It had been a long night, and nothing about the FREAK's identity had been discovered. Lt. Harper and Seras had given in just after three in the morning, with little to show for a seven hour search through all of the information they had on the case, as well as another less-than-legal glance through the jazz club. The one interesting bit of information they discovered was that the victims had all known each other, though autopsies indicated that they'd been killed at different times. Also, rather than drinking their blood and then shooting them, the FREAK had shot, then drank,
"It goes completely against the nature of the FREAK," Seras complained, sipping from her glass of water and trying to keep from appearing as frustrated as she felt,
"Well the FREAK's themselves are not what one could really call natural," Ben pointed out. The two had returned to Molly Moggs after giving up for the evening, "After all, they're artificially made… not even old school vampire."
Seras cringed at the last statement but let it slide, "What I don't understand is why he broke into the art gallery in the first place. He lived down the street, and even as unhinged as he seemed to be he wouldn't have forgotten his home."
"Maybe he was hunting."
"But then there wouldn't have been ghouls in the gallery, he didn't create ghouls." The two looked up in unison,
"There was someone else there!"
"Yes," Seras agreed, "Another vampire, and one who didn't mind biting."
Good Police Girl, Her master's voice echoed in her mind, Now for the identity of the FREAK you silenced on Downing…
She couldn't say why she looked up at the poster covered ceiling overhead, only that her master had a hand in it, but as Seras' eyes drifted across the ceiling, past local bands' self promoting flyers, to film posters from the early nineties, to charity auction announcements that had yellowed with age and cigarette smoke, her gaze fell on a local theatre production's poster for Death of a Salesman,
"That's him," she told Ben, pointing numbly to the poster. Ben turned to examine the actor with long auburn hair and a smirking grin on his face,
"That's the FREAK?"
Seras nodded, thankful that Ben hadn't noticed the red eyes on the poster next to the one with the FREAK on it, they blinked once before fading, How did he do that?
Later Seras would decide that it might have been better for Ben to climb up on a barstool and grab the poster, considering his jeans and sweatshirt were more suitable for staring up at than her uniform, but at the time she'd just been relieved to have something worthwhile to tell Sir Integra. She clutched the poster in her hand and looked at the smirking actor. He was definitely the FREAK from Downing, except now she had a name to put with the face…
"Arthur Cartwright," Walter was reading aloud to Sir Integra as she dined on eggplant parmigiana, and scowled at the glass of red wine he'd chosen to accompany her meal. For some strange reason Sir Integra wasn't fond of Italian food, but Walter's eggplant parmigiana was the exception to the rule. She still wouldn't have much to do with red wine. It was, in Walter's opinion, one of her more childish aversions, but he knew better than to comment. For her part Integra never objected when Walter poured her a glass, she simply didn't drink it. At the moment however, her scowl was not for anything so paltry as wine, the report that Seras and Ben had made was not in the least bit comforting. They'd discovered the identity of the FREAK on Downing, only to conclude that the ghouls in the art gallery hadn't belonged to the same vampire. It was, needless to say, not what she wanted to hear,
"Mr. Cartwright was twenty-nine years old, a local actor who," Walter allowed himself the barest hint of a snicker before continuing, "was had very little luck on stage."
Integra waved her fork dismissively, "He's been attended to. What about the other vampire? Do they know if it was a freak?"
Disapproval was etched on Walter's face, and Integra realized with a guilty start how rude waving her fork around actually was. However, Walter managed to compose himself long enough to answer her, "They have no idea, Sir Integra, the FREAK on Downing was the only vampire Miss Victoria was able to sense."
Fuck it all, Integra thought grimly, "Has MI-5 heard about any of this?"
"No, Sir Integra," Walter gave her a half smile, "I thought it best to let you decide when we pass this information along."
"Thank you Walter," Integra stabbed at her eggplant, "The parmigiana is excellent by the way."
"Thank you Sir Integra," the retainer answered with a smile that told her he knew that already.
Seras and Ben parted ways upon arriving at the Hellsing Mansion, and the vampire made her way slowly towards the house. She was disappointed on many levels. She'd failed to find the identity of the FREAK without her master's help, she'd failed to sense another vampire nearby when she'd been on Downing, and she'd spent another night with Ben working as friends when Seras wasn't sure that friendship was all she wanted from him.
"Always remember that it was your choice." Her Master's words echoed in her mind, and she considered them for a moment. Would she have chosen the same if she'd known what her choice meant? She knew without a doubt that she would have. Being lonely, being feared, even being confused was better than being dead. Besides she had her Master, even if he didn't necessarily constitute friend or family, and she like Walter and the men, and… Seras would have run straight into her Master if he hadn't held out one steadying hand,
"The other night on Downing you spoke with the FREAK, and he told you he'd been in Italy."
Hello to you too, she thought wryly, "Yes, he said a priest chased him back to London," she supplied.
Alucard was silent a moment, almost contemplative as Seras looked at him, "Do you remember the vampire from Cheddar?"
Seras nearly spat out a sarcastic reply. Did she remember? She nodded, "Of course."
"He was a priest."
"But you killed him Master!" Seras exclaimed, feeling panicked for a moment, "That's why- I mean that's how- I saw him die!"
A grin crossed his face, so malicious that she had to force herself to stand still and face him, "Yes he was silenced, and we don't come back after that, but you're missing the point, the priest from Cheddar was obsessed with starting a following. He made ghouls in place of his congregation, an army to do his bidding."
"You think that the priest that chased the FREAK from Italy was actually a vampire?"
"Think Police Girl," her Master's voice was hard, and Seras nodded mutely, "The FREAK was afraid to discuss Italy with you. He loathed what he'd become, even without understanding it. He still fought to survive, but he also killed his victims before drinking from them. He couldn't know that a bullet would hurt worse than drinking because he didn't really know what he was,"
Seras' eyes lit up, "He wasn't a priest, he was a vampire, and he was trying to create an army of lesser vampires and ghouls!"
She sensed rather than saw approval, but Alucard tilted his head forward once to acknowledge her, "Good night Police Girl, drink the blood and rest well, tomorrow we will find the FREAK's master." He was gone before his last words finished echoing in the hallway,
"Good night Master," Seras entered her bedroom, her mind racing. It was not lost on her that the second vampire had posed as a priest for good reason. Somehow he knew that Alucard would go after him. Whether he'd been trying to protect the FREAK he'd had some hand in making or because he'd wanted to be chased by Alucard, was yet to be determined.
It was nearly sundown when Seras woke, and her dinner was waiting in an ice bucket on her table. She remembered her Master's orders from the night before and drank the blood with a sense of duty. When she'd finished she got dressed in her uniform, anxious to be ready whenever her Master needed her. A knock on her door actually startled her; her Master wasn't prone to knocking after all. She opened the door and to her surprise Ben was standing in the hallway, a forced smile on his face,
"May I come in?"
Seras wondered briefly if soldiers were allowed in her room, but concluded that she was a grown-up and a vampire at that,
"Sure," she opened the door a little wider and stepped back to allow him in. The two stood in silence as Ben examined her room. She was thankful that at least, after Walter's many admonishments she'd gotten into the habit of putting her clothes in the laundry hamper he'd provided, and that the blood packet she'd just drained had been thrown away leaving a bucket and an empty bowl. However, she did wish that there was more to her basement bedroom than slightly damp stone walls and the four poster coffin with its drab linens. Not, she reminded herself, that this is the same thing as entertaining in my flat.
Ben smiled a little more naturally when he caught sight of her vanilla scented candles burning on her shelves, and her little cd player on her bedside table,
"This is nicer than the barracks you know."
"Really?" Seras couldn't think of anything else to say, so she asked the first question that came to mind and then felt like a twit immediately afterward, "So… um, what are you doing here?"
He went red and looked down, "I- Well I just wanted to ask if, after we've settled this little matter with the Downing Street FREAK, if you'd like to catch a movie or something?"
For all of the immortal grace Alucard had bestowed to her, Seras Victoria felt certain she would fall over, "Er…"
"It's alright if you don't want to," Ben looked horrified and Seras realized that he was afraid to offend her, "I just…"
She caught him in a kiss; it was what she'd wanted to do ever since she'd saved his life. He tensed at first against her cold lips, but a moment passed and he relaxed. Seras had forgotten how fun kissing could be. In the months since she'd joined Hellsing things like kissing had been replaced with target practice and missions, and as she thought about it she realized that those things weren't nearly as satisfying. She could feel the warmth of Ben's lips, and was reminded of the first day of sunshine in spring. She would never realize just how cold the winter had been until the sun hit her skin that first time, and then she would bask in it. She felt the same when she pressed herself against Ben. Screw guns and blood, she thought as his hand reached for the small of her back, this is a thrill. She allowed Ben to lead her to the table, where the two could prop themselves more comfortably, and the kissing became for fevered,
"Ben," she gasped, "Is this alright? I mean are we even allowed?"
He groaned slightly and pulled back, "We're both consenting adults right?"
She started where they left off in answer. It was a moment or two before she began to smell him. It was just his warmth that made her hold him close at first, but as she began to become more and more turned on it was other things. The way his heart was racing for example, or the way that he began to get nervous when his tongue brushed one of her teeth. She started to tell him that she wouldn't bite, but then she smelled it. Blood. Not cold medical blood in a flimsy plastic bag either. Ben's blood was alive. It rushed from one part of his body to another and she could have traced its movement with her fingers is she'd tried. Don't think about it, she told herself firmly. But the smell began to get to her; she inhaled deeply, pretending to smell his hair, as he fumbled with her top,
"Does this thing just unbutton or…"
Blood! She closed her eyes, and tried with all of the willpower she possessed not to listen to the dull chanting that had started in her mind. She heard it over and over again, even saw it. Bite him! Seras moaned, and Ben mistook it for encouragement. His hands were firmly planted inside her top, having given up on the rather complicated collar. His blood was warm, it was pure, he was not a virgin, but Seras didn't care, she'd never smelt anything like this. Even when she'd tasted of Ferguson, it had been different, she hadn't smelt his blood then, not really, she'd tasted out of respect, but this was desire.
Seras didn't realize that she'd bitten his lip until the blood flooded into her mouth, and Ben cried out in terror. The taste of it was so sweet that her first instinct was to lunge at him. He must have seen it in her face somehow because he flinched. Then Seras shrank back,
"You bit me!" Ben was backing slowly away, his face white with fright, "Y-You lured me here and bit me."
Seras couldn't speak. She was beyond horrified, and all she could think to do was hide her head and lick her lips. A startled cry made her look up again and there was her Master. Ben had stepped on his foot and shrieked in terror. Alucard smiled at the lieutenant showing his fangs completely,
"Police Girl, it is time to go." Ben was perfectly petrified, and white as a ghost. He looked from Alucard to Seras, and Seras knew he saw them as one and the same,
"You're just like him," he managed in a small choked voice, "You're a monster just like him."
"And yet you thought it would be fun to play around with her lieutenant," there was nothing cruel about Alucard's tone; he sounded almost pitying, "What did you expect?"
Ben turned on his heel and marched out as fast as he could without running. Alucard fixed his gaze on Seras, huddled on the floor,
"Get dressed and let's go Police Girl, the enemy is waiting."
Seras really did manage a faint blush when she realized her shirt was half off. She buttoned it back up and clasped her belt around it hastily. Nothing more was said about Ben as the two left in a car provided by Hellsing. The ride was short enough that Seras didn't have to face Alucard, but not along enough that she didn't notice his smirk. It would have been bad enough that they had to ride in a car, as her Master was fond of pointing out that real vampires found other, more effective modes of transportation. Seras was thoroughly depressed when they reached Butler's Wharf. The tower of London was still fairly lit across the bridge, but the wharf was dark. Seras wondered suddenly why she was along for the ride. After all, her master rather reveled in killing his prey; he didn't usually fancy having her there as well. There was no time to ask however as at that moment a bullet shattered Seras' window. She shrieked unceremoniously, and jumped out. That was pathetic. She hated to admit it, but her Master was right, pulling her pistol out she tried to look determined, as though nothing could frighten her anymore. Her bluff was called almost immediately, however when a loud noise erupted, and something big hit her Master. He laughed at the hole in his stomach before falling, and Seras kicked herself mentally,
"Who's there?" she demanded.
"Your Master brought you along?" there was no surprise in the voice, only disdain. Seras scanned the dark wharf, until her eyes settled on a pair of gleaming glasses; she took the shot, and missed abysmally. The figure disappeared, only to return a moment later with her bullet in his hand,
"Bad shot," he said with a shrug, "I'm better, just watch."
She didn't even see the gun, but the bullet approaching her at what felt like slowed down speed froze her in place. Another bang and that bullet exploded. Her Master had gotten up,
"I'm tempted to let her finish you off," he taunted, his lips turned cruelly up at the sides, "A piece of trash like you isn't worth my time, but then, you did give me a merry chase dressed as a priest."
The vampire stepped into the light a little more and Seras could see why Alucard had been confused, the vampire was as tall as her Master, and had the same blonde hair as Anderson. His smirk was even similar to the deranged paladin's,
"I thought you might like that. I used to be an actor you know."
"Like the FREAK on Downing," Seras supplied. His red eyes flickered over to scrutinize her a moment,
"He was my friend in college, a horrible actor. When I became a vampire he got all of my roles."
Alucard chuckled, "You mean all of this is over a grudge against your friend." His tone implied the vampire was pathetic, and the vampire took offense,
"He was a means to an end. He was meant to make an army for me, to create ghouls and do my bidding, but he refused."
"Maybe you should do your own dirty work," Alucard suggested, "Or are you to weak? A real vampire has no need for undead servants. If you had any idea how powerful you were you would be able to summon demons, to turn to shadow, but you don't want to learn your abilities when it's easier to allow others to do it for you."
Seras aimed her gun at the vampire's head and he seemed to find her funny,
"Do you really think your Master is going to let you shoot me?"
Seras shot a sidelong glance at Alucard who seemed frozen, his malevolent grin firmly in place,
"Yep," She pulled the trigger and the vampire turned to ash with an unholy shriek. Alucard turned to go,
"Why did you bring me Master?"
Alucard paused an instant, "I thought you might want to kill something after tonight."
He was gone soon afterward, and the Hellsing clean up crew appeared from nowhere. Seras might have been offended if she hadn't known that Alucard's answer was a lie. She went to the car, brushed some glass off of the seat and told the driver to take her back to the mansion.