When familiar black and white floor tiles of Hellsing manor finally appeared under his feet, Alucard stayed in shadows, invisible and undetectable, taking his time to adjust his perception to the Euclidean geometry of the world. Whatever the underside of space and time consisted of, it was really disturbed tonight. His habitual instant travel through it turned out almost intoxicating... And not that instant. Alucard frowned and moved out into the vast hall of Hellsing manor to join a small group walking towards the door. The group consisted of Integra Hellsing, Walter and Pip Bernadotte, who was busy pushing a huge chrome-plated .44 under the front waistband of his jeans. When the vampire stepped out of nowhere next to him, he jumped.

"Jesus, man. Can't you quit sneaking up like that? If not for safety on, I could've shot something significant off."

"Wouldn't that have been a great relief for the gene pool." - retorted Alucard automatically, looking around and ignoring indignant "Say whaaat?!" from the mercenary. Despite the wee hour of the night the place was full of commotion. Voices, footfalls and distant hum of armored vehicles' engines clearly pointed at the fact that the short recession was over.

"Stop the bickering, you two. - snapped Integra, glaring back at the vampire. - You know, Alucard, you may be about six centuries old and seven feet tall, but sometimes I wonder if you'll ever grow up."

Alucard made a small bow and grinned.

"If my Master says so. - in two gliding paces he caught up with Integra and walked beside her to the waiting car. - Well, what's the hurry? FREAKs are up to it again?"

"Don't know yet. Police called. They said it's been a free-fire zone in Stamford street."

"And what does it have to do with us?"

"They've found remains on the scene. That kind of remains has a lot to do with us."

Alucard's face became solemn. "Ashes, you mean?"

"Exactly. - Integra sighed. She looked tired. - Besides, vampiric attacks have started again. We've got two locations already, one's not far from the place we're going to. Fergusson will take troops to the other."

"Hm. So, everybody's booked up for the night."

"Not everybody yet. Where's Seras?"

"Coming here..." - Alucard paused and suddenly stopped cold in his tracks. Pip bumped into him and grumbled something unflattering, but eventually shut up. He followed the stares of the other two humans and made a step back, putting his hand on the handle of his gun and trying to make this gesture inobtrusive. There was a whole mix of emotions chasing through the vampire's face, but two of them dominated. He was genuinely pissed, it showed in every line of his face, the tension of his shoulders, the deep red gleam of his eyes and the sudden shock wave of energy, making the air thick and electrified and hard to breath as it happens before a thunderstorm. The second emotion was... something like great distress. Pip blinked, wondering if the moon'd become blue all of a sudden. He'd dealt with the nosferatu enough to learn his expressions pretty well, namely blank face, arrogance, sarcasm, rage and boredom. Pure ones or mixed, they were all Mr. Fangface usually needed to express his current attitude. Absolutely no room for anguish... Or so he'd thought. It was an aberration of the ready image and Pip felt pretty uncomfortable about it. When something or somebody really dangerous was becoming less predictable, he always felt this way.

Integra cleared her throat and inquired: "What's wrong, Alucard?"

He slowly turned the full weight of his gaze at her. She didn't flinch.

"Everything's wrong." - he finally said and closed his eyes. He looked like straining to hear something. Integra fished a pack of cigars out of her pocket and tapped one out. It was an expert movement of a longtime chain smoker and an attempt to make herself patient.

"Unpack it, Alucard. You may sound bloody dramatic, but it doesn't make any sense for the rest of us."

"I could tell you a pretty story, but in the end, the answer is simply it doesn't make sense for me either. - Alucard opened his eyes, paused and added. - Seras doesn't respond."

"What do you mean 'doesn't respond'? You haven't called her."

Alucard looked at his Master.

"You were too young when your father died, Integra. He hadn't taught you much and you've never bothered to continue the studies he'd led. - he glanced at frowning Walter. - Walter understands what I mean."

"I believe I do. - Walter stepped from behind the car and faced his commander. - Miss Victoria is Alucard's creation, Lady Integra. There's a bond between them. Something like telepathy, am I right? It's unbreakable unless she drinks his blood."

"Or dies. It's a possible option too."

Integra's hand with a cigar in it froze in a mid-motion: "You think she's dead?"

"I always felt such things before, but now... I don't know. The bond has gone numb. Not severed, but nevertheless... - he turned away from the car. - I must go."

"Do you know where to look for her?"

His posture became stiff as if every muscle of his body had gone tight. Finally he said: "No."

"Get into the car then. We may find a trail of breadcrumbs or... - Integra recalled the ashy remains discovered by the police and finished softly. - ... or something."

Walter drove. Pip had taken the front seat and now fidgeted, tying his hair into a loose braid and periodically shifting his glance at Integra and Alucard, who rode in the backseat. Everybody was silent and it was an uneasy silence. Tension hovered, building in the car's confinement up to the point when Integra started to harbor a wistful thought about a continuation of the never ending Alucard vs. Pip pleasantries exchange. Hell, even a nice uncomplicated yelling match sounded most appealing. Anything but silence... She caught Walter's look in the rear view mirror and found worry in it. She was worried about the fate of her youngest subordinate too. She hated to lose her people. Uncertainty and lack of information... Things that could be maddening even in much lighter case. She looked at the second reason of her worries and frowned. The vampire's profile was set in such harsh a line as she had ever seen it, his back very straight instead of his customary casual reclining, fingers interlaced in a tense lock in his lap. He shimmered with energy, contained, imprisoned, restricted, but all the same. Violence rode the air. He looked as if he was a blink away from exploding or starting to rip everything apart. Uncertainty was definitely getting on his nerves too. Integra remembered Walter's glance and wondered what Alucard was like right before that fatal incident 30 years ago, when he had suddenly gone rogue, caused a bloody carnage in Hellsing Hall corridors and had to be locked away under a powerful confining spell for it. Walter had participated in Alucard's imprisoning, seen everything and maybe, just maybe there was another reason for anxiety in his eyes but the news about Seras disappearance. More the pity she couldn't ask about it right now, in Alucard's presence. She cringed, feeling a tight painful knot growing in her empty stomach. Damn, ulcer was an almost certain perspective with a lifestyle like hers... Chaotic throbs of red and blue lights hit her vision, making her cover the eyes with an arm. When she lowered the hand, the car was stopping, obeying the gesture of an uniformed policeman.

"Wow. - observed Pip from his front seat. - It must be a big one."

The street was completely blocked. Police cars, ambulances and even a fire truck were parked without any obvious order and created an impenetrable barricade. If not for the time of the night, it would've completely paralyzed traffic in this part of London... The area was crawling with police, uniformed and plainclothed. Their figures were unclear and eerie grayish in all that fog and chaotic lighting, making the place look like one of Dante's limbos. The constable who stopped their car bent to the driver's window. His face was stern.

"Sorry, but this street is temporary closed for traffic."

Integra reached forward and flashed her badge.

"Hellsing Institution. We're expected here."

They got out of the car and hung their badges around their necks to prevent further questions. Pip turned back and motioned the armored vehicle with Hellsing troopers to take a detour to get to their destination. He didn't join them and Integra didn't insist. Technically, he was off his shift and not very sober, besides Sergeant Williams was experienced enough to take care about this operation all by himself. And... She might need somebody else but Walter in case Alucard... She ushered this thought out of her mind and walked towards the scene, fighting a sudden desire to turn on her heels and go... no, run away from this place. With every step this feeling became stronger. She stomped on the feeling with all her willpower.

They passed by a paramedic, emptying his stomach at a wheel of the fire truck. It was a bad sign, because paramedics had a reputation of a tough lot when it came to gory sights. Pip stumbled and almost fell, grabbing Integra's forearm to regain the balance. His other hand came forth too, sliding along Integra's side and for a moment making it something close to an embrace. She turned sharply, but he didn't release the grip. His fingers dug deep enough into Integra's flesh to leave bruises, but he didn't seem to do it deliberately. Captain Bernadotte stood still and hunched, his face was turned down. His breath was fast and labored.

"Are you alright?"

Pip slowly rose his gaze at his commander. Mercenary's face was ghostly pale and covered with tiny beads of sweat.

"Yeah. - he squeezed out a bleak lopsided version of his trademark arrogant grin and withdrew his arm from Integra's sleeve. - Sorry."

She shrugged and walked on, pushing through the crowd. Among people's voices, crackling and squeaking of radios in opened vehicles, footfalls and soft murmur of working engines she heard dogs howling. What the hell... Alucard by her side said something. It didn't sound English.

"What? Speak louder!"

He shook his head and said nothing. They made their way between two police cars and finally faced the scene.

Glass and pieces of twisted metal were scattered as far as they could see. Two cars stood a few feet from each other. One of them was a standard black London taxi, the second one was hard to recognize. It was a smoldering piece of junk, covered with fire extinguisher foam. It looked like the cars'd collided and then recoiled from the impact. Just a miracle the taxi hadn't caught the fire, thought Integra, walking closer and trying to ignore the disgusting odor of burned rubber, plastic, gasoline and something else, familiar but not yet recognizable. Both cars were punctured with criscrossing rows of holes. Machine guns. Just perfect.

"Who the hell are you?"

Integra silently sighed and turned. Cops were always reluctant to let someone else onto their turf... This one was not an exception. A short balding man walked from behind an ambulance and glared at her. Surgical gloves on his hands and spots of soot on his suit clearly pointed that he'd taken a close look at the crime scene already.

"I'm Integral Hellsing. From Hellsing Institution. Are you in charge here?"

"Sir Integral? You?" - the man's scowl only deepened. He looked at her from head to toe. If he'd expected she would squirm under the scrutiny, a big disappointment was coming his way. Integra's face was blank like a mask. She raised her badge to his eye level, held it for him to inspect and abruptly let it fall back.

"You haven't answered my question. Who are you?" - she said calmly, looking into the man's eyes. She was a few inches taller and standing close enough to read her badge he had to look up at her. Judging by his face, it made his already foul mood even worse.

"Lieutenant Owens, C-13. Yes, I'm in charge here. - he grated, breaking the stalemate of stares. - I don't know what's your business here, but Chief Detective has called and ordered to touch nothing and wait for you."

"How nice of him. What has happened here?"

"Look by yourself. - lieutenant made a sweeping gesture in the direction of the trashed cars. - It was like this when the first patrol arrived."

"Any witnesses?"

"Nobody survived." - Owens winced and for a moment his face became unguarded - confused and haunted. He quickly looked away. Integra just nodded and went towards the rest of her team, who browsed the scene. Owens hesitated for a moment and followed her.

The moment she walked close enough to see Walter's face, she felt that her previous worries were a cakewalk comparing with the present situation. He looked stunned.

"Walter?" - she made his name a question, glancing into the taxi where her butler's gaze was directed. A young cabbie slouched against the steering wheel. One wide open brown eye was staring skywards blankly. The other was a bloody hole. A bullet had found it way through his head, splattering the backseat of the taxi with its driver's brain. Yuk, but it wasn't enough to shatter Angel of Death's composure.

"Lady Integra. - the old man's voice was low, almost a whisper. - I think we have a problem. A big problem. Look."

He pointed a flashlight at the taxi's floor. A mini-backpack lay there.

Integra frowned. "Well?"

"Miss Victoria has left Hellsing Hall with it tonight."

"Damn. Are you sure? It's a mass production item, anyone could..."

Walter sighed. "Yes, but..."

"But what?"

Walter just shook his head and motioned her to follow. They passed by the taxi and Integra finally understood what was that smell she couldn't recognize. Roasted meat. It came from the burned car. God. Ashes, police had said. Could it be this? Could their call be just a mistake and Hellsing really didn't have anything to do with this mess?

Walter passed by the burned car and when he stepped out of her view, the leader of Hellsing Institution saw her top agent. He was kneeling on the pavement above something small and black. It was Pussy.

Integra came closer and bent over the hellcat. It lay like a broken toy, glassy eyes opened wide, dainty fangs bared in a still grimace. Alucard carefully turned Pussy's small body and its limp paws fell aside, showing several wounds amidst the black fur of its belly.

"Silver. - said Alucard. - Nothing else could bring so much damage."

"It looks as if it was shot in a mid-jump."

"Most likely. - Alucard's voice held emptiness, no tone at all. It was much more frightening than any yelling. - The ultimate goal of any familiar is to protect its Master in critical situations."

"This freaky thing looks like a product of a nuclear holocaust. - Owens pushed past Walter and looked at the cat with a mix of curiosity and disgust. - Eight eyes, I'll be damned. Tabloid tales about rats-mutants in the Tube might be not total bullshit, after all. You say it's familiar to you? What on Earth is it?"

"That's on a 'need to know' basis, and you have no need." - snapped Integra icily.

"Bitch." - muttered Owens under his breath, but still audible. Under other circumstances Integra would've hardly let it slip. If not she, Alucard would've intervened in his usual manner and Owens would've got an Unique Cultural Experience. As it'd happened with Maxwell in the museum a few weeks ago... Now the vampire silently stood with the cat's body in his arms and looked at three heaps of fine ash in the middle of the street. Chalk silhouettes around their edges were roughly humanoid but that was about all. Once killed, an undead was practically unidentifiable. No teeth to check dental records, no clothes to recognize. Just ash. And eternal damnation. The fate of the her undead subordinate seemed more or less clear to Hellsing leader now and a sudden pain shot through her heart.

"Hellsing Institution takes over this case from this moment. - Integra braced herself for the official statement. - Walter, call a team from the Investigations."

"Oh really? Hope that next team of yours will know better than to puke on the crime scene." - said Owens in a tone of sugarcoated venom.

"What are you implying, lieutenant Owens?" - Integra tore her gaze away from the anonymous vampiric remains and frowned at the policeman.

Owens jerked a thumb over his shoulder: "Isn't Rapunzel over there one of yours? He looks like a living ad of barf bags."

Integra and Walter simultaneously turned to look and Walter's brow twitched. Integra clenched her teeth. A few yards away from them, on the sidewalk, Pip was on his knees, propping his upper body against a large red mailbox like an eager believer praying to a deity statue. The long blond braid trailed along his back, spilling on the ground. He was doing exactly what Lieutenant Owens had mentioned.

"Captain Bernadotte. - Walter walked up to him, waited the last spasms to pass and bent to help Pip stand up without stepping into his own generous offerings to the holy mailbox. - You haven't told us you've been feeling unwell."

"Unwell! Hah!" - Owens didn't look particularly healthy himself, but couldn't help but comment.

Pip slowly got up and staggered up to his commander, wiping his mouth with a handkerchief, provided by Walter.

"I... I used to see worse things... Much worse and never felt like now... I don't know what's with me." - he finished almost helplessly.

Beer, you bloody idiot, that's what with you. Beer and brandy. Integra ached to say it aloud but restrained herself for Hellsing's reputation sake.

"Straja de sange." - Alucard appeared behind her back absolutely noiselessly and Owens jumped.

"Eh?"

"Straja de sange. Ward of blood. That's what with him - one of the early symptoms."

Walter suddenly strained: "Here? Are you sure?"

Alucard shrugged. "Dogs howl in the whole area by now - you just can't hear them through the noise. That's a first. As the daybreak comes closer, humans will start feeling it too - nausea, heartache, panic attacks, depression. And an unbearable urge to leave this place - at any costs, as soon as possible. The most sensitive ones experience it already."

"There can be other reasons for it... Natural ones."

"Deny it or not, Walter, but I know what I'm speaking about. - the vampire turned his cold gaze away from Walter and touched hellcat's bloodsoaked fur with an absentminded motion. His voice became lower. - The bond is still numb. I can't sense her."

"Alucard. - Integra spoke unusually softly. - Pussy jumped to protect her and was shot with silver. You've said it yourself. There are three dead vampires over there. You can't sense her through the bond no matter how you try. Let's face it. She's... dead."

"She's undead." - a first hint of emotion appeared in Alucard's empty voice. Anger. Goodie. Integra couldn't believe she felt relieved hearing it, but it was really so.

The vampire looked down at the lifeless body in his arms: "Her familiar hasn't turned into ash. It's a clear indication that its Master hasn't turned into ash as well, because technically Pussy is a part of her."

Owens uttered a peculiar muffled sound. Everybody ignored him.

Integra looked at Walter questioningly. "Is it true?"

The Hellsing veteran shrugged: "If he says so. I'm not an expert in such sophisticated metaphysics."

"All right. I believe. She's undead... somewhere. Great. - Integra quickly caught the mercenary, who suddenly swayed and pressed both hands to his stomach, looking like a dying swan. Or like shit, if to put it into less poetic words. - Now tell me about that straja thing. Our captain seems to be pretty sensitive to it."

Alucard looked down at Pip: "Indeed."

He pushed Pussy into Integra's arms, trading it for Bernadotte, carried the mercenary to the closest police car and slammed the door, sealing him inside. Integra rose her brows. Alucard seemed to understand the mute question, because he patted the car's roof and said:

"Cold iron. It minimizes the effect of the blood ward, but nobody could imagine enough iron to shield with it when it was invented."

"How old is this 'invention' then?"

"Old enough. Some Egyptian tombs still have them to wade away the robbers."

"Hm. I wonder if archeologists felt like our Captain while working there."

Alucard snorted.

"In their own way archeologists are tomb robbers too. Wards keep them away as well. They scurry out of the area without even realizing what made them do it."

Integra shook her head. "Back to the business, Alucard. What is this ward exactly?"

"Basically, it protects a vampire's lair during the day, spooking humans away from its range."

"I hear a 'but' coming."

"Two 'buts'. But there's something else. I don't know what it is, but it affects not only humans. - he paused. - I think I can't hear Seras because of it."

"It strips you of power?"

Alucard gave a reluctant nod. Integra tried to contemplate the new information, while Walter stepped aside, pulled out a phone and started talking to someone in the Investigations Department. The fire truck backed away and disappeared in the fog. Owens took his time to talk to one of the uniforms and other emergency vehicles started to disappear too. Only a few police cars stayed to block traffic. The street was returning to its normal pre-dawn quietness.

A pain shot through Integra's heart again and she pressed her left hand to the chest. Alucard looked at her intently.

"You begin to feel it too. - it wasn't even a question. - You have to leave this place."

Integra Hellsing shook her head stubbornly and let her hand fall down away from the chest, but a sudden thought made her heart squeeze again. She strained and looked into the vampire's eyes.

"You say such wards still work in Egypt several millennia after they were put up?"

"Uh-huh."

"Does it mean that it will be the same here, in London?"

Alucard shrugged: "Pretty likely."

"It's absolutely unacceptable! - the Hellsing leader stood straight, eyes burning. Her voice became low and dangerous. - Until people start ice skating in Hell, I will not let some fucking monster make a part of London abandoned!"

"Very colorful." - muttered Owens in sour tone. He walked up and caught only the last phrase of the discussion. Integra glared at him and turned away so sharply that her long blond hair slapped across his face.

"What can we do, Alucard? - she demanded. - Tell me!"

He looked down at her thoughtfully. Finally he spoke.

"The spell is altered, so I'm not sure. But if we find the sacrifices before the dawn, burn them and dump the ash into running water, it might help. If it was a common blood ward, I'd say it would be destabilized."

"Sacrifices?"

"Straja de sange needs human sacrifices to power itself."

"Oh, God. - Integra compressed her lips in a thin line, ignored a new fit of heartache and glanced at her watch. - We have less than two hours till the dawn, Alucard. I'll call in the troops and we'll start to search. I'll request aid from the police and army if needed."

"As the day comes closer, the spell will unfold into full force, Integra. - Alucard twisted his lips in a humorless smile. - I doubt that any human from your troops will be able to find his own butt with two hands and a detailed map where X marks the spot. Look at Bernadotte, and it's only a beginning."

"Do we have any other alternatives?"

"Actually, yes. Raise all the seals from me and I'll do the job."

Integra frowned and examined the vampire's face closely. The look on his face suddenly made her aware of how much older he was than she. His face could be still young, but his eyes were not. Something flowed across them, but she couldn't decipher his motives.

"You're serious."

"I wouldn't make a joke out of this."

"You've said this thing strips you of power. Are you sure you can accomplish this? You can't even sense your fledgling through the bond."

"That's why I need all restraints elevated. - he looked down the street at the broken cars and then switched his gaze at the pody of the hellcat on the hood of the police car. Somebody had wrapped it into a plastic bag, commonly used by police for evidence. He spoke low, but it carried. - Do it, my Master."

Integra stared at him. He stood motionless and quiet, his face averted and hidden in shadows. At last she made up her mind. She fished out a small pocket knife, peeled off her glove and cut her finger. The cut turned deeper than she intended, but it didn't matter. She looked at the welling blood and slowly, tentatively reached towards Alucard. Her blooded fingertip brushed against his lips and his breath came out in a deep, almost wounded sound.

"In the name of Cromwell, I, as the head of Hellsing and your Master, allow you to use all your power. Bring the victims of sacrifice here."

"Invocation of Cromwell confirmed. I have the permission. - the sigils on Alucard's gloves flashed with red light and got plain black again. A wave of change ran from them, conquering red fabric with black leather. - Restraints control disengaged."

"Do as I bid, Alucard. Hurry."

He nodded: "Yes, Master."

The power she had felt in the car on their way to this place ran through the air again, but this time it wasn't suppressed. It lashed out in a surge of wind, surrounding the vampire with a vortex of energy, rising to a choking value. His hair was getting longer, spilling on his back and boiling in the wind of energy as a black silky cloak, tangling in long strands around his leather-clad calves. The wind sent the tresses that edged his face across his mouth, so only his eyes were visible. The irises were solid shining red with his pupils like thin black slits within them. These ethereal eyes seemed to look through her, through the surrounding buildings, through everything. The next moment they vanished as the tall figure of the nosferatu fell apart, filling the night street with hundreds of bats. They rushed upwards, rising above roofs and drowning in the fog.

Integra shook her head and started to rummage her pockets for the phone. To fit the time limits they needed a helicopter and flamethrowers. No, napalm or something in the ballpark would be better...

She turned and almost bumped into Owens. The man looked petrified, and the expression on his face was of a little boy, who peered under the bed and found a big bad monster not only living there, but also shagging Mom to pass the time. Integra winced. She'd forgotten about him, how stupid... Well, the newfound problems had been distracting enough.

"I believe you understand that everything you've seen here tonight is classified, Owens."

He gulped and slowly focused his eyes on her face.

"And you do understand that you will go straight to Hell for dealing with this... this..." - he failed to find the matching word and simply glared at her.

Integra sighed. What a lousy night... And to think that only a couple of hours ago her biggest problem was insomnia.

"Judge not lest ye be judged yourself, Lieutenant Owens. And unless your first name is St. Peter, stop pretending to know anything about my afterlife accommodations. Now leave. I have to do my job and all you do here is get in my way."

Owens turned on his heels and walked to a brown car, parked a few yards away. Having opened the door, he looked at the Hellsing leader.

"I wish you luck with doing your job... Sir Integral." - he made it sound like an amalgam of curse and mockery.

"Thank you, Lieutenant Owens." - Integra's tone was far below cold. It was downright freezing.

The car roared to life and the policeman drove away, almost brushing Integra's legs with a side of his car. She watched the red spots of taillights disappearing in the distance, took the glasses off and rubbed her tired eyes.

There's a place where everyone gets along, holding hands, singing "I love you" with flowers in their hair and dancing. It's called La La Land, girl, and its over the hills and through the woods. You can get there on a magic carpet with pixie dust in your eyes, being knocked out cold by another unfriendly vampire or just falling asleep after twenty hours long workday, if you are lucky and don't have a nightmare instead. But here, in the real world, nothing seems to be so easy. Solving one problem at a time is your only way. Don't delay the first one. Integra finished her silent mantra and started to dial the number.

Author's note: The name of the spell is in Dracula's native language.