I feel as though my knowledge of Hellsing is extremely limited; I've only seen up to Episode 7 of the anime, and Alucard is really difficult to get in character. I've been reading a few OC fics and everyone's story is so freaking good! Makes me kinda nervous, actually…so, I'm really sorry if any parts don't make sense, is inaccurate, is too cliché, or it's too OOC. I just really wanted to write a Hellsing fic. ..hope you enjoy it anyway!

(UPDATE OCTOBER 2011) Original Summary: Its hard being a nurse who works the graveyard shift - all sorts of weird things happen, like a vampire going after you and calling you his mate. Alucard x OC

Italics – OC's thoughts

Italics and Bold – Alucard mind speaking

Prologue

Pride and Prejudice and Vampires

Gasping, her eyes flew open and she sat up in bed, sweating. Somehow, just somehow… she woke up only to realise she was chewing on a corner of her duvet. Her expression scrunched up and she pulled it out, wiped at her mouth, and yawned. Then she looked around her room. The blinds were still drawn shut, her room mate snoring loudly in the bed beside hers.

She yawned once more. "That stupid nightmare…again." She mumbled, before flopping back over her bed. She'd been having nightmares of being in an odd and lone, dark corridor and getting stalked by some…something… not asomeone. She would never know what it was, only that it had glowing red eyes that were always staring at her persistently in the darkness. Highly distressing, but not enough to reduce her to waking up in tears. Numb and tired from having such depressing dreams, she snuggled into her pillow, ready to drift back to sleep again but then –

BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP.

She growled and whipped the covers off her, then lifted her leg and slammed the digital alarm clock that was on the floor with her heel, shutting off the snooze function. With the quiet, golden silence returning, Ruby let her eyelids droop and –

"Whoohoo! Alright! Rise and shine!"

Ruby's eyes flicked open and over to her perky roommate, who was now getting up. Groaning, Ruby slammed half of the pillow over her ears, while still resting her head on the remaining half. "Ngghh…."

"Ruby! Ruby!" A pillow was rammed repeatedly over her head and all over body like how one would whack-a-mole, " - Ruby, get up! You lazy pig!"

The covers were suddenly pulled away, and shuddering, Ruby blinked glumly at her roommate who was now prodding at her with a finger. "Noooo, Gwen…" She drawled deliriously, "… Please, I wanna just go back to sleep…"

"Nonsense! The graveyard shift beckons ussssss!"

She sighed, admitting defeat, and sat back up, just as her roommate threw a sweater over her head and barked at her to get dressed.

Ruby was a first year trainee nurse.

She was required to do one graveyard shift a week. Her life felt pretty complicated. At twenty years of age, Ruby was dedicated to her work, determined… but still a little bit naïve, as her friends and Gwen had not-so-kindly pointed out. She moved out of her parents and into the dormitory to pursue her Nursing degree; the hospital she worked in was called 'St Josephine's Infirmary'. It was a proud, centuries old building that withstood two world wars and fungus rot eating away at its plumbing system. Originally from Kent, Ruby was far from home. She had always wanted to be a nurse; she enjoyed helping people and hoped to make her parents proud – they were both doctors and had frowned upon such an occupation, but something deep inside her knew she would settle for being a nurse and would be just fine.

A graveyard shift started at 11pm, finishing at 6am. Usually, it was quiet and nothing happened because most patients were asleep. The graveyard shift only consisted of patrolling and doing regular check-ups.

Nothing out of the ordinary, really.

Yawning, Ruby put on the cardigan that was part of the condemned nurse's uniform. The nurse uniform was actually snubbed by girls in her year as being 'unsexy' and 'fugly' because of the beige dress that went to mid-calf and the matching cardigans. The cap was also sneered upon and resented, and one day, Ruby was told that nurse uniforms were now deliberately 'grannyfied' to deter male patients due to a recent peak of harassment towards female hospital workers.

Wandering out of a corridor and into reception, Ruby spotted Gwen at the desk on the phone, giggling away. "Gwen…" Ruby began, "What are you doing?"

"Oops! I gotta go now, bye Chet-dear!" And Gwen hung up immediately. "Yes m'dear?"

"…Was that Chet the Security Guy you were flirting with on the phone?"

"Yeah."

Ruby sighed. "I heard rumours that those guys don't do their jobs properly. Now I know why."

"Aww, don't be like that! Chet's a really good guy!"

Ruby wasn't sure what to say to that but averted her attention at a notepad that was settled in front of Gwen. "And what's that?"

"Oh. I was checking stock levels before Chet called."

"Are we short on a lot of stuff?"

Gwen nodded, tapping her temple with her pen. "Hey Ruby, you don't mind going down to the storehouse to get some stuff, do you? I can't go 'cos I need to stay at reception."

Going to the storehouse? The one place Ruby despised the most, especially at night-time? She cracked a smile. She did not like to disappoint or refuse. It might harm her work rate. And Gwen might get pissed. "…O-Of course not. I'll go. Tell me what I need to get."

A list was handed to her and Ruby scanned the list of items; she would have to make multiple trips to the storehouse… Nevertheless, she nodded and set off. The storehouse was in the basement of the hospital, near the carpark. It was only accessible by staff, of course, with a special keycard. Ruby left the hospital grounds and into the cold night with a gurney for transporting the supplies, staring at the dark sky as she listened to the wheels rumble over the pebbled ground. Ohh how much she hated the graveyard shift…

As she crossed the car park to get to the storehouse door, she stared up at the CCTV camera at one of the corners, facing the exit and entrance. The car park wasn't a very scary place despite being dimly lit and practically devoid of human presence. …it was just…

…Ruby felt like she was being watched.

"I better hurry up…The sooner I get this over with, the better," She murmured, until a hand grabbed her shoulder from behind. "Hey, what the – "

"Don't move."

A man's voice. It was typical something like this would happen. How could it not? A girl was on her own at an empty car park at 2am in the morning….

But Ruby had no idea where the mysterious man come from, whether his intentions were malevolent or benevolent, or how he had managed to sneak up on her like that in the first place. Upon closer inspection of the man, she realised he was sweaty, his face pale and ashen. His pupils were dilated, and trembling. In his other hand, was a gun. Ruby stepped back immediately in terror, letting go of her trolley. A robber! Oh god oh god oh god. He grabbed her by the arm and dragged her away from the trolley before he slammed her face flat against the grimy wall of the carpark, her cheek smushing with the gritty, dirty bricks. The nozzle of the gun was pressed to Ruby's temple and she flinched at the unfamiliar contact.

"Need…." He moaned out, his grip on her tightening, "Need to…. F-Feed… must have…blood…"

He left his sentence trailing and Ruby froze when she felt his free hand sweep back her hair over one shoulder. "What are you – "

"Quiet." He hissed, and he finished tucking her hair over her right shoulder, exposing the side of her neck to him. She then heard her mysterious assailant let out a shuddering groan before she felt chilly, clammy breathing all over her neck. She trembled furiously under his grip, still with the gun to her head.

Someone, help!

And then -

"Preying on lone women in the dead of night just for a few drops of blood…."

The new voice that echoed around the lonely car park caught attention from both.

"You cannot even control your hunger. How pathetic."

"W-What the - ? Who's there?" The man peeled her off the wall and clamped his arm tightly around her neck. "Show yourself!"

Ruby squeezed her eyes shut. She had no idea what was going on except from: I'm going to die I'm going to die I'm going to die I'm going to die I'm going to die I'm going to die I'm going to die I'm going to die I'm going to die I'm going to die I'm going to die I'm going to die I'm going to die I'm going to die I'm going to die I'm going to FREAKING DIE!

But then the same, slithery voice came again, echoing around the lonely car park. "…As you wish…"

Ruby's eyed widened at the sight of a tall man in red emerged slowly from the shadows. He was…. well, odd. She hadn't seen anyone wear such an outlandish outfit since…well, the Victorian era? The red duster… the red fedora… and what were up with those sunglasses? Judging by appearances aside, Ruby wondered why this strange man was here in the first place.

On the other hand, the man holding her captive tightened his hold on her ten fold. "S-Stay back!" He yelled threateningly, although he sounded absolutely petrified at the same time. "Stay away! Or I shoot! I'll shoot her in the goddamned head!" The gun was pressed harder against her temple and she squeezed her eyes shut again, then began murmuring a quick prayer.

I never believed in God before, but if God exists, please, I don't want to die!

"Hey you! Cut that out!" Her attacker yelled when he realised she was praying, his arm crushing down on her throat.

The strange tall man in red hesitated for a brief moment just as Ruby levelled his gaze, her eyes trembling with terror before a voice swarmed into her mind –

Human.

She blinked.

Speak to me.

Did he just…? In my mind! How did he do that? Why is he… What the…

That man holding you hostage, the strange tall man's voice echoed in her mind again, is a vampire.

There was a slight silence, then - "A what what?" Ruby said out loud. She could not believe her ears. Surely he jest, she thought bitterly as the so-called 'vampire' tightened his hold on her.

He will not let you go. He will kill you, and feed on you.

It didn't stop her from shaking under the so-called 'vampire's' grip. "…So…so what do I do?"

You? There was a snicker. Nothing.

The conversation continued in her mind. N-Nothing?

There is nothing you can do. But I have two options for you, human, The tall man in red added, I will shoot you in the lungs, thus shooting him in the heart.

The vampire was yelling again but Ruby couldn't hear, still engrossed with the conversation in her mind. "W-What the hell's wrong with you two? Why are you staring at him like that? Why are you – "

A bead of sweat trickled down her forehead. "…What's the second option?"

You can risk it all, and try to escape. But I do not guarantee your survival. Your fate rests in your hands.

"So I'm going to die either way?"

Most likely, yes.

The options didn't appeal to her at all.

Will you come with me?

Huh? …Will I come with… you? WHAT? Of course not! Are you insane? I barely know you! I still have a family to support and a cat to feed at home!

The tall red man was steely silent. I respect your decision.

"H-Hey, wait! That doesn't mean I want to die!"

This is the only way.

Who are you anyway? This guy has a gun! You'll get hurt!

A smirk. You should be more concerned about yourself, human.

Being killed by a 'vampire' or a gun? No way! She was only 20. She was still a trainee nurse. And yes, she still had her cat to feed at home. She still had a loving family and friends. Sure, they were often irritating as hell, but now, they were god's blessing to her at this precise moment. She had so many things she wanted to do – she wanted to go sky-diving, skiing, horse-riding… anything she hadn't had the chance to do… Gritting her teeth, Ruby clenched her knuckles so hard they went as white as a sheet, and -

"NOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

With a roar, she used newfound strength to lean down and bite her attacker in the arm that was lodged around her neck in a matter of seconds.

The action stunned both men standing opposite each other, but the attacker let go of her promptly and Ruby went flying to the side. The tall man in red used this opportunity to whip out a silver gun and shoot – but so did the vampire with his own gun in his intact arm, and – BLAM!

At first, Ruby thought she had been shot. It had been close.

Instead, she felt a searing hot pain in her arm and realised he'd shot her in the arm in process.

A gunshot so close was deafening. It was truly a terrifying and ominous sound to be heard in the dead of night.

She fell to the ground, cradling her aching arm. Sniffling, she sat back up, then hastily checked herself and realised aside from her arm, she was unharmed. Her eyes widened in horror when she saw both men fall. The tall red man took the bullet in the chest and doubled backwards, collapsing on his back on the car park gravel. His hat and those red-tinted goggle sunglasses fell askew off his nose. The vampire caught a silver bullet to the forehead and instantly exploded into a dust cloud - all over her, too.

The car park fell silent.

In her state of shock, she lay there on the sidelines in disbelief, before finally mentally kicking herself to get moving and see if the Strange Tall Man in Red was okay or not. She approached him cautiously; his eyes closed. Ruby hastily dropped by his side and shook him by the arm, careful not to shake him too hard, because she knew he was wounded and the last thing she wanted to do was aggravate it.

"…H-Hey… wake up…"

He didn't respond.

It was then Ruby had a much better view of him; he was in his maybe late twenties to early thirties… Guessing people's age was an ability Ruby was never gifted with; she usually offended more people and resorted to avoid attempts to guess people's ages to evade misunderstandings and awkwardness. Dare Ruby say it, but he looked younger and not so creepy without his hat and sunglasses…like a completely different person. His hair was jet black and tousled, falling over his eyes and curling just past his ears. His nose was long… perfectly angled…. his jawline rugged and sharp, and Ruby stared, a little curiously. There was something odd about his features but she couldn't place what…

"…W-Wake up…"

But then she remembered what exactly had just gone on and immediately concentrated back on more important matters. Her bleeding arm was ignored. She shook him once again, ignoring the fact that there was a lot of blood gurgling out from under him that was seeping into her skirt.

"…Can you hear me?"

She couldn't see the bullet; it was possibly wedged deep inside his flesh, or perhaps it had exited him. Yet, she saw his chest rise steadily and placed a finger just under his nose and found him still breathing, if not, a little sluggishly. Nevertheless, she sighed a breath of relief then moved over to place her ear against his chest to search for a heartbeat.

There was none.

Ruby recoiled in horror and stared at the man before immediately transforming into her emergency casualty mode. Her mind was hazy with just one thought: save him! If she couldn't save him, she'd be forever disgraced as a nurse. Yet she didn't even think twice about why a man was, or could be 'breathing' even though he had no heartbeat. Ruby recollected everything she'd learnt during first-aid lessons which she had attended with 100 per cent vigilance while Gwen doodled in her notepad or texted her boyfriend.

She slammed both hands over his chest where his heart should be and applied pressure in rhythmic thrusts of her palms. "Come on! Don't die on me! Not when you just saved my life! I'm...I'm not worth it! Oh god, please don't die, strange tall man!" She wasn't even sure what she was saying, but she was suddenly belting all her thoughts out for the world to hear. "You must have a family at home! A wife! Kids! A...A-A dog! Think about them! Don't leave them behind!"

When he still didn't wake up or show any sign that he was responding, she deduced that he was lacking in oxygen. Without hesitating, Ruby pried his mouth open and pressed her mouth over his, trying to get some air in. When she pulled back, she returned to hammering at his chest again.

"Come on! Wake up! …You have to wake up!"

Dying outside a hospital seemed ironic. When nothing happened, Ruby still didn't give up. She continued on with her resuscitation routine but then –

His eyes suddenly flew open - - Just when Ruby was about to give him some more oxygen, her mouth hovering just millimetres above his.

Before she had a chance to pull away, his arm slammed down around the back of her neck and pulled her down that her lips smashed over his roughly. She fell over him entirely, her gasps and cries muffled. This time, the contact felt different - It wasn't Ruby trying to save someone's life - it was a kiss; hot, passionate, but rough. Suddenly, his mouth released hers and clamped over the side of her neck. Ruby's eyes widened thoroughly when she felt something sharp penetrating her skin. Flailing, she bundled her fists and tried to get him off her.

The man was biting her! He was biting her!

In the neck, too!

She temporarily froze when she felt something long, wet and sticky dragging up and down over her nape frenziedly, particularly at the throbbing spot where he had just bit her. She shivered fiercely when she realised… It was histongue. Ruby flailed helplessly and eventually felt his grip on her loosen - she pulled away at the opportunity, cupping her hand over her neck which was mingled with warm saliva and blood. To her utmost surprise, the wound itself was not bleeding, but she felt some slight bumps on her skin and gasped.

"Ewww…gross…" She used her cardigan sleeve to wipe her neck dry.

The man who had just bit and licked at her neck suddenly collapsed back over the car park floor, now fully awake, although the expression on his face resembled one who had just injected himself with some hallucinating drug. The corner of his mouth was stained with blood, which he slowly licked away. He let out a groan before closing his eyes, his lips forming a grin.

What the? Grinning at a time like this? "Y-You bit me!" She screeched in horror when she realised he didn't seem intent on explaining WHAT THE HELL HE JUST DID, "No, not only did you bite me, but you – "

"Kissed you?" He finished for her, "You were doing the same to me earlier on when I was taking a nap."

"N-NAP? I thought you were… What kind of… what I don't even – "

The man flicked his startling orangey-red eyes to her. "My dear girl, I'm afraid you're not making much sense at the moment…"

"You bit me!" She repeated exasperatedly, "And what…what the hell did you do to that man?"

"You forgot? Did I not tell you that that man was not a man, but a vampire. A creature. A bloodthirsty monster of the night. … Nosferatu… Freak…"

"…Uh…"

"Your gratitude is most underwhelming."

"…Er – " She didn't know how to respond to that, and when he rewarded her with a long, hard stare, she flushed slightly and nibbled on her bottom lip, "…W…What?"

"You beckoned me."

"I did not. I don't even know who you are!" And she didn't think she wanted to, either.

"I heard your voice. Calling me. Pleading me for help." He seemed amused. He turned his head away and laughed, as if her words had been a disturbingly, sick joke. In fact, at the moment, life felt like a bit like a sick joke. Ruby shivered; she had never heard someone laugh so… so sinisterly before. It made shivers run down her spine.

Suddenly, he let out a low grunt, and Ruby's jaw dropped to the ground when she saw the unimaginable – there was an awful squishing noise before the tip of the bullet was slowly rising up from his chest as if he was forcing it out of his body himself. It popped out of his flesh, rolled off him, and clattered onto the floor. Just like that.

"HOLY SHIT!" Immediately, Ruby scuttled away from him like a crab, staring at him in shock.

He stood up, and her jaw dropped again for the millionth time in no less than twenty minutes. She had never seen… well, this kind of rapid recovery before. There was nothing like this in her textbooks. A grown man, shot in the chest with a gun that was surely meant to be lethal or at least crippling. And here he was, standing and talking to her as if nothing had happened. He was also no longer bleeding.

"….Y-You're…okay?"

He didn't reply, partially because anyone with eyes could see that he was okay. It was typical of Ruby to point out the obvious. He bent down to pick up his fedora and his sunglasses, which were intact. He propped the flimsy-brimmed hat over his head and replaced his sunglasses, and turned to her.

"You – what are you – and why did he – wait, Vampire?"

He gazed patiently at her, then averted his eyes to the pile of dust in the corner. "…. If you are wise, human – and I know that none of you, particularly young female fledglings like yourself, are – you would not venture into such dismal places like these by yourself at this forlorn time of night…"

Had he just insulted her? In the most aristocratic way… or whatever the hell that kind of manner of speech was… It was just plain patronising. The way how you spoke to a kid, or a dog. Mostly a dog.

"I'm working." Ruby pointed to the trolley, although it didn't make a difference. "… No, no, that's impossible, vampires aren't real." This man is CUCKOO!

He responded to her with a smirk before he turned away, to…. leave?

"…Where are you going?" She found herself asking.

"There are more of the wanderers." He merely replied, with a leering grin, "In there."

He was gesturing to the hospital.

"…Vampires?" She squawked, "…Wait! I don't understand… what-what happened back there? I…I thought I heard your voice in my mind – " Oh, how terribly sane that sounded. Ruby cringed all over again.

He smirked. In fact, she realised he had been smirking the entire time she was talking to him and he couldn't seem to stop. In fact, because he was smirking; she wasn't sure she could take him seriously enough. Those must be some awesome cheek muscles, she thought. "You can believe whatever you want, human." He said, still with the never-ending smirk on his face, "…Perhaps ignorance to the truth is indispensable if you wish to carry on with your ignorant lifestyles."

She leapt back immediately when he stepped closer to her. "Whoa! Hold it! Don't come any closer, or-or I'll scream and call security!" Yes, this man is not normal. Hell, she just witnessed him EJECT a bullet out of his body, like the way a DVD player ejected out a…well, a DVD.

He looked around himself, then turned to her again. "If security was so well established…you would not have been attacked in the first place."

Ruby bit down on her lip. She really had no idea if this man was sane or insane. The scale was tipping in favour to 'insane', however. "Well, you should go get yourself checked at the emergency department and leave me alone." It was meant to be an insult but also a remark of concern at the same time.

"Why the sudden cold shoulder, nurse? You seemed to enjoy attempting to resuscitate me. In fact… You handled my…. 'situation' in an extremely professional manner."

Oh yes. Situation. It turned out he was 'napping', not actually 'dying'. "It's my job and duty to help and save people." Why am I even still talking to this guy?

"I assumed caring for your patients were one of your virtues."

"…Not when they bite you after you save their life."

"Did you really now?" He smirked at her; she had never seen one's lips spread so back before. His cheeks literally disappeared, as his wicked lips stretched all the way to his ears, exposing sharp, bloodied teeth.

She swallowed down as her gut became swamped with a bad feeling just by staring at those chompers. Holy macaroni, they looked like they could bite through steel….

"Do you really think you saved my life?"

And was this really something to say to a budding nurse? She felt her self confidence wither away like sand in the wind. Ruby meekly threw her glance to her shoes and he slinked closer to her, although 'slink' was perhaps the wrong word – he moved so fast it was almost as if he literally teleported directly in front of her that her nose almost touched the expertly-tied red cravat that was around his neck.

She stepped back hastily as his height loomed over her, casting a shadow over her entirely. "When did you – " And when he seized her wrist, she yelped and struggled. "H-hey, let go….What do you want…?"

To her surprise (again), he lowered his face and sniffed at her wrist, pressing his nose against her flesh, particularly at her pulse. Her heartbeat soared off the charts. Their close proximity allowed Ruby another closer look of him.

What's up with this guy? Why is he sniffing me? And why is he wearing such weird clothes? It's like he came out from a Pride and Prejudice movie. Yeah, the warped version…that book… what was it called again? Oh yes, Pride and Prejudice and ZOMBIES.

"Intriguing…." He murmured, "…. I have never come across a delectable scent before...Pardon my impoliteness, but I simply must know more about you…"

Ruby thought she was insane herself to still be so polite around him. If she had her purse with her, however, she figured she probably wouldn't stop hitting him with it. Argh! Where was a purse when you needed one? "Sorry, I'm not interested. Since you seem to be fine, I'm going." With that, Ruby spun round on her heel and began storming back to the staircase that led back to the hospital. Trust Gwen to make me her ruddy lapdog, always running errands and fetching stuff for her while she does nothing. Bet you she's chatting up Chet the Security Guy again…

Suddenly, two strong arms wrapped around her and pulled her into a bone-crushing embrace from behind. Ruby squirmed viciously in his hold, but stopped just as she felt his mouth nip at her ear. "What are you doing - "

"…Finally, I found you..." She heard him murmur, and she froze entirely on the spot just as his lips formed a wolfish, hungry grin, "My mate."

"W-What…?"

"I can smell it all over you. …You were born for me. ..Your sole existence, the bane of your life, is for me."

And Ruby's life just got a little more complicated.

Before you proceed, take heed! Here are the general warnings for this fic:

Mary Sue/Gary Stu/OOC
Gore/Blood/Guts
Strong Language
Violence
Murder
Smut/Lime/Lemon