"YOU! YOU" Abraham shook with immeasurable rage and hatred that would have warmed the devil's heart as his eyes pierced into the flesh of his undead slave. His emotions gave way and the usually calm and calculating man snapped. He lunged forward, startling the vampire for a moment. Immediately a jagged grin snaked across the vampire's face and his red eyes burned with pleasure at the man's misery. Soon blood poured from the mouth and Alucard was thrown to the ground as Abraham struck him across the face.
"YOU GODDAMNED MONSTER!"
The house servants and hunters had collected by now, and they stared at the man as he attacked the vampire in his black mourning clothes. Their eyes widened as Abraham continued to bellow.
"YOU KILLED HER!" his hands tore at his blond hair and he turned from the vampire for a moment.
"Nightmares do not kill…" the vampire began, not bothering to hide his glee, but his words were cut off as a boot collided with his skull. A sickening crunch resounded in the open hall and a streak of blood was left by the body as it slid across the tile.
"YOU KNEW HOW DELICATE HER MIND WAS!" Abraham was halted by a racking cough, his lungs and throat protesting his abuse. He ignored the pain and continued to yell. "YOU DROVE HER TO KILL HERSELF!"
Abraham didn't wait for an answer and Alucard's body jolted and his scream split through the air, drawing gasps from the small audience whose eyes were wide as they reflected the horror before them. Alucard's head was thrown back and he threw himself to his side, writhing in agony. Abraham pressed harder on the seal, feeling it shudder in his mind under the strain.
The vampire let out a renewed scream and blood from his eyes pooled into the blood still coming from his head, unable to heal as the seal attacked him, cutting off all nerves and senses outside of pain. Like the twang of a broken violin string, the cries fell from the air and the vampire was silent. His voice rung in the human's minds and they flinched when Abraham turned to them with cold and dangerous eyes. Hellsing glared at two of his men.
"Take that thing to the cells." His voice sounded eerily quiet in the wake of the haunting screams of his slave. The men hesitated but forced themselves to leave the crowd and hurried over to the unconscious vampire with ducked heads.
Abraham watched them carry Alucard from his sight and he paused before following them, glancing at his servants.
"Clean up the blood and no one is to disturb me." Random heads nodded as the man turned and left them.
Abraham scowled as the men retreated from the cell, hastily closing the door as if it were the mouth of Hell. The sharp sound of his boots on the stone echoed as he moved closer to the unconscious vampire. His boots stopped by the vampire's face, the movement of air rustling his ebony hair.
"Wake up." A chill stole into the cell with the man's tone. When the vampire didn't respond, Abraham's blue eyes flashed with fury and a creeping madness. "WAKE UP, SLAVE!" He roared and brought his boot down on the vampire's face. Bones cracked and then groaned in protest as he withdrew his weight. The blood obscured the ruined face for a moment as it reformed. Red eyes glinted under the streaming blood.
"I should kill you, but…Damn it!" He kicked the vampire under the chin, the force throwing him across the floor. "I can't because of everything I've invested in you! The time and resources…! You will serve my bloodline as a slave until your wretched existence is finally relieved from the world!"
There was a pause in which Abraham stood seething while Alucard watched silently from the floor, closer to the wall.
"WHY? GODDAMNIT! WHY?" his voice was accompanied by the sound of his boot crashing into the stone.
Alucard remained silent, knowing full well that his Master did not want an answer from him. He knew from his following words that he wasn't evening speaking to the vampire now.
"Why? She was a good woman, and was I not a good servant? Why do the good and innocent die while corrupt, twisted, monsters like this…" His eyes found Alucard and Hellsing's face contorted into a snarl. "…hateful creature, continue? Why take her life and allow him to exist?"
Alucard couldn't help but flinch at the enmity being released by his Master, and a misplaced grin tilted his lips. Abraham's expression remained the same as he tore into the seal and watched Alucard suffer. He watched Alucard for over an hour before the creature's voice cracked and his cries became hoarser. Eventually he could only let out shuddering, pathetic gasps as the agony continued. It was then that Abraham left, not releasing the seal as he closed the door behind him.
Hellsing mused as he felt the vampire grow weaker as the hours passed and the moon rose overhead. He relaxed the bond and felt the weak thrum of the vampire's existence in his mind. Abraham could no longer scowl or curse, he was numb as he drew out a bottle of brandy, his mind somehow tracing back to his young nephew who was notorious for his drinking. Abraham poured a glass and downed it as if it was water, and he went on to pour another and another…
A manic grin caught his features. It was hours into the night now, nearing dawn, and he turned a silver dagger in his hands, letting the blade catch the light. A dark chuckle filled the room and the bottle stood empty on his desk.
Alucard hadn't moved from the place where his muscles had finally been allowed to go lax. The coming night gave him some strength as he recovered from the prickling he still felt from the seal, his mind inflicting the pain with the fresh memory.
He lay there reflecting on his Master's response to finding a secret diary that his wife had kept under their mattress. It described the Hell that awaited her in sleep, tearing at her already cracked mind. It showed vampires ripping her son apart, disemboweling him, and then other times where they turned him into a vampire or a mindless ghoul. In the last dream, Alucard had used his own childhood memories, only replacing himself with Hellsing's son. The woman had slit her wrists and bled out in Abraham's bed as he was working in the library. When he returned to eat a late brunch with her, she was already cold.
His Master had wept the first day, shutting himself in the room with her, refusing meals. The next day, his eyes were dry and he avoided the room completely. Her funeral soon followed, and it ended yesterday, the first day Abraham entered the room again. Alucard had to confess that it was a gruesome sight as the man had forbade the changing of the bed sheets. He went in there to do it himself when he happened upon the diary. He had stayed up all night reading it.
Alucard had been drawn from his coffin in the middle of the day by a command from his Master, and now he lay on the cold stones, left to the darkness. Time passed and Alucard's tortured mind gave in and he fell asleep.
Blood. His eyes shot open. Blood poured and smothered his senses, the smell collecting and drowning him. Alucard sat up, ignoring his sore and battered body. His eyes widened as he gasped.
"Master." The whisper was left behind as the vampire fled from the cell, passing through the walls and floors as if they did not exist until he reached his Master's study. Alcohol burned his nose as he stepped forward, slowed by disbelief.
"No…no. He couldn't have…" Alucard whispered, not able to find his voice as he looked at the man whose head rested on the desk. His shoulder shifted and Alucard darted forward. "Master!" He gripped the man and pulled him back against the chair. A crazed smile found Hellsing when his eyes rested on Alucard.
"I leave you to rot in this world."
Alucard's face paled though it was colorless and his lips trembled as Abraham's eyes became unfocused and blood poured down the deep, vertical slits over his wrists. The vampire could smell death on him.
"No! You're not leaving me behind, you selfish human!" Alucard tore at his sleeve and quickly bound the wounds as a shadow detached itself from his body, forming a small hellhound that leaped through the wall, sending a ghostly howl down the hallways until the first servant stumbled into sight. Its teeth tore at his garments, dragging him forward as others came into view behind him. Hunters could be heard clamoring, snatching up a weapon before leaving their doors gaping.
The man who was practically dragged to the door gasped as he heard a rough plea for help. He shook off the dog as it let go of him and he thrust the double doors open. His breath caught in his throat.
At first glance he thought the vampire was killing Abraham and that Hellsing had called out for help, but as he dashed into the room, he saw the red, bandaged forearms.
"He tried to kill himself."
The butler flinched as the vampire stared up at him, kneeling on the ground where Abraham lay unconscious. The butler bent down to look at Hellsing's wrists as hunters stormed into the room. They froze when they saw Abraham, but, on seeing the vampire, one of them leveled their pistol and fired. Alucard didn't even seem to notice when the bullet buried itself in his chest, recovering from the force of the bullet and righting himself without comment. He didn't look up as the servant demanded that they stop and call for the doctor. More arrived as a few men ran out of the room.
A few more weapons were brandished, but they went unheeded by the vampire who remained kneeling by his Master's head. A few looked as the monster's torn sleeves and then the bandages, but were quiet. Soon came the request that only a few should remain in the room as it became increasingly more crowded. Most retreated to the hall or went to the front of the estate to wait for the doctor.
"Leave!" barked one of the men, glaring at the vampire. "Leave you wretched creature! This is your doing!"
A few men supported the demand, but Alucard didn't respond. A gun clicked by his head and a deadly voice repeated the command.
"I will not." Alucard looked up, past the barrel of the gun and into the man's face. His red eyes glinted. "Shoot me."
The man recoiled and withdrew the gun but Alucard's hand shot out and brought it to his forehead.
"Shoot me! If this is my doing, then kill me! Though I doubt simple silver bullets will be able to finish me!" The men stared at the glaring vampire as he continued to kneel on the floor, directing the gun to his own head. "SHOOT!"
A shot replaced Alucard's voice and he fell to the floor for only a moment before the bullet fell from his head and his eyes opened. "It never works." He chuckled darkly and the men stared at the obviously insane creature. Alucard sat up, gazing at Abraham. "Suicide is detestable, Hellsing. Why? What madness drew you to it?" A barking laugh made the men cringe. "You have thrown my respect away! You stupid man! How dare you abandon me!"
The man shot Alucard again, collecting questioning eyes from the others in the room. Alucard's own eyes found him before he melted into the shadow of the desk and reformed where it connected with the shadow of the wall. He stood like a silent specter in the corner, his eyes gleaming in the gloom.
Abraham felt nauseatingly weak and his arms burned with a searing pain. Coupled with his massive hangover, Hellsing struggled to open his eyes. The low lighting stung and he winced. Across the room Abraham saw the doctor, and he furrowed his brow in confusion, his mind murky.
"What is…?" he mumbled and the doctor was by his side instantly.
"Don't talk, just rest." The doctor said gently and touched his shoulder.
"No." Abraham shook his head slightly and growled at the pain. "I want to know what is…"
"You tried to kill yourself." The doctor analyzed Hellsing's blank expression. "You had been drinking…you don't remember?"
Abraham didn't answer. Everything felt so surreal, like he was in a dream.
The doctor cleared his throat nervously. "I'm sorry we couldn't get him to leave. They insisted but he refused."
Abraham's eyes focused and he looked at the man. The doctor looked past Abraham, towards his shoulder. Abraham recoiled when he turned his head and saw the vampire leaning on his bed.
"He fell asleep less than an hour ago."
"What time is it?" Abraham looked away from his vampire's face and the doctor told him it was about three or four in the afternoon. There was quiet as the doctor struggled not to ask Abraham another question. He finally gave in.
"Who is he?"
Abraham didn't answer, though he looked the doctor in the eyes.
"Family? A friend?"
"No." Abraham said strongly, and then regretted it as his headache throbbed. "He's a demon…you're aware of what my organization deals with by now…"
The doctor's body tensed and he glanced at Alucard. "A…vampire?" he said in a low voice.
Abraham looked at his slave with a sudden feeling of revulsion but he stopped before telling the vampire to leave as the doctor spoke. His eyes pivoted to the quiet man. "What did you say?"
"He saved your life."
Abraham didn't recognize the statement. Then he clenched his teeth. "Impossible. He would have torn my throat out the first chance he had." He looked at Alucard again and growled. "Slave."
Eyes snapped open and Alucard sat up sharply, looking at Abraham detachedly. "Master."
Abraham's eyes narrowed. "Explain."
Alucard was emotionless. "Explain what, Master?"
"You didn't kill me." Hellsing snapped and the doctor edged away from them.
"Why did you try to kill yourself?" The vampire's voice was a level monotone.
Abraham hesitated, taken aback by the unexpected response. He almost sat up, but grunted when he couldn't and the movement made him dizzy. His eyes tried to fix a glare at the vampire. "I didn't know what I was doing. But besides that, it isn't hard to find the source…a damned monster that killed my wife."
"I didn't kill her."
"Yes! You bloody did!" Abraham groaned and closed his eyes for a moment, his own voice ringing in his ears. The doctor spoke up.
"He shouldn't be excited. Please leave…" Alucard fixed a dead stare at him and the man's mouth snapped shut and his shoulders shivered.
Alucard looked down at the pale man on the bed. "You said that you were leaving me to rot."
Abraham's eyes fluttered open. "That sounds good."
"You tried to commit suicide."
"You should be happy." Abraham closed his eyes again.
"I despise suicide."
"You fear death."
"No. Suicide is defeat. Running away, to escape what you are confronted with. It is cowardice, and a death that does not fit you."
Abraham glared at him but gave a breath of a laugh. "You want to be my death. I know."
"You are not allowed to die."
Abraham was quiet. His anger sparked. "You are not in any position to order me, Slave."
"I won't allow it. You cannot abandon your duty."
Abraham looked at him, noticing how uncharacteristically calm and…human-like he was. There was no insane glimmer in his eyes…there was nothing. "You know that I'm not finished with you." His eyes narrowed as Alucard's blinked. "Return to the cell."
"No."
His face deadened. "What? I told you to go, now!" The vampire didn't move. Growling, Abraham ripped into the seal.
He was overcome with fatigue as his energy was drained. He let go of the seal and stared dully at the ceiling as he tried to catch his now uneven breath. The doctor started and rushed to the bed.
"What did you do?" the doctor's wide eyes locked on Alucard with accusation. His hand found the pulse in Abraham's neck and he counted to himself. "Hellsing, I need you to take deep, slow breaths and you need to sleep…" he froze at the expression on Abraham's face. It betrayed dread, fear, and he almost looked dazed as he stared at the vampire and the vampire looked back at him.
"Can you tell my men to come here?" Abraham said quietly to the doctor without looking away from Alucard. "Now."
"I already knew." Alucard's voice and face were still void of expression.
Abraham eyes widened some before he recovered. "Get my men, doctor."
The doctor hesitated, backing up to the door.
"They know that they can't kill me. When they shot me, I would easily close the wounds and expel the silver bullets." Alucard paused. "I could kill them all; impale them on stakes in front of the mansion. I could tear into that doctor's throat. I could kill you."
"Then why haven't you?" Abraham whispered, leaning away from the pillow. The doctor had run out of the room.
"You are not allowed to die."
Abraham cocked his head, pondering his vampire. A few men burst into the room, handguns drawn. One man fired as soon as he saw the vampire, shooting him in the head twice before he noticed that Abraham was telling him to stop. Alucard's blood snaked back to reform his skull and his eyes turned to the man.
"Sir Hellsing…what's going on?" a man asked, glaring at the vampire.
"I can't activate the seal in this state." The men stared dumbly at Abraham who ignored them, watching Alucard. The doctor lingered by the door. "He could very well kill us all."