Chapter 13: Denouement

Disclaimer: Hellsing belongs to Kohta Hirano.

You have reached the end(ish). This last part is a bit more drawn out then it needed to be, but that's because I love AxI, and if you do too then I hope this is a treat for you. After reading and before you leave, I've got some specific questions after the end of the text that I would love for you to have a look at before reviewing me (kind of hoping you were planning on reviewing me, if not I guess you thought it was perfect). If I get constructive criticism about anything being universally hated then I may consider a revision (but I've already spent way more of my vacation on this than I should have ).

Oh, and kids. Smoking is BAD for you and it is not cool, even if Integra does it. Okay?

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"She was interesting," said Alucard.

Integra looked askance at him as she wiped the rapier's blade clean on a handkerchief she had removed from the still warm corpse. "In the same way Millenium was. I hope you didn't get too attached."

From behind she felt an arm encircle her waist. Cold dead breath tickled at her throat and he inhaled deeply the scent of her and the pure vrigin blood which sung beneath the surface of her skin-- and scent of other. Alucard's voice cut through her silent reflections as she gazed with mixed feelings at Caroline. "Someone else has laid hands on my master."

"It doesn't matter. One of them is dead, and the other is confined. I will see to its destruction."

Alucard growled angrily from behind her. He cinched his arm tighter around her waist and used his free hand to tuck the silky strands of her hair away from her neck. He rubbed his gloved fingers against the languidly throbbing vein of her neck before moving that arm in a vise around her chest. Integra closed her eyes and leaned her head back so that her neck was now invitingly exposed. He kissed and licked her neck, not wanting to end his pleasure too soon, and nibbled Integra's ear delicately in hope of stiring as much passion in Integra as he felt now. Her voice carried no inflection as she warned him, "Don't take too much."

He let his fangs sink into the delicate skin of her neck, then drew back, entranced by the blood welling free from the two pricks and turning bright red as the hemoglobin within came into contact with the air. He lapped at it leisurely and watched Integra's expression as the thrall slipped over her. Her lips were slightly parted and he could just barely see the tips of her teeth and tongue. An image came to his mind of how she would look with her own set of fangs. Her blue eyes were half lidded and her checks blush stained. He reveled in the taste of the her sweet Hellsing blood. It had changed since his last taste of it; age and experience had only made the taste richer and more complex-- like wine. The healing effect of his saliva was starting to close the wound and bring her blood to a trickle, but Alucard didn't yet wish to be done. She breathed his name, gasped as his fangs sunk in again and he began slowly sucking at the wound. The fingers of one of her hands twisted into his cravat. There was no warmth to be found in a dead corpse, but Alucard found his own lust raging as an echo and memory of life long past. He used his hands on Integra's body to complement the sensations induced by the thrall. Integra's own thoughts began to intrude in on his. He should probably stop. She would be annoyed with him if he weakened her to much. And he intended to stop, soon...

Integra's mind struggled back to the surface. It felt good, and yet... She recalled her duty and felt her own will rise back up with in her. The instructions she had given earlier were not binding because the bond had still been dormant. She felt Alucard's body tense up as he read the change in her mind, but then he relaxed to the inevitable. She barely recognized the husky sound of her voice, but the command in it was strong and unwavering. "Alucard, that is enough. Close the wound."

Compelled and voluntarily, his lips separated from her neck. He allowed a little more blood to come to the surface of her skin, then tenderly licked it off. He performed these actions as slowly as he could, but eventually, and to his great dissappointment, it ceased bleeding. The Hellsing blood now partially filled his belly and he felt temporarily sated. The rapid intake and outtake of his dead breath on her neck was nearly in time with Integra's own ragged breaths. Maybe in another ten years he might have another taste.

He released her, stepped back and knelt. She turned to look down upon her knight who happily apologized to her, "Forgive my over reaching, my Master."

Integra didn't answer the apology, but he knew she held nothing against him when she gestured towards Caroline and said softly, "She's dead now, but still warm. And she's no less a virgin than she was before..." Integra wondered how 'technically' virgin Caroline had been. "Do as you please."

"As I please?" asked Alucard grinning lecherously. Caroline's body was lifted into the air, nearly to the ceiling, and then a bluntly spiked stake emerged from the ball room floor. Rectum-end first Caroline's corpse was slid down over the 4" diameter stake. Alucard delighted in his master's impassive regard, and in the thoughts she was not forbidding him from seeing. Integra lit up a cigar. She could hear the distant sound of sirens approaching and thought it unlikely that they were merely passing by. An alarm must have been set off or someone outside had heard the strange noises and called. Alucard went to stand behind his master so that he could enjoy his handiwork from the same angle as her. The newly deceased had lost the contents of her bowels and wore an expression of surprise upon her death that was perfectly suited to having the sharp end of the stake protruding from her rouged lips. Alucard smiled and wrapped an arm protectively around his master. With no one there to observe, the gesture was allowed.

Integra lifted her cigar to her lips for another puff but it was intercepted by Alucard who carelessly let it fall to the floor. It smoldered for a few seconds in the carpet, and then he crushed it out underfoot.

"Your Servant can kill ghouls for you, kill vampires, kill dogs, but he cannot help you if you become ill."

"Lung cancer will be the least of my worries."

"There are other ways of releasing stress. I used to collect impaled humans."

Integra smiled slightly at his suggestion and momentarily leaned back against her monster. The sirens had ceased their approach and Integra knew that the police would soon enter. It would be best if she stalled them at the door. "Go home. Have Walter send for Ashcroft. I want to see how he deals with a crisis."

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Story was intended to be manga based. I think its a bit of a frankenstein (manga + my misconceptions + influence by fanfic misconceptions + probably character's anime personalities weaseling in). Good thing I went with engineering instead of writing...looking back on this now more than a year later, I think it sucks. But a couple questions for those of you that care to provide feedback:

1) Do you think I did a good job with the characterizations of Integra, Alucard, Caroline, and Walter?

2) And as far as my original character (Caroline) goes, what did you think of her?

3) What do you think of the story itself (does it sustain the reader's interest, and if not why do you think so?, or why doesn't it work?)?

THE END THE END THE END THE END THE END THE END THE END