A/N: Unfortunately, this is the unbeta-ed version of the chapter, so please forgive me if there are mistakes...possibly horrific mistakes.
Coercions
Seras awoke some time later, her head throbbing madly and her wrists and ankles feeling heavy. Sitting up she realized she was no longer in her room, but from what little she could decipher through a strange gloom she was in an area similar to where Integra had performed the binding ceremony. Shivering at such a comparison she attempted to remember how she could possibly have gotten to such a place and how to remove herself. As she sat there upon the hard, cold floor with surrounding bleak walls, with growing concern did the vampire realize her memories were bringing forth nothing.
She could not recall anything from after Alucard had entered her room to the time she awoke.
Seras clapped her hands over her head, trying to remember anything other than Alucard standing before her about to speak. She gritted her teeth as her nails dug into her hair, her body instinctively bending down to the ground in a coiled position. The young vampire began to shiver as still nothing came, her head jerking up and her eyes looking around wildly in both frustration and creeping fear.
With a half-strangled cry Seras stood and launched herself, as though she could escape the horrors of her mind, at what appeared to be a doorway hidden in the gloom. However, she was violently jerked backward, releasing a startled cry as her chance of sanity seemed to slip away. Her knees slammed roughly back upon the cobble stones as the sounds of chains were heard behind, her head whipping backward and her eyes widening in shock.
Behind her, wrapped loosely around her ankles, lay two massive chains, each several inches thick. Seras slumped to the ground as she stared at the impressive links, her mind awhirl in confusion. For a moment she stared lifelessly, her body listless and unblinking. She could not comprehend how this madness had begun, or why she was being tormented by the voice in her mind, but she knew her sanity was nearing the breaking point.
Suddenly Seras clenched her teeth, her fists balling tightly as her eyes softly began to glow a light crimson color. She didn't notice as the mist around began to swirl, nor as the chains behind her glowed with restraining symbols similar to those shining brightly upon her gloves.
"What in the bloody hell is going on!" she screamed to the shrouded air around as she suddenly lifted her head upward. "Why won't anyone tell me what is wrong!" she yelled furiously, in her fit beating her hands against the cobbles until they bled.
"Such language" a mocking voice called, stopping the young vampire's frustrated tantrum.
Seras allowed her arms to hang limply beside herself as she looked about almost apathetically now, not even flinching as the figure of her nightmares soon appeared from the shadows.
"You again?" she questioned quietly, slowly turning her back upon the mirror image of her former master. "Why don't you go bother someone else? You've caused me enough trouble to last a lifetime."
"Ah, but we're not finished with each other just yet, Seras" he called, seeming to float around Seras as he grinned down on her pathetic figure.
At the mention of her name Seras lifted her head, giving the nightmarish creature a disinterested yet captured look. Seeing he had her attention, the figure floated down beside her, their cheeks nearly touching.
"Would you like all the answers?" he asked, whispering into her ear. "I can give them to you, anything you'd like to know."
"And what would be the catch?" Seras replied, attempting to put some distance between them but being restrained by the chains around her ankles.
"You've tortured me, driven me insane during my sleep, and...and I don't know how I got into this chamber!" she cried out as she clapped her hands over her ears, shaking her head as if the action would revive her memories.
"Is that all?" the shadow asked in a slightly exasperated voice, reaching out and lightly touching a hand upon her forehead.
Seras' head shot up as images suddenly entered her mind, filling the gap which had existed there. She recalled the struggle within her chambers, the emotions she had felt and the power which had coursed through her. Then her eyes lit up in understanding, her body quivering with rage as she jerked away from the nightmare's touch.
"You were the one who destroyed my room, weren't you?" Seras accused as her head whipped toward the figure, her eyes narrowed in anger. "You were the one who forced me to attack Alucard!"
"I could release you from these binds" he spoke soothingly, apparently ignoring her questions. He ran a hand over the manacles, grinning as the symbols flared up at his touch. "Integra doesn't trust you, but you do not need her approval for your actions."
"Answer me!" Seras demanded, standing to her feet and overshadowing the figure. "You're just another pathetic monster!" she shouted, now turning the tables as she began pacing around the amused looking mirror image of Alucard. "You keep my memories from me, doling them out like they were nothing! You're no different than the others, giving what you want and leaving me with more questions!"
"Ah, but you misunderstand me" he suddenly spoke, rising to his own feet and staring her straight in the eyes. "I keep safe your memories from your former master, the pet of that Hellsing. If I didn't, they would possibly use them against both of us" he explained, his voice tinged with venom at the mention of Integra. Then his face contorted into a wicked grin as he kneeled before her. "And with the episode in your room, only part of it was my doing."
"What are you talking about?" Seras asked, scowling at the nightmare only inches from her.
"I only encouraged what you wanted" the figure stated, waving a hand in the air almost lazily. "Your own foolish, human inhibitions keep you from such...fun" he commented, giving her a roughish smile. "And that woman keeps you from fully enjoying what you experience" he added, his grin slightly faltering as he stared into Seras' face. "But you can change all this, you can release us both from her orders" he said as his voice became noticeably more excited,
"You're forgetting" Seras commented almost bitterly as her shoulders slumped, looking at the gloves she wore. The symbols upon those were still glowing, causing her some discomfort. "According to you, we're both bound to her orders."
"Ah, but together we may not be" the shadow spoke with barely controlled enthusiasm, picking up Seras' hand in a gentlemanly manner. "Integra is merely human, nothing compared to what we both can create."
"What are you babbling about?" Seras asked in an increasingly exhausted voice, wrenching her hand from his and seating herself once more upon the stone. "What are we able to create?" she questioned with some suspicion, messaging her hands as the burning seemed to increase. "And what would be the price?"
"You would have to give me complete control" he spoke slowly, grinning at his captivated audience. "Your body, your mind, everything. The control would be only for a short time of course, but long enough for our goal to be obtained."
"Then I refuse" Seras flatly answered, turning away in disgust at such a ridiculous offer. "Nothing is worth doing that, even for a little while."
"Even your freedom?"
Seras noticeably flinched for a moment, then turned slowly toward the figure looming behind. She looked for a long moment at her nightmare, her eyes narrowed as though she were trying to read the monster's mind.
"What guarantee do I have that I can trust you?" she asked slowly, standing to her feet again. She walked over the mirror image, frowning slightly. "And exactly how long would this self-imprisonment last?"
The figure before her grinned widely, his eyes opening in glee as he settled a hand firmly upon one of Seras' shoulders.
Meanwhile, within Integra's office a discussion was taking place between master and servant.
"Explain to me how Miss Victoria's room is now utterly destroyed" Integra ordered as she sat in her chair, her statement directed at the vampire standing before her desk. Walter stood off to one side, watching the affair with an interested ear.
"She merely attacked me" Alucard answered, a soft chuckle escaping his lips as a hand reached up and cupped his chin lightly. "I defended myself while enjoying the show, nothing more."
"I am well aware Lieutenant Seras was violent, hence her necessary internment" Integra grated out through clenched teeth, slowly swiveling her chair around to face the large windows behind. "However, I am sure you have already read her mind" she commented with a knowing half smile, looking to the bright red moon shining in the sky. "What made her attack you?"
"I don't know" he answered plainly, shrugging his shoulders without care.
"What do you mean?" Integra asked, half turning her chair to face her servant vampire. "Explain yourself, Alucard."
"She did not hold any memories of our...encounter" Alucard replied, leaning against a far wall.
"She was blocking them from you?" Integra asked incredulously, raising a brow at the vampire's words.
"No" Alucard flatly stated, his eyes narrowing at the open slight. "They were merely not there."
"Then why did you suggest we chain her to the floor with sealing symbols upon the links?" she asked in agitation, turning half circle and slamming a fist upon the wood of the desk. "The seals are not to be used lightly, especially on a whim."
"The choice was not on a whim" Alucard answered with some hint of insult, stepping away from the wall and once more approaching the desk. "Seras is a danger to the humans in the mansion and what she will do is too unpredictable allow her freedom, no matter how much fun the carnage would be" he added with a sly grin.
"Then should Miss Victoria's seals on her gloves be made stronger?" Walter asked, bowing as he intruded upon their conversation. "Pardon my speaking, Sir Integra."
"Not at all" the Hellsing answered, giving some thought to the retainer's words as she closed her eyes. After a moment she opened them, looking to Alucard with a question. "Why did you decide against the glove seals, Alucard? And answer truthfully, by order of your own seals."
"Because they would not have held" the vampire answered in a growling tone, either from impatience or the forced comment was unclear. "With the seals focused at one point, she would be able to break them easily with her powers directed at the gloves. However, by spreading the seals it forces her powers to spread too thinly to break the magic."
For a moment Integra simply stared hard at her servant, scowling as she too in what the vampire had spoken. Finally she gave a small, rough sigh and leaned back in her chair, intertwining her hands as she settled her chin upon them.
"And you're sure this will work?" she questioned once more, her voice dubious with the information Alucard had given her.
"The only one who can answer that question is Seras" Alucard answered mysteriously, giving a small bow. "You will have to ask her yourself."
"Then we shall pay a visit to Lieutenant Victoria" Integra flatly stated, standing and walking toward the door.
