Seras followed behind Alucard as the dark-haired girl led them behind the bar, past the bathrooms, and up some stairs. They walked through what appeared to be one big dressing room, and up another flight of stairs.
There were a bunch of rooms, and Seras could hear people in them...much to her dismay. She looked at Alucard, and he looked at the girl.
"Go to the end of the hall, turn right. the Madame is in her office. Last room, dead center of the hall. The door will be unlocked." She smiled at Seras, her eyes lingered on Alucard.
Master, you could at least pretend to be interested. You can be so...callous.
He looked at her over his shoulder, amused.
"I don't play pretend. Now come, Police Girl." Walking past both women. Seras and her locked eyes, and she felt bad by how annoyed she looked.
"He's not good with strangers is all," Seras whispered, hustling to catch up to him. They moved past moaning voices and the sound of creaky bed springs. In some rooms, there was laughter and conversation.
"What are we going to see this lady for, Master?" The pair took the right. At the end of of the hall was decorated door. Pink glitter stars and handwritten notes littered the door, the wood painted a deep fuchsia. There was a plaque, with one word: Lilith.
They walked up to the door, Alucard opened it.
Inside was a well-lit office, feminine but professional. Of to the side was a space that looked like the dressing room they'd been too. Mirrors framed by lights, costumes on a rack, makeup all over the counters.
And there was the woman before, who'd danced onstage. She'd changed out of her costume, into leggings and an oversized T-shirt.
"Hello!" she said, voice bright and sunny despite it being deeper than Seras was used to. Alucard smiled, moving to sit in one of the leather seats that lined the wall.
"You go by Lilith now," He noted, relaxing into the seat.
She shrugged, smile still big and sunny.
"What of it? I like variety."
"What's the significance of the name...why'd you pick it?" Seras piped up. She couldn't help herself. She thought the lady was very lively, and she was different from Alucard. The place was calling with Vampires, although none seemed to be dangerous or evil. The lady was looking at her, red eyes playful. Seras blushed, looking at Alucard. He didn't have to say it, but she was speaking out of turn.
"Uh, if you don't mind me asking." She added. Lilith still seemed amused and cheerful, and was happy to oblige in an explanation.
"Lilith was the 1st wife of Adam. She was created as his equal, born from the Earth as he was. Apparently, she was a headstrong woman, not wanting to be topped by Adam in bed. Tired of his whining, she uttered the Lord's name, and flew away. Adam, missing her, asked God to bring her back to him. God sent after her three Angels, to try and coax her to return to her husband. They found her, careening with demons on the coast of the Red Sea. She refused to leave, saying she'd found better entertainment. They threatened, and tried, to kill her. But they failed. As an alternative, they took her to the Outer Darkness, and killed her children. Eve was then created, this time from Adam's rib, trying to make her more...submissive."
Lilith paused. Seras was all very interested in this, eyes wide with curiosity. Alucard remained silent, but he was amused by the two female vampires.
"Now Lilith," she continued," was able to take on many forms in the Outer Darkness, any she liked. But her preferred one was this: half woman, half serpent. She was bent on revenge, hating Adam and forsaking God for the death of her children. So, she transformed into a serpent, and snuck back into the world of Adam and Eve. She lured Eve to the Tree of Knowledge, and tricked her into eating the fruit. Adam ate the fruit as well, and they gained knowledge of sin and the world. God in turn, cast them out of Eden. Lilith, now able to get revenge, waited for Eve to birth children into the harsh world they now called home. She birthed children, who in turn birthed their own children, and so on, so forth. And at every turn, she tormented the descendants of Adam, either by herself or with the help of her own children - vampires," Lilith said, smiling as she waved her hands through the air dramatically.
"So...are you the mother of Vampires?" Seras asked. Lilith looked at her, surprised. Then she started laughing, and laughing hard. It was honest laughter, not mocking or mean like Alucard's, but it still made Seras embarrassed. She bent in her seat to grab her ribs, cackling.
"Oh, no child! I'm not that old! Lilith is one of my middle names! My God-given name is Guadalupe, Lupe for short. I was just teasing you! Oh, where did you find this one Count?" She sighed, still chuckling. Seras scrunched her nose, and looked to Alucard.
"Count?" Lilith stopped laughing, turning to Alucard in confusion.
"Surely your Little One knows where the bloodline she comes from?" Alucard didn't respond.
"Oh, you're kidding me!" She looked at Seras, eyes wide. "I only ask because the only thing your generation reads is text messages, but you enjoy books, yes?"
"Uh...yes?"
"Classic novels?"
"I guess." Lilith shrugged, her answer was acceptable for the direction of the conversation.
"Close enough. Have you read Bram Stokers's Dracula?" Seras scrunched her face again, looking between Alucard and Lilith.
"Yes, but that's just fiction. Why?" Lilith burst into laughter again, kicking her legs in the air. She got up, and walked to Seras. Seras tensed, but didn't move. She put her hands to the sides of her face, a small smile on her lips.
"Oh baby, there's no thing as fiction in the world we live in. You should know this better than most." She dropped her hands, moving to sit behind her desk. She looked at Alucard, who had not spoken the whole time they were there.
He's never this quiet, he would have said something incorrigible by now, Seras thought. She sat in the chair before Lilith, looking back at her Master.
"So, what brings my old friend here? Surely you didn't just come to me to introduce me to your child and remember what my kisses taste like?"
"Old Friend?" Lilith leaned forward on her elbows, lacing her fingers together.
"I knew your Master centuries before all of this."
"Did he turn you as well?" Seras asked. Lilith snorted loudly, shaking her head.
"No no, sweet girl. Although he thought about it. By this time he was looking for a new bride to add to his collection. He had two so far, but he took another to be number three. But more on that at another time, Love." Her focus fell back on Alucard.
"I'll ask again, Alucard. I heard about your capture and servitude to Hellsing. Why are you here after so long? To kill me?" she laughed at that,"my children? For what reason do you come to me?"
"I'm looking for the vampire whose been murdering girls all over Town. You run a brothel full of vampires, and the only one in town, so I know he's somewhere nearby."
Lilith sat back in her chair. Her face seemed to be in a permanent state of ease and amusement, Seras noticed. While it made her feel at ease, it also reminded her very much of Alucard.
"You mean the animal whose been eating my human girls? That disgusting lowlife? What does Hellsing want in a disease such as him?" Alucard smiled. He took out a cigarette lighting it.
"I would like to kill him."
"You mean you were ordered to. He's my problem, not Hellsing's. And you've never been one to kill your own kind if it was no business of yours," She was smiling, but her voice was pointed and far from amused. Alucard laughed, the sound echoed through the room.
"What I used to do, and what I do now is beside the point. I want to eat him and shit him out like old scraps, orders or not. He kills humans, he is human business. If he is human business, he is the business of the Queen. The Queen's business is Hellsing business. Hellsing business is my business. Bring him to me, and then you will go with me to the Hellsing Estate to meet with Sir Integra Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing. And this, my old friend, is not a negotiable topic."
This time, Lilith was the one laughing.
"Alucard, I will forgive this thinly veiled threat. You knew me only as human girl. But things have changed in the time you were turned into the Hellsing's pet dog. He is my meal. I will not hand him over to anyone. I will torture him, and I will drain him to the edge of death. Then, I will breathe life into him, only to do it all over again."
Alucard smiled, a toothy violent grin. For a minute, Seras was afraid he'd shoot her.
"So he's here then?"
Lilith nodded, simply. She looked at the door, concentrating for a moment, before speaking.
"You are my friend. You could have easily shot and killed my children, but instead you came to me directly, so I will take you to see him. But, you will let me kill him, on my own terms. You, despite being one of the most depraved and cruel men I have met in my lifetime, have always been a man of honor. You know he's mine to wipe off the face of the Earth. In return, I will come to this Hellsing Estate tomorrow morning with his remains, and your Master can do with me whatever she intends to do. I know she has neither the desire or power to kill me, so I will oblige."
"Tomorrow morning? But you'll burn," Seras said. Lilith looked from Alucard to her.
You let yourself sound so stupid, Little Girl.
Alucard voice filled her head, mocking, but not angry.
If you'll forgive me Master, you've never told me any of this stuff before. And this is the first vampire I've actually even talked to. Remember we're usually shooting them.
Why tell you what you can find out on your own, Stupid Girl? Are you not capable to find this out on your own?
Seras glanced at him over her shoulder, narrowing her eyes.
You are so mean to me. I think I would have been a better match with Madame Lilith.
At this he burst into laughter, wild and borderline crazy. Seras blushed, looking at an unsurprised Lilith.
You'll soon find out that "Madame Lilith" is no less cruel than I am.
Lilith made a small noise, interrupting their silent conversation.
"Little One, sunlight is of no consequence to me, you, or your master. Whether or not you move during the day is entirely a matter of preference. There is much you will learn about you abilities, child."
The door opened just then, and a man walked through. Seras felt her face heat up, and she looked at the floor hurriedly...although she still peeked through her bangs at him He was extremely cute. He was tall and lean,with reddish-brown hair and soft red eyes. He had the look of a someone who was right around Seras' age. He eyes scoured the room, starting on Alucard, and ending on her.
"Well hello," he said teasingly, smiling at her. She heard Alucard and Lilith snickering. It made her even more embarrassed, which in turn made her stare at the smooth floor.
"Andrei, this is Alucard and his child, Seras," She stood up,"We are taking them to the basement to see our friend." Andrei chuckled, as Lilith left the room with bare feet.
"You mean what's left of him."