Chapter 1: Fighting The Bloodlust
Seras exited the toilet stall with a very depressed look about her eyes. She rolled the plate onto the table and sighed softly to herself. She shuffled over to her bed, sitting down on the edge and putting her head in the palm of her hands.
"What is wrong with me?" she asks herself, slightly aloud. "Why am I acting this way?"
Another soft sigh is issued from her lips, muting the sound of Alucard actually going through her door. "Police Girl," he whispers after a moment of pause.
Seras jumps with a start, eyes of crimson snapping up and locking onto the half-shadow covered form of Alucard. Both stare at each other, blood-colored eyes locked in a stare-down of death. No movement is made, no sound uttered. Nothing moves.
"Yes, master?.." Seras asks softly, uncertainly.
Alucard takes a small step toward Seras, but stops. "I told you that postponing the drinking of blood is bad for you, Police Girl. You shall become weak.. Integral does not want you not drinking blood, like you did when I first made you. She needs well, fit vampires to work for her. Not weaklings."
Seras looks down miserably, already knowing this was going to come. Alucard read her mind almost frequently to make sure she wasn't up to no good. "I understand, master.. I'm sorry."
Suddenly, Alucard was on the edge of the bed beside her. He peered down to her, his eyes glittering. "Just try, Police Girl. Drinking blood is not as bad as you think it is," he says softly.
"I know.."
"Here." Alucard reaches into his pocket, producing a blood packet. "I brought this for you, since you wasted your last bit." He hands the packet out in front of her.
Seras looks up at her master, eyeing him slowly. She reaches out and grips the packet, drawing her hand back toward her, but.. Alucard wouldn't let go of the packet. A large grin creased his mouth upward.
"Master?" she questions, but he had already released the packet. She blinks slowly.
"It's a joke, Police Girl. I was joking with you." He eases up off the bed, walking toward the door but turning around before he gets there, standing silently. "Drink it."
The Police Girl gulps, looking down to the packet of blood that is between her closed fingers. I can't do this, she tells herself.
Yes you can, Seras Victoria. It's only blood.
"Mast--!"
Alucard puts a finger against his lips, signaling her to be quiet. "Drink it," he repeats.
Leisurely, Seras opens the packet of blood.
"Good girl. Turn it up. It's not bad, Police Girl. It's like.." Alucard pauses. "Sex; almost. It feels so good going down your throat." He chuckles, a wide grin on his lips.
Seras looks at Alucard for a moment, then back down at the packet. She turns it up, tip against her lips, and closes her eyes. A warm rush of liquid cascades over her tongue and down her throat. She sputters some, and chokes from the longing and hungry feeling gnawing at her stomach's edge. She didn't realize how starved-- how ravenous --she could be when close to blood. Greedily, she drains the packet; sucking out every last drop of blood left. Alucard cackles from the door.
"That's a good Police Girl," he says, smiling. "It will be that good; always. Remember that." And, like before, he is gone.
Seras' face scrunches up in agony, horror, and surprise. She slings the empty packet across the room, giving a shuddering cry. It was horrible, yet she didn't know why. She had been drinking blood for sometime now. Why was it so hard? She curls up in a fetal-position on the bed. Her finger presses the button on the remote, and, slowly, she descends into darkness.
Knock.
Knock.
Knock.
A repetitive knocking rang out against the lid of Seras' coffin-like bed. After two more knocks there was a pause, then a voice.
"Police Girl. It's after dark, you must 'rouse yourself from this sleep now."
It was Alucard.
Thick lashes fluttered open to expose red orbs to darkness. Coal pupils expand to drain more light from the closed space. Sleepily, Seras lifts herself onto her elbows then presses the button on the remote. The lid lifts slowly, and she emerges from her shadowy den.
"Finally, you answer my knocking, Police Girl. I thought I was going to have to drag you out myself," says Alucard calmly.
"I'm sorry, master. I was just so tired."
Alucard nods understandingly, hands by his side; still. "You had gotten your stomach full of your thirst for prolonged blood. You rested more soundly."
She had a small flashback of the earlier afternoon. Her eyes shut with a small wince as she recalls slinging the emptied blood packet against the opposite wall. She was shamed, and her head turned to search for the packet, but it was already gone.
Alucard grins. "Walter cleaned it up for you, Police Girl. Maybe you should thank him sometime."
Seras rolls her eyes back to Alucard. "Yes, master. I shall."
The grin on Alucard's face stayed the same. "Come," he says, flashing a pearly fang. "I wish to share something with you. I think you are ready."
A confused look forms on Seras' eyes. Show her something? Alucard? Since when was he the type of person who would share something with her. She slides off of the bed, moving for the door. Maybe it was a run-up of their next mission.
"Aren't you coming?" asks Alucard, phasing through the door itself.
"Master, wait!" Seras calls, opening the door quickly.
Soon, Police Girl, you will be able to do this. Soon, Alucard's voice rings inside her head.
A cackle sounds against the walls of the hallway as Seras exits her room. She turns her head, looking up and down the hall for a physical sign of her master. None. He was gone.
She looks again. "Master?" she calls uncertainly.
Here, Police Girl. Follow my voice.
Seras shakes her head, eyes wincing tight. "But you're everywhere, master! You're in my head!"
A small chuckle. "Sorry, I couldn't resist. Follow me, Police Girl."
She looks up again, then down the hall where the voice appeared to have sounded. He seemed so close, yet, Seras knew, he wasn't.
"I wish you wouldn't play games like this, master," says Seras to herself.
"I'm sorry, Police Girl." Alucard's voice echoes from ahead of her. Always out of reach, it seems. "But I like to play games."
Seras follows the voice, looking around warily. "Why don't you ever play games with Integral, master?"
Alucard cackles. "Why don't you ever play games with me, Police Girl?"
She growls softly. "Don't change the question!"
"I'm not. I'm asking you. Why don't you ever play games with me, Police Girl?"
Seras eyes the floor in front of her. "Because," she says, "you might not like my games."
Another chuckle. "Then that answers your question."
"What question?" asks, Seras, confused.
"The one you asked me earlier. Hurry up."
"Oh.." Seras bit her bottom lip, following the voice to the front, and out of, the door to the Hellsing manor.
Alucard turns to greet her on the top of the steps. "You're slow, Police Girl," he comments. "Come, let us be off."
"Where are we going, master?"
"Yes, where are you going, Alucard?" asks a voice from the door behind them.
Alucard and Seras turn to face Integral's intelligent blue eyes. "Ah, master," says Alucard, bowing then walking over to her gracefully. "What brings you out on a night such as this one?"
"This is no time for social concepts, Alucard. I want to know where you and Miss Victoria are going. Now."
Alucard grins wickedly to Integral, taking her hand and placing a soft kiss on the knuckles. "Just wondering the night aimlessly, master. Seeing the places that we may never get to see."
Seras looks down in respectful, hidden jealousy when Alucard kisses Integral's hand. She could never tell if something more was going on between them. She had always prayed that there wasn't.
"Fine," says Integral, taking her hand back roughly and turning to the door. "No blood drinking, Alucard. None from humans, do you understand?"
Alucard smiles. "Yes, master."
"Good." Integral opens the door, and disappears back into the depths of the Hellsing manor.
Alucard turns back to Seras, folding his hands behind his back so that it sweeps his blood-colored trench coat away from his front. "So, my dear Police Girl. Care to join me now?"
A slow nod was the response Seras gave him, and he accepted it. "Where are we going?" she asks softly.
One of Alucard's crimson eyes peer over his shoulder at her, while he flows down the steps. "You will find out when we get there, Police Girl. Be patient."
Seras sighs gently, but follows along behind Alucard anyway. And, good for her, Alucard never misted or phased out of view and left her with nothing but a voice to follow. She walks on his heels almost, enjoying the fact that she has him for a long company. She was attracted to Alucard, but not in a lover fashion. She had a small "crush," so to speak, on him. She admired him because of his strength and intellect, but she also admired him for his mysterious and unknown nature.
They walk, and, it seems for about ten minutes before the scenery around them begins to change. It becomes older, more darker and unused. Twisted in some way by the hands of time. Seras stares around in awe, never have been to this part of town before. Alucard seemed to not notice, or not care about her new awareness. Maybe he already expected this. He looked ahead, still walking.
"Don't slow down. We're almost there, Police Girl." Alucard again peered over his shoulder at the following young vampire.
The ground beneath Seras' boots changed. It crumbled slightly while vines and weeds grew endlessly around them. It was like a ghost town. As if people had just suddenly up and left to the other side of the city. Cars were left, trashcans, plates everything. Some food were still in the stores, if it hadn't rotted yet.
The buildings that towered around Seras looked decades old, and were also falling over on themselves. A chilling wind blew around her as she pressed on, although Alucard was there in front of her, creating a sort of barricade. She tilted her head, sweeping her gaze up toward the sky above her.
"Ah.."
Alucard gives a small chuckle, but doesn't turn his head to look at her. "Beautiful, isn't it, Police Girl?"
"Yes, master. It's beautiful."
Alucard turns his head slightly, the tip of his large grin was all that could be seen of his face. "Makes me want to have some blood," he whispers.
Seras blinks, mouth opening slightly. "But, master," she says, "Integral said we could not drink from a human."
"Yes, I know, Police Girl. I know.."
Alucard's voice dies down as he comes to a complete stop in front of an old run-down building. The sign above the door read:
"The
Nord Antoinette
Librairie"
"A.. library..?" asks Seras, curiously.
Alucard gives a small nod. "Yes, a library. Come." Swiftly, and with the utmost grace, he starts off again, making his way toward the double-entry doors of the library.
Giving a small yip of surprise, Seras darts off after her master, following behind him closely. Her wide, red orbs look around, pupils dilated.
Soon, both are ascending the collapsed stone steps of the library. Alucard stands in front of the double-doors while Seras watches from behind him.
The doors themselves were torn from their hinges. The door that was left standing was half-way falling down; large holes of some sort all over its surface. The wood that it was made of was rotten, and tainted with cob-webs and dust. Alucard gingerly pushed on the door, causing it to instantly fall inward and land with an ear-splitting crash onto the ground.
"I hope no one was asleep," admits Alucard, stepping inside the thresh hold with a wide smile.
As they enter, the room opens up into a large commons area. The roof reaches up for miles, letting in the moon's eerie light from the tinted sunroof. The floor was painted in intricate designs and waxed, but it was still very dusty. Seras left footprints in the thick dust, yet, Alucard did not. She blinked down at her feet, studying the floor.
"It's an illusion, Police Girl." Alucard turns to her, smiling. "Magic," he exclaims softly.
"..Magic?"
She looks upward, toward the sunroof, as more moonlight spills into the room. Like water, the light pours over the floor and up the walls, revealing mighty bookshelves that tower over Alucard and herself. Spiral staircases are revealed aswell. There are two on each side of the room, leading up to a second story with even more bookcases.
Alucard smiles more. "..Magic," he repeats.
"So.. many books, master," says Seras in awe.
Alucard spins around, eyeing the bookshelves himself. "Yes, there are many, many books here, in this library." He gives a pause. "I've read almost all of them."
A small gasps escapes Seras' throat. "All of them, master?"
Alucard grins. "All of them, Police Girl."
Again, Seras looks around, taking a step forward so she is directly beside Alucard. "Then.. this library must be.. centuries old."
"Yes," says Alucard, looking down at Seras. "This library is very old. Almost older than myself." He chuckles.
"So, this library was here when you were a child, master?" Seras tilts her head, crimson orbs peering into crimson orbs.
Alucard smiles softly. "Yes, I was a small child when this library was built. Shall well look around, Police Girl?"
"Yes," Seras says gently, looking around the room.
"Good." Alucard walks to the front desk, situated smack-dab in the middle of the entire room itself. He slides off his glasses and lays them on the desk as Seras appears beside him. He glances to her, taking off his hat and placing it on her head. He chuckles. "A miniature me, only as a woman. Very disturbing," Alucard tells her.
Seras gives a small laugh, and a eek of surprise as his hat slides down on her head, covering her eyes. It slips over so it is tilted as Alucard might have it sometimes, the brim hiding one of Seras' red eyes.
"Now," begins Alucard, "I want to show you something, Seras."
Quickly, Seras locks her eyes onto her master, being he called her by her first name. "Yes, master?.." she asks, curious to know what he wanted to show her.
Alucard turns, looking over the bookcases slowly. "This library has so many books, that, even now, I have no clue as to where some are placed."
"Heh," says Seras, softly.
A small noise is heard; a groan in the distance. Alucard turns his head as Seras jumps, looking around.
"Do you feel them, Police Girl? They're close.."
Seras looks to Alucard. "Feel who, master? What are 'they'?"
A small smile spreads across Alucard's face. "Freaks," he says softly to Seras. "Ghouls. I would say around.. five or so. Headed this way. They must have heard me bust down the front door. Or maybe they felt us, too."
"Where is the vampire who is over them?" asks Seras.
Alucard shakes his head. "We'll find out soon enough, Police Girl. It'll me a few minutes before they actually get here. Now, let me show you something." Alucard swivels around, walking toward and up the spiral staircase on the right. Seras follows curiously, wondering what on Earth her master would want to show her.
Alucard doesn't peer down each bookcase to eye the spines of the books. He walks ahead, all the way to the second to last bookshelf. There, he stops and peers over his shoulder at Seras.
"Stay right here, Police Girl," he commands, stepping into the shadows of the bookcase.
Looking around quickly, Seras stands in place, awaiting her master's return. Alucard appears, apparitional in front of her, making her jump with a start. In his hand was a small book with a black cover. In gold script on the spine it read:
Dracula Bram Stoker
"Dracula?" asks Seras, eyeing Alucard.
He hands the book to her, grinning wickedly. "Dracula. Skim through it, Police Girl. Tell me if you notice anything familiar."
Seras blinks, but takes the book, opens it, and skims through it quickly. Alucard turns and begins browsing down bookcases, boredly looking over book covers.
After a few minutes of skimming, Seras gasps. "Master! Your name.." She pauses as Alucard's grinning face appears beside her. "Master," she says again, "your name is.. Dracula.. Backwards."
"Yes," cackles Alucard. "My name is Dracula spelled backwards. Now, look for something else." He watches her skim again over her shoulder, still smiling away.
"Van Helsing," says Seras in-the-distance. "Van Helsing.. in Dracula is a vampire hunter.. And, Integral's maiden name is.. Hellsing.. Is there a connection, master?"
Alucard nods softly. "Yes.. Integral could be a possible descendant of Van Helsing. Possibly."
Staring at the book in concentration, Seras closes it gently.
"Keep it, Police Girl, and read it sometime. It's s classic." Alucard gives a grin. "It'll catch you up on our ancestors."
A tumbling and crashing sounds through the library. Both turn their heads toward the entrance.
"I believe we have some guests, Police Girl," says Alucard.
Peeking up from the brim of his hat, Seras nods. "Shall we?" she asks.
Alucard throws his head back, giving a loud cackle of excitement.
"Yes, Seras. Lets."
