Drowning in Darkness.
By: Lazeralk.
Standard disclaimers apply.
In the name of God, impure souls of the living dead shall be banished into eternal damnation. Amen.
Part 19
0o0o0
Ok, one last time, most of my boys are straight. Seron was in love with Mauve remember? Meriquoi is actually strait too. Aramore just likes to tease, it's his nature. And mine actually. I flirt on instinct, I can't help it and neither can he. He doesn't usually mean anything by it at all, its just what he does. It's a defense mechanism for both of us. There is no sex in this fic, or the Champaign room. Besides, what's wrong with a little boy-on-boy love? I think it's hot.
This is the final chapter and the epilogue combined so don't be surprised if there is a major time jump or something.
0o0o0
Shadow awoke to a familiar face hovering an inch above her own. A brilliant smile shaped her lips as she leapt at him, sending him all her love and happiness and relief. She felt his own joy surge through her mind as they wrapped each other in tangible emotion.
Shadow and her lover were reunited. She stood and found herself back in her own room, in her house in the Deep, and all around her the hum of thousands of psychic minds pressed inside of her until tears of joy streamed down her face.
Her people were free.
0o0o0
Arucard scowled at the wall, hoping for some kind of distraction. He sunk his fangs into his lower lip, a nervous habit.
"Arucard! Stop that, you'll get blood all over your suit." Scolded Walter, pulling the vampire down to straighten his tie.
"Now then, do you remember what you are supposed to do?"
Arucard nodded, shifting from foot to foot.
"Good. Then lets get this over with."
Arucard followed the Hellsing retainer out into the church, tugging at his gloves. He looked at the gathered Hellsing soldiers and frowned. There were about one hundred of them, all dressed in suits and watching him with mixed emotions.
He strode past them and stood at the steps to the alter, wishing for his coat and guns, but more so his glasses to hide behind. Walter smiled reassuringly and walked back the way he'd come, disappearing behind a door.
The pipe organ began to play and he turned to watch the door expectantly, the anticipation of the next few moments building inside his gut like a storm. The doors at the end of the row opened up and Seras Victoria emerged, a long flowing gown hugging her curves. She moved forward and walked the hall, smiling at the soldiers as they all turned to watch her drop flower petals along the way.
She reached Arucard's side and turned away from him, walking to stand to the side, her eyes locked on the door she'd just come through.
-She's so beautiful. – Echoed through Arucard's mind.
At that instant, Sir Integra Wingates Hellsing stood framed in the door way and he silently agreed with his child's appraising comment. She was indeed beautiful, her long white silks marking her to be a true woman as she walked down the aisle on Walter's arm, her blue eyes glinting behind her veil.
Arucard fought the sudden urge to flee. He stood rooted to the spot, all his vampiric senses trained on the woman walking towards him. He was getting married to his master.
God help him.
Seras sighed as she watched the ceremony, happily leaning against Malikai. It was so romantic.
Arucard smiled goofily at her when she reached his side and slipped his arm around her waist.
"If you fuck this up I swear to god I'll kill you." She whispered to him, staring straight ahead.
He chuckled.
Father Anderson growled at them both, and then at Malikai. This was his fault, the paladin had agreed to perform the service on the condition that the Hellsing organization eliminated Section XIII and grant him sanctuary. He and Malikai were now sharing an apartment and he was now pastor of the local church.
Just because he'd agreed to perform what he considered an abomination before God didn't mean he had to like it. He was however a man of his word. He glared at the vampire in front of him before flipping open his bible to a previously marked page and then recited the words he knew by heart anyway.
"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to witness the joining of this…..man…...and this woman in a state of…..holy…..matrimony."
Arucard was laughing again.
Integra very subtly stepped on his foot.
The ceremony passed rather quickly for Arucard who couldn't tear his eyes of his new wife. He lifted the veil from her face and caressed her cheek lovingly as the Judas priest stumbled through the words, fighting his disgust at being within three feet of his most heated enemy on the happiest day of said enemies life. Er…death.
Of all the indignity, marring a vampire in the house of God, it was blasphemy in its purest form.
Finally Father Anderson reluctantly announced them husband and wife and had to swallow the bile in his throat twice before he gave them permission to kiss, at which point he turned away from them.
The entire congregation of Hellsing troops raised a loud cheer at their leader's blushing display of affection. Even Seras and her own husband were cheering wildly. The reception had been brief and joyous, Integra flat out refusing to dance. She'd squawked rather indignantly when Arucard had pulled her out onto the floor with his inhuman strength and led her through a very archaic waltz.
In spite of herself she found herself laughing. Integra couldn't have been happier.
0o0o0
(Forty-nine years later)
Seras clung to her master's arm as the rain poured down around them. Her ruby eyes gazed at the names carved on the gravestones, a deep sadness welling up inside of her.
'Walter.' She thought, her heart aching.
'Malikai.' She choked on a sob as her eyes settled on the grave of her beloved husband.
'Integra.' She felt the tears flowing down her cheeks, still the same after all these years. Arucard was shielding as hard as he could, keeping his own tormented emotions from reaching his child's now sharpened senses.
Her voice echoed through his head, as it was wont to do when she was projecting. He clamped his jaws together and fought the urge to cry. She'd only been dead for a month, and the pain felt as raw as it did when he held her frail hand, old and withered as she lay dying in her bed. He was so proud of her and so disappointed in her that she hadn't let him turn her. She was defiant and proud to the end, and a small smile tugged his lips at the thought. He remembered the mix of unbelievable agony and pure joy that had rushed through his veins when she died, carving out his heart and shattering it while the seals that had bound him for over one hundred years finally broke. He was free, but at too great a price.
Seras turned her body into his and he absently wrapped her shaking form in his arms as she sobbed, tears of blood running down her face.
He tore his eyes away from the graves and looked up at the now abandoned house, his eyes burning the picture into his mind for all eternity.
He took his child's hand in his own and led her away from the only home ever she'd known as a vampire. He looked up into the glowing full moon and walked away into the night with out looking back.
The Hellsing legacy was over, the final page turned. And on this day in one year's time he'd return to open the book again. Hellsing was gone, but he was not and never would be. The vampire Arucard smiled in the darkness, the light glinting off his fangs.
"Death is only the beginning." He whispered.
And they ruled the night happily ever after.
The End.
Lazeralk 1-08-2004
Look for the sequel! Beginning's End is up and completed!
Edited 6-18-2009 ~Lazeralk ^_^
