tall and aristocratic. His tongue came out to clean up any escaped blood from his lips with agonizingly slow licks.

You clutched your hand and stared at his lips, fully aware this was also part of his ploy to seduce you. Ancient vampires like him were probably supposed to be alluring. You stood frozen like a deer caught in the headlights.

Alucard wanted you regardless of whether you had experience, but after tasting you and knowing there had never been anyone between your legs…he growled. He was used to bedding humans. He will make your body sing from this debauchery, such that you will never seek another partner.

“All your needs and desires will be fully realized. Let your darkest dreams descend.” His voice was deadly quiet, but somehow you heard it booming through your consciousness all the same.

The rumbling growl stirred something. Again, the image of Alucard moving through your core while your legs entwined blossomed in mind. Another string of nectar dribbled from between your petals to pool within your underwear. His eyes flashed.

That mysterious energy unfurled once more and his power engulfed you. You could hardly breathe as you took in his tented trousers and blown pupils. He must be fully erect.

How Alucard wanted to tempt you into depravity with him. He picked your hand back up gingerly. "Allow me to return this favour," he murmured. "You will enjoy what I do."

Everything in this moment was crystal clear. It was like Alucard’s presence sharpened your awareness, heightening the sensation of everything around you. You knew the vampire’s touch was supposed to be frigid despite the gloves, but he was like fire. His crimson gaze was molten flames, hot and erotic. Your skin was set ablaze while your loins roiled with heat. 

What was happening to you?

His purr vibrated again. No, it was more a cross between a purr and a growl. Your legs shook from the sound.

You were flustered by his beguiling appearance, the noises he made, and his eccentricities. You were conflicted by the conundrum that was this devilish beast. He looked like a man, but his mannerisms were at times more animal than civilized. Still, you found him attractive. 

When did these dark desires come to secretly possess you?

You recalled when he was last in your kitchen and he propositioned you for sex then too. That was the first time you noticed how exquisite this monster was.

But he didn’t manage to fully melt away your defences. "I don't want to," you whimpered and clenched your eyes. “Please stop this,” you begged.

A pause.

Alucard sighed, but his smile returned quickly as he straightened out to his full height. 

Where were his manners? He hailed from the Middle Ages after all. He should not forget his courtly manners and press a lady for intercourse without doing his due diligence. He will have to win your affection and earn the privilege of bedding you. 

His grin was brazen as he caressed the back of your injured hand and stooped into a proper formal bow as if he was still a human nobleman, pressing a delicate kiss to your hand.

"My Lady, then please allow me the chance to court you properly."

~To be Continued~

Next Chapter: Courtship

Notes: To be honest, Alucard should be able to tell that she’s a virgin with just a whiff and a taste from last year when he licked up the scrapes to her legs in Chapter 1, but let’s just say he needed a larger quantity of blood to be certain, for plot’s sake.

The next chapter has been rolling around in my head for months! It should be fun.

A walk through a park in my city last autumn

This is me.

feeling normal about that old man