Alucard is playing some game and I don't like it. She could not understand how it was that the Alexander Anderson was a vampire in her employ. It did not make sense. "Angel Dust" Anderson was as likely to become a vampire as any Hellsing would be. In other words, not bloody likely.
Olivia was nothing if not practical. She had a valuable resource in Anderson, even if she didn't trust his or Alucard's motivations. She had given Alfonse permission to make him more comfortable and to see him properly armed and fed.
She would be watching both of her vampire servants. If she didn't like what she saw, she wouldn't hesitate to have Anderson put down like the undead creature he now was.
ooo
Alex had returned to his room after his first meeting with Sir Olivia feeling off-balance but somehow stronger. Alucard might have an inexplicable hold over him, but there were loopholes. Loopholes could be exploited. Alucard had demonstrated that to him to his detriment and Alex was determined to return the favor.
The first thing he was going to have to learn was how to keep that bastard out of his mind. There was no way to make any sort of plans against Alucard if he would immediately read them from the open pages of his thoughts. I guess I have all the time in the world now, but sooner is better than later.
Sir Olivia might not look much like her ancestress, but Alex could hear Integra in her voice and the manner of her questions. If she were like Integra, he would have to be very careful with her. She would be intelligent, perceptive and unwavering in her duty.
"She is more than that, Judas Priest." Alucard's deep voice set the man's teeth on edge. Alex clenched his fists and turned to face the vampire.
"Would it be too much to ask that ye both use the door and knock on it first?" he asked through gritted teeth.
"You could try asking your Master nicely and see," but Alucard's smirk was answer enough. He held up a clattering bundle for Alex to see and then dropped it on the floor with a crash. "Your weapons, Judas Priest. You can't serve the Hellsing Organization without them."
Alex knelt over the bundle, which he recognized as his old trench coat. He pulled the heavy cloth aside. Silver shone at him, bringing back memories of the man he had once been. He reached in to pull out a knife and jerked back, hissing at the burn the silver had inflicted on his flesh. "How can I use my knives if I can't even touch them?"
"You wear gloves, you fool. Have you really reached your advanced years without learning how to work around minor problems?"
"No, vampire, I have learned to work around problems. I have worked around worse and I will find my way around bigger ones than a bit of silver," Alex looked at Alucard with malice and the bigger problem he intended to work around was standing in front of him, grinning maniacally.
"You haven't learned how to properly address your Master yet. If you can't learn something so simple, you shouldn't be offended that I don't expect you to learn anything more complex." Alucard stepped closer to Anderson, "Let me make this easy for you. Every time you feel the need to call me 'vampire,' 'beast,' or 'abomination,' simply replace those words with 'Master' and all will be well."
"And if I call ye 'monster,' 'demon,' or 'unclean lying filth?'"
"Then I will never teach you how to shield your mind from me. You do want that, don't you? You want to be able to plot against your Master without his hearing you, don't you? Treat me as your Master and your Master will teach you what you need to know."
Anderson turned away from Alucard, filling his mind with thoughts of leather covers for the handles of his knives and swords, and ways to protect his bare skin from the blades; trying to cover the thoughts of what he really wanted to do with his holy weapons.
ooo
Alfonse had been by to take Alex's measurements. It would take a bit of time to obtain a coffin that would fit his nearly seven-foot length. He had also brought something less welcome – his "dinner."
He eyed the bag of blood dubiously. He had been staring at that bag of red fluid for the past hour, trying to weigh the costs and benefits of drinking. It wasn't as easy as he'd thought it would be to accept or dismiss his new form of nutrition.
He knew that Alucard was watching him somehow. He didn't see the vampire in his room, but his old hunting senses were reawakening and he could feel Alucard's eyes on him.
That bothered him as well. He didn't know which would please Alucard more, if he drank the blood without a fight or if he resisted the need and became weak. He hated the thought of giving the creature anything he wanted.
He chose to beg the question for a while and left the room to explore the mansion that would be his home. He wandered the basement first. It seemed that he and Alucard were the only residents down there. There were storage rooms and locked doors, but nothing of any real interest.
The first floor was home to some interesting artwork, including portraits of most of the heads of the Hellsing Organization over the years. He was standing in front of a portrait of Integra Hellsing when Sir Olivia found him. "You knew her, didn't you?"
"Aye." He shifted uncomfortably.
"What did you think of her?" She stood next to him, staring up at the portrait of her ancestress.
"She was a very strong woman. She once faced down more than a dozen Nazi vampires carrying machine guns with nothing more than a sword and her will. I never met her like and Iscariot has had some remarkable women. She was not easy to like, but impossible not to respect."
Olivia laughed. He looked down at her in shock. "That might be the most honest tribute to Integra I have ever heard. I've read her journals and the accounts of people who knew her. I'd have to agree. She didn't seem like a very warm person, but her strength was undeniable." She smiled at him. "She has been my role model."
"Ye'll have to forget how to laugh like that, I'm afraid."
She shook her head. "As I said, I've read her journals. She may be my role model, but I also want to learn from her mistakes. Her life would have been fuller had she made just a little time to enjoy it instead of seeing it only in the light of duty and responsibility. It might also have been longer."
Anderson was at a loss for words. He turned away from this puzzling woman back to his regard of her forebear. Integra Hellsing was a woman worthy of respect. Would her descendent be as well?
ooo
Alucard did not like their interaction at all. They were not supposed to share anything. He did not share and did not wish to share either of them. They were both his in their own particular ways.
ooo
Alex returned to his room and his meal. He had enjoyed his brief conversation with Sir Olivia. She had told him where to find the library and given him permission to use it with the exception of the restricted section, which was locked away anyway.
He settled down in the chair that Alfonse had brought him and began paging through the fat tome he had brought with him from the library. He had studied vampires and the various creatures of evil, but he had never looked at them from the perspective of being one.
He skimmed through the book for a while before tossing it aside with a grunt of disgust. This isn't any help. It's the same shite I've read a thousand times before.
He looked around and his eyes settled on the bag of blood in its bed of ice. He had been thinking about his options and had come to a decision. It was better to fight a battle fully armed and at full strength than to deliberately weaken himself. He would never defeat Alucard at anything less than his full abilities.
Former priest, former paladin, former Father Alexander Anderson had his first meal of blood.
And it was sinfully delicious.