Her army raided a vampire coven in a small county south of England. The coven leader was a seventeen year old boy with flashing dark brown eyes and chestnut brown hair. He was young and handsome Integra noticed, as she put a gun in his forehead; the boy was manoeuvred in a kneeling position in front of her by Alucard. The vampire malevolently grinning behind the boy, as the coven master tried to bargain with Integra to spare his life in exchange of his unwavering loyalty to her and serve her as master. She pulled the trigger without letting him finish saying what he has to offer.
The intelligence report she received that day, shortly after having her tea stated that there are 35 ghouls and 4 vampires thriving inside a dilapidated building that was once a soap-making factory. The midians are into some cult which rites include abducting young children, draining them of their blood before burning them as sacrifice to whatever god they worship. She had reviewed the report carefully before she went to plan for an attack with the help of Walter and Ferguson. She commanded Alucard and 50 soldiers to the county an hour later. She went along with her men with a sword, and two guns filled with silver bullets.
"You should not have come." said Alucard, the two of them almost squeezed together in the limited space behind the choppers' pilot.
"You do not tell me what to do" Integra curtly replied.
"I could have handled this easily by myself master, without any assistance from you and your human soldiers." He blandly responded.
"Cocky are we? Giving less credit to abilities my men than what they deserve, considering the fact that you were done in by four humans a century ago." She answered back.
"I am simply stating the fact that I could rip those ghouls apart and put an end to the existence of those pathetic vampires easily with my bare hands master, but if you insist to have me accompanied by you and your soldiers to ensure my well-being I can say that my lifeless heart is touched by the gesture." Alucard said with a grin
"Don't flatter yourself servant, I am simply not comfortable of the idea of letting you wander alone, knowing that you are still a blood-sucker though tamed does not make you any less harmful to the human populace once you lose control, and if that happens where will my conscience leave me?" Integra countered.
"A sense of duty then, as a master to keep control of a hunting dog like me, are you still wary of me master."
"Yes, I still don't trust you enough to allow you to go about without me holding your leash." She retorted icily.
Truth be told, she wanted to come because she wanted to experience actual combat. She has yet to experience real fighting and that made her feel lacking and insecure. She did not dare openly admit this fact to herself, knowing that someone can read her mind on a whim. Integra felt uncomfortable being within this close proximity of the vampire's human form. She remembered a time when he pulled a prank on her. She was sitting in an armchair in her library, it was winter and the vampire was in his hell-hound form; a massive creature of a dog with a thick black coat of fur, sleek and shiny. The hound was curled below her and Integra rested her feet in it, absent-mindedly stroking its back at times with her feet and calves, liking the feel of its soft coat while she read her book. Then she stroked her leg on something supple, furless and cool. She immediately glanced down to see him in his human male form wearing nothing at all. She threw her book down at the vampire, pushed her chair back so as not to trip on him as she stood up facing away. "Get the hell out of my sight you damn vampire ", she swore at him loudly. She heard him chuckle maliciously as she spun around in anger to slap him in the face. She set her eyes on his face while he laughed openly at her slowly seeing his face starting to get covered in fur and his frame shrink lower turning back into a dog's. With that she dragged the hound by the scruff with both hands to the door kicked its haunches hard and slammed the heavy door shut. The sight of smooth and almost translucent expanse of his white skin was burned in her memory. She felt wired with anticipation, she did not mention to either Walter or Ferguson her intention to go to combat, and they assumed she will be going with her troops for purposes of morale as their commander. She did not know what to expect, she just hoped that three years of constant thrice weekly fencing practice and sparring with the most skilled sabre masters in Britain for instructors, on hours an end will back her up; so as her skill in aiming a gun, sharpened by regular target practice. She shifted on her seat to preserve as much of her personal space as she can, being squeezed in such a cramped space with the vampire made her all the more on the edge it took a lot of effort for her to keep her mind blank so as not to be read by the vampire
"We'll be there shortly after fifteen minutes marm." The pilot told her, almost shouting, amidst the noise of the blades slicing through the wind.
It took them half an hour to reach the place by air. A sleepy village, quaint and picturesque with cottages here and there, she almost found the place charming until she remembered that a few meters from where they landed there are freaks holed up in a dilapidated factory.
"Ferguson, I'll be fighting alongside with the men." She told the platoon leader.
"I'm afraid it's too dangerous marm, let us soldiers take care of everything." Rebuffed the soldier, not expecting this from her.
"Do not make me repeat myself Ferguson, this time, I will go to combat." She pulled herself high and stared at him. Hard blue eyes boring in his face
"But marm, you have us to do that, and besides you have to understand that its too risky for you marm to confront these creatures. They can rip you apart with their…" The soldier's speech trailed off as he saw the look on Integra's face.
"I know perfectly what I am asking for, and am fully aware of the dangers that came with fighting these ghouls and vampires in which I plan to engage myself to at the moment I am after all, a Hellsing." She countered in an impressively impervious tone.
The soldier and the girl stood looking at each other for a few seconds. Integra knew she had to stand her ground if she wanted to earn the respect of these men. She knows what they think of her, her age made her a joke as their leader and many regarded her as nothing more than a figurehead or worse, a spoiled little rich girl playing charade. She fixed him with a steely gaze not saying anything at all.
"If that is your decision marm, so be it." The old man finally gave in.
She heard Alucard chuckle behind her.
"If that's the way it's going to be then you better get in one of the tanks Master that will convey you in the place, together with the soldiers, I'll go ahead of you." And with that he vanished in a dark mist.
The mission lasted for four hours. She peeled off her blood splattered clothes, leaving it in an unceremonious heap in the bathroom floor and went to turn the tap for a bath, leaving the faucet on, as a slow steady flow of warm water filled the tub for her to soak in later. She then stepped inside the shower stall, turned on the knob for warm and stood under the rushing water, the tepid jets streamed down her long and heavy blonde hair washing away the sweat and some dried blood. Closing her eyes, she remembered the sensation of the slight jolt of shock that runs through her right arm each time she hack a ghoul, of sharp sword jarring through toughened flesh and solid bone. Ghouls may possess enormous physical power but they certainly lack reflexes and are sure slow in moving. She noted dully to herself. She used her walther ppk to shoot a couple of ghouls who she didn't noticed, occupied as she was in the melee before her, was closing on her from behind until they were two feet away from Integra just in time for her to spin around and draw a gun in a split second from her shoulder holster and fire one after the other in their chest. The close distance making the act both risky for her if one the ghouls had actually manage to lay a hand on her yet ideal in making an aim at the heart. They barged in the building with 35 of her men letting the others wait inside the tank should they need reinforcements, She directed Alucard to take care of the Vampires, as they handled the ghouls. She did this to ensure her chance to work in getting rid of the vermins. The mission ended quite well; there was no casualty in Hellsing, the reinforcements were not called to action and nothing was left of the coven. She ignored the looks her other soldiers gave her when she, together with the men who attacked the building came back to where they are stationed. She was hardly dressed for combat, Integra was wearing a simple long-sleeved pink collared blouse, buttoned down to a decorative butterfly bow for a hem, tied to properly fit her slight hips and flowing cream skirt that reached almost to the ankles; now both blood-drenched, her feet was encased in a pair of brown leather flat doll shoes and Her long hair was matted. She knew she herself looked like a victim of the massacre they did. The leather belt around her waist that held her sword's scabbard somehow ended up being tucked inside the hem of her blouse, chafing her skin. Nevertheless she was impervious to it all and carried herself with as much dignity as she could manage.
"Marm, are you hurt?" Asked the old platoon leader worriedly
"I'm alright Ferguson none of these blood are my own, send for clean-up and Commence status report among the men promptly, if everybody's fine we shall all return to headquarters immediately." She commanded the soldier levelly.
"Yes marm." The soldier saluted her at once.
I took out six ghouls and a vampire. She thought as she pumped the dispenser of whatever is left of her lavender scented shower gel in the loofah and scrubbed herself with it. She reached for the near empty bottle of facial wash squeezing a tiny amount in her palm; she proceeded to lather her face, then tipping her chin up to the gush of water rinsing the suds. Gathering her long tresses in her hands she squeezed it to get rid of excess water before she reached for the tube of conditioner, she'll be tearing her hair just to comb out the snags and tangles later if she didn't put some. She shampooed this morning after fencing exercises and decided that her hair doesn't need one this time. Inclining her head away from the water and arching her neck a little; She put some in her hand and applied it to the mass of wet locks.
Upon arriving, she was met by Walter at the Manor's foyer. The old man took one look at her before calmly saying "I see you've gone to combat my lady, Are you well? Should I call for Dr. Trevalyan?"
"No thank you, I'm fine Walter"
"Shall I prepare you a late dinner then, my lady?"
Integra glanced at the Grandfather's clock behind her glasses that was a bit splattered with crimson liquid. Fifteen minutes to go before eleven PM. She doesn't feel like eating and her body felt tired and heavy, She wants a bath….sorely needed one.
"Just a snack Walter, Please bring it to my bedroom, I'll be having a long bath."
"Do you need anything else Lady Hellsing?"
"That'll be all Walter, you may retire later."
"Yes my lady." With this, the butler bowed gracefully and took his leave.
She stood a few moments under the running water letting it rinse her before turning the shower off. steam was starting to build up in the bathroom and Integra took her wide toothed hair clam beside the faucet in the lavatory. She combed her slick wet hair easily, twisted it wringing out drops of water and secured it with the hair clam on top of her head. She walked towards the tub seeing that three quarters has been filled she turned the faucet off and slipped into its warmth. She closed her eyes, her neck lolling out a bit in the tub's ledge. The steam from the water wafted the scent of lavender and chamomile from her skin and damp hair and making her all the drowsier. Really, I might fall asleep in this tub and drown-a dismal way to die she languidly mused. She would have to buy some personal items like shampoo soon. She shop for clothes; knickers, bras and the like, personal items such as tampons and sanitary pads; she cannot have Walter buy and bring her some for delicacy's sake and some toiletries, on-line. She actually enjoys making choices on practical yet trivial matters; whether she prefers a lemon perfume bar soap over a melon scented body wash, a almond and shea body butter or an aloe Vera hand and body lotion, whether she opt for plain white cotton knickers or a blue silk boy leg. Those few things in which she wanted herself to have the pleasure to select and decide on a whim and items she didn't want Walter to have a hand on. It gives her a taste on the mundane, that a typical normal life possess. She stood out of the tub, drained it of its water and grabbed her bathrobe from its hamper wrapping her body with its soft and fluffy fabric. She eyed her discarded clothes in the bathroom floor. She would ask Walter to have it burned tomorrow, picking the dirty heap up at arm's length and dumping it in an empty clothes' basket. She padded out of the bathroom to her adjoining bedroom bare-footed. A silver tray was laid out with a plate containing a couple of dainty sandwiches, a salad bowl and a glass of milk in the table near her bed. Integra doesn't feel hungry but she knows she needed to eat; she is tall, slim and alarmingly close to being underweight. She crossed her bed to get to where her dresser is and grabbed a pot of rose-scented body cream. English as she is to her fine fingertips, Integra was never one for cold weather as her skin gets easily dry and her lips chap. Shedding her robe and throwing it on her bed. She scooped a dollop of the cream with her fingers rubbing some of it in her legs and arms. She scooped some more applying it in her tummy and chest. Integra's limbs are surprisingly flexible as she reached behind her torso to rub whatever is left of the cream in her hand to her back and shoulders. "One more thing left" she murmured to herself. Integra picked up the jar of moisturiser and went about putting some in her face. Dabbing spots of it in her forehead, cheeks, chin, in the bridge of her upturned nose and in the column of her neck before spreading it evenly on her face then her neck with her fingertips. Removing her clam her wet hair untwisted and tumbled on her back. She walked towards her bed to get and put her bathrobe back on when she caught glimpse of herself in the full length mirror beside her dresser. She stood in front of it and was surprised when she felt a sudden sense of disconnection with the person reflected before her. It is of a girl with coffee and cream skin and with thick, wet ash blonde hair darkened to an almost dirty-blonde, an exotic combination. The skin on her small oval face is smooth with dark blue eyes an upturned nose and small bud-like lips; it is a pretty face but the expression in those eyes is unsettling, cold like hard sapphires. Her breasts are round and small set high on her chest and her tummy is boyishly flat. Her nipped waist broadened slightly to the slight curve of her narrow hips tapering to long sleek legs. In the apex of her thighs is a small patch of curly blonde. It was the first time she really looked at herself and inspected her appearance in a detached and objective manner. Integra is coltishly lovely. After a few moments of gazing at her naked self she turned away and retrieved her bathrobe, wrapping herself back in it. She ate her snacks absent-mindedly. After she's done with her food, she carried the plate, bowl and glass to the lavatory in the bathroom, rinsed it and laid it face down in the tray for Walter to pick it up and have it properly washed by the maids tomorrow. She cupped her hands at the water running from faucet and drank straight from the tap. She brushed her teeth and when that was done. She threw herself in her bed; and turned to look at the time at the alarm clock in the headboard: half-past twelve in the morning. She'll rise at 8 am later she told herself. She closed her eyes and went to sleep, feeling pleased with the fact that she is not helpless at all when it comes to using guns and swords practically.