I could give you all some excuse as for why this chapter took so long, but it would be pointless. Thankfully summer break is only two more weeks away. I need it. Had a energy sucking vampire as a teacher this semester and I cannot wait to escape her clutches. I give you all my deepest heartfelt apologizes, and am also sorry if this chapter seems choppy. I tried to stretch sections out but they did not work with me. This chapter wrote itself, so I hope its at least enough for me to keep you interested in the next one. It is setting up the next arch of the plot. More from me at the end of the chapter.
Chapter Twenty-one: Links
Hellsing Manor…November 8…10 a.m.
"Miss Khayam, seeing as Vlad has killed the werewolves that where targeting you the Hellsing organization will officially close your case. For security reasons you are not allowed to mention the existence of Hellsing to any other civilians or law officials unless they request such information. You may declare your belief in the supernatural and the existence of monsters as long as you do not make references to your case or you will be subject to ten years in prison or a three hundred thousand pound fee and five years in prison. You are not to keep in contact with any members of Hellsing. Vlad is the obvious exception because regardless of what any law says he will do as he pleases, and he does not officially work for me anymore. Please read over the paper you have before you sign. Once you sign this paper Hellsing officially is no longer responsible for your safety, unless you manage to find yourself in yet another case we are working on." Lina sat across from Sir Integra in the office, the pen in her hand as she read over the document. She did not really understand some of the legal terms it used, but the gist of it was pretty clear thanks to Integra's little explanation.
"What if I see Hellsing personal in social settings, am I allowed to say hi as long as I don't mention Hellsing?" Integra pulled out a cigar box, prepping the cigar and her lighter.
"That is acceptable. But they have to approach you, you cannot approach them." Lina shrugged her shoulders, printing her name in her serial killer type before fluidly signing her name in overly coiled cursive; violently slashing to dot her I's and cross the T's. "What will you do with your new found freedom?" Integra lit her cigar, taking a small drag before blowing smoke rings.
"First, I'm going to rejoin the SCA, Sean made me stop when I kicked his butt in competition." Lina handed the pen and document back to Integra, trying to not cough as the smoke wafted through the air towards her in grey swirls.
"I'm not familiar with that organization." Taking the signed document Integra put it on top of the paperwork in the folder, closing the file and stamping 'closed' on the front with bright red ink.
"Society for Creative Anachronism. Basically we reenact the medieval period between six hundred and sixteen hundred A.D. You probably think it's nerdy." Lina laughed a little to herself, not comfortable sitting there while Integra seemed to be moving on to the next item on her desk.
"That goes without saying Miss Khayam, but we all must have our hobbies. What did you defeat him in?" Integra pulled out a different folder, keeping the contents out of Lina's sight.
"Heavy armored combat. I think that might have started his whole psycho thing. He was doing armored combat for a few weeks longer than me, but in our first competition I knocked him out of the free-for-all round. A blow to his ego from his girlfriend does not help at all that he was telling me I shouldn't do it because I'd get hurt." Lina smiled sadly at the memory. Since Vlad had recovered Lina had been plagued by thoughts of Sean. The longer she examined the chain of events, the heavier her guilt. Maybe it was all her fault. Sean said he did all of it for her, what if that was true.
"Heavy armored combat?" Integra tapped her cigar on the ashtray; gloved fingers brushed a strand of her long hair back.
"It's easier to just look it up on YouTube than to explain it." Lina said, fidgeting around in the chair. "I guess I should be looking for a job instead of that, but I didn't have any luck before, can't imagine it'll change now."
"Do you really want a job?" Integra asked, re-adjusting her glasses. Lina looked at her with confusion.
"Yeah, I'd like to earn some money. It would be nice so I can not worry about going out to eat." Integra took another drag off her cigar, watching with a neutral expression as the smoke swirled above her. A slow smirk crossed Integra's lips.
"I'll hire you to work as an errand girl for me. One hundred and fifty pounds a week to start, but you won't have to file taxes since Hellsing employees are exempt. Of course you would have to go through our house staff physical exams for any of this to be official. All transportation needs directly related to my orders are reimbursed." Lina stared dumb struck at Integra, not believing what she had just heard.
"Director Wingates, are you seriously offering me a job here?" Lina could not believe it. Why would Integra want to hire her? Integra laughed in her throat, tapping the cigar once more against the ashtray.
"Yes. If you want, go to the medical wing now and get the physical exam underway." Lina rose from the chair and moved to go toward the medical ward, smiling to herself. Integra finished her cigar, grinding it out in the ashtray. A tingling sensation ran down Integra's spine, making her look up to see Alucard dropping in from the ceiling. "She didn't sense you." His lips cracked open in a wide grin.
"Since I woke up she has been having difficulty. Apparently when I 'died' my energy signature changed. She'll adapt to it. For now I've been enjoying the invisibility." There was a perverse grin on his face. He walked over to her, still hanging from the ceiling. "Why offer her a job? And a position so close to you, my dear ex-master, what are you thinking?" His voice held a sing song quality to it, although not a comforting one, as if he already knew what she was planning.
"I'm thinking that I need an errand girl, and she is looking for a job. She already understands what this organizations purpose is; she has already survived werewolves and being your girlfriend. All we have to do is sign some papers and give her an id card. Very little training necessary and I'm sure you won't let anything too horrific happen to her." He tilted his head just a bit, arching an eyebrow.
"You're going to use her to keep tabs on me." Integra's smirk widened as she leaned back with authority in her chair.
"Why Alucard, what would ever make you think that?"
Vatican City…Iscariot office…1 p.m.
"What is that beast doing here Anderson! You were sent to kill him! Not bring him home like some pet!" Maxwell was fuming, yelling at the stoic priest across from him. Maxwell took a deep breath, getting ready to yell once more. "What was going on in that head of yours! This is against Dogma! Need I remind you why this organization exists!" Father Anderson did not even blink. Anderson's green eyes were boring into Maxwell. It made Maxwell slump his shoulders, feeling like a child who had just thrown a tantrum. Anderson had not aged a day in the twenty years Maxwell had been head of Iscariot. It honestly unnerved Maxwell.
"I brought the lad here to help him Maxwell. No Catholic desperate to make amends should be turned away. Our Lord is a forgiving Lord to those that come to him. Besides Maxwell, the boy can be of some use in defeating the pet vampire of England." The green eyes flashed with religious fury. Anderson always became unquestionable when the vampire Alucard was involved. Maxwell slowly sat down once more, his hand in his hair as he exhaled, letting go of his argument, yet the twitch above his eye started up. "Ay trust ye to see that he gets the spiritual guidance he needs. If ye need me I'll be wit the children." Anderson changed once more to the friendly, gentle priest. Maxwell listened to the footsteps as they disappeared down the hall. Father Anderson was the only one aside from his Holiness the Pope that could rein in Maxwell's rampages. Pressing the button on the call box he gave orders as for what was to be done with the werewolf. Checking the memos on his desk he felt a vein in his forehead twitch. The bloody Muslims extremists had sent yet another threat letter against his Holiness.
"Call sisters Wolfe and Takagi. They need to be briefed on their next assignment. It supersedes all other orders." He took a sip from his coffee, looking over the menu options for lunch. It would be at least two hours before those nuns came into his office. He really should order a salad, without the dressing. Need to watch his figure before the holiday season, the chefs always over do it with the sweets, and he simply could not refuse a delectable treat. Casually he checked over the paperwork at his desk, pulling up the schedule on his computer. He typed in memos and adjusted the meeting dates as he checked them against the papers. He came across a note from the Hellsing attaché. The meeting he had requested with Director Hellsing was set for February 29th. Maxwell re-read the note; something about it just seemed off. The meeting was set for February 29th, which would not be for another three years. "Blasted protestant whore. You will not treat me with so little respect." Angrily he pressed the button again. "Get the Hellsing attaché to contact that filthy heathen Director Hellsing immediately. The date she set for the meeting is completely un-agreeable!"
Vance Home…5:36 p.m.
Steve and Kyle sat at the table, their cards in hand. The twins stared each other down, trying to find the others tell. Seth and Matt had folded earlier in the game, Matt waiting for the twins to finish so he could deal the next hand. They were going to go in late tonight, the Halloween bash had be a huge hit so they could afford to open late. Steve and Kyle both grinned at the same time, setting their cards down and both confident that their hand was the better one. Matt and Seth looked at the hands, staring at each other before looking toward the twins. They had identical hands.
"You two are bloody idiots." Matt set the deck down, getting up and stretching his legs and cracking his back. "I'm going to grab a bite to eat, want anything from the kitchen?"
"Some beers." They all nodded in agreement, Seth gathering up the cards and shuffling. Steve and Kyle divided the pot between themselves.
"Kyle, when are we going on that camping trip, the weather is already cold." Steve asked, collecting his cards and checking his hand. Not bad, pair of jacks.
"Next weekend. Our spot is reserved." The twins had been going camping at the same place since they were eight years old. Their grandfather had taken them camping mostly during the summer, but the winter trips were the special ones, the ones were grandfather took them hunting. What they killed they would cook on the campfire, any extra was taken home for grandma. Their grandmother was now living with their parents since grandpa had passed from a heart attack. They kept the hunting trips up because of the bonding time they shared, and to keep their grandfathers' memory alive for their grandmother. "She expects us to stop by before to say hello." Kyle checked his hand, hand, a pair of kings.
"How long are you two going to be camping this time?" Seth asked, dealing Matt and himself hands. As he looked he grinned, three of a kind.
"Three days." Matt answered as he walked in, handing each of them a beer and opening his own. "You guys already have the time off." Matt looked at his own cards, a straight.
"So…how is your princess?" Steve asked, snickering as he placed his bet.
"Director Wingates and I have not been in contact since she called to let us know Lina would be staying with her for 'reasons'." Matt rolled his shoulders and readjusted himself in the chair. It was a bit odd that she did not say anything to him. She probably thought he was an idiot. Steve was not helping at all.
"Have you thought about calling her?" Kyle asked, reaching a hand into the large bowl of pretzels to munch on them.
"I don't have her number. I wrote her a letter yesterday. If she wants to get in touch with me, she will." They played their hands, the plastic chips changing hands and cards being shuffled again and again. "Does anyone else get weird vibes from Lina's boyfriend?"
"He's a vampire. Of course you're going to weird vibes. We're all snacks to him." Everyone looked to Seth who sipped his beer calmly after speaking.
"Yeah, that seems about right." Kyle said dismissively as he took a few more pretzels.
"So am I to assume we are all just going to act like Vlad being a vampire is no big deal?" Matt asked disbelievingly. All three men looked up at Matt.
"He hasn't eaten her yet. As far as I'm concerned leave it till he steps out of line." They looked at Steve with surprise. "I would like to finish this hand if it's not too much to ask guys."
Hellsing Headquarters…6 p.m.
Vlad carefully packed his coffin, intending on taking it back to Carfax and settle once more into the earth of his new home, and future kingdom. He could practically taste his future victory, the fires of hell boiling the river Thames, the cities, towns, villages and countryside stained red with blood, every miserable soul would be his to rule. The sky would be dark for the rest of eternity with his anger and joy, and he would rule with an iron fist, complete, singular, solitary, and alone. Vlad's hands stilled in the wrapping of his coffin allowing his mind to dwell on the thought of being alone. It had never bothered him before, so why did it leave a foul taste in his mouth now?
"Vlad! I've got a job! I've got a job!" Lina came running down the stairs and corridor toward him. She stopped in the doorway, her shadow ending at his boots. He finished wrapping the coffin, straightening to his full height, squaring his shoulders. He was wearing the coat, hat and glasses, turning to face her. The excitement and energy she had come dashing toward him with evaporated with the ominous air about him. "Um…I just wanted to let you know." His lips slowly cracked into a nasty grin.
"So now you're Sir Hellsing's spy. How often are you supposed to report on me?" There was very little humor in his tone. He snapped his fingers, his coffin sprouting shadow legs, walking out of the room, Lina stepped aside with wide eyes as it moved up the corridor and the stairs, staring after it as her mind tried to process the image. "Answer me girl." He was suddenly towering over her, his arms pinning her against the cold stones, his face inches from hers, her breath coming out in visible puffs as the space around him became as frigid as his own flesh. "How often are you going to be ratting me out to Sir Hellsing?"
"If you don't do bad things, there would be nothing to tell her. And if you absolutely cannot control yourself, then simply don't involve me, so I won't have to lie to her, or betray you." Lina's false bravado hung between them like ice, her hazel eyes meeting his through his glasses. It was a few moments before his malicious grin softened into a smirk.
"You have a wonderful point." There was a mix of condescending and honesty. Lina breathed a sigh of relief as he backed away, moving down the hall to follow his coffin. "Are you coming or not weakling? I want to get settled and I need to drop you off first." He barked at her, making her clench her fists. He was so infuriating, but damn it she was powerless against the way she was drawn to him.
"I'm coming. And stop ordering me around Vlad. I think I deserve some respect for everything that's happened." He cast a glance over his shoulder as she walked forward. She would not run to catch up to his ridiculously long strides.
"I'll do as I wish weakling. You have earned some of my respect, but not enough." She glared at his back, a smirk growing on her lips.
"So how do I earn the rest of your respect? Cut your head off with a sword?" A harsh cackle was his response as he moved up the staircase.
"Just because you can swing a fake sword against other humans does not mean you are a sword fighter. I have inhuman strength, speed, and agility. So even if you were any good, I am still in a completely different class." Lina ran to stand in front of him, her hands on her hips as she glaring. Vlad stopped his red eyes boring down on her. She flinched, but did not budge. "You're in my way weakling." She would not let him side step her. "Do you want me to take you home or not? Cause if you annoy me to much I'm going to leave you on the side of the road and make it rain." With a pout Lina stepped aside, following him out to his bike. She saw the coffin standing vertically on the back part of the bike, the shadow hands from earlier gripping the hand rails. She shivered.
"That is so fucking creepy." She felt a quick pat to the back of her head. Turning she stared at Vlad with a disbelieving expression on her face. "Did you just pat me?"
"You curse too much." Was all Vlad said to her, getting on his bike and waiting for her to get settled.
Hellsing Manor…March 5 1912
"AAAAHHHH!" Van Helsing bolted upright from his deep sleep, his heart racing. A woman's scream woke him up. Leaving his bed Abraham quickly pulled a robe over his night clothes. He dashed from his bedroom and down the hallway where the screaming came from. "OH GOD! OH GOD! PAPA! ARTHUR! SOMEONE! COME QUICKLY! OH GOD!" The screaming was coming from his wife's room. He could hear Dr Seward and his son-in-law, Lord Godalming, running up the stairs from the underground levels. "PAPA!" His daughter was screaming, something was very wrong indeed. His daughter was too soft spoken to be screaming. He could feel his heart rate jumping even higher. He burst into the room and felt his heart stop. Mrs. Van Helsing's body was swinging from a rope attached to one of the pillars of her bed. Her face was blue, his wife's neck bent at an odd angle. She had died instantly. Abraham could not bring himself to move any further in the room, his feet firmly rooted to the floor as the horrible image was ingrained in his mind. His daughter ran to him, crying hard. Robotically he wrapped his arms around his child. The sound of heavy footsteps drew nearer, both younger men bursting into the room and gasping with horror at the sight. Arthur pulled his wife, formerly Mary Van Helsing, into his arms, taking her away from the room to leave the two doctors alone. John Seward came to the side of his friend, resting a hand on Abraham's shoulder.
"We need to get her down." Abraham spoke quietly, almost as if he was detached from his body, and the scene before him. Stepping forward he reached up with sturdy hands, loosening the rope from the bedpost and gently lowering the body to the floor. Seward grabbed a sheet from the bed, covering the body. Together they picked the body up, placing it on the bed.
"My old friend…I mourn your loss." The words were soft spoken, Seward not looking up at Van Helsing. "I shall go call the mortician." Abraham nodded his head in agreement, as stiff as the corpse on the bed. Seward left the room and went into the office, dialing out and waiting to be connected. He would need to call his wife and left her know what had transpired after this. The sun was shining brightly outside, but the house itself felt dark as the weight of what had just happened dawned on the Manor. Abraham and he had been making such progress with Abigail Van Helsing, she had regained some of her senses, even started to come out of her depression. Yesterday she had danced with Abraham in the foyer. It had brought a smile to the older man's face. This was a crushing blow.
In the bedroom Abraham sat at the chair in the far corner of the room, his head in his hands as he held back his tears. He should be crying in despair, should feel nothing but heartbreak and remorse, but these were tears of relief, of near joy. His wife was finally dead, after decades of wrestling to regain her mind, she was finally at rest. It was over. The nights with her screeching their son's name into the darkness of her room, of having to strap her to the bed to keep her from slitting her wrists, of having to treat his wonderful, sweet, loving Abigail like a lab rat as he struggled to help her. All of that was over now. She had one lucid moment yesterday, that had been her goodbye. He would cherish that one last dance for the rest of his life.
"Grandpa…why are you crying?" Abraham looked up from his hands to his grandson, Caleb Holmwood. The young blond boy of eight had bright blue eyes that shone with worry. Abraham reached out and pulled the small boy into a hug.
"Grandma went to live with God my little Caleb. I am crying tears of joy that she is now one of God's angels." The young boy glanced over at the bed, realizing what was under that sheet. Caleb returned his grandfather's strong embrace.
"Why did she have to go?" A sad smile and a humorless laugh left Abraham's lips.
"Only the Lord and Grandma know." Abraham felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise on end. That vampire dare intrude on this moment! Boiling rage welled up in his heart. Abraham felt icy shivers run across the left hemisphere of his frontal cortex.
'Sorry for your loss. She was a pleasant person.' Of all things for that creature to say, Van Helsing had not expected that. For the past fifteen years the vampire had been a thorn in his side, constantly threatening revenge, actually trying to attack his family, as well as trying to destroy his faith. He nodded his head in acknowledgement of the vampire's comment. At his daughter's urging he and the others had kept the vampire's existence hidden.
"Grandpa…Who's that man in the corner?"
Sultan Murad's Palace…
He was perfect, he really was. She watched from the sidelines as he swung the blade, the sun's light reflecting off the deadly metal as he cut the air. The blade cut through the wooden target with ease. She could not help but admire the way his muscles moved, seeing the strength he possessed. At sixteen few of the Sultan's guards spared with Vlad, he was too fond of cutting their fingers and ears from their body. She hugged herself tighter, wishing she could help alleviate his boredom. He had grown distant from her as he aged, and he now spent his spare time with the court ladies instead of with her. He still spoke to her when they met in the halls, and he always wished her goodbye before she and her mother left, but he no longer played games with her. A sad smile came to her lips. Princess Setareh envied and pitied Vlad. He was so strong, so independent, but he was lonely. His brother Radu was much too close to the crown prince. She wished she was as strong as he was. If she was stronger she would not be so scared, she would not have to cry so much. She could protect herself. They were both lonely, but hers was self imposed. She felt too different from her family to feel like she fit in. She cared to much for weapons, her girl cousins would not let her play with them. She was fond of jewels and dresses, so her boy cousins would not include her in their games. The sounds of prayer could be heard from the mosque. She hated going to the mosque, she loved Allah, but she could not stand being in the building. She felt so much closer to the one god in nature. Her family called her strange.
"How long have you been here princess?" She blinked and turned to look behind her, blushing with embarrassment at having been caught spying on him. Vlad had a blank expression on his face. He was starting to grow out his mustache and beard. She smirked; it looked funny with his mustache much thicker than his beard.
"Since lunch, I decided I did not want to go to midday prayer. I am sorry if it bothers you. I will leave." She rose, brushing off her skirts and getting ready to put on her head scarf. The only thing she liked about being with her family was that she didn't have to wear them.
"I am not bothered by it Setareh. I have not seen you lately. Normally you follow me around like a lost duckling." He stopped her from putting the scarf on, looking around expectantly for something and arching an eyebrow at her. "Speaking of being followed, where is your guard? It is not like him to not be lurking somewhere." He moved back to the center of the training yard, stretching his shoulders and back.
"He is in the mosque. Just because I do not want to pray does not mean he is not allowed to." She moved to follow Vlad into the sun soaked yard, stretching her legs. "I figured you are too busy to play with me anymore." She ran her hand along the handles of some of the training swords. If she was alone she would pick one up and work on improving her swing. Vlad had given her a total of six lessons, but she practiced by herself.
"You are most definitely not yourself Setareh. You would not have my schedule stop you last year." He sheathed his sword and leaned against the stone wall, looking her over. She fidgeted and moved away from the swords. She had never been this uncomfortable around him before. "A ruby for your thoughts Princess?" His voice was calm, he was always in control.
"I suppose I just do not feel as comfortable with you as I used to. I cannot tell why." He looked down at the floor, kicking up some dust. He seemed to be thinking her words over. Vlad moved away from the wall and picked up two of the practice swords.
"You are still a child." She frowned at that. He always used that as an excuse for anything that was wrong with her.
"Yes I am still a child. But that does not explain why I feel uncomfortable around you." She squared her small shoulders and marched up to him, her silk skirts flowing with her movements. He rolled his eyes at her tantrum, a dark chuckle leaving his throat.
"Princess, when you are a woman you will understand exactly why you feel so uncomfortable around me. As a child you simply are not able to grasp it. Now let us see if you remember anything I taught you about fighting. Not that a silly girl in a dress will ever be as good as I am." With a quick motion of his hand Vlad pressed the handle of the practice sword into her hand. She grasped it tightly and glared at him. She wanted to wipe that smug look off his face. He turned his back to her and before she could realize what she was doing she swung as hard as she could at the back of his head. Setareh's eyes widened in horror she made contact with his skull and he grunted, falling to his knees and cradling his head. She lowered the practice sword and backed up slowly, hoping she had not hurt him, but also preparing to flee incase he was angry. Vlad was notorious around the palace for his fits of rage. A sound she could only liken to a growling dog came to her ears and Vlad's shoulders seemed to be shaking with fury. She dropped the sword and took off sprinting before he could even rise to his feet. Setareh flinched at the yell Vlad emitted, willing her feet to carry her away faster. This was not good! Allah only knew what Vlad would do once he caught her. She did not delude herself; he was going to catch her. Vlad was far too fast for her to outrun. She could feel her heart pounding as she darted randomly down hallway after hallway, her skirts flaring out behind her and her hair whipping with the sudden turns she made. If she could only escape to her room she would be safe. The lock would be enough to keep him out. Setareh did not look behind her; she knew he was following her. What she would not give to have her guard. Then none of this would have happened!
Vance Home…8 p.m.
Lina was all to glad to get off Vlad's lap, her nerves frayed from his insufferable behavior. She handed him his helmet and gave him a curt nod before marching into the house. She could feel his eyes boring into the back of her head and she could not suppress the shivers that went through her body. She would not give him the satisfaction of turning around. He wanted to start a fight with her. Why on earth he wanted to do that she could not understand, but she was not going to fall for his bait! It became harder for her to move as she passed through the shadows, her temper rising even higher. He was manipulating shadows to hold her down. If Vlad was a human she would beat the shit out of him. She felt a sharp tap to the back of her leg; the undead bastard was reading her thoughts. She tried to take a calming breath. She would need to meditate and build mental barriers. Damn it! She slammed the gate behind her as she marched up to the front door, trying to keep her hand from shaking and her mind blank. She pulled out her keys and opened the front door, closing it behind her. Sagging against the front door Lina held back the tears from running down her face. How could Vlad think she would betray him! He was an ass! He was an official, metaphorical and literal, royal ass! She kicked her shoes off and marched up to her room, glad her roommates were gone. She did not want to deal with anyone else right now. Opening her bedroom door she yanked her shirt off, tossing it to the floor, her pants following shortly before she flopped onto her bed. Lina felt drained emotionally.
"He's an ass. I keep telling you he's an ass but will you listen, no. Because you know best don't you? And now look at yourself, crying in your room because he's being an ass. You were better off single. Maybe a stiff drink of scotch, brandy, even some whiskey should help put this all in prospective." Lina wanted to strangle herself just so she could shut Sandra up.
"I'm not crying! And I'm not going to drink!" Curling up on her bed Lina yanked up some of her blankets to cover herself.
"So you agree he's an ass then. Let's dump his ungrateful hide and move on. We watched over him for days while he nearly went out of existence and this is how he thanks us? If you like him just because he's a vampire I can find us another vampire." Sandra was digging through her little black book for any vampires she knew that might still be alive.
"Sandra…I don't want to date anyone that knew you. Nothing personal, just really don't feel like opening that can of worms." A headache started to creep up on Lina. With a groan she got up from her bed, locking the balcony windows and closing her curtain before plugging in her nightlight, stripped off the rest of her clothes, and crawled under her goose down blankets. "But maybe you're right. Maybe I should dump him. I mean, I'm still bruised, in pain, and dealing with a guilt complex, and all he's worried about is me ruining some evil plan he hasn't even hatched yet. Bastard. But what was I expecting from the king of soul sucking demons. Stupid romance novels, and Disney movies, and every story about love I've ever read for filling my head with stupid fantasies." A wavy of disappointment washed over her and she curled up tighter in the blankets.
"Hey…don't feel so bad. We've always been a sucker for him. First Thea, then Setareh, followed by Sarah, and lastly Elly. But Elly doesn't really count. And I might have been a sucker I had ever met him. But I didn't so…yeah. Don't take it so hard sweetie. I'm dead but even I have to admit, he's one hell of a man." The throbbing in Lina's head intensified.
"Not helpful Sandra, really not helpful." With a roll of her eyes Lina shifted under the blankets, tossing the pillow that still smelled like Vlad onto the floor. She would have to burn that, along with everything she owned that related to him. "I don't need these kinds of headaches. I'll give him three days to get over his little bitch fit or I'm dumping him, and going on an all garlic diet just to piss him off." Satisfied with her decision she closed her eyes and fell into a fitful sleep. She never saw the red cravat sneaking out of the pillow she tossed on the floor, nor did Lina watch as it slipped under her balcony door, turn into a bat and fly off into the night toward its master.
Carfax…9:32 p.m.
A single bat fluttered through the night air, clouds gathering in an ominous swirl over the English countryside and coming toward the city of London. The moon's light slowly bled from white to a tainted yellow, casting the city into an uneasy feel, people canceling their plans and staying home. Since that nasty hail storm people were more wary of the weather. A tawny owl screeched and flew from its tree side perch to take a swipe at the lone bat. The bat easily flew circles around the bird, its mouth opening wide filled with razor blade teeth as its eyes grew a brighter shade of red. The owl screeched in terror, nearly falling out of the sky with fright before hiding once more under the canopy of trees. It would stick to field mice. The bat gave a snort before it returned to normal, catching a breeze over the Thames and the breeze carrying it all the way home to Carfax. It came to perch on the outstretched arm of its master before melting into a shadow and reappearing as a tied cravat around Alucard's throat.
"At least this time you came back. Let me guess where you were. Weakling's bedroom?" Alucard ran his hands along his new coffin, his ungloved hands tracing the edges, enjoying the feel under his finger tips. It sent shivers of pleasure up his spine. He was ingrained into this coffin; it was his new home, his new domicile. A small piece of his soul was bonded now with the coffin, which was what made it so important for it to be protected. As long as a vampire had a coffin, any physical pain would be transferred to the casket, and since an object is unable to feel pain the vampire is unaffected. He could be completely disemboweled and not even flinch, but a single scratch to his final resting place, and it was like his soul was being ripped apart. Of course he could survive his coffin being attacked, but it was a pain so horrific it was near crippling. That was one of the few secrets he had kept from Van Helsing. That was a secret no mortal should ever know about a vampire, it was just to intimate. It was too early in the evening to rest, but now that his hunt for the werewolves was over, he had nothing to do. And now his old nemesis boredom was upon him once more. He could not go bother Weakling, he had effectively cut her off on the drive back from Hellsing if the report his shadow was giving him was right. Alucard shrugged, he did not need her to keep him occupied. With a regal swoop he took a seat upon his favorite chair, looking over his property. Threading his fingers together over his lap Alucard stretched out his legs, crossing them at the ankle as he slumped into his chair.
'Are you going to going to stop courting her.' The voice of Dracula asked matter-of-factly in Alucard's mind. Alucard felt his eyebrow twitch in agitation.
"Go away. I don't want to deal with you." Dracula rolled his eyes in Alucard's mind.
'Oh, excuse me, how rude of me to interrupt you. Should I make an appointment? After all you are just so busy.' Alucard brought his hands up to rub at his temples.
"What do I have to do to get rid of you?" Dracula snorted and walked across the floor in Alucard's mind.
'I've been wondering the exact same thing. For now I still have not figured it out, but at the current rate you're going I have no choice.'
"What the hell is so important about me dating her? What are you getting out of it besides opportunities to be a thorn in my side?" Dracula was quiet for a moment, moving closer to Alucard before leaning down so the misty form was staring into Alucard's' eyes.
'That is my matter, none of yours. You shouldn't even exist. Be thankful I even let you back in your body when she begged for you instead of me.' Alucard could feel his temper rising as the last words were hissed at him with pure venom.
"Is that it? You don't like that she wanted me? She had her moment to have you and she picked me. It must be a harsh thing to be outdone by your 'shadow'." There was a span of silence between the two before Alucard's head jerked backwards violently, blood gushing from a broken nose and cracked jaw. Looking down at his own balled fist Alucard growled with rage. How dare his past life seize control and assault him. Worse, he could do nothing in retaliation.
'If it would not mean she would be out of my grasp I would fully support her leaving your pathetic hide.'It was a parting jab before Dracula said no more. Alucard was up and pacing, unable to sit still with the anger boiling in his chest. Taking a deep breath Alucard resolved to go speak with Lina now. Maybe if he broke this off first he would have peace and quiet. Taking steps toward his bike another thought came to him. She would still be sleeping, he would be better off speaking with her tomorrow, she needed her sleep. Blood, he needed blood. Yes, he should go out and hunt. Reaching into his pockets he patted his guns. A hunt would do him well. It was still early enough in the evening to catch his prey before they had time to enjoy their own feasts.
Hellsing Manor…10:30p.m.
Integra ground out her cigar, her eyes closed as she tried to relax. Maxwell had called in a rage about the meeting. She had thought Walter would know better than to actually set the meeting for February 29th, although it was amusing, his verbal tirade had been exhausting on her patience. Perhaps she should spend a day away from the office, get a spa day. Her lips turned into a frown. There was just no time. She was the only one she trusted with the running of Hellsing, and that meant practically every minute of every day was swimming through papers. She still had made no progress in her hunt for Van Helsing's journals. The longer she searched the more she was beginning to wonder about the sealed off part of the lower levels. Maybe they were still down there. There was a simpler way to go about this hunt, but Integra did not want to resort to it just yet. Alucard would know where the journals are. But would he let her find them? That is the question. A sudden thought came to her. What if Alucard had already destroyed the journals? No, he surely had enough respect for her great grandfather to not destroy a piece of his works. But how strong was that grudge between them? She needed someone to search the sealed off dungeons. Alucard said he was the only one able to be down there without needing to fear death, yet Lina had been for the most part unscathed. Sitting at her desk she dispassionately flipped through the papers stacked before her, unable to really focus on the typed words. There just had to be some way to search the lower levels without dragging Alucard into the matter. A gently knocking interrupted Integra's thoughts, her eyes rolling uncharacteristically at the intrusion.
"Come in." The door opened quietly as Seras came into the room, her cannon strapped across her back. The blonde vampire walked across the space to stand on the other side of the desk, saluting Integra before speaking.
"Sir Integra, the troops and I finished the mission in Southampton, 6 civilian casualties, all targets eliminated." Integra was staring at Seras with a whole new level of appreciation. She was a vampire, Alucard's own fledging, and she could go to the lower levels.
"That's fine Police girl. Have you ever been to the lower levels of the underground?" Seras was surprised at the question. She had only been to the lower levels of the dungeons once or twice with Alucard when he was trying to teach her how to call familiars. It had been a nasty place with all sorts of goblin and imp like creatures living down there. She also had failed to learn how to call the familiars, which had resulted in him giving her the silent treatment for two weeks.
"Yes Sir. Why?" Integra smirked, her glasses reflecting the light from the office lights. Integra opened a drawer in her desk, taking out the old ring of keys she had taken from Lina for the rooms in the lower levels along with the map.
"I'm looking for some journals, and I have reason to believe they are down there. These journals belonged to my great grandfather, and it is imperative that I have them. I order you to kill anything that moves down there, from the rats to whatevery else might be lurking. I refuse to have any part of my home inaccessible to me. When you have finished with that come and report to me immediately. Is that understood Private Victoria?" Seras smiled when Integra used her name, saluting again.
"Yes Sir. I'll get right on it Sir Integra." Integra nodded and waved her hand to dismiss Seras, looking down at the papers and seeing if any of it was of any desperate importance, or else she might just make her way over to the shooting range and fire off a few rounds.
Seras left the room, heading toward the armory to pick up a different weapon. Harkonnen was a fine weapon out on the field, but she doubted Integra would appreciate her using it in the manor. Passing through the halls she walked outside the main building and toward the barracks and the armory. The military trucks, vans and armored cars were parked in straight lines; a few mechanics were going over the vehicles as a few of the troops filled up the gas tanks. As she passed through the break room in the barracks she squared her shoulders, ignoring some of the things the Wild Geese were whispering about her. The room smelled strongly of cigars, and she noticed a few beer cans strewn about the floor. Men were sitting around the tables and some were on the couch watching the old TV set. A few of the men with the night off where quiet drunk and one gave her a wolf whistle. She ignored it, deciding it was not worth the effort. One of the men started a catcall that was quickly silence when Pip fired his pistol into the ceiling. A silence fell over the room.
"Knock it off, she's one of us." Pip did not look up from his poker hand, twirling the gun on his finger before slipping it into the holster at his side; his cowboy hat was drawn down over his face, smoke rising from his cigarette. He dipped the cigarette in his mouth, the ashes dropping onto the table as he laid out a royal flush, collecting the pot and getting up from the table to walk over to Seras. "Let me escort you." Seras was getting surprised left and right today. First Integra using her name, now Pip being a gentleman. She wouldn't complain, maybe the world was turning the tides in her favor. She let him walk next to her to the armory, switching out Harkonnen for a smaller gun with silver bullets. It had been so long since she held a normal gun. It felt like if she pulled the trigger it would shatter like dust in her grip. Pip was silent; his cigarette getting low and he prepared another one, playing with his Zippo lighter.
"Thank you for standing up for me back there." Seras would be nice to him. After all, he was not being perverted right now.
"You're welcome Miss Victoria." He acted as if it was not new behavior. "I figure since we are working together it would be best to have some boundaries. There are plenty of other attractive women for the men to talk about."
"I see." She decided to go for a slightly heavier gun. She did not want to worry about the gun breaking just because she fired it.
"Do you want to suck me?" Seras gasped and turned on Pip with disbelief. So much for him not being perverted. "You don't seem to like the packaged blood. Maybe fresh from the source will serve you better. I promise not to like it." Seras rolled her eyes at him, stomping away from him and back toward the manor without responding to him. Well, at least she still had Integra calling her by her name. Pip smirked after her. He had almost not said it, but the opportunity was just too good to pass up. He watched Seras walk away, enjoying the way her skirt hugged her hips. Maybe tomorrow he would hold back the perverted comments, maybe. He walked back to the break room, taking a seat on the couch and changing the channel. He could see the rest of the men looking at him, waiting for some explanation as to why there was now a bullet hole in the ceiling. He just shrugged. He liked Seras, and he did not want his men bothering her, that was his job.
Hellsing Manor…March 8 1912
The study was dark. Abraham had blown out the candles when he entered the room. He would not have electricity in his study. The natural light of the sun and candles were a welcome contrast to the electric lights in the dungeon levels. A catholic priest had been called to give his beloved wife her final rites, but when the priest had discovered it had been a suicide the priest had denied them and left. It had been a low blow. His wife had not been right in the head. Abigail had no understanding of the moral implications taking her life would have. Abraham put his head in his hands, silently mourning his wife. He would not be seen mourning before his daughter, his son-in-law, or his grandson. What was he to do? How could the church turn their back on him in his darkest hour? A sinister chuckle reverberated through the room. In the wingback chair across the room from Van Helsing a pair of red eyes peered at the old man, a shadowy form materializing around the eyes.
"What is so funny Count?" The eyes focused on Abraham. There was a corresponding red glow coming from the vampires hands, he was trying to break the seals. He would have to make them stronger.
"I just find it ironic. I was once how you are, mourning a wife, and learning she would forever be barred from joining me in heaven. There are two paths you can take from here, turn your back on god like he did on you. Or you can remain an obedient lamb. I made one choice. I simply want to see which choice you make good doctor. Maybe I can learn from your example as to what the proper choice to make was." The deep voice was almost sincere, almost.
"I will not listen to you. The devil has only the power of temptation. Nothing more than that. I will find another priest that will understand my plight."
"Why not just find a new church?" The eyes faded away slowly, leaving behind an impression in the darkness of the room. Abraham could not believe it, that monster just gave him the solution to his problem. Van Helsing could turn to the Church of England, and ask for King George V's to forgive his wife of suicide. He could abandon the Catholics without abandoning God. With the weight lifted from his shoulders he rushed to find his son-in-law to get an audience with the King as soon as possible.
In the dungeons Dracula rested in his coffin. Van Helsing had finally let him have one after years of him withering away. Now he was strong and at least appeared young. He looked down at his hands, trying to stretch his powers and growling as the seals glowed bright red while pushed his energy back. He still hated Van Helsing with every fiber of his being, but perhaps there would be a way to work this to his advantage. He had time to spare. If he could just wait a few generations, if he could just gain the trust of the next person who would control him…he could have his revenge. Trust must be earned, and the only way to earn trust is to build credibility. Van Helsing would never trust him, nor would Seward or Godalming. But perhaps if he started to gain Caleb's trust…a child was always so willing to trust. Build a good relationship with Caleb, and then Caleb's son would be even more inclined to trust him, and then…yes. It would work perfectly. And in the meanwhile, he could learn everything about how England worked, so he could destroy it when he finally earned his freedom. England would be the perfect place to rebuild his empire. An island fortress with so many possible subjects, he licked his lips at the prospect. Of course only the loyal humans would live, the rest would become meals. He would need a delicate balancing act. Eat too many humans and they would rebel or go extinct, eat too few and they would not fear him. He would get it right…eventually.
He could hear Seward in the dark arts lab with his assistants. It sounds like they had yet another cadaver to study. He focused on where they were, watching from the ceiling as the new doctors cautiously began their dissection. He almost wanted to warn them the vampire would be waking up soon, almost. They would get to suspicious if he was suddenly to helpful. He watched as the young man that had been making the chest incision was suddenly attacked, the corpse rising from the slab with inhuman speed and ripping the young man's throat out, blood flying everywhere and the others in the room panicking. How pathetic. Seward was the only one to react, pulling the gun out of his pocket and emptying six of the special bullets he and Van Helsing had worked on creating to deal with vampires. Dracula was entranced with guns, they were just so…interesting. With the vampire specimen dead Seward reached down and checked the victim's pulse, finding none and firing off the last bullet into the former lab assistant's head. Dracula changed into a centipede, crawling along the floor to lap at the blood. It was still warm. A sudden prick came to Dracula's attention, finding himself once more the shadow eyes watching from the wall. Seward was staring at him, the man's boot grinding on the floor to destroy the body of the insect. He allowed a malicious smile to materialize under the glowing orbs in the stone wall before seeping back to his coffin. No doubt Seward would report this to Van Helsing. Dracula returned once more to his coffin. It was all a balancing act. Be good to one, evil to the other, and to everyone else…it would be somewhere in the gray.
Vance home….November 9…11:30 a.m.
Matt could not just let this go. How dare Lina bring that abomination against God into his home! He needed to confront her about it. He knew she was home. Lina had left her shoes by the door. Walking across the hall he knocked on her door, waiting for a response. There was no reply. Matt knocked harder, trying to keep his cool. He was grateful she had saved Samantha, but she could not take advantage of his hospitality like this. He tried to open the door. She must have locked it. He reached up above the door and retrieved the skeleton key. Popping the lock open and slowly opening the door. His eyes adjusted to the low light in the room, noticing something on the bed. Flipping on the light switch he walked over to the bed.
"Lina wake up. We need to have a talk." The lump in the bed did not move. As uncomfortable as it made him matt prodded the lump, finding that it was much too soft to be a person. Prodding a little harder the object continued to give. Pulling the blankets he found that it was just the blankets wrapped up in a deceptive shape. "Lina where are you?" He was getting annoyed with this. He wanted to talk to her, and he wanted to talk to her now. He moved over to the closet door, rapping his knuckles to signify his entry before opening the closet. She wasn't there. He repeated the process for the bathroom door and she was still nowhere to be found. The only place she could be was the balcony. Pushing the heavy drapes aside he saw her sitting on a yoga mat, her headphones on and her iPod sitting next to her. But when he noticed the bruises along her back under her tank top he felt his anger shift from her to the vampire. He was going to beat the bloody hell out of that vampire. The bruises looked like someone had taken a sack of grapefruits and just repeatedly brought them down on her back. Opening the balcony door he pulled her ear bud out, startling her. "What happened to you?" It came out harsher than he meant it. Lina turned to look at him, turning her iPod off.
"Oh…Sean kidnapped me on Halloween, beat me up, and that's about it." Matt had to think about that for a moment. She had dated a werewolf before she moved, which had caused this whole mess in the first place. And if she had not caused this whole mess in the first place he would not have known Integra. Well, that wasn't completely true. His aunt would still have tried to set him up with Integra, but Integra would not have had any reason to be interested in him if it was not for meeting him professionally. Shaking his head he cleared it of that useless train of thought. Lina was sitting there with grisly purple, blue, and yellowing splotches all over her shoulders and probably her back.
"That cannot be the entirety of the story. I want the truth Lina. I may be grateful for what you did for my family, but I will not just let you bring monsters into my home. First that werewolf, and now your vampire boyfriend. I deserve some answers Lina."
"So you know Vlad is really Dracula then."
Carfax…7:43 p.m.
Alucard woke from his coffin, feeling deliciously refreshed after having eaten his fill the night before. Opening the coffin Alucard enjoyed the darkness from the fading moon, seeing the wonderful stars struggling against the pollution of city lights. Alucard had few soft spots, but the stars were one of them. Ever since he had become a vampire, no, even before he became a vampire, the stars had been a source of hope. Looking over the expanse of the decrepit chapel he saw the Baskerville hound laying at the base stair of the raised platform that would have been the altar during Carfax Abbey's years of use. He thought it was still in the lowest dungeons of the Hellsing manor. The beast turned its head to look up at him, its red eyes blinking at him as its head tilted to the side. Something was off. Something was very off with this. Getting up from the coffin Alucard watched his hellhound carefully. It raised itself up and stared at him. Alucard reached out to order the beast to merge back with the rest of his familiars. It refused.
"So…you couldn't get my body and turned to that of my hellhound. Are you hoping she's an animal lover?"
"That's a polite way of saying beastiality." The beast opened its mouth as the words reverberated through the room. "I have decided to borrow Baskerville for a few days. I want to see if she's more receptive to an actual dogs' behavior than your own." The beast walked up and sat in Alucard's chair.
"She's not going to be interested. She is planning on dumping me, and by association, you." Alucard walked up and yanked on the dog's neck, his eyes narrowing dangerously. "Now why don't you just go back to where you existed before and leave me in peace." Alucard tossed his hellhound across the room, the beast easily jumping away from the wall before it struck.
"Laş. (1)" That single word brought everything to a screeching halt in Alucard's mind. Where had that come from? "Eşti un laş. Sunteţi în căutarea pentru cea mai uşoară cale dintr-o relaţie. În loc de a fi fericit ea sunt o cale de a fi independent sunteţi îngrijorat de ceva care a existat înainte. Ei deja ştiţi că sunteţi de gând să faci lucruri de nedescris. Să Integra ei au iluzia de putere. Şi să ne-au Lina."
"I don't want her, there are plenty of other young virgins for me to take my pick of, and many of them are much more refined, beautiful, and respectful than she is. And I do not need anyone. I will be perfectly fine alone. I have been for so long." The dog snickered harshly at Alucard.
"În ultimii câţiva ani, sute ciudat aţi locuit într-un conac cu oamenii care au fost în mod constant interactioneaza cu tine. Chiar şi în perioada sederii dumneavoastra ati putea asculta şi de ceas ca s-au dus despre viaţa lor. Când ne-am trăit în castelul nostru am avut aceste mirese, ca vag minte cum au fost, cu cât mai moale ca sanii au avut, cu prezentarea lor bine manierat. Au fost suntem singuri? (3)"
"Physically no. But mentally we were. And being surrounded by enemies is not what I consider company." Alucard answered back. The edge in his voice was gone. There was no reason to argue with himself. He was the one in charge. He looked up to the night sky and moved closer to his possessed dog.
"A fi cu ea ai plecat mintal singur? (4)" Alucard looked down, finding his hellhound gone. Turning Alucard found it once more perched on his chair. If alcohol still had any effect on him he would have been in a bar drinking. This was a pain in the ass. All his current problems were all because of Lina.
"Why does it matter? What does being with her do for you?" The dog jumped off the chair and paced across the floor around him.
"It is between me and her." Alucard sat in his chair, glaring at the dog as his hand reached for the guns in his pockets. Which were no longer there.
"You keep saying that. I am you, remember?" The snide remark made the dog glare at him. It marched up and bared it fangs, it heckles rising and the second head sprouting from its neck. "Going to attack me? It would be the only time a suicide has be completed by an external force. I'm sure it would be fascinating to learn how it works. Come on then. Bite me. Rip out my throat."
"Mă dezamăgeşti. (5)."
Chapter End
1. Coward.
2. You are a coward. You are looking for the easy way out of a relationship. Instead of being happy she has a way to be independent you are worried about something that existed before. They already know you are going to do unspeakable things. Let Integra have her illusion of control. And let us have Lina.
3. For the past hundred some odd years you have lived in a mansion with humans who were constantly interacting with you. Even in your confinement you could listen and watch as they went about their lives. When we lived in our castle we had those brides, as dim witted as they were, with as soft breasts as they had, with their well mannered submission. Were we alone?
4. Has being with her left you mentally alone?
5. You disappoint me.