Disclaimer: Characters created by Kohta Hirano, who is incidentally not me
a/n: Inspired by a Solid and Etc. piece of fan art. I did try to watch a performance of The Sleeping Beauty ballet as research for this fic, but got bored after about forty minutes. I could be uncultured, or it might have been that I'm not fond of Tchaikovsky. Rating for strong sensuality.
"The Violet Fairy"
Alucard watched Integra get dressed. It was a rare treat and, though she did nothing particularly scandalous, he found it extremely erotic. She moved through her bedroom as though he wasn't there. Quick, efficient movements, no second spared or wasted. Her hair was up in an improbable bun with much of it left to cascade down her back. Whisps of it framed her beautiful face and Alucard imagined it flowing through his fingers.
Integra finally acknowledged him as she pulled on an elegant dress. She held her hair out of the way and looked casually over a bare shoulder.
"Zip me," She ordered and Alucard was more than happy to oblige.
He zipped up the dress slowly and his eyes followed the closing teeth as the fabric ensconced her flesh. Perhaps later Integra would let him undress her. He thought of slowly kissing every inch of skin revealed as he unzipped the dress and felt the vulnerable edge of desire steal his useless breath. Alucard nuzzled the nape of her neck. She did not use perfume and was scented only by her sweet, natural essence.
Integra sighed softly as he drew her against his body. She tilted her head to the side. It was a wordless invitation that Alucard was all too eager to accept. He felt the odd mingling of masculine and vampiric lust as he trailed his lips along the side of her neck. Alucard wanted to take her in every sense of the word, but the ache of longing was just as exquisite. To be bedeviled by this woman and the secrets of her body was so much greater than any sexual or monstrous conquest. Her small moan of pleasure as he lightly nipped at the juncture where her neck met her shoulder was all the reward he could possibly want from her.
"Enough," Integra breathed. "We're leaving in an hour."
"Forgive me, my master," Alucard murmured against the shell of her ear. "I am merely preparing for my role as your loving husband."
Integra gasped softly and pulled away. She turned on him with blazing eyes and an annoyed expression.
"It's merely a formality," Integra huffed. "Were it not for its improbability, I'd have us posed as brother and sister."
"Of course," Alucard grinned, not believing her for one second.
Integra scoffed softly, but she smiled nonetheless. "Go get changed, Alucard. I'll not be late because of your foolishness."
xxx
There were stories of a vampire hiding within a Russian ballet troupe. Hellsing had been quietly keeping tabs for months, investigating and waiting for the suspected Midian to fall within their grasp. Working outside England was always difficult, especially with the Orthodox Church. While not as adversarial as the Catholics, they were highly disturbed by Hellsing's utilization of a vampire assassin.
When the troupe arrived in London to perform The Sleeping Beauty at the Old Vic, Integra had wasted no time securing tickets for Alucard and herself. The performance run was at a woefully brief couple of weeks and time was of the essence. Alucard would be able to confirm the vampire's existence with much more expedience than her network of investigators.
As the day approached, Integra became increasingly unsettled. The vampire had never gone on rampages and its body count was alleged to be comparatively lower than even the average Midian. She did not feel guilty about the imposition of their will upon this creature. The Organization's duty was to exterminate vampires, for even one victim was simply too many. Yet she almost felt sympathy for this vampire that seemed to work so hard at remaining under the radar. They would die horribly by Alucard's hand merely for not being quite cautious enough.
Missions like these often sowed the seed of doubt, if only for a moment.
xxx
"What do you think, Alucard?" Integra asked.
They stood in the theatre's lobby, she in black and he in a charcoal grey suit. Alucard held her coat, and looked every bit the exotic count that he was. His bearing was even a bit haughty. Secretly, Integra enjoyed being seen in public with him. He was a beautiful man, vampire or no, and he only had eyes for her.
"There's a vampire here," Alucard shrugged simply. "A female, not terribly old. Perhaps half a century dead."
"I see," Integra murmured.
"Something troubles you," Alucard stated quietly. It was not a question. There were rarely questions between them. He knew the secrets of her mind and the very depth of her heart. Once it had bothered her, but she found it comforting now.
"Why do you hunt your own kind?" Integra inquired.
Alucard chuckled. "These dead children are hardly my kind, dear lady."
Integra glared it him and made a dismissive hand gesture. "I'm serious."
"So am I," Alucard scoffed arrogantly. "I've nothing in common with these creatures aside from a shared diet."
Integra stared at this puzzle box of man and monster. She had no doubt in his assertions. He was a No Life King, a dark god among these mewling newborns. Integra shivered. Alucard had never truly frightened her, but sometimes she found him disconcerting. He could be so alien in thought and motive.
"They're starting to seat patrons," Alucard observed.
"Hm," Integra intoned.
As they walked forward, one of Alucard's hands settled on the small of her back. She noticed it was barely more the brush of his fingertips and despite everything, Integra couldn't suppress a pleased smile.
xxx
Alucard was actually enjoying the performance. The drama of Tchaikovsky's composition had always moved him. It stirred his emotions almost as much as the woman by his side. He was quite taken with the privacy of their box seating. In the darkness, high above the patrons' heads, he could seduce her. Though it wasn't on the forefront of the evening's plans, Alucard greatly fancied the concept of bringing her to climax as such heady music unfolded around them.
A lovely thought, but he supposed he needed to focus on his quarry. The Lilac Fairy. How very amusing. He'd have figured the vampire to be Carabosse. Perhaps he'd been hanging around humans for much too long and had grown accustomed to making gross assumptions. She was a pretty thing, small, lithe, and graceful. Alucard was not impressed. He saw her as little more than a prop, a twirling doll among her human superiors.
Integra peered through opera glasses. She watched the ballet with a peculiarly somber expression. His master was often far too serious for her age, but she was usually a bit more relaxed when they were alone. Alucard was tempted to seduce Integra just to get a proper rise out of her. He wanted to drag her into his lap, hike up her dress, and slowly stroke her to glorious release. Perhaps she'd be a bit more vocal, emboldened by the orcastra's bombast.
"It's The Violet Fairy, isn't it?" Integra asked. The sound of her voice impinged on his erotic daydream, but did not lessen his passion.
"An excellent eye, my master," Alucard remarked as he leaned closer to her, unable to resist the desire to feel her body heat and scent her skin.
"It's almost a shame you'll have to kill her," Integra sighed. Her tone was not quite rueful.
"Oho," Alucard chuckled. "Do you feel sympathy for that creature?"
"No," Integra shook her head. "You must admit, she does dance beautifully."
"I'll admit no such thing," Alucard scoffed as he took her hand. "You asked me why I kill my own kind, That-" He gestured to the dervish on stage-"is why. Of course she dances beautifully. She's a vampire. Those humans all around her are much more admirable. They have conditioned and tortured their bodies. This Violet Fairy does not tire or experience physical strain. Her reflexes have nothing to do with discipline. That is why I will kill her happily. She is making a mockery of this fine art of human ingenuity and perseverance."
Integra stared at him, her opera glasses long since forgotten in her lap. Her former seriousness was gone and she appeared overcome with emotion. Alucard brought her hand to his mouth and kissed it chastely.
"So now tell me, Miss Integra, what are my orders?"
His master invaded his space and brushed her lips along the side of his face. The feel of her hot breath fanning his skin gave him a pleasant thrill.
"Exterminate her, Alucard," Integra breathed.
Alucard laughed and stole a taste of her mouth.
"With the greatest of pleasure, my master," Alucard whispered against her lips.
xxx
The Violet Fairy was hunting.
She felt anxious. There was a tension in the air that promised violence and pain. Perhaps she was affected by the stories she'd heard about England. On the rare occasion she'd run across one of her own, they would whisper about a vampire of unimaginable power that hunted them by order of a mortal. The Violet Fairy had never taken much stock in the rumours. They spoke of heretical Catholic assassins, too. It seemed all too perfectly absurd.
And yet she fretted. The Violet Fairy moved faster, weaving gracefully through the scanty late night throngs of humans. Her small feet barely touched the ground as panic seized her and she began to run. Though hunger gnawed at her, she wanted to escape to her small hotel room until this awful dread passed.
She spared a glance behind her and then she saw him. The Violet Fairy stopped dead as she turned to stare in mounting terror. He moved confidently and looked completely nonchalant. This handsome, dark man radiated menace like the sweetest perfume. A part of her wanted to run toward him with open arms.
"No," The Violet Fairy hissed.
She whirled around and began to run as fast as she could. The Violet Fairy was fast and agile. She headed toward the nearest underground station but even as her salvation quickly approached, she felt a moment of doubt. It wouldn't do to be trapped. Instead she ran toward a crowd of people outside a dance club. She moved through the back of the line and turned down an alley.
The Violet Fairy was met with a dead end. She thought fast and began to climb the chain link fence.
"Will you run forever?" A voice asked from behind her.
She lost footing as the shadows in the ally lengthened and became black as pitch. The Violet Fairy screamed as she fell to the pavement below. Sound was muffled, as though she were under water. He stood over her, a man in a red leather duster and black suit. His hair writhed as though ruffled by an unseen wind and garnet eyes bored into hers. They held an unearthly glow. Here was a monster, a vampire of the likes she'd never seen.
"What will you do?" He queried with quiet amusement.
"What are my choices?" She countered breathily, clinging to the hope that she may be able to leave this island alive.
"Fight or be slaughtered like a bleating lamb," He said with a shrug. His tone was almost pleasant, as though he were remarking on the weather.
"Who are you?"
"A servant. So what's your decision?"
Her eyes went wide with horror. Was it true? Could this man be the legendary vampire assassin Alucard? He grinned and nodded at her unvoiced question.
"Please," She pleaded. "I mean no harm! We'll be moving on in a few weeks!"
He sighed as he pulled a gigantic gun from the recesses of his coat. For the first time, he looked somewhat sad. No...not sad. Disappointed. He raised his weapon and aimed it at her face.
"You're not going to fight, are you?"
"Wait-" The Violet Fairy gasped, and he pulled the trigger.
Finis.