A Night For Hunting Ch.6- The Living Dead

A Night for Hunting Ch.6- The Living Dead

T/W: Alucard (Ultimate) x F!Reader, horror, gore, eventual romance Words: 1830 On AO3

The frenzied fluttering of wings was audible in the distance. You strained your neck to look, thinking perhaps a few crimson-eyed bats would be visible above the treeline, but it was much too dark for anything to be seen in the glittering navy expanse of sky. 

It had been over two weeks since that doomed night when you confronted Alucard about his behaviour and there hadn’t been any interaction since. You told him then in no uncertain terms to leave you be. It was quite unlike that vampire to do as he was instructed, but you relished the newfound freedom and privacy. 

There was the slightest shuffle from behind. Instinctively, you turned to look, vowing never to let yourself be as helpless again as that time you tried to get home intoxicated. 

At the end of the street stood another person, probably another late-night commuter. Nothing overly unusual. Barely sparing the other person another glance, you kept walking. Your thoughts were introspective.

You felt badly about your harsh parting words to the creature, but shrugged off the guilt. It wasn't like they were entirely undeserved. Alucard did much to torment you. If he was human, you would have gone to the police long ago for a restraining order. The breathing space was a welcomed reprieve from the perpetual badgering over the last year. No, you were not at fault for what happened that night.

You frowned and turned around, your senses switching into high alert. What was with the lady’s gait? She was still there, as expected from hearing her steps behind you. They were loud and unruly, every step was exaggerated with effort like she was about to keel over. 

Haaaaa. Haaaaaaa. With every lurch she exhaled forcefully, the guttural crackling breaths grated against your ears. There was no subtlety to her motions at all. Was she drooling? A glob of spittle broke off from her mouth and dribbled to the ground. A visceral feeling of disgust rolled over you. 

Upon closer inspection, this person was off. She was unkempt and emaciated, her tottering steps as if she was moving to the beat of a metronome. Her skin was a sickly shade of grey. You knew she was staring at you, although you couldn’t make out all her features from this distance. The hairs on your arms stood on end and a shiver shot down your back. Taking a quick glance around, you noted you were, of course, alone with this woman. You didn’t like this. 

How strange it was to see someone like this in this nice neighbourhood. At first you assumed she was a drunkard, but she was more likely a homeless woman who was using drugs. Her circumstances were undoubtedly unfortunate, but not your business, and the way she stared at you was disconcerting. The breeze carried over the reek of fetid gangrene. Swallowing, you felt suddenly nauseous and your mouth ran dry, another tingle crawling over your skin and you spun around to keep a brisk pace.

You jaywalked past the traffic lights and entered the park, speeding even faster through the darkness. You nearly forgot how spooky this park was at night, just rows of rustling greenery on both sides, street lamps whose functionality were inconsistent at best, and the desolate lack of anyone else. Everywhere you looked, it seemed like the creeping shadows turned the ordinary into shapes of horror.  

A mere minute later, you glanced over your shoulder to check on the situation. Good, you lost her. You shivered. Just now, it felt almost reminiscent of your old days of being stalked by a blood-sucking demon. If only it was just Alucard.

You hastily cleared this park where Alucard last chased you through months ago, which was the quickest shortcut to bring you back to your building despite the eeriness and lack of light. At last, you were back on solid pavement when you heard the panting coming from the alleyway just ahead. You stopped, but there was only one other alternate path at this point, which would be a long detour back. 

Something was strange about this night. A dense, uncanny energy in the air seemed to coalesce around this area. The air was heavier, and your heart thumped rapidly as you fought to keep your breathing discrete. It could just be drunks screwing…You debated whether to walk past the alley or to take the long way around, but you really didn’t want to be outside anymore. You stopped again in a panic when your footsteps made a loud crunch on the rocky ground and cursed yourself. Somehow you knew you should stay quiet.

You must be the dumbest person in the world, but you took a step forward, and then another. With each step, it felt like you came closer to your destiny. That powerful eldritch energy wrapped around you and you peered inside the murkiness of the alley. You stopped breathing. Nothing else existed at that moment.

Crunch.

A massive figure hovered over another much more diminutive one, pinning them to the ground with spiky shadowed extremities ringed in a crimson outline, a long jacket flaring around them both. It was pitch black, but you saw that the person on the bottom had their limbs splayed about at impossible angles and the gleam of broken bones coming through torn flesh. 

It was only for fleeting moments, but they lasted forever. You stopped at that alleyway and kept looking on in morbid fascination, trying to make sense of the sight. The victim was gargling, no, drowning in their own blood, an inky puddle pooling under them. Your lips fell open in horror when the beast lapped at that puddle.

Crunch.  Bone snapped.

Lustrous vermilion irises turned a feral gaze up at you. They were all you registered in the gloom once they became visible. Red eyes. Inhuman. You forgot to keep breathing. Staring back into the nightmarish gaze with terror-stricken eyes, you distantly heard the rhythmic slapping of footsteps to the beat of a metronome.  Your sense of self-preservation kicked in at last.

RUN! 

Your feet hit the ground in rapid succession to flee the scene, setting a pace faster than you’ve ever run before. You bolted with your heart in your throat, only to realize you missed the last turn to your apartment. Stumbling to a halt, you almost tripped over your feet and fell over, catching your stride at the last second to turn back. There was no paranormal being behind you, so you kept sprinting once you found your bearings and adjusted your route home.

BANG! BANG! BANG BANG BANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANG!

Looking up in panic, you wondered briefly what it could be now. There shouldn’t be fireworks tonight. The long weekend was last week! You didn’t want to believe that the commotion was gunshots. --------------------

Heaving from the lack of breath, you slammed the door shut and put on the lock and steel chain with trembling hands that missed the target several times, wishing there was more you could do to secure your home. Your lungs burnt as your legs finally gave out and you shuffled inside on your bottom. 

What was that? 

Still quaking to your very core, you turned on all the lights by the entrance and sat back down, hugging your knees closely as your eyes darted around the kitchen and living room for anything out of place. For any monsters that could be in hiding.

Idiot, idiot. You were such an idiot! What were you doing earlier, just standing there staring like a dumbass?! 

Several long minutes passed before you felt like you could move again, though no part of you was at ease. Crawling to your bedroom, you stayed close to the floor in an attempt to be as small as possible. You didn’t even want to shower or change right now, only wishing for the safety of your bedroom. You slithered into bed and pulled the sheets over your head, the mind already automatically replaying the ordeal of the last half hour. 

You recalled those glistening scarlet eyes fixated on you and the crunch of shattering bone.

Sleep eluded you. You were too spooked to have your back facing anything but down on the mattress. Your eyes jumped around blindly in the dark, yet your paranoia gave the imagination wings and it took off. Things of legend became reality and the products of your fear came alive. The darkness on the edges of your vision took on fanciful shapes, disappearing only at the moment you stared at them directly.

Something creaked in the house and you jolted. Logically, you knew sometimes homes made noises, but your mind was overrun with possibilities. You remembered the gurgling sounds of a person drowning and only now, did you notice your clammy hands. You were hot with anxiety, yet cold sweat soaked through the sheets. Bravely, you inched over slightly to lay on the next dry spot on the mattress.

Even when your eyes adjusted to the darkness, it felt like there were monsters lurking in every darker patch of the room, but you were too apprehensive to get out of bed and banish the shadows with light. You swallowed some sleeping pills and clenched your eyes, trying every method you knew of to lull yourself into sleep: counting numbers, mental relaxation, distracting yourself with happier thoughts.

It was all for naught. You flipped onto your side now that the next patch of bed was damp with sweat, still completely at the mercy of your fear. The clock read 0400. Dawn couldn’t come soon enough.

A cacophony of shrieks sounded outside, followed by the flapping of approaching wings. Adrenaline again pumped through your veins and your heart palpitated from the hormonal rush. Nothing happened. Daring to move once more, you felt silly and slunk over onto the next cooler spot. Your lids were heavy over burning eyes, but rest remained elusive.

Exhausted, your eyes fluttered open in abject frustration and immediately found two glowing spots high on the wall, several paces away from where you lay. You focused on them in confusion since nothing should cast a light like that in your room. The orbs were the colour of a dazzling sunset. They smoldered vibrantly, the shifting colours stunningly beautiful.

The tension eased out of your body and your eyelids drooped. You distantly heard the sound of soft purring filling the room as you found sleep at last. The comforting purrs rumbled through your consciousness, sending vibrations tumbling through your chest that soothed your soul. All your recent worries felt like simple folly. The fear that held you captive like a hungry beast relinquished its hold and suddenly, you were unable to remember why you were so frightened to begin with.

Cradled within the nest of your home, you floated through the skies. You slept soundly until the next afternoon in a sweet, dreamless slumber, lost in a feeling of safety that you have previously never known.

~To be Continued~

Next Chapter- Fear

The cover of Hellsing Reminiscent is finished, I know I need to start to doing comic pages, but they aren't easy ^^; This is a much better cover than the other one

The new chapter will be coming soon on wattpad.

Thank @michi-tala and everyone on here have been helping me and supporting me *hugs*

A Night for Hunting Ch.10 -What Makes a Meal?

T/W: Alucard (Ultimate) x F!Reader, sexually suggestive content, but also some fluff. Romance, Riocard, shapeshifting. Smitten human with a crush. Seductive vampire troll, ‘dating.’ Comedy but not really? (things are amusing for Alucard at least).  Words: 5026 On AO3 @alastorhazbin

Thank you all for the birthday wishes! 

This chapter ended up longer than anticipated. Guess I was having fun too! I think it’s needed before the plot gets a bit more serious later.

I received a new shipment of orchids to add to my modest collection and I’ve been obsessed, if you can’t tell with my plant references.

Please read the note at the end of this chapter.

Alucard insisted on taking your number before you left for vacation with your closest friends. It was only a short trip away from home, but it was what you could manage. You ended up travelling to Scotland and visiting all the attractions of interest to your group, including Edinburgh Castle and the Isle of Skye. The landscape at the Isles was truly the stuff of legends. The soft light of late winter painted the sky deep pinks and purples during sunrise, the dusting of frost atop mountains were glittering diamonds in the morning sun before it melted into a shimmery dew, a series of picturesque waterfalls cascaded into the crystal clear Fairy Pools. It was a land of magic and enchantment more suited for a world of fantasy than reality. You almost wished Alucard was there so you could show him the beauty of the land and those spectacular sunrises. You captured countless photos to preserve the memory.

During a hike, your group’s passage disrupted a colony of hibernating bats, sending them fluttering in a noisy, chittering swarm. You scuttered away with your friends, yet you grinned even while squawking as everyone else did. These bats, however, did not possess scarlet eyes. Neither did they want anything to do with roosting in your hands as another bat did. 

He was at the back of your mind the entire time. Ever since you accepted your attraction to your immortal suitor, you thought of him frequently in increasingly fond terms. He was absolutely charming. It was frightening how quickly he came to occupy your conscious faculties. You hoped he’d appreciate the small gift you were bringing back to him. 

The vampire phoned at night on several occasions. Unfortunately, he did not allow you to elude him with only texting, stating that it was no proper way of communication. Once again, you were pleasantly surprised by the conversation with him. He was the most attentive audience as you excitedly recounted the adventures of the day, then he agreed with your hotel roommate as she teased you about ‘your boyfriend’ in the background of your calls. Curse his vampire hearing. You trembled at the deep voice on the other end. Between them, they had you tumbling into a flustered puddle of stutters and you terminated the call, telling him to let you be and that he was being an idiot.

You fell back on the mattress and pulled the sheets over your head so your friend wouldn’t see the stupid grin on your face. The butterflies in your stomach fluttered again as you recalled the smile you heard in Alucard’s voice during the call. --------------------

At last you were home in England. Considering the circumstances on how you met, the eagerness with which you wanted to see Alucard might be astonishing. His dastardly ways were mostly unchanged, yet his hunting of you for sport was long ago. Your current relationship was decidedly warm. 

There was no way you could treat him to a fancy restaurant, so you invited him over for dinner. It seemed like an excellent choice of activity until Alucard expressed his excitement about the prospects of you feeding him, only for you to repeatedly remind him he was not drinking from you again.

Sweet, I have arrived.

You fumbled with the lid to the pot before catching yourself and safely setting it down. You rushed to the entrance with a huge smile and pulled it open, only to stop dead in your tracks.

Huh?

Your smile dropped at the bizarre sight. It was undoubtedly Alucard on the other side of the door. You would never mistake those fiery eyes, the immense stature, and arrogant demeanour for anyone else. Yet he was different. His thick tresses revealed his hairline and fell straight past his rear. He wore a tailored black suit that fit him to perfection and a conceited smirk that matched the enthralling sunset gaze. There was something about his appearance that made him feel more unsettling and dangerous than usual.

You knew the vampire was a shapeshifter, yet you edged backwards when faced with the unfamiliar. His eyes glittered with mirth at your hesitation and his fingertips landed on your cheek with a delicate touch.

“Surely you have not forgotten me in a mere week, Dear?” He jested, rattling you out of your stupor.

As if that was possible. You shut your mouth. Yup, this was certainly Alucard. “I –I could never.” You meekly stepped aside to let in your guest and stared at him as he strode in like he owned your home.

“This is a gift for you,” he pronounced, setting a basket of yellowish, fragrant orchids in your hands. “It is known as ‘The Lady of the Night.’ It suits you.” It was a living arrangement of the whole plant, not just the cut flowers, and you shook your head at the vampire’s double meanings with a sigh. 

“Thank you. They are lovely.” You accepted the gift graciously and took a quick whiff of the citrusy fragrance that was to die for. The door shut and locked behind the vampire.

Alucard was in excellent spirits. He scented your excitement from behind the door and in truth, he was equally eager to see you. It smelled divine, the aromas of home-cooking and your nervousness mingled to tantalize his senses. He took in the sight of you standing awkwardly beside him, wondering if you were supposed to offer to take his coat, and grinned fiendishly. How adorable without even knowing it.

“Sweet, you should know the physical form I assume is meaningless. I may appear as whatever I desire.” 

His handsome countenance suddenly melted into whispering shadows. You gasped as his snakelike tongue lolled before he warped into a bipedal horned monster leaking darkness. His body stretched and broke open to reveal smooth bone, before sinewy muscle fibres formed over skeletal limbs and were encased in fresh skin. Those overly long, disproportionate fingers dripped of the night and you held your breath. You weren’t sure if you were afraid, but you couldn’t tear your eyes away from the grotesquely fascinating transformation. 

The monster dropped onto all fours, the horns elongating into antlers and with a series of crunches, the beast moulded itself into a giant elk that took up all of your living space. The metamorphosis was disturbing, but Alucard remained the most majestic creature, even as the elk sprouted eyes along its snout and down its hide. It stared into you for the longest moment and you didn’t look away, then it shrank into a dog, though the extra eyes remained.

And suddenly he became your Alucard again. 

The jagged shadows lashed about before flowing back and forming his familiar face, the darkness rippling around him with a crimson glow. It seemed the magic show was over and you were both silent. You finally released your bated breath. Instead of feeling terrified by the gnarly sight of Alucard remaking himself as if he was liquid, you giggled, then laughed out loud in wonder. You approached him to caress his hands, inspecting the digits that were reformed without any sign they were any longer mere moments ago. You stroked his cheeks, then went to the top of his head. No remnants of horns either.

Alucard’s brow lifted at your reaction. You were…excited by the prospect of having your own petting zoo? Yet he was not affronted by your debasement of his abilities as a Nosferatu. He made you laugh again and he basked in the sound. Tucking a strand of hair behind your ears, his smile matched your own toothy grin that showed your canines peeking through, so tiny compared to his fangs. 

You kept giggling, tucking a strand of imaginary hair away, unconsciously mirroring his actions and your eyes glittered as you lunged to embrace him. Such an unexpected and gratifying response you welcomed him with. His expression softened.

“Welcome back, little one,” he murmured, wrapping an arm around your waist.

Your lips parted and then closed. And opened again. You buried your face in his chest. “I missed you too, you jerk,” you mumbled, burrowing deeper when you felt the vibrations of his laughter. “I have something for you too, from Scotland.” Holding out something furry with both hands, you presented to your vampire a little stuffed toy bat. 

His brows raised before the orange pools spun and the light caught their golden flecks. He took the bat and studied it with a toothy grin, flicking a fond glance at you before tucking it away in his duster. “Delightful.”

You beamed bashfully and pulled apart. “Come on in, vampire, dinner is ready.”

You led your guest inside and seated him at the table. The seats were set and everything was just about cooked. All that was left to do was to plate the dishes and pour the drinks. You excused yourself briefly to use the bathroom.

Alucard settled into his seat while you used the facilities, listening to the sounds of your bodily functions, enjoying everything that made you human. Everything that was a normal life. His eyes opened as you returned and finished your preparations, materializing beside you to assist with preparing the beverages and floating the entrees over, making you shake your head in glee at his ‘magic tricks.’

He tugged at a chair to slide it across the floor with a hushed whisper, then tucked you back into the table once you were seated. “Dig in!” You proudly announced, quickly layering your bowl with an assortment of goods. 

As you tore into the deer, you peeked up at him in confusion. He made no moves to serve himself. You almost snorted. He may be your guest, but was he so insufferable he was expecting you to serve him like he was a king?

“You aren’t eating? Go ahead.” You pushed a dish at him and dabbed at the escaped sauce from your lips, not missing the way those predatory eyes followed the movement. 

“I will eat,” the vampire replied cryptically.

“You should while it’s hot. It’s venison stew, perfect for this weather! It’ll warm even you up,” you snickered, plopping a sizable serving into his bowl.

He didn’t reply.

This was getting awkward. You tried to chew quietly as your head spun. Was this some archaic vampire ritual where he was supposed to allow you to finish eating before he began? Did you mess up the dish somehow? Perhaps he preferred his meats more undercooked, bloodier? You somehow doubted it was because he didn’t consume meat. There simply didn’t seem to be a hint of a vegetarian in Alucard.

“The meal is perfectly divine, little one.”

The reassurance didn't help. “Then why…” You trailed off. The vampire was enamoured by the process of you eating. You set down the spoon as you finished swallowing.

“Alucard, you’re getting creepy again. You were expected to eat too, you know, not just stare at me.”

He chuckled. "You still wish to feed me?" 

“That was why you were invited.”

“As you wish, little one, but you are not feeding me.” 

You fixed the flattest, blankest stare in his direction. The quietness was nearly deafening. You made him a feast that blanketed every inch of the table. What game was he playing at now?

Sunset eyes got brighter and that grin grew wide. 

“Oh hell no. You’re a grown ass man! I’m not spoon-feeding you like you’re a toddler!”

“That is the only way I will eat human food.” He licked his lips.

“Then don’t eat! See if I care!” You huffed in disbelief, shoving in another bite to chew angrily. All that time spent preparing this plethora of dishes to perfection for this uncivilized beast. More for you, whatever. There will be plentiful food for the week.

The minutes stretched as you ate in silence by yourself. Childishly, you sliced the already tender morsels with more force than necessary to make a point. Several times, your gaze flickered up to check what your infuriating guest was doing, whether he was bluffing or if he truly expected you to demean yourself. An uncanny stare scrutinized every aspect of the way you consumed your food and suddenly you couldn’t remember why you missed him.

Grinding your teeth, you at last threw your hands up in frustration. “You really are insufferable!” You scooped up a slice of deer and shoved it at Alucard’s annoying mug.

The vampire's grin split even wider with his victory and the meat slid into his mouth. He started purring. “Heavenly. Were I still living, I would have appointed you a chef in my castle.”

You rolled your eyes at his grandiose words of praise. Even if he was a Duke or a Count or anyone of enough importance to warrant living in a castle, his manners were clearly plebeian. His appreciation for your efforts would be more apparent if you didn’t need to basically beg him to eat it.

“Come here, sweet one.”

“I am here,” you deadpanned.

“Your obstinate struggles against my will, as entertaining as they are, will always be fruitless, little human. Come here.” He scooted back in his chair and placed a hand on his lap. 

The audacity! This was your home. 

You had half a mind to demand he leave, but what were you going to do? Try shoving him out the door? He’d just phase through and mock you, if he even let you move him. If sitting in an ancient vampire’s lap to feed him dinner was the only way to expedite the process, so be it. Begrudgingly, you grumbled and plodded over to drop onto one of his thighs, only for him to scoop up your legs and drape you sideways over his lap.

You pouted and glared at him to show your displeasure.

“You really are charming when irate,” he purred, sticking his nose to your throat to nuzzle it. He inhaled. “For the aromas.” He chuckled when you tensed. “I am ready to eat, Sweet.”

You leaned away while pushing at his jaw to create distance, feeling the twitch in the corner of an eye as you picked up the fork and lanced the first piece of deer from Alucard’s bowl before lifting it to his lips. They wouldn’t part.

Not like that. His voice appeared in your mind, immediately followed by an image of yourself holding the cut to his lips between your fingertips.

“You really are going too far.”

“Humour me and you will find your freedom sooner.”

Picking up a slice of stew meat, you shoved it at the beast as you blazed with fury. He accepted the offering instantly, cool lips closing around your fingers to suckle. You squeaked in horror and yanked your hand back while he swallowed what you gave him whole.

“What the hell?!”

He smacked his lips and leered at you through lidded eyes. “Next.”

Gulping down your apprehension, you raised the next piece to his mouth and looked aghast as that scandalous tongue made a reappearance. Alucard made a show of licking your hand, beginning at the palm with a tickle and wrapping around your sauce-coated fingers. He lapped slowly at your fingertips as his eyes flashed, before gingerly taking the deer between sharp teeth and sucking it back with a wet slurp.

The hair on your arms stood on end, making your skin tingle. Your eyes met and his hand tightened around your waist. The other stroked up your thigh and squeezed your hip. Something else like appendages rubbed your shoulders and feet and held you tighter to him. He crooned and licked your jaw before capturing your lips to nibble on. The lounging beast sighed happily as your eyes bulged and you squirmed with discomfort on his lap.

“For the added seasoning,” he murmured against your ear.

That was just rude! 

The vampire cackled and flicked at your bottom lip again, making you flinch. “There exists no seasoning superior to your own taste.”

Piece by piece, you fed the old vampire by hand while he held you hostage in his lap. Despite feeling thoroughly harassed, eventually you couldn’t help but feel slightly flattered about your culinary abilities that elicited a response like this. If he liked your food so much, you supposed you could just cook for him again but skip this degenerate’s feeding kink, although being perched on his lap was not too bad. Neither was his touch wholly unwelcome. 

You pet his cheek while he chewed, his expression the face of pleasure. Nuzzling into your palm with a moan, his eyes opened to slits when you brushed up one side to investigate the pointy earlobe. He kept purring as loud as an engine.

Your eyes focused on the dancing shadows that surrounded him. They floated and twirled and seemingly pulsed at times. So mesmerizing.

Your unoccupied hand dipped cautiously into the shadow tendrils flowing around Alucard. He shuddered and growled, so low it was nearly imperceptible. A single wisp wrapped around your hand and you held onto it. Making contact with it was the strangest experience. Alucard's shadows were just that –not really tangible, yet you were able to physically touch his darkness. It buzzed in your hand with arcane energy that rippled through your being and tickled your spirit. Finally, you let him go, unable to bear the sensation any longer, and dropped your head on his broad shoulder to rest.

The heat was probably too high in your apartment after so much cooking. Your shirt clung to musky armpits and you fidgeted on Alucard’s lap as the undead cat finished another bite. He inhaled deeply, heavy purrs rumbling through his chest and vibrating through you. What a pervert. Always too suggestive. Always too attractive.

You absentmindedly gave him another piece, nipping on your lips and staring everywhere except at him when he started licking again. Something hard slid against your finger, catching your attention. The goddamn vampire was dragging the side of a fang against your ring finger. You held your breath, but again, it wasn't fear you felt, only curiosity at where he was going with this when he plainly stated he had no intention of biting you.

You caught the wicked smirk and glint in his eyes, now a deeper shade than at the onset of the meal. Again with the teasing. The air was heavy, the aura of mystery and danger swirled. His hair was longer and the locks fluttered despite the lack of a breeze. The lights dimmed before coming back on, throwing contrasting shadows across the pale profile you enjoyed looking at so much.

This smug vampire knew he was magnificent.

Your body responded aptly. After being subjected to hearing and feeling him purr all night, as well as the sensation of having his hands on you all night, you fell victim to his allure… the devilish monstrosity was simply irresistible. It felt like you were sitting in a furnace when you lowered your gaze from his triumphant one.

There it was, the scent of arousal. Alucard inhaled loudly, nostrils flaring as he absorbed his victory, ensuring you knew he was fully aware of your state of restlessness. Human food may be disgusting, but the taste of your skin was sweet ambrosia. For it to be finally paired with this ravishing perfume? Alucard believed he would never have enough of this gourmet delicacy.

The vampire was rock hard. A stiff shaft prodded your rump, large enough to make an impression even through fine wool and the awkward positioning. Your wide eyes lifted slowly to meet his, your shock at odds with his amusement.

The hands returned, the touch now lewd compared to the gentle exploration earlier. A shadow hand massaged your breast, alternatively kneading the mound between its palm and fingers. He traced circles around the tip to create a pebble before he pinched it. Your guest took your lips, prodding insistently until you yielded to his demands. Cold muscle delved into your mouth and he growled as he slid around to conquer and explore. Something firm held the back of your head when you attempted to escape. Another hand. His hands were everywhere, stroking and grabbing until you writhed in his grasp.

Your musk got heavier as your underwear became saturated with fluid. Even you smelled it. Alucard keened and encouraged you to touch him. A strange energy embraced you, leaving you gasping and he smirked with satisfaction. 

Curiously, you rested a palm on his chest. He had no heartbeat. Your heart was pounding, but there was nothing beating in his, nothing to show that you weren’t the only one hot and bothered. A moment of trepidation flashed by and passed. Resting your forehead to his chin, you trailed down his torso to rest lightly on the front of his pants. It was held up with steel that strained the smooth material into an indecent tent. You cupped it width-wise, its girth taking up most of the curvature your hand created, and tentatively ran your palm down the length. Down and down and down your hand travelled, until the end ran under your leg and disappeared.

Sweet Jesus, how big was this monster?

He hissed in pleasure as he made another show of licking your fingers, sucking them into his maw one by one. The devil held you spellbound through glowing vermilion orbs. No…you searched within your consciousness…the ancient vampire wasn’t hypnotizing you. This was all you. The revelation was more frightening than anything.

You shivered.

“What say you? Shall we search for nirvana this fine evening for dessert?”

“E-excuse me?”

“As I proposed, I will mount y–”

“I know how the mechanics work!” You screamed, your face on fire as you suddenly found yourself free of your prison and you scrambled off of him in an uncoordinated tangle of limbs, tripping over yourself and landing on your rear by his feet.

Alucard threw his head back and roared raucously as he leaned back to watch you. Eyes opened on the ground and curled in laughter to join in. The extra extremities disappeared. As did your desire –in just these few seconds, your libido jumped off a cliff and died, to be replaced by total mortification.

Not knowing how to recover, you picked yourself up from the floor as the vampire shook his head and chuckled. Stomping down the hall, you turned and hollered, “Time for you to leave! I’m going to bed!” Nevermind the fact that you just ate. 

The door slammed behind you and you crumbled to the floor in a panting heap, the mind racing to process what happened. A vampire, you were about to lay with a marauding predator of the night. Sinfully beautiful, but a ruthless murderer nonetheless. You hugged your legs and tried to calm yourself.

It was futile. You too craved his presence.

“...”

You sat alone longer at the edge of a precipice, the distance providing some much-needed clarity, until you finally stood shakily with your fingertips lingering on the door knob, about to flip the switch when you stopped yourself. If you were to be honest with yourself, you didn’t detest this vampire anymore. You would not mind if he stayed the night. 

…The bedroom door was left unlocked.

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

You stirred, sticking out a leg and kicking over to the other side of the bed, the cotton sheets brushing softly against your naked skin. With an arching back, you stretched the entire length of your body, from the tips of your fingers to the bottoms of your feet, and yawned. The muscles in your legs cramped from being perched in one position last night. Your toes poked out from under the blanket.

“I bid you good morning, little human.”

You sat up abruptly and found the unblinking crimson set of eyes in the corner of the room. For a moment, fear shot up your spine, the terrifying recollection of being at the mercy of a red-eyed monster who wanted to rip into you on another occasion made your blood run cold. 

But there was no need for alarm this time. Your heart raced even as the fright dissipated.

There he was, sitting on the grey loveseat with his legs crossed and a frown marring his features, his fingers loosely intertwined. Shooting a panicked glance over to the window, you saw there was indeed light filtering around the edges of the curtains, illuminating the bedroom with the gentle rays of morning. But the sun! Why wasn’t he going off in flames? Did he just watch you sleep the entire night? 

“Why are you here?” You asked dumbly.

The frown turned upside down and the vampire cackled, two rows of jagged teeth gleaming like a bear trap. “You invited me in, little one.”

“But you stayed the night?”

“Watching you breathe,” he purred, “listening to your heart beat.”

Creepy, psychopathic behaviour, but then again, this was Alucard you were referring to. You held the sheets closer to your chest before remembering to check on your state of undress beneath. You were the same as how you went to bed, crotch still clammy from the devil’s seduction last night.

“I meant the sun. How are you alive? Shouldn’t you be a pile of ashes?” 

He smiled. “Your legends generally do not apply to a true vampire like myself.”

Indeed, Alucard actually looked fresh and well-composed, as if he didn’t spend the night sexually harassing a young woman and then ogled her as she slept. The fog in your mind slowly retreated. A true vampire… There was so much you didn’t know about the supernatural.

You rubbed your eyes and blinked at him. "So the sun doesn't hurt you?"

"No more than it harms you, though I may despise the day."

"Then how about garlic?"

He snorted.

"Crosses? Holy water?"

"Mere irritations."

"Silver?"

"Ah– that may cause injury." The vampire closed his eyes and snickered. "So curious about my existence, little one. You want me dead?" Hellfire bore through your soul.

Dead?

You froze, unsure of how to respond. Did you want him dead? Vampires were a menace to society, a scourge. Wouldn't the world be better off without demons like him wandering it? “You are already dead. But…I can’t say I want you gone for good anymore…”

Silence. The fire burned warmly in those molten pools. "You are such an intriguing creature," he murmured.

You shuffled in bed and propped up a pillow behind your back, being careful to keep the sheets draped over your chest, thoroughly conscious of your nakedness. A million questions bloomed in mind as you sat quietly across from this ancient creature a few paces away, who witnessed the eras come and go. Was it okay to ask now?

“So…how did you become a vampire?”

He sat back and tilted his chin up in thought before staring down his nose at you. “At the end of my human life, I chose vengeance and hate."

You perked up. To be or not to be. "So your sire gave you the option to become a vampire?" You recalled his reaction the last time you inquired about his sire. Hopefully vampirism wasn't a fate that was forced upon him.

Alucard didn't respond immediately. "I have no sire, little human."

You were mildly confused. That was how vampires were born though, wasn't it? Vampires created vampires, as they also gave rise to ghouls. Alucard himself told you so. It seemed the more you learned from him, the less you knew. There was always another secret.

You blurted it out, much more directly than the last time you broached this topic months ago. "...Do you ever regret it?"

He looked sad, wistful, and your heart churned for a demon. What was this feeling? His gaze dimmed, turning downcast as the frown returned.

"Cherish your humanity, child."

Not knowing what to say, you reached for him and he came to you immediately, kneeling by the side of the bed and resting his face in your hand. You ran your fingers through the silky hair you adored and the vampire sighed against your touch.

You pondered Alucard's words as you pet him. So many questions. "Then what about that vampire you shot? Is he like you? Are there other vampires like you who don't bite?"

Alucard tensed before smiling slightly, though it didn’t reach his eyes. “I’m not something so vulgar and cheap. And I do bite.” A hand shot up to grasp your wrist by his face.

You were undeterred. You put your other hand to his chest and once more noted the lack of comforting beats. His touch wasn’t gross like with the other vampire. In fact, physical contact with Alucard no longer made you feel the need to shower. His aura no longer urged you to run and hide, or face mortal peril. Actually, this was quite pleasant.

His face came within inches of yours and you felt his icy breath as he spoke.

“If you can kill me, I would gladly die by your hands.” He purred at you, pressing your hand hard into his chest, leaning heavily into your touch and lowering his head to rub noses.

To be or not to be. You snorted, “As if that’s even in the realm of possibilities.”

“Only a human can kill a monster.”

“You are not making any sense.” You’ve seen what he can do. He had superpowers while you were a normal mortal. Kill him? What a joke.

Alucard chuckled, “No, I suppose not.” A gloved finger bumped softly against the tip of your nose and he closed the gap between you. Luminescent irises whirled, his gaze affectionate. You stared back into the balmy gaze as you let your lips and foreheads touch in a tender meeting.

Minutes had passed when you pulled apart.

“Okay, you got your show. Time for you to leave.” You sighed, brushing a thumb against his cheek one last time before dragging your sheets with you to keep yourself modest as you rose from bed to pull open the curtains.

He was gone from your room when you turned back.

~To be Continued~

Chapter 11: Interlude I Chapter 12: The Feeling of Safety

Notes:  For those of you not familiar with Shakespeare’s work, Hamlet, “To be or not to be, that is the question” is probably the most well-known line from his play. This infamous soliloquy is referring to the decision “to live or not to live,” something Hamlet pondered as he discussed how painful living is and how death may be preferable, if it weren’t for the uncertainty of what came afterwards. Hamlet was suicidal. It is deeper when Alucard said it because he wasn’t merely referring to his ‘cowardly’ decision to turn (“to be a vampire”), but also how by choosing ‘to be,’ he ended up damning himself to an eternity of unlife instead. Alucard wants to die.

While I think Alucard wasn't constantly shagging everyone prior to meeting us, I headcanon that he is normally open to sexual relationships with humans should they be interested (and if they interest him). And if Alucard is sexually interested in someone, he will certainly at least try to seduce them. Alucard is extremely suggestive, very sensual, and the type to take a mile if you give him an inch. If you let him in your pants once, he'll be seeking opportunities to charm them off again. He knows he's attractive, good in bed, and that we’re hot for him. 

So now I feel like I kind of lied when I said "no smut" in this story's initial tags (hey it was supposed to be a oneshot), but I think I actually can't avoid some racy content if we're to get to the point where we want to give Alucard all of ourselves. This fic had mature themes from the beginning, so I believe most readers won’t have too much issue with more sexual content, but explicit smut scenes will be mostly in the interludes from this point on. It is now officially “eventual smut/NSFW." Things will be spicier here and there. The Interludes can be skipped and readers will (probably) not miss too much. Just FYI, they eventually do pretty much everything except fuck “all the way,” ie. P-in-V sex. BTW, next chapter is an interlude. It features period blood and is really not for everyone (but hey, our dear monster is a vampire), in which case I hope you’ll enjoy Ch.12 more!

Above: Brassavola nodosa, The Lady of the Night. Not my orchid, but one I eventually want to add to my collection. I wasn't aware of this, but apparently in some cultures, it represents the connection between the living and the dead. Only at night it is fragrant, releasing a smell that is described as citrusy or like gardenias.

Vlad by Naranbaatar Ganbold

The Way You Look Tonight

Chapter two • Enemies to lovers

Author’s note: I've re-read this chapter four times while editing, and it still creeps me out a little. Then again, I have a bit of a wild imagination.

Contents: MULTI-CHAPTER, Alucard (Hellsing)xfem!reader, eventual NSFW, written in 2nd person, relatively ambiguous time period but pre-2000s, reader and family members descriptions (other than clothes and personalities) are kept ambiguous for the sake of inclusion, ghost Alucard (kind of?), spooky stuff, Integra is dead and the Hellsing Organization has been dissolved.

3.2k words

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Within the week, the electricity had been fixed. You don't need to worry about your lamp's batteries corroding anymore when you put new ones in. Neither do you have to squint in the dim light of a single candle to see the dark shadow in the corner of your room. Now, with the small bulb chandelier in your room, there was no corner that light couldn't reach, even in the dead of night. That seemed to give you a newfound sense of confidence, which had previously been killed when your childhood fear of the dark was rekindled one week ago in the dining room. You still couldn't figure out what it was you’d run into. All the dining room chairs had cushions that were made of rough fabric. Not smooth and silky to the touch. Whatever it was… You knew what you felt. It was a person. There was no other excuse. And you weren't crazy. But you had no choice but to let the matter go. All the clues you might have gotten to there being something wrong with this place led you to nowhere. Your strange dream led you to the manor’s layout which led you to a cut-off page with the letter “D,” being your only tie to an answer. There was simply no logical explanation for the corroding batteries. You didn't even know what caused batteries to corrode other than time. Heat? That was impossible. The house had been freezing that night. You stick to your only answer, “D.” Or was it a “B?” The page had been cut off. Then were you right about a basement? If that was true, and there was a basement, then the previous owner really had something to hide if they cut it out of the building’s layout. The only thing left to do was check for a basement entrance. The problem with that plan was… that the only access to the lower level of the manor you had was the kitchen, the dining room, and the entertainment room. The rest was currently undergoing renovations. Water damage, rats, and other pests — that's what your father told you. If you wanted to get a look around without getting into trouble you’d have to go at night. Hell no. That spelled disaster. You’d read enough mystery horror books to know not to do that. So, with a mystery-hungry heart, you continued to help around the house while trying to forget your strange discoveries and just enjoy the place. 

You were currently helping your mother in the garden, which was admittedly beautiful. You couldn't imagine what it used to look like when it had a full team of gardeners. Great big hedges sparkling after being freshly watered in the morning, fountains running, the sound of splashing water adding to the chirping melody of the birds. That’s what you imagined at least. Right now, it was still a work in progress. You were responsible for taking care of the fountain. Which was more satisfying than you thought it would be. Scrubbing the dry algae off the emptied basins was rather therapeutic and took your mind off of the happenings. This was short-lived, however. As you straightened up and wiped a bead of sweat from your brow, you caught movement in one of the upper-story windows. Your window. You paused, setting down the hard-bristled brush for a moment. That couldn't be your brother… he wasn't… well- he wasn't that tall, to be honest. He was a teenager, and you towered a good five inches over your brother still. Whoever that was… 

“Is Dad fixing something in my room?” You turn your head for just a moment. Your mother looks up from the dirt she’d been packing in around some freshly planted flowers and gives you a confused glance. 

“No… why?” Her eyes drag up to your window. 

You turn your head again, about to point up at the figure in the window only to find you’ve been played a fool a second time. This felt similar to the dining room incident — in that it made you look crazy.

"I saw someone up there." You say, feeling uncomfortable. You turn your head again and see your mother's skeptical expression as she continues to look up at your window.

“I’m sure we would have noticed if someone we didn't know came into the house. It was probably just a shadow.” She turns back to the dirt and continues packing it around the flowers before moving on to the next. 

You're not as willing as your mother to give up the matter. Now, your job of scrubbing algae can't be over fast enough. When you finish, you don't even bother washing your hands. You take yourself up the stairs, a burn of annoyance giving you a burst of adrenaline that may or may not have been encouraged by it being broad daylight, and push your door open. It's empty. Exactly as you anticipated. But that doesn’t stop you from fixing the window with a glare, checking under your bed, and then fixing your hair before walking back to the door, where you turn, hold out the middle finger, and close the dor. Whatever… ghost… was messing with you... Well, it wasn't funny. Not that you believed in ghosts, of course.

Nonverbally saying “fuck you” to a ghost was clearly a bad idea. Maybe it was just a coincidence, but shortly afterward, the electricity was acting weird. Your brother had come down from his room for once to complain about how “this stupid house is busted”. His computer was apparently shutting off right when he was about to complete a level in his game. You even came up with your dad to watch it happen. Right when he was at the end of his level, the screen went black. Your dad checked the outlet, unplugged it, plugged it back in, and told your brother to give it another try. So with a sigh, your brother would reboot his computer and run the game. Same problem. It ended with your dad scratching his head and muttering about calling the electricity guys again. You, however, with your newfound skepticism, were positive that you’d pissed the house ghost off by giving it the finger. 

“It’s probably a ghost messing with you.” You’d told your bother.

“The ghost can go fuck off.” Was his grumbled response as he turned to his bookcase instead. 

You turned in after dinner, carrying a full glass of water up to your room to set on the bedside table, which had a gross crusty ring left over from the batteries. You’d tried to wipe it off the best you could but… the wood was ruined. The one thing you’d liked about candles or lamps was how easy it was to turn them off or blow them out and shove the covers up and over your head. A light switch? Not so much. Especially when the room felt like it… stretched… in the dark. You took a sip of your water before turning to shut off the light. Climbing into bed amidst the dark, you muttered to the ghost (which you half-believed in) to, “not be weird.”

That night, sleep seemed to escape you. Like standing too far away from the ocean on the shore. When you thought it might reach you… it dragged itself back. You had no memory of falling asleep… but when you woke… it was because a chorus of stringed instruments and deafening piano seemed to be searing into your ears as your world burst into color. Through your eyelids, you saw light and movement, shadows falling over your eyelids like sunspots through a tree. You open them with a gasp and find yourself standing in the middle of a ballroom. Confusion lapses you and you reach down to pinch your hand tightly to wake yourself up — which hurts. It's covered in a long, silk glove. None of the colors you wear seem to keep a constant. The shape of your dress — if you were wearing one, you're not sure —  and even the people around you never stay constant. They change form as they move with the waltz at a gallivanting pace around you. You try to follow them with your eyes — to make out what’s even happening around you — but the task feels impossible. Turning frantically, you catch an opening in the figures and run towards it, hoisting heavy skirts up (so it was a dress?). The space is quickly taken up by red. A deep, blood-red cloak, and a charcoal gray suit tucked beneath it. You’re too slow to stop yourself and crash into the figure. It was that fabric. Warm satin and the dull sound a human chest makes when it's beat against. You back up slower than you had the night you first encountered that feeling… and slowly look up at the only solid shape in this dream. Nothing about him changes or shifts. His colors do not even change in hue or tone. Red, charcoal, and black, black hair. You’re not quite sure if his hair is short or long. It seems to evade your memory somehow. But you know it's dark and unruly and frames his shadowed face in a wicked way as he grins down at you with a mouth full of teeth too sharp to be human. He feels far too real to be a part of your dream. Image stark and crisp compared to the fogginess of the others and even your own body. It feels like he towers over you. Proportions not quite right. You stagger back. Too slow. He surges unnaturally forward and takes up your hand with his gloved one, the other gripping your waist tightly. Too fast to gain footing, you're thrown into a waltz that you cannot keep up with. It's the same pace as the inconstant dancers around you. Spinning, spinning, you grip his shoulder with desperation as your hair whips against your face. As chaos unfolds, your feet clumsily stumble. Seeking solace, you bury your face into his chest, briefly capturing the aroma of copper and perfume. No warmth comes from him, despite how real he feels.

 The music picks up at an impossible pace. A pace no one could ever hope to properly waltz to… and you're spun even faster. Then, the music rises into a quick crescendo, and then the notes seem to… fall… as if they were falling off the very air. The song is ending too fast for your body to register… and all too soon, your dancer lets go of you. Your hand slips off his shoulder and the force of the awful, spinning waltz throws you cruelly to the floor in a flutter of skirts against the hard, hard surface beneath you. 

Your eyes shoot open and the silent dark of your room echoes around you. You’re on the floor, nowhere near your bed, and very, very sore. Laying there, belly-down on the cold wood, you let out a slow and shaky breath before pushing yourself onto your knees. You feel vulnerable in the middle of that huge room. It's too dark to see a thing. The moon is barely visible tonight. But the eerie silence is enough to encourage you to stumble back into bed with a confused and exhausted whimper. The music feels like it rings an echo of itself in your ears, and you still feel your dancer’s bruising grip on your hand and waist. The covers are cold. You’d been sweating in your sleep… and the dampness was not the least bit comforting. 

⛤

The day after that was dreary. It was as if your strange dream had put a fog over your entire world. Cloud cover. Autumn was approaching, so it was fitting. Your mother said that there would be a thunderstorm tonight. One look at the blackened sky and you believed her. Going for a walk, you’d taken to the road that led away from the manor. It was a much-needed break from the place. The surrounding countryside felt cold and wet despite it not having rained yet. The smell and the chill helped you clear your mind a bit. 

Despite everything — the bizarre dreams, feeling things in the dark, seeing things — you… didn't miss home. No. The manor had way too many things locked away in the dark waiting to be found for you to wish them away and out of your memory so soon. You almost felt like a kid again. Running about trying to solve imaginary mysteries. And that dream you’d had, more so, how you’d found yourself when you’d woken from it. You never used to sleepwalk like that. It was so strange. And your muscles were so sore as if you’d actually been dancing. Maybe the lack of restful sleep was getting to you.

You lost track of time out in the grass and had only just begun walking back to the house when you felt the chill of a drop of rain on your nose. By the time you were through the manor’s gate you were soaked. But the rain and the countryside had brought a strange clarity to your mind. Looking towards the manor in the distance… You swore you saw someone standing there waiting in front of the door, cloaked in red. The body in the dark, the figure in the window, the dancing man. Were they all the same person? A flash of lightning high in the sky and the rolling rumble that followed seemed to wick him away from reality. You never thought to believe in ghosts until now. Now, as you hurry up the steps and open the door, you're sure that there’s a ghost haunting this place. 

You’d taken a shower to get the smell of dampness off of you. By the time you were done, the light of the sun that filtered through the thick clouds had disappeared completely. Something about the rain beating on the roof comforted you as you walked through the dim hallway to your room. It seemed to fill what would usually be an uncomfortable silence. Taking up the empty spots in your mind and lining them with a lulling white noise. Flipping on the light in your room, you take note of the empty glass on your bedside table. A dull dread tickles at the back of your neck. You knew you’d be miserable all night if you woke up thirsty and with nothing to drink. This day would have come eventually, you tell yourself. At least the power works now. Still, you take a flashlight. 

The rain lulls to silence as you descend the stairs to the kitchen. That makes you uneasy. It was as if some protective blanket had been peeled off your back. Your steps on the marble echo as you make your way through the dining room, which is eerie in the light of your flashlight, and onto the tiled floor of the most harrowing room you know of in the manor. The kitchen looks even more worn with age than the rest of the house, even after you and your mother have spent the last week cleaning it up. Slowly, you make your way over to the sink, fitting your flashlight under your armpit while you fill up your glass. Over the sound of the sink, you hear a whisper. You shut the water off and pause, standing perfectly still while you strain your ears. Nothing. You turn the water on full to fill the glass up in a mere second. Some spills over the lip and into the sink, wetting your fingers. You don't care about that though. You turn and make your quick exit from the kitchen, only glancing back when you're in the doorway. That's where you pause, turning your flashlight onto the room one last time… just to be sure. The dull white light spills across the counter and the big fridge, reflecting off of hanging pots and pans and the old tile floor. When the light begins to buzz brighter, you already know what's going to happen. It begins to flicker… slowly at first and then fast like a strobe. You waste no time in turning tail and running up the stairs. There’d be no repeat of the dining room. You swear on it. Your feet thump on the carpet with each hurried step, water spilling from your glass as you reach the top with a gasp of breath and take a sharp turn for the hallway leading to your room. Halfway there… your stomach drops in horror when you hear footsteps running up the stairs after you. It's like someone was mimicking you. Same tempo, same speed. Fast footsteps. Your brain kicks into raw adrenaline, realizing you're being chased. You feel like a wolf chased by something that is not a wolf. Not used to being scared like this… but knowing deep in your gut to run and hide. You can't even think to scream. Your eyes begin to water and your breath comes out in ragged fear-strained rasps. Flinging your door open, you don't bother looking over your shoulder as you slam it closed behind you. The footsteps follow quickly — bare like your own — and come right up to the door where they stop abruptly. Your heart climbs into your throat as you stand there. A slab of wood keeps you and… it… separated. Holding your breath and bracing your forearm on the door… you wait in silence with eyes wider than they’d ever been in your life. Your flashlight had long since gone out and hangs dead in your hand, while your other one struggles not to shake while keeping the glass of water upright. It was still there. Still there. Still there. Waiting. The footsteps had stopped. It was waiting. Waiting there on the other side of the door just as silently as you. When your lungs burn, you realize that you still have yet to take a breath. Slowly, you let it draw out before taking another, quiet breath in and holding it. You couldn't miss a single sound. Not a single sound could escape your ears right now. Something was outside your door, you’d heard it loud and clear, chasing you. So… why were you doubting your own judgment? Perhaps... you were simply imagining things. Maybe it was just your imagination getting the best of you. This couldn't be real. It just couldn't. It couldn't be real it- 

“Hey.” 

You stiffen. You swore you just heard a whisper through the door. Right up against it. It couldn't be a trick of your ears. The sound was so crisp. The voice so unfamiliar: low, raspy, and amused. The thought that there was some… thing… on the other side, pressing its face right up against the crack in the door to whisper- you have to bite your lips to keep yourself from bursting into tears. This is a nightmare. A nightmare. An awful nightmare. 

But you can't sit here all night. So… gathering your strength, you set down your glass and flashlight on the floor. You pause, hand on the doorknob, thinking about what the hell you’d do if there was something there. Scream, you supposed. With that, you yank the door open. 

You're met with nothing. You look in both directions of the hall, left — nothing — and right, towards the staircase — nothing. Breathing a sigh of relief, you shut the door. 

That night… You slept with the lights on.