A/N: Jeez, long chapter. Anyway, I'm taking a break in planning the sequel. I've got writer's block and it's never good to try to force yourself to write when you know that whatever you come up with won't do you any good. So, enjoy these already written chapters while I get back on track. Thanks!
Eleven
Susan frowned, following Tobias down the pitch black corridor to Raya's chamber.
"I'm not so sure about this, Tobias," she muttered, "If we're caught, we'll be killed for sure,"
"We have to, Susan. I'm not going to let them keep an innocent girl locked away like this," Tobias insisted.
"Tobias, I've already told you, she-"
"No, Susan, there's no way she's a real vampire. She had to have been brainwashed or something!" Tobias insisted fiercely. Susan sighed heavily and shook her head.
"But I've seen her in action, Tobias. You've never seen her before; she's a true monster."
"I'll believe that when I see it," Tobias snapped.
"Be careful what you wish for, Tobias," Susan warned gravely, "Because if we go through with this, you might just get what you ask for. She may be friendly toward me over the speakers, but I have no idea how she'll act outside of her enclosure. Think about it for a second; if she were an ordinary brainwashed girl, they wouldn't keep her in such restraint. Even with the power of suggestion, the human body is only capable of so much."
But Tobias ignored her as they reached the steel doors blocking them from Raya. He entered the code and pushed through the narrow opening before it had even completed its track. He hurried to the hatch where the ladder sat, ready and waiting.
"Tobias," Susan said, "We need to warn her we're coming,"
"No time. Travis may already know we're here. I'm going down there and open the door. I need you to cover me."
He threw the ladder down and descended as quickly as his shaking limbs would allow. He dropped down the last three feet to the floor and groped his way through the darkness toward the steel door holding Raya captive. When he felt cold metal beneath his searching fingers, he pounded furiously on the door.
"Raya! Raya, are you there?" he called. As his eyes adjusted, he saw that Travis had been right in saying there had been a surveillance method. There was a thin hatch that could be slid open to look inside the room. He opened the hatch and carefully peered inside. At first, there was nothing but blackness and he felt his heart begin to pound all of a sudden.
Suddenly, two narrow red slits appeared before his eyes from inside the room and he gasped and stumbled back.
"R-Raya?" he called again.
((Tobias? Get away from here,)) he heard her voice through the door.
"No, Raya, I came to get you out. Susan is here, too," Tobias said as Susan descended the rest of the way down the ladder, hurrying over to them. She approached the door, peeking through the hatch. Those same red slits appeared and Susan smiled.
"Raya, it's me, Susan," she said.
((Susan.)) Raya answered. Through the hatch emerged four, milk pale fingers, thin and skeletal in appearance. Susan placed her hand over them and nodded once to Tobias.
"It's the same eight digit code as the main door," she said. Tobias searched through the darkness until he found the code box. He opened the plastic lid and entered the eight numbers. Instantly, there was a hiss as the door was released from its locks. Raya's fingers disappeared from the hatch as the door slowly swung open with rusty squealing. Susan and Tobias stepped back, watching. The darkness in the pit was immense, but inside the steel room, it seemed even darker. They couldn't see anything but gloom and condensation rising into the air around them from within. The faint light from the control room above gave them just enough visibility to see something so white it almost glowed moving about within the room.
"There," Susan whispered, "Don't make any sudden movements, Tobias,"
She slowly stepped forward, stretching her arms out, "Raya, please come out," she called softly. "It's okay,"
The soft footfalls seemed as loud as gunshots in the silence of this tomb-like room. Slowly, something began to emerge in the thin light. Tobias felt his heart hammering wildly, his eyes growing wider and wider as she appeared. The first thing that clicked was how incredibly thin she was. She didn't look strong enough to stand at all. In fact, as she came out, she had to lean on the door frame for balance before pushing herself upright.
The second thing that clicked was that she wasn't wearing anything and Tobias immediately averted his eyes politely.
The third thing that he noticed was that she was both muzzled and blindfolded, thick white bandages wrapping multiple times around her eyes and head. Some kind of metallic object had been fitted over her mouth and strapped to her head with a thick steel band that looked painful as it dug into her skin. Her hair was extremely long, reaching slightly past her knees and as black as night, blacker even than the darkness surrounding them.
As she staggered out, she stumbled and fell. Susan hurried forward and caught her before she hit the floor, cradling her limp body as she motioned Tobias over.
"Take the muzzle off of her," she said. Tobias did his best to ignore her current state as he knelt down, his hands working with the rusty clasps holding the band over her mouth.
"It's no use, Susan, it's rusted closed," he explained, "We'll have to cut it off,"
"You'll do no such thing!" a familiar voice barked. Susan and Tobias whirled in surprise. Travis stood several feet away, a dozen or so armed guards descending the ladder behind him. Beside him stood the director, Takeshi Arakawa, the local who'd been hired to manage the agency in the absence of the benefactor. Susan hugged Raya's body closer as she glared at them.
"Stay away from her!" she snapped.
"Susan, give it a rest," Travis growled, strolling forward and reaching down to grab Raya's hair. She cried out in protest as he yanked her up. "She's a monster, Susan, but as long as I'm wearing this," he said, pulling a silver crucifix out from beneath his shirt, "I'm safe."
He yanked it from the chain and lowered it to her arm. Tobias watched in astonishment as her skin began to sizzle and smolder the second it made contact with the silver. Raya moaned in pain, but was seemingly too weak to move. Travis dropped her to the floor where she lay motionless at his feet, her black hair splayed out and framing her like a dark halo.
"You bastard!" Susan snapped. Travis smirked and backhanded her across the face, sending her flying into the steel door. She sank to the floor in a daze. Raya attempted to sit up, "Susan!" she cried.
Tobias just held his ground, watching in horror. The men behind Travis began to move forward, guns aimed at Raya.
"Now," Travis said, "You're going to return to that chamber at once, vampire-girl and this time, you'll stay there."
Raya worked herself into a kneeling position, her body quaking. Susan moaned weakly and got to her feet, moving to Raya and helping her to her feet. "I won't let you hurt Raya anymore," she gasped. Travis snorted and snapped his fingers. There was a sound like a crack of lightning and Susan suddenly jolted sideways, sinking to her knees and collapsing on her stomach, dead upon the bullet's impact with her brain. Raya turned in the direction of her fallen body, reaching out blindly until her frail hand found her body.
"Susan? Susan?"
"Good riddance, bloody bleeding heart," Travis growled. "Now, as for you, I'll...what?" Travis exclaimed as he turned to Raya. Tobias backed up against the wall, watching in horror. As though a sharp gust of wind had brewed up in the pit, Raya's hair began to wave wildly, surging around her in an ominous wave. She got to her feet, some kind of wolfish growl emanating from her stomach as she did. As Tobias watched, her milky white skin began to darken around her right arm.
"Oh shit," Travis muttered, whirling to his gunmen, "Shoot her down! She's going to attack!"
Tobias realized too late what was going to happen as he screamed at the same second the guns exploded into action around him, filling the narrow chamber with an endless echo of shots ringing through his head and down his spine. The bullets collided with her body in succession, and Raya just stood her ground, chunks of her skin, legs, arms and even her torso blown away in the lead storm. Travis's face began to contort in terror. "No! No, you idiots! Regular bullets don't do any good! Hold your fire! Hold your goddamned fire!"
The shots ceased, their echoes slowly dying away. Raya's body was shredded, but somehow, she was still on her feet. During the hailstorm of bullets, her mask had been blown away, revealing the lower half of her face. One side of her jaw was broken, shattered by a bullet. In the dim light from the control room, Tobias could see something glittering in her mouth. As she turned toward him, his heart about stopped at the sight of glistening, razor sharp fangs. And not just four sharp canines, either, like typical movie vampires. Every single one of her teeth was as pointed and narrow as those of a shark's.
As Tobias watched, the lower half of her semi-broken jaw cracked suddenly, lifting back into alignment with its other half. Her blood all along the floor began to creep back toward her, ghastly in appearance as it morphed back into her body. As she turned away from him, he caught sight of something large and black rising from her back. Turning toward Travis and his men, she opened her mouth wider than most humans could ever hope to achieve. A spine-tingling snarl left her throat as she approached them, her body repairing itself as she went. Travis backed up instinctively, holding the silver crucifix in front of him like a sword. "S-Stay back! I'm w-warning you!"
Raya lashed out violently, singing herself in the process as she whipped the crucifix out of his hands. It spun wildly across the floor, vanishing into the darkness.
"I'm thirsty," Raya hissed. Her right arm had now gone completely black, oozing outward in a shadowy tendril along the ground. It looked like a vine. It curled tightly around Travis, dragging him closer while his men lingered, paralyzed in fear behind him. Travis struggled wildly against her grip as she brought him close to her mouth. "And you smell delicious," Raya finished. She lunged forward and sank her fangs into Travis's neck, his arterial blood spurting randomly as he let out a strangled scream of agony. Raya didn't pause to drink his blood, instead tearing out his throat with a single lash of her neck, holding his body aloft with her fangs as she glared at the gunmen behind them. Dropping Travis to the floor where he lay bleeding out, she snarled at the gunmen who screamed, scrambling toward the ladder. Raya turned and in the blink of an eye, intercepted their movements toward the ladder. Without wasting any time, she lunged into their midst.
Tobias shakily got to his feet, the sounds and screams of the dying men as they were torn asunder white noise to him as he took in Susan's lifeless body lying on the ground, Travis's dying body as his pool of blood spread around him and the sight of Raya rending one poor gunman to pieces as he shrieked in terror and pain.
"N-N-No," he stammered, "It...it was true! S-She really is a -a-a vampire!"
The screams stopped, replaced by a strange, indescribable sound. Even though he didn't know what the sound resembled, he instinctively knew what it was. Raya was busily feeding on one of the corpses. Swallowing his fear, desperately trying to remember the girl he'd spoken with through the speakers, he gingerly made his way through the carnage, approaching her carefully. Her jaws were buried in the poor dead man's neck and already, he was resembling a corn husk more than a human body. Raya consumed his blood hungrily, clearly starving. She drained his body and slowly stood up, her head lifting to Tobias, blood dripping from her mouth and fangs onto the floor. Before he could react, he found himself flat against the wall, pinned by his neck and staring into her face, her eyes still bandaged.
"R-Raya?" he stuttered.
"I told you to run from me, Tobias," Raya said calmly, "And I was correct. You smell absolutely divine. It's been so long since I tasted good blood. I was so hungry that these men had to do, but their blood was foul."
"B-But Raya, I wanted to help you." Tobias said as calmly as he could, "And now you're out of here, right?"
"But at what cost?" Raya muttered, glancing in the direction of Susan's body. Even with the bandages on, she clearly knew where everything was in this place.
"Yes, but she wanted you to be free," Tobias said. He paused and then eyed her bandages, "Uh, let me take these things off for you." he told her, reaching up to take hold of the cloth binding her eyes. He did his best to ignore the blood soaking her hair and body. He slowly unwrapped the bandages from around her eyes, revealing her closed lids. The cloth strips fell to the floor and her eyes snapped open. Tobias flinched back slightly at the blazing red orbs glaring back at him in the darkness.
"Uh, why are your eyes red?" he asked.
"I'm dead," she replied.
"Uh, oh right," Tobias said, "So, I guess we uh, finally met, huh? Um, Susan said she didn't know your real name. Can you tell me what your real name is, Raya?"
He was babbling, trying to distract himself from the carnage around him. Raya glowered at him, discerning him, it seemed. She was totally unconcerned about what she'd just done.
"Wynter," she said finally. "My name is Wynter."
//ooo//
Integra wasn't entirely sure what to make of the situation as she made her way down the first floor hallway. They now knew the identity of the vampiric sire creating the fledglings, but they still didn't know the reason. All Integra could be sure of was that Wynter had almost everything to do with it. No, Genevieve had almost everything to do with it. Wynter was just involved. As Alucard's fledgling from over a century and a half ago, Wynter showed incredible skill as a vampire, clearly able to match Alucard if she needed to. But it didn't make sense; Wynter had never freed herself from her master before she was taken away, so how was she able to wield and control so much incredible power? It just didn't make any sense.
"Sir Integra?"
She turned to see Seras standing behind her, watching her carefully.
"Seras," she said, "What are you doing here?"
"Well, I was looking for Wynter, but she's gone missing, so I decided to take a walk,"
Seras seemed downcast, as gloomy as that day's weather. Integra frowned. "Is something wrong?"
"Uh, well, no...well, yes, actually," Seras said quietly. "Wynter keeps assuring me it's fine, but I still feel guilty."
"About what?" Integra asked. Seras picked at the fabric of her gloves.
"That Alucard is my master now. Wynter seems so cold and bitter over everything she went through over the years. I just feel horrible."
Integra sighed. "Walk with me, Seras," she said, moving down the hallway. Seras blinked in surprise and hurried to catch up with her.
"Listen, Seras," Integra said after a few seconds, "Knowing Alucard the way I do, it's eating at him as well, knowing he failed so miserably to protect Wynter before. But he's obviously managed to move on, as has she. Despite her lingering connection to him, she has no need of his training anymore. You, on the other hand, require a great deal more training before you're ready to call yourself a proper vampire of Hellsing," Integra said sternly.
"I know that. I knew that even when he first told me to drink blood," Seras said quietly, "But I just can't help it,"
Integra sighed. "You're just like him; stubborn." she said wryly.
Seras smiled sheepishly.
Integra frowned suddenly and stopped, staring ahead into the distance. Seras tilted her head in confusion. "Do you hear that, Sir Integra?" she asked.
"Yes, I do. It's the piano in the drawing room," she said. As they moved closer to the drawing room down the hall, the music from the piano began to grow louder until they were able to identify it.
"Fur Elise," Integra said quietly. "Beethoven's Fur Elise. Someone's playing it on the piano."
She carefully pushed the door open to the drawing room and stepped inside, Seras following quietly. Neither was expecting what they saw.
Wynter sat at the piano, her fingers moving deftly across the keys as she brought the classic symphony to life, the notes flowing elegantly from her fingertips into the air. Her eyes were closed and she seemed lost in the music as the song grew more intricate and beautiful. With each recurring note, her head nodded ever so slightly, the complicated song growing almost tangible in the air as they slowly came inside.
Integra and Seras just watched her. Wynter hadn't noticed them yet, or if she had, didn't show it. She nodded in tune to the rhythm of the song. Her wings were out behind her, only slightly compressed into a medium size. She was slowly extending them slightly with each note, as though conducting the music herself.
"Wow," Seras muttered.
Wynter gasped sharply and whirled, leaping away from the piano all in a split second. Her eyes blazed in shock, having been taken by surprise. She instantly relaxed when she saw them.
"It's you," she muttered.
"This room is off limits to personnel here," Integra said quietly, still slightly awestruck by Wynter's sudden show in musical talent.
"My apologies," Wynter said sincerely, "But the door was open and I was passing on my way outside. I don't know what came over me, but when I saw the piano, I just felt this urge to play. I didn't even know that I knew how to play, so it must be a subconscious action from my previous life," she said, glancing away. "In fact, I didn't even know that song until now,"
Integra's eyes narrowed. Wynter seemed immensely disturbed by both her loss of memory and the fact that she'd played a complicated piece perfectly when she didn't even know it.
"Wynter, you have no idea why your memories were lost?" she asked.
Wynter shook her head, "No, I don't. When I regained consciousness, I didn't even recognize my home city of Marseilles. All I could remember was my name and my thirst for vengeance. It's taken over a century, but I finally remember my younger sister and the vampire to whom I direct my revenge, all amassed through dreams."
"Yes, and it's quite a shame, really. Your vengeance was the fuel for the blazing inferno that was your human spirit,"
Only Integra and Wynter seemed unmoved when Alucard warped through the wall into the drawing room. Seras jumped back slightly, but calmed when she saw it was him. Wynter just frowned as Alucard approached.
"I see you've retained your subconscious memories of being a musician in your past life. Quite an accomplishment there, Wynter," he said.
"Don't patronize me," Wynter grumbled, not looking at him. "It's nothing I'm happy with. I'm content the way I am and remembering unwanted things just inhibits my movements."
"Spoken like a true Nosferatu, despite the lack of freedom," Alucard said, grinning. The light reflected off his glasses, turning them bright red.
Wynter scowled, "Humph," she muttered, turning and stalking out of the room. Alucard chuckled.
"She reminds me of you, now, Integra," he said.
"Is that good or bad?" Integra said.
"A little of both, really. After all, the two of you continue to surprise me, even now,"
"Why is that?" Integra asked.
"Oh, that's right, I forgot you can't sense it. Our wayward sire is on the move," Alucard said slyly, "And I'm detecting a rather large influx of vampires approaching London as we speak,"
Integra's face darkened. "Why haven't I received word of it?" she hissed.
"Probably because they're being moved over water in secret. I have a feeling that Wynter is aware of everything, although I'm surprised that Seras hasn't sensed it yet," Alucard said, referring to Seras by her name rather than Police-Girl.
Integra let out a hissing breath and whirled, "Damn it!" she snapped as she hurried to her office. Seras turned to Alucard, "Master? Is that true?"
"Have I ever lied to you before?"
"Uh...."
"My point exactly. Go and prepare for battle, Seras. I'd better pay my master a visit."
And with, he dissipated into thin air and was gone.
//ooo//
Integra stood out at the helicopter port with Walter and Wynter. Alucard stood off a short distance, arms folded and waiting to get moving. Wynter had taken her new archery weapons with her in favor over her gun. Despite her superb shooting skills, she didn't care to use the weapon.
"Listen, Wynter," Integra shouted over the din of the helicopter rotors, "You are to scout ahead in the air and keep an eye out for these vampires approaching the city. No matter what, we cannot let any civilians witness their arrival! Do you understand?"
"Yes," Wynter said, "Do I have permission to strike?"
"If absolutely necessary! Now get going!"
Wynter reached back and yanked her cloak off, revealing her wings folded down against her back. Released from the weight and pressure of the cloak, they expanded upwards, unfolding with a crack of bone and rush of feathers. Completely unfolded, they were immense and she flapped them once, momentarily lifting herself off the ground for a few seconds.
"Walter, what's the wind direction?" she called.
"North by northwest, Ms. Wynter," Walter answered.
"Okay, and the vampires are heading in an easterly direction?" Wynter said to Integra.
"That's correct. Make sure to keep as high as you can so you aren't spotted."
"Right," Wynter said. She turned and took off for the edge of the roof, beating her wings furiously until her feet left the ground. She straightened herself out as she caught a gust of wind that carried her high into the night sky, soaring off toward the city.
"Walter," Integra said, watching her, "Is it very common for vampires to have wings?"
"I've never heard of such a case before, but all vampires are different, Sir Integra. It may have something to do with the first familiar she snared. You'd have to ask Alucard for a definite response, I'm afraid."
Within minutes, Wynter caught the scent of the vampires approaching the outskirts of the city. Her eyes narrowed as she picked up something in her sights. Folding her wings inward slightly, she descended several dozen feet, scanning the horizon carefully. That was when she spotted them on a grassy knoll about five kilometers away. Three young women, all dressed in rags with piercing red eyes. All of them vampires. Wynter dove closer, skimming over the tops of their heads about twenty miles per hour. They screamed in fury and grabbed upward for her, missing by miles as she took to the sky again, having assessed the situation quickly and cleanly. She tugged the earpiece closer to her mouth.
"Sir Integra? I found them. Three females on the west side of town heading east."
"Is there anyone else?"
"Not that I can see at the moment, in any direction. So far, it seems to be just the three. Shall I dispatch them while I'm out here?"
"Do what you like. Just remember to keep an eye out for their sire. According to Alucard, he was supposed to be with them,"
"Fine," Wynter said. She pulled her wings back, slowly gliding down until her feet hit the soft earth about twenty meters away from the fledglings. They turned to her, snarling. Wynter folded her wings and calmly pulled an arrow from her quiver, cocked it, aimed and fired.
"One down," she muttered, bringing another arrow out as the dust from the first fledgling's body began to settle on the ground. Here, the other two began to panic and whirled. Wynter fired again and pulled out another arrow.
"Two...."
She took careful aim. Closing one eye, she focused on the final fledgling's heart.
"And-" she started to say. She froze up suddenly when she felt herself go numb from the neck down, something clamping down on the back of her neck and forcing her to her knees.
"What!? Who...who's there!?" she snapped.
"My dear, you're quite the shot, aren't you?"
Wynter scowled. "Yeah, and who are you?" she growled, struggling to turn around and look at her captor. He chuckled.
"I'm surprised; I was sure that even with the loss of your memories, you'd at least recall the voice of one who truly loves you...Genevieve,"
Wynter felt her blood run cold.
"How...how did you know my true name?" she whispered. "Who are you!?"
"Tut, tut, all in good time, my dear. We'll have plenty of time to talk when we return to my home. In fact, we'll have all of eternity,"
Wynter was glad she'd left the earpiece receiver on.
//ooo//
Integra sat at her desk with her fingers interlocked beneath her chin. She stared at Seras and Alucard standing in front of her. Seras was agitated and jumpy, a sharp contrast to her master who stood perfectly still, awaiting Integra's words. Beside her, Walter appeared grim.
"He's finally made his move," Integra muttered, "And wouldn't you know he'd make check before we even saw it coming,"
"So he's taken her, then," Alucard ventured.
"Yes, he has. Before her earpiece was discovered and destroyed, we determined that it had to be none other than the sire vampire we've been searching for. Louis Von Brunswick. Alucard," Integra said, focusing on him, "I think it's about time you told us the connection between Wynter and Von Brunswick,"
Alucard's eyes flickered for just a moment and Seras watched him expectantly, absently picking at her fingernails.
"From what I was able to discover, Louis Von Brunswick had been infatuated with Genevieve Du Beaumont ever since she was a child," Alucard explained gravely, "On the night I turned her, Genevieve explained to me that Louis had asked for her hand in marriage and that she'd turned him down in favor of a human suitor. Wynter doesn't remember this suitor, nor the fact that it was Louis who directly destroyed her family, but she does recall her vendetta against him, so strong were her feelings of hatred."
"So Von Brunswick retained his feelings for Genevieve, even long after her supposed death," Integra said quietly, "So then, I'm assuming the connection between her and the fledglings would be Von Brunswick's attempt at her recreation?"
"Seems rather childish," Alucard chuckled.
"Exactly," Walter said, "Therefore, there must be an ulterior motive. Perhaps it had something to do with Genevieve when she was human?"
"Perhaps," Alucard said, "However, we'll never know. As you're well aware, Genevieve's human consciousness has been completely erased. She might not even recognize Von Brunswick,"
"Alucard, enough of this," Integra snapped, "You know more than you're letting on."
Seras and Walter both fixed him with curious glances, Walter slightly more suspicious. Alucard regarded his master coolly before grinning and closing his eyes.
"As always, you see right through me, my master," he said.
"It could be that you're just not as good at keeping secrets as you might think yourself to be," Integra grumbled.
"Very well. The day I met her, I remember sensing something rather different about her, but I'm afraid that's all I could place,"
"He seems to be telling the truth, Sir Integra," Walter said.
"Something different, hm? I wonder, could this difference have something to do with her mysterious loss of memory?"
"Sir Integra?" Seras said feebly, "Excuse me, but what should we do now? Shouldn't someone try to help Wynter...or, uh, Genevieve?" she asked awkwardly. Finally learning Wynter's real name had been a bit of a surprise, but she now wasn't sure if Wynter was appropriate anymore.
"I haven't received any inclination that she's in any real danger," Alucard said.
"I don't believe anyone asked for your input," Integra said sternly. "As for your question, we're dealing with it. The receiver was destroyed, but we have a fair idea of where she is. However, Alucard might be correct; Wynter is powerful and she is probably capable of escape on her own. We'll give her twelve hours. If in that time frame there is no sign of her, then we'll send you and Alucard out to retrieve her," Integra told Seras. Seras seemed less than happy with the decision, but nodded.
"Yes," she said. Alucard smirked and slowly dissipated into the air, leaving the room. Seras turned to go as well.
"Seras," Integra said. The young vampire turned back around.
"Yes?"
Integra's normally stony features softened slightly. "Try to relax for now. I assure you that even if worst comes to worst, she'll be back here," she said softly.
Seras smiled and nodded, leaving silently. Integra waited a few moments before sighing heavily, running a hand through her hair and facing the wall. "She's gone; you can come out, now," she said. Alucard reappeared from the wall, watching her intently.
"You don't really believe yourself, do you?" he said sharply.
"Why not? It's like you said; Wynter's a big girl and she can take care of herself." Integra told him.
Alucard's eyes narrowed dangerously. She was seriously pushing it. Integra knew she'd cornered him. She frowned, pushed her glasses further up her nose.
"Admit it, Alucard, you're concerned that Wynter may be in too deep for any of us get her back out,"
Alucard didn't move, but the air in the room seemed to grow thicker and Integra found she was having a difficult time breathing. Feeling dizziness sink in at the same time as the realization, she smashed her fist down against her desk as she leaped to her feet.
"Alucard! Stop right now!" she yelled hoarsely. Somehow, he was influencing the air around her, causing her to grow faint. It was his way of telling her she was out of line.
The air grew clear again and she sat back down, rubbing her neck.
"What I said was uncalled for, I'm aware of that. However, I am correct and you know this," she said angrily. Alucard just hummed, closing his eyes in thought.
"Perhaps, but don't forget, humans aren't infallible," he said.
"Neither are vampires," Integra countered, "And besides, you were human at some point as well, Alucard,"
Alucard just looked away, his eyes strangely distant. "True enough. Well then, I believe I'll bid you goodnight, Integra." he said as he moved swiftly through the wall, vanishing from her sight. Integra watched him go, slightly apprehensive. Alucard was finally allowing his hidden motives to take control of his actions. Yet again, he'd failed to protect Wynter and it was putting a strain on both his vampiric pride and his mentality. Integra was suddenly fearful for some reason and sat down to endure the long haul of the next twenty-four hours.
"Wynter, what's happened to you?" Integra whispered, folding her hands beneath her chin and staring into space.
