“Oh stop your teasing Doctor Banner, vampires don’t exist....” Bruce hummed softly, that what he had said years ago, before that faithful night in India. He had been bitten by a vampire and suddenly he didn’t just fear the hulk. He was always a dangerous person to be around. He could never escape that. It had been a stroke of luck that tony was so accepting and willing to help. It was through a steady supply of blood donations that managed to keep his bloodlust in check and he stayed healthy. But now everything was falling apart. The newest doctor from wakanda had just sliced her hand open on a scalpel and the smell was driving Bruce crazy. Maybe if he hadn’t been so attracted to Zena her blood wouldn’t be so....tempting.
The woman was strong and stood at 5’9” only a half inch shorter than him. She was smart, almost smarter than he was, she claimed she was at the same level but Bruce was sure she was just being humble. Her age was a little on the young side, at 23 years old there was 23 years between them. Bruce had felt a little strange about his affections at first, but after catching the young woman singing in the lab, a catchy little tune he had deciphered was called “twice my age” the instant he had heard the first line he had felt more confident about his affections. He had become steadily more forward when speaking to the other scientist and she had easily returned the flirts and sly comments.
Today he had startled her though, she had been working away when he had come up behind her and murmured to her.
“What are you working on?” The young woman had yelped in shock and jumped away, slicing her hand on accident. Bruce had scrambled back quickly his eyes wide and fixed in the blood leaving the woman’s body. At her inquisitive look he had hesitantly choked out.
“What do you know about vampires Zena?”
“Oh stop your teasing Doctor Banner, vampires don’t exist....” Bruce hummed softly and closed his eyes tightly, when they opened they weren’t the bright green Zena had been expecting from his behaviour but a dull red.
“Bruce....are you okay? Your eyes.....they....” Bruce chuckled softly, once he had let out the vampire side the tension he had felt melted away and a smooth calm spread over him, he looked up and flashed a cheeky grin, Zena gasped softly at the fangs she could see glinting dangerously.
“I know what they are doing Zena....still believe vampires don’t exist?” Zena looked bewildered at the idea this man was a mythological creature who fed on blood. Blood oh wait. She was bleeding, was that what had drawn Bruce out like this? With an easy smirk Bruce advanced slowly.
“I would apologize for this. I wanted to tell you differently. But your blood...it’s...it’s tempting, I even fed earlier today, I shouldn’t need to again for a while...but your blood is so incredibly tempting. And I don’t think I can stop this.” Zena shivered a bit, by the time Bruce had finished speaking there was a strange mist filling the lab and the man was almost uncomfortably close.
“If you wouldn’t mind....can I see your hand? If you say no I’ll leave, I won’t bother you with this side of me again....” Zena quickly started thinking of the pros and cons of this. Sure she was just going off those silly stories she had heard as a child but she quickly decided she was okay with this. With her hand slightly shaking she raised it up to the other doctor, who seemed delighted that she had agreed.
With a small, comforting smile he lifted the cut to his mouth and almost immediately groaned. Zena bit her lip at the sound, it was almost seductive and she had to clear her throat to avoid her own groan. Her eyes widened and she let out a small huff when she felt Bruce lick the cut. She could feel him smirking against her palm and she wanted to cuff him about the head. It was only a few minutes before Bruce lifted his head from his feeding. His eyes were now a brighter red and the mist filling the lab was much thicker. When he spoke his voice was smooth and a little deeper than usual.
“Thank you Zena.... I don’t know many women who would just let me feed off them like that.” Zena smiled a little and nodded. She brought her once bleeding hand up and examined it before laughing.
“Hey, you get what you wanted and I stopped bleeding. It’s a win win....” Bruce chuckled a bit and blinked again, his eyes returning to their soft brown colour and the mist almost immediately vanished.
“Would you tell me more about.....well more about vampires?” Bruce hesitated, the few people he had told he was a vampire had either pestered him with annoying questions or declared him a monster and told him to leave. He had to trust Zena though, the idea that she’d hate him for this was terrifying to him but he would do almost anything for her.
“Well, I haven’t met that many others so I can only tell you my own experience. But, I need to feed every few days, the less I feed the grumpier I get and eventually I’ll hulk out...that isn’t pretty because my bloodlust will carry over, so either I feed carefully or hulk pops out and tries to feed. From what I’ve seen when I’ve bitten people I’ve got....er...aphrodisiac properties to my bite...and I’m pretty sure my saliva helps heal the bite marks...or anything that’s bleeding.” Zena suddenly looked intrigued Bruce was a little nervous, he had also been at the end of a few people’s sick fascination about vampires. He was hoping Zena would suddenly want to dissect him to figure out about his anatomy. When Zena spoke his relief and slight shock was almost tangible.
“Do you think I could get a sample of your saliva? I’d like to study the healing properties.....secretly of course. I wouldn’t want to give away the fact you’re a vampire. I don’t want to put my favourite scientist in danger.” Bruce smiled just a little and scoffed playfully, bantering lightly with Zena while he thought about her request.
“Oh everyone knows you’re your favourite scientist” Zena laughed and nodded in agreement, Bruce took the moment to watch the way the woman’s dark skin caught the light, maybe it was just his heart eye goggles but he couldn’t help but think it made her glow.
“I suppose you can use my saliva...just, be careful okay? I don’t know how someone is changed into a vampire, I just know it happens through a bite and tony was okay when I bit him but like I said I don’t know what causes a change an-“
“Hold on.....you bit tony? Didn’t you say it’s an aphrodisiac?” Immediately Bruce’s mouth snapped shut. It had been during a weak moment when he had bitten his fellow scientist. The reactions were....interesting for them both to say the least, bough Bruce couldn’t remember much of the incident.
“Uh...yeah...I bit him once.... I know what you’re thinking.... it was an accident, it kinda just...kinda just happened, he was the one who reacted, I was too hungry to pay attention.” Zena nodded slowly, the image of Bruce and Tony together in a romantic sense and Bruce using his bite was something she would unashamedly admit was hot. With a small hum the dark skinned woman voiced something else.
“Would you bite me?” Bruce looked shocked and immediately started sputtering like crazy. A dark red blush bloomed on his cheeks and he looks down trying to avoid looking at Zena.
“Ze...are you sure about that? I don’t....I don’t want to make you uncomfortable....” Zena smirked a little and moved to sit in her chair by her work space, still keeping her smirk up she tilted her head to the side baring her neck almost in offering, her eyes fixed on Bruce with a slightly challenging look.
“Go ahead Bruce....if my blood was that tempting to you I really don’t mind it...besides, I’m curious about how it feels. Remember we scientists have to test everything. I’ll take notes later, then it’ll be for science ” Bruce swallowed thickly and watched Zena fidgeting slightly, in the back of his mind he could appreciate the joke Zena had attempted.
He didn’t notice his eyes were starting to change back to red, he did however notice his fangs were now pressing against his bottom lip. He could feel the confidence that usually accompanied a vamparic change. With a small smile he took a few steps towards Zena and watched as the wakandan woman shivered a bit, he knew he was sending out hormones that would keep Zena calm though the feeding, a bit of a safety precaution for both Bruce and whomever he was feeding off of. If the person squirmed too much Bruce might miss his target and inflict more damage than he could heal, and not only would that be unfortunate for the victim it would eventually come back and bite Bruce in the ass.
“Okay...already liking this...you’re very confident all of a sudden Bruce....”. Bruce chuckled softly and moved behind the chair Zena was sitting on. With gentle fingers he brushed the woman’s hair away from her neck.
“It’s part of a change...I gain a good amount of confidence, strength, speed, my other senses go through the roof.....for instance, I can hear your heart rate spiking....and I can smell how much you’re enjoying this.” Zena chuckled a bit, her breath light and airy.
“Hey, I can’t help it. Cute adorable doctor suddenly turning into a sexy, confident one? I can’t help that it’s hot either wa-AH!” While Zena was speaking Bruce had been choosing where he wanted to bite. After a moments deliberation he chose the juncture between her shoulder and neck. He listened to her for a moment longer before gently biting being careful not to bite too close to the shoulder for fear of hitting bone, but also being careful not to get too close to the vulnerable skin of her throat, just as worried about hitting the jugular vein. Almost instantly the doctor let out a groan. The slight taste of Zena’s blood he had gotten before was nothing compared to it now.
Zena had tensed at first, the sharp pain of Bruce’s fangs biting into her was more shocking than it was painful if she was going to be honest, the pain that was there was already rapidly fading into a pleasurable feeling that was spreading from the bite and through the rest of her body. She couldn’t help the gasp that escaped her , followed by the slight whine. She had never really been a needy person during a sexual encounter, but the feeling Bruce was causing was making her resolve weak, she had to bite her lip to stop herself from making anymore embarrassing noises.
When Bruce paused for a second Zena figured he was done and let out a small noise of protest. The doctor didn’t remove his fangs like Zena had suspected however, instead he simply chuckled softly and bit down a little harder. Zena let herself fall into the feeling not caring to censor the words and nosies she could hear passing her own lips. It wasn’t until she started feeling drowsy that she realized that things had gone a little too far. With a breathy voice she reached up with a hand to touch Bruce’s cheek.
“Bruce....mnandi..I’m getting tired....” immediately Bruce removed his fangs from Zena and was kneeling in front of her looking worried. Zena sighed softly and closed her eyes, she could faintly hear Bruce demanding she open her eyes and look at him simultaneously he was gently shaking her, touching her cheeks, or brushing hair from her face. Anything to try and get her to look at him. It was another few minutes before Bruce let out a sad mournful sound and leaned up a little to kiss Zena’s forehead and murmur softly.
“I’m sorry darling. I took too much.” Zena just chuckled softly when the words finally registered.
“I was only too eager to allow you to continue. Don’t blame yourself doctor....and I must admit, that was...interesting, and I’m more than interested in doing it again....” Bruce faltered a little before he chuckled and shook his head, of course Zena wanted to do that again. She liked risks, she took them in the lab and with dates all the time. She never seemed to get the ass end of things so Bruce figured as long as she knew her limits he wouldn’t stop her.
“As long as you give yourself a while to heal, I won’t even come near you with fangs until I know you’re better.” Zena smiles softly and finally opened her eyes again, the black irises glinted playfully in the lights of the lab and Bruce almost immediately raised a brow in response.
“Maybe I’ll just get a paper cut then....I could drop another scalpel....” Bruce huffed softly in amusement and shook his head.
“Please Zena....for me? Just....wait a while before you go tempting me again...” Zena looked slightly amused before she nodded a little.
“I’ll wait then....but only if you’ll let me pick your brains while I’m waiting.” Bruce hummed softly and stood, with a strength Zena didn’t know he possessed he easily hoisted her into his arms. Immediately the wakandan woman pressed her face to his neck and murmured.
“You’re cuddly.....” Bruce snored softly and murmured back.
“One, you’re suffering from blood loss. You don’t know what you’re saying. And two. If it keeps you from getting paper cuts just to get me to feed again I’ll answer any questions you have.” Zena brightened immediately and pulled back just enough to beam happily at Bruce.
“Thank you, I promise I won’t tell anyone what we talk about. Not even Zaire.” Bruce sent Zena a surprised look, Zaire was her twin brother and the two rarely kept secrets. Bruce smiles softly before he started walking to Zena’s bedroom. Upon their arrival he carefully shifted her in his arms so he could open her door. When she was set down on the made a small noise of protest.
“Hush darling, I’m staying to answer questions but you’re still going to have to rest.” Zena pouted a little but nodded and got herself comfortable under the covers.
“So, first question. How long have you been a vampire? There’s an age gap already but if you’re like...thousands of years old I might have to be concerned.” Bruce looked a little amused at her declaration before he also settled himself down and started speaking.
“It was just a little while ago. When I was in Calcutta. I’m not a thousand year old vampire or anything drastic like that. Don’t worry.”
“Okay, that’s good, 23 years I can handle 100 or more is a little odder. Um.....okay.. what does blood taste like to you?”
“Uh...well, it depends on the person.. for example the bagged blood often just tastes like plastic and freezer burn. Tony I don’t remember, like I said I was too hungry to think about it. And you....you tasted like chocolate and coffee.” Zena barked out a laugh and nodded.
“Seems about right, with how much coffee we both drink I’m surprised we even bleed blood at this point...oh wait...do you even bleed?” Bruce was surprised at how easily the conversation was flowing. He had expected Zena to be scared of him, or at least hesitant with her questions. And he had expected himself to holdback on his answers. Instead everything he didn’t find himself worried at all and happily sharing the information.
“Yes I bleed. I can ingest “human food” but I need blood to stay sane and alive.” Zena nodded slowly, digesting the information Bruce was giving her.
“Can you shapeshift like the myths say? I know Hulk is obvious but what about the other vampire forms?”
“Yes, I can change. Three main forms, mist, a wolf and a bat. It’s kinda just happens sometimes. Like just now in the lab. When I’m feeling particularly hungry or feeling strong emotions I seem to accidentally half change. The mist makes it easier to keep someone from running off y’know? If I scare them or something....I haven’t really used the other two aside from the first little while when I was getting used to everything.” Bruce cleared his throat and sighed he knew it was a little strange for someone to talk about this and he was honesty still surprised Zena hadn’t left or called him crazy.
“And what about hypnosis? Can you do that to?” Bruce smirked just a little and looked at Zena, his eyes held a strange gleam to them.
“How else do you think I get Tony to leave me alone? I use it if someone sees me drinking blood. Nat has walked in once...she doesn’t remember now, it’s probably the ability that I like the best. People would do whatever I say, it’s nice to have them leave me alone when I need it.” Zena smiles a little and nodded at the explanation. She knew how tiring it could be to have to put up with too many people at one time and she suddenly found herself wishing she could hypnotize people to leave her alone. The wakandan woman was thinking something over when she suddenly looked half interested half horrified.
“Hey....a few weeks ago when you had fruit punch in the lab...was it actually fruit punch?” Bruce chuckled softly and shook his head, he had refused to share his drink and Zena had been pouty about it the whole day, she was glad now that Bruce had denied her. She didn’t think she would have the stomach to handle that news.
“Well, that explains a lot...hey, wait...you can go in the sun right? I’ve seen you spend days in the lab but you still go outside sometimes.” Bruce chuckles softly and nodded.
“Yes, I can go out in the sunlight, it does bother me though. It feels warmer than it should. The winter months are better but the summer months can be unbearable....” Zena nodded slowly as she listened, already her mind racing to figure out a way to help Bruce with the discomfort from the sun. Her affections for the man made her want to do her best to make him feel comfortable. Speaking of comfortable, the dark skinned scientist was suddenly struck with a terrible thought.
“oh my gosh...Bruce can yo-“ with a slightly panicky look Zena swallowed thickly and looked up at Bruce.
“Can you smell when I’m....y’know?” Zena swallowed again and whispered.
“When I’m on my monthly.... What about the other women??” Bruce inhaled in shock at her question and started coughing. with a slightly hesitant look Bruce nodded, Zena’s face immediately went paler than Bruce had ever seen it go, he was worried for a moment that she might pass out.
“Oh god....so that’s why you avoid me. Not because I turn into a rage monster.” Bruce smiled softly and shrugged. He could handle the anger and mood swings, but the smell of blood, her blood. No matter where it was coming from. Was a little too tempting for him to just ignore.
“Yeah...that’s why I avoid you. I can handle rage. But I can’t handle the smell of blood for a week on end. It’s hard to avoid the desire to feed.” As soon as Bruce said those words he regretted them. Zena’s whole face lit up and a devious smirk made its way across her face.
“I think I can think of a solution for both our problems during that particular time of the month.” Bruce didn’t know if Zena was joking or not but he couldn’t answer either way, her words caused the older man to stutter and squirm in place, he suddenly found himself wanting to be anywhere but here. Zena laughed softly and leaned forward to kiss his cheek.
“I’m sorry for teasing, I couldn’t help it. It’s just....you’re too easy to fluster and you’re cute when you’re flustered.” Rude sighed a bit and shook his head, a fond smile making its way across his face.
“God how I love you. You’re amazing.” As son as the words left his mouth Bruce froze and glanced at Zena nervously. His relief when a soft smile broke out on Zena’s face was palpable.
“It took you long enough Dracula....I love you to.” Bruce looked a little amused at Zena’s use of the well known vampire as a nickname.
“Well.....this has been a turn of events I didn’t think would happen......and all without vampire courage.” Zena laughed softly and yawned, while she had been joking and talking with Bruce her blood loss had been catching up to her. And now she could barely keep her heavy eyes open.
“You flirt enough without the vampire courage. It just took a little more to say your real feelings I guess.”
“I guess you’re right...I’m glad I said it.... now I’ve kept you up far too long with this question and answer period. It’s time for you to nap.” Zena pouted a little and opened her mouth to argue, she wanted to know more about Bruce’s vampirism and she had just found out he loved her as well, she wasn’t quite ready to sleep. Bruce raised a brow, his expression suddenly becoming stern.
“Don’t make me hypnotize you Zena, you need to sleep. Please?” Zena sighed a little but nodded and snuggled herself under the covers.
“Fine, fine! But I expect you to stick around count Banner. I think a wolf man is hiding under my bed and I’d like a vampire’s protection for the night.” Bruce smiled softly and nodded, he murmured his agreement to her terms before he kicked off his shoes and got under the covers beside Zena.
The doctor was settling down, feeling oddly content with the world when he was suddenly attacked by the small hand of his fellow scientist. She quickly pulled off his lab coat and the sweater he was wearing underneath before she was hugging him tightly.
“There, now we can both be comfortable. I’m sorry I couldn’t offer you any earth from the land you originated from. I hope this will be good enough.” Bruce chuckled softly and wrapped his arms around Zena before he lovingly kissed the top of her head.
“As long as this ‘ol vampire is with you anything will be enough.”
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