Coffee and awkwardness just don't mix.. {Mercy}

[Lt. Lucien Calugarul]

At her words, Lucien visibly relaxed, his shoulders uncoiling and that trademark miniscule smile flickering onto his lips. He kept half of his attention on the people around them, as if hoping for danger, while the other half remained on the doctor in front of him.

And God, he was going insane, but that tentative smile of hers made him want to say something to have it appear on her face again. Tch, what foolish thoughts! He would stick to the plan; be careful to remember that this was a one time thing. Coffee with a beautiful woman at night; definitely a one time thing.

GAH, this was not good. None of it.

With one hand coming up to rub at the back of his neck in a nervous gesture, he took a gulp of the steaming coffee. In the beginning, this whole ‘coffee’ thing hadn’t been such a bad idea. He’d been fighting off those dark clouds above his head with no luck, and chance- Romanians loved Fate, he thought with a mental snort- had brought those invitation words to his lips. But now that they were actually sitting there, with the chatter of sparse café clients and the low drone of the television behind the front counter?

Du, he had no idea what the hell he was supposed to do next. Small talk…Lord, how long had it been since he’d done any of THAT? He was an interrogator; every one of his questions were asked for a reason. And he was a soldier; every one of his actions were performed for a purpose. Did he even remember how to carry on a conversation not pertaining to supernatural monsters or surgical tools?

Okay, okay, deep breaths. He was not having some kind of demented mental panic attack. Even now, his reputation for being a cold, unemotional bastard was running screaming for the nearest cliff to jump off of! He was a trained soldier! He was a man! He would not be afraid of polite conversation with an intriguing woman!

…And the mere fact that he needed to be having such mental mantras was just a testament to that, wasn’t it? God, he really needed to do more of this ‘socializing.’

“Ehm…is good that you like. Their food is not too bad, but we get here too late.” Yeah, you just said that, dumbass, he thought with an inner sigh. He could definitely hold a conversation not pertaining to killing something. No problem.

He shifted in his seat a bit, taking another sip of his coffee. As usual, when he was particularly agitated, his accent grew heavier, he noticed with a wince. “I do not mean to pry, but you were visiting family in cemetery? Is usually no good to be in that place alone at night. Ehm…not that you cannot take care of yourself, but…is not safe.”

[Mercedes Rowe]

Oiy vey, that smile was enough to melt her heart. Mercedes couldn’t quite bring her eyes away from it. It made her feel youthful and important. With a resigned sigh, she pushed that reckless part of her away. They were merely acquaintances. But, how she wished it wasn’t true. What she wanted to do was shove her fingers through his hair and kiss him stupid. She shook her head, trying to clear the cobwebs in her head, cobwebs that he was causing her.

What happened to coming to the coffee shop to clear her head? It didn’t seem to be working very well.

She couldn’t do this. She had a rule! A rule that she would never bring another person into her life with this curse. At least, not without them understanding what she was. It would have to be their decision if they wanted to take that chance to be with or around her. Oh, but she knew as God as her witness that she would never hurt Lucien, not intentionally, anyway.

What was she thinking? She could see it in his eyes, the worry and confusion etched clearly in them. He had to have some suspicion that she wasn’t human, doesn’t he?

Then he asked her about visiting the graveyard. She didn’t know if she should smile at his sweet and caring gesture about her being there at night alone or if she should frown because he didn’t know the beast caged inside of her being. A flurry of emotions crossed her face.

After a moment she composed herself and nodded, “My grandmother is buried there.”

And why did she feel so safe around this man? She was almost sure she could trust him with her deepest, darkest secrets. In a way, she wanted to share it with someone, but if she had to share it with someone she would undeniably prefer that it was him. It scared her that he might not want anything to do with her if he knew the truth, but guilt ate at her for thinking that she should hide it from him.

She got up and moved her seat directly next to his. She leaned in closely, closing what little gap was between them. Pieces of her hair fell over her shoulder, grazing his arm. Her hazel eyes looked into his as she dropped her voice to a whisper. “Listen, Lucien, there’s something you should know about me. I’m not the person you think I-” Her words were interrupted by the waitress who came over to refill their cups.

She glanced over at the woman and thanked her, but now she’d lost the courage to tell Lucien exactly who she was – a beast that no man would rightfully want to love. Her concerned gaze dropped down to the table. Things were starting to look all too complicated to her.

When she lifted them back up she found herself staring deeply into his eyes. He was so handsome and smelled so good, good enough to taste. That’s all she wanted, a small taste. Would he let her? All that desire to keep this simple was recklessly abandoned as she brought a hand to his cheek. She did so slowly and cautiously, praying he didn’t jerk away.

Any talk about the wolf in her was completely forgotten.

[Lt. Lucien Calugarul]

Ah, there it was; that first wiggle of uncertainty that flashed through his chest like a swift kick in the crotch. The woman was hiding something from him; something that she didn’t want him to recognize. That was his job, after all, wasn’t it? Using his natural ability to read the poor boys and girls who thought that their lies could withstand his knives?

He’d faced so much more talented liars than the good Doctor; liars that had his superiors throwing men into the grinder, or his fellow soldiers killing their brothers to assuage their consciences. But never Lucien; oh no. He could smell a lie from ten kilometers off, and prided himself on always being prepared to meet them with a knick of an artery and a cold, savage smile.

But not this time. Ah, the rub, as Shakespeare would have called it. He expected people to lie because it was his job to hunt for them…but with this one woman, whom he’d only known for five minutes, made an ache start in the center of his chest. As if he didn’t want to find out what her secrets were.

How…curious.

And freaking INSANE. Of course, he was just feeling a bit confused, after three nights of insomnia, and yet another full of interrogation sessions. He’d just watched a grown man- vampire or no- piss his pants and scream for his mother, while spilling out truths alongside that black blood pumping through his shredded veins. Things like that got to a man, which was exactly why he’d gone to the cemetery; to get a bit of ‘Alone Time.’ He wasn’t actually caring why the good Doctor would hide things from him. Hell, on that note, he wasn’t THAT much of a psycho to think that she wouldn’t hide things from him, given the fact that he was a complete stranger to her!. There was no strange connection that made him want to open up and talk to her, or have her do the same to him. He was just…having really bad coffee. That’s all.

Right?

Du. Note to self: make an appointment with the Core Shrink tomorrow. Or, better yet, a smack down session with the Commander. He really could use some face planting to get his head back in the game.

But really, he had to say something in reply. God, how long had he sat there, thinking himself insane? “Ehm, I am very sorry for your loss. Is a good cemetery. Eh…is quiet.”

Oi, he should’ve just stayed quiet. And…what was that? He visibly tensed as she moved her chair closer, brows all but crashing down around his chin as he watched her, obviously confused. Tell him what? Oh no, what was this? Was she involved in one of his missions? From the Romanian government? A MAN?

But no, the words were never meant to come from her mouth, and he was just never meant to care. As she moved closer, the world seemed to shrink, until it was just the two of them. Not even the interrupting waitress could break them out of their little spell, and he didn’t even flinch when her hand came up to his cheek.

Russians and Romanians had one thing in common, he thought absently; that gnawing sense of inevitability. Fate. Was this Destiny guiding him? Because…

Because hell if there was anything that could stop him from closing the distance between them, and capturing her lips with his. Du, nothing had tasted so sweet as her kiss; a kiss that he tried to make stretch out for as long as possible, with the amused twitter of the waitresses on the other side of the room ticking off the seconds.

Finally, Lucien pulled back, blinking at her with unfocused eyes. “Well…if that is what you wanted to tell me, I agree. You are not just doctor, but…very good kisser.”

[Mercedes Rowe]

Mercedes had truly wondered if getting so close to this handsome man was such a good idea. When her hand caressed his cheek she was happy that he didn’t pull away like he had earlier when she went to grab his hand. There was a untamed look in his eyes as she moved closer. She was very close to pulling away when Lucien captured her lips with his.

When their lips met she felt a tremor run through her and she made a small sound from it. His lips were so strong and tasted so good, much like the coffee they had been sipping with a mixture of something else. It was his taste. Her hand on his cheek slid farther into his hair. She didn’t want to pull away from him, but he finally did, leaving her slightly breathless and with a wild look to her eyes.

The beast in her nearly rose to the occasion, which had frightened her more than anything. She should have told him about it before she got so close. Now that she had a small morsel of this man she did not want to tell him about the creature within herself, but she was a firm believer on telling the truth. Okay, she conceded, she would tell him later, at a more appropriate time.

A blush rose into her cheeks at his words. “I-” She was at a loss for words. “You weren’t bad yourself.” Was all she could manage before she looked away from Lucien. And it had been really good. She wanted to turn back towards him and press their lips back together, but she needed to be cool and calm. This man was a gentleman. He had been treating her nothing but like a lady.

What would he think if she let that wild side free and started rubbing her cheek against his while stealing kisses? Oh, the animal inside of her thought that was a wonderful idea. It would be like marking Lucien as its own, but Mercedes had better control over her animal than that.

She stayed near him though, her thigh touching his. She liked the feeling and didn’t want to pull away. Her hand reached across the table to pull her coffee closer, not even realizing that the waitresses were staring in their direction, as if waiting for something else to fall between them. She slid a finger around the rim of the cup, trying to distract herself from grabbing that man and kissing him again.

The blush still on her cheeks she looked up at him and smiled. “So, you were just at the cemetery to relax?” She wished she hadn’t looked his way. That look on his face had her leaning towards him again, but she stopped herself and looked into those gorgeous eyes instead. They spoke of things that she probably didn’t understand or never seen. She wanted to ask him what bothered him so, but that was nothing to ask after just kissing someone. Even the doctor in her knew that.

[Lt. Lucien Calugarul]

Okay yeah, so that was a small tinge of pride as she complimented the kiss. Call him a stupid man, but he couldn’t help but tilt his lips up in the semblance of a smile, as his eyes flickered back down to her lips.

It was funny, how close he felt to her at the moment. Yes, she was sitting so close that he could see small, colorful flecks in her eyes, but it was more than that. He felt that, if he let go of all of his training and gave up the ghost on being an emotionless shell of a man…

No, he wouldn’t go there. He couldn’t; not after everything. Oh, Miruna, he thought with a little sigh, face shuttering. Do I betray you again?

Despite the usual bout of guilt and shame, however, he couldn’t find it in himself to pull away from her. The casual brush of her thigh against his was almost…comforting. Hell, welcome, even, if he was going to be honest with himself. Idly, he let his hands play with the hot porcelain of his coffee mug and forced his eyes up from her lips. He could still taste them on his own, and God, he wanted another.

She warmed him, this spritely little doctor; this woman that he hardly knew. He kept himself cold to stay alive, and she warmed him. Would she be his downfall? Was this fate declaring that it was finally his time to die?

…Well, in either case, that dark little voice on his shoulder whispered, the end would be welcome if he were being held in a stranger’s arms. How strange; he was usually so distrustful of people that he didn’t know. Hell, it had taken him HOW long to even speak to the others on his Team of monster-killers?

Perhaps she was some kind of magical being herself, throwing a web of magic across him, to pull him in. The thought made his mind whirl as he watched her, as if looking for some trace of magical deceit, but another part of him really didn’t care.

Damn, Raven was really starting to rub off on him, that he could get so intimate with a complete stranger and not flinch. But, then again, there was only one way to get rid of all that paranoia, wasn’t there?

He would have to get to know her. Oh, what a hardship.

A rueful smile touched his lips briefly as he considered her question. He couldn’t exactly answer ‘yeah, because the guys at the compound drive me crazy, my ‘office’ in the basement is filled with screaming prisoners and I finished my interrogations late so I can’t hit a museum,’ now could he? With a little roll of his shoulders, he leaned his elbows down on the table in front of him.

“Is a bit strange, yes? I am not from here; from this city. I do not know places to go, and the cemetery is quiet at night. I go to get away from…everything. Just to think.”

Glancing at her over his shoulder, he shrugged. “Is better than going to a bar. Too many people and I don’t drink. So I go to cemetery. Makes me sound like a strange man, no?”

[Mercedes Rowe]

Mercedes really wanted to get to know this man better. The distrusting look that flickered across his eyes, it made her sad, but she thought if she could get in that she might warm his heart up towards her. She liked to think she was a trustful person. She helped people faithfully each day, not because she had to because she wanted to. It made her feel good at the end of the day to know she saved one or two more lives.

He seemed to be slowly warming up to her though. Even during his unsure flickers she would glimpse a peek of something else; a look of some trust or maybe it was him hoping he could trust her. She was sure he was slowly coming around. It made her smile at him.

The regretful smiles he kept tossing her way made her smile turn down sadly in reply. It was infectious, but she was usually the one to lift a person’s heart up. She wanted to be that person for Lucien in more ways than one.

She slid her hand that was closest to him away from her coffee mug. It slid over to that small space between them and grabbed his fingers that were playing idly with his cup. She did it slowly, not wanting to freak the man out because she knew there was something he was combating with.

When and if he didn’t jerk his hand away, she slid her fingers into his palm and let them slide smoothly over it. Her eyes were focused on their hands, on that one touch. She felt like it was of some importance, to feel his skin against hers.

“It’s not that strange, Lucien,” she told him. “I could name worse places that people go to find some peace and quiet.” Her lips lifted into a small smile. “It’s better than drinking your problems away. I have seen what effect that can have on people. It might seem like the easier route, but in the end it isn’t. And you're not strange. You are from from it.”

Her eyes lifted then, looking up at this man. He was so delicious, in more ways than one. She wanted to press her lips back against his, but she didn’t want to come off too pushy. She settled with that lingering touch of his hand. It sent a small shiver up her arm, something she welcomed.

It had been a long time since she had let someone this close. That thought still worried her. What was she going to do? Fall in love with this man then fall apart when he found out the true monster that she was. The pain crossed her eyes before she pushed it back. She didn’t think she wanted to worry about that just yet, and she didn’t want him to worry about it. She had controlled that part of her for so many years, better than some. There were not too many that could say they could stand the smell of blood, the violence and stressful situation that comes with working in a hospital, but she does it, every day.

[Lt. Lucien Calugarul]

Well, talk about the mildest of gestures to make a man want to turn into an animal. There was definitely something wrong with him, to feel such a jolt flash through his body when those small fingers twined around his. Her touch was so light, so gentle, that he found himself inching slowly towards her, until their shoulders almost touched.

While her eyes were on their joined hands, his flickered up to her face, watching her. Instinct made him attempt to read her as her attention was focused elsewhere, and he searched for those telltale signs of deceit. Shifting eyes, elevated temperature, twitching lips…

The world suddenly tilted as his eyes flickered to her lips. How would they taste, he wondered, tongue flicking out to lick at his own, suddenly parched like a desert. How would she feel, molded up against him? Would she sigh and lean into him, or deepen the embrace, demanding more? Was she a quiet lover? Or would she scream his name as he brought them both to the peak of pleasure? The questions piled in his mind as he watched her, all semblance of his previous training dying away.

How strange this was, he managed to think a few seconds afterwards. He’d never been so enthralled by anyone outside of work before. Raven was interesting, yes, but she was more like a sister than anything else. All of the women he’d known over the years, save his beloved wife, had been fellow soldiers, and as such, off limits.

But Dr. Rowe wasn’t a soldier. She wasn’t involved in secret operations, or protected under the protective wing of the government. She was a doctor; a civilian, with no knowledge of the horrors he’d committed in the past. She was safe, she was clean…

And she wanted him. How strange…he hadn’t been wanted in a very long time.

“You are the first to think so, Doctor,” He said, voice a bit husky. Ears coloring, he quickly cleared his throat. He’d been told that he had the intensity of a missile launcher when he wasn’t watching himself, so down went the eyes, and on slipped the emotionless mask, lest he frighten her away.

He didn’t want her running anywhere but toward him. Du, this need was so strange.

”Eh…so you work at the hospital for long?” Ah, very good; that was definitely a suitable topic of conversation for a coffee shop; he’d heard others use the same a few times in the past. He chanced a glance up at her. ”Is a very good hospital; very clean. The ones in my country are not so nice…are dirty.”

[Mercedes Rowe]

The worry lifted off of Mercedes shoulders when Lucien didn’t pull back from her touch. Her eyes were so focused on their entwined fingers that she didn’t notice how close he had moved towards her, until she looked up. She found him looking at her. His wonderful eyes were focused on her face, and she couldn’t help but smile. She would be in denial if she said that he didn’t affect her in some small way. One intense look from him would make her knees feel like jello.

Never had anyone affected her in this way before. Sure, she had boyfriends over the years, but they had all come and gone. There was always some reason they didn’t work. Each man was missing something she wanted, always lacking in some major expectation she had in them. There hadn’t been too many boyfriends to really note though. It had been difficult to hold any steady relationship with her devotion to school.

The door to the coffee shop opened. A harsh silence filled the shop. It had Mercedes turning her head to look in the direction in which it came from. A man dressed in all black had entered. What struck her as odd were the dark sunglasses he had on when it was late at night. The man radiated danger off of him. He turned his head, as if he knew she was looking at him, and pinned her eyes with his. Furrowing her brow, she turned back to Lucien and shifted uncomfortably.

She pursed her lips. “The first to think so? I doubt that is true,” she smiled, squeezing her fingers gently against his.

“No, not really. I just moved here recently. It’s a great hospital. I’m glad I took the leap to come down here. Of course, the hospital came with many recommendations,” she told him. “Where are you from?” She asked, wondering where his heavy accent came from. “You should tell me what it is you do for a living?” She had been questioning that from the moment she had met him.

Her shoulder twitched. She could feel the eyes of the man behind her. If she turned she knew she would find him still staring in their direction, whether it was on her or Lucien didn’t seem important. It was the fact that he was looking in their direction that made her uncomfortable.

“Hey, want to skip this popsicle stand?” She asked, ready to get out of there.

She didn’t want to inform Lucien that the man was staring at them, unless he had recognized it as well. She preferred that they left without any altercations. Because she knew if he tried anything there was the possibility that she would go wolfie, and she did not want to do that in front of all these innocent people. They would run off screaming towards the hills.

[Lt. Lucien Calugarul]

Du, he liked this. What was it called…polite conversation? ‘Going out on a date?’ Actually interacting with another human being, who wasn’t screaming for his or her mother as they stared at the knife in his hand? He hadn’t done anything like it in ages; not since he’d led a normal life.

In the back of his mind, he felt guilt start tapping around. To be so easily enthralled by a woman he’d just only met…was he betraying his Miruna? A small smile teased his lips at the thought of what his wife would have said to such a thought, once upon a time.

Or, rather, the lack of words and the introduction to a backhanded smack at the crown of his head. His wife had been soft and quiet, but she had no problem making sure that her husband followed a right and just path. Was this Fate once again, giving him such assurances? He’d kept away from women in the past, in order to keep his family alive in his head, turning as celibate as the monk his fellow soldiers liked to call him.

Yet, with one simple touch, it was oh so easy to cast off such regularities. With a smile that lit up her eyes, and a teasing lilt to her song-like voice, he wanted to speak with her, to interact with her…to know her.

How dangerous this was all turning out to be. He would need a good amount of time in his rooms to think about the situation and how to proceed.

Lucien didn’t turn around when the door opened, half caught up in that jumbled maze of thought. But one glance in his companion’s direction had the fine hairs on the back of his neck standing on end, and the smile turning strained. Keeping their hands entwined, he casually leaned back, hooking his arm over the back of his chair. As the dark man moved toward the counter, the soldier got a good look at him, but only because his enemy let him.

It was a testament to his luck of late. In an instant, he recognized the feral intent in the other man’s face, and the subtle glistening of fang when it curled its lip in his direction. One of his recent missions had involved a club full of vampires, if he remembered correctly. The little nest had been preying on the local party-goers, even going so far as to abduct and turn some of them. Acting on orders, he and his teammates had stormed the bar and attempted to eradicate the nest.

Obviously, they had failed.

“Unfortunately, you are the first. Most just find me…creepy,” A half smile was flashed in her direction as he forced himself to remain calm and keep his voice neutral. Rising, he offered the doctor his hand. “We will walk and talk, no? I am from Romania; a little village in the mountains called Dargul. Eh…it might have been rebuilt by now. I have no been back home in a long time.”

One eye was kept on the man at the counter, watching them. Holding the café door open for Mercy, he waited until she had walked through before turning so that his body stood silhouetted in the doorway, blocking the woman outside. Two sets of eyes met in what he knew his friend would have called a ‘he-man stare,’ and he let that feral, angry part of his soul bare itself to the vampire in warning. Come near the woman, he tried to say, and I will kill you slow.

The vampire, in turn, inclined his head, making a gun out of his thumb and forefinger. The warning had not been taken seriously. How interesting.

Turning quickly before Mercy could notice his hugging the doorway, Lucien stepped up beside her, giving her a respectful distance while keeping his eyes and ears open. “Where would you like to go, Doctor?”

---

((Hey Mercy! I hope using the dark glasses guy was okay. I was having some trouble figuring out how to move them around, but maaaybe in some dark part of the city, Mercy gets to go fuzzy in order to help Lu against some old 'friends?' >D If not, lemme know and I'll change it. ))

[Mercedes Rowe]

Mercedes tensed when Lucien dropped her hand and leaned back in the seat. His smile strained, he looked right in the direction of the man that had just entered. His look was neutral, but there was something underneath it all that Mercedes could sense. The tension in the air grew thick.

She could still feel that itch between her shoulder blades. She turned in time to see the fangy smile that the vampire gave Lucien. The wolf in her did not like this. It hackles immediately rose. It made Mercedes shift uncomfortably as she turned to face Lucien again. She took a deep breath to steady her nerves. She had to keep the wolf down. It was always a painful effort, but she had done it for so many years that she masked the pain quite easily.

Almost forgetting part of their conversation, she shook her head. “You are far from creepy, Lucien.” She felt protective of him. The protective feeling kind of scared her. If she knew any of these people that made Lucien feel that way she would have given them a piece of her mind.

The uneasy feeling she got from Lucien at first seemed to have disappeared. She took his offered hand and stood, making their way towards the exit. “Romania.. That explains the sexy accent,” she joked with him. Her eyes turned to look at the vampire as they passed by. There was an evil vibe coming off of that one.

Stepping passed Lucien as he held the door for her, she glanced back at him as he stared inside the place for a moment. One eyebrow arched upwards, but she made no comment about what was happening.

She walked in stride with him. It had stopped raining outside, but it was still a little chilly. That was when she realized she was still wearing his jacket. “I’m so sorry, Lucien,” she tugged it off of her shoulders and handed his jacket back. She couldn’t believe she had forgotten to return this by now. “I forgot to return it when we arrived at the coffee shop.”

Her mind was still aware of her surroundings. Her ears picked up the tiniest sounds behind them. She heard the door to the coffee shop open and close. She shot a quick glance over her shoulder and saw the man was advancing in their direction. She picked up the pace. This could not be happening. Not on their first date. She did not want to go wolfie.

“I- I don’t know where we should go,” she glanced back behind them. She couldn’t say she wanted to go home. No way in hell was she leading that vampire to her place of residence. That’s all she would need, to be stalked by him and his cronies. “I think that maybe we should get you somewhere safe,” she spoke quietly. She knew she would be able to handle the vampire, for the most part, but she didn’t want her human companion getting himself hurt.

“And fast,” she said with another glance over her shoulder. The vampire was moving quickly, almost upon them at this point. Oh god, this wasn’t good. The wolf in her started to growl. She did what she thought was probably the best thing, given the circumstances. She shoved Lucien down a nearby alleyway. If that vampire wanted to cause trouble she would rather go wolfie there, so some poor human didn’t get the daylights scared out of them.

This was all happening so fast. She had tried to tell Lucien earlier what she was, but she didn’t want it to come as a shock or surprise for him. She leaned in close to him, her breath mingling over his neck as she spoke. “Lucien, what I wanted to tell you earlier. I think I should tell you now,” she said, until she saw the vampire’s silhouette at the entrance of the alleyway.

Her hazel eyes flashed and she let out a growl of warning towards the vamp.

[Lt. Lucien Calugarul]

Even in a situation that was turning more dire by the second, Lucien couldn’t help but laugh at the compliment. She found his accent was sexy, did she? Most just liked to squint their eyes and ask him to speak slowly when he attempted conversation, but the young doctor…well, wasn’t this different?

He’d gone to a cemetery looking for quiet, and found himself an intriguing companion. What was Fate planning, he wondered, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye.

And how would he react when he finally found out? Oh Miruna, if only you were here to give advice. He never was good at interacting with other people outside of battle.

Silently, he shook his head as she tried to give him back his coat, instead plopping it over her shoulders. “Hold it for me, if you would,” He said absently, eyes and ears on the area around him. His friend back at the café was more than likely to follow, and he would be as alert as possible when the fight was due to start. It would be soon, he could read that deadly intent from the other’s eyes…but he hoped it would happen after he got the doctor a safe distance away.

It would be very unpleasant if anything were to happen to her…more than unpleasant, if he wanted to be utterly truthful with himself.

With a surprised grunt, Lucien allowed himself to be pushed into the alley, casting a confused glance at Mercy before he noticed the dark shadow following them. Of course, the wanna-be dust mote would find THIS particular moment in time to come and reap his revenge. For the first time in over a decade, he was actually out in the world, having coffee with a woman, and talking about things not concerning vampires, staking and the new toys he needed for interrogations. Of COURSE this would be when a vampire came looking for his head on a platter.

With a martyred sound that was half sigh, half growl, he moved to stand in front of the doctor. Oh, if only she’d chosen an alley that wasn’t a dead end. With an evil cackle, the vampire stood smirking at them from the street side.

“You can tell me later, yes?” His voice was cold as he spoke, eyes never leaving the other man’s face. To the vampire, he cocked a brow, crossing his arms over his wide chest. “If this is the time for an evil speech, please, skip. Neither I nor my companion wants to hear it.”

The vampire scowled. “You killed my coven and you think to order me around?! I will kill you for what you’ve done! You and your lady will die painfully and slow! I will make you bleed!”

“Du, they never listen,” The soldier muttered, rolling his eyes heavenward. Completely ignoring the ranting immortal, he turned back toward the doctor, completely ignorant to the importance of what she had to say. An apologetic smile was on his lips, and he nodded toward the back of the alleyway. “You go wait there, yes? This is…eh…I meet him during work. He is not nice man, so I make him go away. Wait here. I be back soon.”

Before he could stop himself, he dipped his head down to place a chaste kiss on her lips, a shiver crawling up his spine at the sweet contact. He didn’t know anything about her, but he did know one thing; her nearness gave him peace.

And the vampire was seriously fucking up said peace. Definitely time to return to Mother Earth, he thought with a savage smile.

Whatever calm, gentle expression that he had worn around the doctor disappeared under an icy mask as he faced his enemy once again. From their holsters on his back, he pulled out his trusty knuckle blades and slid them over his fingers, slowly approaching the snarling vampire. This was going to be a bit dicey, given that he was human and didn’t have the necessary backup he’d need to take on an angry tick…but he could make it work.

He would have to. His ‘lady friend’ was waiting in the back. It was just too damn bad that he would have to dust the bastard in front of her. Being one in the life saving business, she’d probably take the scene in a very negative light.

With a screech, the vampire zoomed toward him, closing the distance between them in a heartbeat. Lucien barely had time to bring up his arms to defend himself, but he managed, grunting as the immortal’s strength had him skidding back. Before the other could catch his balance, he swung his blades, catching the vampire on the shoulder and side. In quick succession, he fell into training, using quick jab-like cuts and a few round houses, trying to knock the thing off its feet.

Unfortunately, not even all his years of training could have him dusting a vamp in t minus ten. He gritted his teeth as the other scored a few choice hits, and cursed as he felt something crack along his ribcage. The pair fought, crashing together like vertical bulls, clawing and cutting, jabbing and kicking.

Finally, the vampire managed to grab hold of the soldier’s neck and, with yet another yowl, slammed him down onto the street. Lucien groaned under the impact, needing a moment to catch his breath. He swiped a hand up, snarling as his blade sank into the vampire’s chest, but the thing was too damn strong. The hand on his neck tightened, and he could feel the fragile bones around it crackle. Dots danced around before his eyes, but he continued to struggle, doing his best to get back onto his feet.

[Mercedes Rowe]

The jacket of Lucien’s ended landed back onto her shoulders. His smell, once again, invaded her nostrils. If he wasn’t careful she might not return it to him. She was already envisioning herself huddled up on her comfy couch with a cup of coffee with his jacket wrapped around her. “Sure,” she told him, thinking she would definitely hold on to it, maybe forever.

But, as much as she wanted to just snuggle up to Lucien’s scent and let her thoughts drift elsewhere, she had to worry about this vampire following them. As well as telling Lucien what she was before shit went down because once that happened she knew there was no holding the wolf back.

Her eyes went huge when Lucien came around and stepped in front of her. “No…this can’t wait,” she told him, but it seemed a little late for that. She heard a snarl erupt from Lucien’s mouth, sending shivers all over her body. Oh, the wolf in her really enjoyed that sound.

Lucien was so bent on keeping her protected that he barely heard anything she had to say. He asked her to go back farther into the alleyway and she scoffed. As if she was going to just back away and let the vampire go at Lucien. He was only human. She would not let anything happen to him.

He broke her reverie when he turned and placed a chaste kiss on her lips. It sent a delicious shiver crawling all over from her head to toes. It left her stunned for a few moments, one too many moments. For before she knew it Lucien and this vampire were going toe to toe. That dirty trickster, got her completely flabbergasted for a moment to go after the vampire on his own.

She was shocked to see these knuckle blades that Lucien retrieved. Well, it was safe to say that she didn’t know as much about him as she thought, but it didn’t change the fact that she still thought he was very kind and trusting. She watched as Lucien’s face changed from this closed off, innocent look to one of a snarl. It didn’t change what she thought of him though, but she still wondered if he would think differently of her when she finally would show him her beast.

The way he was attacking the vampire she didn’t think she was going to need to release the wolf in her. She was shocked at how well he held his own. He was human, wasn’t he? And where did he learn all of these moves? Does he take some sort of training? It was incredible to watch the muscles in his arms and shoulders bunch up as he fought the vampire.

It was when she heard with her attuned hearing the sound of something crack in his ribs. She gasped and dropped his coat on the ground of the alleyway. She needed to drop her clothing off, so she would have something to wear home, except, it was all too late for that.

The vampire latched onto Lucien’s neck and threw him to the ground. There were more sounds of bones under pressure, as well as a meaty sound of something hitting flesh. “Lucien!” She cried out in fear that he was going to get himself really hurt. She didn’t know where the meaty sound of something stabbing into flesh came from. Was it in the vampire or did the vampire do something to Lucien? She could no longer think, only act, which is what she did.

The sounds of flesh and bones would probably hit the vampire’s ears, but the sound would be lost to a mortals. She changed too quickly for a human to hear such things. The only thing Lucien would have heard, if he wasn’t so close to passing out was the sounds of clothes ripping.

Out of the clothes jumped out a purely black wolf with hazel eyes. A menacing snarl erupted from its maul, teeth bared. It brought the vampire quickly off of Lucien. That was Mercedes first intention, but for harming Lucien she lunged quickly at the vampire. They fell down into a tumble, but Mercedes managed to get her teeth around the vampire’s neck. She snarled against it, jerking her head left and right, trying to mangle the hell out of the vampire. His blood coated her tongue, giving the wolf a taste in the back of its throat.

The vampire was a tough one though, considering he had a raging wolf trying to tear his throat out and whatever cuts and bruises from Lucien marring his body. He managed to get her away by grabbing her jaws and forcing them open. She snarled, her lips peeled back showing off her sharp canines.

The vampire lunged at her neck and sliced through it, piercing her throat with his fangs. She let out a yelp and tried to pull away from him. A paw swept outwards, smacking sharp claws against the vampire’s exposed face and slicing through his cheek, but he still managed to hold on, albeit with a growl of pain while continuing to drink from her neck thirstily.

She knew this was bad. The vampire was feeding to gain his strength back. She could already see some of the wounds starting to heal.

[Lt. Lucien Calugarul]

Disgust rang through his mind as he glared up at the retched face before him. Was he going to be bested by a blood sucking parasite with a revenge complex? All of his training, the things he’d learned from his Team mates and the missions that he’d fulfilled; had all of those things been for nothing?

Ah, it was just the direction of thought to really piss him off. He raised his fist, intent on slamming his blades into the smirking visage hovering in the darkness around his eyes…but he never got the chance.

Dimly, through the sounds of triumphant laughs- he really should never have let Raven force him to watch Austen Powers, because it’s all he thought of nowadays, when dealing with these morons- and his own ragged breathing, he heard the strange sounds of clothes tearing. What had been the scene of an epic struggle between human and vampire was interrupted, the semi-quiet atmosphere erupting in animal snarls.

But he didn’t exactly care at first, given the fact that, as the snarls began, that damning pressure on his neck proceeded to disappear. Rolling to his side, away from the screaming vampire, he caught his breath, instinctively rubbing at the bruised flesh of his neck. He forced himself to breath slowly, gritting his teeth against the pain it caused. The darkness around his vision began to gradually fade away, his lungs began to fill with air, rather than strain for it…

And finally, the true weight of what had just happened tore through his mind. Whipping his head around, he couldn’t help but stare at the scene before him, shock and confusion practically written on his face.

Had a…WOLF just attacked the vampire, saving his scrawny behind? How in God’s name did such an animal get there, and know to save him? It seemed almost protective, keeping itself between his body and the still growling vampire, and even stranger, there seemed to be strips of clothing still static-clinging to its fur.

…Familiar strips of clothing…clothing he’d seen on his companion, not even ten minutes earlier. A companion that, upon a quick glance at the back of the alleyway, seemed to have disappeared into thin air.

Du, Doctor Mercedes Rowe was some kind of wolf shifter. Oh, his poor mind…how was he EVER going to process this?

However, once the vampire got hold of the wolf and her pained whines tore through the air, all such thoughts evaporated. Instinct took over- strangely strong instinct…primal, even- and he was on his feet and charging at the struggling pair. Rage unlike he had not known in almost a decade descended upon him, and he was shocked at the filmy red warmth that spread throughout his body. Living with most of his emotions tamped down for so long had made him used to a certain degree of numbness, coldness even…but now? He seemed warm for the first time in ages.

Well, for the first time since a certain small hand fitted itself into his own. Oh, Fates…damn you. Damn you to hell.

A roar escaped him before he could hold it back, and he looped an arm around the vampire’s neck, trying to jerk its head back and release the wolf. But the immortal seemed to be impersonating a pit bull, the movement only forcing his jaws down harder, throat working at the long pulls of blood from its host. A growl snaked through him and, using the fingers of his free hand, he proceeded to use a particularly nasty technique he’d learned as a Chief Interrogator.

He stuck his fingers into the claw marks marring the vampire’s cheek, ripping at the muscle and tendon within. With the flesh re-sealing around them, he sought out the fragile tendon connecting the jaws together and, with a jerk of his arm, broke it clean in half.

The vampire screamed in pain and snapped its head away to the side, dislodging its teeth from Mercy’s neck. Still howling, he threw himself back as he pushed himself to his feet, knocking Lucien off of him. Regaining his balance in a second, the soldier threw himself at the vampire once again, and used the bastard’s own move; wrapping one hand around its neck, he swung his arm down with the weight of his body, causing his enemy to fall to the ground. Once there, he pulled back his fist, knuckle blade shining in the alley’s dim lighting and brought it down.

It took two or three hits on the tender neck to separate its head from its shoulders, but he succeeded. After the first stab, the vampire fell still, eyes wide and filled with fear. Lucien’s face was covered with blood as the body disintegrated into ash, and he knelt there, arm poised for yet another strike, until every piece of flesh had melted away. A strange sense of satisfaction broke through him, surprising him with its intensity.

He didn’t allow it to last very long. Pushing himself to his feet, he hurried back to the wounded shifter, stripping out of his long sleeved shirt and using it as a makeshift bandage, trying his best to put pressure on whatever punctures the vampire had left behind.

“So this is what you were trying to tell me, eh?” His voice was raspy as he looked down into those familiar eyes. “You are…you are a wolf. Is a surprise, but you are not the only one I know. You can change back? I can bring you to hospital, but you must stay awake for me. Do you understand, Mercedes? You must stay awake.”
---


((Argh, I hope this' okay; I kinda wrote it on a whim here. XD If the vampire died too quickly, lemme know and I'll change it. Things just kinda...poured out of me. LOL ))

[Mercedes Rowe]

Mercedes had never been one to really fight. The best training she had was self defense classes in her late teens. The only time she really did fight was when she felt she had to, although, she thought of herself more as a healer than a fighter. The best she had was those animal instincts that coursed through her veins, so she always used those when she shifted, allowing them to control her movements.

Tonight had been different. She had let fear and angry emotions guide her, which had been stupid. She struck out at the vampire blindly when she should have thought exactly what her next move was going to be, but she was a woman, what could one expect? They were good at making rash decisions, especially when it came to someone they adored. In her case, Lucien had become that person in such a short time. She already felt protective of him.

She knew this was one of those times that she acted before thinking as the vampire latched onto her neck like the bloodsucker it was. Time seemed to slow as it drank from her. She knew Lucien was around and well, but she felt like she had been struggling with the vampire for so long that maybe he had gone unconscious.

Her eyes started to fall shut, feeling tired and distant from this wolf form of hers. She actually wondered if this was it as she felt extremely sleepy. Then she caught hope as Lucien came up behind the vampire and pulled at his head, trying to get the vampire away from her neck. She let out another yelp as the vampire latched even more tightly onto her neck. Her eyes tried to focus in on Lucien, but it was none too easy, even as Lucien shoved his fingers into the vampire’s cheek, tearing at the tendon. Blood splattered against her fur as he tugged the tendon in half, bringing a loud howl from the vampire. It was music to her ears.

She was free and stumbled until she fell to her side, unable to even pick herself back up. Blood slid freely from the wound on her neck. Her tongue lulled to one side, panting heavily as she fought to stay conscious, which was getting harder by the minute.

The sounds of the two fighting were a distant sound to her ears. She couldn’t even think straight enough to listen to it. She knew Lucien was okay when he came over to her, hovering with his shirt and pressing it to her neck.

Her head turned slightly and licked his arm, letting his taste fall over her tongue and into the back of her throat. It was far better than that horrible vampire taste that had been left in her mouth. His words made sense as they hit her brain, but she wondered where she would find the strength to change back into her human form.

She looked up at him with her hazel eyes and knew that once she forced the change she might be out for a while, especially after having lost so much blood. She was also worried what his explanation would be to her being naked, which would be obvious when she shifted back. However, if that’s what Lucien wanted her to do she would do what she could to force herself back into her human form.

Her body started to shift, but it wasn’t very fluid. She was tired, so it came about slowly and painfully. She nearly lost the shift when her eyes started to close, but finally she did it with the help of Lucien. She heard his voice calling for her to stay awake. She slid back into her human form. The color of her skin looked extremely pale in comparison to normal. She spoke hoarsely to Lucien, "No...no hospital." Then she fell completely unconscious.

She was afraid of the repercussions if Lucien took her to the hospital. Being naked and a vampire wound to her neck. How would she ever explain this to the hospital staff? She was not the best at fabricating lies.

If given some time her wounds should start to heal on their own, although she couldn't tell exactly how bad the wound was to have an idea at how long it would take it to heal. This would be one of those times that someone else would have to make a judgment call. She wasn't able to play doctor with this and help come to a decision.

--

((No, no. I thought it was perfect~))

[Lt. Lucien Calugarul]

Damn, this was definitely Fate’s way of slapping him in the face; he just knew it. Panic threatened to overtake him, and he for once thanked those years of closing off emotion. It made it so much easier to focus on the task at hand, when all he really wanted to do was stab at the vampire’s ashes.

These strange, primitive urges…it just wasn’t right. What was important was Mercy’s safety. Nothing else would measure up.

Used to his team’s only shifter, he expected her change to be quick and instantaneous, and readied himself for averting his eyes. Unfortunately, what truly happened was less than painless. He did his best not to stare, aware that if he were going through such a change, he wouldn’t want to be watched like some sideshow freak. But from the sideways glances he got, she was so obviously not enjoying her life as a shifter.

Did that mean that she wasn’t born into her station? That she’d been turned against her will? The thought burned a hole in his belly, and he gritted his teeth to keep from scooping her up in his arms. He knelt beside her, stiff as a board and scanning the shadows with his blades at the ready, waiting for her to finish. It was a protective stance that he wasn’t aware of making, but the thought didn’t cross his mind. All he knew was that he had to keep her safe. When her tongue swiped over his arm, he expected to feel something akin to discomfort, but was relieved when all he felt was affection instead.

She had saved his life. She could have left him in the café, or ran away when the vampire was busy with him…but she’d revealed herself in order to save him. That in of itself deserved his respect…his trust.

Du, he would never understand these feelings inside of him…it had been so long since he’d felt them. And to go under so quick! It didn’t make sense. Was she a witch? Did she bespell him?

All such thoughts vanished, however, when he heard that sweet voice once again. As she’d changed, he’d dashed over to the back of the alley where she’d dropped her jacket. Now that he was sure that his touching her wouldn’t cause her further harm, he draped the leather over her, covering her as much as he could.

“You are bleeding, Mercedes; you must go to hospital,” He said, frowning when her words sank into his adrenaline-buzzing brain. Seeing a stubborn set to her face, he sighed and raked a hand through his hair. Sheathing the blades at his back, he scooted closer to her.

The paleness of her skin frightened him, and the intensity of the emotion was startling. Once again falling on training, he slid an arm under her legs. “I will not take you to hospital if you stay awake for me…damn, Mercedes!” He snarled as she fell unconscious and lifted her easily. Thank God that the streets were normally empty at this time of night. He could take her to his apartment; it wasn’t far…just a few blocks down the street.

How lucky…

“You are not bleeding so bad anymore, heh? Can you keep pressure on your neck? If not, just tilt your head and we can keep the shirt on the wound and brace it against my chest. You will be alright, Mercedes. Just stay awake for me.”

Cradling her against his chest, he easily picked her up and hurried out of the alleyway. The contrast between her slender body and that of her wolven counterpart was startling, but he ignored the instant prick of curiosity. Skirting late night pedestrians and keeping an eye out for police cars and other vampires, he made it to his building in record time. Ignoring curious glances from various tenants, he shoved his way in, practically ran up six flight of stairs, and shouldered open the door to his apartment, a sense of urgency pushing him.

The inside of his home was bare; sterile and empty, sporting only the necessary pieces of furniture. Given that he spent most of his time in the compound, he never felt the need to home up the place…though now, with the lack of a proper place to let her rest, he felt ashamed of its emptiness.

Deciding that his bed would be proper, he went to the second floor and the bedroom beyond. The bed there was more a military cot than anything else, but it would do for the moment being. Gently, he set her down, keeping the jacket over her. His boots clomping loudly on the wooden floors, he skidded in the hall and practically tore his closet apart, looking for the medical kit he kept there for emergencies. Leaning on lessons taught in the field and by watching the Team’s doctor perform various minor surgeries, he ripped open the kit, applied pressure and wrapped her neck in the bandage. The wound seemed as if it were slowly knitting itself together, but he couldn’t be sure. Should he call Julian? No, that wouldn’t work…it was Billy’s turn to be out tonight.

Frustrated, he pulled up a chair and sat at her bedside, taking one slender hand in his. She’d held his hand so gently, so…reverently, he remembered. Please, wake up. Please…please, wake up…