New World.

REMOTE ISLAND

The strange, decayed doctor grimaced at the sight of his creation being defeated so easily. "Damn that Alucard! He defeated him without even trying! It seems we need more to take him down..."

A blur of darkness swept past and a tall, thin man stared down at the doctor. His eyes were sunken deep into his head and ringed in black. His face was emaciated, his cheekbones poking through his skin. His moppish black hair fell about his face as he looked around. "Have you taken care of Alucard?"

"No, sir, not yet. The artificial vampire failed."

"That was just a test. He may be able to contain a lone vampire, but if you were to send in a legion...then even the mighty Alucard would face difficulties."

"Well, we only have ten patients...we would need many more to-"

"I'll go. Brother needs rest, and you have work to do. I will go and raise an army of undead slaves. I have the powers, if Alucard crosses my path, I can fight him!" The thin man sniffed the air. "I shall feed first...give me one of the clean patients."

"But...we haven't-"

"I said..." The vampire leaned close to the doctor, his teeth bared. "Give me one of the clean ones!"

"Yes...right away!" The doctor scurried off and minutes later brought a young girl. She only looked around twelve years old. "Um...this was all I could find. She was brought with her father, but he is already...changed."

"It does not matter. Blood ripens at a very early age...this will be quite a treat."

The little girl whimpered and tried to move away, but the vampire crossed over to her in the blink of an eye. He growled like a wild animal and then picked her up by the throat. She squealed helplessly as her throat was slit by his sharp nails and his large fangs sunk into her soft neck. Blood poured down her neck by the bucket load, but she was long dead by then. When he was finished, he threw the small corpse aside and smiled when he heard bones snap.

"Well, I shall depart now."

*****

HELLSING ORGANISATION HEADQUARTERS

SLEEPING QUARTERS/BASEMENT

Police girl...wake up!

Seras opened her eyes lazily and after several moments, remembered her fatal bullet-wound. With a startled scream, she sat bolt upright and lifted her shirt up, staring at her clean chest.

I was never shot...it was a dream...

All that she noticed that was different was her lack of a bra. She yelped and lowered her shirt, embarrassed even if she flashed no-one at all.

"About that..." A familiar deep voice called. "Your undergarment was destroyed by the bullet. I just disposed of it, but never replaced it."

"Wait...I was shot?! Then where is the wound?" Seras asked.

"The undead can heal at a much faster rate than a mere mortal."

"Undead?! Like...a zombie?" Seras' eyes narrowed.

"No...You are a...substitute vampire." Alucard smiled at his explanation.

"Sub-vampire?"

"Well, I did not make you a full Draculina, but your vampiric qualities overshadow your human ones."

"So...no garlic, sunlight or reflection?" Seras asked.

Alucard frowned. "Your human adaptations of nosferatu are rather childish. Garlic is a harmless vegetable. Frankly, the only problem with it is the smell. Secondly, the sun is harmful to us, but not to the extent that you make out. Lastly...you cannot stop your reflection. It is common sense."

"Okay...so...what am I supposed to do?" Seras looked around at the basement.

"You will work for me."

"And that is...?"

"Slaying vampires and their pets." Alucard stated simply.

"You hunt down and kill your own kind?"

"Yes. Many vampires today are freaks. They are not true to the dracul bloodline, but think they are superior beings. They do stupid things like drinking for no purpose and creating an unreasonable number of ghouls. It is my job, as a proud Dracul, to preserve our good name. I will not let those freaks tarnish it. There is also the matter of my debt to miss Hellsing..." Alucard trailed off.

Seras watched him for some time as he remained perfectly still, which was why when he moved suddenly, it made her leap out of the bed and crash to the floor.

"Get dressed police girl. We leave soon." Alucard's head snapped to the side.

"Okay master Alucard..." Seras whispered reluctantly when her heart slowed it's pace.

*****

SHOOTING RANGE

Seras flinched as Alucard's mighty pistol fired. The unnaturally large weapon would have been impossible to lift for a normal human, which just made Alucard appear even stronger.

"Do you think...I could lift that thing now that I'm a...you know..." Seras trailed off.

"Of course police girl." Alucard replied. "Your strength has been heightened now that you have surpassed the mortals.

"How many time do I have to tell you! My name is Seras!!"

Alucard ignored her and hurled his gun at her. She yelped as it landed in her hands, expecting to drop it. Strangely, it felt like holding a toy gun. It felt so light that it could have been hollow. "Wow..." She pointed the barrel at a target nearby and lined her eye up with the sight. She unleashed three bullets and each one hit the head somewhere. Alucard shook his head and sighed.

"Police girl, remember this well. A vampire can survive a bullet to the head. A bullet to the heart however..." Alucard brought out a second pistol and shot at the location of the heart o the human-shaped target. The particle-board target exploded into pieces and wood chips rained down.

Seras stared at the destroyed target. "How did you blow the thing up?!"

"Oh, the targets are equipped with an explosive which simulates a vampire disintegrating. The detonator is behind the heart and can only be activated when that correct shot is made. It is to help train the new recruits."

Seras nodded. "So...what weapon will I be using when we go into the field?"

"A good question." A deeply accented voice said from a distance. An elderly butler strolled in carrying a large case. It looked like a case for a missile due to it's size. The butler undid the case and revealed the large rifle inside. "This is the Hellsing ARMS anti-midian cannon, or Harkonnen for short." The word Harkonnen was inscribed on the side of the magnificent weapon. The weapon overall looked similar to a hunting rifle, only about two and a half times bigger. The butler took it out of the case and handed it to Seras. Somehow, she held it comfortably and placed the butt gently on the ground. Even then, the rifle was at least three heads taller than her.

"Am I taking down armoured tanks or vampires?" She asked sarcastically. Both the butler and Alucard shared glances...unfavourable ones.

"Go try it out." Alucard demanded. She did so, wandering off and struggling to shoulder the weapon, not because of it's weight, but it's size.

"Is this the new Draculina you've been hiding?"

"Not yet Walter. But I am confident that she will drink blood soon enough." Alucard watched her get thrown back by the recoil as she fired. "She is strangely intriguing..."

Walter grinned. "What is this now...mighty Alucard?" The vampire scowled at his friend and his eyes blazed.

"Just what are you insinuating?" He asked menacingly. His deep voice momentarily went deeper.

"Nothing...nothing at all..." Walter submitted. "Now don't take too long, we leave in twenty minutes." With that, Walter departed.

Alucard continued to watch his new subordinate slowly become accustomed to the powerful weapon she possessed.

*****

LONDON AIRPORT

The thin vampire watched the humans scurry about. If he had the mind to, he could have killed everyone present, but now was not the time. He was too far away from his target, so creating ghouls would have to be postponed.

With his collar turned up high and his moppish hair hiding his face, the vampire passed through the crowd with ease. His thin frame made it easier to weave through the mass of people. He could smell their rich blood. His mouth almost watered, but he regained control of himself in time...until he spotted a stewardess who was loading luggage into a cart. A store-room was right behind her.

Perfect!

The vampire dashed over to her and wrapped his long, spindly arms around her, dragging her through the wall as if it were only a mirage and not a solid object. The noise of the crowd drowned out her agonise screams as her throat was torn out by a set of unnaturally sharp teeth. The vampire drank every last drop of her blood, both to prevent being found and to gain strength. She wouldn't turn into a ghoul unless he raised her. He would wait. His gaze passed over an empty travel bag. He stuffed the body into it and then zipped it up. It was now time to go pay a visit to the Hellsing Organisation...

*****

WAREHOUSE

A horde of ghouls charged across the warehouse floor. Boxes and crates got in their way, but the mindless creatures just ran into them.

Seras locked a clip into her Harkonnen and then set it to her shoulder. The weapon still seemed rather heavy, but not enough to really bother her. Alucard nodded to her and grinned. Seras pulled the trigger and the barrel exploded in a vast muzzle flash. A large, armour piercing bullet soared across the gap and hit a ghoul in it's twisted face. The grey mass of torn skin and teeth disintegrated and brain matter splattered it's neighbours. The bullet continued to carve a path through them, only stopping when it passed through the back wall of the warehouse.

Seras stared wide eyed at the damage done by a single shot. "Holy...shit..."

Alucard chuckled and effortlessly cut down the last of them. "The word cannon is in the name for a reason, Police Girl. Hellsing anti-freak weaponry is second to none in lethality and destructive power. That bullet could run through a tank like a knife through butter."

Seras smiled at the thought of taking down an entire army alone in several shots.

"The only problem is that this gun of yours is cumbersome. A true vampire could outmanoeuvre you easily. That is why you must become accustomed to the weight of it. A moments hesitation could end up killing you!" Alucard said authoritively, almost like a father. It was one the thing which Seras was starting to like about her strange master. He was almost like the father she never had.

Alucard seemed to notice her distracted train of thought. "Is something wrong Police Girl?"

"No...nothing...just the fact that you won't call me by my real name." Seras frowned and looked to the floor.

"You don't deserve it yet." Alucard stated simply.

Seras felt a string of names flood into her mind...but none of them would be allowed to be written in this story. Instead, she simply asked, "Are you serious?!"

"Indeed." Was all Alucard said in response. He opened the warehouse door and stepped outside. The two of them made their way to a small car which they used to get to the warehouse. Alucard froze halfway through unlocking the door.

"What is it?" Seras asked, picking up on his distress. Alucard shook his head. "Nothing...get inside." Alucard looked around before getting into the drivers seat.

"Master..." Seras wore a concerned expression for her mentor.

*****

CEMETERY

LATE NIGHT

The vampire undid the zipper for the bag and dropped the stewardesses corpse onto the wet grass. He muttered something under his breath and her face slowly went a grey colour. Her eyes rolled about and then went blank. Her body jerked upright and she looked to her master. The vampire thrust a shovel into her hands and growled. "Dig! There!" He pointed to a grave beneath their feet.

The ghoul stared at the shovel as if it were a new invention she had never seen before. After a few moments, the digging commenced. The vampire watched the dirt as it was flung about mindlessly. His gaze then focused on the rotted tombstone which was cracked and mouldy. The name was nearly scratched off, but it's name could still be read...'Vlad II Dracul'. The body had been relocated by a group of vampires many years ago because they foresaw a day when the world would become the battle ground for an unholy war between the undead and the living, the first battle starting in England.

The vampire believed them, in fact he wanted to make the prophecy come true, but there was one wall in their way that needed to be crushed and that was Alucard, the vampire servant of a lowly human!

The vampire felt rage flowing through him just at the thought of Alucard's existence.

The ghoul grunted as it heaved a coffin out of the ground. It looked to it's master for approval, but only received a karate chop to the skull with such force that the skull shattered on impact. The vampire then wrenched the lid off of the coffin and grinned wickedly at the contents inside.

Inside the stained, velvet lined coffin, lay an emaciated body. It was the body of Vlad II Dracul...the Dragon...

*****

REMOTE ISLAND

The doctor waddled over to the crackling radio. He pressed a button and his vampire comrades voice came though, albeit amidst much static.

"I have found the Dragon. Awaken my brother! Tell him it is time!"

"Yes, my lord."

"Oh, I can see the look on Alucard's face already when he meets us. He will finally meet his match! Even the mighty Dracula couldn't defeat three Nosferatu all by himself!"

"I shall tell him the good news. Farewell Radu." The doctor switched off the radio and descended into the dark depths of his laboratory.

*****

Meanwhile, back at the gravesite, Radu knelt down over the skeletal corpse. "Father...it is I, your son Radu. We are ready...it is time for you to prepare as well..."

The broken lower jaw of the Dragon quivered.

What is wrong with Alucard? He is never one to show fear of any kind usually...so what made him so concerned earlier? Also, what has Radu got planned for Alucard? And why has he raised Vlad II from the grave? Find out in the next chapter.

Please review. I really want some feedback on the story so far.