Practical Training
-Title: Practical Training
-Rating: PG-13
-Characters mentioned: Gustav
-Pairings: Alexander/Sophie
-Summary: Sophie takes some time learning self defense
Sophie ducked the flying kick to her face, dodged the incoming punch, grasped the inbound fist with her hand, and pulled her sparring partner off balance. She panted as she pulled her hair back behind her ears and reached out a hand to help him back up. Tired but exhilarated, she smiled shyly and bowed.
“Very good, my dear,” Alexander’s voice called from the front of the dojo. His eyes made contact with Sophie’s sparring partner, and the man bowed his head and left the room swiftly. Lucard extended his hand out to beckon her closer, and Sophie rushed up and took his hand.
“Ah!” Sophie protested as he drew her close. “I’m sweaty and smell like old sneakers, Alexander.”
Lucard’s smile played about his lips as he drew her closer and his nostrils flared slightly as he took in her scent. “Almonds, apricot oil, beeswax, a hint of olive oil, rosin, a bit of sweat,” he listed into her hair, “and a non garlic Caesar salad for lunch. I appreciate that.”
Sophie touched his jaw with her palm in a caress and then moved her hand over his mouth to hush him from describing the details about her breath. He mumbled a few more details into her palm until Sophie burst into laughter.
“Glad to see you in such good spirits, my dear,” Lucard chuckled, turning her hand to press his lips to the back of her hand. “Shall we continue our lessons from last night?”
Lucard stepped back silently and his hand moved preternaturally fast to grasp her wrist. “A vampire’s speed is inherently faster than a human’s, but it is also enhanced by execution of distraction. Younger vampires usually forfeit the distraction and go directly for a grab of some sort. Nothing, however, beats practice against a real vampire.” He released her wrist and then went for it again.
Sophie focused on attempting to catch Alexander’s wrist before he could catch hers. Dracula repeated the action over and over until she could catch him and then increased the speed and the angle. When Sophie managed to block him from both sides, he stopped holding back and slipped in behind her and grasped the back of her neck, sending his paralyzing energy down her spine. Sophie went limp as Dracula ran his hand down the line of her neck and shoulder and kissed her neck.
“I win,” he whispered into her ear with a purr. Pulling her against himself, he released his grip on her neck and closed his eyes as she relaxed into him.
“Cheater,” Sophie murmured.
Lucard smiled as his hand touched her hair. “You’ll improve, my dear. You are already much improved, and it has not been that long since you started these lessons. Most of my people aren’t stupid enough to attempt anything with you, though I am slowly weeding out certain ones that are apparently too mentally handicapped to grasp the concept that you are off limits.”
“I cannot be too careful, however,” Dracula said calmly. “I would prefer you to be… overly prepared.” His eyes gained a slight tint of yellow as his hand drifted down to touch her neck. “If anyone is going to be sinking fangs into your neck, my dear, it is going to be me.”
“So possessive, Alexander,” Sophie remarked into his suit coat and tilted her head to the side as his touch gently stroked her neck. She hummed softly with pleasure as his talons brushed across her skin with a tenderness that belied his true strength.
“If more harm would come you, my dear,” Alexander admitted quietly, “I am not sure what it would do for my control.”
Sophie reached up and clasped his hand as it rested against her neck and pressed closer into his embrace. Her one experience with a physical assault from someone other than a vampire had rattled her deeply. Dracula had torn the man to pieces with a ferocity she had not witnessed in him before that night, yet it was he that had held her until her weeping and trembling ceased. As much as she expected danger from vampires, no cross or holy water would protect her from humans. Lucard had set up for her to take private tutoring in martial arts, and after the lessons he had begun to teach her how to compensate for vampire speed and strength.
“I think Gustav would have an ulcer if he knew from whom I was talking self defense lessons,” Sophie said somberly as she stepped back from Alexander and picked up her gym bag.
“I think Helsing would disapprove of just about everything we do together, my Darling,” Alexander’s voice had a lighter tone of humor at the mention of his nemesis. “Who better to teach you of the evils that are out there waiting to run away with you than me?”
“The jury is still out deliberating on that one, I think,” Sophie smirked.
“My heart,” Dracula gasped, placing his hand over his heart, “It bleeds.”
“Liar,” Sophie replied. Her stomach interjected by growling noisily, much to her embarrassment.
“I should let you go shower and change,” Alexander chuckled. “We can continue this conversation over dinner. I took the liberty of making reservations for us downtown.”
Sophie met his eyes and smiled with a private look she shared with him alone and then turned to dash off towards the shower.
Alexander watched her go and recited,
I do not resemble your other lovers, my lady
should another give you a cloud
I give you rain
Should he give you a lantern, I
will give you the moon
Should he give you a branch
I will give you the trees
And if another gives you a ship
I shall give you the journey*.”
*Poem by Nizar Qabbani
-Rating: PG-13
-Characters mentioned: Gustav
-Pairings: Alexander/Sophie
-Summary: Sophie takes some time learning self defense
Sophie ducked the flying kick to her face, dodged the incoming punch, grasped the inbound fist with her hand, and pulled her sparring partner off balance. She panted as she pulled her hair back behind her ears and reached out a hand to help him back up. Tired but exhilarated, she smiled shyly and bowed.
“Very good, my dear,” Alexander’s voice called from the front of the dojo. His eyes made contact with Sophie’s sparring partner, and the man bowed his head and left the room swiftly. Lucard extended his hand out to beckon her closer, and Sophie rushed up and took his hand.
“Ah!” Sophie protested as he drew her close. “I’m sweaty and smell like old sneakers, Alexander.”
Lucard’s smile played about his lips as he drew her closer and his nostrils flared slightly as he took in her scent. “Almonds, apricot oil, beeswax, a hint of olive oil, rosin, a bit of sweat,” he listed into her hair, “and a non garlic Caesar salad for lunch. I appreciate that.”
Sophie touched his jaw with her palm in a caress and then moved her hand over his mouth to hush him from describing the details about her breath. He mumbled a few more details into her palm until Sophie burst into laughter.
“Glad to see you in such good spirits, my dear,” Lucard chuckled, turning her hand to press his lips to the back of her hand. “Shall we continue our lessons from last night?”
Lucard stepped back silently and his hand moved preternaturally fast to grasp her wrist. “A vampire’s speed is inherently faster than a human’s, but it is also enhanced by execution of distraction. Younger vampires usually forfeit the distraction and go directly for a grab of some sort. Nothing, however, beats practice against a real vampire.” He released her wrist and then went for it again.
Sophie focused on attempting to catch Alexander’s wrist before he could catch hers. Dracula repeated the action over and over until she could catch him and then increased the speed and the angle. When Sophie managed to block him from both sides, he stopped holding back and slipped in behind her and grasped the back of her neck, sending his paralyzing energy down her spine. Sophie went limp as Dracula ran his hand down the line of her neck and shoulder and kissed her neck.
“I win,” he whispered into her ear with a purr. Pulling her against himself, he released his grip on her neck and closed his eyes as she relaxed into him.
“Cheater,” Sophie murmured.
Lucard smiled as his hand touched her hair. “You’ll improve, my dear. You are already much improved, and it has not been that long since you started these lessons. Most of my people aren’t stupid enough to attempt anything with you, though I am slowly weeding out certain ones that are apparently too mentally handicapped to grasp the concept that you are off limits.”
“I cannot be too careful, however,” Dracula said calmly. “I would prefer you to be… overly prepared.” His eyes gained a slight tint of yellow as his hand drifted down to touch her neck. “If anyone is going to be sinking fangs into your neck, my dear, it is going to be me.”
“So possessive, Alexander,” Sophie remarked into his suit coat and tilted her head to the side as his touch gently stroked her neck. She hummed softly with pleasure as his talons brushed across her skin with a tenderness that belied his true strength.
“If more harm would come you, my dear,” Alexander admitted quietly, “I am not sure what it would do for my control.”
Sophie reached up and clasped his hand as it rested against her neck and pressed closer into his embrace. Her one experience with a physical assault from someone other than a vampire had rattled her deeply. Dracula had torn the man to pieces with a ferocity she had not witnessed in him before that night, yet it was he that had held her until her weeping and trembling ceased. As much as she expected danger from vampires, no cross or holy water would protect her from humans. Lucard had set up for her to take private tutoring in martial arts, and after the lessons he had begun to teach her how to compensate for vampire speed and strength.
“I think Gustav would have an ulcer if he knew from whom I was talking self defense lessons,” Sophie said somberly as she stepped back from Alexander and picked up her gym bag.
“I think Helsing would disapprove of just about everything we do together, my Darling,” Alexander’s voice had a lighter tone of humor at the mention of his nemesis. “Who better to teach you of the evils that are out there waiting to run away with you than me?”
“The jury is still out deliberating on that one, I think,” Sophie smirked.
“My heart,” Dracula gasped, placing his hand over his heart, “It bleeds.”
“Liar,” Sophie replied. Her stomach interjected by growling noisily, much to her embarrassment.
“I should let you go shower and change,” Alexander chuckled. “We can continue this conversation over dinner. I took the liberty of making reservations for us downtown.”
Sophie met his eyes and smiled with a private look she shared with him alone and then turned to dash off towards the shower.
Alexander watched her go and recited,
I do not resemble your other lovers, my lady
should another give you a cloud
I give you rain
Should he give you a lantern, I
will give you the moon
Should he give you a branch
I will give you the trees
And if another gives you a ship
I shall give you the journey*.”
*Poem by Nizar Qabbani