"I told you never to read my mind, Alucard." It is early evening and Integra Hellsing is sitting on the desk in her study room previously owned by her father. She glared at the vampire languidly sprawled in the sofa near the fire place like a contented cat. She was going through the chapter of a lesson in algebra discussed to her that morning by one of her private tutors which left her rather a bit muddled. She didn't sleep well the night before as pictures of people with their organs inside out attached in the report given to her yesterday kept flashing in her mind. Her lack of sleep affected her concentration as she did her best to pay attention to what her tutor have to discuss. Arthur Hellsing made a thorough job in his will before he coughed his last and died, He arranged for Integra to have private tutors to attend to her intellectual education in other matters she ought to have knowledge with aside from exterminating midians wherein he himself educated her as well and as much as he could before his death.
"Do you need help with that particular lesson master?, linear equations are nothing but basics in that course. Equations will get complicated as you progress on." Said a voice inside her head, interrupting her reverie.
"And what do you know about Algebra Alucard?" she eyed the vampire coldly, In which the ancient vampire nonchalantly replied: "Everything you need to know, Master."
She looked at his face, pale as alabaster, the light from the fireplace giving off a subtle shimmer in his aquiline features, She did not bother to conceal her thoughts because Integra knows that the vampire knew she finds him handsome ever since she first saw him; white haired and emaciated he may be at that time.
"There was a time in my long life wherein I fancied myself an intellectual and lived the life of a scholar and occupied myself with books in the nights of that life, not to mention I have preternatural abilities that allow me to grasp and comprehend ideas in an unprecedented rate among you humans." He finished off with a smirk.
"I am going to tell this to you once again Alucard; Leave my mind and thoughts alone. I am telling an order and since I am master here, you better obey what I say servant."
"I did not read your mind master, I simply observed the way you look at your notes and assumed." He reasoned grinning.
Sleep-deprived and irritable, she went back to her studies before she loose her temper. Why did she let the vampire to come to her study room this night at the first place? She bowed down on her notebook read the formulas, the letters starting to blur together as sleep slowly starts to creep on her being. It's been a long day and she is tired, She drowsily did a mental run-down of her activities this day; she woke up at half-past seven that morning for target practice, Listened to Mr. Langley's Algebra and World History with Mr. Dawson after. She trained in fencing early in the afternoon until Walter served tea and was assaulted with written reports for military supplies and the like the moment she glance over her study table simple yet tedious paperwork which left her chained in her desk as she read the documents and affixed her signature where it is needed until dinner. She watched some news in the television after, before going back to her study room.
there was a slight tingle in her right arm as she felt a sudden sensation of tension in the air a few inches behind her, her servant within a split second was suddenly behind her.
"You'll run yourself out at this rate Master; your lessons will make a lot more sense after a good night's sleep." The vampire said almost soothingly to her in a low voice.
She turned to look at him with bleary eyes, and replied "there are still a lot of things to be done tomorrow Alucard"
"Don't be too hard on yourself Master, you work hard enough as it is, besides; growing girls like you need their sleep."
"I am grown-up." She angrily replied, as she looked up and glowered at the vampire.
"Of course you are master." The vampire answered indulgently, a hint of amusement in his voice.
I am tired, I could use some eight hours' sleep this night I know it and He does also. She thought of her bedroom, smelling of vanilla and marshmallows, a smell wafted by the fragrance diffuser which Walter had put on top of her armoire last week, a curious thing with a little jar like receptacle filled with oil on top of a figurine like small candle-holder. The smell was warm and comforting reminding her of evenings spent with her father not long ago in the same study room when she was much younger. Integra would be sitting near the fire place sipping hot chocolate other times she may be lying on the rug in her belly reading a book with her chin propped by her hand or simply watch the fire while her father does paperwork. They would occasionally look at each other and exchange smiles, the atmosphere quiet with comfortable silence. Just recently, at nights when she is in her bed and aided by that scent she allow herself the comfort of nostalgia until wistful memories of happier days lull her to sleep.
She is tired and drowsy and in this state, she allowed herself to wish to have the same feeling of comfort, as silly as it might be since the source of those things are now gone now that her father is dead. She is in the same study room but instead of her father in his place is a vampire dressed as if a some character straight out of a 19th century period drama, not that a comparison is called for. Alucard is a vampire, her servant; servitude bound by blood to her family, more than a century ago when her great grandfather defeated him and enslaving him to his family. Her father is her father.
But she said nothing as he moved from the spot where he stood for several minutes closed her exercise books and lecture notes stacked them in a neat pile in her desk and allowed him picked her up in his arms as he carried her to her room. She leaned her head in his chest as they ascend the stairs with her in his arms. She was mildly alarmed by the thought of being seen like this by one of the maids.
"You need not worry; they're at the laundry room at the east wing at the moment folding the curtains and linens." He assured her.
Sleep is the only thing that's in her mind at this moment. She thanked heavens for having thought of the idea of having a nice hot shower after her fencing lessons late this afternoon and being able to brush her teeth and change in her pyjamas immediately after having dinner before continuing with her paperwork and algebra.
They reached her room shortly with her only half-awake in his arms. She felt the two of them enter, smelling the welcoming scent of vanilla and marshmallows; she idly wondered how the vampire thinks of this smell.
She would have to think of a way for him not to read her mind when he felt like it. She didn't bother to hide this last thought of her to him at all, great-grandfather's books might help me with this, she thought idly. Tomorrow, she told herself, tomorrow. She felt her mattress sink a little under her weight as he laid her in her bed, heard him whisper: "Good night, Master", and cracked open an eye to see just in time to see the vampire disappear through a wall before letting sleep spin a web on her mind and body.