Blood Lust (Vampire!Steve Rogers AU) 18+

6

Steve walked into his study, saw the angry looking red head standing there, and immediately turned to walk right back out again. He could really do without this today.

"Are you out of your fucking mind?" Natasha Romanoff practically exploded as he stopped in the doorway and then decided that he would stay after all. "A human woman! Living here!"

"You know, your observational skills are on top form". The words were laced with sarcasm, and he closed the door, turning back to her.

"Don't mock me Steve - what the fuck? Bucky gets back and he reeks of human, then tells me about the girl you've practically adopted".

Steve inhaled calmly. "For the last time, she's not a pet, she's here because she has nowhere else to go. I'm sure that Bucky told you that part". So much for his best friend keeping his mouth shut, then again Nat would've prised the information from him using certain techniques. She was Steve's number one spy after all.

"So what are you gonna do? Turn her? Because keeping her here and how she is, is basically grounds for others out there with bad intentions to come knocking - do you really wanna risk that kind of exposure?"

"Evangeline stays as she is". Steve now snapped. "And you can stop questioning me before I do something I don't wanna, Romanoff". The anger was rising. Usually he was able to keep his cool when Natasha challenged him, most of the time he would welcome her opinions - but this topic? No. Not a damn chance.

Nat just stared at him and then sighed, shoulders dropping in defeat. "Well, whatever your intentions, you can't marry a human, you can't breed with them either".

"You really think I've kept her here to fuck her?" Ok, now he was offended. "Thanks for thinking so highly of me".

"Why else would you? If anything happens to you then all of us are screwed. You know that. Is it some kind of an experiment?".

Now he was pissed. This conversation had gone too far. "Of course it's not! I'm not stupid enough to put her at risk!".

"But you are, and us too! Just by keeping her here".

"Then let me fucking deal with it!". Within a second he had her by the neck, eyes red. "Don't cross that line..."

She didn't struggle, she just smirked at him. "You can't exactly choke me when I'm technically already dead".

"No, but I could break your neck with one quick snap". He released her, Nat dropping to the ground skilfully. "As I said to Buck, this stays within our circle. I find that anyone has been running their mouth then it's not gonna be pretty".

Nat looked at him. "Can I meet her?"

"No".

"Why not? I'm making the effort to try and understand just why she's here and why you made the decision. Can't I at least say hi?"

He shook his head. "Not yet. She's been here and day and I'm not having you or the others hound her. She's not even got her head around everything that's happened. Once it's sunk in, then maybe I'll let you meet her".

Nat huffed but accepted this. "Fine. I'll make sure that Bucky keeps his mouth shut as well as Sam".

"Thank you".

"Doesn't mean to say that I like this though, Tony will probably have something to say about it as well".

"Stark can say what he likes, but it's not like I'm gonna listen. He doesn't make the rules, I do" His look to her was cold. Then again so was he.

There was silence that seemed to be ever lasting, but eventually Nat gave a stiff nod and left - her head whipping round towards the library as she heard Evangeline's presence moving around. As much as she had the urge to just burst in and see the human for herself, she knew that Steve would stop her before she so much as took a step. Instead she simply headed for the front door and was gone.

He'd watched her from the study doorway and was thankful that his friend had chosen to actually listen. It wasn't that he didn't want her or the others around Eva, but it was more the fact that there was a risk of them scaring her into running. That was a more dangerous option than living there.

Her heart beat was loud in his ear, thumping away at a calm pace. He wouldn't bother her today, she could explore if she wanted to but he wanted her to just ease herself into the situation in her own way.

Thump...

Thump...

Thump...

Where he had been so pent up with annoyance at Nat's words, Steve was able to calm himself listening to the beat of Evangeline's heart. He closed his eyes and concentrated on it, feeling the anger he'd felt melt away from him like water running down a drain.

Sleep. That was what he needed - an hour or two to recharge. It had been a long night, and after Natasha's unexpected visit, some solace would be welcome.