Seventy Years Part 2
"I have to say, your cleverness is as sharp as ever, Integra. Luring them with your shadow matter into believing this was a storehouse for illegal exotic pets was impressive," Alucard said.
Fifteen full minutes had passed before Wynter and Seras would relinquish the former leader of the once-great Hellsing organization. Integra, having finally been freed, sat with as much dignity as she could muster, still wrapped in the blanket as she sat on the cot. Wynter and Seras sat like children on the floor before her as Alucard sat down beside her, placing an arm around her shoulders, much to her obvious irritation. Wynter could see he was only doing it to push her buttons. And it was working.
"If you don't remove your arm, then I'll take great pleasure in breaking it, you git," she growled.
Alucard quickly, but bemusedly obliged.
"Integra, how are you here? We attended your funeral," Seras exclaimed.
"Yeah," Wynter agreed, "And it's amazing; you look just as you did seventy years ago! You look like you're in your twenties again,"
"Allow me to explain," Alucard said, again draping his arm over her shoulders if only to anger her, "Integra called me to see her just days before she was due to die. She confessed to me her fear of death and told me to obey her final order; to give her the chance to live,"
"Hardly in so many words," Integra grumbled, shoving him off the cot and re wrapping the blanket. Alucard picked himself up off the floor with a chuckle, "My, you're quite strong now, aren't you?" he said, crossing his legs.
"So your coffin then—" Seras ventured.
"Filled with bricks," Integra answered, "As you can see, I'm here. For whatever reason, upon my turning, my body reverted back to as it was the day Alucard disappeared, with the exception of my left eye, which while restored, is completely dead."
"I believe the explanation for the transformation lies in your own subconscious wish to return to those days," Alucard said, "This could only be an illusion you'll be forced to maintain."
"I didn't need you to tell me that." Integra snapped.
Wynter frowned, "I thought you cherished your humanity, Integra," she said darkly. Integra fixed her with a stern glare, "I did, Wynter. Upon the failure to cure my incurable illness that was killing me, my human body perished. I've died as a human. Now, I wish to experience life through the eyes of the creatures I once destroyed. It's only fair that I see what they see. How else can I be an effective hunter?"
Wynter smiled gently. It made sense.
"How long have you been here?" Seras asked.
"Since the day of the funeral," Alucard answered for her, "Allow me to explain,"
/ooo/
The new moon hung somewhere in the inky blackness of the night sky pervading over England, obscured by thick clouds signaling an approaching storm. The final ceremony had been small, as few people had ever acknowledged her existence in this world. Including one individual in particular, slowly making his way through the trees toward the church. Wreaths of flowers lined the internal sanctum of the building, illuminated by the dying candles adorning the walls beneath the ornate stained glass windows. A slight wind blew outside, foretelling the coming gale in rapid transit through the sky. He knew he needed to work fast. Morning would soon dawn.
He dragged behind him a large burlap sack, weighing many pounds that would ordinarily slow a normal human down. He hefted it along as if it were paper.
Footfalls silent as the graves outside, he made his way past the podium, ignoring the age-old 'rule' that a vampire must be invited to enter a sacred place. Such petty laws didn't apply to him.
The coffin was sealed tightly. His illusion of her former mortal coil would have worn off by now. He stopped before it, crimson eyes glowing in the darkness as he reached forward to grasp the lid, breaking the seal and wrenching it open.
The moonlight wafting in through the window cast a dim glow on her face as she lay motionless, eyes shut in peaceful slumber, the last she would get for quite some time. He could sense she was incredibly weak and while they were alone, he allowed himself to feel slightly afraid for her condition. Her body had been old and hadn't responded well. Changing a human's physical outlook and structure was a challenge even for him. It had worked, but only just. She was dangerously weak.
He reached inside the coffin, gently lifting her up out of it and into his arms. He moved off the altar to place her sitting up in one of the pews, removing the dark cloak he wore to blend in and draping it over her. He then hoisted the bag up and opened the drawstring, upending it into the coffin. A torrent of stones and bricks tumbled free, clattering into the empty space. He smoothed them out to create an even surface and then closed the lid of the coffin, freeing his shadow matter to reseal it. Come morning, nothing will have seemed out of place.
"Al...u...card…." he heard her whisper feebly. He whirled, face grim. She was trying to stand, eyes open to mere slits. Despite her weakness, her newly acquired claret eyes flamed in the darkness. He darted forward, catching her before she fell, "Don't move just yet," he murmured, "Your body is weak,"
"I'm...so...tired,"
He smiled slightly, "I'm sure you are. You've been through a lot. I know it's a strain on your pride, but just listen to what I say for now and go back to sleep," he said.
"To...hell with...it,"
He wasn't sure whether she meant her pride or his request. In any event, she obliged, willingly or otherwise and drifted into sleep. He chuckled slightly and lifted her out of the pew, still wrapped in the cloak. Carrying her gently, he proceeded back out of the church, leaving behind her forgotten legacy as he hurried to get her to a safer place. Fortunately, the place he had in mind had been abandoned for some time now. It was scheduled to be torn down in a month or so, but it would do for the time being. He had to keep the others from finding out for now while she was recovering.
He had to admit, that part would be a tad tricky.
/ooo/
Integra eyed him angrily and made a sound of discontent, "I can speak for myself, Alucard."
"Ah, ah, you're my fledgling now, so you can't call me by name," he chimed jokingly.
"I'll call you whatever I wish, bloody fool," she snarled.
"Aw, come now, Integra, play nice, now," he said with a grin.
Wynter and Seras exchanged sly looks. Seras chuckled, "Ah, I see what's going on," she said.
"Completely," Wynter added, "Shall we leave the two of you alone for a while?"
"Don't you dare," Integra snapped. Both girls dissolved in laughter and the falcon let out a sharp shriek. Integra was visibly startled, eying it, "Wynter, is that thing still alive?" she exclaimed in amazement. Wynter blinked, turning to look at the falcon and then grinning, "That's hilarious; that's the exact same thing Heinkel said when she saw it!" she chuckled.
The falcon ruffled its feathers and grumbled to itself.
Integra sighed, "Honestly…." She mumbled.
"Your diversion was brilliant, Integra," Alucard said suddenly, "But it only bought us some time. This place is condemned and will be gone within a week or two. You'll have just enough time to adjust to your new living arrangements."
Integra eyed him coolly and then looked away, "Adjust? I don't think that will be necessary. Seems as though I'm prepared already."
"Lucky for you," Wynter said, "The transition should go fine."
"What are you going to do now?" Seras asked her.
"For the first time, I'm not sure," Integra replied, "I'll have to think on it for a while."
/ooo/
With the addition of another new vampire to this odd little family, Wynter found the atmosphere drastically changed from what it was prior to this. Seras seemed in much better spirits as she took it upon herself to accompany Integra outside on occasion, though the woman insisted on teaching herself the basics of vampiric life. Years spent dealing with Alucard's antics seemed to have taught her well. Two days after the incident with the police, Seras had yet to venture into east London where that antique shop was. She sent Wynter there with some contact lenses in to assess the damage, so to speak. Wynter discovered through breezily chatting with the antique dealer that the old woman hadn't even considered vampires when Seras burned herself; that her first thought was whether or not the girl was all right. She said that hindsight had made her wonder about it once the incident was long over. Wynter left the store somewhat peeved that the police had come to the vampire conclusion on their own through biased second-hand information. Just perfect.
In the meantime, they had more immediate things to worry about. Alucard had been eerily silent for over a day, often sitting on the roof and staring out over the city. Now and then, Wynter would join him. They'd either sit in silence, watching the endless horizon, or talk quietly. Seras sometimes wondered what they talked about and how they were able to continually find conversational material after all this time. But then, she reasoned, of the three female vampires, Wynter had known him the longest and probably understood him as well as Integra did.
"It's probable that he feels comfortable around Wynter," Integra reasoned as she and Seras played with the chess set one evening.
"You think so?" Seras asked.
"I do. I know Alucard. He's actually quite guarded, Seras. You and she are the only fledglings that Alucard ever devoted any time to in the long term."
"What about those other two?"
Integra moved her rook three spaces to the left and sighed, "From my research, those two were probably created on a whim and likely meant nothing to him. He more than likely abandoned them fairly early on, resulting in their deaths. Take that as a testament to how special you truly are, Seras." She said with a wry smile.
"Special?"
"Whatever it was about you, he desired to see that evolve. He wanted to see you become a truly strong vampire. And so, you have. The same goes for Wynter. And seeing how she was the first fledgling he nurtured, I would imagine there's some sort of bond there. I'm sure you've realized, Seras; Alucard isn't heartless by any stretch. His life has simply made him seem that way."
Seras looked down at the board and frowned, "You may be right," she said, "Otherwise, he'd probably have abandoned us long ago, as well."
"I have no doubt. And now that I've joined your ranks in the undead, I'm able to see this more clearly than ever."
Seras grinned, "Good thing, because you certainly didn't see my bishop in time!" She chimed, knocking Integra's king off the board.
"You brat!"
/ooo/
"How fun," Wynter chuckled, listening to the ruckus downstairs, "It's like things have gone back to the way they used to be. Almost everyone is here."
Alucard glanced at her curiously, "Yes, almost everyone is," he agreed, "You seem in better spirits today."
Wynter shrugged, "Maybe I am. I couldn't have predicted that Integra would join us. I mean, ever. But her reasoning makes sense."
She sighed and flexed her wings in and out, "I guess we're only missing Walter. Then the cast would be complete."
Alucard smirked dryly, "Just Walter? Aren't you forgetting someone?"
Wynter grumbled low in the back of her throat, "Shut it."
"I meant no harm. I could have sworn you'd include a certain other someone in the lineup. Perhaps I was mistaken?"
"I said can it."
"Surely you know what I'm talking about. After all, seventy years isn't that long to creatures like us."
Wynter rolled her eyes, reached over, grabbed his collar and yanked him roughly toward her, glaring directly into his eyes, "Shut. Your. Mouth." She snapped through gritted teeth. Alucard just snickered as she let him go, "My apologies, Wynter. It just seemed like you could use a little aggravation now and again."
"No thanks. Living with you gives me plenty to deal with."
They fell silent for a while. The night was still, save for a short gust blowing in from the river. The noise of the traffic below had begun to still as the hour grew late. Wynter gazed around at the deceptively peaceful city and hummed, "Alucard, this safety is only a façade, isn't it?"
"Yes, it is." He answered without any hesitation, "We should enjoy this peace and quiet while we can. It won't last."
"Is there really nowhere we can go and expect to be safe?"
"The poles."
Wynter groaned and shook her head, "Nowhere realistic?" she corrected herself. He laughed and then looked outward, "No, there isn't." he replied, "Wherever we go, opposition awaits. You should know this perfectly well, Wynter."
"Just because I know it doesn't mean I have to like it." She muttered.
Alucard stared at her out of the corner of his eye, watching her thoughtful expression as it morphed into a state of deep thought. She seemed to be finally making the transition into a fully mature vampire. The first signs always seemed to appear once the individual finally grasped the situation of the world; safety was a myth. She'd never seemed to realize it in the old days, he noticed. He wasn't sure if he should be proud of her for her progress or saddened at this loss of another piece of her innocent humanity.
"I suppose the world is a dangerous place in general, Wynter." He said finally, "Even for humans. They face dangers of their own every day; motor accidents, suffocation by various means, animal attack, and even attack by their own kind. Since they're the ruling species on this earth, I suppose you'd call murder a form of regicide."
"Morbid jokes," she grumbled, "Glad to know your sick sense of humor still reigns supreme."
"Every species has to have a predator. We're the humans' predator, just as they are ours. We drink because we have no choice."
"Simplified like that, it doesn't sound so bad. But it's like I told Anderson years ago; nothing is designed to live forever and that goes for us too. One way or another, we'll die as well."
"Do you still miss him?"
Wynter didn't answer, staring down toward the ground. Alucard wisely chose not to pursue the topic. He slowly got to his feet, "Have you eaten yet?" he asked, looking down at her.
"No, not for a few days."
"Go hunting." He commanded. It wasn't a request. These days, she was putting off drinking far too often for far too long. She glowered at him, but sighed and opened her wings with a rush of feathers. He reached out and tugged one of them from their place, causing her to shriek lightly in alarm. He examined it with a wry expression on his face, "You see? Your feathers are dull."
She snatched the useless feather back from him and took off down the roof, spreading her wings to catch the wind and soaring off into the night sky. The sound of her wing beats slowly faded from his hearing as he made his way back into the building. He was careful to pass by Seras and Integra still matching wits at the chess game. Masking his presence, he noticed the wayward bird was missing yet again. He faded through the wall and descended into the gloomy downstairs of the condemned structure. Thanks to Wynter's incessant foraging, the place was virtually free of cobwebs, and evicted spiders went scurrying about on the floor in search of new homes. Of the three floors, the one on the ground floor held the most boxes and decrepit furniture, forgotten by the city and any former occupants from long before. Sensing no living presence in the third and second floors, he made his way down to the first floor. Pausing halfway down the creaky old stairs, he scanned the gloom and sighed heavily when he saw him sitting on a stack of crates in the corner, half asleep against the wall. Anderson immediately looked up when he realized he was no longer alone in the room. Alucard shook his head,
"You do realize you're only delaying the inevitable, don't you?" he asked, descending the rest of the way and approaching. The former paladin didn't reply, just watching him warily. Alucard held his hands up defensively, "Now, now, lower the shield. I'm simply here to talk."
"Ah'd find that hard tae believe." Anderson muttered, staring out through the cracks in the window cover.
"Tell me; how long is this reborn existence ordained to last?"
Anderson shrugged, "Yer guess is as good as mine." He said simply.
"If that's the case, she's going to figure it out at some point. Tell me, what will you do when she does?" Alucard queried, tilting his head slyly, "You'd apparently like nothing more than to keep her in the dark. But what happens when she discovers you're here? You only have two options once that happens."
He moved to the wall and folded his arms, looking over at the ex-Iscariot member, "You can either accept the fact that she knows and henceforth accept whatever reaction she might have, be it good or bad."
He paused dramatically, "Or, simply put, you can kill her. But I'm guessing that was never really in the agenda, now was it?"
Anderson didn't look at him. He stared angrily into the darkness, gritting his teeth.
"Are you even capable of killing her? Do you still have any weapons?"
Alucard waited patiently for a response. Anderson hesitated, but finally replied, "Aye, Ah have ae few."
"So then the choice should be simple." The vampire said with a light grin, "You're intelligent; you'll come up with something, I'm sure. By the way, there's something I've been meaning to ask you."
"What?"
"Have you decided what you're going to do when we eventually leave this place?"
This time, he got no reply whatsoever. He wasn't surprised. It seemed no one was all too sure. And with the deadline only a week away, they were running out of time. A decision had to be made, and soon.
"You have a week to decide, maybe less." He informed him. He turned around, "I'm going back upstairs. Do what you wish."
"Ah doon't need tae be told that from the likes o' you." Anderson grumbled as Alucard disappeared up the steps. But he fell silent from there, staring through the floor. He thought back, trying to recall the exact moment when he'd remembered who he was. It wasn't long after that that he'd remembered Wynter. He'd spent so long in essence as a bird; coming to the realization of his former humanity had been a shock to him. But through it all, he'd somehow managed to recognize Wynter when she first discovered him. Sure, he'd only known her subliminally, but it was there. Gradually, memories began to come back, hazy, cloudy, but real. Over time, they gained clarity and increased in volume in his mind; memories of his friends and of his time with Iscariot. His life before then, the circumstances leading up to his world's upheaval, his time spent with Wynter and then his last day on earth just before his death, right up until the last moment when he saw her for the last time, staring down at him from atop that building. Everything beyond that point, save for a few instances, was still misty and convoluted. He was still sorting them out. He wondered what would happen once they returned completely. It wasn't something he felt he was wholly prepared to deal with. He still wasn't complete; who knew if he ever would be?
He sighed, rubbing his eyes wearily as he glanced back toward the stairs. He knew that vampire was right; Wynter was bound to discover him before too long. His avian illusion was temporary. Once it wore off completely, he'd lose it. What would she do when she found out? He found he was wary of the answer. He wasn't sure he wanted to know. But at the same time, he did.
He looked up suddenly at the distinct sound of powerful wing beats. That could only be her. He listened as they touched down on the roof up above. The light through the cracks in the window before him was broken only for an instant as a few stray feathers floated down. She wouldn't discover him tonight most likely.
But he knew he should prepare for the inevitable finality.
/ooo/
"You're kidding me…."
Seras sagged against the wall at the news. Integra sat by the window, head braced on her hand as she stared at them through claret eyes. She sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose in dismay. Wynter stood close by, wings folded loosely as she gazed at the ground.
"I heard it by chance from city officials. The death of those four humans has caused quite a stir amongst the people." Alucard said, "This isn't looking too good for us now."
"But now?! Why now!?" Seras exclaimed, eyes wild, "We literally have nowhere to go if anything is decided tonight!"
"I can't believe it's come to this," Integra mumbled, "A Round Table meeting, headed by the Queen herself."
"It's my fault…," Wynter whispered, her eyes glazed over, "It's because I killed those kids…this is all my fault…."
"They've decided to discuss it officially…what's to be done with Hellsing's former monsters." Alucard said gravely, "And now that Integra is supposedly dead and gone, there's no one left to stick up for the Hellsing name."
"You have no relatives, Integra?" Wynter asked glumly. The woman shook her head slowly, gazing out through the dingy window, "No one of high enough rank; scattered distant relations around the countryside, all of mixed lineage. No one important." She said quietly.
Wynter looked away, her eyes dulled. She gritted her teeth in frustration, "This is all my fault…," she whispered again, "If I hadn't fought back…if I'd just let them…damn it…damn it…."
Alucard leered over at her grimly, "Wynter, that's enough. You were provoked; it couldn't be helped."
Wynter's eyes blazed, "No…no, that's wrong. That's god-damn wrong! I murdered four teenagers and now we're all going to pay for it!"
"They attacked you; you acted in self-defense."
"I still killed them, Alucard. I should've just let them do what they wanted and left it at that."
"Wynter, enough. You are not the cause of this." He said calmly.
Wynter advanced on him slowly, her expression contorted in fury, "What the hell is wrong with you? Why aren't you angry with me? You and I both know that I screwed up royally allowing my anger to get the best of me. I acted rashly!"
"You acted like a vampire!" Alucard snapped.
"I murdered them! Because of this, I may have just sealed our fates at the hands of The Round Table! I may have killed us too, dammit!" she shouted, her fangs elongating.
Alucard's own eyes narrowed as his limited patience began to thin, "Wynter, you're not a human; you acted exactly how a vampire should have and how we're expected to act these days. Get a grip!" he snarled.
"At this point, being a vampire has nothing to do with it!" Wynter screamed. She didn't have time to react as Alucard suddenly lashed viciously out at her, hurling her to the floor with a sickening thud, cracking the floorboards. Seras and Integra were both frozen in shock and horror as he strode forward, reached down and seized her neck, hoisting her up to face him, "Being a vampire has everything to do with it!" he roared, "If after all this time, you cannot accept that, than you have no right to call yourself one! Those kids threw rocks into the lion's den and they paid the price! You know better than anyone what it truly means to be a vampire! Have you honestly forgotten everything you've ever learned in your two hundred years, Wynter? Have you!?"
She struggled to choke out a reply, but his grip around her neck was too tight. He realized this and quickly released her. She fell back to the floor, coughing sharply. Alucard straightened up, staring down at her disdainfully, "Humans are the threat now," he said, "Right now, it doesn't matter whether you killed them or if I had; they're setting their sights on hunting us down. This would have happened regardless. It no longer matters what the catalyst was; the point is that it's happening."
Wynter picked herself up painfully, still somewhat stunned from the blow. Integra noticed a thin trail of blood trickling down from her hairline along the side of her face. She kept her eyes down as she quickly left the attic space, heading down into the lower levels. Seras hesitated briefly and then started to go after her.
"Leave her be," Alucard commanded.
"But…I—"
"She needs to be alone for a while," the older vampire said quietly, "Just let her be, for now."
Seras knew deep down that he was right, but was still shocked at what had happened. In the first time that she could remember, Wynter had challenged Alucard, if only briefly. In years past, it had become painfully obvious that Wynter would never fight her sire. Sure, they bickered from time to time, but she always backed down from any altercations in the end. Seras watched as he moved toward the window, staring out blankly toward the ground. She sat down a few feet from Integra, her eyes trained on the floor.
Integra watched her a moment and then looked over at Alucard, standing motionless. Now was not the time, but she made a mental note to speak to him about this later. Some doors needed to be opened, now.
Wynter retreated to the first floor of the building, sitting inside an old, crumbling closet with the door cracked open slightly. She could smell her own blood leaking from the large gash in her head. She didn't even bother trying to heal it. She just continued feeling the sensation of her blood leaving her body endlessly, prohibited from clotting with shadow matter. The feeling was comforting somehow as she nursed her wounds, mentally and physically.
She knew Alucard was right; all of this would have happened no matter what they'd done. The new Queen was dead sent on having them hunted down to ease her own misplaced fears. Wynter's actions had only lessened their already waning time. With all of their nerves frayed to the breaking point, surrounded by unknown enemies on all sides, she felt the strain becoming too much to bear. She hadn't cried in years, but she allowed herself to do so, silently, within the confines of the closet. She was hurt, yes. But it went far deeper than physical pain. She recognized the gnawing pain that lingered from a fight with a loved one, the ache of the disappointment she knew Alucard felt in her right then. She curled up tightly within the closet, never making a sound as the bloody tears flowed from her eyes, mingling with the blood from her injury. Her keen senses picked up on the fading sun outside, signaling the end of yet one more day closer to their deadline. Right then, everything felt so hopeless.
She heard the sound of footsteps moving around outside and she sighed, "Please go away, Alucard. I'd just like to be alone right now."
She huddled tighter as the footsteps ceased, "Look, I know you were right; I am a monster, and I know this. I know that humans are my enemies now. They want nothing more than to see me dead. I…I know that I can never be among them again, I've known this for decades. But it's just still hard for me to understand sometimes. Sometimes I forget, that's all. I'm sorry, okay?"
She shook her head, "I…I just…maybe it's going to hit me that I'm not cut out for this life like I thought I was. With everything going wrong right now, maybe I had no choice but to kill those people. I do get it, but…never mind, I'm just rambling now. Forget it, okay?"
She didn't hear anything. She looked up, glancing sideways toward the door, "What? You're not even going to say anything to me? Are you honestly that angry with me? I don't know what else to do! What else can I say? What do you want me to say? That I'm a failure as a vampire? That feeling misery over human deaths is foolish? I don't…I don't know what I'm supposed to do. But if…regardless of what you think, Alucard, if my actions have condemned us…I'll…I'll never forgive myself."
She buried her head in her arms, crying silently once more.
It was easy to say that he'd never seen her like this. Sitting outside the closet she'd holed up inside, Anderson watched quietly, listening as Wynter silently vented her frustrations and stress. Now that he was a piece removed from the board, Anderson had the vantage of seeing what went on from a spectator viewpoint. These creatures he had once dedicated his life to hunting and destroying, these same individuals he'd fought with many times in the past, were now no longer threatening monsters to the human populace, which had grown paranoid and fearful of them. He wasn't sure what emotion was appropriate to feel. He certainly felt no pity toward them; this fear was natural, albeit unnecessarily accentuated. Vampires were unquestionably scary for most humans, but this widespread alarm was definitely overkill. He wanted to tell her that this new paranoia existed regardless of her actions, but suspected that deep down she already knew.
He looked away, knowing that he positively wasn't going to correct her thinking on who exactly was down in this room with her. He hadn't heard the entire argument, so his knowledge on this problem was limited. He'd only heard the shouting right before she staggered down the stairs and locked herself in that closet. He'd barely had time to duck out of sight before she saw him. He'd managed to catch a glimpse of her though and the sight of the blood cascading down her face immediately concerned him. Had Alucard actually attacked her? If so, that was a first. The one thing he'd been sure of in the past was that for whatever reason, Alucard insisted on defending his fledgling vampires, whether they knew it or not. Had that not been the case, he wouldn't have bothered protecting Seras that night he first encountered them. He couldn't be sure, but she was undeniably upset about something.
He sighed lightly and shook his head. He knew he couldn't tell her who he was, but he half-wished she knew he was there.
"Listen…," she mumbled suddenly, "Just…just leave me alone. I'll be back up in a little while, okay? I just want to be alone right now."
He didn't move. He stared hard at the back of the closet, hoping she wouldn't decide to come out of it right then. He stayed stock still, bracing, even though he knew that to hide would be pointless once her suspicions were raised. As long as she was unaware of his presence, he could get away with hiding here. He knew better than anyone what sort of creature he was dealing with after all.
"…Or, simply put, you could kill her."
Alucard's voice floated back into his mind and he shook his head. No, even though he'd tried multiple times in the past, that just wasn't an option. It was out of the question now.
There was no way he could kill her.
"If this is your way of trying to convince me I'm wrong, then you're doing a pretty poor job of it," she snapped, "Why can't you just…never mind."
She sighed and fell silent for a moment. He heard her shuffle around a bit before she continued, "You know? I was thinking about it for a while; I think I realized the exact moment I got screwed up as a vampire. I'll bet you anything, Alucard, that it was the day I gave Anderson the Hellsing insignia and offered him my alliance."
Anderson jolted slightly and looked up, staring toward the closet in confusion.
"I decided that day to try and accept him, help him if he needed it. Turns out he did, but that's beside the point. From that day onward, I grew to understand him. Of course I'd spent a lot of time with Sasha, but I feel like he and I had a similar way of seeing the world. And then, on the day that he died, I tried everything, said everything I could possibly think of to convince him to turn away, to return to Rome with his comrades. He knocks me out, goes anyway and you kill him. I knew it was going to happen; one of you was going to die that day and for the life of me, I couldn't choose who to support. It was like a damn, cruel joke. Didn't my very existence equal suffering? What right did God have to play with my feelings like that?"
She sighed heavily and he heard her slide down the inner wall of the closet, "Of course, who am I to predict what God will do next? Hell, he could ordain my death to occur tomorrow and there wouldn't be a damn thing I could do to stop it. I'd just have to shut up and accept it. Maybe I am messed up; maybe I am a screwed up vampire now. Who knows? Maybe my time is about up on this earth."
Anderson ground his teeth and looked away, wanting so badly to say something, but mostly unwilling to. What would she do if she knew she wasn't speaking with Alucard? Hell, if she knew who she really was speaking to?
"You know, it's a little out of character for you to be so quiet," she mumbled ponderously, "I hope I didn't offend you. I am sorry about earlier. I'll try to be a little more conscientious from now on."
He heard her move around as she shifted positions, "Thanks," she said, "I don't normally ramble on and on like this; this is a bit unusual for me. I guess I just needed to vent a little."
Sensing that she was about to come back out, he quietly stood up and moved into the shadows behind the closet, ducking behind stacks of boxes. He heard the closet door open and saw her shadow as she stood up.
Wynter looked around, expecting to see someone there, but strangely, seeing no one. She frowned, "Alucard? Wha…are you there?"
Anderson listened with baited breath as she meandered slowly around the room, searching for someone she'd perceived to be with her. He held as still as possible, and Alucard's admonishment came back to him; "You're only delaying the inevitable."
Maybe he was. But for now, it seemed like the best option. As he listened to her finally leave the room and return upstairs, he sighed deeply in relief. While at the same time, he silently cursed the situation. How long would this have to go on? How long would he be able to make it go on?
/ooo/
Wynter didn't say much when she returned to the attic. Seras was of course glad to see her and Integra greeted her coolly, as was her way. However, Alucard was nowhere to be seen.
"He's returned to the roof," Integra told her, "I'd suggest you speak to him now. He may venture out before too long."
True to her word, Alucard was sitting up on the roof facing the river when she found him. She clambered up from the window onto the tiles and crept up to the top, keeping a wary eye on him. He stared out absently, seemingly not noticing her. Wynter sat down a few feet away, silent for several minutes. When she finally spoke, her voice was quiet, "How long have you been up here?"
"Who knows?" he answered cryptically. Wynter sighed, flexing her wings out ponderously and scattering loose feathers, "So, are you angry?" she asked, getting straight to the point.
"And why should I be?"
"Shall I pretend to be human and start pouting?" she asked ruefully, grinning lopsidedly at him.
"It wouldn't suit you, Wynter. Did you enjoy your time sulking?"
"Very much so; it was just the breather I needed. That closet downstairs is quite comfortable; I may sleep there more often."
"Instigating an argument to give yourself an excuse is rather childish, Wynter."
"I hardly call it 'instigation' you old weirdo." She grumbled, turning away from him.
"I did tell you, after all. I'm glad to see you've regained your senses."
"Yeah, whatever. How'd you get up here so fast anyway?"
"Really, do you have to ask me?" he said mirthfully. She rolled her eyes and shook her head. She sighed, "Look, I do understand our situation, Alucard. I think I've just had problems accepting it as of late. This is the first time in many decades that I've been on the run again.
"Are you enjoying it?"
"I don't know. I know I needed to vent a bit down there. So thanks, I guess."
"For what?"
"For listening to me. I appreciate it."
Alucard's eyes narrowed, "Wynter, I've been up here for over an hour. I haven't gone downstairs."
Wynter's head snapped around to look at him, "What? You haven't? What about Seras or Integra?" she exclaimed.
"They've been down in the loft for a while as well. I forbade them from going after you. I figured you needed time to cool down."
"But...but then...who was I talking to down there?" Wynter asked.
"Hm?"
Wynter turned fully, "I swear, I heard footsteps outside the closet I was sitting in. I thought for sure it was you!"
He stared at her thoughtfully for a moment before turning away, gazing out over the horizon, "Well, as I said, I haven't moved."
Wynter couldn't tear her eyes away from him. When she was finally able to look away, she slowly moved her gaze outward, her eyes distant. He watched from the corner of his eye as her irises suddenly flamed and her eyes narrowed to slits. She stood up, prowling back toward the window. However, instead of climbing back down like she normally did, she melded through the roof, vanishing into thin air. Alucard watched her disappear silently. He chuckled and shook his head, "Well, I guess you've officially run out of time," he muttered to himself, "You won't be able to hide anymore."
Wynter glided through the ceiling of the bottom floor and landed catlike, straightening up. Her eyes shone bright red in the darkness as she stared around the gloom surrounding her, "Is anyone here?" she demanded, "If there is, come out right now."
A tendril of shadow matter lashed out from her arm, smashing a box sitting against the wall. She bared her fangs angrily, "Show yourself now and you won't get hurt." She warned. There was always the chance that she'd just been imagining things and that this building was deserted. But being a vampire, there was no such thing as paranoia, especially in this day and age where everything seemed to be trying to kill them.
She proceeded forward, her hair beginning to bleed faint blue shadow matter, giving it a strange, rippling effect.
"I'm not going to warn you again." She growled, "Come. Out. Now."
She unfurled her wings as her sensitive ears picked up the sound of movement off in the corner. She took a step forward, moving around an old wooden desk so her back was to the wall. Her eyes flamed brilliantly in the darkness. She kept her stare fixated on the opposite wall, expecting to see further movement or hear some sort of noise. She now ruled out homeless passerby from the list of possible intruders. The mere sight of her would've sent such a person out of their hiding place in a panic. She folded her wings back as she crept past the desk, approaching the old closet. Peering carefully around it, she slowly sidestepped it, working her way around toward the back corner of the room.
A shadow darted into her line of vision for a half second and Wynter started to spread her wings in defense before she was struck heavily from the side and sent crashing against the wall, the blow stunning her slightly. As she shook her head, struggling to compose herself, she froze in alarm as she felt something sharp press against her back directly behind her heart. Her skin began to sear painfully in that spot, alerting her of a silver based weapon. Her mind reeled in panic at the realization of her predicament; this was no ordinary human she was dealing with. Someone with enough knowledge to corner her in a cramped location and then pull a silver blade against her; this was a vampire hunter of some sort. Wynter's hand twitched, preparing to draw forth shadow matter to fight back. When her arm was suddenly fixed to the wall with another blade, scorching her skin, she couldn't even manage a yell, simply staring forward in disbelief.
"Who…who are you?" she asked quietly, "Tell me."
No answer, but no further attacks either. Wynter strained to see behind her, but the insisting blade kept her facing away. She grit her teeth, "Look, you obviously have the upper hand here. Did you find me by accident or were you hunting me down? Who sent you?"
Still no answer, and still no movement. Wynter scowled angrily, "The least you could do is tell me who you are! Are you going to kill me or not!?" she snapped.
Suddenly, she felt it as the blade holding her arm to the wall was yanked free. At the same time, the other one braced against her back disappeared, allowing her movement again. She easily could have whirled around and lashed out if she chose, now given an advantage with her newly acquired freedom. However, she hesitated, continuing to stand facing away from her attacker. She blinked slowly, "So…you've changed your mind? You're letting me go?"
Still no answer. Wynter considered turning around, heavily confused and concerned. She sighed, "So what? Am I not worth killing? Is that it?"
She clenched her fists, took a breath and turned around fully, glaring into the darkness. A heavy silence followed. Wynter never moved, staring blankly ahead of her. However, her expression grew steadily more alarmed and she reflexively took a step back, bumping into the wall as she did. She moved slowly along the wall toward the window, almost trying to find a way out. All the while, she struggled to rationalize her brain with what she was currently seeing.
"…."
She couldn't seem to speak. Disbelief clouded her thoughts; skepticism, alarm, fear, mistrust. She wasn't sure which one was right. She was even too stunned to remember how to warp through walls. Instead, her knees buckled and she slid to the floor, too paralyzed to even speak.
Anderson sighed and turned, moving away toward the other end of the room. He hadn't expected much of a positive reaction, and this one hadn't really been negative either. He figured it might take a little while even for her to decide what to think. As he paused to push a stack of boxes aside to create a pathway in the cluttered room, he stopped when he noticed her watching him from the corner of his eye. Her eyes were flaming once again, focusing directly on him, whereas seconds before, they'd been glazed over and distant. He turned his head, meeting her stare and waiting for some sort of response. Her expression was blank, eerily so. He couldn't read her thoughts at all. But then, he'd never been able to now that he thought back.
"I'm going to ask you something and I expect an honest reply." She said suddenly. He said nothing in return, but simply nodded. She stood up slowly, eyes narrowed slightly as she approached. She paused a few feet away from him, "Tell me who you are. Right now."
He remained silent for a few seconds, trying to read what she was doing. Still nothing.
"Mah name is Alexander Anderson," he said, "Although Ah'm noo' sure hoo relevant this name is, anymore."
Wynter remained still, studying him. Her expression remained as unreadable as ever. He heard her wings shuddering in consternation. She sighed, "And you expect me to believe that?" she asked calmly, "That man died over seventy years ago. I was there; I saw it."
"Ah doon't quite knoo how to prove it, Wynter." He said with a shrug, "Ah'm here, but what else are you looking for?"
"Please…be quiet." She grumbled, turning away and pinching the bridge of her nose, her eyes squeezed shut. She sighed heavily, "What are the chances that you're some force more powerful than I, come to finally announce my reckoning in this world?"
"Like what?"
"Devil, angel, spirit…hell, maybe even another vampire. How should I know? My worldly views of natural enemies are a bit dated nowadays." She spat bitterly. She turned, "So, are you here to kill me, whatever you are?"
"Considering what you've a'ready suspected, that Ah've been doon here for several days, noo, Ah'm willing to bet you a'ready knoo the answer to that." He said plainly.
At this, her expression grew pained, "Dammit…you talk just like him…." She muttered, leaning against the wall and folding her arms, "Maybe my world really is crashing down on me. It's kind of a shame; I'm not that old yet."
She flexed her wings in and out thoughtfully, a few loose feathers tumbling free as she did.
"So should I call you Alexander, or Addix?" she asked irritably, glaring at him.
"Ah see you've figured it oot."
"Oh please, I'm not stupid. No bird lives as long as that one. And all the times it went missing and then mysteriously returning, smelling like death each time? I'll admit, I didn't know what the hell it was exactly, but I knew that it was no ordinary falcon. And now, it's been going missing every night. Coincidence? Unlikely."
She faced him again, arms still folded and staring speculatively at him, "Okay, so assuming I believe you," she began, "What can you say to prove who you are? I now live in a world where everyone and everything is trying to kill me. You can understand the skepticism."
He did understand. And he agreed with her; she had every right to be skeptical. He'd seen everything she and the others had been through the past several weeks. He could already tell that she was beginning to take on the feral nature of most rogue vampires, a defensive trait she probably wasn't even aware of.
He sighed, "Ah'm no' sure what to tell you, Wynter. Ah'm here; there is'nae much else to say."
"The dead are dead." She said coldly, looking away, "You were the one who told me this."
He couldn't argue with her there. He slowly turned away, "Ah agree. Hooever, Ah can't really explain it just yet."
He felt her grab his arm, stopping him. He glanced back at her. She had a slightly bitter look on her face in the dim light filtering into the room. He could feel her hand shaking as she held his arm. Slowly, she let him go and stepped back, looking up at him. Her eyes blazed in the darkness, but he met her stare head on. Her face remained blank as she studied him carefully. She didn't say anything for several minutes and he waited with baited breath. He supposed she was making up her mind. So now the only question that remained was what her answer would be.
Like snow melting, her expression of studious concentration fell apart slowly. She bowed her head, moving toward him. He was only a little surprised when she leaned into him, seemingly giving up her skepticism. He embraced her carefully, still wary in case she should rekindle her suspicions. However, she didn't. She was silent for several minutes before she finally spoke again.
"I don't know if you're real or not. I might go to sleep and wake up and find this was all a nightmare. Until then…I'm just going to go with it."
Well, that was good enough for the moment, he figured. He smirked dryly, "Well, Ah can promise Ah'll at least still be here." He told her quietly.
"Your promises are worthless, you jerk." She grumbled.
He stepped back and smirked, "Well that was'nae very nice," he said wryly.
She was staring ahead blankly, her deep red eyes dull and lifeless. It was almost like she'd taken a quick vacation from her own mind.
"Wynter?"
"Something…something is off…." She mumbled, "I can't explain it but…I can just feel it."
He watched her grimly, noting that she was probably still confused about this whole situation. Lord knew he certainly was. But he also knew more than she did. He remembered so long ago, when he'd been forced to retreat from Rome and gone into hiding in England. Even then she'd shown incredible sensitivity to the human world and known right off the bat that something had been wrong with him. Once again, he could tell her instincts were gnawing at her and she was struggling to come up with some kind of answer. In receiving none, she was only growing more confused and frustrated. Simply put, seeing someone she'd watched die suddenly return to the world of the living was something she knew should be impossible. She had every right to be skeptical.
He sighed and gently pushed her toward the other side of the room, "Come on," he said.
"Where are we going?"
"Outside."
Wynter allowed herself to be led toward the door leading outside the building. At first, she was a little apprehensive to walk around right now, what with all the turmoil with the Round Table Council, but she assured herself that she was being silly. She could escape whatever they threw at her while they were unprepared. Besides, it was likely that no one recognized her or the others anymore.
Once out, then she worried for a brief moment that someone might recognize him, before almost immediately shaking that thought off as well. The war was over seventy years ago and most residents of the city who had survived had either been out of town or in the subway trains that the vampires had missed. Unless Heinkel chose that precise night to pay them a visit, the chances were virtually zero that he'd be recognized.
The night air was cool and inviting. A silvery half-moon hung suspended in the night sky and a gentle breeze drifted past, ruffling her hair. She had to admit, it was pleasant out. But it wasn't really enough to take her mind off of the situation at hand. And that particular situation stood a few feet away, waiting for her to close the door behind her. She gathered herself together and did so, turning to face him uncertainly.
"So what now?" she asked.
"Well, noo Ah suppose we take a walk and Ah discuss what little Ah can reveal to you." He explained.
"I guess that sounds fair. Not too far, though. I'd rather Alucard not come looking for me."
"Uh…." Anderson mumbled, clearing his throat. Wynter shot him a guarded glare, "What?" she said slowly. Her eyes widened, the irises flaring bright crimson, "Oh, don't you dare tell me that he knows." She groaned.
"He figured it oot quite a while ago, it seems," Anderson said.
Wynter bared her fangs, "Why that—he knew you were down there the whole damn time!" she snapped.
She stamped past him, "Well come on, then."
He followed after her wordlessly, silently amused by her abrupt shift in attitude. This was definitely closer to the stubborn, spitfire vampire he'd known before. Glancing down at the ground, he noted curiously that her wings were dropping feathers every now and then. She couldn't be that ticked off, could she?
As if on cue, she stopped, leaned against the railing alongside the road and unfurled her wings briefly, shuddering them quickly and then folding them back down again. A few dozen feathers scattered freely, gently floating to the ground.
"When I'm irritable, I molt." She stated dryly, picking at the dead feathers with distaste.
"I figured as much." He replied.
She didn't answer, staring holes into the pavement. He used that moment of pondering to look at the city around them. He could hardly believe how well put together it seemed, especially given its state the last time he'd seen it. In his mind's eye, he could still see the flames and the buildings crumbling under their own charred weight. Hell, he could even still smell the smoke permeating the air.
"Ah hardly recognize this place, noo." He remarked.
"It's come a long way," Wynter said, seemingly grateful for something else to talk and think about, "The first few months were a little chaotic, but from what I understand, once they got their minds in place, the humans were able to start rebuilding within half a year. A lot of people had to move in from the countryside. It was like London had gone back to the dark ages."
"Hoo many survivors were there?"
"Almost fifty. There would've been more if…well, never mind. Turns out the Nazis missed a whole bunch of people trapped in the subway systems underground. A few people were found hiding in basements here and there. Most of the original survivors are gone, now. But their hard work remains, to this day."
She pulled herself up to sit on the railing, staring out over the river in the distance. She pulled her hair over her shoulder so it hung out of her face, revealing her wings folded tight against her back. She flexed them in and out slowly, gazing out over the darkened horizon.
"I was able to watch it. The repairs, I mean. I stayed in the sky after the battle and I saw the rebuilding happen. It took almost forty years, but London is finally back on its feet."
She sighed, "Probably seems like no time at all to you."
Her voice was low. He could tell she was still skeptical. She glanced over at him, "So, are you going to tell me whether or not you're actually real?"
"Define 'real'." He answered dryly.
"Well, I want to know if you're really who you say you are. If you're honestly him, then you've completely spun every aspect of your character around by returning from the dead."
He leaned against the railing, eyes narrowed, "Ah cannae really go int' details, Wynter," he said quietly, "But Ah can guarantee that Ah'm real. Ah can also say Ah'm no' the o'ny one."
Wynter frowned at this before her eyes widened and she drew a breath, "Wait, are you saying that the others—"
"Aye. It seems this is oor atonement for oor sins." He explained, his voice low, "
"So…your fallen comrades are somewhere in this world as well? Hidden, just like you?"
"Most likely. We were scattered. The details o' this…they're still hazy."
He fell silent, not looking at her. Wynter watched him carefully, her expression distant. She hummed, "I see. You're not human anymore, are you?" she asked quietly.
"Ah don't believe Ah am, no." he answered.
"You're awfully calm about this."
"Ah don't think it's quite sunk in yet." He replied, "Or maybe it did ae long time ago and Ah never noticed."
"Are you going to tell me how this happened?" she asked warily. She didn't receive any sort of answer or recognition that he'd heard her. She decided to let that slide. If he ever felt like talking about it, he would.
"So then," she mumbled, "I guess it's safe to say it really is you."
"That's what Ah've been telling you." He told her, smirking wryly.
"Oh come on, like I said, everything and everyone seems to be trying to kill me these days. You can understand the suspicion."
"It's gotten that bad?"
"Odd thing for you to say, but yes, it has. Thanks to the Major and some book craze out in the states, vampires are on the rise like they haven't been in years. Now, haters want to kill us and fanatics want to be us. There's almost nowhere to hide anymore."
She unfolded her wings and set about to grooming them, almost as if trying to distract her mind from the troubling sequence of events that were upending her entire world. He watched her quietly, wondering if she'd say anything else. He frowned and then reached out carefully, gently grasping the ends of a few of her feathers. She glanced over at him as he examined them, turning them carefully so as not to damage them.
"Ah'd a'ways been curious as to hoo ae vampire could be born with wings like this." he explained.
She smiled sadly, seemingly grateful for the change of subject as tactless as it may have been. She pulled her other wing around, deftly picking out dead feathers and tossing them to the side where they floated gracefully down, "Well, we both know the story. But I'm the only one that I'm aware of who's like this." She said.
She jumped down from the railing, folding her wings back and flipping her long hair over them. As she turned to go back the way they came, she sighed, "Look, maybe I don't need to know how you got here yet, or even why. I suppose the point is that you're here. Are you going to try to kill us?"
"Ah honestly cannae tell you. Ah'm still piecing together a' mah memories. Once they come back, Ah'm no' sure what will happen."
"I see. Makes sense; you're not seething at the mere mention of Alucard. Well, he and I both know you're here, but I'd like to limit it at that for now. Integra has joined our ranks, and I'd like to keep her and Seras from figuring it out. As for me…I'm going to believe you. No, I want to believe you. With everything that's happened though…I…still haven't…."
"Forgiven?" he ventured quietly. Her head was bowed so her hair hung over her eyes. They opened, visible between the strands. The effect was chilling. She looked away, "No," she answered stonily, "I haven't. I know why you did it, but that doesn't mean I condone it. Anyway, give me some time. I'll come to an answer soon, I'm sure."
She moved slowly back down the road toward the building. He followed behind her, not saying a word. He had a lot to sort through as well. He was aware she knew how enormous this situation really was. Now, both of them were experiencing total world upheaval. This was a life he'd never even contemplated before and was now being forced to live. She'd just lost the only world she'd known for over seventy years. The same went for the others in her little pack as well. While he still felt calm, he understood the gravity of the problem. No doubt the strain would start to get to them after a while. Tame pets never did well released into the wilds.
Wynter reached the door and glided through, unlocking it from the other side. Once he was in and standing behind her, she shut and locked it again, her eyes flaming in the suffocating darkness. She could sense the others upstairs, but Alucard's presence was absent. She figured he'd gone hunting.
"I suppose I should tell you," she said, moving past him silently, "Heinkel still visits us now and again. Since the battle, she and I have become pretty good friends. Maybe you'll see her before we have to leave."
"What aboot Yumie?" he asked.
Wynter didn't answer, and she didn't look at him, confirming what he already suspected, given Yumie's impulsiveness. He sighed heavily and looked away, "I see…." He mumbled.
"If it's any comfort, she never saw it coming." Wynter added, "I doubt she felt a thing. I'm sorry, I know it doesn't make it any easier."
"It would've happened sooner or later," he told her, though she could see his pained expression. She wanted to say something else to help. It could have been anything, but for the life of her, she didn't know what she could say. He brushed past her and moved to sit down against the wall beneath one of the windows. There was a faint beam of moonlight shining through from the boards.
"Are you angry?" she asked quietly.
"Why should Ah be?"
"I probably could've saved her life. I could've saved Maxwell's life. I don't think the Major was ever even aware of me. For all we know now, I could've probably even killed him while he thought I didn't exist. But I did nothing. To this day, I wonder if I did the right thing."
"Ye did what you thought was right." He answered.
"So did Maxwell." She countered.
He sighed, shaking his head, "Wynter, there's a difference between being ae coward and having common sense. The oon'y thing tying you to the war was yer relation tae Alucard. And even that connection was fragile at best. Those o' us who took part had chains binding us to those events. We had no choice. Had that mad little commander been made aware o' yer presence, you might've gotten dragged doon into it with the rest of us. But you, the third vampire o' the Hellsing house, remained ae mystery. You could've taken the war or left it."
"My choices could have impacted the war," she said, "But like you said, I chose to leave it be. Does that make me a coward?"
"It doesn't. You made yer choice and ye stuck by it. Even if Ah had to assist you a little."
Wynter's eyes narrowed and she looked away from him, recalling the incident. She closed her eyes, ground her teeth irritably and then heaved a sigh of defeat. She approached and sat down beside him, staring hard at the ground, "Maybe I'll forgive you, maybe I won't. I think you've got enough to deal with right now without having to put up with me."
He chuckled, "Ah doon't think Ah'd rather have it any other way." He said.
"Oh shut up and go to sleep. You only have a few hours of peace. Once Alucard comes back, it'll be right back to the matters at hand."
She doubted he was fully aware of these 'matters at hand' just yet. Well, she supposed he'd find out soon. If he was planning on sticking around (which she secretly hoped but would be damned before telling him this) then it was only a matter of time.
And time was a luxury they were quickly running short of.
/ooo/
Integra stared at Alucard as he sat on the roof looking through a small stack of papers. He smirked lightly, leafing through them delicately before handing them back to her, "Well, I have to say, Integra, even after losing your status, you still never fail to impress me."
"That's only to be expected, Alucard. It wasn't easy getting my hands on these. The mansion is gone; the documents have been scattered. Tracking them down was no mean feat."
She waved them back and forth for emphasis, her claret eyes glowing. Alucard would only admit to himself that that new look would take some getting used to.
"So what do you make of this?" she asked.
"Am I a substitute for Walter, that you ask my thoughts on the matter?" he asked, chuckling.
"Would you prefer I kept you in the dark? You can't read my thoughts like you can Seras and Wynter," she said smugly.
"Touche," he answered, grinning, "Well then, sit down and tell me what you've found out. I'll tell you what I think."
She did so, but only under her own volition. He was fully aware of this. She sighed, flipping through the pages, "It was fairly easy to track down my former informants," she explained, knocking her hand against the sheets, "Getting them to talk was another matter."
"Did you drink their blood?"
"Of course not. I simply bent them to my will."
He couldn't suppress an amused smirk; her powerful will as a human had translated to some very interesting and unique vampiric abilities. Integra had a natural flair for the power of suggestion.
"Ah, you placed them under a temporary seal," he said, "I'm impressed. Years of developing the aptitude of a true leader seems to be serving you well, Integra."
She was proving to be a vampire unlike any he'd ever encountered before, including his own fledglings. Integra had finally succumbed to the need to drink blood, but she killed her victims quickly, mercifully, before drinking from them. On top of that, she preferred intimidating persuasion over violent aggression like Seras and Wynter seemed to favor. It was becoming apparent very quickly that she was still the leader of this little band of nocturnal creatures. And truthfully, he didn't mind.
"Through the Minister of Defense, I've learned that programs to train the police to deal with vampires and vampire fanatics have been introduced. I received word that a newly formed blood drinking cult has already been taken down in Southampton. They were armed with silver-based armaments, all high caliber weapons of varying power and deployed with tactical strategies designed specifically for hunting and killing supporters. Those brutes never stood a chance."
"I see. They're getting better."
"It gets worse. There was a report of the discovery of several vampires still remaining in Bristol. According to the report, these vampires were tracked down and slaughtered during the night. The remains were discovered by neighbors and the messed pinned on fanatical gangs that have been manifesting in the area. You know what this means?"
"Two things," he replied, "They're targeting all vampires, even the quiet ones living in solitude, and they're showing no discrimination as you once had."
"They're also hiding their preparations to deal with such creatures," Integra continued, "It hardly seems to me that they're confident in the public's trust of their abilities."
"Who can blame them? That's an awful lot of responsibility the police have placed on their own shoulders. And now, Bristol is no longer the safe haven it once was."
"Located by the sea," Integra muttered, "The worst and yet the best place for vampires to hide. Now, it's the first place they'll look."
"Wynter mentioned that most of the cabal has fled north," Alucard pointed out, "It seems a few were reluctant to leave and paid the price."
"Hmm."
They fell silent then, both lost in their own thoughts. Integra silently marveled at her incredible eyesight as she took in the view from across the river over a mile away. She'd always known that vampiric senses were much stronger than human ones, but until now, she'd never fully comprehended just how powerful they were. Even though her left eye, while fully regenerated was completely dead, she found that it still…saw things, to an extent. But she didn't know quite what to call this sense, exactly. The vision in her right eye was relatively normal, albeit heavily magnified. Her left eye saw what appeared to be a light purple haze settling over the city, covering a dark golden haze beneath it. She wasn't sure what to make of this. She doubted Alucard would know either.
"Alucard," she said, wanting to change the gloomy mood, "Have you given any further thought as to our next destination?"
"I thought I should leave that to you, fair leader." He said, grinning.
"You're hedging. You were the one who decided our base should be in a condemned building. Therefore, you have the responsibility of taking us somewhere safe from this point forward. The situation in the world now is likely beyond even you at this point."
"I don't doubt it. Now that the whole world knows of our existence, things have gotten quite interesting."
"Please don't sound so thrilled about it." Integra groaned.
"If I can't have a little fun, then what's the point?"
"Have your fun on your own time. We've got more pressing matters."
"That reminds me—"
"No." she snapped firmly. Alucard chuckled mirthfully and sighed, "These new abilities of yours are going to take some getting used to." He said.
"You're welcome." She replied with a smirk.
/ooo/
Wynter was vaguely aware the sun was rising outside. It was still weird being on a daytime schedule, but when times were tough, they did what they could. She rubbed her eyes and sat up, realizing she'd fallen asleep in the first floor.
"Great, just what—huh? Where did…?" she mumbled, looking around blearily. As her eyes focused, she became aware of a rather glaring fact she'd been sure she was aware of just minutes before. She stood up, eyes narrowing, "…Hey…And…Alexander…are you still here?"
She couldn't have just been dreaming that. No dream was that vivid. Plus, she still felt the pain from the silver cutting into her arm from the night before. That attack hadn't been any dream.
She drew a quick breath at the sound of wing beats close by and looked up in time to see the falcon alight up onto a box close to her. It folded its wings halfway in and peered down at her quizzically. Wynter calmed, but she sighed sadly, "I see. So it was true." She whispered, reaching an arm up. The falcon transferred to her arm and she raised it to eye level. Her expression was grim, but accepting, "You were telling the truth after all, weren't you?" she mumbled.
The falcon croaked lightly and ruffled its feathers, staring her down. Wynter smiled and shook her head, "Of course. Well, this'll work out fine. Better mobility. Besides, I think this form seems to suit you."
She moved out from behind the piled of crates and headed for the stairs. She could sense everyone was back at the base. It was time to regroup and hope that someone came up with a plan. Even as things seemed to be peaceful and settling down, she knew that they were running out of time.
Alucard was upstairs sitting in his usual place against the wall. Integra was standing at the other window while Seras stood nearby, visibly restless. Wynter slowly stepped inside, shutting the door behind her. The falcon shuffled its wings in agitation and glided down from her shoulder to the windowsill, peering outside.
"Wynter," Seras muttered, "Come here."
She motioned her over. Wynter moved to join her sister at the window, staring out toward the street below. Her sharp ears picked up the sound of hammering on the door downstairs.
"What?"
"The contractors are back," Alucard said, "And we have three more days."
"Three days?" Wynter repeated, "This isn't good; we need to start getting ready to move now."
"Easier said than done," Integra pointed out, "There's nowhere we can run to."
"What are they doing down there?" Seras asked.
"My guess," Integra muttered, "A sign condemning the building in three days."
The four vampires fell silent. With each pound of the hammer, it seemed to hit harder that now, their time truly was growing short. Every strike seemed to cement this even deeper into their minds, along with the fact that they were quickly becoming cornered.
As the afternoon settled in, they tried to maintain an atmosphere of calm, but this was increasingly hard to do. Alucard had stepped out a few times to ascertain the situation in their immediate area. He refused to talk whenever he returned, but whatever he'd learned couldn't be good.
Wynter approached him as he stood by the window, arms folded and staring into space. She stopped beside him, not looking at him, "Alucard," she muttered, "Tell me honestly; do you think we're done for?"
"Compared to what we went through seventy years ago, Wynter, I'd think not. Compared to what you went through a hundred years ago? This is a pathetic matter."
Wynter's hand automatically went to her neck and she grimaced. She sighed, "Alucard, this is a problem we've never faced before." She protested lightly.
"So were the events of seventy years ago. Well, for you and Seras anyway." He said with a shrug, "And you both survived that in good health."
But Wynter fell quiet, her hand still on her neck over the brand. She hummed, turning to gaze out the window at the cloudy skies over the city of London. Even though her mind's eye still saw the graceful, olden buildings of the city's former glory, she couldn't ignore the shiny, newer, taller buildings that now stood in their place, overshadowing the few ancient structures that still remained. In a warped, twisted way, they had the Major to thank for London's new success. The city was faring better than ever. For the humans, life was good, even despite their newfound paranoia.
An hour passed and the contractors and inspectors below had long since departed. Not another word had been mentioned on the police raid several days ago. Alucard and Integra rightfully suspected the matter hadn't been dropped, however. Integra especially had reason to be concerned, considering what would happen if she were seen by city officials. The four of them were now living in a net of unease and apprehension.
Close to sunset, Wynter noticed the falcon had disappeared. She suspected he'd gone downstairs for obvious reasons. Feeling restless, she excused herself from the others and headed downstairs as well to rummage some more on the second floor. She'd explored most of the first floor and decided to see if there were any books to be discovered further up. She shoved a large cardboard box out of the way, ignoring the rush of small insects and the cloud of dust as she did. She opened the flaps, but found nothing of great interest. As she shoved things around in her search, her sensitive hearing picked up footsteps moving around downstairs. She froze up, having momentarily forgotten. As she stood up, moving toward the stairs, she realized she suddenly felt much calmer than she had a few minutes prior. She supposed she felt gratitude for this, given their circumstances.
She found him leafing through a moth-eaten old book in a corner of the room, the faint light reflecting off his glasses. She was careful about approaching, recalling what had happened the last time she startled him while he was reading. The memory earned a bit of a chuckle from her, which caused him to look up at her arrival.
"Evening," he greeted, "Ye're up early."
"I haven't slept." She answered, "We've all been too edgy to sleep. Even Alucard is tense."
"Ah knoo. Ah could tell."
"How are you doing?" she asked, leaning against the wall. He sighed, replacing the book on the shelf, "Better, Ah suppose. Ah'm getting used to it."
"Glad to hear it. Right now, even a little good news is better than nothing."
He glanced over at her curiously, "Are ye a'right, Wynter?"
"Fine. For now. I always get a little anxious right before a big battle. I guess this is no different."
"It's very different," he said gravely, "The hatred for yer kind was never this strong during mah oon time. This is different for me, as well."
"Really." She mumbled, "I find myself hating the Major more now than I ever did. Things will probably never be the same again."
"Doon't make the mistake o' staying in the past, Wynter." Anderson admonished gently, "Ah should'nae have to tell you this."
"I wonder if this is what it's like to have a midlife crisis?" she asked, smiling.
He was about to reply, but was suddenly interrupted;
Bam! Bam! Bam!
Wynter whirled, eyes blazing as she faced the direction of the door. Both of them froze in alarm. Wynter looked back, nodding once to him as she crept forward, melding into the shadows against the wall. She moved toward the window, peering out through the cracks in the boards. She gasped, "Heinkel!" she exclaimed.
"What?" Anderson said, stalking forward. He paused beside her and struggled to see out through the minute cracks of the wood blocking the window. His eyes widened, "Ah doon't believe it…." He muttered.
"Stay here." Wynter said, hurrying forward toward the door. The furious pounding continued for another moment before falling still. Wynter started to open the door, and then hesitated, glancing back at Anderson. He seemed to be deciding whether to hide or stand his ground. What would Heinkel's reaction be to seeing him alive once more? Did he even want to find out yet?
He finally opted to remain out of sight, ducking back into the shadows. Wynter steadied her nerves and glanced out through the slats again. She knew she'd eventually have to explain what was going on, but there would be time enough later. Right now, the girl appeared edgy and anxious, waiting for someone to answer. Wynter hurled it open and yanked her inside, shutting it quickly, "Heinkel, what's going on?" she demanded.
"Vynter, this ist had. Hat hattack hon this pwashe earwier hash wed the Wound Tabwe Counshil to ha drashtic haction," (Wynter, this is bad. That attack on this place earlier has led the Round Table council to a drastic action)
Wynter frowned, "What kind of action? We thought we were able to fool them into thinking nothing was here,"
"Hi'm hafwaid Hi don't know the detailsh. Hi hust got vind hof hit an hour hago," (I'm afraid I don't know the details. I just got wind of it an hour ago)
"Come upstairs, then. We can talk there," Wynter said. She led her upstairs to where the others were waiting for results. She knew that Anderson wouldn't follow them, unwilling to be seen yet by Heinkel. She knew he was afraid of her reaction. After all, he was no longer human. He didn't want her to think of him as a threat. Even were that not the case, they couldn't afford to run the risk now. She decided she'd come back to inform him of what was going on afterwards as she led Heinkel to the third floor loft and threw the door open, startling all three vampires inside.
Needless to say, Heinkel was shocked into silence at the sight of Integra sitting with Alucard and Seras upstairs. She silenced a cry of horror at the sight of Integra's claret eyes. She cleared her throat, "Vell, hit sheemsh Hi have yet to shee heveryfing the vorld hash to hoffer," (Well, it seems I have yet to see everything the world has to offer) she mumbled.
After explaining to Integra that Heinkel still visited Wynter with news on the world, having grudgingly accepted her as an ally despite her rivalry with Seras, Heinkel went right to the heart of the matter, "Hi heard this hrom hy higher-hups. The Wound Tabwe Counshil hash happarwentwy hisshued han horder hor hyour hexecushun ho be harried hout the schecond hyou're hound. Hey'we deeming hyou too dangewoush to awwow to wive," (I heard this from my higher-ups. The Round Table Council has apparently issued an order for your execution to be carried out the second you're found. They're deeming you too dangerous to allow to live,)
Seras gasped sharply, "What!? They can't do that! After all we've done for them!" she cried.
"Seras, calm yourself," Integra snapped, fixing her gaze back on Heinkel, "What did Her Majesty have to say in this matter?"
Heinkel sighed heavily, her eyes growing shallow, "Hrom vhat Hi undershtand, she vas the vun who hissued the meeting to dishcush hit," (From what I understand, she was the one who issued the meeting to discuss it,)
In the past seventy years, two heirs had taken the throne following the wise old queen who oversaw the Battle of London. Integra knew that her daughter, having ascended to the crown four years after the battle, had respected and honored the Hellsing Organization immensely, even going so far as to give Alucard a rank for his so-called sacrifice. Integra had politely declined for him, saying that for a creature like him, a royally presented rank in the court was utterly useless.
However, the wise queen's grandchild was far different from her mother and grandmother. Learning about the Battle of London and the secret existence of vampires terrified her and according to Integra's limited knowledge of the Royal Family, she'd rebelled against her duties to support the Hellsing Organization. With Integra's 'death', she now saw fit to eliminate all traces of the organization once and for all. And what better way than to eliminate the vampires they'd once controlled?
"It seems we've been abandoned," Integra said wryly, "And you came to warn us?" she said slyly to Heinkel.
"Hi honwy vanted to honor Hather Andershon's hinawe wewesht to he. His meehing newer happened," (I only wanted to honor Father Anderson's final request to me. This meeting never happened,) she said with a knowing glance at Wynter.
Wynter nodded, "Of course. I'll be sure to let you know of our next course of action, Heinkel," she said.
Heinkel frowned, but stood up without another word. She left as silently as she'd arrived. Everyone knew the circumstances. There was no plausible way they could resist the Round Table Council once a decision was made. If something wasn't done soon, Wynter knew that this would be the last time they would ever see each other. It was sad, because she'd grown to consider Heinkel a good friend over the years. She was glad to know that Heinkel considered the same of her, otherwise she wouldn't have come to warn her.
Wynter turned to her companions, "Well, that's that. The way it stands we have two options,"
"Stay and face our impending deaths at the hands of professional hunters," Integra said.
"Or flee for our lives," Seras muttered.
"Vampire hunters have gotten at least three times better at their work since Anderson's time," Wynter said, "Holy weapons have been improved, the technology that kept both him and Heinkel alive this long is being worked on, and their numbers are improving,"
"It's safe to say that Iscariot isn't cooperating," Integra said.
"That's true. Heinkel is no traitor," Wynter added, "So we don't know our opponents. This leaves our only choice as..." she trailed off mid-sentence. It sounded like a death toll.
Alucard got to his feet, "All right then you three," he said, grinning down at them, "We're pulling out,"
The three vampires exchanged bewildered glances, "Pulling out where?" Seras ventured.
Alucard's eyes narrowed in thought, still smiling, "I was thinking maybe Asia," he said, "Perhaps Japan. I have a feeling Wynter wanted to say a final goodbye to a certain someone,"
Wynter smiled at his words, "Thanks, but no thanks. I've long since accepted his death," she said, "However, Japan does sound nice. I've always wanted to wear a kimono,"
"Kimono?" Seras repeated in confusion. Wynter grabbed her sister in a bear hug, "Yeah! I'll get one for you! Maybe something pink with cherry blossoms, that would look nice! And something dark blue for me with a Koi pattern on it! Gotta look mysterious after all," she joked.
"But Wynter, don't those things come undone easily?"
"Not if you tie them up right,"
"Do you know how?"
"I've got absolutely no idea,"
Integra managed a small smile watching them, "If we're talking of places to go, I have a sudden urge to visit the Americas," she said.
"That's fine," Seras said, "But not South America; anything but that,"
"Yeah," Wynter agreed, "I hated that place. It's way too hot. How about North America? Washington State sounds perfect for us,"
Seras made a face, "After all those books about vampires living there?" she exclaimed. Wynter shrugged, "What better place to hide from the vampire fanatics than right under their noses?" she said. She assumed a stiff pose, "After all, when one is a vampire, one doesn't broadcast it to the world," she said sternly.
"You sound just like master," Seras grumbled. Wynter disappeared suddenly, reappearing behind Alucard. She had her arms draped around his neck, leaning on his shoulder while he glared at her. She grinned, "Sure. After all, I like to consider myself a bit of a daddy's girl," she said.
"You're certainly energetic this evening, aren't you?" Alucard said to her. Wynter shrugged, "Hey, that's not a bad thing," she said. She let go of him and stepped back, "But right now, I think it's a good time to go up and enjoy one last night on the roof. After all, we won't be able to call this place our home for much longer," she said quietly. They never saw it as she suddenly vanished again from their midst, this time disappearing from the room altogether.
Integra sighed, "She probably thinks she's hiding it well," she said, "She's as transparent as a crystal,"
"She's just as upset to leave as we are," Seras added, "For the record, I can't really blame her. This is our home, after all. I've even grown to like this old building we're in,"
"Speak for yourself, Seras," Integra muttered, "In any case, there's nothing else we can do. To the world, I am dead. If I revealed myself now, I'd only be signing our death warrants. Until everyone who remembered us has died, we have to leave this country. If we wish to live, there's no other option,"
Seras sighed, "It feels weird, now that Hellsing no longer exists," she said, "I've been thinking about this a lot. What am I going to do with my life now that everything I've known is about to end?"
"Do something else," Alucard said, turning. He faced away from them, "You spent your life learning to be a police girl, Seras. Spend a few decades becoming something else for a while. When you get bored of that, repeat the cycle. When you get bored of that, well..." he said, trailing off with a careless shrug. Seras considered that idea and frowned, "I'll have to think about that. What do you plan to do, Alucard?"
"I have a new fledgling to care for, so my hands are tied," he said with a smirk.
"I told you, quit calling me that," Integra snarled, "I will admit as much that I am no longer your master, but you are most certainly not mine,"
"But where's the fun in that, especially with the knowledge that if it weren't for me, you'd have taken the place of those bricks in your coffin?"
Integra's eyes blazed furiously and she looked away, "I'm done with this," she grumbled. Alucard snapped his fingers, "That reminds me, you haven't fed in a few days. I believe it's high time you perfected your hunting, Integra,"
Seras cringed as Integra clenched her teeth, her fists shaking, "I'll do no such thing,"
"You'd better," he chimed, "You're the one who wanted to see life through our eyes for a change, so you'd better accept it, Integra,"
Integra heaved a frustrated sigh and stood up, "You are not to accompany me, you git," she growled at him, striding toward the door.
"Use the window; it's faster," he said. Integra glowered back at him, but decided to sanity's sake to oblige. She approached the window and bounded out gracefully into the night, vanishing from sight in an instant. Alucard nodded his approval, "She's handling this well," he said.
"I wouldn't have expected this," Seras said, "Especially since she spent so long cooped up in that back room,"
"Her transformation was difficult, Seras," he said, sitting down against the wall, "It left her considerably weakened,"
Seras was slightly surprised at how he genuinely seemed to care about Integra's welfare in her new vampiric status. But like Wynter, Seras figured she knew the real reason Integra had chosen to embrace immortality in her last days. It was the same reason she and Wynter had decided long ago to remain with Alucard for as long as they could, or as long as he'd allow them before he began to threaten them.
They were afraid that if he were left alone, he'd lose control of himself. Integra had to have wanted nothing more than to never have to leave him alone again. Seras understood that. After all, in the place of her deceased parents, she'd long since secretly accepted him as her father and as such, had come to love and respect him as one.
"Alucard," she said hesitantly. He glanced over at her.
"Yes?"
Seras giggled suddenly at the memory she was bringing up, "You know, during The Battle of London...," she said between snickers, causing him to raise an eyebrow in confusion, "I have to say, you looked pretty cool with a mustache,"
Alucard shook his head with a heavy sigh.
/ooo/
Wynter didn't go onto the roof like she said. Instead, she made her way back downstairs to find him. This news was disturbing and to her, terrifying. She needed help.
"Are you still here?" she called into the darkness on the first floor.
"Ah could'nae hear much," he replied from a dark corner beside an old filing cabinet, "But Ah'm assuming it was'nae good,"
Wynter made her way over, sitting down in front of him and folding her legs beneath her, "No, it wasn't," she said, "Heinkel's made it a point to try to look out for me. She took your request to heart and has lived it to the fullest since then. She occasionally visits, but tonight was different,"
He turned to her, a serious look in his eyes, "Sae then, what did she say?"
Wynter looked away, trying to hide how grim the situation really was, "The Round Table Council was called to order by Her Majesty, the original queen's granddaughter," she explained, "The previous queen following her honored and protected us for our services to her mother all those years ago. But this current queen fears us greatly. She ordered a meeting to discuss it with the Round Table Council,"
"And?" he pried.
"And," she continued, "They've put out an order for our immediate execution. If we don't leave England, we'll die,"
"What?" he exclaimed, "Hoo can they—"
"That's what we said," she interrupted, "We can't fight against them. It's complicated, but we're powerless now. We can only escape. We have to leave and go somewhere outside of their jurisdiction. It's the only way we can prevent a conflict that would result in our deaths,"
She shook her head, growing more and more upset, "I just...Integra and Alucard may understand why we have to leave, but I just...I've been here so long and…well, this island is all I've ever called home. I know why we can't fight them, but...I just don't want to leave. I..." she trailed off, shaking her head miserably. He understood. After all, seventy years ago, he'd gone through the same thing when Maxwell was under Marku's control, forcing him to leave his home. Now the same was happening to her. After over a hundred years on this island, she was scared to leave it.
He reached forward, gently pulling her against him. He held her close, knowing that right now, what she needed most was the comfort of knowing she wasn't alone in this grave situation.
"Ah cannae say anything t' remedy the problem," he told her.
"But this could affect you, as well," she said, "You're trapped as a bird during the day. Are you going to come with us?"
He hesitated, sighed heavily, "Ah doon't knoo, Wynter,"
"Alucard and Integra were discussing places we'd go. We can go just about anywhere,"
"Ah just doon't knoo," he repeated.
Wynter fell silent for a moment. Then, she hummed, "I can still hear it," she mumbled.
"Hear what?"
She smiled faintly, "I can still hear your heartbeat," she answered.
/ooo/
Heinkel wasn't able to visit them with more information. She was, however, able to leave a message for them by throwing it through the open window in the attic once the sun had set on the day following her grim revelation. This was a simple task for her and the stone carrying the paper landed easily enough. Seras was the first to spot it. Upon opening it, she showed it to Alucard and Integra. It contained detailed plans to ambush the four of them in the building they currently held residence in.
Wynter had been out stretching her wings when Heinkel delivered the note. Upon reading it, she shook her head in amazement, "She's truly amazing," she said, "Even I have to wonder where she manages to dig this stuff up,"
"So according to this, we have exactly forty-eight hours before this attack is to happen," Seras said, "That means we should leave tonight while they still think we don't know about it,"
"This just leaves us with where to go," Integra said.
"Perhaps France is just a good place to start," Wynter suggested, "It's close enough and because of that, they won't expect us to go there. Besides, I'd like to inform Louis of this. If the Round Table Council discovers his connection to me, they may target him, too,"
"Makes sense," Alucard said with a nod, "What about Marjorie and the others?"
"Marjorie moved everyone out of Bristol a while ago," Wynter explained, "They're all up north somewhere,"
"All right. So France as a starting point it is, then," Alucard said.
Seras stood up and stretched, "I assume we'll take a boat there?" she asked.
"Of course. We won't leave until tomorrow evening, though," Alucard said, "So all of you, get some rest. We won't be getting much of it soon,"
Wynter stared at him thoughtfully for a long while. Then, she placed the note into a pocket in her cloak and her arms vanished within it, "Alucard, come with me for a moment," she said.
Alucard glanced curiously at her, but stood up, following her out of the room. Integra and Seras watched silently and glanced at one another curiously.
"Something on your mind?" Alucard asked as Wynter led him down to the second floor. She sat down atop one of the desks and Alucard took a seat in a chair close by, crossing one leg over the other and watching her expectantly.
"Yes," she replied, "For one reason or another, you've allowed us to stay with you and have even tried to look out for us since Hellsing collapsed. I get the feeling something's weighing on what little conscience you have left,"
Alucard looked away. He knew better than to try to hide it from Wynter. She was as observant as he was, perhaps even more so.
"What's wrong?" she asked gently, "You've been different for a while,"
"Nothing is wrong, Wynter," he said, "I just feel a bit out of sorts,"
"You no longer have a purpose," Wynter stated.
"Precisely," he said with a grin. This faded quickly, "I'm six-hundred and twenty-nine as of yesterday, Wynter. Something doesn't feel the same as it did," he muttered ponderously.
"It can't be that you're finally feeling your age, could it? Seems to me like you're counting your human years in that total as well," Wynter ventured hesitantly.
"Now what would give you that idea?" he asked mirthfully. Wynter didn't answer for a few minutes. Finally, she sighed, "You know Samantha Gray, right?"
"Yes, I know her,"
"Her master, Kato, was like a father to her. When he ended his own life, she was devastated,"
Alucard frowned suspiciously. Wynter smiled suddenly, "But you're far too boisterous to end your own life, right?" she said playfully.
Alucard smirked, "True, I would never even dream of it. I'm holding out for space travel," he said as though bragging, "The thought of exploring a foreign planet appeals to me for some reason,"
"We'll have to wait a long time. Apollo 30 made it to Mars with its first animal passenger, but it's going to be a while before humans and vampires make it there. Maybe a few hundred more years. And then there's colonization, which could take even longer. Are you willing to wait that long?"
"Absolutely," he said.
Wynter smiled at him fondly, before her expression became somber, "Alucard," she said, "I think there's one place we need to visit as soon as we can. It's imperative we go there before we go anywhere else,"
"Oh? You have a place in mind?" he said, eyes narrowing in expectation. Wynter nodded, "Yeah, I do. For the record, it's nowhere I've been before,"
Alucard's eyes widened slightly in surprise, "Really? Well, that makes it interesting. There's few places on this island and the continent that haven't been graced by your footsteps," he said with a smile.
"Right. But this place has known yours. Do you understand?" she asked quietly. Alucard's face darkened as realization began to sink in. Wynter sighed, "Seras and I have both come to terms with our pasts, Alucard. But something tells me you're still grappling with it. If a vampire is to move on without regrets, then why haven't you?"
She'd been noticing it for years after he returned. During the battle, something had happened. Thanks to his own ability to probe people's minds, Wynter, while aware of what he was doing, was able to catch brief glimpses into his thoughts during the times he sorted through hers. After years of thinking, she'd pieced together what she'd seen and what she already knew. By this point, she knew how everything had gone from the start of his fight with Anderson to his final moment in this dimension before being erased from existence. Everything that was said, heard, and seen, she knew. And she knew that he'd changed slightly as a result.
"You misplaced those memories for the longest time," she said, "Conveniently forgetting about them. The poison you consumed seventy years ago brought back those memories of your humanity and, subsequently, the suffering and pain you endured. The hopelessness you felt, the anger you kept bottled up for so many years while you lost so many things you cared for. I know about him, you know. Many years before you met Bianca, of course. Of the three, you were closest to him because he was older and you looked up to him. I know you were crushed when he died, and so you built the monument for him many years later. I'm quite sure it still stands, but my information might be somewhat dated,"
Alucard's eyes were shrouded in shadow, but his mouth was set in a straight line.
"And how did you find out about all this?" he mumbled.
"Actually, I've known for years. I figured out who you really were fairly early on. I did research on my own only recently, but being able to catch glimpses of your memories whenever you browsed through mine were especially helpful. I couldn't have done it without you," she said with a shrug and sly smile. She sighed, eyes turning steely, "Of course, your troubles weren't at an end, were they? The one who was ambushed and killed near Balteni. The one who was blinded and buried alive at Targoviste. I even did research on them, and you know which other two I speak of. The older survived, but the younger, about whom almost nothing is known, including the name, perished in Buda. Alucard, is this the connection you spoke of for me?"
He looked up, eyes dark and devoid of all emotion. Wynter wouldn't be deterred. Her eyes narrowed, " 'The child whose existence the world eagerly forgot'. His name was Larna, wasn't it? It means winter." she said quietly, "And you did love him, didn't you? His death weighed on you, when there was nothing you could have done. You carried the guilt all the way to the year 1858, to the night I sought you out, seeking revenge. You turned me into a vampire, Bianca wiped my memories clean, and you decided to present me with a fresh start, rather than fulfilling my final request. Honoring his memory, you gave me his name. Does this make me nothing more than a sad attempt at a replacement, Vlad?" she hissed with emphasis, her eyes storming.
He remained quiet for a long while. Wynter watched him silently, awaiting his answer.
Finally, he looked up at her, his face blank, "Nothing could replace him," he said, "And you are your own person,"
She sighed, "You're hedging," she muttered.
"Not, I'm not," he countered, "You've done research on my past, but that man has been dead for centuries, Wynter. My human persona was actually incredibly weak. I gave it up the day I was killed in order to become a monster,"
"To avenge them. Your people," Wynter said softly, "Before you were killed by the Sipahis, you drank the blood at the executioner's feet,"
He nodded solemnly, "It gave me the strength I required," he said.
"Yes. I would assume, after seeing many of the familiars you employed during the battle, that you then absorbed the blood soaking through the countryside, taking your comrades and people to fight alongside you once again. Yet all the same, you disappeared from history. It's said that your head was cut off and taken to Istanbul, while your body was buried near Bucharest. I suppose you altered the memories of those who tried to explore your tomb?" she said.
"A few attempts have been made. Before I was captured around the turn of the century, I managed to stop a few archaeologists from entering and discovering nothing in there. I killed one of them and left his corpse in my place," he said wryly. He chuckled, "I'm impressed Wynter. You've really managed to upend everything I've spent a lifetime keeping under wraps from even the Hellsing family. I suppose I should applaud your efforts,"
He seemed extremely bitter that she knew. Wynter sighed, sliding off the desk and approaching him, "I haven't told anyone if it makes you feel better,"
"I don't need your pity," he snarled, his demeanor changing.
"I'm not pitying you. I'm concerned for you. This is why I think that we should visit Wallachia and let you revisit your homeland. You need to come to terms with whatever is bothering you, be it Larna's death or something else entirely,"
"Just mind your own business," he growled, his fangs elongating. Wynter ignored him, moving forward to stand behind him and wrapping her arms around his neck, resting her head against his, "Come on, your welfare is my business. I'm your firstborn daughter, so our family heritage is a big responsibility for me. Making sure that my family is comforted during times of stress is another,"
He sighed irritably, "You're still a sentimental idiot,"
"Tell me, is that really a bad thing? Don't you think there's room in this world for a vampire who loves her sire?"
She didn't see his eyes soften slightly at her words.
"Why?" he asked.
"Why what?"
"I've never done anything to cause you to believe anything that you're saying," he grumbled, "For all you know, I despise you, but I tolerate you,"
"Nice try, Alucard. Anything you despise is killed or destroyed. Besides, Integra's told me many times that you beat yourself up for years because of what happened to me. And then you stopped Bianca from ending my life. But most importantly, you created me. Instead of telling me my original ambitions for asking you to turn me, you took me away from France and tried to set me straight,"
She hugged him tighter, "So you're a vampire; I know the side of you that Bianca knew is still there somewhere. That's why Seras and I exist, because that side of you still exists. And that's why you'll never be rid of me,"
"Rid of you?" he repeated in confusion.
"I don't know what the others will do in the faraway future. I don't know what will happen to them or to us. The only thing I do know is that I'm strong enough to withstand any offense and I'm never going to leave you,"
"It isn't like I'd stop you," he said.
"I know,"
His hardened expression had dulled and he slowly brought his hand up to lightly grasp her arm around his neck, "It's your life, Wynter,"
"That it is,"
He fell silent.
"I love you, dad," she mumbled.
A/N: This epilogue is turning into a full blown novel. But I guess that's fine. It's my last Hellsing fanfiction and one of the last fanfiction novels I'll ever write, so I guess I need to put my all into it. Now, a few announcements; one, I have two endings in mind that I'm grappling with myself over so the story isn't done yet. Two, there's going to be at least one more chapter. And three, Catsvsdogscatswin is actually a girl and I formally and sheepishly apologize. (eh heh heh…ahem) Anyway, I decided to cut the chapter here since this part alone is forty five pages long. So you who still read this can look forward to one more chapter at least. Please leave reviews and give me a reason to smile about this story and not cringe whenever I look back at how bad at writing I was when I wrote the original 'A Simple Memory'. (shudders)
