Chapter 11. (A/N: Ok. I know I haven't updated in a really long time, but this is due to several unfortunate things and freak forces of nature that were outside of my control. I wrote this chapter in like, April. But then my computer started not wanting to upload things and it took me a long time to figure out why. And then lightning struck my house. hate it when that happens. This burned out the phone jacks, which are what I used to connect to the internet (yes, I have dial up TT). I think god is trying to tell me something. Something bad.)
….And now, after all that, here is chapter 11.
When Integra stepped into the cool interior of the library she realized with a start that she had not been here since the night Alucard ranted at her about vampire longings. It was strange, she thought, looking out the window wonderingly, that so much could happen in so little time.
Time…she looked at her watch on impulse and blinked in surprise at how late it had gotten. Alucard had invited her to come down—but first, she had to do a little research.
After twenty minutes of fruitless searching Integra gave up. There was absolutely nothing on seals or bindings, not even a more general documented history of Abraham's research.
Integra frowned as she looked through the shelves for promising titles. They were all very common, general books on general topics in comparison to what she had been hoping for. If this bad luck went on she would be forced to consult Quincy on the matter.
She froze, mentally kicking herself. Quincy! Quincy was down where Abraham's fabled secret library was. If the library was real, then something useful on seals would probably be there. First and foremost, however, she had to confront Alucard on why he had concealed Quincy from her memory, and if he knew anything interesting about Hellsing seals from his experience.
Integra walked in what seemed to be an aimless manner in the halls of the Hellsing Manor basement. She was heading in the general direction of Alucard's chambers, but, at the same time, managed to maintain the air that she was on her way to complete some important business.
When she finally found the door to his rooms and (with a few discreet looks around the hall) managed to slip through unnoticed, she was confronted with the puzzling obstacle of not knowing what to do next. For one thing, the coffin that took up most of the space in the room had what looked like an extremely heavy lid, and for another thing, Integra was doubtful that Alucard would take kindly to a bout of questions about his motives, and possibly his past.
With a sigh she pushed up her sleeves impatiently and placed her palms under the edge of the coffin lid to try and boost it up. It didn't budge, and after her fifth try, she stopped and leaned against the edge of the coffin to catch her breath.
Over the sounds of her pounding heart and deep breaths she heard a small scraping sound. Twisting her head, she looked and saw that Alucard had propped open the coffin lid with ease, and was now staring at her with mocking amusement written plainly on his face.
Integra thinned her lips. "Did I wake you?" she asked testily, aching to wipe the smirk off his face.
"The musical sound of your quickly beating heart was quite a pleasant wake up call," Alucard murmured, "So don't regret being at fault for waking me." His smirk grew wider and he leaned closer to her. "Tell me," he breathed, looking at her intently, "Was your heart beating so fast because of fear…or anticipation?"
"Exertion," Integra snapped in reply. "I don't fear you," she added contemptuously.
"What a disappointment," Alucard purred, deftly balancing the coffin lid on the rim of the coffin and then lifting Integra up and into the coffin interior with him.
"Alucard," Integra began to protest as he dragged the coffin lid over them until they were engulfed in complete darkness. While Integra could normally see fairly well in the dark, the absolute darkness was so much that she could just make out Alucard in front of her."I need air," She said suddenly in the muffled silence of the coffin.
Alucard sighed, perhaps at the fragility of humankind, and moved the lid slightly again so that a small crack formed to serve as an air vent.
"Thank you," Integra said gratefully as cool, fresh air slowly circulated in and it was no longer quite so stuffy.
"Of course," Alucard murmured in a low voice, cradling her head against his chest. While there was a short, comfortable pause in the conversation, he took the opportunity to begin gently stroking her hair.
"What did you want to do tonight?" Integra murmured in a relaxed tone, shifting slightly to make more room for them both.
"Well," Alucard murmured, winding a lock of her hair around his fingers, "I wanted to snack on a nice, warm, luscious Hellsing human body," he purred thoughtfully, "then drink their blood until I felt their heartbeat begin to flutter and they reached the borderline of death, after which I would leave them no choice but to let me change them into a vampire."
Integra sighed. "I was thinking more along the lines of explaining to me why you hid my memory of finding Quincy from me," she said bluntly. Alucard did not react openly, but merely continued to stroke her hair absently.
"You were too strong for my tampering, I see," he said appraisingly, his mouth moving towards hers. "So strong now, just think what a vampire you would make," he murmured, echoing words he had repeated countless times over the years. He closed the distance between them with a soft kiss, which progressed quickly as he moved on top of her and pinned her down on the floor of the coffin.
"Alucard," Integra said warningly, her tone indicating that she saw right through his attempts to distract her from the topic at hand.
"Integra," Alucard said gently, easing himself off of her and rolling to one side of the coffin with his back to her. "Do you like games?" he asked suddenly.
Integra frowned at him suspiciously. "What…sort of games?" she asked cautiously.
"Guessing games," Alucard replied, turning back over to face her.
Integra gritted her teeth. She knew where this was going. "Alucard…" she began threateningly.
"It's only a game, Integra," he assured her smoothly, "is there a problem?" he asked silkily.
Integra regarded Alucard with a piercing gaze, trying to discern his motives. When that failed and all she could see in the darkness was Alucard's disarmingly handsome, pale face in front of her, she sighed and looked away. "I guess not," she muttered, missing a complacent smile that graced his features before he spoke again.
"You wanted to know why I masked Quincy from your memories?" he prompted obligingly.
"Yes," Integra said, not getting her hopes up for a decent answer from him.
"Guess," Alucard answered predictably, making Integra's teeth grinding audible.
Nevertheless, she plunged into her half-formed analysis with smooth aplomb and made Alucard pause in the middle of stroking her hair. "You have something to hide," she began, "something that happened in the past that you weren't supposed to do," she paused, regarding him carefully.
"Go on," Alucard breathed, watching her intently.
" I doubt it's something from Abraham's era…it must be more recent if you want to hide it from me. It might even be the reason for which you were locked up over twenty years ago," Integra continued. When Alucard visibly twitched Integra knew she had struck a nerve.
"Ah, so it was," she said smugly. "I think…maybe…well, I'm not sure," she stopped, struggling for words, "I think it has something to do with the seals," she finished lamely, giving Alucard time to recover and assume his nonchalant mask. "Am I right?" she asked.
"Guess," Alucard replied with a wicked grin.
Integra fumed and could not restrain herself from shooting a venomous glance at him. "I've decided I don't like guessing games," she said savagely.
Alucard grinned. "Oh but I was having so much fun," he murmured in mock disappointment. "Do continue."
Integra opened her mouth to object, but her words died in her throat when she realized that she was acting like a child—and Alucard had planned it that way to make her look ridiculous. I always act like a child around him, she thought furiously, that's probably how he thinks of me, a small voice added.
"Hardly," Alucard's amused voice interrupted her thoughts, and anger rose up in her again.
"How many times must I tell you not to read my th—" Integra began indignantly, but Alucard continued as if she had never spoken at all.
"I don't think of you as a child," he purred, succeeding in pulling her closer despite her half-hearted struggles to stop him. "While I am certainly centuries older than you and you are…" –he paused, trying to tactfully find a way around the fact that he had forgotten how old she was, "…only in your early twenties," he continued suavely, "I don't consider you a child at all. In fact, you are a fine example of female anatomy which I have not yet been able to fully—" he paused for effect, "—experience." As if to emphasize the last word he wrapped his arms successfully around her struggling form and she relaxed into his embrace. Alucard smiled in relief and hoped she had given up.
Integra, having failed in escaping his grasp, did no such thing as give up and instead attempted a verbal comeback. "I think you broke the seals twenty years ago," she said suddenly, acting on a hunch. As she had suspected and hoped, he let go of her, startled, and shifted away from her to observe her—she had suddenly become a dangerous opponent.
"What keen and insightful perception," he commented from the opposite side of the coffin, trying to maintain an aura of calm.
Integra allowed herself to smile nastily and planned her next move. "Quincy knows what happened," she continued, trying to watch his face in the darkness for a reaction.
"Naturally," Alucard, his confidence evidently not completely shattered by her ruthless assaults.
"And Quincy had something to do with why it happened?" she asked tentatively.
"Naturally," Alucard repeated, warily approaching her again.
"And Walter knows too," Integra stated, waiting to hear what she pretty much already knew to be true be confirmed.
"Naturally," Alucard whispered, drawing her to him with coaxing hands.
She let herself snuggle into his hold and asked one last question. "Are you avoiding telling me what's going on because you think I can't handle the truth?"
Alucard leaned down and kissed her slowly. Of course not, he said affectionately in her mind.
But Integra knew he was lying.
I just realized Seras is not in this fic at all. WHERE'D SHE GO? I think she had like…uhh…a starring part in chapter one that consisted of…looking confused.
A, Seras.