READ NOVEL ONLINE Chapter 26: chapter 26
Chapter 26:
– Valerie –
"Hello, New York City!" I said, practically bouncing in my seat as the plane touched down. My excitement was hard to contain. I'd visited this city so many times in my past life, and I always loved it.
The shops, the food, the sheer amount of people.
Now, though, the food didn't hold the same appeal, and being around so many people felt... different. The idea of being surrounded by all that pulsing, warm blood wasn't exactly comforting. But the shops?
Those were still going to be awesome!
Sitting next to me, Seras hadn't stopped clinging to me the entire flight. She'd been glued to my side, her head on my shoulder, her arm draped over mine. Honestly, it was kind of sweet at first, but then she wouldn't even let me get up to go pee without pouting like a kid losing their favorite toy.
"Seras, can you let me up for a second?" I'd asked after the third hour of being her personal pillow.
"Do you have to?" she'd mumbled, her grip tightening.
"Yes, unless you want me to ruin this seat and the rest of this long plane ride…"
She finally let me go and do my business, but the second I sat back down, she was latched onto me again. By the time we were preparing to land, I was starting to feel a little suffocated.
When Alucard strolled by my seat during the flight, I leaned over and whispered, "What's up with Seras? She's acting... really really clingy."
He'd chuckled, that smug laugh of his that always made me want to smack him. "Figure it out yourself, little dhampir…"
A limo was waiting for us as we got off the plane. Riding in the limo with Alucard and Seras, I decided to ask the obvious question.
"So, where are we staying while we're in the city…?"
Seras practically bounced in her seat. "Oh, oh! Is it going to be a fancy hotel or something? Five star resort!?"
Alucard chuckled at her question. "Something like that..." he said vaguely.
That was when I knew I'd regret asking. When the limo finally pulled up, I stared out the window in disbelief.
My disappointment was immeasurable, and my day was ruined…
The building in front of us wasn't just a cheap motel, it was practically falling apart. The paint peeled off the walls, which already looked halfway to rotting. One of the stairs to the second floor had an "out of order" sign hanging in front of them…
What does that even mean!? How do stairs break!?
To top it off, a group of what looked like gang members loitered in the parking lot, openly smoking stuff that didn't look legal and glaring at anyone who went by.
"Ugh, why are we staying in a dump like this?" Seras asked, her voice dripping with disdain.
Alucard leaned back with a smug grin. "Because, Police Girl, every single one of us is strapped with guns. Fancy hotels are full of security cameras, and the last thing we need is the cops being called on us for 'suspicious activity.' Integra has made it very clear that I'm not allowed to kill 'the good guys' for doing their jobs, so we're staying somewhere with fewer restrictions." He gestured dramatically toward the motel.
Unfortunately, his explanation made way too much sense. I sighed and leaned back in my seat. I didn't mind that much, honestly. Compared to where I used to live, this place was practically luxurious.
When the limo stopped, Seras and I were the first to get out.
Predictably, pulling up in such a fancy vehicle in a neighborhood like this immediately drew attention. Especially since Seras and I weren't exactly blending in—two beautiful women stepping out of a sleek car wasn't subtle.
The gang members in the parking lot wasted no time harassing us. "Woah! Look at the tits on these bitches," one of them called out.
Another smirked and stepped closer, looking me up and down. "Are you lost, babes? I can help you get home… if you help me with a little something first," he said, grabbing his crotch with a disgusting grin.
I crossed my arms, glaring at them. "You all should leave. Now."
The leader of the group sneered at my bluntness and started stepping closer, his buddies following behind. "Oh yeah, bitch? And what if we don't want to leave? You British bitches can't just come up in here and tell us what to do!"
I was already reaching under my jacket, ready to grab my weapon, but Seras beat me to it. In one fluid motion, she had her revolver drawn and pointed at the nearest gang member. Her eyes glowed redder than usual, and her voice was ice cold. "Get. Fucking. Lost."
Damn, the way she said that was so hot!
The men froze, visibly shaken by the sight of her glowing eyes and the very large gun pointed in their direction. They backed away slowly before turning and scurrying off the property. "You'll regret this, bitches! No one messes with us and gets away with it!" one of them yelled as they fled.
Seras didn't lower her weapon until they were out of sight. She kept her sharp glare fixed on the parking lot. "That's what they get for threatening you," she said, finally holstering her revolver.
I smiled at her and leaned up to kiss her cheek. "That was sweet of you, but I could've handled those dicks myself if I had to."
She grinned. "I know."
Just then, Alucard stepped out of the limo, looking thoroughly amused. "The locals seem friendly enough," he said with a chuckle.
We all made our way to our room.
"Engorgio!" I pointed my revolver at the two small objects in the middle of the motel room and cast the enlargement charm. Two large coffins suddenly sprang up, taking up a significant portion of the already cramped space.
"Thanks, Valerie," Seras said, grimacing slightly as she eyed the coffin closest to her.
I couldn't help but smirk. True vampires like Seras and Alucard needed to sleep in coffins filled with the soil of their homelands. Not every night, but at least every few nights. Ever since Seras had finally given in and drank human blood, she'd had to adjust to this custom. Judging by her expression, she wasn't thrilled about it.
Alucard picked up his coffin with one hand like it weighed nothing and moved it into the corner of the room. "Why don't you go out and explore for a bit, daughter, while the Police Girl and I get our needed sleep time out of the way."
"Okay," I replied, not needing to be told twice. That was one vampire custom I was glad I didn't have to follow as a dhampir. Sleeping in a pile of dirt sounded gross as hell.
I grabbed my jacket, opened the door to our crappy motel room, and stepped outside. The gang members from earlier had talked a big game, but they hadn't come back. I doubted they'd bother. Guys like that were all bark and no bite. I still chuckled to myself, remembering how they almost pissed themselves when Seras pulled her gun.
Flagging down a cab, I hopped in and gave the driver directions to one of the nicer shopping areas in the city. I'd been itching to spend some of the money I'd made since joining Hellsing.
Finally, I had a chance to treat myself.
I hopped out of the cab and stepped onto the street, immediately hit by the sight of rows and rows of clothing stores. My smile widened as I glanced around. Picking a shop at random, I strolled inside.
The store was nice—high-quality streetwear. Jeans, shoes, shirts. The kind of place that didn't just sell clothes but sold the vibe, the attitude. A few female employees perked up the moment I entered, their professional smiles snapping into place as they approached.
"Can we help you with anything?" one of them asked, her tone polite but her eyes already sizing me up.
I glanced around, taking it all in. "Yeah," I said, turning my attention back to them. "Here are my sizes," I rattled them off casually, watching as envy flickered across their faces when they realized my measurements. I snickered and added, "Bring me the best of everything you've got in black and red. I'll be waiting in the changing room!"
Without waiting for a reply, I strutted past them and headed straight for the fitting rooms.
Once inside, I shut the door and started stripping out of my clothes, tossing them onto the bench until I was down to just my black bra and panties. The mirror reflected back my toned figure, and I smirked. I wasn't shy about appreciating my own hard work and good genes.
A knock on the door broke my moment of vanity. "Come in," I called out.
The door creaked open, and one of the salesladies stepped inside, her arms full of new clothing. Her eyes flickered to me, and I caught the briefest flash of a blush before she quickly handed me the pile!
"Here you go," she squeaked. She turned on her heel and practically bolted.
I laughed softly as the door shut behind her. "Cute," I muttered, setting the pile down and sifting through it. High-waisted jeans, leather jackets, sleek tops. Not bad for a start…
…
I stood in the changing room of a high-end lingerie boutique. The lacy black bra I had on was a masterpiece of craftsmanship—thin, delicate straps criss crossed my shoulders, while the lace teased just enough skin to make anyone blush. I ran my hands over my chest, feeling the fine fabric against my skin as I turned side to side in the mirror. "Damn, I look good," I muttered to myself with a grin. The bra lifted and shaped my breasts in all the right ways, making me feel undeniably sexy.
I leaned closer to the mirror, adjusting one of the straps and letting out a soft giggle. This was exactly the kind of upgrade my collection needed. After seeing Narcissa in that stunning black lace set the other night, I couldn't help but feel my current wardrobe lacked the same... flair.
Stepping back, I admired my reflection again. The matching panties clung perfectly to my curves, highlighting my hips and leaving just enough to the imagination. I turned around, giving my ass a playful little smack as I checked it out in the mirror. "One of my best features," I said with a smirk. And in these panties? It looked practically divine.
I couldn't resist another few looks before I reluctantly slipped out of the set. It was going straight into my "definitely buy" pile.
As I pulled my own clothes back on—black jeans, a red shirt, and my favorite red leather jacket—I mentally tallied how much I'd already spent today. The US equivalent of three thousand pounds, give or take.
I winced but quickly shrugged it off. Looking this good was priceless after all!
Exiting the changing room, I handed the store clerk my latest selections. She raised an eyebrow at the sheer volume of lingerie I'd picked out but said nothing, simply ringing me up with a polite smile. Once the bags were handed over, I slung them over my arm and made my way out of the boutique.
"A very productive shopping day," I muttered. Sure, my bank account might hate me for it, but my wardrobe would thank me.
Finding a quiet alley, I ducked into the shadows. A quick glance confirmed no one was around to see me. Reaching into my jacket pocket, I pulled out my magic revolver and murmured an incantation under my breath. The bags glowed faintly, shrinking down until they were small enough to fit comfortably in my inner pocket. I tucked them away with a satisfied nod, patting my jacket to make sure they were secure.
I stepped back into the crowded streets and… my stomach growled. "I'm hungry. I could really go for a burger…" I realized I couldn't remember the last time I had a greasy American cheeseburger. Definitely not in this life at least. Even though I knew it wouldn't taste as good as I remembered, I figured I'd still enjoy it.
I was trying to decide where to go when I gently collided with someone. I backed up, looking up into the face of a woman who had to be at least six feet. She looked like a supermodel with her killer body, mocha skin, long silver hair, and striking blue eyes. She wore a pencil skirt that somehow made her look even more stunning, like some impossibly gorgeous teacher.
"Sorry about that…"
"It's perfectly all right," she said, brushing herself off before locking eyes with me. She blinked a few times, tilting her head slightly. "I wasn't paying attention either. I'm on a field trip with some of my students, and a few of them have run off," she added with a sigh.
Wait, she really was a teacher!? My brain short-circuited for a second. If any of my teachers had looked like her in my last life, I probably would've paid a lot more attention in class.
"Do you want some help?" I asked, shaking off my moment of stunned silence.
The woman paused at my offer to help, her blue eyes flickering curiously to my red ones. She opened her mouth like she was about to say something, but then a stomach grumbled. To my surprise, it wasn't mine again.
"Maybe we can search together over there at that burger joint," I suggested, gesturing to the fast food place across the street. "Maybe your students just got hungry? How old are they?"
She hesitated for a moment before nodding. "They're all teenagers, and I suppose getting a quick bite wouldn't be the worst idea in the world…" she told me
I smiled at that. "Great. Let's check it out."
Did I just pick up some random woman just like that? No, I didn't think this qualified…
We crossed the street together, heading towards the burger joint. This was New York, so there was a fast food place on practically every corner. Inside, the smell of fries and cheap burgers filled the air. Exactly what I wanted!
We ordered at the counter and grabbed a booth near the window. I slid into the seat across from her and leaned back, relaxing a little. "I'm Valerie Tepes," I said, extending my hand across the table. "It's nice to meet you."
The woman smiled back and took my hand in hers briefly. "It's lovely to meet you as well, Valerie. I'm Ororo Munroe." Her voice was smooth and calm, and for some reason, it made me want to trust her. "Your accent's a little hard to place. Are you from overseas?"
I nodded. "Yeah, I currently work and live in London," I said. "I'm in America for business." I kept it vague on purpose.
A fast food worker stopped by with a tray, dropping off our burgers and fries. I thanked him quickly before unwrapping my burger. The first bite was... okay. It didn't taste quite as good as I remembered, thanks to my vampiric taste buds, but it was still filling and satisfying enough.
Ororo took a sip of her drink and started eating her fries. "London, huh? That's an interesting choice," she said. "I assume it keeps you busy."
"It does," I replied before popping a fry into my mouth. "What about you? Your accent doesn't sound American either. Where are you from?"
She smiled, setting her burger down. "I was born in Kenya, but I spent much of my childhood in Cairo. Later, I moved to the United States. It's been a bit of a journey…"
"That's incredible," I said. "What brought you here?"
Her eyes lingered on mine for a moment, blue meeting red. She seemed hesitant, like she was weighing her words. "The reason I came to America is... a bit personal," she said finally. "I'm afraid I can't tell you unless you're... like me." Her voice trailed off, and she glanced down at her hands.
I smirked at her. "Ridiculously beautiful? I feel like we both have that in common!"
Ororo's dark cheeks flushed for a moment before she chuckled and shook her head. "No," she said, smiling slightly. "When I said 'like me,' I meant special."
As she spoke, I saw a small flicker of electricity spark across her fingertips. It was brief, but unmistakable. This woman had powers of some kind!
My eyes widened slightly. "Oh, that kind of special," I said with a nod. To make my point, I held up my hands and let my nails grow longer and much sharper before retracting them again.
Her blue eyes widened as she watched. She sighed, her lips curving into a soft smile. "I thought you were one of us," she said. "Red eyes and a look like yours aren't exactly common..."
Her words trailed off, and I tilted my head, curiosity bubbling up. Before I could ask Ororo more about what she meant by "like us," a group of younger teenagers suddenly ran up to our table.
Ororo turned to them, her brows furrowing. "There you all are! Why did you run off? I was worried!" she scolded them.
The only boy in the group scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "Er... sorry about that, teach. We just aren't allowed out of the mansion that often and wanted to check out the city."
I raised an eyebrow at that statement, filing it away for later. Mansion? What kind of school was she teaching at?
Before I could dig into that thought, one of the girls in the group noticed me sitting across from Ororo. "Who's she?" she asked, curious but a little cautious.
Ororo gestured toward me. "This is Valerie," she said, before turning back to the group and introducing them to me one by one. "Valerie, these are Bobby, Kitty, and Anna Marie."
The last girl, Anna Marie, crossed her arms and gave a small pout. "I prefer to go by Rogue," she said. Her gothic look, paired with a Southern belle accent, was unexpectedly adorable.
I couldn't help but smile. "It's nice to meet you all," I said warmly, but my smile faltered when I caught a familiar scent lingering around them. I stiffened, the hairs on the back of my neck standing up. "This might come off as weird, but did you three meet anyone... creepy recently?"
Ororo's gaze snapped to me. "Creepy?" she echoed before turning back to the students. "Wait a moment. Where is Kurt? There's supposed to be four of you."
Bobby's grin widened, and he chuckled nervously. "Oh, Kurt got picked up by a girl."
Ororo blinked, her mouth opening slightly in disbelief. "What…?"
"Yeah," Rogue jumped in. "We were walking around and ended up in a small arcade, just having fun, when this older girl approached our group and started talking to us."
Kitty chimed in, rolling her eyes. "Kurt thought she was really pretty... but then again, he thinks that about every girl."
Bobby continued the story. "Then she suddenly asked Kurt on a date out of nowhere. Of course, he said yes, and they ran off together!"
Ororo let out a long sigh, rubbing her temples. "Why does this not surprise me?"
My frown deepened as a pit formed in my stomach. That girl who picked up Ororo's student was a vampire. I was sure of it. The scent lingering on these kids wasn't strong, but it was distinct. I knew that New York was currently experiencing a surge in vampires, at least according to Blade, but was it getting so bad that they just started fishing for victims in the middle of the day!?
I scarfed down the rest of my burger before telling the kids they needed to take us to that arcade immediately! Hopefully, I could pick up the scent from there and find their friend before he got drained dry...
XXX
Thanks for reading!!!
I have a patreo n. My subs can read advanced updates of my stories ahead of standard release and even check out pics for some of the more naughty chapters. That's a recent development though.
Link:
Patreo n .com (slash) Starwaves
Here is the list of Current Advanced Chapters:
The Fallen Gamer ch 311-315
The Blood Queen 29
The fox hole 43
The Fox Hole 42
The Titan 21
The Blood Queen 28
The Fox Hole 41
The Fox Hole 40
The Blood Queen 27
The Titan 20
The Fox Hole 39