Something's Wrong, I Can Feel It

Months later, Alucard and Walter were walking the streets of London. It was a cold November night; but Alucard and Walter didn't notice or even care. They were hunting. Alucard walked head and shoulders above most of the Londoners; so none even caught his eye. Walter, however, his eyes were everywhere. He kept scanning the crowds of people walking by them.

"What's the matter, Walter?" asked Alucard.

"I'm hungry." answered Walter.

"You just ate." reminded Alucard.

"Not hungry for food." said Walter.

"What are you hungry for?" asked Alucard, still walking ahead of Walter.

Suddenly, Walter stopped. Sensing that he had, Alucard turned to face him.

"Seras." said Walter.

"She's too young for you." said Alucard.

"Technically, she's older than me. She's been a vampire longer." told Walter.

"But she still clings to her humanity. After 15 years, she still hasn't mastered some of the basic skills that you, in 7 years, have already mastered." revealed Alucard.

Walter remained silent. Seras had always been timid in nature; naive, child-like and shy. It wasn't fair that such a young and innocent mind dwell in such a beautiful and gorgeous adult body.

"Sir, Will you allow me to have her?" asked Walter.

Alucard looked at Walter. In his new darker persona, he never asked for anything. He just took it. If he had wanted to, he could have just taken Seras. But he hadn't. Alucard knew it wasn't because he was afraid of him either. He would have taken Seras, fought Alucard, and died by his hands. No regret and no fear. So why hadn't Walter taken Seras before now. What was holding him back?

"Only if she agrees, Walter. It must be her choice." said Alucard.

Suddenly, both men heard a terrifying scream. Both men rushed off in the direction of the scream.

Integra and Seras were in the nursery. Seras had been able to talk Integra into designing and building a nursery to pass the time.

"What color would you like the walls, master?" asked Seras, in her usually bubbly manner.

"I don't know. But it must be a color suitable for both a boy and a girl. Dr. Cornelia says I am to have fraternal twins." informed Integra.

"Have you named them yet?" asked Seras, holding up color patterns.

"Alucard has. The boy is to be named Vladimir and the girl, Victoria." said Integra.

"Victoria?" smiled Seras.

"Yes." teased Integra. "For some reason, he's very fond of that name."

Seras blushed.

"How about orange?" she suggested.

"No." said Integra, flat out. "White."

"White? That's so boring." retorted Seras. "Did Alucard choose a color?"

"He said Red." grinned Integra.

"Of course he did." giggled Seras.

Suddenly, Integra doubled over in pain. She held her stomach and groaned loudly.

"Arrrghh!"

"What's wrong, master?" questioned Seras, very concerned. "Do you want me to call Dr. Cornelia?"

"No. But the children are unhappy. They are afraid."

"What? How can you tell that?"

"I Just know." insisted Integra.

"Afraid of what?" asked Seras, looking around the room.

Just then both women heard growling. Both of them turned and scanned the room. Although they could see nothing, they both knew something was in the room with them.

"Seras."

"I heard it too, master; but I don't see anything."

"Use your third eye." ordered Integra.

Seras closed her eyes and opened her third eye. It was easier for her to use her vampiric eyes if her human eyes were closed. She scanned the room again, and then she saw it.

"Holy shit!" she screamed.

"What is it?" growled Integra, now in more pain.

"There in the left corner. It's a …"

Seras stopped talking only because she couldn't believe what she was seeing or describe it for that matter.

"What is it? I don't see anything." said Integra, looking directly at the corner that Seras was looking at.

"It's an …Imp?" she said, not even sure that was right.

"An Imp? Are you sure?" questioned Integra.

"Well, I've never been to hell myself, but that what it looks like from the pictures I remember from Sunday school." said Seras. "It's like a man, but with horns. Its body is charred and twisted like an extreme burn patient. It doesn't stand up straight, but hunches over like an animal."

"What's it doing here?" asked Integra.

She realized that although her home had been protected from vampires, they had absolutely no protection from demons. After all, for centuries, all their enemies had been visible.

"Nothing, yet. It's just staring at us." answered Seras.

"Arrghh! Will you two calm down!" growled Integra, holding her stomach with both hands.

Suddenly, the demon moved. Seras whipped out her guns and fired. She hit it three times and although they seem to hurt it, it did absolutely no damage. It just snarled its annoyance with her and kept coming.

"That's impossible! These are holy blessed silver bullets, but they had no effect!" complained Seras, in disbelief.

Upon hearing shots fired in the house, Mouse woke up. She materialized right infront of Integra and stopped the demon from reaching her. Mouse growled at it, as the demon sized up this new enemy.

"Seras protect Integra." ordered Mouse.

Seras crossed the room in seconds and took up a defensive posture in front of Integra and even though her guns had no effect, she kept them level and steady on the demon. The demon growled as it attacked Mouse. Mouse's eyes glowed bright red and her fangs grew. She grabbed it out of its lunged attack and threw it against the wall. The demon just bounced off the wall and prepared for another attack. It charged at Mouse and Mouse charged at it. They grappled in the middle of the room; each clawing at the other, drawing blood with each blow. While they were fighting, something fell out of Mouse's shirt. It was a silver cross pendant. The demon stared at it in fear and then backed away. Mouse looked down at her chest.

"Of course, how could I be so stupid?"

Mouse attacked the creature, but now it was running from her. Mouse was finally able to get it into a choke hold. She held its body up completely exposed to Seras.

"Shoot it!" commanded Mouse.

Seras obeyed; squeezing off round after round.

"I shot it before." she said, still firing. "Dead center. Silver has no effect on it."

"Of course not, it's a demon. You need sunlight or holy water. Go get my magnesium shells."

"Seras." said Integra, now speaking up. "There's holy water in the chapel downstairs. Bring it here."

"On it." said Seras, disappearing.

Integra watched as Mouse continued to fight the demon. Only now Mouse was speaking to it in …what…Hebrew? She continued to watch with great curiosity as Mouse seemed to be backing it up into a corner. She still couldn't see what Mouse was fighting, but Mouse seemed to have the upper hand now.

Alucard and Walter stopped in their tracks when they turned a corner and saw hundreds of people fleeing the underground. They disappeared and reappeared in the underground. They stood in awe and wonder as they saw twenty humans killed in one blow, by something they couldn't see, that was swatting the humans like flies. Walter looked down the tunnel, but couldn't see anything.

"What is it? I don't see anything." said Walter.

"I do." said Alucard. "Use your vampire eyes."

Walter concentrated and soon he could see it. Almost.

"It's just a mouth." said Walter.

"It's a demon. It can't be seen unless you make it visible." explained Alucard.

With that, he shot three people and splattered their blood over the creature. Now, parts of it were more visible. Walter's jaw dropped.

"What the hell is that thing?"

"It's a demon." said Alucard.

Walter stared at it. We've faced vampires, werewolves, regenerators, and ghouls. We've never faced real demons before, only man-made copies trying to gain immortality without the price of their souls. How can we fight what we can't even see? These questions and more ran though Walter's mind. He blinked, back to the now, as Alucard pulled out his guns and fired at the monster. He watched as this monster just nimblely dodged Alucard's shots. It looked and moved like a lion, but it wasn't. What it was, was a hodge-podge of meshed and fused body parts. Its legs were made up of legs. Its body was made up of bodies, so many different bodies of different colors, but all mashed together like play-dough. Its head was pieces of several heads, but its mouth, of which there was only one, was full of jagged teeth dripping with blood. Walter finally stopped staring and pulled out his guns. He and Alucard both unloaded round after round into the creature's body, but they had no effect. The beast hit Alucard head on and knocked him all the way to the other end of the tunnel. Then it turned on Walter. Its eyeless head just looked at Walter and growled. Fear gripped Walter, but it did not stop him. No, instead the feel of his own fear invigorated him. Since he had "died", he never felt so alive.

"We have leash laws in this town, you know." sneered Walter, as his wires shot out.

Alucard stood up and shook himself. This was going to be fun. Since the fall of Millennium, he hadn't been having any fun. Freaks were no more than paper targets for him. Demons were a whole different ball game. He smiled evilly at the thought of this new challenge. A blood thirsty roar from this great demon brought his attention back to Walter. Alucard saw that Walter was trying to bind the creature with his micro-fine wires; but those wires, even though made of the finest silver, did little more than annoy the creature. Alucard watched as the creature was trying to devour Walter. He aimed his gun and shot at its mouth. The demons howled and roared in pain as one of its teeth went flying from its mouth. Suddenly, the creature took off down the train tunnel. But Walter still had his wires wrapped around it, and soon he too disappeared into the darkness. Alucard laughed as he transformed into his black six eyed dog form, and then he took off after Walter.

Meanwhile, Seras had returned. She took the bucket of water and dumped it all over the imp and Mouse. It screamed and writhed in pain as it died and so did Mouse.

"Seras!" yelled Mouse, as her flesh burned.

"Sorry. Sorry. Being a dhampire, I didn't think I would kill you." apologized Seras.

"It won't kill me!" shouted Mouse. "But that doesn't mean that it doesn't hurt like hell!"

The imp's anguishing screams caused all three girls to turn and watch its demise. The holy water burned every inch of its flesh, completely melting it from its bones. But it didn't stop there, every its very bones liquefied and evaporated. Seras was the first to speak.

"What was that thing?" she asked.

"A lesser demon." said Mouse.

"So it is an imp." confirmed Integra.

"No, it's a demon." corrected Mouse. "Come Integra, remember you Sunday school lessons. All demons are is just fallen angels. Their tortured "souls" can take any shape. They can possess any human willing to take them in. They find these willing humans by following negative emotions and desires. Desires of greed, lust, envy, hate…"

"The seven deadly sins." finished Integra.

"That's only the beginning. But every emotion or desire CAN fall into one of those." educated Mouse.

"Where did it come from? And why was it here?" asked Integra, greatly disturbed.

"I don't know. But the only way to fight them is with holy water, sunlight, and prayer." said Mouse.

"So what are we going to do?" asked Seras.

Now that the creature was dead, Integra's pain ended. She sighed and sat down in the rocking chair. She gently rubbed her stomach, seeking to soothe her children.

"Mouse." called Integra. "Find out where that thing came from."

"I will sir, but first I must see to your safety. I will construct a barrier to protect you and then I will track it." declared Mouse. "Seras."

"Yes, Mouse."

"I suggest you change weapons. Go to my room and find all the "light" bullets you can. Take my water cannons and fill them with holy water." ordered Mouse. "Funny, one of my favorite toys, may just save your life."

"Mouse."

"Yes, master." said Mouse, kneeling before Integra. "Are you alright? Do you need anything?"

"No, I was just wondering…Why can you…? Never mind, it can wait until you get back."

"Yes, sir. When I return I will answer all your questions. Seras, keep Integra safe."

"I will. I promise."

With that Mouse disappeared. Once she was gone, Integra rose out of her chair and turned to Seras.

"We'd better go and get those weapons. And then take our stand in the east wing. If the sun is our only weapon…"

"Yes, sir. Understood, sir." replied Seras.

Alucard finally found Walter and the demon in front of a church. The demon had stopped only because it couldn't cross holy ground. It had now turned on Walter and was playing with him. Walter couldn't retract his wires and now the demon was using him for a play thing on a string. It whirled Walter around its head and then batted at him with its great claws. But Walter was nobody's plaything. He successful landed atop the creature and used his wires to bind its right paw behind its head. The demon started bucking and kicking, trying to get Walter off its head. Alucard just smiled wickedly. Suddenly, the demon reared back on his hind legs and let out a great roar. Screaming nuns looking out the windows of the church, ducked back inside and closed the doors.

Alucard decided that this was enough of this and hurried up the steps to the church. He growled despitefully at the saints carved upon the doors and then entered the church without even opening the doors. Nuns and priest fled before him screaming unholy demon. Alucard just ignored them and picked up the holy water basin. A priest tried to stop him.

"You can't take that." he said, his voice full of fear and anger at his church being desecrated.

"Stop me." said Alucard, with a fang full smile.

With that he just disappeared, leaving an awestruck priest behind him. By the time Alucard returned, Walter had fallen from his ride. The beast was standing above him and his great left paw was ready to strike. Alucard teleported to Walter's side, threw the water basin at the demon, and dragged Walter out of harms way. Walter and Alucard stood and watched as the demon howled and hollered in pain and agony; the holy water burning its flesh. Suddenly, its body burst into flames and burned away into nothing.

"Are you alright?" asked Alucard, looking at Walter's torn clothes.

"Hell no." said Walter. "Do you know how hard it is to find well tailored clothes?"

Alucard just lifted his head and laughed. All of a suddenly, they heard another scream.

"Not another one." complained Walter.

"How many churches are in London?" asked Alucard.

"Catholic, Christian, or Jewish?" quipped Walter.

"Walter."

"Fifty-eight."

Just then another scream.

"Come on." said Alucard. "Something tells me this is going to be a long night."

Seras and Integra watch Mouse from Integra's 3rd story bedroom balcony window.

"What's she doing?" asked Seras.

"Putting up crosses and saying prayers." said Integra. "She's putting up the same kind of barrier that Alexander Anderson uses."

"Can she do that? She's a vampire." questioned Seras.

"She's a dhampire. She had no control over how she was born. That and she knew a priest once. He probably taught her how to do it." informed Integra.

"She knew a priest?" questioned Seras, with disbelief.

"Yes. Biblically I hear." added Integra, with a mischievous grin.

"Really?" giggled Seras. "What kind of priest was he?"

"A catholic one, from section 13 of the Vatican no less." informed Integra.

"What!"

"Looks like she's done. She'll be leaving us now. We should be safe though, no undead can cross it. You'll be trapped inside though." said Integra.

"Not like I was going anywhere anyway." sighed Seras. "So what now?"

"Now, we wait for the sun to rise." said Integra. "Do you know how to play chess?"

The first rays of sun were just streaming in the window, when Walter and Alucard returned. Alucard saw the barrier and stopped Walter from walking into it.

"Stop." said Alucard.

"What is it?" asked Walter. "What's wrong?"

"It's a barrier."

"What?"

Alucard walked up to the barrier and reached out for it. The closer he got, the brighter it glowed. Walter stood behind Alucard and studied the barrier.

"Isn't that a Vatican barrier?" asked Walter. "Is Anderson here?"

"No, I can not sense him."

"So who?"

"Most likely Mouse, I wonder what happened while we were gone?" wondered Alucard.

"Well, those demons were all over town. What if one came here?" worried Walter.

"That would explain it. But the house is quiet and Integra is asleep."

"Sir, why is Mouse able to …?" began Walter.

"She knew a priest once. His name was Donner. Looks like he taught her more than just the missionary position." chuckled Alucard.

"So how do we get inside?" asked Walter, impatiently. "The sun's coming up."

Alucard looked up at the third story windows and called for Integra.

"Integra." called Alucard, mentally.

Seras was still studying the chess board when Integra woke up.

"Something wrong, master?" asked Seras.

Integra looked towards the window and saw the first light of morning coming.

"No. Alucard and Walter have returned. Teleport me downstairs so I can let them in."

Seras did so. She stood in the doorway holding it open as Walter raced past her into the house; seeking the dark confines of his basement room. Seras watched and smiled inwardly as Integra and Alucard strolled into the house arm in arm. She closed the door behind them.

"Master, I'm glad your home." said Seras.

Alucard merely nodded at her.

"Do you require anything, master?" asked Seras of Integra.

"No, Seras. Alucard can protect me until Mouse's return. You may go to bed." consented Integra.

"Yes, sir. Thank you, sir."

Integra sat in Alucard's room and waited for him to finishing eating. Alucard looked at her as he drank his meal. He spoke to her mentally and asked about Mouse and the barrier.

"Where's Mouse?"

"We had a visitor. Mouse and Seras killed it. Mouse put up the barrier and then she left to find out where it came from." informed Integra. "She hasn't come back yet."

"She won't. Not until she finds the answer. She hates to lose." said Alucard. "So I guess that means you stay with me today."

"How was your night?" asked Integra, standing up and walking over to him.

"Walter and I spent the entire night fighting demons, the undead who suddenly decided to leave their holes in the ground, and possessed humans." said Alucard.

"Why is this happening? Where are they coming from? Is someone casting spells? Are there covens of witches operating again?" asked Integra, more thinking out load than asking Alucard for answers.

"I don't know." he said. "But it's like someone left the zoo cage open and all the animals are escaping."