Disclaimer: I still don't own Hellsing, but I love the show (and the
soundtrack). If you aren't poor like me, go buy it. Now. It's the most
awesomest ever.
A/N: This chapter is dedicated to my friend Courtney, for whenever she decides to put down those damned Vampire Chronicles and read this. Hail to thee, my good friend! And a Happy Halloween to you all!
Chapter Four: The Perfect Night
"Stay here," he had said. She shuddered at the recollection. Most of the time, she would have been more than happy to listen to whatever word he might utter, but at this moment, Helen was starting to regret listening to him, for once.
She was standing in the center of a deserted lot, the building formerly occupying the location having been razed some weeks previously. Surrounding it on three sides were warehouses and storage facilities. Little light was apparent, though the small fire in front of her did provide for some.
Kolya had left her there, alone, for nearly two hours now. She swayed from her right to left slowly. Her nerves were slightly frayed, and the air carried with it an almost foul scent.
There were no amblers strolling near the deserted grounds, though there would apparently be no use in anyone doing so in any event. After all, the only people who would be idly staying in such a location were, generally, the dregs of society. No one would bother her. Therefore, she was safe. Kolya must have known that.
A small shudder came over her. Given another ten minutes she might be scared out of her wits. "Get your ass back here. Now," she whispered. The darkness itself was beginning to frighten her.
**
Alucard kneeled on the roof of a warehouse, overlooking a large, nearly deserted lot. Below him, shifting her weight nervously from right to left foot, arch to heel, repeating the pattern periodically, was a lean, starved looking woman. Pale and thin, she looked as if already life had fled from her blood, if ever life had lied therein.
Alucard smirked, savoring that all too familiar tickling sensation as his upper lip slipped over his fangs. "If you were ever even alive. . . " he whispered.
He studied her for a while, watching as she twisted nervously about. "She's waiting for someone," he thought.
Shaking and staggering, the prey's eyes darted from the trash bonfire that lay just in front of her, to down the morose deserted grounds in which she would, quite soon now, meet a most unfortunate fate. She was a pitiful sight, dressed in an aging trench coat that very well might have been discarded a year or two ago. Her face was starved, the eyes far back in the bluing sockets. Her whole body spoke to mal-nourishment.
"The shabby clothing is a ruse," Alucard judged. "It's meant to let her walk about unnoticed, disregarded like all the filth on the street. It's served its purpose extremely well, I'd think." He shook his head. "Too bad she has more experienced eyes examining her now."
He grinned, baring his teeth in their entire splendor, and stood.
**
Kolya could sense that something was wrong. It was taking him longer than he had anticipated to meet with Helen, and his sense of direction was not working as well as it should have. In short, he was becoming quite lost.
He also could somehow feel something dangerous approaching him, something that carried with it the very real possibility of hurt. Ignoring the feeling in his chest that screamed to move, Kolya stopped just where he had been walking. He closed his eyes. Beneath his lids, he could quite nearly see it, this thing he had every right to fear. A bright, blood red mass took shape before him, writhing and shaking. It moved as though it were driven underneath by bones and skin and sinew.
And teeth.
Kolya flinched as he took the full measure of what lay behind his eyelids. It appeared as a tall man would, standing full and proud, wearing a blood red coat. His eyes were covered by sunset tinted sunglasses. His teeth, however, were quite clearly visible. But they weren't teeth.
They were fangs. The kind that could easily rip a man to pieces, the kind that Kolya had only seen in two species of beings: other dampeals, like himself, or full blooded vampires.
Kolya's eyes opened wide as the realization hit.
A vampire.
Kolya broke into a sprint.
**
Alucard watched the prey below him, feeling something close to pity for her.
She was a dampeal, a rather starved one at that. She was obviously weak, exhausted, beaten to the point of utter depravity. She must have been beautiful at some point, but now, all that Alucard could see was a starving, poor, decrepit being.
The woman took another look about her, repeating the pattern she had made a thousand times with her feet, and her ears suddenly pricked. Her back tensed, and slowly, ever so painfully slow, she turned her head, and looked directly into Alucard's sunglasses.
Silently, Alucard let himself float down from the roof of the warehouse and landed a few meters from where the woman was standing. He stood perfectly still, and smiled at her.
"A lovely night, wouldn't you say?" He sneered.
The woman lowered her eyes, sighing deeply as she did so. Her whole body drooped, and all that she seemed capable of saying was "Kolya. . ." slowly, over and again. She kept her eyes upon the ground for what seemed an eternity, and then suddenly, her eyes darted to meet those of Alucard. "What do you want?" She asked.
Alucard laughed.
"What," she repeated, this time with more force, "do you want?"
"You made it a long way, didn't you, dampeal?" Alucard snickered.
The woman cast her eyes down again, thinking. She knew hiding anything was useless now. She looked up again. "I haven't hurt anybody."
"No, you haven't." He took a single step forward. "How pathetic. You're starving, aren't you?"
"I never hurt anyone."
"That doesn't really matter." Alucard sighed, letting his dissatisfaction be shown in his face. "You aren't worth the time. If it were up to me, you would go free tonight."
"But it's not up to you, is it?"
Alucard shook his head.
"You're mighty respectful for a true vampire, aren't you?"
This took Alucard by surprise. "I suppose."
"I'll fight, no matter how hopeless it is."
"You're weak. Starved." He took another step forward. "An object of pity."
"What? 'Killing you'd be mercy', is that it?"
"Something to that effect."
"Then get on with it."
"As you wish." Alucard reached into his coat, pulling out the silver modified 454 Casull that lay hidden there.
"Mighty big gun. Compensating for something?"
Alucard laughed.
"That's not a no."
Alucard reached into his coat with his left hand, then removed it, smiling. "If I showed you the other one, you'd really get suspicious."
The dampeal smiled. "I don't suppose you believe in reincarnation, do you?"
Alucard pulled the arm in which he held the Casull perpendicular to his chest, pointing it directly at the dampeal. "If such a thing exists I have not seen it." He stood there for a moment, waiting for the dampeal to say something more, and when he was sure that their exchange had ended, he squeezed the trigger, just a bit, but not enough to fire quite yet. "And I have lived a very long time."
He fired twice, watching as the dampeal easily avoided the bullets. She had moved very quickly, settling near eight meters from her original position. Alucard pointed his weapon at her again, and, only slightly impressed by his prey, fired another two shots.
**
Kolya heard the second volley louder than he had the first. He was getting closer. Still, he knew he still had a way to go to reach the source of the shots.
He knew who was staring down the barrel of the weapon, the loud boisterous thing, the best clue he had to the whereabouts of Helen. He ran towards it, with all the incredible speed that his birth had granted him, but he still feared that he might not reach his destination before Helen-
"Before Helen dies," he screamed inwardly.
What he would do when he arrived, he couldn't say. What he would do if the Vampire succeeded, he did not know. And he still couldn't figure out why the Vampire was using a human weapon, when he could more easily kill-
"Fuck that," he muttered. The Vampire might as well use the weapons of mankind; the only difference it made was giving Kolya something to hear.
Another two rounds echoed in the distance. "Good," he thought. "As long as she can still avoid them I have time." He was running out of energy, his legs aching, his breath coming in short gasps. He didn't think he could run any faster, but he had to, he had to try. He pushed on, and prayed he could make it in time.
**
"You're doing much better than I expected," Alucard shouted above another two shots.
The Dampeal dodged these just as easily as she had the first. "Should I take that as a compliment?" She laughed, though Alucard could see she was tiring very quickly. Still, he was impressed, very much so at this point, by this woman's speed and maneuverability. But she couldn't last much longer.
Alucard laughed as the empty clip fell out of the Casull, hitting the ground with a soft cling. He reached into his coat and pulled another out, shoving it quickly into the gun.
"Jesus, how many of those do you have?" the Dampeal shouted.
"This will do," Alucard muttered calmly. He pointed the gun at the Dampeal yet again, his eyes narrowing. "What is your name?"
The Dampeal stood still a moment. "Helen," she declared. "Pleased to meet you!"
"I am Alucard."
He fired twice, watching carefully as the Dampeal, Helen, avoided the bullets, watching her eyes, her feet, the direction they would take. He fired again and again, until he had only one shot remaining, and then he disappeared.
**
Helen stopped dead in her tracks, wondering where in hell Alucard had gone. She looked around, desperately trying to see him, detect him in some way, for her only hope lie in that sight, that awareness. She couldn't avoid it if she couldn't see it coming.
Her mind raced. Every shadow moved. Every light flickered and twisted into his image. She knew he had only one bullet left. But if she couldn't find him, he might as well have a hundred thousand and all the time in the world.
Suddenly Alucard appeared right in front of her, close enough so that she could rest her hand against him, his weapon pressed firmly against her forehead. Shit, she thought. Her whole world had fallen in around her.
"Only playing with me, eh?" she stuttered. "Just humoring me? Letting me buy some time?"
"You're trying to buy some right now," Alucard chuckled.
"You're point?"
Alucard smiled. "You should be very-"
"Proud? I did well? Is that it? You were playing with me. That's all."
Alucard's finger tensed on the trigger. He did not wish to end the exchange just yet.
Moments passed painfully slow, bit by bit, the sweat streaming down Helen's forehead. She was out of time, out of space.
Out of luck.
And suddenly, out of the corner of her eye, Helen saw a figure scream out of the shadows.
Kolya.
He had come, just as he had promised. Just as she knew he would. He was running to her, to save her, and then he stopped.
The shot finally came, and the Dampeal Helen was no more.
**
Kolya stopped running, his legs dead, his chest burning with the pain of exertion.
He saw her, Helen. And there was nothing he could do for her. He was helpless. One final shot rang out, and Helen fell to the earth. Her body withered into dust.
The man who had fired the shot kneeled to the large pile of dust, sifting through it with his fingers. "If there is such a thing as reincarnation, Helen," he whispered, "then I hope that it shall be your fate. Goodbye." Returning to his feet, he turned to face Kolya.
Goodbye? What right do you have to say that? What have you done? Kolya stood straight, no longer panting. His eyes narrowed in silent rage.
"You have something on your mind," Alucard said coolly. "Should I give you a moment?"
Kolya clenched his jaw. His pulse pounded in his ears, but he ignored it.
"You are Kolya, I would imagine." Alucard put the Casull back into his coat.
"You. . ."
"I understand that she was trying to buy time so you'd come to the rescue." He smiled. "A little late, aren't you?"
Kolya clenched his fist.
"She thought you could save her."
The trash bonfire flickered behind them.
"You failed."
Kolya could feel his palms start to bleed. "Who are you?"
"My name is Alucard."
"Alucard?" Kolya let his fist relax, felt his whole body relax. He smiled. "I do so love a good anagram."
Alucard smirked, letting the tips of his fangs protrude from his mouth. "Oh?"
"Oh yes. Though I have heard a thousand and more claims to the name that you so blatantly misuse. None of them were anything." Kolya folded his arms across his chest.
"So you aren't impressed? Even after I dispatched of her so easily?" Alucard laughed slowly, as if he did not find it amusing at all. "Or do you really care?"
"What do you know?"
"I can tell you her last thoughts upon the earth."
Kolya raised his left eyebrow. "I doubt that."
"You came, just as you promised." Alucard smiled broadly. "Just as I knew you would."
"Shut up."
Alucard laughed. "Have I struck a nerve? You don't want to hear? Or you don't want to hear it from me?" He mimicked Kolya's pose, arms folded across the chest, feet planted firmly in the ground. "Whether you like my name or my taste in anagrams, the fact remains that I was better than Helen."
"Don't you dare say her name."
"I rather liked her too. It was such a bother doing away with her."
"You don't deserve to say her name."
"Still stuck on that?"
Kolya disappeared just as Alucard had done before. Though it did not produce the same effect as that it had had on Helen. Alucard turned around, and just afterward Kolya appeared there, right where Alucard's back had been facing a moment before. Alucard gripped Kolya by the chin, looking at him as if he were about to slap him across the face. "I'm too old for that."
Kolya was taken aback.
"You honestly thought I'd be taken by surprise by such a predictable action?" Alucard sighed. "You don't respect Helen's ability that much, do you?"
Kolya shut his eyes and screamed, at which Alucard forcefully shoved Kolya's chin upward, closing his mouth. "Screaming isn't going to do you any good. You have to think now. Say to yourself, 'how can I get myself out of this?' Stop making a mockery of her existence."
A mockery? What gives you the right to say that?
"You still aren't thinking. Is this how you want it to end?" Alucard frowned. "And here I thought you were some kind of avenger. You don't deserve to live." He thought for a moment.
Now what? What else do you want to say? Hmmm?
Alucard released Kolya, and reached into his coat. "You aren't going to last to remember her."
Kolya shook his head. He sighed deeply, then looked at Alucard's coat. "The first gun's out of ammunition. You took at least four clips bringing Helen down. There's a larger gun in your coat still, isn't there?"
Alucard smiled.
**
Seras hated being left out of the loop, which ironically seemed to be part of her job now. "Where is my Master?" She was worried. She wandered through the streets of London, deep in thought. It was four o'clock in the morning. At best, both she and Alucard, assuming he were even in London, had maybe two hours of darkness left. "Of course, with Master that's a big assumption sometimes." She sighed.
She was wearing a short sleeved black midriff shirt, over which was a dark gray vest, also without sleeves. She had on khaki colored pants, and around her neck was a black ribbon choker.
The streets were, of course, deserted this early in the morning, which would have been a cause for concern for Seras a year ago. But now, after her transformation into a member of the undead, she seemed to prefer the streets as they were now. It, at the very least, gave her space away from the temptations that came with what she now was.
Seras continued walking, head down, eyes squarely fixed upon her shoes. Like her ensemble, they too were a morose shade of gray. She smiled. "What a pretty little picture I must be, a bundle of confused looking gray." She tried to think of the last time she had thought of herself as pretty. It wasn't coming to her.
Of course, the nagging sensation in the back of her mind that she was filthy had ebbed down considerably. She thought, for a moment, about that too. "It's not like it was, I think. . . I mean. . . well, I just. . . I just don't feel ashamed of it anymore." Which was a good thing, she decided. She was a vampire, a true one, and to some extent she was proud of that. She wasn't like those artificial freak things; no, she was better. Cut from a better cloth.
Seras smiled, turned upon her heel, and marched back homeward.
**
Sir Integra Wingates Hellsing sat brooding in the silence of her cell. It was early morning. The sun, though not yet threatening the horizon, could not be far from doing so. The mighty leader of Hellsing was worried about the sun. It did not frighten her, of course; the light could not even reach her where she was, and it could not hurt her anyway.
But it could hurt Alucard, she thought. Vampires burn in daylight, she reminded herself again. It was a fairly obvious point. Normally, this did not concern Integra, but today, she knew precisely what Alucard was doing.
She had sent him on the mission, told him to find whatever it was that Anderson had hinted at. If he were to die, it would rest squarely on the shoulders of Sir Integra Wingates Hellsing. "Like always," she thought. "I'm always responsible when an honorable man dies in the Hellsing Organization. They were all under my charge." Of course, at the moment the Hellsing Organization did not exist, seemingly bound as it was, along with Integra herself, in her small green mortar brick cell. The whole future of it was uncertain, and the only control she had over any of the former membership lie in Alucard, and, through him, Seras Victoria.
She sighed, looking down at her hands cuffed with leather. She had been powerful, once, a leader of men and women, commander of the undead as well as the living, all for Queen and Country. And look where it had gotten her. All her efforts, and all she had to show for it was what wound around her wrist.
She felt miserable, alone, betrayed. Where was that damn Vampire anyway? "If he were to stride in here right this instant I swear I'd throw my chair right-"
A knock at the door interrupted Integra's musing. She considered for a moment. Was it Alucard? No, he never had the sense to knock. It wasn't the guards; they only opened the door when her meals were served to her. Then who in the world would want to see her, at this hour especially?
"It's me, Sir Integra," a familiar voice stated calmly from behind the door. "I've come with a message."
**
Alucard chuckled as the Dampeal sprinted toward him again. He was far more aggressive than the other, Alucard noticed, and also seemingly a thousand times more powerful. It was fairly obvious that this dampeal had not been starved in recent times.
"I can see why she thought you would save her!" He shouted, further prodding and pushing the Dampeal. He had been wounding the Dampeal's pride with references to Helen for an hour and a half now, though it seemed by this point they no longer had much of an effect upon the Dampeal.
"It will be daylight soon, Vampire!" the Dampeal retorted. "And last I checked, your kind couldn't live in the light of day!" He lunged past Alucard, sweeping his legs under the Vampire, attempting to trip him.
Alucard leapt into the air, his coat swirling about him, and he laughed heartily. "Do you think you're going to last to the hour of sunrise with such tactics?" He pointed the 13mm Jackal just ahead of the Dampeal, and fired the last of the rounds in the clip.
The shot caught the Dampeal just below the shoulder. He stopped, and looked directly into Alucard's eyes, which by now had last the sunglasses that had adorned them previously.
Alucard smirked. "Let's review the score, shall we?" He let the empty clip fall from the Jackal. "Thus far, that's four hits for me." He pulled another clip from his coat and shoved it into the gun. "Two in your left shoulder, one grazing your cheek, and one in your calf." His smirk widened. "At least I hope it was your calf."
The Dampeal frowned. "What about me?"
"Well, you took my hat, if that makes you feel better."
"And the sunglasses," the Dampeal chided.
"Both of which I will be wanting back." Alucard settled back upon the ground.
"If you can take them before sunrise, by all means." The Dampeal charged toward Alucard again.
"It's impressive," Alucard noted. "He hasn't lost a step, regardless of how many bullets I've put in him." Alucard smiled broadly. It wasn't often that an opponent impressed him.
Another few minutes passed with the Dampeal charging, avoiding Alucard's bullets, and charging again. Amazingly, Alucard did not land another shot, and he had even been caught by surprise by the Dampeal's deftness. Still, it was fairly apparent who had the upper hand.
Alucard lifted the Jackal, aiming carefully at the Dampeal's elbow. A thought dawned on him. "Tell me, Dampeal, can you regenerate your limbs?"
"What-?" he began as Alucard pulled the trigger, and the Dampeal, miraculously, avoided the shot. "That's rude of you."
Alucard looked a bit shocked. He didn't expect the Dampeal to avoid the bullet so easily. He opened his mouth as if to speak, but shut it again slowly. He knew that the sun would rise very soon, and, much to his annoyance, his better judgement took precedence. "Not bad, Dampeal. But as you have so politely pointed out, the night is close to its end."
The Dampeal tensed. "You can't leave."
Alucard chuckled. "Why not?"
"I'm not through with you yet."
Alucard threw his head back and howled with laughter. "You're not through, eh?" He sighed, letting his face take on a more serious demeanor. "I don't have the time to finish-"
"Finish me off?" the Dampeal interrupted. "You were the one playing around, and now you have to go?" The Dampeal flashed his fangs in rage. "First, tell me something, Alucard," he disappeared again, but this time Alucard did not know where he would appear.
For a moment, the only movement in the air was the low flicker of the trash fire. All else was still, and for the first time in a very, very long time, Alucard felt the hairs on the back of his neck prickling.
He turned around, and as he did so, he heard a blaring crack.
The Dampeal had appeared behind him, where he had been facing the moment before. "Can you regenerate your limbs?" he asked. He had ripped Alucard's right arm from the socket, all of it. He threw it to the ground, and turned his back to Alucard. "'Till next time, Alucard," he snorted in disrespect, and walked out into the street, straightening out his clothes.
Alucard looked at his severed arm with disgust. The Jackal was still clutched in its hand. Alucard closed his eyes, tensed his entire body, and the arm flew back into place. He sighed, a sudden thrill rolling up along his spine.
Smiling, he disappeared into the shadows.
A/N: As always, thanks for your reviews. I do appreciate them all.
Next Chapter: Shattered Dream
Kolya's history revealed, in depth, Alucard and Integra debrief, and an old guest makes his first appearance. I won't be spoiling the surprise, but feel free to guess. You're probably right.
A/N: This chapter is dedicated to my friend Courtney, for whenever she decides to put down those damned Vampire Chronicles and read this. Hail to thee, my good friend! And a Happy Halloween to you all!
Chapter Four: The Perfect Night
"Stay here," he had said. She shuddered at the recollection. Most of the time, she would have been more than happy to listen to whatever word he might utter, but at this moment, Helen was starting to regret listening to him, for once.
She was standing in the center of a deserted lot, the building formerly occupying the location having been razed some weeks previously. Surrounding it on three sides were warehouses and storage facilities. Little light was apparent, though the small fire in front of her did provide for some.
Kolya had left her there, alone, for nearly two hours now. She swayed from her right to left slowly. Her nerves were slightly frayed, and the air carried with it an almost foul scent.
There were no amblers strolling near the deserted grounds, though there would apparently be no use in anyone doing so in any event. After all, the only people who would be idly staying in such a location were, generally, the dregs of society. No one would bother her. Therefore, she was safe. Kolya must have known that.
A small shudder came over her. Given another ten minutes she might be scared out of her wits. "Get your ass back here. Now," she whispered. The darkness itself was beginning to frighten her.
**
Alucard kneeled on the roof of a warehouse, overlooking a large, nearly deserted lot. Below him, shifting her weight nervously from right to left foot, arch to heel, repeating the pattern periodically, was a lean, starved looking woman. Pale and thin, she looked as if already life had fled from her blood, if ever life had lied therein.
Alucard smirked, savoring that all too familiar tickling sensation as his upper lip slipped over his fangs. "If you were ever even alive. . . " he whispered.
He studied her for a while, watching as she twisted nervously about. "She's waiting for someone," he thought.
Shaking and staggering, the prey's eyes darted from the trash bonfire that lay just in front of her, to down the morose deserted grounds in which she would, quite soon now, meet a most unfortunate fate. She was a pitiful sight, dressed in an aging trench coat that very well might have been discarded a year or two ago. Her face was starved, the eyes far back in the bluing sockets. Her whole body spoke to mal-nourishment.
"The shabby clothing is a ruse," Alucard judged. "It's meant to let her walk about unnoticed, disregarded like all the filth on the street. It's served its purpose extremely well, I'd think." He shook his head. "Too bad she has more experienced eyes examining her now."
He grinned, baring his teeth in their entire splendor, and stood.
**
Kolya could sense that something was wrong. It was taking him longer than he had anticipated to meet with Helen, and his sense of direction was not working as well as it should have. In short, he was becoming quite lost.
He also could somehow feel something dangerous approaching him, something that carried with it the very real possibility of hurt. Ignoring the feeling in his chest that screamed to move, Kolya stopped just where he had been walking. He closed his eyes. Beneath his lids, he could quite nearly see it, this thing he had every right to fear. A bright, blood red mass took shape before him, writhing and shaking. It moved as though it were driven underneath by bones and skin and sinew.
And teeth.
Kolya flinched as he took the full measure of what lay behind his eyelids. It appeared as a tall man would, standing full and proud, wearing a blood red coat. His eyes were covered by sunset tinted sunglasses. His teeth, however, were quite clearly visible. But they weren't teeth.
They were fangs. The kind that could easily rip a man to pieces, the kind that Kolya had only seen in two species of beings: other dampeals, like himself, or full blooded vampires.
Kolya's eyes opened wide as the realization hit.
A vampire.
Kolya broke into a sprint.
**
Alucard watched the prey below him, feeling something close to pity for her.
She was a dampeal, a rather starved one at that. She was obviously weak, exhausted, beaten to the point of utter depravity. She must have been beautiful at some point, but now, all that Alucard could see was a starving, poor, decrepit being.
The woman took another look about her, repeating the pattern she had made a thousand times with her feet, and her ears suddenly pricked. Her back tensed, and slowly, ever so painfully slow, she turned her head, and looked directly into Alucard's sunglasses.
Silently, Alucard let himself float down from the roof of the warehouse and landed a few meters from where the woman was standing. He stood perfectly still, and smiled at her.
"A lovely night, wouldn't you say?" He sneered.
The woman lowered her eyes, sighing deeply as she did so. Her whole body drooped, and all that she seemed capable of saying was "Kolya. . ." slowly, over and again. She kept her eyes upon the ground for what seemed an eternity, and then suddenly, her eyes darted to meet those of Alucard. "What do you want?" She asked.
Alucard laughed.
"What," she repeated, this time with more force, "do you want?"
"You made it a long way, didn't you, dampeal?" Alucard snickered.
The woman cast her eyes down again, thinking. She knew hiding anything was useless now. She looked up again. "I haven't hurt anybody."
"No, you haven't." He took a single step forward. "How pathetic. You're starving, aren't you?"
"I never hurt anyone."
"That doesn't really matter." Alucard sighed, letting his dissatisfaction be shown in his face. "You aren't worth the time. If it were up to me, you would go free tonight."
"But it's not up to you, is it?"
Alucard shook his head.
"You're mighty respectful for a true vampire, aren't you?"
This took Alucard by surprise. "I suppose."
"I'll fight, no matter how hopeless it is."
"You're weak. Starved." He took another step forward. "An object of pity."
"What? 'Killing you'd be mercy', is that it?"
"Something to that effect."
"Then get on with it."
"As you wish." Alucard reached into his coat, pulling out the silver modified 454 Casull that lay hidden there.
"Mighty big gun. Compensating for something?"
Alucard laughed.
"That's not a no."
Alucard reached into his coat with his left hand, then removed it, smiling. "If I showed you the other one, you'd really get suspicious."
The dampeal smiled. "I don't suppose you believe in reincarnation, do you?"
Alucard pulled the arm in which he held the Casull perpendicular to his chest, pointing it directly at the dampeal. "If such a thing exists I have not seen it." He stood there for a moment, waiting for the dampeal to say something more, and when he was sure that their exchange had ended, he squeezed the trigger, just a bit, but not enough to fire quite yet. "And I have lived a very long time."
He fired twice, watching as the dampeal easily avoided the bullets. She had moved very quickly, settling near eight meters from her original position. Alucard pointed his weapon at her again, and, only slightly impressed by his prey, fired another two shots.
**
Kolya heard the second volley louder than he had the first. He was getting closer. Still, he knew he still had a way to go to reach the source of the shots.
He knew who was staring down the barrel of the weapon, the loud boisterous thing, the best clue he had to the whereabouts of Helen. He ran towards it, with all the incredible speed that his birth had granted him, but he still feared that he might not reach his destination before Helen-
"Before Helen dies," he screamed inwardly.
What he would do when he arrived, he couldn't say. What he would do if the Vampire succeeded, he did not know. And he still couldn't figure out why the Vampire was using a human weapon, when he could more easily kill-
"Fuck that," he muttered. The Vampire might as well use the weapons of mankind; the only difference it made was giving Kolya something to hear.
Another two rounds echoed in the distance. "Good," he thought. "As long as she can still avoid them I have time." He was running out of energy, his legs aching, his breath coming in short gasps. He didn't think he could run any faster, but he had to, he had to try. He pushed on, and prayed he could make it in time.
**
"You're doing much better than I expected," Alucard shouted above another two shots.
The Dampeal dodged these just as easily as she had the first. "Should I take that as a compliment?" She laughed, though Alucard could see she was tiring very quickly. Still, he was impressed, very much so at this point, by this woman's speed and maneuverability. But she couldn't last much longer.
Alucard laughed as the empty clip fell out of the Casull, hitting the ground with a soft cling. He reached into his coat and pulled another out, shoving it quickly into the gun.
"Jesus, how many of those do you have?" the Dampeal shouted.
"This will do," Alucard muttered calmly. He pointed the gun at the Dampeal yet again, his eyes narrowing. "What is your name?"
The Dampeal stood still a moment. "Helen," she declared. "Pleased to meet you!"
"I am Alucard."
He fired twice, watching carefully as the Dampeal, Helen, avoided the bullets, watching her eyes, her feet, the direction they would take. He fired again and again, until he had only one shot remaining, and then he disappeared.
**
Helen stopped dead in her tracks, wondering where in hell Alucard had gone. She looked around, desperately trying to see him, detect him in some way, for her only hope lie in that sight, that awareness. She couldn't avoid it if she couldn't see it coming.
Her mind raced. Every shadow moved. Every light flickered and twisted into his image. She knew he had only one bullet left. But if she couldn't find him, he might as well have a hundred thousand and all the time in the world.
Suddenly Alucard appeared right in front of her, close enough so that she could rest her hand against him, his weapon pressed firmly against her forehead. Shit, she thought. Her whole world had fallen in around her.
"Only playing with me, eh?" she stuttered. "Just humoring me? Letting me buy some time?"
"You're trying to buy some right now," Alucard chuckled.
"You're point?"
Alucard smiled. "You should be very-"
"Proud? I did well? Is that it? You were playing with me. That's all."
Alucard's finger tensed on the trigger. He did not wish to end the exchange just yet.
Moments passed painfully slow, bit by bit, the sweat streaming down Helen's forehead. She was out of time, out of space.
Out of luck.
And suddenly, out of the corner of her eye, Helen saw a figure scream out of the shadows.
Kolya.
He had come, just as he had promised. Just as she knew he would. He was running to her, to save her, and then he stopped.
The shot finally came, and the Dampeal Helen was no more.
**
Kolya stopped running, his legs dead, his chest burning with the pain of exertion.
He saw her, Helen. And there was nothing he could do for her. He was helpless. One final shot rang out, and Helen fell to the earth. Her body withered into dust.
The man who had fired the shot kneeled to the large pile of dust, sifting through it with his fingers. "If there is such a thing as reincarnation, Helen," he whispered, "then I hope that it shall be your fate. Goodbye." Returning to his feet, he turned to face Kolya.
Goodbye? What right do you have to say that? What have you done? Kolya stood straight, no longer panting. His eyes narrowed in silent rage.
"You have something on your mind," Alucard said coolly. "Should I give you a moment?"
Kolya clenched his jaw. His pulse pounded in his ears, but he ignored it.
"You are Kolya, I would imagine." Alucard put the Casull back into his coat.
"You. . ."
"I understand that she was trying to buy time so you'd come to the rescue." He smiled. "A little late, aren't you?"
Kolya clenched his fist.
"She thought you could save her."
The trash bonfire flickered behind them.
"You failed."
Kolya could feel his palms start to bleed. "Who are you?"
"My name is Alucard."
"Alucard?" Kolya let his fist relax, felt his whole body relax. He smiled. "I do so love a good anagram."
Alucard smirked, letting the tips of his fangs protrude from his mouth. "Oh?"
"Oh yes. Though I have heard a thousand and more claims to the name that you so blatantly misuse. None of them were anything." Kolya folded his arms across his chest.
"So you aren't impressed? Even after I dispatched of her so easily?" Alucard laughed slowly, as if he did not find it amusing at all. "Or do you really care?"
"What do you know?"
"I can tell you her last thoughts upon the earth."
Kolya raised his left eyebrow. "I doubt that."
"You came, just as you promised." Alucard smiled broadly. "Just as I knew you would."
"Shut up."
Alucard laughed. "Have I struck a nerve? You don't want to hear? Or you don't want to hear it from me?" He mimicked Kolya's pose, arms folded across the chest, feet planted firmly in the ground. "Whether you like my name or my taste in anagrams, the fact remains that I was better than Helen."
"Don't you dare say her name."
"I rather liked her too. It was such a bother doing away with her."
"You don't deserve to say her name."
"Still stuck on that?"
Kolya disappeared just as Alucard had done before. Though it did not produce the same effect as that it had had on Helen. Alucard turned around, and just afterward Kolya appeared there, right where Alucard's back had been facing a moment before. Alucard gripped Kolya by the chin, looking at him as if he were about to slap him across the face. "I'm too old for that."
Kolya was taken aback.
"You honestly thought I'd be taken by surprise by such a predictable action?" Alucard sighed. "You don't respect Helen's ability that much, do you?"
Kolya shut his eyes and screamed, at which Alucard forcefully shoved Kolya's chin upward, closing his mouth. "Screaming isn't going to do you any good. You have to think now. Say to yourself, 'how can I get myself out of this?' Stop making a mockery of her existence."
A mockery? What gives you the right to say that?
"You still aren't thinking. Is this how you want it to end?" Alucard frowned. "And here I thought you were some kind of avenger. You don't deserve to live." He thought for a moment.
Now what? What else do you want to say? Hmmm?
Alucard released Kolya, and reached into his coat. "You aren't going to last to remember her."
Kolya shook his head. He sighed deeply, then looked at Alucard's coat. "The first gun's out of ammunition. You took at least four clips bringing Helen down. There's a larger gun in your coat still, isn't there?"
Alucard smiled.
**
Seras hated being left out of the loop, which ironically seemed to be part of her job now. "Where is my Master?" She was worried. She wandered through the streets of London, deep in thought. It was four o'clock in the morning. At best, both she and Alucard, assuming he were even in London, had maybe two hours of darkness left. "Of course, with Master that's a big assumption sometimes." She sighed.
She was wearing a short sleeved black midriff shirt, over which was a dark gray vest, also without sleeves. She had on khaki colored pants, and around her neck was a black ribbon choker.
The streets were, of course, deserted this early in the morning, which would have been a cause for concern for Seras a year ago. But now, after her transformation into a member of the undead, she seemed to prefer the streets as they were now. It, at the very least, gave her space away from the temptations that came with what she now was.
Seras continued walking, head down, eyes squarely fixed upon her shoes. Like her ensemble, they too were a morose shade of gray. She smiled. "What a pretty little picture I must be, a bundle of confused looking gray." She tried to think of the last time she had thought of herself as pretty. It wasn't coming to her.
Of course, the nagging sensation in the back of her mind that she was filthy had ebbed down considerably. She thought, for a moment, about that too. "It's not like it was, I think. . . I mean. . . well, I just. . . I just don't feel ashamed of it anymore." Which was a good thing, she decided. She was a vampire, a true one, and to some extent she was proud of that. She wasn't like those artificial freak things; no, she was better. Cut from a better cloth.
Seras smiled, turned upon her heel, and marched back homeward.
**
Sir Integra Wingates Hellsing sat brooding in the silence of her cell. It was early morning. The sun, though not yet threatening the horizon, could not be far from doing so. The mighty leader of Hellsing was worried about the sun. It did not frighten her, of course; the light could not even reach her where she was, and it could not hurt her anyway.
But it could hurt Alucard, she thought. Vampires burn in daylight, she reminded herself again. It was a fairly obvious point. Normally, this did not concern Integra, but today, she knew precisely what Alucard was doing.
She had sent him on the mission, told him to find whatever it was that Anderson had hinted at. If he were to die, it would rest squarely on the shoulders of Sir Integra Wingates Hellsing. "Like always," she thought. "I'm always responsible when an honorable man dies in the Hellsing Organization. They were all under my charge." Of course, at the moment the Hellsing Organization did not exist, seemingly bound as it was, along with Integra herself, in her small green mortar brick cell. The whole future of it was uncertain, and the only control she had over any of the former membership lie in Alucard, and, through him, Seras Victoria.
She sighed, looking down at her hands cuffed with leather. She had been powerful, once, a leader of men and women, commander of the undead as well as the living, all for Queen and Country. And look where it had gotten her. All her efforts, and all she had to show for it was what wound around her wrist.
She felt miserable, alone, betrayed. Where was that damn Vampire anyway? "If he were to stride in here right this instant I swear I'd throw my chair right-"
A knock at the door interrupted Integra's musing. She considered for a moment. Was it Alucard? No, he never had the sense to knock. It wasn't the guards; they only opened the door when her meals were served to her. Then who in the world would want to see her, at this hour especially?
"It's me, Sir Integra," a familiar voice stated calmly from behind the door. "I've come with a message."
**
Alucard chuckled as the Dampeal sprinted toward him again. He was far more aggressive than the other, Alucard noticed, and also seemingly a thousand times more powerful. It was fairly obvious that this dampeal had not been starved in recent times.
"I can see why she thought you would save her!" He shouted, further prodding and pushing the Dampeal. He had been wounding the Dampeal's pride with references to Helen for an hour and a half now, though it seemed by this point they no longer had much of an effect upon the Dampeal.
"It will be daylight soon, Vampire!" the Dampeal retorted. "And last I checked, your kind couldn't live in the light of day!" He lunged past Alucard, sweeping his legs under the Vampire, attempting to trip him.
Alucard leapt into the air, his coat swirling about him, and he laughed heartily. "Do you think you're going to last to the hour of sunrise with such tactics?" He pointed the 13mm Jackal just ahead of the Dampeal, and fired the last of the rounds in the clip.
The shot caught the Dampeal just below the shoulder. He stopped, and looked directly into Alucard's eyes, which by now had last the sunglasses that had adorned them previously.
Alucard smirked. "Let's review the score, shall we?" He let the empty clip fall from the Jackal. "Thus far, that's four hits for me." He pulled another clip from his coat and shoved it into the gun. "Two in your left shoulder, one grazing your cheek, and one in your calf." His smirk widened. "At least I hope it was your calf."
The Dampeal frowned. "What about me?"
"Well, you took my hat, if that makes you feel better."
"And the sunglasses," the Dampeal chided.
"Both of which I will be wanting back." Alucard settled back upon the ground.
"If you can take them before sunrise, by all means." The Dampeal charged toward Alucard again.
"It's impressive," Alucard noted. "He hasn't lost a step, regardless of how many bullets I've put in him." Alucard smiled broadly. It wasn't often that an opponent impressed him.
Another few minutes passed with the Dampeal charging, avoiding Alucard's bullets, and charging again. Amazingly, Alucard did not land another shot, and he had even been caught by surprise by the Dampeal's deftness. Still, it was fairly apparent who had the upper hand.
Alucard lifted the Jackal, aiming carefully at the Dampeal's elbow. A thought dawned on him. "Tell me, Dampeal, can you regenerate your limbs?"
"What-?" he began as Alucard pulled the trigger, and the Dampeal, miraculously, avoided the shot. "That's rude of you."
Alucard looked a bit shocked. He didn't expect the Dampeal to avoid the bullet so easily. He opened his mouth as if to speak, but shut it again slowly. He knew that the sun would rise very soon, and, much to his annoyance, his better judgement took precedence. "Not bad, Dampeal. But as you have so politely pointed out, the night is close to its end."
The Dampeal tensed. "You can't leave."
Alucard chuckled. "Why not?"
"I'm not through with you yet."
Alucard threw his head back and howled with laughter. "You're not through, eh?" He sighed, letting his face take on a more serious demeanor. "I don't have the time to finish-"
"Finish me off?" the Dampeal interrupted. "You were the one playing around, and now you have to go?" The Dampeal flashed his fangs in rage. "First, tell me something, Alucard," he disappeared again, but this time Alucard did not know where he would appear.
For a moment, the only movement in the air was the low flicker of the trash fire. All else was still, and for the first time in a very, very long time, Alucard felt the hairs on the back of his neck prickling.
He turned around, and as he did so, he heard a blaring crack.
The Dampeal had appeared behind him, where he had been facing the moment before. "Can you regenerate your limbs?" he asked. He had ripped Alucard's right arm from the socket, all of it. He threw it to the ground, and turned his back to Alucard. "'Till next time, Alucard," he snorted in disrespect, and walked out into the street, straightening out his clothes.
Alucard looked at his severed arm with disgust. The Jackal was still clutched in its hand. Alucard closed his eyes, tensed his entire body, and the arm flew back into place. He sighed, a sudden thrill rolling up along his spine.
Smiling, he disappeared into the shadows.
A/N: As always, thanks for your reviews. I do appreciate them all.
Next Chapter: Shattered Dream
Kolya's history revealed, in depth, Alucard and Integra debrief, and an old guest makes his first appearance. I won't be spoiling the surprise, but feel free to guess. You're probably right.