Disclaimer information: All characters belong to their proper copyrighted owners. Please use your own discretion in reading, as the content of the story will lead towards 'Yuri" and possibly lemon (I do not know the criteria of these definitions) which accounts for the R rating as there will be, in the upcoming chapters some violence and other adult themes. This timeline takes place after the Incognito incident after the series end. I have not read the Manga and the assumptions regarding Arucard and his 'age' were based upon a now defunct fan site called "Intensity-Integral Shrine". If you have not seen the following website Solid & Etc you should get there as soon as you can. It is some of the most astonishing Hellsing inspired art I have ever seen. Reviews and feedback are welcome.
Chapter 3
"She has arisen again?" The voice was cold as the distant north.
"She has come out from her slumber. She has, true to fashion, found that disgrace of our breed, Arucard." The other voice replied, harsh and grating.
"I care not for the folly of the mortals, or any of her idiot siblings, not even that bastardized sibling. It is she I seek and have waited 4 centuries to exact my revenge."
"Of course Milord. She shall suffer soon enough, tonight we will unleash the wrath of Cortisia upon her."
"She shall not be killed. I want her taken alive." The voice said severely.
"Of course." The figure dissipated into the mist.
*-*
Hellsing turned on the lamp on her desk. She rubbed the bridge of her nose. There was an increase in FREAK and other supernatural activity. She was inclined to believe that they were reacting to something, not unlike animals that can sense a storm coming and begin to panic.
She picked up the phone and dialed. "Walter, assemble the commanders, I have a plan for this evening." She said quickly. She waited a moment for his acknowledgement and then placed the receiver down.
"Arucard!" She barked into her empty office. She began reassembling the disarray of papers on her desk.
Within moments, she felt him arrive.
"You should not plan an attack tonight. There is something larger out there." Arucard said as he moved in towards her desk.
"Now you give commands?" Integra asked quietly.
Arucard looked at her. "She is right. You are feeling the burden of your office and your title."
Integra turned away towards the window. "She knows nothing of how I feel. I know there is something out there but I will not stand by while whatever it is thinks that it can move freely thorough my city. If nothing else, this is a perfect time to clean up."
Integra watched Seras walking with Camilla. She felt a twinge of something; she wasn't sure what but it almost felt like jealousy. She narrowed her blue eyes and turned back towards Arucard.
"You allow her to walk on my grounds now and do nothing?" Her voice was soft and quiet.
"Apparently, your entire staff allows it. You will tell me where to be later I trust?" Arucard replied disdainfully as he disappeared back into the wall. His glowing red eyes the last thing to blink out.
*-*
Seras hefted her gun over her shoulder. Arucard had not said anything but the cold look she had received from Lord Hellsing as she walked past the troops told her that her late afternoon walk with Camilla was not well received.
She waited as the other troops moved into position. There were so many FREAKS in the buildings below, another warehouse district crawling with them. She was the secondary to Arucard, knowing that they would call him in to do the most damage he could and then her, and then finally let the Hellsing organization troops come in and mop up.
In the distance she heard the intermittent burst of machine gun fire as a squadron found another nest of FREAKS and had to readjust the perimeter.
She reached up to brush her hair out of her eyes. Camilla had been so unlike anything she had expected. She had talked to her about becoming a vampire. Talked to her about what that meant and how she had a choice, just like she has always had the choice, to let that mean she was nothing more than a mad beast who killed for sport and horror or that she accept what it took to keep her alive. Camilla knew what to say, sometimes, when she spoke, Seras got the distinct impression that she was speaking not to council Seras but to give voice to the doubts she still wrestled with.
She had told stories about Arucard as a young vampire, funny stories. It was truly as if a long lost relative had come to visit with childhood stories. Seras like Camilla and she also sensed that beneath the compassionate exterior, in the words of her Master, she was a Category A Prime 1 vampire. There was such power beneath her surface that Seras truly hoped that Integra would not persist in trying to destroy Camilla. That seemed like an invitation to open Pandora's box.
*-*
Integra Hellsing waited for the car to come to a complete stop before opening the door.
"Do not Lord Hellsing, this is the most activity we have seen in a very long time from the FREAKS." Walter said as he too prepared to exit the vehicle.
"I shall be right outside." Hellsing replied, shutting her door and leaning against the car door. Already the ashtray in the car had several cigar butts sticking out. She sighed and opened another pack. She lit it with her grandfather's lighter.
She rolled the lighter around in her hands. She still worried over the small twinge of whatever that was earlier. She knew vampires had compelling persuasion powers. She wondered if that creature had done something during their talk. Or was it the lighter itself?
Hellsing gave a small bitter laugh to herself. Of course not, now she was giving them the power to enchant objects.
"Targets have been sighted. Alpha team readjusting the perimeter, we have about 50 more than we anticipated. Awaiting your instructions."
"Delta team, in position and standing by."
"Charlie team, in position and standing by."
Integra listened to the crackling check ins in the headset.
"Arucard?" She said.
"There is something else here. Not just the FREAKS but they congregate around here because of it." Arucard replied, his voice filling the air though he wore no transmission device.
"Stand by and wait for my mark." Integra said to the teams.
The FREAKS were moving in some strange frenzied pattern. When they finally launched again towards the nearest unit at the perimeter, Integra gave the command to engage at will.
The battle was well engaged and Hellsing listened to the curt orders occasional screams and muttering from the troops. She knew that Arucard had not joined yet. Then there was a shift in the sounds of the battle. The troops began to request pulling back. The FREAKS screams filled the background and Hellsing stepped away from the car to see what was happening. Beasts, the size of rhinoceroses, with slathering jaws of too many teeth were ripping into the FREAKS and her troops, shredding them with saber long claws or snapping them in two in their jaws. When Hellsing moved, one of the beasts swung its' massive head towards her. A series of blinking eyes gazed at her. Within seconds, all the other beasts, a dozen, more, turned to stare at Hellsing.
They begin trotting towards her and the car, their massive legs shortening the distance between them quickly.
"Get in Milord." Walter says, starting the engine of the Silver Cloud. Hellsing stared at the carnage before her; she began to back towards the car when the swirling black cloud rose up before the beasts. Hellsing waits for Arucard's chaos given form to manifest. Instead, like Seras's surprise earlier, it was Camilla who appeared. The beasts stumbled to their knees and whimpering whines emitted from those great jaws.
Within moments, Arucard stood beside Camilla. Hellsing's blue eyes narrowed as she stopped right outside the car.
Camilla concentrated on the Corsican hellhounds. There were so many of them and while she stopped them initially, she could sense their true master, the one who had summoned them, urging them on.
"Ready?" She said lightly as she poised for the attack.
"I thought you would never ask." Arucard replied.
The beasts hurled themselves at the two figures that immediately transformed in to shadows. Hellsing watched as Camilla transformed into a sleeker, more agile version of what she was used to seeing from Arucard. The battle was happening faster than her eyes could understand; it was darkness, blood and fury in a maelstrom before her.
Seras watched from her position, moving in closer. She can see what Hellsing cannot; she can see the beauty and grace of Camilla and Arucard's powers as they battled the hellhounds. Even with the power, Seras winced every time one or the other of them was struck.
Hellsing suddenly became aware that Arucard was spinning though the air and the fury had ceased. Camilla was on the ground, back in human form, struggling to rise. Blood now marred her fine features, Hellsing could not tell whose blood it was but some of it appeared to be the vampires.
"Interesting." Hellsing thought, she could not recall actually seeing Arucard looking wounded. She had seen him bleed; blessed weapons forged from saint's adornments could hurt him.
Camilla has the look of pained concentration. Seras can see the power shimmering across the air, which she knows the others can't. Arucard has reassembled himself and has drawn his guns. Both of them can sense the power but they cannot see the source, only the target, Camilla.
"Milord, Camilla…The creature, appears to be engaged in some kind of battle or power struggle. She is being attacked."
Hellsing did not reply. She watched as Camilla struggled to stand and face towards the center of the warehouse district. Hellsing became remotely aware that there are still battles taking place between her troops and the FREAKS and whatever other contingent is loose, killing whichever crosses their path. Camilla continued to face the center of the warehouse district, although she looked as though she would fall again.
Even Hellsing could feel the electricity of the power moving through the air now.
"She is protecting our troops." Seras whispered.
"Control release requested." Arucard asked Integra. He would not stand by and watch his sister take such abuse to save the masses of humanity, or at least this sub-set. He could feel how much power she was using to control the hellhounds and deflect the shimmering waves of power.
Hellsing nodded as she replied. "Control release for Control 7 - 1-A, the wrath of heaven's tears."
"No!" Camilla said, both out loud and reverberating through Seras and Hellsing's minds.
"There are too many innocents, you will stay back. No controls." Camilla spoke firmly.
"They are not worth this effort. They signed up to die for the 'glory of god and crown.' Let them do just that." Arucard's rage rippled along his response.
Hellsing watched Arucard, intrigued, she had never actually seen the vampire angry and he looked angry now. He had not begun to use his powers. She had released the control for him.
Hellsing, Seras and Arucard feel the force of the blows that strike Camilla and send her flying through the air. She spins through the air and lands nimbly on her feet. Another blow, then another and she staggers back. Hellsing can see the physical toll of this battle and this too would be a first.
Camilla stands, glaring into the smoke and fire. Finally, a figure appears from the shadows, tall, taller than Arucard and bigger, broader across the chest. The face is covered by the cloak's shadow.
"I have been looking for you witch."
"Herod…" Camilla replied, questioning the voice.
"You didn't really think you could kill me, did you?" Came the snarling reply as he reached up and slipped the hood away from his face.
Camilla stared at his face. He was once a handsome creature, but now, scars criss crossed his features. Including one gaping one down the right side of his face that had formed a braided twist of valleys and peaks from forehead to chin.
"Admiring your handiwork? If you thought I made you suffer before, you have no idea." He sneered and released a series of attacks, aimed at her.
Camilla smiled weakly at him, "For every pain you cause me, I will triple it against you. Like I did before." She absorbed each of his attacks, to deflect the harm from those around them.
Arucard readies his guns and takes aim at the vampire, Category A no less, vampire who stands before his sister. He is furious that she is not fighting back, he can sense how much abuse she is taking.
"Do not fire upon him brother. Not here. This is not the place." Camilla said.
"You cannot be serious. To allow him to come here and humiliate you…"
"No one sees that I am not fighting. No one can see that I am allowing him to beat me, like a cur." She replied lightly.
"I see…" Arucard replied angrily.
"Would you have me battle him and level this area? Kill your master? Can you get her to safety fast enough? What of your own offspring. She could not withstand a battle between us. You alone would survive." Camilla pointed out.
Arucard could sense that she was becoming annoyed at having to distract herself with this conversation. Blood was trickling out of her nose.
Herod smiled coldly, a grotesque mockery of what a smile was from the scars on his face. She was not fighting him. Her weakness was always these meat puppets, these cockroaches beneath his heel.
He turned from his attack of her and sent a flurry of attacks towards a cluster of the uniformed roaches.
Camilla disappeared and reappeared before the Hellsing troop under attack. She cursed herself for being drawn into this. How could she not have known Herod was alive, much less here? She grimaced at the pain of Herod's attacks, if she had not thrown up the shield and moved in front of the attacks, the humans behind her would be smeared across the warehouse walls.
Hellsing's eyes narrowed. Did Camilla just save those troops? What was she doing?
Camilla felt small sharp pains across her back, through her shoulders, across her back and through her leg forced her to drop to one knee. They were firing on her? It was not that the bullets actually hurt her so much as stung but on top of everything else, she found the irony of surviving Herod's plan for revenge and falling to the man made projectiles too amusing.
Hellsing saw the troop of men begin firing their weapons into the female vampire's back. They were panicked and probably hadn't realized she had actually protected them.
"Delta company, Cease fire. I repeat, Cease Fire! Fall back, immediately, fall back!" Hellsing barked into her headset.
Herod laughed and began walking towards the downed woman. He stopped at the flurry of activity near her and then scowled as one after another, vampires, true vampires, appeared around her.
Arucard had flashed to Camilla's side the second she fell. He felt his siblings and others appear one after the other. It was hardly the reunion he would have anticipated.
Hellsing and Seras watched the scene, each with remarkably different reactions. Seras felt a pull to join the growing numbers of vampires materializing around Camilla. She had never seen so many vampires, true vampires, not the FREAKS, in one place. She overheard Camilla, her thoughts angry and not the usual calm, soothing tone.
"You will not attack Herod. And you absolutely will not attack the humans."
"Now you are being foolish. You have endangered yourself and all to protect these same humans who shoot at you?"
"We will deal with this later."
"Yes we will you graceless bastard child. There will come a time when this will finish between us and I will finally remove the abomination that you are to our race." Herod interrupted Camilla. His lips curling into a snarl, his eyes burning a deep red.
"Our battle has nothing to do with anyone but you and I." Camilla responded.
"Oh yes it does. I will do to you what you tried to do to me. First, you will pay for that humiliation, then I will let you live again through every slow and painful death of those around you, except you will not find the relief of oblivion." Herod stepped forward a small step before changing his mind.
"You mistake me for the foolish child I was all those centuries ago." Camilla answered calmly.
Hellsing watched as Herod held his hand up in the air for a brief moment and then quickly formed an intricate design before turning away, dissipating into the shadows of the dusk that had fallen.
"Then suffer you bastard abomination." Hellsing heard the voice come from the darkness.
Camilla uttered a small cry, the first sound of pain she had made during the entire battle and collapsed completely to the ground, a deep crimson rose spreading across her torso.
Arucard and the others rose and formed a wall of swirling shadows. In moments, the black fog had spread out and away from Camilla and the FREAKS fell like an anthill destroyed by a vengeful child. No matter what they tried, the shadows consumed them and then spit out their crumpled forms.
Hellsing saw Seras race into the cloud and towards the fallen creature. Again, that odd feeling Hellsing had earlier bubbled to the surface, that almost jealousy.
"Prepare to fire past Seras." The voice crackled in her earpiece.
"Still unable to get a clear shot, sir."
"Aim for the head, hold position."
"Holding position."
"What about the others?"
"Hold all fire. I repeat, hold all fire. We accomplished what we came here to do. We shut down the FREAKS nest." Hellsing interrupted.
"Sir?"
"Hold your fire." Hellsing repeated curtly. She told herself the reason she stopped the attack because she saw how quickly the swarm of true vampires had dispatched the FREAKS. Now was not the time to destroy those abominations.
Hellsing saw the wall of shadows begin to separate into unique forms again. None of the true vampires seemed to even pay attention to the troops aimed at them. They moved back in towards Camilla's prone form.
Seras was kneeling beside the female vampire, unsure of what to do. Her mind was filled with images that she didn't understand. She saw Camilla and Herod, and others she did not recognize.
A hand on her shoulder made her look up. It was her Master.
"You are seeing parts of her memories. She is wounded and has used a great deal of power." Arucard explained.
"I am wounded not unconscious." Camilla interjected.
"M'liege, you must allow us to take you from here." An unfamiliar voice said.
"No…Leave me here. I will be fine in a day or so, Herod will not attack again. He has made his point." Camilla answered.
"M'Liege, that is not a wise decision. Let us leave this island and travel to the America's, we have not seen that land in so long."
"We are not running. I…Leave me. Two full nights, and on the third night, the Council will convene." Camilla replied with finality.
Seras became aware of a general sense of uneasiness and something else but one by one, the other vampires left. Until it was only her and her master left standing beside the woman.
Arucard turned Camilla over gently and looked into her dark eyes. He could see the pain in them but she offered him a small smile that never made it to her eyes. He reached down and lifted her easily.
"You are a fool more often than not. I am not sure why I think you have anything to teach me." He said as turned towards the far end of the warehouse area.
"It is my charm that keeps you so engaged." She responded lightly. Her chest burned from Herod's attack. She was weak. It had been too long since she had to use defensive and offensive powers together. What Control had he used? It was unlike any she had ever experienced and that was unusual.
"You should have let them die, it is the price they pay." Arucard said.
"Arucard! Take her to the room." Hellsing walked towards the three vampires.
Arucard turned, the mad grin across his face wider than usual.
"Your mortal abode could not protect her if another attack comes." He replied bluntly.
"There is one room, you know of the one I speak, that she could be placed in. It is not in that room, but another, smaller one behind it. There are few who could get in. She will be invisible to those that seek her." Hellsing answered, raising one finely sculpted eyebrow.
Arucard shrugged and began walking again. "I do not understand, do you wish to keep her nearby to regain strength so you can kill her?" The thought filled Hellsing's head.
Hellsing did not reply, her eyes narrowed as she turned back towards her car.
"Mission completed. Disengage." Hellsing said to the troops.
"Seras. To my office later."
Seras nodded, then realizing that Hellsing's back was still towards her said, "Sir, yes sir."
Walter held the door open to the car, which had remained running. He had watched the entire battle and knew that this was only the beginning. He was not sure how Lord Hellsing would be able to handle the possible road ahead. For a woman who saw the world in only black and white, he feared the coming shades of gray could be dangerous.
*-*
"She is not going to be very happy later." Arucard said as he moved towards the Hellsing mansion.
"Interesting that she wants me there instead of away." Camilla replied.
"Really? I thought that was somehow part of your master plan, to play the wounded hero so she would see your inherent charm." Arucard answered mockingly.
"The fact that it worked out as such…Tell me brother, why did you listen to me? I know that you do not care for the humans. Was it true, you do care for her?" Camilla asked.
"She is my master." Was the only thing Arucard gave by way of reply.
"Just that? In our years, it has not been many, but for her, you have been a part of her life for half of her life."
"And in our years, you have been a part of my life for much longer than that. Some could say you have known me since infancy."
Camilla did not respond. So much as any of them. Their breed was not especially prone to concepts like love, or the other philosophical ponderings that she found so engaging. Sometimes, she truly wondered which species was the more evolved. They had rules and traditions but by nature they were solitary. She traveled with one or two primary companions; Those that shared her interest in the humans.
"I am not sure why you think the meat is so engaging." Arucard interrupted.
"We have been through this. It is what we came from." Camilla answered.
"I do not remember that life, so long have I lived as what I am. We are no longer as we were Camilla. We are what we are."
"I am neither what I was or what you are…" Camilla stopped. She was tired, she was still holding back the full effect of the damage she had taken, she had not fed since her initial awakening and given how much energy she had expended, even as she knew her body was healing itself, it didn't stop the pain of tiredness from permeating her entire body.
Arucard walked up to the door at Hellsing manor.
"Through the front door, isn't that rare for you?" Camilla spoke aloud.
"Hellsing was correct insofar that there is only one way to get into this room I am taking you to. Even for those such as ourselves." Arucard answered, speaking.
"Interesting." Camilla replied.
"Lord Hellsing called ahead. The room has been prepared." One of the servants said as he walked by, Arucard knew only the few he dealt with regularly.
He merely nodded and kept walking.
Even with Arucard's quickness it took several minutes of stairs and winding labyrinth like hallways before Arucard set Camilla down into a fine feather bed.
"Would you like to feed?" He asked as he moved away.
"Yes, please." Camilla was not one prone to the 'comforts' of mortality as it were but right now, this bed felt divine.
Arucard bought over two bags of medical blood and set them down on the bedside table beside Camilla. He quickly sliced open one of the tubes and handed it to her.
Camilla took the tube and began to drink. It was barely room temperature but she drank the liquid eagerly. She drained the first bag quickly. Arucard said nothing but handed her the tube from the second bag. Camilla drained it as quickly as the first. It managed to take the edge off her hunger, although she was still hungry. There were two more bags on the table behind Arucard.
Arucard chuckled as he grabbed the last 2 bags and bought them over as well. There was only silence between them while she finished the two remaining bags. Camilla and Arucard both knew that the reason she was so hungry was the amount of damage she had sustained.
When she had finished Arucard sat in the chair beside the bed.
"Are you going to tell me about Herod now?" He asked.
"No." Camilla answered, no malice, or anger just very simply.
"You know that she will expect to know. I have to meet with the others. Something will have to be done." Arucard replied as simply.
"I know…I did not expect…I did not expect Herod." Camilla answered. Arucard sensed there was something going on behind that reply but pushed it no further. It was not in the nature of their kind to pry.
"You need to rest." Arucard's stood and moved towards the door.
"Arucard. Do not let them call a war. Please." Camilla said before she felt his presence disappear completely. She was too tired to notice that he walked from the room rather than disappearing in the shadows.
She closed her eyes. Morning was a long way off. She did not want to be here, healing, but she also felt the exhaustion still flowing through her entire body. In the silence of being alone, for the first time, she let go of all the self-control she had been exercising and felt the full effect of the damage she had taken. The pain that flooded through her made her gasp. The grief that Herod's presence uncovered was worse.
She closed her eyes, remembering every detail as if that was the battle she was recovering from, and not the fact that it was over 500 years ago.
Laurian and she had been out walking in the city that would someday become Paris. Laurian loved the ancient European cities, she loved that there were so many alleys and dark doorways that she could pull Camilla into and smother her with passionate kisses.
Camilla adored Laurian. She had often teased that it would be heart and soul if she still had either to offer. Laurian would laugh and say whatever she had to offer was fine.
In those days, the vampires were much more active in their allegiances and politics. Camilla was sure the only reason that Alexander had not discouraged Laurian's interest in his 'daughter' was because of the power that she had and the lineage she came from. Camilla only knew that the first time she had met Laurian, she had felt like her heart had started beating again beneath her breast. One look from those eyes that were as deep as the ocean and Camilla was lost.
They had been together for over a century. More than half the time that Camilla had been a vampire. Laurian taught her everything, from the controls, to helping her deal with the reality that she was a vampire.
Camilla had spent the first portion of her life as this creature begrudgingly. She had been forced to learn to master the powers that came inherent to her breed. Just as everything about her becoming had been forced upon her. Even after all this time, Alexander was like a distant father figure, harsh in his teachings and proud of her without really telling her. He just always expected that she would excel at whatever she undertook.
When Laurian came into her life, for the first time, Camilla learned the finer details of appreciating what she was. They did not spend every waking moment together, but in the course of the last century, more of their time than not was together.
Camilla never knew anything about the details of the war between the houses, when there were still houses that cared. All she knew was that ultimately, that night in that city a minor skirmish in the overall war that ensued, Laurian lie dead in the streets by Herod's hand. Camilla had been unable to do anything, Laurian had protected her and ultimately, she had been too weak to defeat Herod.
Camilla felt tears slipping out of her eyes. The memory of holding Laurian's dying form and Laurian's own surprised expression at the impending death she felt. The light in her beautiful green eyes fading as she gazed up at Camilla. "We do not speak the words I am about to say, but you have to know, I have loved you as no other, in my mortal life or since. Camilla, my sweetest perfection, I love you."
Then she was dead and Camilla couldn't even weep over the body, as true to their species, she disintegrated into dust and the night wind began to blow her remains away. Only her clothes remained, and Camilla had left them in the street when she finally walked away, sensing morning approaching. It was not the light she sought refuge from, it was the people who were going to be moving through the streets.
She cried through the day, into the next evening and slept in a place far away from the home she and Laurian had shared. She never went back to that home. She was gone for years before she returned one night and stormed into Alexander's study and demanded that they destroy Herod. Alexander, without displaying any sign that he had heard the news of Laurian's death or that she had been gone since that night merely said. "We have been at war with Herod, I am glad to see you now choose to become engaged in the role you were bred for."
Camilla had become engaged. So engaged that she ultimately led the attack on Herod's house and in a manner, tore it down brick by brick. It was then that Camilla proved herself to be more than worthy of Alexander's legacy. From that moment forward, there were few who questioned the fact that she was to be his successor and his namesake above all others.
She herself had battled Herod. She was convinced she had killed him. Did she wait to watch him turn to dust? No, because she had destroyed him, she had done so much damage to him. She had flayed him alive. That would explain the scarring. Stupid, she had been so stupid.
Exhausted, Camilla finally fell asleep, even though it was far too early for her to actually be considering such a thing.
Hellsing watched the creature on the security monitors. She was crying? She did not believe them to be capable of emotion. Of course, today was the day of firsts; she had seen Arucard angry today.
Hellsing lit one of her Henri Winterman's cigars and watched, as it appeared the creature finally fell asleep. Hellsing had some appreciation of the creature's resolve. She saw how only when she was alone did she display any indication of pain. If Hellsing thought about it too long, then she would have to think about how much pain the creature must have suffered.
"Sir, you asked me to join you?" Seras announced as she entered the office.
Hellsing turned away from the monitor and faced Seras. They had not ever spoken much, and certainly not one on one.
"What happened tonight?" Hellsing asked abruptly.
"Sir?" Seras responded with confusion in her voice.
"You could see what I could not, tell me what happened tonight." Hellsing said again.
"Camilla appeared to be protecting the humans in the vicinity and she was attacked quite viciously." Seras answered.
Hellsing inhaled on the small cigar. She paused, not sure what else she wanted to know. That was not what she wanted to hear.
"What else?"
"I, I am not sure. There was so much that I could not understand. There was, there seemed to be a disagreement. She refused to let anyone use any powers that would harm any of the troops. She, I think she was defending everyone. The other creature called Camilla something. Bastard child, and he called her an abomination to the race. The was so much more...I'm sorry I couldn't get more."
"That will be all." Hellsing said curtly, turning away to face the monitors again, inhaling on her cigarillo.
Seras waited for a moment, and then let herself out.
Hellsing sat down at her desk and turned back towards the monitor. She watched the creature sleeping for a while longer, and then went off towards her own room.
Called an abomination by an abomination? How interesting was that?
*-*-
Camilla awoke and smiled at Arucard sitting in the chair across from the bed.
"You slept for a very long time. It has been a full day and night since I last left you." Arucard said.
"I was apparently more wounded than I thought." Camilla answered. She still felt weak which surprised her.
"Any chance that the wounded hero in battle routine has played to your favor?" Arucard asked with just the slightest twinge of humor.
"I think it will take more than that to ease her ire. We have not actually spoken since my arrival."
Almost as if on cue, Hellsing entered the room. She looked at Arucard and at Camilla who had just awoken.
Arucard gave her a wicked grin and stood to exit the room.
"Good luck." Arucard whispered as he left.
"Why do you walk from this room? And thanks." Camilla answered.
"The room that protects you from our kind also means I cannot use most of our powers." Arucard said as he left.
Hellsing sat down in the chair most recently vacated by Arucard. Her eyes fixed on Camilla and she did not say anything.
Camilla returned her gaze calmly. She knew that this Hellsing was unlike the others she had dealt with. She assumed it would happen eventually, that at some point the true purpose of the Hellsing organization would be forgotten and only the dogma would remain. Of course, she had not expected that her own breed would become what they had become.
"You are an intriguing creature. Perhaps you would like to take this opportunity to explain yourself to me? Why would another of your kind call you an abomination?" Hellsing finally said, the tone of her voice as cold as the chill in her eyes.
"I'm sorry, was that your pet name for me? I am sure you can think of another." Camilla replied, non-plussed by the cold anger emanating from the woman sitting across from her.
Helsing's eyes narrowed even more.
"Forgive my jest, what would you like to know?" Camilla answered, a small smile still playing at the edge of her lips.
"You tell me why there are so many vampires, true vampires, prowling in my city. Who is this creature that attacked yesterday? Have you bought a war to my land?" Hellsing demanded.
Camilla emitted what sounded like a sigh. Hellsing did not like that sound. This creature displayed far too many human characteristics.
"You wish to know about Herod? Very well then, I am going to ask that you listen to this story with as little judgment as possible. I do not believe you will be able to refrain, but this is a story that none, save those of my legacy, are aware of." Camilla said, her tone serious, as she made sure to capture and hold the angry woman's gaze.
"I do not negotiate with abominations." Hellsing answered quickly.
"Ah see, it is a pet name…Integra Hellsing, I do not expect that you would negotiate. I will have to trust that you are a woman of honor and I would expect nothing less from a Hellsing."
Over the course of the next 4 hours, Camilla spoke and told Integra an abbreviated version of her origin and the story of Laurian and Herod. Despite her resolve to not allow the grief from earlier to take over, she can hear her voice cracking and the tears welling up. She fought past the lump in her throat to finish telling of Laurian's death. She did not share with Hellsing the final words that Laurian spoke to her.
When she finished, she closed her eyes, and tears slipped down her face for the first time since she began telling the story. She sensed the young Hellsing leaving the room and realized that she was glad she was gone. Camilla opened her eyes and saw that new bags of medical blood sat on the table. She lifted her covers and realized that her other clothes had been removed and she had been cleaned. Despite herself she shuddered, moments like that always reminded her of the 'invisible' hands that had cared and cleaned for her in the months before she was forced into changing.
Integra stormed through the labyrinth of halls back towards her office. She was battling so many emotions after hearing the tale from Camilla's lips. It was deeply disturbing to her to listen to the creature talk about love and pain. Worse than hearing it was seeing how much pain even re-telling the story caused the creature. Hellsing had never given any thought to the life Arucard may have lived before he had been captured and kept in the far reaches of the Hellsing castle. She had never given any thought that vampires were nothing more than disgusting creatures that were little more than undead beasts to be slaughtered. Certainly, she never expected that they would deign to love or feel pain.
She did not like this slippery ground she felt herself walking on. The creed by which she lived her entire life was very simple. Even worse, she felt herself drawn to Camilla and that was the most unsettling thing of all. She had been reading, from the Hellsing library, and she did find tales of Camilla. Of course, they were as she expected, Camilla was a seducer of young women apparently and they all eventually fell ill and only recovered when Camilla had been banished.
Hellsing walked into her office and turned towards the monitor again. Camilla had just finished eating, such as it were, and was moving back towards the bed. Hellsing saw that there were still raw red marks across her back and torso. She did not think that vampires suffered physical wounds. This was becoming curiouser and curiouser.
She picked up the phone and called Walter. She asks to see Seras again and arranges for another meeting with her field commanders. If there was going to be a vampire war on her territory, she was going to make sure this opportunity wasn't wasted.