Obsequium, a hellsing fanfic

Notes: This story is completely AU. And due to its nature, also OOC. Lets just pretend that Millennium has been defeated, Alucard survived and Anderson survived as well… but at what price?

Obsequium

„Wherefore in the name of God the All-powerful, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, of Blessed Peter, Prince of the Apostles, and of all the saints, in virtue of the power which has been given us of binding and loosing in Heaven and on earth, we deprive Alexander Anderson himself and all his accomplices and all his abettors of the Communion of the Body and Blood of Our Lord, we separate him from the society of all Christians, we exclude him from the bosom of our Holy Mother the Church in Heaven and on earth, we declare him excommunicated and anathematized and we judge him condemned to eternal fire with Satan and his angels and all the reprobate, so long as he will not burst the fetters of the demon, do penance and satisfy the Church; we deliver him to Satan to mortify his body, that his soul may be saved on the day of judgment."

Anderson stood on the balcony. The back of his head rested on the cold stonewall, while his arms were crossed over his chest. With eyes closed, he listened to the soothing sound of the night. A soft breeze played through his hair and made his skin prickle. Everything seemed so peaceful and quiet.

Yet, his mind swirled in chaos. He had been abandoned – out casted. He was no longer allowed to carry the title of a Roman Catholic priest. His brothers and sisters had found him guilty of making an agreement with the devil himself. And alas, wasn't this the truth?

If he had given them the chance, the remaining force of Icariot13 would have killed him on first sight. But he had been wisely enough not to cross their paths ever since he had retired himself from the battlefield.

He had lost the fight against the Nosferatu for the sake of a greater good. No matter how much he had longed for the demon's destruction, he had been aware of a far greater evil. Millennium had to be destroyed for the sake of mankind. His personal cravings had to wait - whether he still wasn't sure if it had been a wise choice to fight fire with fire.

And finally he had committed into the greatest sin of all. He had tasted the demon's blood.

Anderson gave a curse as he found himself licking over his lips as he remembered the sweet sensation of tasting the defiled blood. He remembered the blood lust that had overcome his body and mind. He almost felt the afterglow of power and deep down in his soul he knew that he wanted more.

How much time had passed since their battle against Millennium's army of demons, he did not know. A week? A month? Maybe years. Sometimes he felt like reality was slipping from him. . His dreams had become dark, horrifying and... disturbingly sensual since these days. Dreams of blood, death and destruction. And it had always been himself and his dark lord, who was the cause of all this evil. And he had embraced it with passion. And desire.

These dreams were just one the many reasons why he rather spend his nights brooding on the balcony rather than under the warm sheets of his bed.

A mournful sigh escaped his throat. Oh, what a splendid demon he would make. He knew it. He had the passion, the desire, the devotion. How close was the edge, how thin the line. All he had to do was to reach out and take the hand that had been offered to him. And oh... how he wanted it.

No! He smashed his head onto the banister to get rid of these sacrilegious thoughts.

"Get out, yer filthy bastard! Stop invading my thoughts." he whispered angrily.

A soft laughter rang in the back of his mind as the alien presence slowly withdrew itself.

Oh, how much he hated that damn Nosferatu. He was playing mind tricks on him... again.

Something moved in the shadows behind the trees of the backyard. Anderson swirled around and peered into the darkness.

"Come out, demon. I can feel your presence. Don't you dare to hide from me now."

A small and slender figure stepped out of the dark - eyes as red as a pair of burning coals. It was HER.

"Is he now sending his minions after me? Answer me, demon."

He knew that she was far more of a threat, now that she had become a true Nosferatu. Still, he was too furious not to mock her. Perhaps he wanted to provoke her to pick up a fight with him.

"No one did send me, Mr. Anderson."

He could sense her insecurity. So, after all what happened, she still tried to imitate humaneness? How... interesting.

"I just wanted to talk." she continued.

"Talk?", the former priest called down the balcony in a rage. "There is nothing to talk! I don't deal with demons. Not... anymore.", he hated himself as he heard his voice flinch at these last words. Damn, he didn't have to confess his own weakness to the demonic creature below. So, what the hell was he just doing?

The figure did not retreat. Instead she stepped forward, so that he could see her better.

"I... I have something to tell you, Alexander Anderson." she spluttered. "They want to get you. Rome."

No big surprise, really. Except for the unusual messenger.

"And why would you want to tell me that?" he asked harshly.

"Because... it's not right. We are in your depth. You did do nothing wrong." the woman called.

Anderson burst into a maniacal laughter. Nothing wrong? He betrayed his archbishop, and even supported his death. He betrayed his people and his faith! No, of course it did not look wrong to that unholy succubus from hell.

"You understand nothing, Draculina!" he snapped back.

"Yeah... maybe. But I DO understand that you don't want to die." she shouted angrily at him.

Point taken. Anderson bit his lip and felt silent. She was right. His mind was already too corrupted to accept his final judgment this easily.

"I thought... maybe..." she continued shyly.

"You want me to come with you?" he finished for her. He did not know where these words came from. Mind-tricks again?

"Yes."

Anderson didn't spend much time thinking over his decision. He jumped over the banister and stepped toward the woman. "Where to?"

She just stared at him open mouthed. She was too surprised to be scared. She hadn't counted on him giving in so easily.

Dogs are trained to follow their masters she heard her master's familiar voice fading in her mind. Judging Anderson's sudden disapproving grunt, she knew he must have heard her master's mockery as well. The priest balled his fists and growled low "Shut up, yer monster!"

"It is him, isn't it? Master." she said compassionately. "You heard him, too."

Anderson just growled. He did not want any pity; especially not from such a vile creature.

But she just stared at him with her innocent ruby-like eyes.

"I know Master talks to you, too. But how? I've never noticed him communicating like this with Sir Integra. They always... use the phone."

Anderson gave a brief laugh. "Maybe I'm not worth the bill?" Grave humor. So, Alucard had not told her about the blood share. She wouldn't have asked otherwise. He wondered why the demon hadn't bragged about his victory.

"Does the hellhound's master know about this? " he asked, curiously.

"Sir Integra? I... don't know. You weren't much of a topic of conversation at the Royal Knights' Headquarter. I assume they think you felt on the battlefield." she said. "But Master told me you weren't that easy to kill."

"Did he?" but it was more a statement rather than a question.

They both moved out of the yard. A car was waiting outside the gates. There was no-one else.

So, she really came alone, he thought.

They were on the road. Anderson had behaved himself so far. Seras was actually surprised at the tame behavior of their former enemy.

Former enemy? She wondered how much they could really trust him. He was a maniac under the disguise of a holy man. And now that the roman church had turned its back on him, he wasn't even this anymore. But he didn't seem the man, who would simply give up his crusade.

"Your name... it's Victoria?"

"Seras... Seras Victoria."

"Ah. We never were formally introduced, I'm afraid."

Seras grinned. "No", she agreed monosyllabic.

Having small talk with the archenemy felt... strange. Anderson seemed almost sane, yet she knew he was just as insane as her master. Maybe even more. What a great couple they would make, she thought ironically... and instantly froze at the thought. No really, the idea would be scary. She wondered if her master was capable of such a dreadful thing.

"Anderson. Why do you hate us so much?" Seras asked curiously.

"Don't challenge me, Draculina", he gnarled at the former police woman. There was no friendliness in his features anymore.

She leaned back into the seat and tried to hide her face in the shadows. He is still our archenemy. she thought. Nothing has changed.

For the rest of the trip, they remained silent.

tbc…

Final notes: Wow, if you made it this far, I can only thank you for your time and patience. By now it should be pretty obvious that English isn't my native language. Sorry if you stumpled over bad grammar and wrong expressions. Feedback is appreciated, though.