Guys.

Guys!

GUYS!

What the hell is this? Is this what I think it is? IT'S ANOTHER FLIPPIN' CHAPTER ALREADY! YOU GUYS YOU-! *CRIES TEARS OF JOY* I kept getting all these favorites and follows and people telling me how much they enjoyed the story. And I just kept writing and writing and writing and before I knew it I got another chapter out. You people you just . . . I'm so happy right now! You have no idea! I thought it would be another long period of time before I got another chapter in but instead here it is, ready for your viewing pleasure!

Those of you who have read the manga or watched the anime (referring to Hellsing Ultimate btw, the TV version is complete crap in my opinion) might recognize one part of this when you read it. I did that on purpose because 1. Any chance for Integra to be a sassy thing is gold and 2. I always liked the actual scene that the quotes came from. They amused me. I'll let you guys figure out what I'm talking about. Those of you who do will get a virtual cookie from moi.

Anyways, this chapter focuses more on Pip and Integra. Some Seras inner turmoil at the end and a small bit of Alucard being a self assured f*** but beyond that yeah. Short-ish chapter, more of a foreshadowing of thing to come kufufu~! Read and Review, and I hope you enjoy~!

Seras: Wow, this has to be the quickest you've completed a chapter since you first started writing this!

Me: I know, I'm so happy! *continues to cry tears of joy*

Alucard: Why isn't there as many scenes with me this time around?!

Integra: You're not the only main character in the series, servant! Deal with it!

Alucard: HAH! Jokes on you, I'm not your servant in this story!

Me: Well, honestly Alucard I'm only borrowing you guys for this story. Since this is just a fan made story and all rights to you guys belong to the amazing Kouta Hirano, you're still her servant in reality.

Pip: SO TAKE THAT!

Aluard: SHUT UP FRENCH DOG! AT LEAST I'M ALIVE TILL THE END IN THE ACTUAL SERIES!

Me: Anyways, please enjoy the story while we try to keep Pip and Alucard from duking it out. *Calls out to them* GUYS, KNOCK IT OFF, I NEED TO BE ABLE TO WRITE THE NEXT CHAPTER!

SHADOWS OF MOONLIGHT

Chapter 10: Prepare for War!

Smoke trailed from the coffin stick perched loosely in between Pip Bernadotte's lips. He stood outside the gate of the illustrious Hellsing manor, more than a little nervous. How such a simple and wholesome girl like Seras Victoria grew up humble in a place like this, Pip would never know. Just thinking about the messy-haired blonde sent a sting to his heart. He still couldn't get over the fact that she'd rejected him. They were so close, most people mistook them for a couple anyways, and he'd thought it would have been the natural next step between them. Apparently not, considering what had happened a few days ago. But if Pip was anything it was stubborn and he wasn't going to give up on his Mignonette.

Dressed in his usual mercenary attire for once (complete with Australian slouch hat) he worked up his courage and pressed the call button on the front gates monitor. Almost immediately he was answered by the same wizened butler from before—Walter or some such.

"Good evening, Sir, I take it you wish to see Ms. Victoria?"

"Err, Oui, I need to speak with her."

"Unfortunately, Mr. Bernadotte, Ms. Victoria does not wish to see anyone at the moment. Poor dear has come down with a bout of cold. However, Sir Integra gave direct orders that should you return she was to meet with you in her office." Pip blinked his one eye in disbelief. Since when did the head of the Hellsing family want anything to do with him? It must have something to do with what happened last time he came here. Wincing a little, he cleared his throat nervously before answering the patiently waiting butler on call.

"Err, yes, I understand. I'll meet with Sir Hellsing." He always wondered how a woman got the title of Knight but he wasn't going to say anything about it. He liked his head where it was too much.

"Excellent, sir; come into the foyer and I will lead you to Sir Integra's office immediately." With that the connection was cut off and the gates swung open. Giving a nervous grin at the two guards on either side of it, he hopped onto his motorcycle and continued on his way. Soon enough, he was parked and making his way up the front steps to the manor. Seriously, this place was ridiculously huge, and he already knew it housed enough soldiers to protect a small nation. Why a civilian needed so many soldiers, Pip had never asked. The few times he'd spoken to Seras about her home, she'd been rather skittish about it. Hell, the most he knew about the place was how much she loved her 'sister' and the old butler dearly and that she'd never wanted to be anywhere else.

He didn't know how she'd ended up at the Hellsing Manor, who her parents were, anything. All he knew was that she was a sweet girl with a fiery temper sometimes that had the bad habit of looking after others instead of her. Thinking about it now as he made his was let into the foyer by a busty maid; Pip realized he didn't know much of anything about the girl he supposedly loved. Hell, he only knew her favorite color was blue because she wore something with it any chance she got! He was reeling from this epiphany when the old butler from before appeared apparently out of nowhere.

"Good evening, sir, if you would kindly follow me, Sir Integra will meet with you immediately." With a gentlemanly bow, Walter led him up the winding staircase and down hall after hall until they arrived at a rather . . . intimidating set of double doors that were the entrance to Sir Hellsing's private office. Gulping, Pip took off his hat and attempted to smooth his otherwise messy hair as the doors slid open with a silent whoosh.

There; sitting almost regally behind the massive desk with stacks of paperwork waiting to be read and signed; was Sir Integra Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing herself. Pip had to admit, the girl was a looker. She was naturally tanned, with long luscious locks of silvery hair, icy blue eyes; somehow the glasses adding to her beauty instead of retracting from them. And if you looked hard enough you could detect the hint of feminine curves under the mannish olive suit she wore. Not that he would ever say that out loud. Once again, Pip was too fond of his head where it was to ever attempt such a thing.

Integra watched as the mercenary captain made his way nervously from the door and to the chair in front of her desk. She had to admit, he was handsome in a roguish way. And his fighting ability; from what her sources and Seras herself have said; were top notch. But her sources had dug up a few other things about the man sitting before her. He was a womanizer, from what she understood, and was often seen at the bars inebriated and with some floozy or other on his arm. Integra could understand perfectly well why Seras would be wary of any sort of relationship with the man even if she hadn't already stated she couldn't see him as anything more than a friend.

But that wasn't why Integra wanted to speak with him. No, this had nothing to do with hearts; though Integra had every thought to use the young captains to her advantage. No, this was about souls. And saving the life of her dearest little 'sister' from a creature of pure darkness. Gritting her teeth slightly, Integra pulled a cigar from out of her personal case, tucking it between her lips as Walter came with an already lit match. She took a calming puff from it, watching the smoke trail away towards the ceiling before speaking.

"I'm sure you are aware of my knowledge of what happened between you and Seras some time ago. Correct?"

"Err, um, yes mum—I mean sir!" It took everything in Integra's power not to laugh outright at his nervousness.

"Good, though quite frankly I doubt give a bloody damn about it. What's done is done and Seras isn't likely to change her mind about it anytime soon. That's not why I asked to meet with you, Mr. Bernadotte." She leaned back into her chair, twining her fingers together under her chin. "Tell me, Mr. Bernadotte, has Seras ever mentioned what it is the Hellsing family actually does for the royal crown?"

"Uh . . . no Sir, I've asked her plenty of times but she'd always dodged the questions before."

"I see. Well, let me enlighten you a bit, Mr. Bernadotte. For centuries the Hellsing organization has fought in the shadows against the creatures of darkness. Our enemies are the vampire who gains immortality by drinking human blood. Our job is to carry around garlic and holy water, put a stake through its heart, chop off its head, burn its corpse and sprinkle its ashes at the crossroads. For more information, read your Bram Stoker." A rather evil, if serious, grin adorned the woman's face as she spoke. Pip sat in shock before finally speaking.

"Forgive my language, Sir, but that's a load of bull shit. There are no such things as vampires."

"They exist, you've just never been told. There would be mass hysteria if the knowledge that monsters were real became fact. Formed hundreds of years ago, our Royal Order of Religious Knights, Hellsing, has been working in secret for a long time with the intended purpose of fighting vampires. And whatever else comes our way."

"If there are vampires then I'm Frankenstein's-fucking-Monster."

"Then you better stay away from fire because I'm telling the truth. In fact, the whole reason I'm telling you any of this instead of kicking you out of my office from your language is because someone very dear to the both of us is in danger of being taken into the darkness herself." That stopped Pip cold. No, she had to be kidding . . .

"Seras, she's in trouble?"

"Yes. About ten or so years ago, Seras and I uncovered a hidden chamber in the Hellsing Family graveyard. Without meaning to, we unleashed what I now believe to be the first vampire in existence that had been sealed away by my ancestor centuries before. Now, that same creature is bent on turning her into a vampire as well."

"You're fucking serious, aren't you?"

"Deadly. I would never joke about her life like this. This is why I want your help in keeping her safe."

"My help—But you have a whole fucking army on your premises!"

"Yes, but we both know how stubborn Seras can be. She'd more than likely try to handle the situation herself instead of allowing trained professionals to protect her, just to make sure no one gets hurt. And this . . . creature . . . after her is something we haven't handled before. I want to hire you and your men as an extra precaution. I've heard some rather positive things about your men and the completion of your missions. I am willing to pay anything for the Wild Geese to protect Seras from this monster in the case that my men should fail."

Silence permitted the room. No one moved, not one twitch. Finally, Captain Pip Bernadotte slumped with a sigh. Pulling a pack of cigarettes from his front breast pocket, he stuck one of the cancer sticks between his lips before lighting it. Lighting it, he took a long drag from it, releasing it slowly. Finally, he looked up at the woman before him, a hard light in his teal eye.

"I would normally never put a price on Seras but since my men will not fully understand the idea of working for free, let us just put down your highest number you want and call it even. When do you want me to start?"

Integra sat back with a contented air, a self-satisfied smirk on her face.

"You start immediately."

Seras sat in solitude in her room. She sat in her usual on the window seat, mind lost. She kept thinking back on the night she had. Dancing with Alucard had revealed some things about herself she'd never been aware of before. One of which was the fact she would actually consider allowing him to change her into a vampire. Shivering, she curled up a little more on the seat, Vladimir once more in her arms. She had to have been under some sort of spell last night. She just had to be! And it was a lingering spell, which would explain her mood now. She wanted to see Alucard again. She wanted to see him so much. It didn't matter that he was certifiably insane, or a real life monster. She didn't need to hide with him. He knew every reach of her mind. And he didn't care about her past. It didn't matter to him. He wanted her just the same.

But she could never leave her family. Everyone here at Hellsing, her fellow officer's at work, even Pip and his fellow mercenaries! They were all important to her and if she followed what her spell-twisted heart wanted her to do, she would never be able to see them again. Integra would be honor bound to hunt her down and kill her and to everyone else in her life she'd be dead to them. Could she do that to everyone, just for a happiness she knew better than anyone was nothing more than an illusion?

But she'd never done anything for herself. The knowledge of this stung her. Everything she'd ever done in life had been for the benefit of others. Even attending the Police Academy had been to fulfill her duty to her father and avenge him and her mother. It wasn't actually for her. She'd come to terms with their murders years ago. No, it was because she felt that as their daughter she should avenge them and put the scum that sanctioned their deaths behind bars. But no, every single thing she'd done had been for others. But would accepting Alucard's offer really be for herself, or for him? She just didn't know! What did she want!

She wanted him, but she feared. She cared for him (she could admit it now) but she hated what he was. She wished for the freedom he could give her, but feared leaving the safety of what was familiar to her. She was at constant odds with this. What should she do? What should she do! Frustrated, she tossed her childhood toy across the room and stomped to her door. She'd told Walter and everyone that she'd come down with a cold, but she just wasn't able to face them at the time. Now, though, she couldn't stand staying inside a moment longer. Grabbing her jacket and helmet, she decided a quick ride through the countryside would do her some good. Yes, she needed to get away. Away from Integra, away from Walter, away from the soldiers and other staff, and definitely away from Alucard!

Alucard watched as Seras made her escape from the mansion. He wouldn't follow her this time around. He could sense the turmoil in her and knew if he pushed her too far she would likely run for good. And then he would be forced to turn her against her will, causing her to hate him for all eternity. And as amusing as that would be, he did not want that. No, he wanted her as a willing partner. He wanted her passion and fire. Yes, he would leave her be for now. Let her realize he had placed no 'spell' on her to make her want him.

Instead, he would focus his attention on the other meddlers in the home of his future bride. He knew what the Hellsing woman and the would-be rival were planning. He'd been aware of it long before they'd even had their meeting. Let them think they could stop him. Let them create their army of cannon fodder. They were nothing to him. He would destroy them all without a thought if they tried to keep his bride from him. Because in the end, he knew she would choose him. Even if her mind rebelled against the idea of it, she would choose him.

And he would enjoy every minute of the war to come.

Battle preparations are underway on both sides and though Seras understands her feelings a little better now, she's still uber confused on all sides. Will she figure them out in time to stop the coming battle over her? Or will she have to scrape her life back together from the aftermath? Perhaps these questions and more will be answered in the next installment of SHADOWS OF MOONLIGHT!

I just want to once more say a quick thank you to everyone who's been reading this from the beginning and a hardy thank you and welcome to all my new readers. You guys are the reason I haven't given up on this thing yet. Anyways, until next time~!