Warning: This story contains serious spoilers for the movie Silence of the Lambs. If you haven't seen it, don't read this - not only will it ruin the movie, but the story will make very little sense. You have been warned.
Movie Night
Alucard was surprisingly persistent. Each time Walter made up the weekly shopping list, he just happened to drop by and ask him to pick up the Hannibal Lecter movie. Walter nodded absently and put it on the list, but it never showed up. Finally, Sir Integra showed up with Alucard.
"It seems he wants you to get that movie," she said, getting directly to the point. "I suggest you find it, and take it out of his budget."
The vampire's face fell.
"Don't worry, sir, the cost of movies is nothing compared to that of silver bullets," the butler assured him. "You won't even notice."
"And it's not like you've ever worried how many of those you go through anyway," Integra said dryly.
Once he'd left, Walter turned to Integra. "What brought this on, anyway?"
"Someone compared him to this Hannibal Lecter, and he's curious," she said. "I want you to get it so he doesn't get the idea of going into some store and demanding it himself. We don't need any more calls from the police."
"Indeed, sir."
Walter returned from his errands with the desired movie. "It appears that 'Hannibal Lecter' is a character, not the title. I didn't know if this was what you had in mind or not." He handed The Silence of the Lambs to Sir Integra.
She looked at it and read the back. "This should do." She glanced up. "Does the VCR downstairs still work?"
"I believe so, sir. It's been awhile since we've used it. When did we get the surveillance tapes for that incident in Swansea?"
"That was last year, wasn't it? I'm glad we don't have to deal with Welsh authorities very often. Regardless, set up the projector so he can watch it tonight."
"Very good, sir." Walter left.
Alucard arrived. His timing was always suspicious.
Integra didn't look up from the book she had just opened. "Walter got your movie and will set it up for you tonight."
"Aren't you the least bit curious?" he asked.
"Alucard, dealing with serial killers is work for me. If I'm going to watch a movie, I'd pick a different one."
"Even so…" he persisted.
"No! It's probably just one of those dumb slasher movies, where girls spend a lot of time screaming and there's fake blood everywhere. Seriously, I have no idea why you're even interested in it, but hopefully you can get it out of your system tonight." She was still resolutely looking at her book, though they both knew she hadn't read a word.
"If you watch this one, I'll watch a movie of your choosing," he tried.
She put the book down. "Fine, if it's that important to you, I'll watch it. But I make no promises not to make fun of it the entire time. And I'll hold you to your word – I'm sure I can come up with something ghastly to drive you insane. I think there's a new Jane Austen movie I heard about."
"And you're sure you have no interest in a movie about torturing people?" he asked skeptically.
She ignored him.
After dinner, she went to see if Walter had set up the movie. He had. Alucard was already there, waiting for her. She tried to ignore his expectancy, and sat down in a chair not too close to him. This was, after all, her house.
"If you don't like it, it's not my fault," she warned. She let him turn the lights off and start it.
"What's at Quantico?" he asked.
"It's the US training facility for Marines and other special forces – including FBI. Just watch the movie." But a moment later she continued, "If she gets eaten, I'll be annoyed."
"Just watch the movie," he murmured.
"'Hannibal the Cannibal'?" he scoffed. "Just call him what he is – a monster."
Just do your job, but never forget what he is.
A moment later she scoffed. "See? They know that, too. Just remember they never cast handsome devils as monsters."
"After all this build-up, he better be someone impressive. I'd be disappointed if he were just an average criminal."
"You're always disappointed, Alucard; just watch."
They both fell silent for the meeting of Clarice and Dr. Lecter. Integra sucked in her breath a bit when he stepped towards the glass to smell her.
When Clarice made it out to the parking lot and started crying, they looked at each other. Alucard smiled. "I think I like him."
"He should where sunglasses," Integra muttered. "His eyes are off."
"He cooked them?" Alucard remarked later. "What is he trying to be? A refined monster? How absurd!"
"Like you never drink wine," she reminded him.
He was very happy to spot 'first blood' when Clarice tried to enter the storage shed. But they were both disappointed in the severed head. "I've seen worse ghouls," Integra remarked. After the abduction and discussion of the newest dead body, she complained. "Why is it always women? They never go after men in these things."
"Women taste better," Alucard informed her frankly. She said nothing more on the subject.
Integra tensed up and was very quiet during the funeral flashback. Alucard watched her curiously. He had missed Arthur's funeral, so never saw him in a coffin.
"Quid pro quo?" he said later. "Isn't that what we're doing? You watch my movie if I watch one of yours?" Alucard asked her suspiciously.
"Shhh," Integra said, distractedly.
After the meeting with the senator, one of the guards referred to Lecter as a vampire, and they both laughed. "It's monster, Clarice, how hard is that to remember?" Alucard asked the screen.
"I'm starting to think this guy is all talk," he complained. "He hasn't killed anyone yet."
"There was that head," Integra reminded him.
"Weren't you paying attention? That wasn't his. That's the other guy's."
"I have no qualms about slaughtering lambs," Integra said abruptly.
"I never thought you did," Alucard said, amused.
When Lecter slaughtered the guards, Alucard smiled in approval. "Now this is more like it. I told you I liked this guy."
"He does seem to enjoy himself," Integra said noncommittally.
"I just wish you could smell the blood in these movies. The sound and the visuals are great, but…there should be more of it."
"What do you take from your victims?" she asked him later, curious.
"Their blood," he said, stating the obvious. "And their memories and their souls."
She nodded in approval. "That's much better than this freak. What does he hope to accomplish by making clothes out of skin?"
Alucard shrugged. "He wants to be something he's not."
"Oh, this is ridiculous!" she complained. "Why on earth would anyone send a new recruit in alone?"
They watched Clarice play cat-and-mouse with the serial killer, before eventually killing him. As the movie wrapped up with Hannibal free and the credits rolled, they both just sat in silence for awhile.
"So, what did you think?" he asked her.
"It was a good movie. The ending was dumb, though. And you? Were you disappointed in Dr. Lecter?"
"Not at all. Now that I've seen him, I consider the comparison to be a compliment. There is someone who almost always knows what is going on. He toyed with people too much, but that just comes from imprisonment."
"I see." Integra frowned.
"You're just upset because her father died."
She startled. "Now, don't start that. You're no psychologist."
"No, but I am better looking."
She smiled. "You have more presence."
"Thank you."
She wasn't used to taking her leave of him; usually it was the other way around. "Goodnight, Alucard," she said, standing up. It had been a long day.
"Goodnight, Master. That wasn't so bad, was it?" She just turned and left.
The next evening, Alucard came up behind her and said, "Good evening, Clarice." She usually managed not to fall for his ruses, but that time – she jumped.
He burst into laughter, and she tried to hide a smile. "If I'm going to share my house with a monster, it might as well be one that I am sure will not eat me," she said at length.
"Of course not, Master. You name my victims."
"Now, about the movie you're going to watch….I warned you it would be a chick flic."
He groaned. "Can we watch it on a night where I get to kill things afterwards?"
She smiled this time. "We'll see."