Chapter 45
Treason
Val and Seras watched as the front door banged closed behind Mercedes, exchanged a look, and then Seras looked over to her Master. Master Alucard looked positively furious as he worked to tear apart the enchantress's parting ward.
The commotion had woken Walter, and he was coming up the basement stairs to check on things as Alucard managed to free himself with a snarl. "Damn that woman!"
Walter's eyebrow twitched up a fraction and he asked, "Are you alright, Master Alucard?"
"Yes!" Alucard snapped out. "She can't actually harm me or do more than slow me down. I'm just tired of the Seer's damn magic tricks and obstinacy complicating matters!"
"Where has Ms Dreux-Brézé absconded to? And would you like me to escort her back to bed?"
"Didn't you hear, Walter? She's not in the mood to be in bed," Alucard said sarcastically. "Even with your speed, you wouldn't get half the distance back before that damn ward of hers went off. You'd be bound for several minutes while she makes her way back the distance and then some."
"Is Miss Mercedes going to be alright out there?" Seras asked tentatively from her spot on the couch. "I could always try to talk to her, get her to come back on her own?"
"If the stubborn woman wants to complicate her recovery and exacerbate her magic issue that badly, just let her," Alucard said, tone a fraction less waspish with her. "It's probably the only way she's going to learn some much needed lessons. Unless she's putting herself in immediate mortal peril, I'm going to ignore the other ward's warning pulses. That aggravation is better than dealing with her when she's like this."
And with that, Alucard shadowed down to the basement to take a nap in his coffin.
Walter watched his master pass by with no shortage of bemusement, though he kept his expression neutrally arranged.
A few minutes passed in awkward silence. Walter wasn't keen on returning to the basement to finish having his rest when his master was in this sort of mood. It was always best to let Master Alucard have some space when he was agitated.
Valarie eventually heaved a sigh, went to the nearest window and opened it, pulled out a pack of cigarettes and lit one with a shake of her head. Wherever Mercedes was off to, it wasn't in sight of the front windows. Probably went out back to pray at Tukiko and Fumiko's grave.
As Val took her first drag on the cigarette, Seras was the one to break the silence. Unable to keep the thought to herself any longer, she murmured, "Those two are either going to kill each other or shag until this house collapses."
"Miss Seras, such talk is hardly fit for polite company," Walter said properly, though his expression said he might just agree. He glanced in their master's direction and, thankfully not hearing an immediate raging reaction from down there, walked into the living room to sit on the chair next to Seras.
"It'll be the first," Val said, ignoring Walter's chastising.
The servant vampires looked at the apprentice magic user with inquiry, as her voice held absolute certainty in giving the answer.
"Why do you say that?" Seras asked. "I'm not sure about Miss Mercedes. She seems conflicted about whether she even trusts Master or not as an ally, never mind anything further. But if you know Master well enough, it's kind of obvious he regards Miss Mercedes beyond just an ally, even if he won't say as much or says the exact opposite. The only thing I'm unsure of on Master's part is if he simply wishes to be friends with Miss Mercedes as he respects her so much, or if he views her as a potential lover and that is why he is going to such lengths for her."
"Miss Seras, Miss Valarie!" Walter said reprovingly, "Really now. It is inappropriate to hypothesize about Master Alucard's possible intentions. Such business is his own. The same holds for Ms. Mercedes as well."
Both women quite blatantly and pointedly ignored Walter's perfunctory attempts to seem disapproving in case Alucard might overhear from below.
"I don't know Alucard well enough to figure out his views," Val said, "but I know my Mercedes. She doesn't go chasing men for a relationship as she has convinced herself she doesn't want one. He doesn't seem to be the type to go chasing a woman. And even if His Royal Fangness was inclined to try winning her over, Mercedes would kill the attempts before he could get anywhere."
"What do you mean?" Seras asked curiously.
Val thought about that long and hard for a proper answer, wanting to be clear on why she was so certain.
"Well, let me see if I can put this in terms you'd understand," Val replied finally. "Either of you gamers by any chance? Specifically Dungeons & Dragons or a similar D20 system?"
"I'm not a devout gamer and I usually like military video games," Seras replied, "but Walter likes D&D and Pathfinder and has taught me the basics."
"Really now, Walter?" Val asked with a pleased grin.
"Indeed, Miss Valarie," Walter conceded grudgingly with a small nod. "I enjoyed the game when it first came out and I was still in Hellsing's employ."
"I'll be challenging your gamer knowledge later then," Val said, pointing her cigarette at Walter for emphasis, "and we shall need to discuss starting up a 3.5 game as I know Mercedes also plays and four people would make an adequate group."
"That sounds agreeable," Walter said, allowing a tone of interest, though he wrinkled his nose slightly at the smell of the American-made cigarette. "I have not had a chance to indulge in that particular past time in some decades and I would not be opposed to reviving it."
"Excellent, then indulge we shall," Val said with a grin. She quickly became more serious though, "But, for now, back on topic. Let me explain it thusly as you'll understand my meaning. Mercedes has been hurt badly enough, on enough occasions, that any thoughts and emotions she may have about anyone beyond platonic friendship or completely professional cooperation get locked away by her mind. The sole exception is obviously familial love for her son and certain family members. You're Brits, so I'll compare the background for this mission as being set in an alternate reality 1500s England. Mercedes herself and her conscious mind are the Queen Mother, such unwanted thoughts are children of the Queen who were convicted for treason, and her subconscious mind is both the Head Jailer and the defenses. And her defenses are so built up that the treasonous prisoners get automatically tossed into the Bloody Tower and the prison is placed under a full military guard without the Queen Mother ever so much as getting a glimpse of them in the process. Occasionally she might pass the Bloody Tower for some reason and possibly faintly hear them screaming out their window to be released, but the guards tell her that it's just the wind, or a group of poorly trained minstrels playing some music and singing, and so the Queen Mother accepts that answer and continues on with her day. Following me so far?"
"So far, so good," Seras said with a nod, paying attention intently. Seras liked Mercedes thus far in her own respect, from what little interactions they had when she brought in meals to her, despite the human's spats with her Master and how her Master would in turn react to those arguments with the heiress. The relatively sweet-tempered vampire was genuinely curious as to what was causing such tension from Mercedes's side of the problem with her Master. Not to mention, said human was her boyfriend's cousin. While she didn't think Pip would initially react well if there was something brewing between Mercedes and Master, she kinda liked the idea that if there was something there, that would mean Mercedes and the little one would be around Master Alucard. If they moved to England permanently because of such reasons, they'd be able to see Pip regularly. Even though Pip liked to keep work and private life separate as much as possible, he could really do with some family around, especially ones that he wouldn't have to hide so much from.
Walter likewise nodded once, passingly curious as to the insight into the human, even if he was too well-bred to openly admit it. He still thought Seras was likely off the mark with her assessment, but it was hard to ignore that their master's behavior recently was highly unusual. Considering all potential explanations, and whatever complications there may be, a little more seriously was just prudent.
Having a captive audience, Val continued laying out the mission. "Should any man, and that's including your Master, ever have the thought of running through this mission with the objective of getting those prisoners free from said defenses, they'd be first starting from outside the Bloody Tower's outer defenses. They'd have to roll Diplomacy Checks and pass a DC of 25, at multiple check points staffed by the guards, to be allowed an audience with the Head Jailer. Fuck up even a single roll on this first attempt to see the Head Jailer, their ass gets tossed back outside with no save roll, all traps activated and guards placed on high alert.
"If they want to try again, any further attempts require the Diplomacy Checks doubled to DC 50; AND they have to make similar level rolls on Disable for the Traps, and Sneak for the guards immune to persuasive methods. There's no fighting allowed for this section of the quest, so he'd have to be an Epic Level, bordering God-level, rogue with the right maxed skills, a bunch of buffs for his charisma and dexterity, and an insane amount of Luck rerolls for when he doesn't roll between a 19 to 20. IF said man can make it to the Head Jailer, he will have to pass a series of Diplomacy checks and withstand the Sense Motive and Intimidate checks that will then be given by the Head Jailer. If he is successful, he will then be judged worthy to be a Champion for the prisoners and be given a quest, also Epic level, to allow them to be possibly pardoned and released into his care."
"Going through all that doesn't get them released?" Seras asked in disbelief.
"Nope, just gets him the chance to have an audience and be given the quest," Val said matter-of-fact. The redheaded human took an extra-long inhale of her cigarette before continuing in a tone more like a bard, though still serious. "Said quest will be equally difficult, full of dangers untold and hardships unnumbered. Whereas it would take an Epic-level Rogue to make it through the first challenges, the same man would also need to have picked up 20 levels or more as a Fighter as well. A dozen or so levels in some branch of divine or arcane magic-wielding classes wouldn't be such a bad idea either. There will be frequent combat with epic level monsters and demons summoned from the deepest pits of Hell, the worst of the worst that Mephistopheles can throw at the would be hero. There will also be puzzles more twisting and complex than the ancient Labyrinth that housed the Minotaur to be solved, high-security locks that require multiple checks in Disable Device, Open Lock and various areas of Knowledge to open. IF said man makes it through all these challenges, prevails in all fights, and makes it back to the Head Jailer still alive, the Head Jailer will issue the pardon and then unlock the door for the prisoners to be released."
Val paused again to take a long drag of her cigarette, saying as she exhaled, "However, the game still isn't won, even if that happens."
"It's not?" Sera squeaked with wide eyes.
"Nope," Val said with a shake of her head. "You see, those prisoners have now gotten used to being in the Bloody Tower, full blown Stockholm Syndrome. They've convinced themselves they're safer and happier in the Tower and don't want to come out. So our intrepid hero now has to pass a series of DC 35 Diplomacy checks, and withstand another series of Sense Motive checks, though the resist of Intimidation checks are no longer part of the process. But this section is once again no saves and back to square one if a roll is failed. If he passes all his rolls, the prisoners will be cautiously willing to come out of their jail cell… But, they're still in the Bloody Tower and the Head Jailer decided that perhaps allowing the prisoners release wasn't such a great idea."
"What?!" Seras exclaimed. "Why the bloody hell not when the jailer already agreed to release them and the prisoners were willing to come out?"
"Final challenge," Val said, gravely serious. "Jailer realized that allowing the prisoners free might actually allow chaos and disorder to ensue, regardless of the hero taking responsibility for them, and had second thoughts about allowing them to see the light of day. So now our hero has two simultaneous challenges if he wants to successfully escape with the prisoners. He has to protect them from receiving critical harm, while defeating every guard and defense measure the Bloody Tower contains. If the prisoners remain relatively unharmed and he can make it out of the Tower still alive himself, then the prisoners have finally reached the light of day and freedom has been given to be presented to the Queen Mother and accepted by her for their rightful place in her court."
Val stubbed out her cigarette with a suppressed laugh as she saw the vampires' stunned expressions with her concluded explanation.
"That sort of scenario sounds awfully lonely and depressing for Miss Mercedes," Seras said with a sad frown.
"Perhaps," Val conceded, not so flippant with the answer. "But Mercedes has convinced herself that she is better off and content to only have friends or allies and her son. She won't allow any potentially treasonous thoughts to that mindset have so much as a moment to surface and risk being harmed again. And there isn't a man walking the face of this earth, human or undead, with the necessary stats to get past her defenses. Her empathy and seer senses automatically weed out any going in without the acceptable motivations and, even if they did have the unflagging determination fueled by the right motivations to want to try, the rest of her defenses would kill their attempts. And, let's face it, Mercedes is one hell of a woman and I love her dearly, but there's not many men out there who would find it worth it to make the attempt given the odds stacked against him."
"But her and Liam were together," Seras pointed out. "Clearly it's not impossible."
Val shook her head. "Her and Liam being together is part of why it's now impossible, and I don't think he technically made it past the last stage."
"What happened? How far do you think he got?" Seras asked with confusion.
Val gave that question consideration and decided to light another cigarette as she did so. "Well, they were really good friends for a few years, which allowed him some chances to have side quests and utilize his stellar Gather Information skill to learn some of the obstacles waiting for him if he decided to run the gambit. I thought for sure he'd succeed if he tried and was definitely cheering on Team Liam." Val gave a frustrated sigh and took a really long drag off her cigarette, making almost half an inch turn to ash. "All of us who are friends with the two were actually. Realistically, it's not likely a human is gonna have the time and experience to accrue the necessary stats to survive the gambit Mercedes has constructed. But it looked like Liam was just the guy to run the mission and finally get past all those defenses to save the prisoners and convince the Queen Mother they weren't treasonous. And he aced the Diplomacy checks, got past the outer defenses and the Head Jailor, and had a chance at the quest. He made it through the quest, though he was far from unscathed as he botched some pretty important rolls. His min-maxed charisma and magic skills definitely bailed his ass out to recover. He had a chance at freeing the prisoners. Being the love-struck and debonair vampire he is, Liam aced all those checks like a Sir and the prisoners were willing to tentatively come out."
"So, what happened?" Seras prodded when Val stopped talking. "As has been established, they broke up."
Val frowned and gave an irritated sigh, shaking her head as she thought about that. "Liam landed some serious epic fails and the prisoners ended up dead beyond resurrection," she answered with clear disappointment in her voice. "Mercedes forgave him for his fuck-ups and was willing to stay friends with him because they are such good friends and she otherwise respects and cares for him, but he still got tossed back outside the outer defenses. And then she reinforced said defenses, added new guards and traps, and upped the challenge rating on future quests for anyone who might try. No one Friend Zones like Mercedes does and, no matter how hard he's tried, Liam hasn't been able to convince the guards to let him back in. I thought perhaps he might have a chance to skip some of those stages, restart from the part where he lets the prisoners out, but I'm starting to realize I was wrong and there really was no save points to reload the mission from. And with Liam having gotten so far in, which gave her better insight into how to fortify herself, that's why it's now the impossible quest that it is, rather than just insanely difficult."
"What actually happened with Liam to cause such a reaction?" Seras asked, brow furrowing in confusion.
"Details of any of the Queen Mother's relationships are her private information, highly classified and not my place to tell," Val stated immediately. "Even if I knew that answer, which I actually don't, she'd take my head off in a split second without chance to plead my case if I released something that personal to someone she hadn't given her express permission could be briefed on the situation. His Royal Fangness forced info out of me and she was willing to give me a one time pardon on the grounds of extenuating circumstances, but that won't happen again with other people."
"Ok… So you don't think Master could succeed where Liam failed?" Seras asked, partially curious for Val's answer and partially in automatic defense of her master. "I mean, Master is a human prince turned king of all vampires, so he's got the charisma and intelligence scores to utilize when he wants to be a charming diplomat. And he's spent 600 years warring, so he's seen just about everything there is to see and he can probably handle any challenge thrown at him."
Val ran the scenario in her head once more before answering.
"Nope. Alucard couldn't win this mission set-up from what I have seen of him," Val answered definitively. "Especially not at the rate they're going and with the post-Liam defenses rebuild. He'd be able to withstand the trial by combats during the quest phase better than Liam did. Mercedes needs a guy who doesn't buckle under pressure and can take charge when necessary as she's used to being the one having to juggle everything herself and won't respect a guy who isn't at least her equal in that respect. So Alucard at least has that in his favor. But he'd have to get past the initial Diplomacy and Sense Motive Checks first to even be allowed to try the quest. Even if current behavior turned around by some miracle and he managed to get a chance at the quest, there's no way Alucard would get past the increased-difficulty puzzles in the quest, nor would he get the prisoners to come out of their jail cell or get them back out of the prison alive."
"You sound quite sure of that, Miss Valarie," Walter finally piped in with a raised, challenging eyebrow.
"I know my Mercedes, even if I don't know Alucard," Val said candidly. "I still don't know the whole story of what's happened between those two since they first met, but from what I've observed, I'd say Alucard likely got an epic fail roll somewhere on his first attempt to reach the Head Jailer. Either because he didn't realize just how difficult the challenge was and went in unprepared and with the wrong motivations, or because he stumbled into the challenge entirely oblivious to it being there during the course of just working together. Either way, he epic failed somehow, got his ass kicked out, and the Bloody Tower went on Red Alert and full lock down with his picture posted in every room for the guards to take note of and shoot with blessed silver bullets and holy water grenades on sight.
"Saving Mercedes and Xander from Iscariot might count as a side quest that he volunteered for and successfully accomplished that lowered the security alert and, if he was so inclined, won him a second chance to try running the outer defenses to the Head Jailer again. But the challenge is still upped because he failed the first time, even if the shoot-on-sight orders were rescinded, and he's clearly stalemated and not even made it past the first leg of the mission. Never mind gotten far enough to try impressing the Head Jailer to find out so much as a hint of what the quest might be. So, like I said, they're likely to kill each other, even if you're right in your theory and Alucard had any repressed desire to be more than allies or friends."
"What caused Mercedes to make such extreme defenses, besides whatever happened with Liam?" Seras asked, frown increasing as a sense of sympathy stole over the female vampire with a rather traumatic past of her own. "You indicated they were already there before Liam, so he's not the sole cause. Did it start because of what happened with her ex-husband?"
"It wasn't a single thing that caused them, she's had a bunch of rough breaks, but again, my neck would have a date with the guillotine if I give specific details," Val said implacably.
"But if no one is allowed to know what caused the defenses to be built and what those defenses are exactly, how are they supposed to be able to know the right way to get past them?" Seras persisted in confusion. Even with the horrific events that had happened in Seras's childhood, she hadn't shut off her emotions as much Val was describing Mercedes having done.
"That's part of the impossible challenge I guess." Val shrugged, partially accepting of the reality, partially confused herself as to Mercedes's logic though she knew the reasons behind it. "And they are Mercedes's rules as far as I've picked up from knowing her so long. I don't make them, I just follow them. Even if she makes things impossible for someone who might want to win her heart, she's still a great person and I'm not going to lose my best friend for breaking her rules."
"Hmph," Seras sighed. While she could believe that Mercedes had some severe intimacy issues, Seras wondered if Val was correct in that she was that walled up within her own mind. Such extreme measures seemed almost impossible to achieve.
Seras has gone through a time of being severely withdrawn from others after her parents' brutal murders that had taken place in front of her eyes, from witnessing also what took place afterwards while her own life was bleeding out. She had gone through spells of deep depression, of furious lashing out, of silent despondency.
But Seras had also slowly adjusted and come back from that precarious edge, making friends, finding goals in life to pursue, and even trying to keep some semblance of balance with her new unlife and her desire not to lose her humanity. Even though it had once seemed an unlikely match, Pip, with all his forward and unflagging determination, had managed to win over her heart and they were happy enough together despite all their differences. All in all, especially because of the obvious vampire aspect of her life and her career demands, she considered herself to be rather well adjusted for everything she had been through.
The female vampire found herself thinking that perhaps Mercedes just hadn't found such a match yet, one who would be able to get past her defenses just by being himself, and therefore the challenge Val described seemed far more insurmountable than it actually was.
After a few minutes of silence, Seras perked up and looked at Walter and Val with a grin. They both gave her confused looks. "Val, I have a question for you, seen as where you know Mercedes so well."
"I may have an answer, depending on the nature of said question," Val replied cautiously.
Seras held her hands up, waving them slightly to be placating at Val's tone of voice. "No details asked," she assured the red headed human. "Just wondering… If someone was inclined to trying to run that mission, do they have to run it alone?"
"What do you mean?" Val asked, confusion not abating.
Walter raised an eyebrow at Seras. "Miss Seras, if you are suggesting what I think you are suggesting, I really feel I must halt this conversation now before it goes any further. Such talk as that which took place before was perhaps excusable for the reason that it may allow a more civil understanding to come to pass and aid in bringing about a cease-fire to these current ongoing hostilities. But what I think you are suggesting would, as Miss Valarie phrased it, earn all three of us an appointment with a guillotine for treason."
Val realized what Seras meant as Walter reprimanded the female vampire. Val considered it and then said ambivalently, "Well, treason is only a matter of dates. If a candidate for running the Queen Mother's gambit seemed worthy, and a couple of conspirators decided to covertly undertake the mission with him to lend aid, and they were successful in aiding his endeavors and he made it all the way through the mission, said conspirators would be hailed as victorious allies, not condemnable traitors."
"You make the assumption a certain individual wishes to," Walter reminded both women pointedly.
"And who is to say he doesn't?" Seras countered. "If anything, I think if we were to lay out all the evidence, it would show he does wish to."
"Even if he does, and such intentions are Master Alucard's own business, not ours, you assume that Ms Mercedes would wish for him in particular to try," Walter replied. "She has not shown any sign of wishing to be pursued by any from what I can tell. And should he fail, both of them would not only be the worse for the attempt, but those who aided and abetted the attempt would most assuredly have that meeting with the guillotine."
"They might in fact have that meeting immediately, before they can continue their conspiracies any further," a very unamused and frigid voice echoed from behind the three.
Val and Walter looked over their shoulders startled, Val letting out a string of curses in surprise but Walter was otherwise stoic.
Seras had jumped where she sat, letting out a squeak of surprise, and ended up falling off the couch. The buxom young vampire quickly righted herself from where she was sprawled on the floor and looked towards the individual who had spoken.
Alucard was standing stock straight with his arms folded across his chest, glaring at the three. His expression was a thunderous cloud of anger, crimson eyes flashing like hell's own custom forged lightning bolts, the ferocious storm seemingly on the brink of being unleashed on all three.
"M-master," Seras stuttered in an attempt to head off that storm. "W-we were only…"
"I know full well what you three were doing," Alucard said sharply. "You will cease, immediately." His scorching hellfire gaze went to Walter. "That includes you as well. Half-meant protestations or not, you are still as culpable for remaining and not seriously deterring this little plot as they are for openly speaking about it."
Val had recovered from her initial surprise of Alucard's sudden appearance and, unlike his servants, wasn't as concerned with his displeasure as she knew he couldn't kill her.
"Alucard," Val said, drawing the progenitor of vampires' attention to herself. "What are your intentions towards my Mercedes? Plain and honest question, plain and honest answer."
"As Walter stated, whatever my 'intentions' are or are not, they are my own business," Alucard replied pointedly.
"No, actually," Val retorted just as sharply. "They are also Mercedes's business as they effect her. Which also makes them Xander's business as he is her son. And as they are both family to me and I am Xander's temporary legal guardian should something happen to Mercedes, that makes it my business. And as you two can't seem to get your act together and have a conversation without ending up having these sorts of fights, it's upsetting the whole household. Which makes it everyone's business as we all have to put up with you two." Val asked again, enunciating each word, "What are your intentions towards Mercedes?"
"I may not be able to kill or cause physical harm to you, Valarie," Alucard said with an increasingly blazing glare, "but I can torture you in ways you've never considered. Either because you lack any semblance of innate self-preservation mechanisms and you actively choose not to consider any possibilities, or because your mind is not nearly as sadistic as my own and even your best attempts would fail to match what I am capable of. Whatever notions you have in your head, drop them or you will begin to find out how much suffering I can inflict without ever laying a finger on you."
Alucard's gaze went to his two servants. "And you two. Servant vampires or true vampires in your own rights, it makes no difference as you both willingly continue to serve me and I am your creator regardless. There is nothing preventing me from ending the existences I gave you if you again consider meddling in matters that are not your own."
Seras and Walter exchanged worried glances, fully recognizing that their Master was truly angry and not just being his usual ominous self.
"Oooo, scary threats, Your Royal Fangness," Val said sarcastically, entirely unimpressed and unconcerned. The redheaded human continued speaking, not heeding the warning glances from her co-conspirators, "At least 600 years of practice has gotten your Intimidation stat up to snuff. But now I'm thinking our first discussion shouldn't have been Mercedes's issues. It should have been strategizing on how to chip away at least six layers of the bad attitude you have to see if you've even got the underlying potential to be a candidate for running the mission and worth us conspiring to help."
Alucard's hellfire gaze was now at the peak of intensity as his gaze remained leveled on the disrespectful and loud-mouthed human. Instead of responding verbally, Alucard made sure Xander was in a deep hypnotic sleep, and then made a very simple gesture with one hand.
A split second later, Val was surrounded by six (the number was intentional) snarling ebony hell hounds, all of whom were pinning the human with their eight-eyed hellfire gazes.
Val let out a high-pitched, inarticulate scream and clambered up to balance on the back of the chair. The hell hounds surrounded the chair and placed front paws on the sides. The redheaded human tried to move further to the center of the headrest, lost her balance, and tumbled down into the mass of hell hounds. Val let out another panicked scream as one of the hounds immediately pounced onto her chest and snarled. The hell hound bared its three rows of razor sharp teeth, releasing a near cloud of rancid, sulfuric demon dog breath, which cut off the scream because she promptly started gagging.
Alucard smirked at his newest venue for vengeful entertainment. "Val, meet your new shadows. Seen as where you can't be trusted to your own devices, you won't be going anywhere without the hell hounds tracking and approving of your every move. You'll find them every bit as unrelentingly vicious as myself, but you're welcome to test that fact for yourself if you still feel bold enough."
"Get... get... them away," Valarie whimpered between racking coughs, trying not to vomit, and unsuccessfully trying to pull out from under the hound.
"No."
"Master, this seems a bit..." Seras meekly tried to intervene.
The Vampire King's gaze turning to her cut the words off. "Don't even make the attempt, Seras. I have been forced to tolerate far too much as it is from her. And you're on thin ice at the moment for your part in this treasonous affair."
"Apologies, my Master," Seras said swiftly, gulping and glancing towards Val helplessly.
Before Alucard could have the chance to enjoy the show, however, he felt a great deal of dark magic suddenly rise up. Out in the woods, in the direction the Seer had gone off in. And there was a shift in the air, not one that could be heard or felt with mundane senses. It was a hollow reverberation, a metaphysical vaccum of space forming.
Hellfire gazed turned toward the direction of the magic with alarm. That felt similar to the space in his soul where he housed the souls of those he drained.
What in the unholiest of fucks was that tricky little mouse doing now?! That was not magic to be toying with, especially not in her condition! Was she actively trying to get herself killed?
The progenitor of vampires turned to shadows and sped as quickly as he could towards the magic's epicenter to discover what was happening.