Seras arrived at the train station just as the sun was setting. The young vampire was grateful for that – the plane ride over the sea had drained nearly all of her energy. Alucard had been right after all. The Police Girl drifted off to sleep as soon as the train started moving towards her destination.
Police Girl, you really should've had some blood before you left Hellsing. No wonder you feel so weak. You truly are pathetic sometimes. Alucard's voice berated his fledgling inside of her head.
Seras cringed in her sleep. Could she not get away from Alucard's chiding even now? What was he doing inside of her head when she was on vacation? And why was he suddenly so concerned about her feeding habits? Her Master hadn't even mentioned her blood drinking habits since she had first been turned. No. Walter and Integral had cared but not him.
Master, I was going to but…but…I don't know I just forgot…with trying to get ready for the trip. It's been so long since I went away on a holiday. I just didn't have time. Seras really did intend to drink some blood before she left Hellsing. She had been so excited that she forgot all about it. The blood was probably still sitting on the table in her room; unless of course her Master had drunk it.
Police Girl stop rambling, it is so annoying. Must you ramble even when we talk telepathically? And lie.
Master I don't lie. I did forget.
Well that is worst then lying. A vampire that forgets to drink blood. How is that even possible? It's a good thing you are a strong warrior. You are such a useless vampire.
Seras smiled in her sleep. A compliment? From Alucard? But, wait. His behavior was very erratic. One minute he was berating her for her drinking habits, something he ordinarily could care less about, and now he was complimenting her. Something was very wrong with this picture.
Are you feeling ok Master?
Yes, Seras. I enjoy not having you around to annoy me.
Seras tightened her fists in her sleep. Alucard was such a git.
Alucard continued, But, listen carefully - I have something important to tell you. Be careful around your host. There is much about her you do not know – that Integral does not even know. Be on your guard. And pay close attention to everything she does. It may save you and Hellsing in the end. Alucard commanded his fledgling pushing his will over hers. He hoped she wouldn't fight him on this. To make sure nothing would interfere with his plans he gave a mental command that only her subconscious would hear: Everything I speak is true and you will not question it. You will not speak of this conversation to your host. Alucard rarely enforced his will on Seras so forcefully – he liked to give his fledglings choices. But, he may never have another chance to see Fiona and was not going to risk Seras interfering with his plans.
Seras
replied out loud although she was asleep "Yes, Master." Minutes later,
the vampire moved restlessly as Alucard withdrew his mind from hers.
She awoke a few minutes later and looked out the window. It was dark
now and she had no idea where she was. The vampire remembered talking
to Alucard; recalled how he told her to be careful around Fiona. Seras
thought it was more then a little strange that he hadn't told Integral.
But, decided he must have his reasons. Another thought started to form
in her head but dissipated into her subconscious: although the
conversation with her Master was incredibly strange she had not
questioned him at all – it was very unlike her, especially since he had
been acting so strangely. A Police Officer by training, she was curious
by nature and yet nothing her Master said struck her as odd. Seras
sighed as she drifted off to sleep with visions of Irish castles,
mountain cottages, and leprechauns dancing in her head. She hoped the
train ride was almost at its end.
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When Seras stepped off of the train she spotted the woman she knew to be Fiona. Fiona was not looking at her but reading a train schedule. Seras should have wondered how she knew it was her. But, the mental block Alucard put in his fledgling's mind prevented that.
Alucard, drinking a goblet of blood back at Hellsing, grinned as he saw her through the eyes of his fledgling: his fiery Irish lover from thirty years ago - the woman who would've mad the perfect bride. Damn if Fiona wasn't just as beautiful today as she was on the day he first laid eyes on her: long beautiful strawberry blonde hair falling wildly on her shoulders, intense green eyes, full red lips, and the body of a goddess. A body that should've belonged only to him, for was he not a god himself? Alucard certainly had the power of a god. But, no she had been stolen from him by Integra's father. He had spent twenty years locked up in the dungeon because of his actions that night. Alucard's anger rose up in him as he remembered. The vampire slammed his fist down on the table shattering it. He had been just about to turn Fiona when Leon had found them together. Alucard was drinking her delicious noble Irish blood as she moaned in ecstasy, clinging to what remained of her life. The No Life king was getting ready to feed her his blood – he had finally gotten her to agree to it after months of denials. They were surrounded by her fellow Irish soldiers, all of them dead, their blood drained. The Nosferatu had feasted on them after they had tried to kill him. Arthur had used the Hellsing Seals to restrain him until he was locked away in the dungeon. Alucard had spent 20 long years locked away thanks to him, until the taste of Integral's blood had awakened him. The vampire pulled himself out of the mind of his fledgling. He had to be careful and not use her mind of too often. Seras might pick on his thoughts, his plans, and they would be ruined. Alucard laughed insanely as he thought of the future and went to look for Integra – he was in the mood to annoy her to tears. Playing with humans was just so much fun.
Seras watched as the woman walked up to her. She tried to smile warmly at Seras. It was an obvious attempt to make Seras feel comfortable, but a bad one at that.
"Hi, you're Seras, right? I'm Fiona. You're my guest – Integra's coworker?"
"Hi. Yes that's me. Thank you so much for having me."
Both of the women tried to appear warm and friendly but there was an undercurrent of mistrust that was hard to ignore. Seras didn't trust Fiona because of Alucard's comments, although she didn't know why. Fiona didn't trust Seras for one reason and one reason only. It was not because she was a vampire. No Fiona had known vampires she would entrust her life with and had. Her mistrust was because the girl was Alucard's servant. Even if Seras was as sweet and innocent as she appeared, a fact she doubted because no one was that kind, that pure, anymore. And she was after all a vampire; his servant. Alucard could see through her eyes and control her mind. No Fiona would have to be careful around Seras, no matter how much she liked and wanted to trust her.
Seras and Fiona got into her car and drove to her castle. Neither woman said much. The atmosphere in the car was uncomfortable at best and bordered on hostile. Seras was relieved when Fiona told her they were approaching the castle. It was quite a breathtaking view. The castle sat on top of a hill, which overlooked the sea. The castle itself was made of stone and was over 300 years old. It had been in Fiona's family since its creation. Fiona gave Seras a brief history of the castle which was fascinating. Fiona's ancestors had taken the castle from its previous owners by defeating the clan in battle. Her host had descended from a long line of warriors. And the vampire was pleased that they were finally talking and the tension between them seemed to be easing. But she wished that Fiona would stop giving her that annoying fake smile. The warmness of it could not cover up the coldness that lied underneath, which was visible in her eyes.
Seras was not quite sure what to think of her host. She tried to block what her Master had said because it seemed Fiona was not threatening at all. After all, she had quit the vampire hunting business years ago, why would she be a threat to her or Hellsing? It did not make any sense. But, Master had always been honest with her. The thought of Master lying to her - that was just insane. She tried to block all the thoughts from her mind. The whole thing was giving her a headache. But, she did sense that Fiona was leery of her too. Strange – the whole thing was entirely too strange.
Fiona showed Seras to her room. The minute she laid eyes on it, Seras thought that perhaps she was in love. For it looked like the kind of room she had dreamt of as girl. The suite was decorated in a Colonial style: A 4-poster Queen bed with a canopy; the bedspread was pink with lace trim. Her room was dark – shutters kept the sunlight out. As a vampire, darkness was something one came to appreciate greatly. There was a huge wooden dresser for her to keep her things in and yes, even a coffin. It was small but very ornate: decorated with Old Celtic symbols on the outside and a soft homemade quilt and pillow inside. It looked quite comfy. But, the room was also had all of the modern luxuries that one would expect at a fancy hotel: a huge flat screen TV with a DVD player and a library filled with all kinds of movies; stereo with huge speakers and tons of CD's; and even her own refrigerator that she could keep her blood bags in. Yes, Seras, thought she rather liked the place already. She'd be able to relax and think about Pip. Maybe tonight she'd go for a walk in the forest. For now she needed rest to recuperate from her exposure to the sun and plane ride. Seras sighed as she laid her head down on the pillow inside of the coffin. It felt so good to lay her weary body in it. Seras didn't even recall closing the top as she drifted off to sleep.
