Alucard and Integra emerged from the cabin and darted out onto the deck, looking up frantically at the gray sky. But there was nothing there. They both twirled and whirled around, looking, looking.
"Is it above the clouds?" Integra wondered. Alucard didn't answer, staring at the sky in puzzlement.
At that moment the boat shuddered again, this time more violently than before. The jerking threw off Integra's balance again and she fell onto the snowy deck. Alucard managed to keep his footing and he reached down to grab Integra's hand and pull her up. Just as she got to her knees, another jolt hit them and the motion combined with Integra's weight caused Alucard to slip and fall onto his rear-end rather awkwardly. But there was no time to glower in embarrassment; the boat continued to churn and shake. Integra and Alucard clasped both their hands together, not sure if they would be hit again and not wanting to careen in opposite directions.
"What is it?" Integra exclaimed, shouting against the thundering and creaking and the sound of scraping metal.
Again they were hit with a massive impact. The intensity was increasing with every instance. This rocked the boat so severely that Integra and Alucard slid back and forth across the deck several feet.
Alucard looked at the ledge of the boat. "It feels like its…under us. A submarine trying to come up?"
Integra considered it, clutching Alucard's hands and sleeves, pulling herself closer, snow clinging to her. "This close to shore?"
"It's a natural harbor, no telling how deep it is…" Alucard was cut off by another jolt which struck them with such intensity that they were thrown up off the deck a few inches, then the boat rocked back and forth with a violence that Integra couldn't bite down on her own involuntary scream. They slid across the deck again, leaving a path in the snow, coming to rest against a railing.
When things settled again, they both looked around.
"What is this?" Alucard thundered.
Integra noticed it at the same time. The fog hugging the boat parted momentarily, revealing the coast…now at least a mile away.
Integra gritted her teeth, shivering in the cold, her clothes soaked now. "It's as if someone pulled up the anchor and we drifted away from the harbor…"
"…Against the tide," Alucard growled angrily, finishing her thought.
They looked at each other knowingly.
This time, they heard the impact coming before they felt it, as if their unknown assailant had pulled back to gather speed. It creaked, echoed from the water. It moaned. Haunting and deep. Growing louder.
Alucard and Integra gave each other a panicked looked. They snaked their arms together and locked hands with all their strength. "No life jackets this time!" Integra warned.
Alucard breathed, feeling the air catch in his throat. He glanced briefly over the railing at the black water, knowing he couldn't swim. "If it comes to that, just let me go," Alucard told her. "I'll be fine. I won't die."
"You'll never be able to find your way," Integra warned frantically. "You'll lose your way in the dark and freeze. And who knows how far you'll sink, you could be crushed…" she continue to protest, but her voice was drowned out by the coming surge.
The impact took Integra's breath away. They were both thrown into the air as the boat was lifted and began to overturn…but then rocked back, swaying back and forth. They landed back on the hard deck, only to be thrown again and again until they came to rest against the opposite railing, facing the ocean.
At that moment, they saw it. A great black humpback whale, it's irregular head dabbled with white barnacles, it's eyes red, its mouth and nose bloody and crushed. It's skull was compressed from the act of crashing into the boat.
They both stared at it in disbelief.
"Why is it attacking us?" Integra gasped. "It's killing itself."
"Look at its eyes," Alucard hissed, recognizing the tell-tale sign of a familiar. "It's possessed."
"It's not under its own control?"
"I used to use wolves," Alucard confessed. "Some other animals. I could change my shape, but sometimes it's convenient to use wild animals as your eyes and ears, even do your bidding if you were a powerful enough vampire."
"Have you ever seen a…a whale under a vampire's control?" Integra asked.
"No," Alucard said, his voice disturbed. "Our foe must be very powerful indeed to control something so large so far away."
The whale rolled, spraying blood through its blow hole. It tried to swim around again, but seemed to be struggling against its own self inflicted wounds.
"Alucard, kill it," Integra said despondently. Alucard nodded. Integra clasped her hands over her ears and shut her eyes as Alucard reached into his jacket and produced the Jackal, the more powerful of his two weapons. Aiming at the humpback's eye, Alucard pulled the trigger and watched in satisfaction as the bullet successful penetrated the whale's brain pan. Suddenly, the dying whale exhaled it's great lung's air through it's blowhole, spraying a spectacular foam of blood before sinking silently.
Integra peered over, just in time to see the last of the great black body sink. "What a waste."
"It's just an animal," Alucard scoffed, though he said so sorrowfully.
They remained against the railing until the boat ceased rocking and it was safe to stand. Yet, even as the boat stilled, it did not straighten itself. It remained leaning to one side, the deck slanted, both woman and vampire unable to stand on the slippery planks. Integra and Alucard crawled against the railing, taking care not to let their legs get stuck.
"We must be taking on water," Alucard said.
Gravity pulled the snow from the deck, the heavy wet powder toppling on top of the woman and the vampire. As they shoved it aside, more piled on. They both struggling to hold onto the railing as the weight pushed on them.
"Propel us, Alucard," Integra ordered urgently, struggling to keep her footing. "Whatever strength you have left, get us as close to the island as possible."
With a grunt, Alucard strained to move the boat. It groaned in response and began to turn, sluggishly slicing through the ocean water. The boat shuddered and creaked, beams snapping beneath them. Alucard gave Integra a look.
"Don't slow down," Integra urged him. "Keep going!"
"Its falling apart. We're taking on water faster." Alucard's face was tense, his undead body stressed.
"Then go faster," Integra said. "We can't sink here. We're too far from shore to swim it."
The tiny strip of land in the distance was growing larger, but the railing they clung to sank ever closer to the black water. Integra could feel the icy spray on her face. Soon, the churning water was lapping at her feet. She told Aluacard to climb up the railing like a ladder, but as he did, his concentration faltered and the boat's speed decreased.
"Alucard," Integra snapped, "Focus!"
Alucard climbed lazily, his eyes fuzzy. "I feel dizzy…"
"Forward!" Integra ordered.
Alucard pushed and pushed, his face flush, his brow dripping sweat, his eyes squeezed shut. In his mind, he could only think Forward! Forward! He had a short burst of momentum that lasted several minutes before they began to lose speed again. Nevertheless, Alucard pushed on.
"Good, Alucard," Integra praised nervously, continuing to shovel snow off herself and her servant. "Keep going. We're getting closer."
Alucard was winded. His arms trembled under his own weight. "Master, how much longer?"
"I can't tell, just keep going."
Alucard settled onto his own chest, his head hanging between the rails. "It's too heavy." The boat's speed decreased rapidly.
Integra grabbed Alucard's shoulders and she pulled at him. "Alucard! We're too far away!"
Alucard tried to sit up and get his bearings. He looked at the shore; indeed, the shore seemed too far away for a human to swim unassisted. Not to mention hypothermia was certain at these freezing temperatures. At this point, only the bow of the ship remained above water. Everything was submerged, and they were still slowly sinking. The more water they took on, the more difficult it was to move.
"Alucard, we're sinking faster," Integra scolded. "You can't give out now!"
"I just…needed a quick rest," Alucard panted, then shut his eyes and tried to summon his strength. The boat tremored, but wouldn't move. He tried again with a loud grunt. Again, nothing. Gritting his teeth, he pushed and pushed. Every muscle in his body strained, a black steam rising from his hunched form, his demon familiars hissing and moaning under his skin.
Integra watched in a panic. She saw Alucard struggling, but she also saw the lapping water begin to swallow him, first touching his boots, then splashing against his thighs. "Forget it," Integra said at last, grabbing Alucard and pulling him to the top of the bow with her.
Here, Alucard collapsed momentarily, his head coming to rest on Integra's chest. He wheezed, his face pained. Integra brushed his hair from his damp face, looking franticly about at the rising water. "Alucard," Integra gasped, feeling the water lapping at her feet, yet there was no where left to climb. "We have to ditch."
Alucard clutched Integra back, knowing he was useless. He produced no body heat that could warm her and he could not swim to take her back to shore. His master's clothing and hair was soaked, the water leeching her body heat, freezing to her blue skin.
She would die soon in the water.
"Go," Alucard urged, panting.
"By myself?"
"I'll hold on to the boat," Alucard breathed. "When this is all over, use radar to find the wreck. That's where you'll find me. I'll be right here, waiting." He nudged Integra with his forehead, his shaking hands pushing her away from him. "Go."
"You're crazy if you think I can hike back to the cabin by myself, all dripping and wet in this cold," Integra said. "Even if I could make it to shore by myself without drowning. I need you to come with me." She hit him sharply in the arm. "Besides, you lazy stiff, you clearly left one vampire alive on that island! Do your job and finish your mission! Or do you expect me to do that by myself, too?"
"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," Alucard said in genuine, raw guilt, his eyes shut tight, trying to regain his strength. "I don't know how I missed one. They were all so weak and young…"
Integra wrapped Alucard's shoulder sharply again. "Always underestimating your opponents! That's your swollen ego at work you fool. God damn it. I will punish you later," Integra barked, her false bravado overshadowed by the water now creeping up to her waist. "After we swim from here…," Integra pointed at the shore, "to there."
The vampire shook his head. "I can't swim," Alucard said simply, miserably. "I can't swim."
"Yes you can."
"No I can't."
"Don't argue with me, you can swim just fine. I'm going to show you how…"
And there was no choice now. Integra found herself up to her chest in the water, her weight no longer supported by the boat, starting to float on her own. Another few seconds later, she felt herself beginning to support Alucard as well.
At the sudden shift in weight, Alucard became more animated, realizing he was starting to sink. He began to thrash.
Integra paddled up behind Alucard, spitting and coughing on sea water, and snaked her arms under his and around his chest. But she felt he was still clutching to the railing under the water, as if it were a life line, but it was actually sucking him down. "Let go!" she panted.
But Alucard found he could not let go. His hand gripped the railing and he could not let himself release his life line, even at Integra's command, anymore than he could willingly shoot himself. Cold fear gripped him. Looking down at himself, he couldn't see his own body in the black water. He felt his legs kicking feverishly, but his undead body was dense and heavy and nature yearned to suck him down into the freezing depths. He was being swallowed whole.
Integra reached out and put her hand over Alucard's and tried to pry his inhuman fingers from the railing. "Let go!"
Alucard continued to hold on, irrational fear seizing him even as he knew that his last life line would sink soon enough. He found he could not let go until the last of the railing until it threatened to pull him completely under the water. He allowed Integra's fingers to cover his. She pulled her hand towards them, dragging it over his chest, both their fists now clamped over his heart. Alucard shut his eyes, kicking his legs furiously, uselessly, but squeezing to Integra with what remained of his strength, certain they would both be sucked down any moment under his tremendous weight.
"Shhh," Integra soothed, her teeth chattering. "Look up at the sky."
Alucard automatically obeyed. He turned his back to her and looked up at the white, snowy sky. Integra took a deep breath and snaked her arms under his arm pits and grasped her hands over his chest. "Press your elbows to your sides and don't let go of my hands. Squeeze them if you get scared. Do not let go or try to flail, no matter what happens."
In any other circumstance, Alucard would have been furious as the suggestion he might be scared. But he was scared. Any rational vampire was terrified of moving water. It stung his pride, nonetheless.
"You can't carry me," Alucard gasped. "I'm too…you can't. You can't!"
"You would neverlet me get away with admitting defeat before I even tried. You are going to swim. And I'm going to help you. Now, lay your head back on my chest and do what I say."
Trembling, he did. She was insane.
"Take a deep breath and fill your lungs with air. Now relax your legs."
He sucked in all the air he could. Nervously, he let his legs relax. He felt himself pressing down on Integra, felt her sinking into the water as she balanced his weight.
Suddenly, she surged backwards.
He panicked, thinking she was drowning. He remembered her warning to not flail and to squeeze her hands, and so he did, shutting his eyes tightly and waiting for the cold water to swallow them both. Water surrounded his face. But he did not sink any farther her. He remained buoyed up. In a moment, Integra's face resurfaced from the water behind his head, and she sucked in more air.
They surged backwards again. She disappeared in the water. She came back up for air. They surged again. She disappeared in the water. She came back up for more air.
He was stunned. They were moving. As long as she had the strength to swim, the act of propelling backwards kept him light, his weight absorbed by the water, keeping him from dragging her under.
He couldn't believe she still had the strength to swim.
The icy water massaged Alucard's heated scalp, his hair floating and tickling his jaw. He concentrated on Integra's labored lungs. He closed his eyes and saw the island in his mind's eye. "Left," he urged quietly to his master, correcting her blind journey. "Right."
"Help me kick…," Integra sputtered, Alucard feeling her exhausted limbs tiring. He kicked obediently, mirroring her strokes, clutching her hands tightly.
After that, it was just the sound of waves, kicking, coughing, breathing and grunting.
Soon, Integra wriggled. "I can touch," she garbled.
Indeed, there was land under Alucard's feet. As soon as he could plant his feet firmly, he released himself from Integra's embrace and scooped her up over his shoulder and rushed awkwardly out of the water. She was so cold.
Dripping, the vampire climbed up the jagged, rocky shore with his master. As soon he reached the tree line, he carefully laid Integra down on the ground. Her face and hands were purple, and she shivered in silence.
Alucard summoned his control and forcefully expelled all the water from his body and clothing with a sharp burst. He crouched down quickly and told Integra, "We're going to switch again, okay?"
He couldn't tell if she understood or even heard him. There was no time for modesty.
He was not gentle this time. He ripped her clothes from her body, getting the heat-leaching fabric off her skin as quickly as possible and tossing various articles in the snow. He briefly beheld the brilliance of her magnificent breasts once again, the tempting golden patch at the juncture of her thighs, but it was spoiled by the fact that all her flesh was a splotchy, angry purple, evidence of her hypothermia. Alucard shrugged off his coat and covered her, wrapping her tightly, including her head and feet, only leaving her nose and mouth free for easy breathing.
"I saw you look at my breasts," Integra scolded weakly.
"I'm sorry." He hoisted her back up into his arms and scrambled up the hill. He could no longer move with supernatural speed, but he moved as quickly as he could.
0o0o0o0o0o
To be continued.