Author's Note: So wow. It's been uh... about 4 years since I last posted something. I'm sure there are quite a few people very upset that I never finished Into the Dark. Apologies for that; I had quite a bit going on in my life, and to be honest, my interest in finishing it waned.
I'm back with a new short story - This one in the Hellsing fandom. What can I say, I like writing about vampires.
This is going to be a two-parter examining the thoughts of a 16 year old Integra. In this story, I portrayed her as bisexual, which has sort of always been my head canon for her. I mainly wrote this as practice and for my own amusement, really. I'm very rusty at writing.
Anyway, if you enjoy, please leave a review!
The Spider and The Fly
Part One: A Semblance of Normalty
Integral Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing had never lived a normal life.
Even in the youngest days of her childhood, when all the other kids gathered in study groups at Sunday School, Integra knew she was not meant for their world. She stood apart from it, cold blue eyes harshly judging from somewhere distant. The other kids swiftly spread rumors about her, boldly claiming that she was the Evil Ice Queen of lore, that her family dabbled in dark magick, and her soul was a bargaining chip for the devil himself. They were only partially right. She didn't consider herself evil. Simply... necessary.
And then her father died.
It all happened so very fast. An uncle's betrayal, her own blood split on a cold dungeon floor, the movement of a white-haired corpse, and brutality delivered so fast, her mind could hardly register what was taking place. The gun had weighed heavily in her hands, and its recoil reverberated through her arms down into the pits of her stomach. Droplets of red sprinkled onto her large round glasses, and she found herself focusing on them, on their steady path down the surface.
Somewhere beyond that veil, an unfaithful uncle clutched futilely at his chest and fell to the floor.
To her right, HE was staring at her. Her eyes turned from the blood on her glasses to the red pools of his irises. It would be unfair to say the vampire's eyes were exactly the shade of the gory rivers currently gathering between cracks in stone. No, his eyes glowed with fire, violent orange and red like a sea of blood set alight in the moonlight. They whispered of wars and death and chaos- both in the past and to come.
"Alucard," she addressed him. Her expression didn't change as she worked through the not-so-subtle nuances behind the name. "Dracula."
He smiled.
There was nothing normal about him. But then again, the same could be said for her.
She smiled back, and it was frigid and devoid of mirth.
Her world shifted even further that night, into the night, into the realm of ghouls and occult and infinitely powerful pet vampires who, if given the opportunity, would enjoy biting the hand that feeds. Death surrounded her, emphasized by a threatening grin full of razor-like fangs. What would drive most grown men to insanity was her day-to-day life, and she orchestrated it with sharp words and quick wit and a flick of her thin wrist.
She would never admit it, not to herself and certainly not to aforementioned pet, but there were times she yearned for the simplicity that other girls her age were afforded. No cares, no papers to file concerning numerous civilian deaths, no old knights who questioned her every move and demanded she prove her worth. A life that was...
Simple.
But that seemed to be far out of her reach.
Even the successful field mission reports coming back to her nightly did their part to torment her anxiety. Currently, her men were terrified of her pet vampire and the methods he used to silence their foes. She didn't see what the fuss was about. Alucard was ruthless, sadistic, and loved toying with his prey, but he had never struck out against her men. On the contrary, he seemed quite happy to ignore them for the most part. Surely, they knew she would never allow Alucard to harm them.
Even so, his powers were still a mystery to her. She knew he could change form at will, control minds, and regenerate severed limbs, but there was a whole other level of mystery to his powers that she had yet to comprehend. Alucard didn't like talking about himself very much, preferring to leave the research to her, and her ancestor's notes were vague and hidden in various parts throughout the mansion. Most recently, she had discovered her father's notes on the Cromwell Restraint System, a spell that prevented Alucard from reaching the full levels of his powers. The information both intrigued and terrified her. Just how powerful was the vampire servant she commanded? She had seen him commit monstrous inhuman acts - How could he possibly be more powerful than he already was?
The thought of it made her head ache, and Integra yet again found herself yearning for naivety and a more carefree life.
Perhaps that was why, when offered the opportunity to go to a movie with the daughter of nobility, she accepted. The young girl was Integra's age- sixteen at the time. Integra and Alicia had met a few times at meetings and formal balls. They were an odd pairing. Where Integra was stoic and introspective, Alicia loved to laugh. It was a true laugh too, not the maniacal cackle of a bloodthirsty servant nor the polite chuckle of a nobleman. Alicia opted for skirts and fashionable blouses where Integra favored androgynous suits devoid of embellishments. Her hair was a dark brown and fell in waves about her shoulders - A stark contrast to Integra's own straight blonde locks. They weren't very alike at all, but even still, Integra found herself enamored by the girl. Her carefree air was something Integra envied.
The movie was a failure at entertainment - Some thriller that proudly clutched onto the idea that true love conquers all. What drivel. Sentiments like those got good men killed.
It was a late matinee, held just before twilight fell. When the two girls left the theater that evening Darkness had settled into the night. It was far too dark for Integra's liking, and she regretted the decision to walk to the theater. Her hand sought out the hard outline of the gun in her pocket as comfort. Silver bullets, effective against the living and dead.
"That movie," Alicia announced to the night air, "was awful."
"I'm glad you thought so. I was trying to think of anything redeemable about it."
"I really should have looked up reviews before suggesting it. But hey, the company was enjoyable, right?" She playfully nudged Integra with her arm, grinning slyly.
With head lowered, Integra was thankful for the veil of blonde hair that hid her blush. "Definitely no complaints there."
They walked a few feet in silence. Integra searched for something to say - How did normal teens talk? What did they talk about? Crushes, celebrities, fashion? None of those things held much appeal, and besides, she doubted she knew enough about any of that to hold a conversation.
And really, what did Integra have to offer? Though she wasn't unattractive, she also didn't perceive herself as the stereotypical vision of beauty either. Her eyes were too cold and calculating; her large round glasses would never be found on a super model. It was something she had neither thought nor cared about before this moment.
She also couldn't exactly let the other girl into her world of vampire-hunting and secret organizations. Relaxing with a movie or shopping or talking casually on the phone were typical teenage luxuries she could only rarely afford, and even then, her interest in them was limited. After all, she had far more important things on her mind, like murders and the supernatural underbelly of London. Even still, she wanted the girl to be impressed with her, to just smile that bright smile at her yet again.
Suddenly annoyed by the direction of her thoughts, she bunched her fists tightly against her skirt and grit her teeth in annoyance. Damn it, she was Integra Hellsing. Why would self doubt ever cross her mind?
A slight chill fluttered down her spine and pulled her from her self reflection. Integra stiffened. The atmosphere seemed suddenly heavy and cold. Having lived with a vampire for the better part of three years, she knew instantly what it meant - They were being stalked by something nonhuman. She became sharply aware of the lack of humans around, and her gaze instinctively roamed for an exit or safety. She played it off nonchalantly, shoving her hands into her pocket without so much as a hitch in her step. Her fingers curled over her gun.
"You know, it's probably not a good idea to walk this path so late," she told Alicia, cold blue eyes locked ahead of her.
The brunette waved a hand in dismissal. "I grew up here. There's hardly a crime rate." She leaned in and entwined her arm around Integra's elbow, oblivious to the weapon her friend currently held. "Unless the movie frightened you more than you're letting on."
The vampire stalking them did not cause Integra's heart to skip a beat, but the close contact with her human friend did. "Don't be daft," Integra stated, trying to focus on their surroundings and not the warmth of her friend's touch. Her heart erratically pounded within her chest, and she thought, wildly, that it was pointless and trivial and very, very nice.
The thought had hardly fluttered through her head before Alicia's hands fell away and she skipped ahead, twirling around to Integra with arms spread wide. "Always so serious, Miss Hellsing! It's okay to forget about the weight of the world every once in a while, you know!"
Integra glanced over her shoulder, attempting to gauge the distance of the vampire. "I'd prefer to always be prepared. The world is not kind, nor are the creatures in it."
"But there is kindness in it and good people too." Alicia reached forward for her friend's hand, her face softening with affection.
Integra was momentarily distracted by nerves. She took in Alicia's soft features, the scattering of freckles over the nose, the whispers of red that tinted her cheeks, the gentleness of her eyes... So unlike anyone else around the young Hellsing master... Her heart pounded an erratic rhythm.
But Alicia's fingers never made it to Integra.
In that second of distraction, a pair of strong arms wrapped tightly around the thin brunette. A pale face flashed over her shoulder before Alicia was pulled into the dark alleyway.
Instantly, Integra jerked into action, tearing her gun from her pocket and pursuing like there was hell on her heels. The mocking laugh ahead of her was masculine. The crisp air burned her lungs as she pursued the creature down a series of empty alleys, and she urged her legs to move faster, smoother, stronger. When she reached a sudden dead end, her black shoes skidded across the gravel.
The vampire stood across from her against a brick wall. He looked to be in his thirties, but one could never tell with the undead. His hair was buzzcut, and he had a broad chest and thick muscles. Alicia was held roughly in his left arm, a thin pale hand curved over her mouth. She whimpered against his palm as tears streamed down her cheeks.
"Gotcha," The vampire said.
With practiced poise and steadiness, Integra trained her gun on her target, who was wobbling with a struggling girl in his grasp. Hold still, she thought, gritting her teeth together and wishing Alicia could read minds like Alucard could. Aloud, she replied, "It looks more like I have you."
"Oh? Bullets have no affect on me, little girl. I'm infinitely more powerful than you could ever dream of being."
Her icy eyes narrowed in challenge. "I'm no little girl. I'm Integra Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing, head of the Hellsing organization, and I've bent stronger vampire than you to my will. Perhaps you've heard of me?"
The vampire exaggerated a frown and shrugged mockingly, but Integra kept half her attention drawn to her friend.
Alicia had stilled in surprise at Integra's declaration. Her eyebrows had pulled together in confusion and question.
"Pity," Integra stated with a smirk. The trigger lowered at the perfect moment. The bullet brushed past Alicia's brown curls with a gust of power and caught the undead directly in the shoulder. He hissed and recoiled back, fangs bared dangerously. At the same time, Alicia pulled away from the injured monster in an attempt to escape the carnage and danger. The move backfired when the momentum slammed her head into a nearby metal escape stairway. She slumped onto the damp and grimey alley floor. Blood trickled from a wound on her head, and she dizzily struggled to focus on the events transpiring around her.
The vampire pressed a palm against the wound in his shoulder, where smoke billowed from silver fusing to flesh. "The hell?!" he exclaimed. "You stupid bitch!"
"I am no bitch." Her words were emphasized by another bullet landing in his that took off the arm entirely. "I am Integra Hellsing, Master of Monster, and you WILL remember my name." Another bullet hit his leg, bringing him down to his knees.
Integra was no cheap shot. By the time she could walk, she was being trained in the art of guns - Not to mention Alucard's taunting training sessions in the firearm range. If she had truly wanted to, she could have easily driven a silver bullet into the vampire's chest. But this vampire had ruined a perfectly good normal afternoon with supernatural bullshit, and she wanted him to suffer for it. She aimed her next shot for his groin just for the sheer joy of making him suffer.
It was this vengeful mentality that proved to be her error. Two teen vampires, a male and a female, both thin and pretty- albeit incredibly generic - dropped down from the stairway above. They stood before their master defensively as he pulled himself together - quite literally.
Integra drew back as she reevaluated her strategy. Ok, three vampires- two fledgelings and one master. There was a potential weakness in Alicia, who cowardly watched the events with horror in her eyes, but none of the vampires seemed interested in her any longer. Idiots. Integra had faced worse odds, but she could no longer indulge her anger. A bullet to the chest swiftly took out the male teenager, but it enraged the other two. She aimed for the female then. If she took out the immediate threat quickly, she may have time to kill the master before he recovered from his wounds. Her fingers pulled the trigger twice...
Only to be met with the hollow click of an empty gun.
Shit.
Both vampires grinned at the promised victory the sound signified.
Why didn't she take her damn sword with her?
Because a normal teen does not take swords with her to the movie theater. With that thought, she scowled in disgust.
Let them revel in their perceived victory, she thought viciously. Her mind reached out for the cold thread that connected her to her servant. It wasn't technically a thread, but that's what it felt like to her, and thus, that's how she described it. It was always there, in the darkness of her head, a steady reminder of just who was on the other side. She found it, clutched onto it and sent her thoughts vibrating through the connection like an old-fashioned string-and-can telephone. ALUCARD, it shouted. NOW!
Meanwhile, the female vampire, smirk still firmly planted confidently on her face, pulled a blade from her coat. She elegantly flipped it between her thin fingers once before jerking into action, her feet a blur as she raced toward her perceived prey.
But Integra was no victim. She readjusted her hands on the grip of the empty gun. If it couldn't be used to shoot, then the silver barrel could at least be shoved through an undead's eye socket. "Come on, vile beast," she shouted as she repositioned her feet in the gravel to prepare for impact.
With psychotic eyes wide with bloodlust, the vampire lifted her blade and -
Red.
Integra's vision was flooded with the color before her, and she cursed herself for not sensing his presence earlier. His gun had caught the descent of the vampire's knife.
"Alucard," she stated.
Locked in position, holding the female vampire back with no effort, he tilted his head so he could see the young Hellsing around his orange-tinted glasses. "Master," he greeting her, then shoved his opponent to the other side of the alley, where she hit the brick wall with a painful thud.
Keeping her voice carefully neutral, Integra said, "You're late."
Alucard's gaze flitted over the two vampires before him and the wounded human girl that bled on the alley floor, and his grin widened. "Why, Master, had I known you were having this much fun without me, I would have been here sooner."
The master vampire had finally removed the bullet from the wound in his leg and stood shakily. Darkened shadows were working to piece his severed arm back into place. "Back off," he shouted to Alucard with fangs bared. "This one belongs to me!"
Alucard moved languidly to the side, but the power radiating from him screamed of bloodthirst. He reminded Integra of a lion circling his wounded prey. "Actually, I believe you'll find that I belong to her." He lowered his head so bloody eyes peered over the top of orange glasses. "And that makes the chances of you owning her incredibly slim."
His opponent scoffed at that and looked between the Hellsing heir and her servant. "Humans don't own vampires."
Integra raised one blonde eyebrow and smirked. "I do."
Alucard bowed then to her, one arm curled over his chest and the other spread to the other vampires before them. "Your orders, my Master?"
"You already know them, servant. Search and Destroy. Remove this undead vermin from my sight."
His muscles coiled as he positioned himself for the strike. His already crazed expression evolved further into insanity; his eyes widened, his lips pulled back over suddenly shark-like teeth.
An idea occurred to Integra, and she held up a hand. "Alucard, wait."
Though he didn't turn to her, his body stilled, and she knew he was listening.
A thrill of fear and... was that excitement? shivered over her skin as she considered her next words. "Release the Cromwell Restrictions. Level 3, if you will." She tried to infuse her words with the power and confidence she didn't quite feel.
The request surprised her vampire. He raised an eyebrow in question.
"That is something you can do, isn't it?" She meant for the question to be taunting, but the underlying doubt weakened it. Those soldier reports better be true, so help her God. She refused to be made a fool, especially in front her enemies and especially in front of Alucard.
Alucard straightened to his full impressive height. A smirk pulled at the corners of his lips. He formed a rectangle with his fingers. "Releasing control art restriction to level three as commanded by the descendant of Van Helsing. Ability restrictions lifted for limited use until further commands are given." As he spoke, his form melted into darkness. Only the whites of his gloves remained and in the center of his fingers, a single glowing eyeball positioned within his chest.
Coldness was the first thing Integra felt in that dark alley. It was the soul-chilling coolness of the dead, a quick drop in temperature that was as unnatural and unnerving as the countless red eyes opening in the shadows. Those shadows darkened and expanded into an infinite limbo, stretching over the entire alleyway. Somewhere within the blackness, Alicia screamed in horror, but Integra couldn't locate her. Integra herself was lost in the alley that suddenly reached into forever. Fear was gripping her own heart, amplified by a mixture of claustrophobia and confusion and the stare of those damned eyes. The shadows had legs like centipedes that prickled over her limbs and leathery wings that brushed the edges of her hair. But, she noted with determination, the familiars writhing within the dark didn't harm her. They surrounded her, but their focus was on their actual prey. After all, this was Alucard's doing, and he could not hurt her.
It was that solidifying thought that gave her the courage to blindly reach her hand into the void. She called her servants' name in her head. A single large red eye focused on her, and she directed her intentions to it. Protect the human girl over there. The injured one that's afraid. She wondered, as she directed the thoughts to the glowing iris, if he had understood her. Don't let any harm come to her. The eye narrowed with amusement, cruel laughter glittering within their depths, before closing and vanishing, and Integra knew then that her message had been received.
She refocused her attentions to the master vampire and his fledgling, both of whom were currently watching the monstrosities before them with wide, frightened expressions. Good. Let them experience the terror they themselves thrived on for so long. From somewhere nearby, the soft sounds of Alicia's sobs underscored the scene, but Integra still couldn't locate her. She suspected that Alucard had hidden her from prying eyes. Out of sight, out of mind. And safe. Good servant. Tendrils of shadows ran against her side, and she idly ran her fingers over it as though petting a cat.
The master vampire had fully recovered from his wounds; his limbs were attached and his shoulder was no longer smoking from an embedded bullet. His healed state gave him the confidence to shout out, "What the hell is this? Come out and face me, you coward. I'm sick of your pathetic illusions."
"A coward, am I?" The deep laughter came from both everyone and nowhere. "I'm not the vampire frozen in fear of the dark. I'll show you terror!" The words had escalated into a growl of madness. Some of the writhing shadows congregated to a point and knitted together, becoming sinew and muscle, hair and leather. As his curled fingers lifted into the air, the glow of his gloves' insignia dimly illuminated his face. Everything about him had changed: His hair was longer and moved with a life of its own, becoming blood and shadows as often as not. Orange glasses no longer concealed his crazed eyes. His coat and hat had been traded in for old thick leather and straps in a mockery of a broken straight jacket.
Integra was reminded of their first meeting and the similar outfit he had worn then. Had he been wearing it this entire time, and the faux Victorian coat he favored was merely an illusion? It had certainly felt real. Then again, it was always difficult to tell what was real about the ancient vampire and what was farce.
Alucard tilted his head back and smirked. With an unnerving confidence, he beckoned the master vampire forward with a bend of his wrist.
The challenge was accepted with rage as the other vampire pushed himself away from the brick wall and rushed foward with inhuman speed. With teeth bared, he aimed the first punch to Alucard's face. It never reached its target. The wrist was caught in a gloved hand as Alucard's heavy boot collided with the smaller vampire's chest. As easily as a leg being plucked from a spider, the master vampire's arm was dragged from its socket. Skin and muscle tore, blood sprayed in an arcing mist, and Aluard smiled all the while at the carnage. He held the lost arm like a trophy of war, watching as the smaller man screamed and stumbled to stay upright.
"Tell me there's more to you than that," Alucard said, his baritone voice a low chilling threat. He snapped the arm in two and dropped the useless limb onto the damp alley floor. "How dare such pathetic filth create fledglings?" His gaze quickly darted to the female vampire, who trembled, shook her head in fear, and retreated back a step.
"Better that than a slave to a human bitch!" the master vampire growled through clenched teeth. "Killing your own kind! You're nothing!" He spat at Alucard's feet and glared up at him.
The amusement fell from Alucard's face and was replaced by anger. Lips curled over his fangs. Without a word, shadowy tendrils slammed into the wounded vampire and shoved him back into the bricks behind him. The shadows curved over his throat and remaining limbs before lifting him helplessly off the ground.
With the main threat out of the way for the time being, Alucard focused his attentions on the terrified fledgling and approached with deliberately slow movements. She stood frozen in fear, eyes round and lips parted. A whimper escaped her throat as he stared down at her. Her knife clattered to the gravel ground, and she did what any self-preserving animal would do when faced with an immensely powerful predator: She tilted her head and bared her throat to him in surrender.
"No!" her sire screamed from against the wall. "No, you are mine! I created you! You serve only me!"
In an almost tender gesture, Alucard traced his thumb against the young fledgling's cheek. "She's mine now, you inadequate would-be No Life King." With a deceptively gentle grin, he lowered his face to hers, and for one brief, fluttering moment, Integra thought he would kiss her. But his lips brushed past her cheek and stopped over her throat. His lips parted and fangs pierced her artery. She closed her eyes, her sharp inhaled breath pulled through her teeth.
Up until that point, Integra had watched the events before her with an almost detached horror. Despite the chills dancing over her skin from the feathery touch of shadows, she trained her expression into a mask of nonchalance, watching blankly as Alucard drank from his willing victim. It was almost obscene, the combination of gentleness and death, of tenderness and destruction. He supported her back with one arm and her head with the other in a mockery of a lover's embrace. His throat worked rhythmically as he took his fill of the woman's blood. And when he pulled away, blood stained his teeth.
The young vampire girl gazed blearily at him. Her red eyes drifted in and out of focus. Alucard muttered her name, a very soft word meant only for her; a name that came to him from the exchange of blood. When she narrowed her gaze to him, he drove his hand into her chest and crushed her heart with no effort. She gasped one final breath before shattering into dust.
The master vampire screamed, rage driving the sound to echo against the brick walls. "You bastard! You don't deserve to be called a vampire."
Alucard's grin widened, showing off his blood-tinged teeth. "Oh?"
"Cutting down fledglings before they reach their potential! Turning your back on your own kind to serve the humans beneath you! You traitorous, vile dog!"
Alucard's right arm blurred into a shapeless mass before merging with the shadows and taking a vague form. "If I'm a dog, then what would you call yourself, you pathetic creature who falls victim to a tamed monster such as myself?" The shadowy mass of his arm materialized into a nightmare-inducing beast, a hellhound with four pairs of glowing red eyes and rows of canine-like teeth. With massive paws and oil-like fur, its body was part black smoke and darkness. It melted and diverged, growling as it stared at its captive prey. "A dog, am I? You'll see how much of a dog I really am." The hellhound bound forward with one great leap and captured the other vampire's legs within its jaws, cutting through them easily.
Integra had prided herself on her ability to stay calm under highly disturbing circumstances, but looking at the giant creature Alucard had summoned, she felt her heart rate increase and her face go pale. Her instincts screamed at her to get out of there, to get away from such a feral, murderous beast. The sounds of the other vampire's horrific screams combined with the crunching of bones and flesh. Nausea curled within her stomach.
But this was what she wanted to see, wasn't it? This was what was frightening her men when they were on the battlefield with Alucard. She dared herself to turn away from the carnage and focus her attention on her vampire servant.
To her surprise, he was watching her, head tilted and an unreadable smirk on his face. Integra instantly tried to hide her apprehension, holding her head high in defiance. His smile only grew wider, and he stepped toward her languidly, circling slightly to stand behind her. At the same time, the hellhound had finished its meal and turned to lock its many crimson eyes on Integra. Her breath caught in her chest; Her heartbeat deafened her own rationale. At the creature's first step toward her, she made a retreating step back- Only to be halted by white gloved hands on her upper arms and Alucard's lips near her ear. "Have I done well, my master?"
She couldn't think to answer. The Hellhound had approached her and examined her with a multitude of eyes. Blood dripped from its jaws and trickled over the whites of its teeth, forming a puddle of gore beneath it. Her fists shook as she took in the sight of fangs as long as her body. "What is the meaning of this?" she demanded, but the tremble of her words betrayed her fears. With one monster at her back and another before her, Integra did all she could to defy them with her gaze. "Do you expect me to cower before you like a common child?"
"I'm merely showing you what you wanted to see tonight." Alucard answered.
His words helped steadied her. It was true - She had wanted to see what horrors Alucard was capable of, and he had provided her with enough monstrosity to last a life time.
But she was Integra Hellsing, and she controlled the king of all monsters. "Is this creature you, Alucard?"
"Yes," he answered. "And no." She felt his shrug rather than saw it.
That explained very little. She carefully lifted a hand and placed it atop the hellhound's nose. Its cold, wet skin felt exactly like what it was: The flesh of a corpse. Its cool breath against her bare hand smelled of rot and decay. With just the strength in one arm - Strength that otherwise had no chance of comparing to the monstrous hellbeast - she pushed down on the snout of the creature, coercing it to bow before her.
And it did. It lowered its head before the sixteen year old and closed its eyes in reverence.
Behind her, Alucard chuckled softly. His right arm extended, and with a flick of his wrist, he commanded the hellhound to return to him. Its form liquefied into shadows, once more becoming a part of the ancient vampire.
Integra exhaled a breath she didn't realize she had been holding. Her hand fell to her side, but the unsettling memory of dead flesh still lingered. She turned on heel to face Alucard and was surprised to find him kneeling before her quite like the hellbeast he had summoned. His powers hadn't been locked away quite yet; she could feel the preternatural strength radiating off of him, making the hairs on her arms stand on end. The leather outfit still fit tightly over his lithe form, and his longer-than-usual hair concealed his face.
A similar image conjured in her head, an image of another version of her, younger, scared, and faced with familial betrayal, but nonetheless that lonely girl refused to give in to her enemies. Before her kneeled an ancient silver-haired vampire, starved, formidable, but somehow still loyal.
Had it only been three short years?
Integra softly placed her hands on his face and guided him to look at her. Frigid blue eyes met his fiery gaze evenly. Without having the need to breathe, he was as still as a porcelain sculpture. "Well done, servant," she stated.
He smiled a true smile at the compliment, pointed canines indenting his soft bottom lip. "My pleasure, my dear master," he responded with a voice as smooth as water against stone. "And what of the girl?"
Her eyebrows drew together. The girl? Oh shit, the girl! Alicia!
Integra spun quickly to locate her friend. How could she have forgotten? What kind of person was she? The area had been released from her servant's shadows, the darkness having retreated to god-knows-where. There in the corner, curled up tightly against the brick wall, Alicia hid as best she could. Her body trembled and heaved as she took in sharp ragged breaths. She fought to stay conscious, her eyes wide and darting swiftly between Integra and the leather-clad monster beside her. The wound on her head was still open and leaked dark red down her forehead, but that was the least of her worries. Or rather, perhaps, the most of her worries, considering the prevalence of vampires in the area.
Integra could feel Alucard's tall form looming behind her, waiting for her next order and hoping perhaps it would be to just do away with the sniveling girl in any way he saw fit. Instead, she lifted a hand and tilted her head toward him. "Stay here."
Her steps toward Alicia were swift and purposeful, but with every footfall, Alicia cowered further against the wall. Integra hesitated, then looked over her shoulder to make sure Alucard hadn't disobeyed and followed her; he hadn't. He remained where he was and lifted an eyebrow in indifference.
If it wasn't Alucard she was fearing... Why would Alicia be afraid of her?
She resumed her approach, this time slower, less intimidating. "Are you alright?" When there was no answer, Integra knelt down before the girl. "It's okay. You're safe now. Our attackers have been dealt with."
Alicia's wide eyes briefly fluttered to Alucard. "Who is he?"
"You don't have to worry about him. He works for me. He can't harm you." Behind her, Alucard scoffed at her words.
Trembling, her gaze returned to Integra as though seeing the other woman for the first time. "Who are you? What are you?"
Integra pulled a handkerchief from her pocket and moved to tend to the other girl's wound. "Your head injury needs to be cared for."
Before the cloth could reach Alicia's face, she smacked Integra's hand away from her. "Answer me, damn it! Who are you people?!" Her voice was wild with crazed panic.
Integra sighed. This was going to be more difficult than she had anticipated. Sure, she could have Alucard erase the girl's mind, but still, it wasn't what Integra wanted at that moment. "I'm Integra Hellsing," She started slowly, then hesitated. How much was she willing to say? "I am the head of the Hellsing household and business. You already know that, don't you? There's a lot about me and my organization you don't know."
"Obviously!" Alicia exclaimed, sounding for once like her old self.
She nodded. Her next words tumbled from her mouth like a dam had broken. "We specialize in the eradication of the undead, namely vampires. My ancestor was Abraham van Helsing. You may have heard of him from the many iterations of his book that exists. Most notably, he is known for the defeat of the most infamous and feared vampire that ever lived."
Alicia digested that information, her lips quivering as she muttered softly, "Dracula."
Integra continued, "My father died when I was twelve, and my uncle tried to murder me and assume control over the family business and wealth. Luckily for me, I not only inherited my family's name, but also their most dangerous and well-kept secret." She motioned behind her, in the direction Alucard was standing. She knew he'd be listening to her tale. Her lips quirked up in a humorless smirk. "You see, Dracula was never killed. He was merely... subdued."
A slow tear trickled down Alicia's face. Her eyebrows lowered as she connected the dots of Integra's story. "He's... ?" Her voice trailed off as she looked yet again at the imposing leather-clad monster.
"Yes. And he murdered the traitorous employees that my uncle hired, but I was the one that pulled the trigger and killed my uncle." Once she started talking, she found it hard to stop. Perhaps she needed this, to tell her story to someone that wasn't involved in her world. Her secrets and responsibilities were a heavy weight baring down on her shoulders. Seeing her friend's fearful gaze, she reassured, "He answers to no one but me, Alicia."
The young girl licked her dry lips. "Those people at school, they were right about you, weren't they? You have made a deal with the devil."
With a sudden frown, Integra shrugged. "I suppose. But it's only by my orders that good comes of it. I do God's work by directing my monster's bloodlust to the things that need to be eradicated from this earth. No innocents are suffering."
With her innocence destroyed by the violence and atrocities she had witnessed that night, Alicia wept silently and wiped away a droplet of blood that had trickled unto her eyelid. "Those creatures that attacked us... they were vampires," Alicia said. "And your organization kills vampires."
This time, her smirk was a bit more genuine. "We do."
Her gaze focused directly on Integra's eyes. "Just as you killed your uncle." Integra didn't like how harsh and judging her friend's expression suddenly look. "God would never use Satan for his work. You're a monster, Integra."
At those words, the Hellsing heir's heart froze within her chest and cracked apart. Something akin to pain wound and tightened within her, pulling her breath away. Integra Hellsing had been called many things over the years, but never a monster. No, she had witnessed atrocities and tragedies crafted by bloodlusting vampires; she had seen ghouls march aimlessly through the streets with hollow stares and wordless groans; she had watched children tear out their own parents' throats and young lovers lose their rational thoughts over the mere promise of violence. Those beings were monsters. How could Alicia ever compare them to her? Even if Integra orchestrated a violent scene of her own, it was for the greater good, and the only creatures to fall victim to it were the evil monsters that deserved it. She was nothing like the real monsters... right?
Inhaling deeply to regain control of her feelings, Integra stood rigidly. All emotion cleared from her face as her barriers were once again constructed. Eyes as cold as the last layer of hell glared dispassionately down at the teen girl. "Alucard," she called softly, her words barely above a whisper.
In an instant, he was there behind her. His gaze burned into the teenager on the ground, the quirk of his lips promising all manner of chaos and bloodshed.
Alicia's chest heaved in a sudden frightened gasp. Her fingernails clawed feebly at the brick wall as though she could somehow dig gouges deep enough to hide in. "Please, Integra," she pleaded. Strands of her hair clung to the bricks and cement behind her. "I didn't mean it. Don't let him kill me. Please!"
Her words only made Integra's heart hurt all the more. She stepped aside, removing herself as the barrier between her vampire and her once-friend. "Erase her mind, Alucard," she said. "Make her forget this night ever happened."
The vampire grinned wildly as though being offered a particularly tantalizing treat. Slowly, he lowered himself before the girl. She cried out in terror, pushing against the wall and muttering words of prayer and pleading. His gloved hand caught the squirming girl's chin and forced her to look at him. Her eyes fearfully roved over his pale face, stopping at the peek of sharp teeth between his lips. A whimper escaped her at the sight.
"Are you certain that's what you wish?" he asked Integra. His fingers curved into her cheeks with the urge to break bones.
The young Hellsing looked down at him, her countenance carefully blank. "I'm not a monster."
Alucard didn't immediately comply. The fingers of his free hand, suddenly ungloved, dragged over her forehead, smearing red over her skin. He brought the digits to his mouth and tasted the blood on each one, his tongue slowly savoring the rare taste. All the while, his eyes never left the human girl, who cried out at the sight.
"Do not harm her, Alucard," Integra warned. "That is an order."
His searing gaze focused on on a single teardrop that rolled over his victim's skin. It caught on a drop of blood and merged together before quickly gliding down her face. "Is this what you wish to be, Integra?" he questioned. "Prey for stronger beings? Ignorant to your place on the food chain?"
Integra remained unfazed. "All I wish right now is for you to listen to me and do your damn job."
At Integra's orders, Alicia whimpered and reached out to her once more. "I won't tell a soul, I swear! We'll pretend this never happened, Integra! I swear it! No one will know!"
With a gentle tug on her chin, Alucard once more commanded the trembling girl's attention. Her stare narrowed onto his eyes. "Shhhhh," he hissed through his teeth. The sound, though very soft, somehow echoed throughout the alleyway and seemed to reverberate from all directions at once. Even Integra felt the hairs on her arms stand on end.
Instantly, the human girl relaxed. Her tense shoulders drooped, her jaw went slack, and she found herself drawn into a pool of deep red. Why had she been so frightened earlier? What was there to fear? This man before her, he promised safety and eternal calm. Her chest tingled, and she was suddenly aware of the blood pumping through her neck. The rhythm was soothing, hypnotizing. She leaned forward, tilting her head up as though it were an offering before an ancient god.
Alucard kept his fingers on her chin and a hand against her shoulder to hold her upright. In another life, this girl, body and soul, would now be his. But that life had long since passed, and the collar that bound him to the whims of the Hellsing bloodline restricted his more monstrous tendencies.
So he said to her, "You'll forget this night ever happened. You went to see a movie alone and immediately returned home. You'll remember nothing of this night. You stopped nowhere, saw no one. Is that clear?"
"I saw no one," she murmured.
"Good girl. And now you're going to go to the edge of this street, hail down a cab, and return home. You will think of nothing until you arrive. Do you understand?"
At the girl's nod, Alucard released her. "You should return home now."
With instructions carefully planted in her head, Alicia stood, wincing at the pain in her body. It didn't matter. She just needed to get home. She began limping to the street. Get a cab. Get home. It was the only thing she could think about. What else was there to think about?
Integra watched her go, envying her friend's sudden sense of peace. "Will she be alright, do you think?"
"I can sense no supernatural dangers in the area." But his tone said he didn't particularly care either way.
"Hmm." She wasn't sure if she was satisfied with that answer or whether it was even what she meant. Her gaze turned back to her servant, looking over his leatherclad form. "I've seen enough. Return your seals to normal, Alucard."
With a bow, his clothing shifted once more into something more gentlemanly and vaguely Victorian. Black became red. His hair shortened. The immediate threat of power was reigned inward. In a matter of seconds, she was looking at the usual visage of her servant.
Her head tilted to the side thoughtfully. "We're going to need braver men," she mused to herself. Then, to Alucard, "I'm exhausted. Let's return home."
And so, side by side, master and servant chose the darker alley paths to walk together in silence; a pathway that, somehow, they both preferred.
Author's Note: I rewrote those final few paragraphs quite a few times, and I never was satisfied. Oh, well. If I happen to think of a better ending, I'll edit it.
Part 2 will be focusing on the relationship between Alucard and Integra (because I adore their relationship so) and will also give a reason behind the title of this story.