Meeting a Legend

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Harry stared up at the ancient vampire that seemed to be finding amusement at her very existence. Not that Harry really cared about his opinion, but the way he sounded when he spoke seemed curious to her. It almost sounded like a thousand other souls were echoing his words.

"Hey, you old thing," she told him, uncaring of his ancient age, or what that would mean. If he wanted to hurt her, he would do so and not need a reason for it.

"What is it, little princess?" he asked, obviously humouring her. It sounded quite patronizing.

Harry ignored that, well used to people talking to her that way when she didn't use her gift.

"You sound like a thousand souls," she told him seriously. "How many people have you devoured whole?"

This time, she actually managed to surprise him.

"So you can hear that?" he mused. "I'm surprised. Perhaps your sire wasn't such a weak vermin after all. Or perhaps you're just innately special."

Harry scoffed. "There is no such thing as special, only a circumstance of birth."

He laughed. "True," he agreed. He crouched down and properly looked at her. "You're one to talk though, little princess. You've devoured a fair few souls of your own."

She shrugged. "They were annoying," she said seriously. "And I had no need of them."

His smile could only be described as shark-like. Or more appropriately, vampire-like.

"Talking like that would one day get you in trouble. My master sends me to hunt out those that murder and kill indiscriminately," he warned her.

"I don't need to gorge," she sniffed irritably. "Or kill to get my meals. My food sources are always prompt at delivering what I want."

His eyes conveyed his real surprise. "And you obviously didn't have a sire to raise you properly," he said softly. "What a well-mannered thing you are."

Well-mannered.

Harry frowned at him. "I don't like that word," she told him. "Refrain from using it in my presence. I am not a dog."

He laughed, long and heartily. "Oh, such little royalty."

She ignored his truly creepy laughter.

"I will grant you a boon, little princess," he told her as he stood up. "Since you didn't have a vampire to properly guide you in how to be a proper nosferatu."

He held out a finger and placed it on her forehead. Harry stayed carefully still. A single flick from his finger could cause her so much damage. She could feel the restrained strength from just one little touch. How monstrous he was.

And then, without any warning, information flooded her brain.

Images and little details she had half-guessed at and vaguely experimented in, all bombarding her. A normal person receiving such details would collapse with a nosebleed. Harry was a vampire and quivered, little limbs trembling as she tried to process it all. She didn't notice his finger removing itself from her forehead, nor of his very interested face watching her.

Within another two blinks, Harry blinked out of her stupor and scowled heavily at the ancient vampire.

"That was very rude of you," she said. "You could have warned me before you did so." His lips quirked into another savage grin and she ploughed on. "Nevertheless, it is interesting knowledge."

It was the best way she could say thank you, even if she had said it in the most roundabout way.

"Still," she murmured, more to herself than to him. "It would have been nice to know all of this when I was newly turned. It would have been nice to know that I can kill the voices in my head."

He patted her head with a chuckle. "You were doing remarkably well for a vampire untaught by her sire. A few more years and I don't think I could have taught you anything new."

"I just followed my instincts," she said irritably. "What more is there to it?"

He laughed again, sounding even more amused than anything.

"What is your name, by the way?" she eventually demanded.

He chuckled. "I am Alucard."

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Posted this in tumblr a while ago and decided I might as well put it in here while I'm having a dry-spell for Sanguine.