Integral shot straight up in bed, eyes darting around the room. That thunderclap...did not come from outside. Integral could see sunlight trying to sneak through her curtains. Which left...Alucard. Integral's icy gaze whipped towards her door. He wasn't here. Had he been in her room or had he reached out from his study? Integral shoved away the covers and stood, cursing the insane desire to wear silk to bed. Her hair was full of static, sticking out around her head like some kind of illumination. She walked to her dressing room and sat at the vanity. Grabbing her brush, she attempted to tame her hair.
:You are up early.: Alucard's voice slid through her mind. Integral frowned at the mirror.
"A bad dream, nothing more."
:Bad? Are you sure: The insinuation had Integral clenching her teeth. I will not let him win this one!
"Yes. I do not like dreaming about men. They are a nuisance."
:Hahahahahahahahaha! You silly, icy child. So afraid of your own feelings. I know you do not believe that, Integral. I can see...:
"YOU will stay out of my head. That is an order."
:As you wish, Master'.: The touch withdrew, leaving Integral with the impression of a maniacal smile and fingers running along her neck. She shivered.
Deep in the basements of the Hellsing mansion, Alucard sat in his study, feet propped on the table and sipping his second bag of blood. The conversation with Integral ran through his vampire mind, intermingling with the dream he had watched play out in her pretty head.
Not all men are nuisances, my Master. But that spike-haired one is. I do not trust him, therefore I will watch him. And if he tries to touch you, well... Alucard smiled and licked his fangs. It had been years since he'd fed on German blood.
:Remember, police girl. You are dead.:
:Yes, Master. I know.:
:By the way, where DID you get that dress:
:It's one of my favorites.:
:I wonder about your tastes sometimes, police girl.:
:Hey:
Promptly at 8, Ginji and Ban knocked on the Hellsing gates. A guard let them in and escorted them to the front door. Walter opened the door and took over.
"Good evening, gentlemen." Integral was standing in front of the stairs, arms folded.
"I warn you now, what you are about to see may be disturbing."
"We can handle it." Ginji said, waving his hand airily. "I used to live in the Limitless Fortress. I saw all kinds of stuff there."
"Very well. This way." Integral turned and headed towards the down staircase. Ginji and Ban followed, Walter was right behind them. As they passed through the basement, the Get Backers glanced around.
"As you know, Seras Victoria was an orphan. Due to the nature of her death, my organization gained full custody of her body. We performed our own autopsy, then interred her in our crypt."
"Crypt?" Ginji asked nervously. Ban frowned at Integral's head.
"Yes. It is down this way." Integral opened a door and headed down a flight of stone steps. The men followed.
"Torches?" Ban asked, frowning at the light source. Ginji was about ready to climb into Ban's back pocket. Ban shrugged him off when he got too close.
"My father's tradition." Integral stopped at another wood door. She could see Walter grinning. Ban looked very cross and Ginji was cringing. "Are you sure you want to see this?"
"We have a job to do." Ban growled.
"As you wish." Integral pushed open the door. More torches burned around the room, empty except for a large wood coffin in the corner. Integral walked over and triggered the mechanism. The lid slowly lifted up on pillars, revealing Victoria. She was on her back in a flowing white dress, eyes closed, hands neatly folded over her stomach. Integral's lips twitched as she stepped back and waved at the vampire.
"I give you the mortal remains of Seras Victoria."
"What?" Ginji shrieked, contorting himself backward. Walter stepped out of the way. "She…she…s…dead?"
"I told you that." Integral folded her arms and frowned. "Were you not listening?"
"How long?" Ban asked, walking to the coffin. He knelt and peered closely at Victoria.
"Almost a year." Ban shot Integral a cold look, then turned back to Victoria. He touched her cheek, her chin and her throat. Ginji, meanwhile, was trying to merge with the wall.
"Uhhh, Ban? Do you think…you should be doing that?"
"Come here, Ginji. We need pictures."
"Huh uh! I'm not going near a corpse!"
"There's no decay."
"What?" Ginji's curiosity won over and he approached the coffin. Integral moved to stand next to Walter. Ginji glanced back at her. When she nodded, he pulled out a camera from his cargo pocket and snapped several pictures from different angles.
"Look! No dryness, no smell, no sign of rigor mortis." Ban whispered, yanking Ginji down next to him. "She's cold to the touch, but look! Her lips are too red, her skin's too white."
"Maybe they made her up?" Ginji snapped a close-up of Victoria's face.
"It's been a year!" Ban hissed, touching Victoria's lips. "Her mouth should be drawn back, her cheeks should be sunken, her skin should be parchment. Even with the best embalming techniques, after that much time there would be signs of deterioration." He pulled her upper lip back. "Look! Her teeth are sharp. Ginji, undo her dress."
"What!"
"I want to see the autopsy stitches. Undo her dress."
"Uhhhh." Ginji fumbled around, trying to find the laces and balance the camera. Ban grumbled and snatched the camera. Ginji tried to reach under Victoria.
"Hey! What do you think you're doing!" A female voice cried. Ban and Ginji stumbled back, Ban guarding the camera.
"Bloody perverts."
"Who…who said that?" Ginji asked, eyes darting around. Ban handed him the camera and slowly turned, studying the room. Integral shrugged when he looked at her.
"Uhhh. Ban?"
"Not now, Ginji."
"Ban. Victoria."
"What about her?"
"Red eyes! I saw red eyes!" Ban whipped back to the coffin. Integral sighed heavily. Ban knelt and pushed back an eyelid. Victoria's blood red eye glared back at him. Ban jerked to his feet and whirled on Integral.
"What the hell is going on here? Victoria had blue eyes. Blue, not red! Why isn't she showing decay? Why are her teeth so sharp? What have you been hiding?" His voice rose until he was shouting and he moved to grab Integral's lapels. An arm in a red coat sleeve stopped him by wrapping around his neck and yanking him back.
"Eeeeep!" Ginji scrambled back, tripped and landed right in Victoria's lap.
"Pervert!" Victoria sat up and shoved Ginji off, sending him sailing into the wall. Alucard chuckled as he held a struggling Ban.
"It would appear our ruse has been discovered," Alucard said, hissing in Ban's ear. Ban's eyes bugged out.
"So, Get Backers. Would you tell your client the truth?" Integral asked, glancing between them. Ginji pulled himself up, spotted Victoria sitting up and glaring at him, squeaked and plastered himself against the wall.
"Will you reveal Seras is a vampire?"
"V…vam…vampire!" Ginji shrieked. His eyes rolled back and he fainted.
"Would it not be kinder to leave her dead?" Integral continued, looking at Ban. He growled, twisting in Alucard's grip.
"Let…me…go," He snarled. Integral nodded. Alucard swiftly removed his arm and slithered over to stand behind Integral, grinning madly. Ban glared at the elder vampire, then turned his gaze on Integral.
"No. Our client deserves the truth. Ginji and I are the Get Backers, the best recovery service in Japan. I'm not going to break our record for you and your sick jokes. Come on, Seras-san. We're going." Ban turned his back on Integral and went to pick up Ginji. Victoria stayed in her coffin.
"I'm not going anywhere. Sir Hellsing's right. It would be easier to leave me dead. Please. Tell Tanaka I died in Chedar." Ban turned to her, Ginji over one shoulder.
"Quit playing around, Seras-san. You're not dead."
"I'm undead!" Victoria jumped to her feet and stomped over to Ban. "I'm a vampire. I drink blood to survive. I'm allergic to silver and religious artifacts. I'm not leaving Great Britain!" She picked Ban up by his shirt one-handed. The Get Backer gaped at her. Victoria stormed over to her door and tossed the pair halfway to the steps.
"Now get out!"
"That is enough!" Integral barked. Ban picked himself up, Ginji still hanging on his shoulder. Integral walked into the hallway and glared at Ban.
"I suggest you leave before Victoria breaks her no-human rule and has you for supper." Ban dipped his head, letting his glasses slide down his nose.
"You're a cold woman, Sir Hellsing," He said, locking his eyes with hers. Integral huffed and turned away.
"Walter. See the Get Backers to the door."
"Yes sir." Walter slid around the doorframe and headed for the steps.
"This way, please." Integral waited until the trio had left, then turned back to reprimand Victoria. Alucard blocked her way.
"Come with me." Alucard took her hand and led her through a portal to his study. Integral opened her mouth only to find Alucard's ungloved finger covering it.
"Hush." Integral's glare turned to shock when he swooped in and kissed her. She tried to shove him away, he grabbed her wrists and moved them behind her back. She parted her lips to protest and he deepened the kiss. Integral moaned faintly, still trying to struggle. Alucard laughed in her mind and backed her against the wall, pressing against her fully. She whimpered and gave up, kissing him back. He released one of her hands to stroke her back, she pulled it free and slid her fingers into his hair, eyes closing in bliss. So this was what she had been denying herself; this rushing feeling, this tingling, this…pain? Alucard grunted and lifted his head. Integral's eyes flew open and she gasped. A large wooden cross stuck out behind Alucard, passing through his chest and into her! She looked down. Wood filled her belly, blood oozing around the wound. Shock set in and Integral stumbled back, bumping into the wall. She whimpered. Impaled to the wall! Alucard yanked their hands free and she screamed as her flesh separated from the wood. Alucard held up his hand, bleeding freely from a near-severed finger.
"It's your choice, Sir Hellsing."