Disclaimer: I do not own Hellsing, but any OCs are mine.
Chapter 11: Shadows of the Conclave
Morning came swiftly, bringing with it a surge of activity from the camp. I dressed quickly in a pair of cargo skinnies and my long-sleeved Hellsing uniform. I grabbed my jacket on the way out, lifting my nose to the distinct smells of a homecooked slayer breakfast. My stomach snarled in response as I walked to the center tent. Several community members turned to stare as I entered the tent, and a surge of self-consciousness washed over me. Just as I was about to turn around and find my breakfast elsewhere, however, my eyes caught Sloan's giant frame and he brandished a spatula with a grin. I headed over to his table, and he pulled out a chair for me. The electric griddle hissed as he turned a pancake over. Boyish brown eyes flashed happily. "Mornin'. Did the smell wake you up?"
I nodded, practically salivating over the griddle. "It smells just like I remember it."
He let out a big belly laugh and deposited a few pancakes onto a plate, setting it down in front of me. "Eat up. You're too skinny." With a beefy hand, he squeezed my shoulders. "I'm beginning to think those stiffs at Hellsing aren't feeding you enough."
"Can't talk, must eat." I spoke around a mouthful of food, nearly moaning at the taste. It wasn't gourmet, but sometimes I needed the comfort food. I sincerely doubted Arthur knew how to bake "proper" American pancakes.
As the food was passed around, a curvy mocha skinned woman with hazel eyes slid into the table beside me. "Whoa, save some for the rest of us!"
Sloan handed her a loaded plate. "Aw, go easy on her, Olivia. She's just got back from Europe."
The woman named Olivia crinkled her nose. "Ugh, how could you stand it?"
I shrugged, swallowing a big bite and swiping syrup off my chin. "It's not bad actually. But you're right…the food takes some getting used to."
"I'm Olivia." She held out her hand and I took it. "I do some freelance stuff for Sloan."
"So, you're a huntress?" I asked, intrigued. Since the Conclave pulled their support, I wondered how the slayers would react.
She smirked, flipping her dark curls over her shoulder. "Sort of. I just keep the woods clear every night. We've been kinda pullin' close lately to protect the camp." Her face grew somber.
Sloan nodded in agreement. "We don't have the reach we used to, and the damn beasties are relentless."
I shook my head angrily. "This is ridiculous. Did they ever say why they pulled support?"
Olivia snorted. "Nah, they give the same bullshit response they always do. Apparently, we're too expensive for them."
"As if they were any help before. We've always been self-sustaining." Sloan waved his spatula angrily. "We all know it's just another way for them to hide from responsibility."
Long finished with my food, I pushed around the extra syrup, my head swimming with dreadful thoughts. Pulling support was one thing. As Sloan eloquently put, we didn't need them. But, shutting down all contact without a good enough reason was disturbing. They had rules. As Integra had pointed out, a bureaucracy as large and secretive as the Conclave would drag along at a snail's pace to even make a decision such as that. Unless of course, they had been planning to do this longer than I thought. That made me queasy to think about.
A couple of kids laughing and running by the table reminded me abruptly of Alucard. I'd completely forgotten about him in my haste to eat. I wondered where he was holed up sleeping. He hardly slept at all yesterday, and he seemed like the cranky type without enough sleep. I rolled my eyes at the surge of concern that welled within me. Fucking really? He's Dracula…he can take care of himself.
"Speaking of which." Sloan muttered and caught the arm of a younger boy passing by. He looked about 15, with unruly ash brown hair and wide blue eyes. A couple scars lined his otherwise youthful face, and I grimaced. Those weren't beastie scars, but the harsh scouring of a whip. "This is Wess, he came back from training before they pulled support. He'll be able to tell you more about it than I can." He pushed the kid towards me.
I offered my hand, keeping my face in check. I'd been beaten…but certainly not as bad as this poor kid. "I'm Elizabeth Ryder."
He took my hand shyly. "Are you related to Arc?"
"He was my father."
"Shit, sorry." Wess scrubbed at his face. "My parents told me what happened."
"It's ok." I reassured him. "If it's alright, I wanted to ask you about your training."
His face fell, and my heart broke for him. Rage fueled the flames flickering inside, and it took a great effort not to ignite the tablecloth. "Can we talk somewhere else?" He whispered. "My parents really don't like me talking about it."
Acquiescing, I followed him out of the tent and into a secluded area with a bench. He sat and ran his hands through his hair. A spark jumped from my fingertips at the lost look in his eyes. Hatred burned through me at the thought of another innocent soul dragged cruelly through harsh reality. Finally, he spoke. "General training wasn't so bad, but then they started taking us away at night."
I flinched as I remembered the night they took me…where I begged for them to stop. The scar racing across my spine prickled. One particularly nasty one had used a knife on me before they called it quits and dragged me back to the barracks bruised and bloodied. "They beat you to unlock your aspect." It wasn't a question.
His shoulders shook, and he clenched his fists. "Yea. The whip wasn't even the worst part though. At one point they pulled back and I saw the cages."
"Cages?"
He nodded. "They had been trapping beasties, thinking that somehow being near them would elicit a protective aspect. They didn't throw me in with them…but James…they took him, and he never came back."
Icy talons sunk deep into my chest. The Conclave had truly sunk lower than I thought. My knees gave out and I sat down next to him. "I'm sorry." I managed to splutter out. Werewolves…in the Conclave…this was much worse than I imagined. "I was beaten, but they didn't have wolves when I was there. What facility were you placed at?"
"Zephos." He responded, his eyes on his sneakers.
A shudder ran through me. That was where I was trained with my sister. The bite of my nails digging into my palms brought me out of my thoughts. "I know it couldn't have been easy to talk about that, but thank you. I'm just trying to get to the bottom of this. My father would have never let this pass. It isn't right."
"I never did unlock my aspect." Wess fidgeted, rubbing his sneakers together. "Fat lot of good that did me."
"Hey, that wasn't any fault of yours. That was never the way to unlock aspects." My jaw clenched. They had been the scientists…and we, the unwilling subjects. Somehow, they were testing us, and we failed in some way in their eyes. Why else would they have tossed the slayers aside? I had now more questions than answers. "Thank you for talking to me."
He nodded weakly. "I hope it helps." Wess stood slowly. "For what its worth, I hope you nail those bastards to the wall." He left me to my own thoughts and horrors.
Sliding my hand into my pocket, I pulled out my cell and dialed Integra. She would want an update as soon as possible, and I needed contacts desperately. The Slayers were too far out of the loop. Who knows what things looked like now?
"Hello?" Arthur's warm voice made me relax a little.
"Hey Arthur, it's Ryder. I have more info for Sir Integra. Is she available?"
"Yes, I will put you through to her. It is quite good to hear from you, Miss." Arthur confessed, and I could hear the concern in his voice.
"Thank you, Arthur." I waited for a few moments.
"Ryder, report." Integra's curt voice filtered through the phone, and I couldn't help but shake my head. To the point as usual.
"Sir, we arrived at Piedmont Sanctuary last night. My childhood friend, Sloane, has taken the place of Elder, so we were welcomed with open arms." I hesitated. "He has informed me that the Conclave cut all ties with the Slayers two years ago."
Integra was silent for a moment, clearly processing the news. "You sound like that was unexpected."
"To put it mildly, yes." I sighed. "That's not exactly the worst part though. Apparently, a group of slayers went through training before the separation. I was able to speak to one of them." My teeth found the inside of my cheek, and a flicker of flame rolled between the knuckles of my left hand. "Things have worsened since I was trained, and they weren't all that great before. The Conclave had been regularly practicing beatings to bring forth a slayer's aspect. And now they have resorted to unthinkable measures. It is my understanding that the Conclave are now in possession of several lycanthropes."
"Werewolves? For what purpose?" Integra demanded, her voice sharper now and alert.
"My best guess is that they thought their presence would trigger the development of the aspect. When that didn't work, some were…fed to them." I breathed in nice and slow to keep myself from crushing the cellphone in my iron grip.
I could hear Integra's breathing quicken. "Arrogant fools. They meddle in matters they haven't a prayer of handling."
"I agree wholeheartedly, Sir. But the question now is why cut ties when they spent so long grooming us. It doesn't make sense."
"The Conclave seems to be burning many bridges in the past few decades." Integra lamented. "They've done nothing but show contempt for the Crown and are quite bold to cut off their supply of slayers."
"You think they're using the wolves somehow?" I gnawed on my lip. The possibility was not too far-fetched. What with the surge in lycanthrope activity, I'd take any lead I could get. "That would be…catastrophic. I know these half-breeds…they're stupid but volatile. And it only takes one smart one to rally a pack of hundreds."
Integra was silent once more, and I heard the flick of her lighter in the background. "Direct infiltration of the Conclave may be necessary. Are you willing to do that?"
I gritted my teeth. "If it means answers, I'll gladly do it. But I won't have a prayer without contacts. They won't be likely to recognize me, but their security is tighter than a miser's purse."
"Arthur will make the necessary arrangements for your identity, but it will be up to you to get in." Integra answered.
"Understood."
"Oh, and Ryder?" She stopped me before I could hit the end button.
"Yes, Sir?"
"If your fears become a reality. I expect you to eliminate every single one of those pathetic dogs. Is that clear?" Her voice had lowered to a deadly tone.
"Crystal." I gulped.
"I will need to have a word with my servant once he awakens. Direct him to me when he does."
"Of course, Sir. I will notify you if something else comes up." I clenched my fist to keep it from shaking. Things were getting very real very fast. Was it possible everything I knew as a child was a complete lie?
Integra audibly puffed out a drag of her cigar. "Take care, Ryder." The phone clicked, and I slid the cell back into my pocket. Pinching the bridge of my nose, I walked out of the camp away from prying eyes. I needed to think about this.
A breeze picked up, playing in the leaves of the trees and tossing my long hair around my body. It was unseasonably warm for late November in the area, with only a hint of winter's presence in the wind. Usually the ground was covered in several layers of snow by now. I found a rock jutting out over the valley and seated myself. Essentially, the crux of the situation came down to this: if implicated, the Conclave could not be judged like a normal business, but like a supernatural entity. As Integra made painfully clear, those involved with beasties and abetting them will be equally guilty. With that in mind, the Conclave was made up of a majority human…masquerading as normal people. If implicated…I would have to judge them just as equally as the beasties. I would have to spill human blood. And while my vampire counterpart had no problem with it…I did. I stared down at my open palms, imagining the blood already staining them. Could I do what this woman asked of me? Even if it was deserved, I was used to the laws of the slayers. We always held a hearing and judged fairly. Swift and severe punishment was left to the barbarians. A dry chuckle escaped my lips as I realized there was a time when the Conclave thought of Hellsing as barbaric. Perhaps they were right in a way. An organization that uses evil to fight evil. Truly, it was a double-edged sword. Would we not skewer ourselves with it? Integra had years to think about this…years to come to terms with her duty to the Crown. And she inherited the responsibility around the same age as me when my parents were killed. It struck me then how similar we were in this sense. Thirty years my senior, she held herself high. I wondered if the lives her pet took weighed heavy on her. Certainly, I don't think she had any qualms against killing another. Her volatile temper was evidence of that. But, she had to have felt something, right? Sir Integra Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing was human through and through. However, an iron-clad exterior would've been needed to command the No-Life-King. Or perhaps she had always been this way. Regardless, somewhere along the line, Integra had accepted herself. In fact, she seemed prideful. So, the question remained: could I similarly accept my status and take lives if necessary?
As I contemplated this, a slow set of pinpricks began at my toes and slowly worked up my spine. I sat up straighter than before, feeling my muscles contract in response. It was midday; therefore, this couldn't be possible. The beasties needed the light of the full moon to change. However, a strong smell assaulted my nostrils. It was disgustingly familiar…rotting flesh and wet fur. My hand slipped to the hilt of my sword as I heard the ragged breathing drawing closer. In a flash, I stood up and had both swords out. There was a snarl before beastie stepped from the bushes. It was large, bigger than most I'd tangled with. Like most werewolves, its grey skin was patchy, with most of the fur residing on the neck and lupine head. Watery yellow eyes bored into me and its thick tail swished. Muscular arms ended in long, bestial fingers tipped in razor sharp claws built for tearing flesh. Upon seeing me, it dropped to its front paws and sniffed. It grumbled lowly and a big glob of saliva dripped onto the ground.
I would have time to contemplate how this was possible later. For now, I'd have to get creative since I'd yet to fight one without my favored weapon. "You're a little too close to the camp, dog." I taunted it, knowing that the stupid half-breed would not totally understand my words. "Run along before you get skewered."
Without further preamble, it charged me with yellow dagger-like teeth flashing and slobber flying. Ducking down, I rolled underneath it as it lunged. The force sent it flying into a tree, and it whined as blood poured from its snout from the impact. Typical… Backing up it sneezed a few times to dislodge the blood from its sensitive nose and then ran at me again. This time, I ducked underneath its grasping claws and swiped across its meaty shoulder. Black blood flew from the wound, soaking my clothes. It howled in pain and twisted away from the sister sword I swung at it. Though dumb, this one was a lot faster than the others I'd fought. If I had been in any sense normal, it would very well have killed me. I hated that I didn't have the reaching power I used to. With its back now turned to me, it was pathetically vulnerable. I ran it down and jumped, preparing to bury my blades in its back and end this.
That was my first mistake. The beast surprisingly turned at the last second and slashed at me. With a shriek, I twisted to avoid the blow and felt the bite of its claws digging into my hip. The force of its swipe sent me tumbling down a hill. Stones and gravel pricked my skin before I came to a stop. Shaking off the haze of extreme pain, I twirled out of the way of it as it came charging after me panting and drooling all over itself. Hot blood poured from the wound in my side, but I ignored it and the stinging pain. It closed the distance again, this time chomping at me with its great jaws. It's teeth clicked together closer and closer. I was hobbling backwards, allowing it to close the distance. Then, as it reached for me a final time, I pushed off my uninjured leg and vaulted over its shoulder. Twisting, I grasped a handful of fur at the base of its neck and pulled back the shorter sword. Silver-alloy steel met flesh and buckets of blood spewed forth. With the other sword, I plunged it into its heart. With a final gurgle, it fell backward over the top of me. A sharp pop in my shoulder caused me to yelp in pain. Angrily, I shoved its carcass off me and dragged myself underneath a tree. The wound was pretty deep, and I'd lost quite a bit of blood. Already my body was struggling to heal it. Leaning back against the course bark, I inhaled deeply a few times before pushing my shoulder back into place. I howled in both parts rage and agony as it slid back into place. My uniform was ruined, something I was more upset about at the moment than my wound.
"Fuck!" I gritted my teeth as I placed a hand firmly on the claw marks. I'd been hit before but never that hard. That half-breed was tough. Even my swords had difficulty plunging into its flesh. Something was definitely amiss if I was having trouble with a dog.
A snuffling noise drew my attention near the tree line and I stiffened. Werebeasts usually traveled in packs, and I could be very well having to fight another one off. Puffing out a breath, I stood as quickly as possible and prayed for speedier healing. I lifted my blood-coated blades and waited for it. Heavy paws stepped closer through the underbrush, crushing everything underfoot. This one was certainly bigger than the last. Swallowing a lump, I tentatively placed weight on my other foot and rolled my weight forward.
A lupine head emerged, I pulled my arm and threw the shorter sword. The beast turned its shoulder at the last minute, and the blade buried into its flesh. Snarls erupted from between its dagger teeth and its eyes glared into mine. My resolve faltered when I looked into not watery yellow, but blood red eyes. It emerged fully from the bushes, and I dropped my other sword.
"Baskerville?" I asked, shocked to see the shaggy black dog in the daytime.
It chuffed deep in its throat and bit the cross dangling from its chain collar. Turning, it looked at the hilt of the sword emerging from its shoulder. Hobbling to him, I pulled the blade free, eliciting a whine from the hellhound.
"Sorry." I breathed out through my gritted teeth. "Thought you were a beastie."
Baskerville whined again and licked the wound on my hip as if concerned for my well-being. "I'm alright, boy. Help me get back to camp." Obliging, he came around to my injured side and supported me as I walked. When we approached the gate, I shooed him off. I would have a hard time explaining a red-eyed hellhound to the others. As I drew closer, the taller blonde-haired guard spotted me. "Shit!" He cursed and ran to me. "What the hell happened?"
"You lot have quite the wolf problem." I growled through my teeth, grasping his bulky arm for support.
"During the day? Again? Where the fuck are these things coming from!?" The guard shook his head. "Sloan needs to know about this, but I gotta take you to Sorine first. Shit, that looks painful."
I nodded, and let my thoughts drift away from the pain. Werewolf claws held a toxin that slowed slayer healing. It was deadly to humans but merely an annoyance to slayers. But, it still stung like a motherfucker. We hobbled to a small building situated away from the apartment buildings and went in through the front doors. Immediately, we were set upon by concerned medical staff, and I was laid out on a stretcher, much to my complaint. The blonde-haired guard ran down the situation quickly and then left, giving me a sympathetic glance as he left. They wheeled me into a separate ward as I continued to protest it. Neither of the two nurses paid me much mind as they laid me back and tore my uniform in two and began cleaning the wound.
"Cripes, you could've just asked." I grumbled, knowing I was just being petty now. The uniform was already ruined anyway. Self-consciousness quickly took the place of anger, and I flushed at being laid out in only my red bra. The salve they were using to clean the claw marks stung worse than the lycanthrope's toxin and I sucked air in through my gritted teeth.
One of the nurses, a young woman with auburn hair piled on to of her head and prominent freckles, inspected the wound once they had finished. "That's quite the healing ability."
My eyebrows knitted together. "Not anymore than the average slayer."
"No, I mean…you'd still be hemorrhaging heavily from a wound that deep, and your body naturally stopped it on its own." She remarked, jade eyes alight with curiosity.
I frowned, not realizing that my healing had been anything remarkable before. As they watched me, I felt the wound radiating warmth as my body worked overtime. I glanced down at my watch out of habit and realized I'd left the camp for a lot longer than I thought. It would be sundown soon.
After another 15 minutes or so of resting my eyes, the nurse came back to check on me. "Well the wound is closed, but I advise you take it easy for the next few days. I managed to get out most of the toxin but some may linger."
I sat up slowly, cringing slightly at the pain while she handed me a clean scrub shirt to wear. Thank God. Pulling it on, I grabbed my jacket, grimacing at the deep tears in it. That was Integra's special gift to me upon my employment. And, it had been a favorite of mine. Shaking my head, I slung the ruined jacket over my shoulder. My pants weren't in much better shape but at least they were wearable. I needed a new uniform in the meantime.
"Here are some painkillers if you need them later." The red-haired nurse gave me a bottle of pills and followed me out, likely checking that I could walk on my own. I struggled not to limp under her watchful gaze. No doubt they'd pull me back in if I showed any signs of distress, and I detested being babied. Outside, Sloan and Olivia were waiting for me, their faces drawn and pale. Sloan was at my side immediately, his brown eyes wide. "Are you alright?"
"I'll be fine." I huffed. "We have a more serious problem to address. Sloan, that shouldn't have been possible in the first place. And that half-breed was much bigger than I'm used to."
"Ill say, if it was able to get the drop on you." Sloan muttered; the set of his jaw indicating the level of his anger. "Let's get you into some other clothes and somewhere you can sit."
I opened my mouth to say I was fine and was silenced by Sloan's hard glare. This apparently was not up for negotiation. Without preamble, he lofted me into his arms as if I weighed nothing and began carrying me. Silently, I fumed at his audacity. I could walk, it wasn't as it my legs were broken. But sure enough, he took me all the way up to the apartment and unlocked the door.
My stomach flipped when I recognized the white-clad little girl on the other side of the door. Wide burgundy eyes blinked in shock at our entry. Oh no…please tell me no… "What is this?" Alucard asked, his innocent sounding voice laced with…concern? No, I had to be imagining things. That salve must've been messing with my head.
"Everything's alright, kid." Sloan whisked into the room and set me on my feet while still supporting my other side, his big hand rubbing mine. I blinked at the action, wondering where this comforting side came from. I'd always known Sloan to be the skinny but tough kid on the block. The Elder side of him, I didn't know. With soft brown eyes, he looked down at me. "Take it easy Ryder. Do you need Olivia to help you change?"
"Errr, no…I've got this." I stepped away from him, confused. "Thanks." I hobbled to the bedroom, feeling Alucard's eyes boring holes into the back of my head. Upon reaching the dresser, I had to shift my weight to the other side to open the drawers. I had my armored shirt as well as a few others along with two more pairs of pants. The leathers ones I currently wore, however, were completely ruined. The stench of beastie blood made me gag as I slipped off the scrub shirt and pants. I opted for one of the looser long-sleeved shirts and the other pair of cargo skinnies. Getting the pants on was painful, and I had to bite my lip to keep from crying out. I refused to show weakness, especially in front of Alucard. I reemerged from the bedroom to find everyone still in the living room, staring at me.
I gritted my teeth and walked as well as possible to the open armchair, lowering myself slowly into it. Alucard watched me carefully, his wide eyes unreadable. "Sloan you've already met Allie." I gestured to Alucard. "Allie, this is Olivia."
Alucard visibly cringed, and I nearly lost my composure at the little nickname I designed for him. "A pleasure." He murmured with faux sweetness to the woman, not even taking his eyes off of me once. I got the distinct feeling he was unhappy with me, but I couldn't be sure. He hid his emotions even better as a little girl.
"How about you start over from the beginning, hm?" Olivia asked, her mouth drawn in a grim line.
I recounted the tale as best as possible, omitting most of my conversation with Integra and the appearance of Alucard's familiar.
"I suppose its too late to hope it hasn't changed another." Olivia sat back, wringing her hands with a troubled look on her face.
"One full moon is all they need to change dozens, you know that." Sloan grumbled.
"If that's what the half-breeds look like nowadays, I'm not sure I want to run into a pure-blood anytime soon." I muttered, shifting in my chair to find a more comfortable position. "Did Alex say anything when she was here last?"
Sloan shook his head. "Hardly spoke at all."
Now that was odd for Alex. She was the chatty type, and raved about her hunts all the time. The thought made me frown.
"We'll need to double up on patrols." Olivia urged Sloan. "No one goes alone."
He nodded in fierce agreement. "Agreed. And we need to get to the bottom of this anomaly before it gets out of control. Ryder, how long do you plan to be here?"
All eyes shifted to me once more, and a chafed at the attention. "I'm not sure. Desiree should be arriving soon, and we were going to plan from there. Ultimately, we need a way into the Conclave."
Sloan's eyes hardened. "That's suicide, Liz"
"Maybe." I agreed with him. "But I will have my answers, and I'll be damned if a bunch of lazy bureaucrats keep me from it."
Olivia let out a short burst of humor, elbowing Sloan in the ribs. "Kid's got spunk, I like it."
Out of the corner of my eye, Alucard's eyes glittered mischievously, and I wondered what the vampire was planning. Sloan still did not look pleased. "You could get hurt."
"More than I have already?" I challenged him. "My sister would not have backed down, and you'll find that neither will I."
"Does your life mean nothing, then?" Sloan asked, his eyes filled with sorrow. "Think. The Conclave has too many eyes. It's not a matter of if you'll be caught, its when."
I pushed myself out of the chair, ignoring the twinge of pain and gave him a stern look. "You forget. I never belonged to them. They forfeited their rights to me when they let that vampire slaughter my family."
Both slayers visibly cringed and looked away from me. Their sympathy pissed me off even further. None of them truly understood. I had to leave, or I would've fallen apart. I didn't want to fall apart. I wanted to fight. The slayers had gotten used to sitting back for too long. "You can't deny something always seems to stink when the Conclave is involved."
"Of course, we know that!" Sloan snapped back, the fire returning to his chocolate eyes. "None of us forgot what they did to your family…what they did to us."
"I know you haven't." I mumbled, my rage diminishing. I didn't want to yell at the only family I had left. A sigh left my lips. "I'm sorry. I just…I need to know…"
Sloan seemed to have softened his stance as well. "Promise me you won't be reckless about this? We're trying our best with what little we have."
Olivia nodded in agreement. "We want answers as much as you do, Ryder. Ask us for whatever you need. We'll have your back. And with someone with your spunk, the Conclaves secrets won't stay that way for long." A smirk found a way to her lips as she said this.
Sloan stood and crossed the room, taking my hands in his. My face reddened momentarily at the gesture. "I know you're eager. But take a few days and get back on your feet."
I scoffed. "I'm not a little kid, Sloan."
He squeezed my hands softly with a smile. "No, no you're not. I just don't want you to be foolish."
He was right of course. The events of the past few months had turned me into an impatient person. "Fine." I relented. This in now way meant that he and the others were aloud to baby me, though.
"Get some sleep." Sloan spoke sternly, letting go of my hands.
"It was very nice to meet you, Ryder." Olivia grinned, waving as they left and shutting the door behind them.
Instantly, the room was stuffy and uncomfortable. Deafening silence fell like a blanket over me as I slumped back against the chair slightly. The toxins left in the wound now burned like an open flame against my hip, fighting with my body's natural healing ability. Alucard said nothing, but I could feel his gaze on me even if I refused to acknowledge it. His shape twisted and morphed until his normal male figure sat before me. He still remained silent, and I scowled, deciding to avoid the conversation entirely. "I've informed Sir Integra of the situation. She wants you to check in as soon as possible."
Alucard still said nothing, and the silence was extremely aggravating.
I pinched my nose in both parts frustration and disgust at the smell of lycanthrope blood on my skin. "This is so fucked up. Every single time I think I can't be surprised by these creatures, they prove me wrong. It's even worse to consider that the Conclave would sink so low. Has their greed consumed them so badly?" I stuffed my fingers in my eyes, wishing that when I opened them, everything would be normal. My parents would be cooking dinner with my sister lingering in the background, eyeing the food eagerly. There wouldn't be any transcendents or day-walking werewolves…just us. But when I did, Alucard still sat across from me, his eyes unreadable underneath his glasses. I shifted the wrong way this time, and had to bite down on my tongue. "Damnit…I need my scythe back." As much as I hated the thought of hefting the familiar weapon once more, I was a much better slayer with the weapon I grew up with. Short swords were never my thing. In fact, I could probably wield a spear better than these swords. They'd been built specifically for my father, like most slayer weapons. With my tinier frame, they felt out of balance in my grip.
Alucard removed his glasses slowly. "I'm curious. You had every opportunity to call me, and you didn't."
Truth be told, I had considered the possibility. There was plenty of time between sensing the beast and the attack to make the call. "The thought…crossed my mind. But, I really did have it under control."
His raven's wing eyebrows rose, and his red eyes scrutinized the gore still smeared across my face.
I rolled my eyes in response. "It would have made a bigger mistake long before it finished me, trust me. It may have been stronger than the usual beastie, but still dumber than a sack of rocks." My nose curled again as I caught a whiff of the blood on my clothes. "Blech, I need a shower."
To Alucard's credit, his nose twitched only slightly, and the corners of his mouth twitched in slight amusement. "I concur." His snake-like eyes flickered again with that strange emotion I could place.
My thoughts went back to his little pet. "Speaking of dogs, why did you send Baskerville to me? I had everything under control, and I would have eventually made it back on my own."
Alucard simply smirked. "Yes, perhaps you would've. I'm beginning to believe you may be right. You humans always surprise me."
I snorted. "When are you going to learn we're not all that interesting?"
His lips pulled back over his teeth in a sadistic smile. "Few yet catch my interest, it is true. But oh, how exciting it is to have my boredom sated."
I swallowed reflexively, fighting off the strange feathery caresses that built during the conversation. Being the object of Alucard's interest sounded like a scary thought. But then again, Seras and Integra seemed like important people to Alucard as well. He even seemed to take on a parental role around Seras. Still, it was a disturbing thought, one I didn't particularly want to visit. My father would roll over in his grave if he knew I was working with vampires…let alone, the No-Life-King. Glinda, well, she was probably looking on in mild amusement. She'd taken it so well…I wondered what would have happened had our roles been reversed.
I snorted as a vision of Glinda introducing Alucard to the business end of her spear popped into my head. Not that that would have killed him, but she certainly would've already made it clear who was in charge. I couldn't even be certain he could be killed. At least, not my conventional means. Integra explained briefly how the process worked, but it still baffled me.
At my continued silence, Alucard's eyebrow arched questioningly. "What has you so absorbed, Slayer?"
"Nothing of consequence, vampire." I fired back, shaking off my dark thoughts. But I couldn't help but wonder when the next shoe would drop regarding the crow-masked vampire. My thoughts as of late had shifted from the shadowy figure to the Conclave, but he was never far from my thoughts. And, if I was right about him, he wouldn't be gone long. We both thirsted for each other's death desperately. The last fight proved I still had a lot to learn.
Alucard continued to stare at me, and my discomfort rose. It wasn't until his tongue snaked out to wet his lips that I realized the hunger in his eyes.
I jolted quickly out of my seat, ignoring the pinch in my side. "Nuh uh…nope."
"Whatever is the matter?" He asked coyly, his ruby irises traveling over the length of my neck.
"Don't play coy, Alucard, it doesn't suit you." I snapped, placing my hands on my hips. "Don't look at me like I'm the all-you-can-eat buffet!"
He shrugged. "I am a bit peckish. Perhaps you would prefer I sate my hunger elsewhere? My Master did give me permission." The vampire's nostrils flared as he took in a deep breath. "It has been a while since I have had fresh."
My stomach flipped at the thought of anyone in the camp being fed on. "Err, that won't be necessary." At the same time, I was loathe to offer him a taste again. It went against everything I was.
"Are you offering, Slayer?" He purred.
My nose crinkled with distaste. "As much as it pains me, it's better than the alternative." I rolled back my sleeve while keeping my eyes firmly locked on his. "But only a little bit."
"My dear, I only need a few drops. Virgin blood does wonders, you see." His eyes glowed in triumph as I neared him. I swallowed back bile as his gloved hand grasped my forearm tightly. Suddenly, he pulled me down so that I was kneeling before him, and I yelped at the pain in my side from the sudden movement. Holding my tiny hand tightly between both of his, he flipped it over, exposing the roadmap of blue veins visible underneath the skin of my wrist. A sinister smile crept over his lips as he inhaled deeply. A quick prick of pain made me jump, and blood squeezed out from a small cut. Before I could protest, his lips sealed over it.
My insides twisted strangely as his tongue laved over the broken skin. Although I had no desire to watch, I couldn't pull my eyes away from him. The predatory look I had witnessed on our first mission together was back, and his crimson eyes glowed savagely. His lips created a slight suction, causing goosebumps to rise along the length of my arm. The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. Sometime during the exchange, I tried to pull away, but his grip was like iron. I swallowed a lump in my throat as I began to feel lightheaded. The earlier blood-loss combined with this was finally getting to my head. Finally, he pulled away, but not without one last lick of his unnaturally long tongue. Already, my body had begun to seal the wound, likely reacting to his proximity. If possible, his skin seemed to glow with a more youthful light and his eyes blazed like tiny flames.
Finally, his grip loosened, and I pulled back slowly. Heat flared around the fresh cut as my healing kicked in full-force. Alucard watched with mild interest as it sealed. A wave of disgust washed over me, and I pulled my sleeve back down, feeling like I'd just participated in something incredibly dirty. I could practically hear my father shouting at me from beyond the grave.
"Err," I stumbled for words, wondering if it was the blood loss that was addling my brain. "You really should call Sir Integra." I blurted, and turned away before the heat flooded my cheeks. Emotions flooded in, overwhelming me momentarily. Surprisingly, the fear wasn't the most paramount. What really bothered me, as Alucard slipped a silver phone out of his pocket and began speaking into it, was how easily I'd offered. I wasn't afraid of him, but that shouldn't have prompted me to behave foolishly. The feathers caressed my spine as I walked away to escape to the bedroom, and I didn't have to look back to know he was staring at me.
AN:
Sorry for the wait! Here's the next chapter. Drop a review and tell me what you think.
