Chapter 6

Night Flight

Inori stood on the balcony outside her room, watching the sun set in vivid shades of red and gold. There was a slight breeze and it was pleasantly warm. However, she was not really paying attention to the beauty. It had been almost a month since Alucard had declared his love and she had regained her memories. She was still unsure why she had been sent to Earth, but she knew she would find out in time. When, however, she did not know. She smiled as she remembered how gentle the most powerful vampire she had ever met could be. However, she still couldn't figure out how he could touch her without being burned. She had a theory, but she still wanted to talk to him about it.

She never would have guessed that she would actually find the one the voice in her dream had spoken of. The one who would set her free as she had longed for. Now she wasn't so sure. Inori desperately missed Heartbreak. The wolf had vanished that fateful night. As Alucard told her, the wolf had become a part of her. But several times she tried to reach the wolf to no avail.

To make matters worse, when they had told Integra about Inori's true nature, Integra had dismissed the idea as impossible. Then Inori showed her. Integra had been amazed and a little overwhelmed.

Seras had been busy training new soldiers and still looking for more recruits; many men had died that night. Inori wished there was someway to undo the damage. To bring those people back.

She felt someone behind her, leaned back and sighed.

"You're up early," she said.

Alucard didn't say anything but put his arms around her and kissed her. Inori never remembered being so happy. He really loved her and she loved him. He moved her back inside as the sky darkened.

Inori watched him as he put his coat and hat back on. She was still lying on the bed reflecting. It had been wonderful. She looked out the window at the full moon. She then looked back at Alucard, who was also staring out the window. He looked back to her and their eyes met. She smiled at him and he grinned back.

Inori sat up and slid off the bed, picked up her clothes and put them back on. When she was dressed, she walked over to Alucard. He wrapped his arms around her and gazed into her eyes. He never thought himself capable of love. He was so lost in her eyes he almost didn't hear Integra speaking to him.

"God damn it, Alucard! Are you even listening?" she yelled inside his head. He sighed. "I said," Integra repeated, "we think there is another vampire on the loose. I want you, Seras, and Inori to go to Kingston and check it out. Come to my office and I'll brief you on your assignment," with that she withdrew.

Inori looked at him and said, "I'm ready when you are." She had been "listening in" again.

"Then let's get Seras."

-break-

The two vampires and Inori stood in Integra's office awaiting further orders. Integra was shifting through some papers on the mysterious deaths and disappearances. The new bulletproof windows had just been put in, so the office was still quite messy. Integra looked up.

"Well," she started. "According to our sources, there have been several strange deaths and unexplained disappearances. We thought it was a vampire behind this until we learned there were no Ghouls to speak of." Integra looked at each of them in turn. "That's why I want you three to go down there and investigate."

Seras spoke up. "Sir, if there are no Ghouls, then there can't be a vampire. And if there is no vampire, then it could be virtually anything."

"And that's why we're going out there," Alucard said.

"And the sooner you go, the sooner we find out what's really going on," Integra told them, starting to get annoyed. "I have a car waiting for you outside ready whenever you are. Walter will be accompanying you." Integra pulled out a cigar and lit it. "If we find out tonight, we might be able to keep this from the general public, if it's not human."

Integra stuck the cigar in her mouth and closed her eyes in thought. Inori made a face and commented.

"You know, those things are terrible for your health."

Integra opened her eyes and glared. "Does it look like I care?"

"Whatever," Inori said and walked out of the room.

Alucard watched her leave. "I'm ready now," he said and followed.

Seras sighed and nodded her agreement.

Inori was back in her room perched on the balcony. Alucard walked up behind her.

"Don't mind her too much," he said. "She's been under a lot of stress."

"I know," Inori replied. She turned and hopped off the rail. She wrapped her arms around him and rested her head against his chest. He rested his cheek on her head, closing his eyes.

Walter walked into the room and cleared his throat. Alucard and Inori looked at him.

"If you two are ready…" he said, smiling at what he saw. Walter had never seen Alucard like this and from what he knew about the vampire, never thought he would. The biggest surprise was when they learned Inori's true identity.

The two broke apart and followed Walter out of the room.

They were silent as they headed to the main level until Inori spoke.

"Walter, I think I'll follow the car from the air."

They stopped, both Walter and Alucard looking at her in surprise.

"You could be seen," Alucard said.

"And we most definitely cannot have the world know of your existence. Nor can we have them know of Alucard and Seras."

"I'll be fine," she said. "I'll fly at about cloud line. No one will see me." Inori smiled.

It took some more convincing before they would let her fly. Walter, Alucard, and Seras got into the car and drove down the long driveway, through the gates, and onto the road. Inori launched herself from a balcony and with several beats of her powerful wings, began to gain altitude. Walter, as part of the deal, had put a small tracking device on her so they could keep track of her position.

As Inori passed over the gates, now almost a mile up, she smiled, remembering passing by them the first time. Fate has its ways of guiding people. As she reached the cloud line, she scanned the city below her. The lights shone so brightly and almost all of London was visible. She had never gone this high before, and the view was breathtaking. She reached out with her mind and touched Alucard.

"If only you could see this. It's so beautiful!"

"It is possible," he replied.

"How?" Inori asked.

"I can do it with Seras, but I'm not sure if I can do it with you," Alucard explained. "But I could see through your eyes."

"Do it," she said excitedly.

She then felt his presence stronger than ever in her mind. Her mind felt weighed down. It felt as if her were right next to her, though. She could feel his awe.

"Like I said, isn't it wonderful up here?"

"Yes, I have to say, I envy you, too."

Her head began to hurt. "I don't think I can hold this much longer," she said.

She felt him withdraw. Before he was gone, he said, "Just be careful. I'll see you in Kingston."

Kingston was not exactly far, from the air it would have only taken her about fifteen minutes, but since she was following the car several miles below her, she had to go much slower. The trip was estimated at about an hour. She could feel nothing out of the usual, no unnatural auras or dark energies. She was beginning to doubt there was any supernatural activity. Perhaps some very skilled killer?

Then, out of nowhere, a sharp pain shot through her abdomen. She faltered in mid air and almost dropped. But as suddenly as the pain had come, it was gone. She was breathing hard when Alucard spoke to her.

"What just happened?" He demanded

"I don't know…" was the reply

"I could feel your fear from down here. Are you okay?" She could tell he was worried.

"Don't be so paranoid, I'm sure it was nothing," she said, trying to be convincing.

He didn't sound convinced but said, "If it happens again, consider yourself grounded."

She tried not to laugh at that. Being grounded did have multiple meanings in this case.

"I'll be fine, love, don't worry."

When he withdrew from her mind, she searched within herself, trying to find the source of the attack. She could not find anything abnormal. Maybe it's just stress… She still couldn't shake the feeling that something had indeed happened.