"Your own Watcher tried to kill you." Buffy whispered in disgust as she replayed the memory Mina had just shown her. They had since returned to the lake, both of them standing gazing at each other. Buffy had never felt such anger in her life.
Abraham, for whatever reason, had tried to kill the Slayer he had been training for five years. All because she had fallen in love. With a vampire, yes, but that was the only reason he had used. And it revolted her. Giles had never and would never have done that to her. He would have disapproved certainly but would have ultimately respected her decision. His emotional investment in her had been what had led to his strained relationship with the rest of the Council.
Abraham saw the world in black and white, a point of view that was extremely dangerous to those who should know better but deliberately choose to ignore it.
"He didn't try to kill me, Buffy." Mina replied softly, drawing her out of her thoughts. "He did kill me, he just didn't that night." She licked her lips as she gave a sigh. "It wasn't that he tried to that night that hurt me the most. It was the fact that he had wanted to at all." A single solitary tear slid down her face at those words and the extent of the betrayal she had suffered finally dawned on Buffy as she watched. "He was like a father to me but evidently, I was just…a tool to him."
For the second time in the past few moments, Buffy found herself questioning if that was how she was viewed by the Council. A weapon to be used and disposed of nothing less. She remembered her Cruiciamentum and how they had been quick to point out everything she did 'wrong' and the vampire they had set her up against. They could have buttered it up any way they wanted but Quinten Travers had tried to kill her that day. Had they considered her a used up tool? She pushed those thoughts away as she looked up at Mina.
"What happened next?" The younger Slayer inquired. A smile lit up Mina's face as she momentarily pulled away from her thoughts of Abraham.
"Alucard and I went into hiding so to speak. We travelled all over Europe and to America, doing what we did. He hunted us every step of the way." She continued to smile at memories that should have been traumatic but for her, they were treasured moments. "For five years we ran. We never stayed in one place too long and we never had a place to call home…" Mina trailed off. Her eyes went misty as she spoke in a soft, almost dreamy, "but they were best years of my life."
"Why?" Buffy frowned. How was being hunted down for five years by your former Watcher in any way, shape or form meant to the best years of a person's life?
"Because I finally understood went it meant to live." Mina replied in breathy voice. "Alucard taught me so much and we did things that most human lovers would never do. And we bound ourselves to each other in a way most people who marry can only dream about." She looked at Buffy with a sudden emotional wisdom that left the younger Slayer in awe. "He and I share a blood bond and that means we feel everything the other feels. Anger, joy, sorrow," her lips curled cheekily as Buffy blushed at her next word, "lust. Everything. There's nothing quite like it."
"It does sound incredible." Buffy admitted. Something happened then, something incredibly profound that Buffy felt her heart seize up. Mina's expression of blissful joy gradually melted into a look pure, unadulterated agony. It was so…raw that a lump formed in Buffy's throat as the lake around glowed white once more.
"Sadly…it didn't last…" Mina muttered painfully.
…
When the light faded once more, Buffy found herself in a seemingly abandoned building. It was similar to a factory or warehouse with large amounts of machinery placed around the room but it had clearly been left to collect dust in the recent years. She could see the moonlight streaming through the windows that gave the room a silvery glow.
She was shaken from her observations by the sounds of fierce fighting behind her. She glanced around to see the younger Mina fighting four vampires at once. The past-Slayer, now at twenty-five years of age, was using the machinery to keep the vampires separate so she could engage them separately. She duck and weave between obstacles as she kept each vampire in her sights.
"It was one of the few nights Alucard and I had separated to patrol," Buffy looked over at the older Mina who was watching the scene unfolded with vacant eyes. "I didn't realise at the time but…these four vampires," she shook her head as she licked her lips with sniff, "they were bait."
As she spoke, her past-self had staked the first of the four vampires. A second, lithe blonde female vampire vaulted over a large conveyer built to leap at her but Mina caught her in the air. With one brutal motion, she turned and used the vampiress's momentum to hurl her through one of the machines in the warehouse. The vampiress howled in agony as she rolled onto the ground, shards of metal embedded in her back.
Mina caught the third vampire's wrist and jerked him closer before running her stake through his heart and he collapsed into dust. Turning her attention back to the female, she stalked towards her and yanked her head up. The vampire managed to shove her away momentarily only to be kicked in the face in response. Before she could properly react, Mina's stake plunged into her chest and she exploded into powder.
Hearing the frightened yelp of the final vampire, Mina whipped around to see him running for the exit. Drawing her pistol, she waited patiently as he dodged through each of the machines between him and the exit. Keeping her hand steady and her aim true, Mina waited until the last possible moment before pulling the trigger. The fleeing vampire jerked violently as the bullet ripped through him and his dust scattered across the floor.
Mina approached the pile of ash on the floor and glanced around the warehouse cautiously. She could sense no more vampires but still felt as though she was being watched. She narrowed her eyes, finding nothing and reloaded her pistol before holstering it and then turning to leave. Just as she reached the door however she felt a sharp prick in her neck. She reached up and pulled a small dart.
Her eyes widened in alarm as she felt herself become extremely woozy. The small dart dropped from her fingers onto the floor with a soft ping as she swayed. Her vision blurred as her body began to shut down. Normally it would take much more than a single dart to knock her unconscious but it seemed someone had managed to create a special poison that was effective against Slayers. She dropped to the floor with a thud, trying desperately to stay awake but knowing it was in vain.
She felt Alucard's confusion in their bond and tried to send a call for help but could not muster the mental strength to do so. The drug was working too fast and too potently.
As her consciousness began to fade she heard the dull thumps of feet on the floor and a pair of black boots stopped in front of her before everything went black.
When she felt her consciousness returned to her again, Mina was aware of two things. First that she had been forced into a kneeling position whilst unconscious and second that she was chained to the ground. She shook her head free from the cobwebs and glanced behind her to see she was chained by her wrists. She flexed her arms, testing the strength of the metal only to be stopped by a familiar voice.
"Do not bother trying to break free, Mina. Those chains were designed specifically with you in mind." She closed her eyes with a sigh and slowly turned her head to the sound of the voice. She opened her eyes to meet the piercing gaze of her former Watcher.
"Abraham." She muttered. He stood from the chair he had been sitting on and approached her.
"Hello, Mina." He greeted calmly. "Where is the vampire?" She shook her head.
"Not here but he'll no doubt be on his way soon." She gave him a small smile. "And you probably won't want to be present when he arrives."
"I'll be long gone before he arrives." Abraham answered coolly. "It doesn't need to be this way." He stated. She detected a hint, a hint, of regret in his voice. But it was not enough to be considered genuine. He was simply hoping she would make his life easier.
"If you're expecting me to beg for mercy, you'll be disappointed." She answered.
Buffy, who was watching from the side of the warehouse, had to marvel at Mina's bravery. This was the closest the past Mina had resembled the woman Buffy had grown to know. She was so calm and serene and yet remained as fearless as she had ever been, retaining her defiant wit. It was clear that her time with Alucard, away from the influence of the Council, had shaped her into the Eternal Slayer she would go on to become. Buffy watched Abraham's jaw tighten in anger.
His gaze drifted down her form to her throat and his eyes widened as anger morphed into rage. Mina winced when he grabbed her ponytail and jerked her head back to bare her neck. No doubt he could see the freshly healed bite Alucard had left the night before. He sneered in disgust.
"You let him feed from you." Her lip curled in defiance.
"Among other things." Her head snapped to the side when he backhanded her across the face. She heard him curse as her smirk widened as she turned to her gaze back to him to see him clutching his rapidly bruising knuckles. Her far superior strength and endurance meant that he had most likely broken his hand with his actions but left her unharmed. "You might want to get that seen to." She said dryly.
"You foolish girl. You have betrayed everything you stood for." Abraham snarled. Mina shook her head.
"I'm not the one who has chained the Slayer to the ground. Nor am I the one who has been hunting the Slayer for the past five years whilst she is performing her duty." She huffed in annoyance as she pulled on the chains discreetly. She clenched her jaw when they did not give in the slightest. Abraham had not been lying. "If anyone is betraying what they stand for, it's you." She retorted. Abraham jerked her head back again as he glared at her.
"You mated with a vampire. You have taken up with the very thing you are supposed to destroy." He growled as he spoke. His hatred was irrational, born from years of indoctrination by those who had the resources to know better. But simply chose not to learn. "I am ashamed to have ever been your Watcher." He sneered.
"And I'm ashamed to have ever considered you my Watcher." She answered quickly, so quickly she saw him start in shock. "I doubt the Watcher's Council would sanction your actions over the past five years, Abraham. As long as the Slayer does her duty, they are content to leave her be," she raised her head as he averted his gaze and she saw that she had struck a nerve. "Unless, they don't really know what you've been doing the past five years." She reasoned calmly. "You're acting alone."
"No, not alone." He replied. "But it seems the Council lacks the resolve to do what must be done." He reached into his jacket and draw a dagger as he spoke. "So I must take matters in my own hands." So…it had come to this.
"And you call me a traitor?" Mina repeated as she shook her head with a cynical smirk. "They would never condone what you plan to do."
"They fail to grasp the severity of your situation…" he began but she cut off.
"And you have no understanding of what you speak of, so shut your mouth, old man!" She snapped as her light green eyes burned fiercely. "You only know what you've read in books, you know nothing of the real world," her upper lip twitched in disdain, "the world you were constantly sending me."
"I understand enough about the world to know that your actions…" he trailed off. "No, I understand that what you've done is abhorrent and goes against everything I ever taught you." Abraham shook his head slowly. "Perhaps, I should have been firmer with my lessons.
"What did you teach me, Abraham?" Mina retorted. She noticed his fingers had tighten around the hilt of the dagger. "What did you teach me besides how to kill the creatures you and the rest of the Council lacked the strength to? What did you teach me other than being a blunt instrument of your will?" She scoffed as her former Watcher's expression morphed into indignant fury. "The only thing you taught me to be was a weapon."
"I taught you to be a Slayer!" He shouted madly. "I taught you everything you needed to be in order to fulfil your duty." He took a breath, his face red and his hands shaking in his anger. "You are a weapon…you are the Slayer and your duty is to exterminate vampires and demons that threaten our world. Not consort with animals!" Mina chuckled quietly at his words, causing him to frown. "You find this funny, girl?" He demanded.
"You're right." She returned. "You did teach me how to be a Slayer." She smiled serenely as she spoke, furthering Abraham's confusion. "But Alucard…Alucard taught me how to live." She continued to smile as she watched the man before her. "You treated me like a weapon…he treated me like a person." She fixed him with a pointed look as she uttered the next words. "Like a human." She let that sink in for a moment. "He taught me more in those four months in London than you taught me in five years." Mina glanced to the side as she thought about her vampire, her mate. "So, I'll say it again, don't speak of things that you don't understand." Abraham looked at her slake jawed for a moment before heaving a deep sigh and shaking his head.
"What he has told you, whatever he has told you are lies, Mina." He entreated. Buffy could see what he was doing. He was hoping he could sway Mina back to his side so that his mark on history was not that of the Watcher who had failed in his duties. "Do the right thing, child and end him. Then you will see…"
"Never!" Mina snarled as she gazed up at him boldly. In that moment her power was clear to see. Compared to her, Abraham Van Hellsing, the famous hunter of Dracula, was nothing more than child standing before a force of nature. She did not fear him or the fact he held her life in his hands. Abraham lowered his head and rolled his neck in frustration.
"How disappointing." He forced a sigh but it was clear to see that he was not truly disappointed. If anything he had been planning to 'deal with' her regardless of whether she actually chose to end Alucard or not. "I was hoping you would see reason."
"No, you weren't." Mina retorted. "You hoping I'd do your dirty work. Again." Abraham clenched his jaw as he began to circle her. Mina sniggered as he came to stand behind her and she smirked fearlessly. "Are you too afraid to look me in the eye when you kill me?" She taunted. She heard the joints in his hand pop as his fist clenched.
"If you have any last requests, now would be…"
"I'll tell you now, what I did five minutes ago. If you're expecting me to beg, you'll be disappointed." She interrupted. "It doesn't matter what you do." She went on as she began pouring her emotions into her bond with Alucard. "He will come for you and you'll realise just how out of your element you really are." He scoffed.
"He's nothing more than another vampire…"
"He is more than any vampire you've ever known." As she spoke, she felt Alucard respond to her through the bond and he was making his way to them. She knew though that he would not make it in time. "How does it feel, Abraham?" she inquired keeping her eyes forward. "How does it feel to be a monster?"
"How dare you!" He snapped. "You accuse me of being a monster when you're…"
"You train Slayers to kill indiscriminately without a thought to who they're killing and why. You train them to see the world in black and white." She smiled to herself even though Abraham could not see her. "Alucard showed me that the world isn't so simple. That there are demons as innocent as any human and humans as evil as any demon. He showed me the value in mercy…he showed more humanity than you ever have." She chuckled. "How ironic that a being who feeds of blood to sustain his undeath is more human than you can ever…" Before she could finish she saw a flash of steel and felt the burn of the blade across her throat.
Mina choked on her final words as the blood began to gush out of the wound. She gurgled as the metallic taste filled her mouth and oozed out of her lips. Abraham released his grip on her hair and she slumped to the side, dropping to the floor as the life began to quickly drain from her body. She rasped instinctively, trying to get air into her lungs and somehow prevent more blood loss. But it was all in vain.
She felt Alucard's side of the bond surge with alarm as he sensed her life ebbing away and he sent waves of comfort to her, trying assure her he was on his way. It was the strangest feeling Mina had ever experienced. She was not afraid but she knew that she was not ready and continued to trying hold on long enough for him to arrive. If he arrived she would live.
But, as the pool of blood began to form around her head, she knew there was nothing that could be done. And she felt utter desolation fill her soul. It was not fear, it was grief. Grief that the life she had finally begun to enjoy to its fullest was being taken from her. Grief that her Watcher, a man who had been her father, had been the one to take it from her. And finally, overwhelming sorrow that she would never be able to look into the eyes of Alucard and whisper 'I love you' ever again.
As the full extent of that despair saturated her, a single tear slid from her eye and trickled down of her face. With a last exertion of her fragile, dwindling strength Mina gathered as much love as she could muster and sent a final burst through her bond to her mate.
And then everything went dark.
Buffy watched all of this unfold in revulsion, unable to believe just what she had witnessed. In that moment she realised that the older Mina had vanished from the memory, no doubt overwhelmed from witnessing her own death. Buffy continued to watch as Abraham cleaned his blade and another Watcher entered the warehouse. Van Hellsing gave him some instructions, casting a final scornful glare at the body of his former charge before leaving. In that moment Buffy felt hatred for the past Watcher surge up within her, despising his utter disregard for a woman who had given everything she could to her calling.
In what seemed a few moments, the door to the warehouse burst open and a violent, twisting ball of mist surged through and whipped itself into the form of Alucard. The first vampire looked around wildly before his gaze settled on the crumpled form of his mate.
Buffy looked on as he slowly moved towards Mina's body, his icy eyes wide with horror and his mouth half open in shock. He slid to his knees next to her, looking her over. He did not to check for a pulse to know that she was dead. Reaching behind Mina he snapped the chains binding her and tenderly turned her over and cradled her form. His eyes roamed over her, taking in the wound on her throat and empty gaze of those lifeless green eyes that had once been so vibrant.
Stroking his hand over her skin, he leant down and lapped the blood from her neck, sealing the laceration from Abraham's knife and cleaning her skin. After he finished, Alucard straightened up and wiped the excess blood from her lips and chin before gazing at her lovely face. His expression was one that haunt Buffy for a long time. This vampire, the progenitor of the entire race and one of the most powerful beings she had ever seen, looked completely broken at the sight of his dead mate.
Alucard traced the tips of his fingers down Mina's face, feeling the warmth on her skin gradual rescinding as he did so. He tucked her head into his shoulder and cradled her close as though he was sheltering her from the dangers of the world. Then his entire frame tensed as the sounds of a finger curling around a trigger slithered into his ears.
Without releasing his grip on Mina or even turning his attention away from her, Alucard's hand shot up to catch the crossbow bolt that whistled towards him. The Watcher who had pulled the trigger reared back in alarm. He heard and read all about a vampire's supernatural reflexes but to see them first hand was a frightening thing. Alucard's head slowly turned up to level his frightening gaze on the human.
Buffy's entire frame trembled as she felt her heart being to beat erratically in utter fear at the sight before her. For the first time she saw why so many feared Alucard, she saw why he was known as the 'Angel of Death.' It was not simple hatred or rage on his face as he stared up at the Watcher. It was malice. And the effect was made all the more terrifying by his eyes. The icy blue gradually burned into a disturbing crimson shade that blazed with an intent so deadly that she actually whimpered at the sight.
With a gentleness that belied the chilling expression on his face, Alucard lowered Mina back to the ground. The Watcher swallowed as he pulled out another bolt to load into his crossbow but it was useless. In explosive swirl of mist, Alucard moved from his kneeling position beside Mina to directly in front of the human. The man actually shrieked as he raised his weapon but Alucard was too fast. In fact his movements could not even be followed as he slapped the crossbow out of the human's hands, broke the man's arm with sharp twist before seizing his neck and lifting him into the air with one hand.
The Watched kicked desperately and uselessly as the crimson glare of Alucard tore into him as a low and steady growl came from the First Vampire. He tightened his grip and the man squawked as his air supply was suddenly cut off. Alucard leant in and spoke in slow and deliberate hiss.
"Was this your doing?" Still trying to desperately to get air into his lungs, the Watcher shook his head with great effort. "Pity." Before the Watcher could register that word, Alucard jerked his head and viciously snapped the man's spine and the body went completely still. The vampire stood still for long moment, savouring the rush that killing the cretin had given him before dropping the corpse with utter disdain.
Alucard gaze turned from the body of the Watcher back to Mina and immediately his expression morphed into grief once more. He shifted into mist and floated back to her side before reforming on his knees once more. He gently lifted her in his arms and stood for moment. His eyes wondered over her lovely features, the crimson glow melting back into cyan blue as he took an unneeded breath. He gently leant down and pressed his lips against hers.
As he did so, a lone tear slid down his cheek and onto her skin before he pulled away. The grief he felt robbed him of his ability express his despair. It was a silent and numbing sense of anguish that was far worse than the kind that would lead him to wail and howl in his sorrow. No there was no way to express the emptiness he was feeling, it had already broken him too much for that.
Buffy watched as Alucard brokenly departed the warehouse, cradling the body of his mate while he went before everything went white.
…
As the light faded and the lake returned, Buffy blinked and looked up to see Mina. She felt her face fall as she saw the Eternal Slayer holding her hand to her mouth as she tried to desperately to hold in her tears. Buffy came towards her as Mina looked up.
The Eternal Slayer tried to wave her off but the younger Slayer gently wrapped her arms around her. Mina collapsed into her and dissolved into soft sobs. They slid down to kneel on the lake's surface as Buffy comforted the older Slayer who wept for a minute or so before taking a deep breath. She gently eased herself away from Buffy and wiped her eyes as the other woman watched on in concern. She sniffled as she rose to her feet.
"I'm sorry." Mina whispered shakily, her emotions raw from the memory. "I wasn't prepared for how badly that memory would affect me."
"Don't apologise." Buffy answered gently. "You don't have to show me anymore if you don't want to." Mina shook her head.
"No, there is one more memory I want to show you. Another one of Alucard's." She took another deep breath as she tried compose herself. "Just…give me a moment."
"Tell me that Alucard caught up to Abraham." Buffy growled in anger.
"He did. He was able to corner Abraham right before he left the city. Unfortunately it was a trap and Abraham was able to escape. But before he did," Mina gave a very dark smile, "Alucard crippled him and killed every one of his co-conspirators. From that day onward, Abraham knew that Alucard would not stop until he was dead."
"What did the Council do?" Buffy inquired. She was genuinely curious. In the memory, Mina had mentioned that the Council were content to leave her be as long as she did her duty and that they did not approve of Abraham's course of action.
"From what Alucard told me, they were not pleased with Abraham when he returned to inform them of his actions. In one moment the Van Hellsing family went from being the most respected on the Council to pariah." Mina answered. Her voice was steadier when she spoke this time. "Abraham was disavowed and left to fend for himself." She sighed. "For that reason alone, Alucard spared them." Buffy's eyes widened.
"Alucard was going to kill them?"
"No, he killed every involved in my murder. If the Council had been involved he would have destroyed them." Mina lowered her head as she thought back to what Alucard had told her about the year she had been gone. He had refused to share his memories of that time with her. They were the only thing he had not shared with her due to his shame at his actions. "He was…not himself after I died."
"What do you mean?" Buffy asked cautiously.
"The Powers That Be asked me to return to the mortal world a year after I died." Mina explained. "The reason was Alucard." Her eyes became haunted as she spoked. "They didn't show me what was happening to him but what they told me frightened me."
"Why?"
"Because Alucard had almost succumbed to his vampire urges." Mina took in Buffy's shocked expression before continuing. "He never killed an innocent but he no longer had any qualms about killings humans along with the demons. Murders, rapists, paedophiles and slavers he killed them without remorse." She licked her lips. "He was cutting a bloody path through Europe and the Powers couldn't stop him. They believed I was the only who could reach him."
"But if he was killing humans who deserved…" Buffy began.
"Before I died he had never killed a human unless it was self-defence. And even then, only if given no other choice." Mina interrupted. "He believed everyone deserved a chance to redeem themselves. Of course those who didn't, he killed. But now he was just killing and the Powers were terrified that eventually he would stop differentiating between the innocent and the guilty."
"Was it the blood bond you had with him?" Buffy inquired. Mina nodded impressed at how quickly she had made the connection.
"The way Alucard described it is that when I died my side of the bond became…empty. And that resulted in him falling into deep depression. That coupled with the fact Abraham continued to send hunting mobs after him caused his bloodlust to become extremely difficult for him to control." Mina bit her mouth. "When one half of a blond bound pair dies, the other usually follows not long after due to the nature of such a bond. Out of a sense of duty, Alucard wouldn't take his own life and there were none strong enough to grant him peace." She shook his head with a sad sigh. "He was hoping provoke something, anything into killing him."
"So what happened?" Buffy asked. Mina smiled bitterly.
"Ironically I chose to return at the right time." She answered. "He had finally provoked somebody who threw their lot in with Abraham. Even in his crippled state and despite being exiled, Abraham had enough influence that his lies still granted him a large amount of support from human demon hunters. He spread the rumour that Alucard had been the one to kill me and that rallied an army of demon killers into attacking Alucard one night when he was in Europe."
"And who was the one he provoked?" Buffy questioned warily.
"My successor…" Before any kind of reaction could form within her, the lake glowed around them once more and Buffy found herself being taking into a new memory.
…
When the light receded Buffy found herself standing in a large study. The moon was shining through the window, giving the room a strange combination of ethereal silver and the orange glow of the fire burning. As she looked around she found her gaze drawn to the window where Alucard was sitting. He was leaning back in an armchair, one leg braced on the other and his head leaning on one hand whilst the other swirled a small glass of what appeared to be brandy. His eyes were closed as he sat quietly.
His eyes slowly opened and turned to glance out the window when the glow of burning torches on the roads leading to his mansion disturbed his light slumber. His gaze narrowed as he heard the voices of the mob began shouting and cheering and his eyes, only his eyes, shifted to watch the door leading to his study. Alucard sat patiently as he listened to the sounds of the door to his mansion being broken through and yells of the mob as they tore into his home. He took a moment to be thankful that he had sent the humans who had kept this house clean and hospitable for him away. He took a tiny gulp from his glass as he awaited the arrival of the interlopers.
In that moment Buffy was struck by the change in this past Alucard. He was quiet she knew that much, he rarely spoke when he was watching her train with Mina and he only really said something when he felt it was needed. But this was different: he was detached and his eyes were not the warm yet lethal icy blue she was used to. No his eyes in this memory were a bright piercing shade of cyan that were so cold and vacant she knew immediately that he had no intention of sparing any of the hunters coming for him.
The death of Mina had caused him to lose whatever sense of reason he had concerning humans. Mina's murder at the hands of Abraham had provoked the Angel of Death into a chilling fury.
Presently the door to the study was torn from its hinges as three men stepped through, each carrying a cross and a large stake. Alucard regarded the coolly as they approached him and he took a final gulp from his glass, draining the last of the brandy.
"By all means let yourselves into my home." He muttered dryly as the three men stood before him. He remained seated, so calm that Buffy felt a sense of dread pass through her. Whilst she knew just what was about to happen, part of her still hoped it would not come to pass.
"We don't fear you anymore, demon!" One of the men snarled. The man in front turned to him.
"Steady." He warned as Alucard tilted his head. His tone was utterly bereft of emotion when he next spoke.
"You should." He answered them as he casually placed his glass on the small table next to him. "Abraham has sent you to die." He remarked. The lead man turned to him with a triumphant expression.
"There are a hundred men storming this mansion as we speak, vampire." He stated. "There is nowhere for you to run now. We'll send you to hell with the rest of your kind." Alucard chuckled, a long sinister chuckle that had all three of the men swallowing nervously.
"You should have brought more." He moved so fast not even Buffy could follow it. One instant he was in his chair, the next he was in front of them. The lead man let out a choked yell as Alucard's hand embedded itself on his chest. The vampire stared at him remorselessly before ripping his hand free. The other two men let out terrified shouts as the lifeless corpse of their ally crumpled to the floor.
With barely any effort, Alucard caught the second man by the neck as he charged. He crushed the man's throat before hurling him into the wall where the body dropped to the floor motionless. He seamlessly moved around the third hunter's attack and punching him with his full strength. The hunter dropped dead, his head bent at a horrible angle by the force of the blow. Alucard scoffed before moving to the door. He could already hear more of the mob closing in.
If Abraham thought these pitiful 'demon slayers' were enough to kill him, he was sorely mistaken.
He stepped through the door and casually leant back to avoid the arrow that whizzed past him. He regarded the next group of humans with disdain. He advanced on them calmly as the first of them broke into a charge towards him. The two men behind him raised their crossbows to fire.
Raising his arm, Alucard blocked the stake as it came down with a crunch into his flesh. His attacker gasped at the sight of the stake protruding from the vampire's forearm. Alucard showed no signs of pain, he did not even a flinch when the stake pierced his skin. He kicked the man the stomach and sent him hurtling back towards his two comrades. They glanced at him in shock as he hit the floor before firing at the vampire.
Alucard sidestepped the first arrow before spinning around the other. As he spun, he pulled the stake from his arm and hurled it towards the crossbowmen. The stake speared one of them through the throat and he dropped to his knees as blood poured from the wound and his mouth. The sight of his comrade drowning on his own blood was enough for Alucard to close the distance on the second man and promptly kill him with a vicious punch to the chest.
Looking down at the first man who was gasping for air, Alucard grabbed his ankle and dragged him closer. The man clawed at the floor vainly in an attempt to escape, screaming in fear, but the vampire yanked him up. With apathetic nonchalance, Alucard wrapped around a hand around the man's face and snapped his neck with a vile crack before dropping him to the floor. Listening carefully to sounds of the heartbeats in the mansion before moving towards the staircase.
Buffy watched as Alucard engaged more of the mob as he went and she began to see why the Powers had been so afraid of him succumbing to his bloodlust. The ease with which he dispatched his opponents was nothing short of frightening. Not only could she see his power but also the centuries of skill and experience he had gathered in his long life. Each opponent who came at him was defeated in one blow, two at most as he targeted the vital points on the body to take them down.
If Alucard turned to the side of evil she was afraid that no-one, not even a Slayer, could stop him. He was far too powerful and experienced. He could bring the world to its knees if he was so inclined.
As she looked on Alucard was rushed by another small group of the mob all of them armed with swords. He promptly killed two of them, disarming one as he went. As the remaining men hesitated he appraised the sword for a moment before spinning the blade in his hand masterfully.
One man gathered the courage to lunge at him, bringing his sword down in a powerful downward strike. Shifting to the side Alucard parried the attack the down causing the man to stumble. Adjusting the angle of his blade, Alucard lashed out and cleaved the man's head from his shoulders. Buffy gasped as the head hit the floor with a splat as the body thumped to the floor, shocked at the brutality of Alucard's attack.
The vampire caught another hunter's wrist before slashing him across the stomach. He pressed his palm to the man's face as his lifeless body tilted before shoving him to the floor. He pivoted and brought his sword down to decapitate a desperate hunter who had tried to a surprise attack. Shifting on the spot again to avoid another lunge, Alucard swung the blade up and took the next man off his feet before driving the blade through his chest and pinning him to the floor.
As the hunter twitched before going to still, Alucard turned his crimson gaze to the rest of the mob who by this point had realised just how outmatched they were. He killed fifty of them with ease and was showing no signs of weakening. They all took a step back as he advanced on them, utterly terrified of the vampire before them.
"Go!" Alucard stopped his advance at the rich female voice that called to the humans before him. The crowd parted to allow a young woman wielding a sword through and his eyes narrowed at the sight of her. She looked about seventeen and was nimble and lithe in build. Her short black hair was slicked back and her light grey eyes blazed with power. He knew immediately that this was Mina's successor. "This vampire is beyond any of you, leave him to me!" Whilst there were murmurs of disagreement the mob was quick to disperse and flee the mansion, leaving the two facing off against each other.
"I am not your enemy, Slayer." Alucard stated as the young woman prepared herself for battle. It seemed a rather foolish statement to make, given how he had just slaughtered fifty men not long before she arrived.
"Save your breath." She answered with a snarl. "Abraham told me everything I need to know about you, 'Alucard.'" The vampire's mouth twitched at that. "How you seduced his Slayer and lured her to her death. And how you crippled him for attempting to stop you before you slit her throat…" A quiet growl stopped her words as Alucard's fangs lengthened dangerously.
"Of course he would bend the truth to suit his own ends. The man has no shame." Alucard's hands curled into fists as they trembled with dangerous fury. Buffy found herself fearing for the young Slayer's life. She had no idea what she was up against. "He has deceived you. I did not kill Mina."
"Lies!" She hissed before she leapt at him. Alucard calmly evaded her attack before slipping to the side to avoid her follow strike. He danced around her, his superior skill and speed evident as he easily weaved through each of her attacks.
Buffy allowed the disgust she was feeling towards Van Hellsing wash over her. Not only had he rallied an ultimately doomed militia of humans to hunt Alucard down, he had also manipulated the newly called Slayer into attacking him. And more than likely had gotten her killed in the process. The girl was far too inexperienced to stand any kind of chance against Alucard.
She realised the irony of the situation: she was disgusted by a human for attempting to kill a vampire. Was this what Mina was trying to show her? That she could not view the world as simply as she had down before. She pushed those thoughts away as the fight came to a swift conclusion.
Alucard blocked the Slayer's attempted stab and quickly disarmed her, tossing the sword into the wall as she staggered away. Drawing her stake, the young woman screamed in frustration as she charged him again but Alucard was too fast. He caught her arm as she brought the stake down and twisted it painfully. She cried out in agony, dropping the staking before he seized her under the shoulder and lifted her up before slamming her into the ground. She groaned as he jerked her arm up and pressed his foot into her head.
She grit her teeth in pain as she felt the bones of her cheek protest as his pressed her face further into the ground. She whimpered quietly as Alucard scoffed.
"A year into your training and Abraham sends you to fight me?" he shook his head in disgust. "You had no idea who you were dealing with, did you?"
"You're a monster!" She spat in defiance. He tilted his head, his crimson gaze scarily void of emotion.
"So people keep telling me." As he spoke, he lifted his leg and the Slayer closed her eyes in preparation for the death blow. Buffy gasped in horror, realising that Alucard was fully intending the kill the Slayer. As Alucard prepared to crush the woman's skull there was yell from the door that caused him to freeze.
"Alucard! Stop!" Buffy's head snapped to the side in shock but her reaction was nothing compared to Alucard's.
His crimson eyes melted into icy blue as they widened in disbelief. The voice he was hearing…there was no way. Not releasing his grip on the Slayer, he slowly turned his eyes towards the door of his mansion and his expression morphed into astonishment as he dropped the young woman's arm. She scuttled away as his gaze was fixed on the woman standing in the doorway.
Her fiery red hair fluttered in the wind and her light green eyes were dancing with life once more. His chest heaved in unneeded breaths as the Slayer looked up as well, a similar expression of bewilderment on her face. In the door way stood the graceful form of Mina. Alucard shook his head as she gazed at him with a firm but soothing countenance.
"You are not a monster!" she declared as she took a few steps forward. Alucard stepped back, completely caught off guard as the young Slayer he had just been fighting looked between the two, utterly perplexed. "You don't have to kill her, Alucard." Mina came forward further with her hands held out towards him in calming gesture.
As her touched brushed over his chest, Alucard gasped and sank to his knees in front of her. Mina began to gently run her fingers through his hair as he gazed up at her. She gave him a watery smile as a single tear slid down his cheek at the sight and feel of her. The bond between them had suddenly reawakened and he could feel her joy at seeing him again as well as pain? He frowned in confusion as she cupped his face. The Slayer had been completely forgotten as she watched the scene before in shock.
"How?" he whispered. She just shook her head, leaning down to press her lips to his forehead before pulling him into her chest. At the sound of her heartbeat in his ears, Alucard's hands slowly rose up to grip her arms tenderly. As Mina went to speak, the world began to turn white as Buffy watched on in awe.
"Shh, my love, I'm here…I'm home."
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