Freedom Chapter 3

By J.L. Pitard

Standard disclaimer: All characters belong to Kohta Hirano and his publishers. I have no stake in them...

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Ghouls entered the room in a rush of shuffling, pushing and groaning. The zombies in front fell and piled up in front of the ones clawing through the broken door to get to their assigned victim. Alucard stood with his head cocked slightly to the side, black hair falling rakishly over one eye. A large relaxed smile on his face, as he hummed a snippet from Vivaldi over and over. His hands were in motion, but his body was just bracing for the blow back of his 13 mm Anti-Freak combat pistol, Jackal. Reloading with clips from some mysterious pocket, he looked completely relaxed. Alucard was engaged in his favorite occupation. Killing. At least that's the way it looked to the vampire that was trying to sneak up behind him. He felt that she was a full blood vamp, a bit young, but surely she had some basic powers by now. There was a slight tickle against his mind.

Mental powers? Good, he thought. The black wall of his psyche blocked her, but it amused him that she'd try.

As she was still a few soft slippered feet away, he turned his head just a bit to look at her over his shoulder. The last few ghouls were about to die, but he didn't dare turn away from them altogether. Ghoul bites were annoying after all.

"Hmmm, here to play games little girl?" He asked her with a leer. She must've been quite stunning in life. She moved like a model advertising expensive lingerie, not a vampire about to attack. Dark hair cut in an expensive fashion set off her dark eyes.

"No, master Alucard, I'm here to offer you freedom." She bowed her head to avoid contact with his eyes, but he sensed that she believed the crap she said. She seemed to be ever posing, in a sexual, but not quite lurid manner.

"You're not of my lineage, why call me master?" He couldn't help but be intrigued. He turned to face her. She might well be someone's servant, but he had his hands full already.

Rather than answer, she turned her back to him, raised her head over her shoulder and slowly dropped her red robe. She was entirely naked, but quite comfortable in her pale olive skin. Alucard was not staring at her exquisite body, however, but at the strategically placed tattoo on her lower spine. St. George's Cross over a circular dragon eating its tail. His eyes narrowed to slits and he hissed softly. The Cross appeared to be freshly tattooed, but the dragon had healed. He suspected that the Cross would never heal as it was on unclean flesh. That must be a true burden for her, he thought.

As he had lowered the Jackal and ceased all motion, she glided in front of him and kneeled.

"A sign of respect, only, Sir." She looked up at him with the same sexual grace she had earlier exhibited. Face open, no longer pensive. Now her eyes sought his. "My master wishes to discuss freeing you from your burdensome curse."

Alucard said nothing.

"You are too fine a creature to continue as a dog enslaved to that house. Your master has no progeny yet and no relatives close enough to control you, " she purred. His eyes clouded back to their usual semi-maniacal manner. Ah, he thought, someone else wishes to control me.

"You have delivered your message, girl. What now?"

"You may take me here or kill me, my liege." His eyes widened at this. She was his target and he would have had to kill her, but to have her offer herself so? Where was the challenge in that? Her eyes were still locked onto his and if she noticed the Jackal he pointed at her temple, she did not betray that knowledge. The gun fell with a loud clatter, but she kept her gaze even with his.

Alucard reared back and gave a laugh. "An invitation to meet would have cost your master less dearly. Ah," he said softly "but you are a brave one," Placing his white-gloved hands on either side of her face, he kissed her lightly on her lovely, open and expectant mouth. Then, with one smooth move, he snapped her neck and wrenched it from her body. He brought her head up so his eyes could keep looking into hers as her body slid down the length of his, then she was just dust on his hands. He closed his eyes; savoring the quick death he was able to give her. When he opened his eyes, he looked straight into the confused eyes of a Hellsing trooper.

"Target eliminated." He said dusting the remnants off of his clothes. The trooper nodded dumbly, although Alucard hadn't addressed himself to the soldier. The radio crackled to life in the man's ear, startling him. Alucard heard the trooper's thundering heart, but the face was hidden in his stocking mask.

"Team A, return to base" came the command.

"Better run along home," Alucard said to the man, his head tilted slightly and an evil grin seemed to add, "Before I kill you, too." The soldier, no doubt one of Hellsing's best, thought Alucard, turned and ran until he found his mates. Alucard's laughter rolled through the doorway after him.

Alucard knelt; dusting off his gun, smile still on his face.

"Master?"

Yes, Police Girl?

"Master, I met an old vampire and he indicated you might be in some type of trap and we lost him...are you all right?"

Yes, Police Girl. You will give your report to me only. Now.

Seras stood still as she remembered all that had transpired.

That's fine, Police Girl. We'll try some training after we clean our weapons.

"Thank you, Master."

Alucard was gone and there was nothing to indicate what had gone on but piles of corpses, dust and clothing.

Seras went back to Hellsing with the troops. Questions filling and spinning around inside her head.