Taste

Cassandra stood in the back of the club next to the bar, her arms folded across her chest.  She did this often when she went to clubs, it made people less likely to approach her, and that was what she wanted.  Running a hand through her short blond hair, that had black highlights, she sighed.  Why did I even bother to come here? She wondered to herself as she slid her black leather coat on and gathered her things to leave.

Alucard had been watching Cassandra from the shadows of the club.  As he watcher her, he could practically feel her loneliness and sadness.  Also he could tell that she wasn’t enjoying herself and that she was unhappy being at the club.  This caused him to wonder why she had even come to the club in the first place.  When he saw her leave the club through the back door, he phased thorough the walls and followed her as she walked down the street.

Cassandra knew that she was being followed.  However, every time she turned around to see whoever it was, no one was there.  Frustrated and tired, the blonde turned around and crossed her arms across her chest again.

“I know you’re there so just come out,” she said as she narrowed her steely blue eyes angrily.  Alucard grinned at this and appeared behind her.  When Cassandra got no response she sighed and turned around only to come face to face with a man that had long black hair dressed in a black suite with a red undershirt and had on a pair of orange tinted sunglasses.  Who wears sunglasses in the middle of the night? She thought to herself.

“Why are you following me?” The young woman asked as she crossed her arms across her chest, after she had regained her composure.

“I saw you at the club and you intrigued me,” Alucard replied as he took off his orange sunglasses.  Opening his eyes he looked down at Cassandra.  Gasping at his blood red eyes, she drew back in fear.  However, when she did this she stumbled and started to fall.  To her surprise Alucard reached forward and caught her hand, keeping her from falling.  The two of them stood like that for a few seconds, just looking at each other.  Alucard then stood her back up and looked back into the young woman’s steely eyes.

“What do you want?”  Cassandra asked looking up at the dark haired stranger.  Alucard simply grinned at her question, showing his fangs.  Seeing this Cassandra gasped and instinctively grabbed her neck.  Seeing her reaction, Alucard couldn’t help but let a low laugh rumble in his throat.

“I just want a taste,” he said calmly as he walked towards Cassandra.  The blue eyed girl wanted to run, but her legs refused to function.  Once Alucard was in front of her he ran a gloved hand through her two toned hair.

“Just a taste?” She asked hesitantly as her entire body started to tremble slightly.  Alucard grinned at this slightly as he pulled her into a dark alley.

“Just a taste,” he purred in Cassandra’s ear, giving her chills.

“But,” she said pulling away slightly.  “I want something I return.”  Alucard frowned slightly, afraid of what she may ask.

“I-I don’t want you to change me.  I-I just want a kiss,” she said softly as the blood rushed to her cheeks.  Alucard was floored.  A kiss? That’s all? He thought to himself.  Is it possible? That she’s still pure? He thought to himself, excited at the fact that he could very well be just about to taste virgin blood for the first time in centuries.

“Very well,” he said as he leaned into the young woman.  “A kiss for you, then a taste for me.”  As he said this he gently pushed Cassandra back against a wall.  Feeling her back come in contact with the wall behind her, she started to panic again.  Sensing the young woman’s fear, Alucard gently ran a hand though her soft hair and leaned over her in a protective manner.

“Will it hurt?” Cassandra asked in a small voice.  The vampire couldn’t help but smile softly at the emotions in her voice.  She was scared, anxious and excited all at once.  

“For a moment,” he answered as he leaned in closer to her, his cool breath ticking her warm skin.  “But first, a kiss for you.”  With that said he lifted her face so she was looking up at him, and then leaned forward so his lips met hers.  Cassandra was surprised at how gentle the vampire was with her.  His kiss was soft and chaste or a chaste as a vampire can be.  He used no tongue but the passion was still there and Cassandra could feel it.  Either he’s very experienced at this, or he really wanted to kiss me in the first place, she thought to herself as she kissed him back softly.  Alucard heard her thoughts and couldn’t help but grin inwardly as he wrapped his arms long arms around her waist.

When Alucard first saw Cassandra from across the room at the club, the first thing he wanted to do was taste her blood.  However, as he watched her make her way around the room and onto the dance floor, he found himself wanting taste more of her then just her blood.  He wanted to kiss her.  Little did he know that he was going to get both of those things, willingly nonetheless.

The kiss only lasted for a few seconds but it was a few seconds to total bliss.  Alucard broke the kiss and ran his hands through her silky two toned hair.  He couldn’t help but grin slightly when he felt Cassandra rest her head against his chest panting slightly.  Alucard let her rest a few seconds, not wanting to overwhelm her.

“Now a taste for me,” he purred as he leaned over the young woman slightly.  Cassandra started to panic slightly and Alucard felt this.

“Shhhhh,” he whispered as he ran a hand through her short hair.  “It will only hurt for a moment.”  Swallowing hard, Cassandra forced her body to move forward and looked up at the vampire.  Fear was obvious in her eyes.  Smiling slightly, Alucard tilted her head to the side, exposing her neck.  Bending down he positioned his fangs over her carotid artery.  Feeling Alucard’s cool breath on her hot flesh she couldn’t help but shudder.  Unable to restrain himself any longer, he sunk his sharp fangs into the soft skin of Cassandra’s neck.

The young woman gasped in shock and in pain.  Alucard covered her mouth with a gloved hand as he continued to feed.  Cassandra winced and forced herself to remain calm.  He said the pain would stop, she thought to herself as she closed her eyes.

Seconds ticked by and the pain wasn’t subsiding.  Cassandra started to panic again.  Why won’t the pain stop?  No sooner had she thought this, she suddenly felt tired and very warm.

“Cassandra, Cassandra can you hear me?” A muffled sounding voice asked.  The blonde wanted to respond but everything seemed to take so much effort.  All she was able to do was moan slightly.  Then there was only darkness.

Alucard cursed himself under his breath.  He had taken too much from her, about 17% of her total circulation.  He only wanted a taste, not a drink.  Growling, he weighed his options.  He knew that it would be best if he took her to the closest hospital, but then again how would the bite marks be explained.  Sighing, he lifted the young woman into his arms and teleported the two of them to the Hellsing Manor, more specifically his bedroom.

When Cassandra regained consciousness she found herself looking up at a stone ceiling.  Sitting herself up, she noticed the IV in her arm.

“Where am I?” She wondered aloud.

“I’m afraid I can’t tell you that,” was a calm voice’s reply.  The young blonde quickly whipped her head around, but instantly regretted it.  A shooting pain shot through her neck and head.  Gasping in pain she brought her hand to her neck, only to realize that it was bandaged.  Looking back up, she gasped when she found Alucard kneeling in front of her.  He had his head bowed slightly, causing his black hair to fall in front of his face.

“I apologize,” he said in a soft voice.  At first Cassandra didn’t understand, and then she realized that he was talking about her fainting.

“O-Oh, n-no don’t worry it’s alright,” she stammered, the heat rushing to her cheeks.  Alucard shook his head.

“No, it’s not alright,” he said as he locked eyes with the young woman. “I should have had more control.  I could have very easily killed you.” This made Cassandra a bit uneasy.

“Well you didn’t so that says something,” she said trying to smile in a reassuring way, and failing.  Alucard smirked slightly and stood back up.

“How long was I out?” The blonde asked as she scratched the back of her hand where the IV was absentmindedly.

“About an hour,” was Alucard’s calm response. “You still need to rest.” With that said he eased her back down on the bed and covered her with a warm blanket.

“But-”

“No buts,” the vampire said in a firm, yet calm, tone.

“I’m not even tired,” Cassandra whined in protest.  Alucard sighed and sat down beside her on the bed.  Leaning over her he gazed into her steely blue eyes.  Sleep, he commanded in his low and soothing voice.  

“Not…fair,” Cassandra breathed as her eyelids became heavy.  Then there was nothing but darkness.

Alucard watched the young blonde sleep for a few minutes until he felt his master, Integra, summoning him.  Sighing, he phased through the ceiling of his room and appeared in her office.  As usual she was seated behind her large desk, cigar in hand, with the same steely look in her eyes when she knew something was awry.

“You called for me my master?” Alucard said bowing slightly in respect.

“What are you hiding Alucard?” She asked in an icy tone, glaring at him all the while.  Alucard looked at his master very well aware of what she was talking about.

“I’m not hiding anything master,” he replied smoothly.  This was true.  Integra hadn’t asked him if he had a girl in his room.  As a result, he hadn’t lied to her about not having almost killed a young woman, who was now recovering in his room.  Integra narrowed her eyes at him warningly and dismissed him.  Alucard bowed and phased through the floor of her office back to his room and to Cassandra.

Materializing back in his room he looked at the young woman asleep in the bed.  Crossing the room so he was beside her he sat down and ran a hand through her short two toned hair.  He knew that she wasn’t supposed to know that his kind existed but there was something about her that made him feel that she could be trusted.  

Suddenly Cassandra stirred and opened her steely blue eyes tiredly.  A small smile tugged at the corner of her lips as she sat herself up, with a little assistance from her ‘captor’.  She then looked at he red clad vampire and frowned.  Alucard may have tried to hide the sadness he felt that he had to take her home, but Cassandra could see it in his deep red eyes.

“You gonna erase my memories?” The blonde and black and haired human asked softly as she looked at her hands, the stinging of tears coming to her eyes.  Alucard winced inwardly at the hurt tone in her voice.

“I should,” he said flatly.  “But…I trust you not to tell anyone of this,” he said lifting Cassandra’s face so she was looking at him.  The young woman laughed slightly when he said this.

“I don’t think anyone would believe me anyways,” she said as she rubbed her eyes, trying to hide the tears leaking from her beautiful eyes.
There was an awkward pause between the two of them.

“I want to give you something,” Alucard said suddenly.  Cassandra jumped slightly at the unexpected sound of the vampire’s voice.

“Uh…ok,” she said hesitantly.  He red vampire smiled faintly and rested a hand on the back of her neck and pulled her closer to him.  Feeling the blood rushing to the young woman’s cheeks, his faint smile turned into a full blown grin.

“Just a kiss,” he purred in her ear.  Cassandra couldn’t help but smile when he said that.  Just as he was about to kiss her, she pulled away slightly.

“Alucard?” She said gently.

“Yes?” He replied looking into her bright blue eyes.

“W-Will I ever see you again?”  Her voice was shaking with emotion.

“Yes, yes you will,” with that said he pulled her in close to him and his kissed her just like he had in the alleyway, not giving her the chance to say anything before she fell into darkness.