I have put the chapters in semi-chronological order. New chapters will go at the end, then after a few days I'll sort them into the correct area of the stories. If you find a mistake or have a better spot for a story, let me know and if I agree I'll move it. For now, the previous stories have their original chapter number beside them, so you can still find the "new" ones. Enjoy!

*Time for Abraham to access a bit more of Alucard's power...*

Blood bond

Abraham and Alucard sat quietly on the couch, watching the snow fall. There were no new vampire reports, and the ones that Abraham already possessed did not contain enough information (yet) to track down and successfully hunt one of the creatures. With the unexpected snowfall essentially shutting-down the city and the estate, they were enjoying the peace.

Alucard had taken to drinking his blood out of a cup, and Abraham had his own mug of mulled wine. The evening had begun with idle conversation, but Abraham had something more important in mind.

"You have more power than you have shown me, Alucard. How much?"

Alucard raised a black eyebrow. "Showing you would result in insanity for me, and possibly for you. Suffice it to say, there will not be an English vampire that could pose a real challenge to me."

Abraham snorted. "A bit full of yourself, are you?"

"No. I know who I am and how I was made. I started out powerful and have only become more so. Only my own children even approach rivaling me in power, and even they could not stand against me." The vampire smirked slightly. "I gambled for great power, master, and great power I have."

"And limitations. Insanity, silver, the crucifixes. You have your weaknesses, too."

"As is part of the balance. Nothing is free, Abraham. For each power, a weakness. The greater the weakness, the greater the power. I am vulnerable all day, unable to move or to wake on my own. The sun no longer burns me, but it weakens me. A simple metal, common to women's jewelry, abundant, causes blisters and destroys my tissues. Religious items, in a land of the devout, are anathema. I have great powers, and great weakness."

"Not so weak as other vampires, Alucard. You are able to shrug off silver bullets, that turn others to dust. Why is this?" Toying idly with his mug, Abraham did not look at Alucard. He truly wanted to know the answer to this question, and Alucard was unusually communicative. If he were too interested the vampire was likely to cease talking, turning it into one of his infuriating games.

"Partly age, partly because I have effectively 'purchased' an immunity. Spells are paid for, and I paid richly for this resistance. The blood I spill, the pain I create, I do not consume entirely for my own use. Some goes to power the spell, reducing my weaknesses, replacing my vulnerabilities with bloodshed, terror, agony. Vampires, even the weak mad ones of England, are superb sources, and I will become more powerful as I serve you." The vampire grinned cruelly at the fire, spending a few moments remembering some of his more pleasant hunts.

Abraham pondered. "Do you not use your own blood for this? I was under the impression that sacrificing your own blood was more effective than the blood of victims."

"I am dead, Abraham. My blood is of limited usefulness in spells."

"You are bound to me. Can you use my blood to power your spells?"

Alucard whipped about, staring at Abraham. "Master, what are you implying? You are hinting and making references; are you planning on altering the spells?"

Abraham grinned at the vampire. Rarely did he successfully play the game of teasing dribbles of information at the vampire to create curiousity and cooperation, whereas the vampire was a master of manipulating humans.

"You have several abilities that you cannot access due to our binding. Giving you access to more than the very limited shape-shifting, such as becoming a mist or traveling through solid materials, took us months of effort. Can we use my blood, powered through the binding between us, to power a spell allowing you access to those greater powers without triggering voices? My blood should shield you and release abilities simultaneously."

The vampire was silent, clearly intrigued. He rose and returned swiftly, pen and paper in hand. With a pointy grin at Abraham, he spoke. "Let us begin?"

A month later, Alucard and Abraham stood down in the vampire's lair, tense and expectant. Alucard, eyes gleaming, chanted the release formula. Abraham felt the pull, and allowed the vampire access to the power inherent in his own blood. The drain on his strength was miniscule; Alucard had been ecstatic to find how powerful the Hellsing blood was, and living blood in a body was magnitudes of order more powerful than spilled blood.

Alucard suddenly dissolved into an inky black pool, and Abraham felt the slightest of pressures from the voices, but only slight, and muffled. A greater pressure, palpable power, was emanating frmo this vampire. With a rush, the blackness filled the chamber and burst into hundreds, thousands of shrieking bats. They raced about the room, swooping and diving in an ecstasy of release, and then began swirling to form a great black column. Moments later, the slight pull of the bond died, and Alucard stood again in the center of the room, grinning.

"Level two is complete, Master."

With a nod to the vampire, Abraham left. Level two, and the power of the vampire had been a physical force.

How many levels remained?