-Welcome back-

My head hurt and I felt dizzy. I was freezing and couldn't get warm. What happened?

"Calm down,Princess. You'll get warm soon enough."Alucard whispers,wrapping a blanket around me. I open my eyes,painfully regretting it as the lights make my head ache worse. I was lying on a bed next to his coffin as he sat on its lid. His hat hung from his thrown along with his sunglasses. His red eyes seemed to flood my body with a heat I had never known. He moves to turn off the lights,trying to make me feel better,when I realize I wasn't wearing what I came home in.

"Don't worry,Princess. I had Police Girl change you,clean you up and bandage you. I've had your dresser and mirror brought down here while your room is being renovated after the ghoul attack last week."He says softly,sitting on the bed beside me. Why was he treating me so nicely? I force myself up out of bed and walk toward the door. He grabs my arm and pulls me close,trying to get me back into bed.

"You need your rest,Princess."He growls,digging the barrel of his Jackal gun into my hip. I growl and turn in his iron grip,pushing against his chest.

"Let me go,Tepes. I'm not staying down here while you and your new born vampire go have fun without me."I growl. He grips my wrists and picks me up,slamming me against the stone wall of his chamber. I groan in pain,noticing how tender my body was,and instinctively shrink away from him. He bares his fangs,letting his eyes overwhelm me inside and out,and throws me over his shoulder. I didn't realize I was only dressed in one of his long sleeved black button downs and a pair of my boy shorts underwear until I felt the cool air slip up my back as his movements push the shirt further and further up. He kicks open Integra's office door suddenly and walks straight toward her at her desk.

"Sometimes,I hate how eager you are to fight the scum of this world."He hisses,throwing me into a seat on the opposite side of her desk.

"Tepes! As your Master..."I start to say,the anger and frustration making my accent bleed into my words,when he covers my mouth. He puts his mouth to my ear and growls deeply,his warm breath wrapping itself around my neck and branding itself into my skin as if it were the very flames from Hell.

"I'm trying to protect you,Princess. Let me,for once in your miserable life."He hisses,letting his tongue and teeth graze my ear and even part of my throat. The anger in his voice about protecting me both terrified and thrilled me. More than when we first met. His accent was dripping through just like mine had,and it sounded even better flowing from his lips. Integra's shocked gaze never left mine even as Alucard turned and left without another word. Her piercing blue eyes,hidden only by the thin glass of her glasses at the bridge of her tiny nose,glare at me with confusion,worry and shock of what she had just seen. Her long bleach blonde hair was dancing in the slight breeze from the open window near her. Her dark pant suit and blue ascot with her father's silver cross pendent buttoned on it heaved along with her uneven breathing. I could tell the shock of his tone had gotten to her too.

It felt like an eternity sitting in this horrid office thrown trying to explain my frustration and need to be out in the action to myself when,before I knew it the Hellsing family butler,Walter walks in quickly with my sword and a handful of my clothes. My self proclaimed 'warrior uniform'.

"Sir Integra,Miss Cross,I'm sorry to inform you that Father Anderson has been reportedly seen at the train station."He says,setting the clothes down next to my sword on her desk. He glances at me and quickly moves to check my bandaged head.

"Alucard and Seras have the backup they need. Andrew and his team are there with them. They can handle this on their own,Walter."Integra says softly,sitting back in her chair with one of her infamous thin cigars lit in her fingers. Walter suddenly stops and looks down at me,removing the bandage.

"He's killed Andrew,Sir Integra. And dispatch says Miss Victoria has called in the untimely death of..."He says when I notice that sad gleam in his eye.

"Alucard."I whisper,jumping up and ripping open the shirt of his I wore,rushing to get changed into my black leather long sleeved shirt with the corset midsection and the matching pants with the modified belt that held my sword and knee high heeled boots I had laid out for me. Integra sighs and nods slightly,locking eyes with me.

"If anything happens to where you're lightheaded or hurt...let Seras take over. You don't have to do everything yourself. Not this time,Lumina."She says,touching my hand as it grips the handle of my sword. She knew I had a need to control situations and getting things done my way,but she was right. I might need help this time,and if I did,my life and the lives of those men were resting in the hands of a fledgling. I nod and slip my sword into its holster. I rush out to my car and pump the gas,speeding to the train station where the ghoul threat was first spotted at.

"Miss,you can't go in..."A foot soldier calls,walking toward me as I park the car and climb out. He stops abruptly,looking me over when realization and amazement quickly cross his features.

"The Warrior Princess."He whispers,gasping one of the names I've heard over he years,backing into an on coming soldier. The man behind him follows his gaze and looks at me.

"Miss Cross...you're the Woman in Black?"He unconsciously gapes,stepping back out of my way along side his friend. I can't help but smirk slightly,gripping my sword and running down the stairs of the station and toward the commotion.

"Master,please come back."I can hear Seras crying. I grit my teeth and push myself faster. I run down long dark halls and tunnels just to be knocked off my feet by a waiting ghoul. I smile wickedly,snapping his neck with ease,slamming him against the floor and cutting his head off quickly. I start to run again when the piercing sound of guns firing off in the distance ring through the crowding area. I crouch into the shadows and try to creep into the situation unseen. It worked well until Seras turned all too quickly toward me,pointing a gun at me.

"Put it away,Seras. It's just me."I whisper,stepping out of the shadows. She slowly lowers her gun,going back to crying next to a large puddle of blood she sat by. I kneel next to it and sigh.

"Master's...he's..."She starts to blubber,eyes filling with a new set of tears. I look at her and motion her to move back.

"You sick bastard."I growl under my breath,standing when a small blade is suddenly thrusted through my shoulder,pinning me to the wall behind me. I scream out in pain,gripping the handle to pull it out when Father Anderson steps in front of me. Not caring if he slides in Alucard's freshly spilt blood. He puts another blade to my throat and leans in close.

"You could've been the best,Lumina. Instead you had to choose that nasty waste of space."He groans,his Scottish accent trailing his sentences as his lips brush my throat. I cringe at his nearness and try to pull the blade out of my shoulder.

"I didn't choose him,Alexander. Alucard chose me. I just happened to be willing to throw myself at his feet. I was raised to worship the Impaling Prince and I'll do so as long as he lives."I say,letting the emotion from my voice drain the longer he stared deeply into my eyes. A smirk curls his lips,pushing him to chuckle with a demented achievement behind it.

"Your dedication to that blood soaked hellion just went out,didn't it?"He growls with a sick sense of achievement,not noticing the dark mass that was building behind him. I grit my teeth through the pain and push him away from me. I yank the blade out of my shoulder and fall into the blood. I grab the Jackal next to it and point it at Alexander.

"Alucard can never die."I growl as the blood slowly forms into the shape of a man. I crouch down and grip my sword close just in case. Alexander chuckles and braces himself for a fight.

"He's never coming back,Lumina. Your sick obsession with him has to end."He groans in annoyance with a mocking twinge to his tone,swinging toward me when the blood curls up his arm and pulls the blade out. I smirk and shoot him in the leg.

"Now now Anderson. It's not polite to hurt a woman."The blood curdles,making Seras screech with joy. Alucard pulls himself together and throws Alexander into the train.

"If you touch my Master again,I'll have your head."Alucard howls,taking his gun from my hands. I smile and pull my sword close,staying in front of him and preparing for a fight like no other. I watch as a single stream of free flowing blood wraps up my right thigh and curls up my body until it's gripped tight to my body. I couldn't help but feel protected the closer Alucard got to me.

"Master you're alive."Seras calls happily,killing a few ghouls behind her. Alexander turns and throws what looked like bible pages and extra knives our way. Alucard tightens his grip and curls me into his chest,letting his blood turn into his shadow wolf and cover me in a protective shield.

"I will get you,Alucard. And some day you won't be around to protect your precious human Master."Anderson hisses,backing into the shadows just to disappear. When Alucard pulls away,I can feel one of the blades had nicked my collar bone.

"Master!..."Seras calls,walking toward him.

"Hush,Police Girl. My Master is hurt. I have to get her home. Take the soldiers back to the humve outside."He snaps,the most brief display of pain flashing in his crimson eyes, shifting to pick me up. Seras runs to carry out the orders as the blood starts to drip faster from my collar bone.

"Alucard..The room is spinning."I says softly,gripping his trench coat. He growls and holds me tight.

"Hold onto your sword,Princess. I'll get you home."He says softly,the anger behind it causing the hairs on my arms and neck to stand in end. Before I knew it,his shadows were consuming me and getting us home quicker than anything I've ever seen before.

"Integra! Walter!"He calls,the Romanian accent in his tone making me shiver as he kicks open his chamber room door and lying me on the bed. He moves slightly,quickly removing my corset and unzipping my long sleeved leather top. He throws his hat and sunglasses toward the thrown again and sits beside me,pressing against the wound until Walter and Integra run in. I groan in pain,clenching the hand he held closest to my side,and try to find an easy focal point to focus on through the pain. My eyes quickly shifted from the easiest one being the two huge crimson disks gleaming over me to the small blue disks behind them. Seras' eyes were watering as she bit her bottom lip,watching the blood drip over her Master's fingers. I let go of Alucard's hand and shift my leather sleeve,exposing my wrist to Seras.

"Take it."I mumble,flinching at the pain of Alucard's increased pressure. He didn't approve,but knew what I was doing. He didn't object,but stayed close to watch his fledgling. Integra growls her disapproval,moving to stop Seras when Walter cuts her off,moving to stitch my collar bone.

"Master,I..."She stammers,touching Alucard's shoulder. He watches my eyes and nods slightly.

"You heard my Master,Police Girl."He snaps under his breath,locking eyes with me. I watch as she kneels down next to my wrist and takes it into her hands. She stares at the throbbing vein for a moment,licking her lips as her eyes seem to flash a red that I knew all too well,and bites down. I gasp,gripping the sheets instinctively,and bite my lip. I don't dare to move or look away from Alucard.