Integra woke up the next morning in a very foul mood. She'd spent the night having dreams of a very awkward nature, and they had left her feeling irritated and not a little bit on edge. She muttered an oath under her breath as she remembered that a meeting with the round table had been scheduled for today.

After a morning of snapping at Walter and anyone else who stood in her way, she at last received word that the members were beginning to arrive. Integra smoothed her button-down suit jacket, and inspected her image in one of the many hall mirrors. Her glasses were clean, her collar was stiff, and everything seemed to be in order.

Feeling that perhaps the day could be salvaged, Integra felt the corners of her mouth turn up ever so slightly, and began to make her way to the conference room. She no longer needed her cane, and the limp she had been trying to hide was not as much of a bother as it had been in past days.

Integra was just passing another particularly large and ornately-framed mirror when she narrowed her eyes and paused. It was not her reflection that she had noticed looking back at her.

"Alucard," she said coolly, regarding the image of the vampire that was staring back from the cold glass surface.

"Master," he replied, his ever-present grin stretching his lips inhumanly.

"I'm not in the mood for your games, today," Integra said while folding her arms. "Go back to your cellar room, and stay there until you are called for." She pushed her glasses just a little bit higher onto the bridge of her nose. "That is an order."

Alucard's image began to undulate, swiftly turning into an inky black mass of shadow before disappearing. Integra was left staring at herself, until she felt someone behind her and whipped around, gun already cocked and raised.

There was no one there.

"I said no games, Alucard!" Integra was fuming. How dare he ever assume that he could assert control over her?

Already, she could feel the tendrils of fear that were probing the edges of her consciousness, and it caused her veins to burn with fire. She knew that her emotions were his power. Her emotions made her weak. And no matter that she had spent all of her life learning to control them...they were still unpredictable.

"Your wish is my command, Master." The words rang through Integra's head and she could not decide if it was her own thoughts that had conjured them, or if they had been brought forth by force.

"I wish you would leave me alone!" roared Integra, though inside she was wincing. Even to her, the words rang flat upon her ears.

There was the sound of low laughter from somewhere quite nearby, but still the vampire did not show himself.

"Fine, Alucard," growled Integra. "Go on then. Enjoy a laugh or two at my expense. I am still your master, and you will do as I say."

A black mist began to form at Integra's feet, and she stepped away, grimacing even as she watched it beginning to solidify. Within moments, the form had taken the shape of a man. A shape no more 'true' than what it had been just before, she thought.

"Master."

Integra stepped back, slightly startled, as she watched him kneel at her feet.

"I am no longer bound by your words. I am bound by your desires. Whatever it is your heart wishes, that I will provide."

At that moment, Walter rounded the corner, and seeing Alucard bent in such a way, raised an eyebrow. He at first seemed as though he wanted to comment, but thought better of it, and turned to Integra.

"Sir Integra, everyone has been assembled. They now await your presence."

Integra gave a curt nod, but remained silent.

"Very good, then."

After adjusting his monocle and giving her a look of some significance, Walter made a polite bow and left.

Alucard had stood by this time, and was grinning at her. "He suspects that we have become lovers."

Integra's gun flew up and delivered a bullet into the very middle of the vampire's forehead.

"I've got a meeting to attend, Alucard. Why don't you go play with your pet for a change?"

She waited for his response, dreading it even before the words had slithered into her mind.

"Because, dear master...you do not wish it."

Integra left him there, standing in the hall. She never looked back because she knew exactly what she would see. She would see a man.

"That," thought Integra, "that is precisely the problem."