Hellsing
The darkened hallways of Hellsing Manor echoed loudly with the sharp noise of Integra's boots. Her blonde hair fell in curls to her shoulders, one of the strands falling in front of her glasses. She tucked it behind her ear, light flashing off of one of the lenses. The guards at her door opened the huge oak door decorously, allowing the head director to enter her office. Her desk was organized into neatly stacked papers, the finicky appearance thrown a bit off by an ashtray with a still smoldering cigar. As the doors closed behind her, the British accent of Alucard drifted from the corner.
"You called, Integra?" His red coat stood out against the shadowed corner in which he stood.
"Yes, Alucard, I need to speak to you about the intern situation." She sighed, sitting decorously in her chair.
"Intern situation? We don't have interns here." Alucard walked to a chair at her desk.
"We had two interns last year, the funny thing being that nobody knows what happened to them." Integra glared at Alucard. "Except me."
Alucard grinned devilishly. "Of course, those two."
Integra opened her mouth to say something, but stopped herself. "That's besides the point. We only got one application this year." She handed the file over the desk.
Alucard flipped through, stopping at the picture. "It's a girl."
"Very observant of you." Integra shuffled a handful of papers into a file drawer.
"I already have Seras. That's more than enough." Alucard glared at her.
"Who said she was your responsibility?" Integra asked.
"You don't have to say it." Alucard informed her. Integra glanced at the file, grabbing it back and changing the subject.
"This girl, Charice- She's a weapons specialist. She also has an outstanding record."
"What for?" Alucard inquired.
"She's slain over a hundred midians across North America." Integra recited.
Alucard turned toward the door as it swung open, admitting one of the guards and a girl appearing to be about nineteen. Her shoes were combat boots with raised heels, lacing up the front of the red leather to her knees. Dark sunglasses rested halfway down her nose, showing her green eyes over the top of the lenses. Her hair was curled and pulled up in two pigtails high on her head, giving her the slight resemblance to a black haired go-go girl after a haircut. The tips of her hair were died electric blue, almost glowing in the dark. Her lips were accentuated by a dark burgundy, almost purple or black, lipstick, and her eyes were lined with black eyeliner. A red skirt fell to her knees, barely showing black fishnets when she walked. A black peasant blouse with long sleeves had a low cut neck, letting an ankh shaped amulet hang down to the base of her collarbone. Pushing her glasses to the top of her head, she flashed a brilliant smile at Integra.
"Director Hellsing?" She inquired, holding out a hand. "Pleased to meet you, ma'am."
Integra grasped the girl's hand in a firm handshake, returning the smile. "Miss Severance, we of Hellsing are glad to have your interest in our organization. This is Alucard. Alucard, Miss Severance."
Alucard bowed deeply, sweeping his hat down in a decorous manner. "A pleasure to meet you, Miss." He took her outstretched hand, planting a light kiss on the back of her hand. The slightest sign of a glare passed across her face, disappearing as quickly as it had appeared. Integra caught the expression, glancing at Alucard. Alucard had seen it, too, and let go of her hand.
"You were aware that this is a residential internship, correct?" Integra inquired. Charice nodded, pulling the briefcase in her hand up to her shoulder.
"My bags are outside, ma'am."
"Don't get too settled in, Miss Severance. You will be leaving on your first assignment tomorrow. You'll be working with Alucard and Seras Victoria." Integra paused. "Walter will show you to your room." Charice nodded, following the butler from the room. Alucard turned to Integra, one eyebrow raised. Integra shook her head, flipping through a stack of papers on her desk.
"Don't say anything yet; you'll see why I chose her soon enough."
The grandfather clock in the hallway struck out midnight, the final chime echoing in the almost empty shadows. The doorway to the library stood open, letting the light from a lamp inside into the hall. Walter turned in the armchair, wondering whom the footsteps he heard could belong to. Standing, he walked over to the door, looking down the corridor. Barely outlined in the shadows of the hallway, the young intern was walking slowly down the hall, softly singing what Walter recognized as a funeral song from France.
"What brings you to this hallway so late, Miss?" Walter inquired, startling her. The girl's hair was now down, falling to the middle of her back. She was wearing a navy blue robe that trailed behind her over a black pajama outfit with boot-like slippers.
"I'm sorry for any intrusion, sir," She replied, looking startled.
"No apology necessary, Miss." Walter looked the girl up and down subtly, taking in her unprofessional appearance. "Would you care for some tea? I was just about to have some in the library."
"This time of night?" She inquired, surprised.
Walter laughed. "My arthritis keeps me up sometimes, so I always have a pot ready to heat up in the kitchen."
Charice smiled in return, cheeks turning a light rose color. "I can never sleep unless I'm dead exhausted. I just keep running until my system crashes. Tea sounds absolutely wonderful, though. It might be just the thing to get me to sleep."
Charice was correct in guessing the tea would help her rest. The girl fell asleep in the chair after several hours of conversation with the butler, her eyes growing heavier by the minute until Walter looked up to see her nestled comfortably over the arms. He smiled at the sight, standing to put a blanket from the back of his chair over her when a shadow in the corner formed into Alucard, his usual attire present except for his hat.
"Ah, Alucard, I see you came just in time." The butler laid the blanket over the girl, returning to his chair with a comfortable sigh. Alucard stood at the window, looking out at the lands surrounding the Hellsing mansion.
"Integra fell asleep at her desk." The vampire answered Walter's unspoken question, smiling. "Usually she wakes up by now, but she was up until noon today. Though it seems that this new intern and our own Sir Hellsing had at least one preference in common."
"Yes, the girl dropped off almost as soon as she had her fifth cup. Mint seems to be very appealing to the restless side of all women, though why I'll never know." The butler laughed, voice tired even if he did not act it.
"Do you intend to leave her here?" Alucard turned, smiling as though he had just heard a wonderful joke. "The new recruit needs a full night's rest, after all."
"I'll carry her to her room, it's just down the hall." Walter stood, letting out a small sound of exertion as he bent to pick her up. Alucard stopped him, smiling.
"Integra won't appreciate it if you give yourself a heart attack." The vampire didn't bother to set down the blanket, drawing both coverlet and girl into his arms. She stiffened momentarily, as though sensing the nature of what carried her. Alucard noticed her reaction, the razor toothed grin splitting his face as he made his way to Charice's quarters. The vampire almost laughed at the sight of a stuffed cat with two head resting on the pillow, a rag doll of red and black, but kept his peace for the time being. Setting her on top of the sheets, the vampire noticed a partial glove on the girl's right hand. No fingers, no hem, just holes to allow her fingers and thumb to show.
"Odd fashions in this century-" Alucard remarked aloud as he began to fade into the shadows of the dimly lit room.
As soon as he had disappeared to his nightly wanderings of the mansion, Charice sat up sharply. Her breathing came heavily, as though she had just been running. Someone had been here, something dead, but now- The girl shook her head, brushing off the feeling. Hunting makes one paranoid, she told herself, laying back on the pillow and succumbing to her exhaustion.