A/N: Finals kill the imagination. Now, a few answers. To Tiger Ace: I did mean to write this in the style of the nineteenth century, but I didn't realize the story would come so close to Dracula. Which means I have now changed my disclaimer. Thanks everyone!
Searching For Answers
Seras sat at the table in the long dining hall, her chin resting on her folded arms. The episode of her sudden illness of several days ago was playing in her mind, a frown creasing her brow at the strange occurrences which had taken place during that time. She had not felt the same exhaustion as the one morning, though nightmares plagued her dreams every night since her last sudden attack. They were not as clear as the episode with the window, but the sleeping visions had been increasing in their terror.
Seras often dreamed she was being hunted by a large beast, the one she had seen on the moors during the rain storm. Strangely though, she was not afraid of the monster itself, but of what he represented in her unconscious mind. She had yet to find what he showed to her inner thoughts, but her instincts warned her the beast held a gift she would not be willing to take.
Lifting her head out of her thoughts, Seras dug into her dress pocket and retrieved the folded map she had found in her uncle's desk. Unwrapping the paper, she once more examined the contents with an eye memorized of the detail. After peering at the less than clear instructions for the location of the structure, she had finally managed to decipher where the building lay on her property.
Seras sighed and folded the sheet, pushing the paper into the depths of her pocket so as not to lose her only clue in the search for answers. Unfortunately, the parchment also brought with its discoveries more questions than she'd had before. Why had her uncle had dealings with such a strange person and for what reason had he called the acquaintance by such an unusual title? Her uncle had also mentioned the retrieval of 'inmates' for an unknown purpose, so what had happened to all those people?
Seras stood from the large table, stretching her cramped limbs and listening for any sounds of Walter or Integra. She had heard them prepare for their leave, packing the belongings they had brought to accommodate themselves for the past few days. Hearing no sign of life other than her own, she exited the dining hall and approached the front door.
Stepping outside, Seras looked to her left and watched the setting sun drop below the low hills. She sighed, inhaling the cool evening air and showing a small smile on her face. Looking at the map one last time, she turned her footsteps to the rear of the mansion and walked along the side path. Quickly crossing the lush backyard and entering the thick woods surrounding her property, she consulted the paper repeatedly and followed the path through the large oaks.
The shadows lengthened as the young heiress traveled along the dirt walk, her eyes searching the growing darkness surrounding her. After reading the paper several times and cursing herself for not bringing a lamp to light her way, she finally found a seldom used side path unnoticed on her previous travels. She turned on the walk and carefully stepped along the ground, mindful of the many rocks and thick clumps of wild grass strewn along her way.
Seras did not know for how long she followed the path, but she grew more uneasy the further she traveled. The feeling of someone watching her was predominant in her mind, a shiver running through her body as she finally caught a glimpse of her destination. A low building rose into her view, the structure settled within a small dry gully and surrounding by many old oaks whose low branches shielded the outhouse from prying eyes.
Seras tentatively slid down to the front of the building, looking around for any signs of a person within the vicinity. She saw no tracks nor disturbed plants surrounding the structure, and proceeded to inspect the edifice looming before her. The construction was of a simple type, with neither windows nor a side entrance. The masonry was built from the local grounds, the darkened soil of the nearby moors recognizable to her straining eyes. Taking a step back, she noticed a chimney pipe standing out from the roof, showing the convenience of a heating stove planted within the building.
Suddenly Seras heard the snap of a twig behind her person and quickly turned her head toward the source. Her eyes met only with the darkened air around her, the still night once more reigning over the area around her. She continued to listen for a moment but the sound had possibly come from the many wild animals lurking around the property, though strangely she had not heard a single beast since she had spotted the structure. Giving a soft sigh of relief, she returned her attention to the door.
A puzzled expression passed over Seras' face as she looked on the small portal. Unlike the rest of the building, which had a simple style of construction, the door was made of a sturdy oak and reinforced with large hinges attached to the border. Stepping forward, her foot caught on an object and she nearly fell into the wooden portal. Steadying herself, she looked down and noticed a large lock lying on the ground. The neck had been horribly disfigured, apparently bent under the pressure of some great force and ripped ruthlessly from the handle.
Seras bent down and lifted the twisted metal in her hand, observing the thickness of the lock and the strength with which to have broken the fastener. Placing the object within the pocket of her dress, she made a mental note to show the damage to her gardener for his opinion. The young woman then settled her hand on the door and slowly opened the portal. She nearly gagged when the stale air rushed out of the building, covering her mouth with her sleeve as the stench assailed her nose.
The building reeked of a charnel house, the darkness surrounding the area limiting her vision of locating the source of the smell. Stepping inside the single room structure for a better view, a scream escaped her lips at the sight before her eyes. Partially burnt bodies littered the dirt floor, torn limbs and mutilated torsos piled knee-high into the shadowed corners. Mouths lay open and empty sockets glared at the intrusion to their eternal sleep, the shrunken skin of burnt fingers pointing accusingly at her sacrilege.
Seras' shocked eyes moved over the gruesome scene of their own accord, traveling across each shriveled face until reaching the center of the room. The majority of charred corpses lay around a large pot-bellied stove, gray ashes piled high within the wood furnace. She willed her feet to move toward the stove, carefully avoiding the decaying bodies and maggot infested ground.
Suddenly movement caught her eye and Seras directed her attention toward her left. A new corpse appeared to be among the older ones located in the darkest corner of the room, the skin without the signs of decay as all the others. She cautiously approached the unusual body, her vision shifting around the room for any other presence.
Reaching the feet, which wore no shoes, Seras noticed the corpse appeared to be dressed in a simple white gown. The remaining facial hair and rotting build showed the body to be a male, while a mark branded upon the person's arm confused her. Leaning closer, she covered her nose to hide the smell and focused her attention on the numbers etched into his skin.
With Seras' focus solely on the arm, she did not notice as the body's head shifted. The mouth opened as a groan escaped its lips, capturing the young woman's attention.
Seras slowly turned her head upward, her eyes widening as a strangled gasp poured from her lips. Straightening too quickly, she tumbled backwards as the corpse rose to its feet, the hollowed eyes boring into her own. She watched as the body stood over her fallen form, the skin clinging tightly to the bones as the dead male took several unsteady steps toward her. The body's arms reached out to grab her as she scrambled away from the putrid flesh, a shriek finally escaping her mouth.
A gun shot rang through the small confines of the structure and the monster fell back, a bullet wound etched in its forehead. When the body hit the ground, the form exploded into dust and Seras coughed through the filthy air as she rose to a sitting position. Looking from where the sound had emanated from, a relieved smile lit her face and she quickly rose to her feet.
Alucard stood behind her in the doorway, a large black gun held in his hand and the barrel still smoking from the discharge. His eyes, hidden behind the tinged lenses, were locked into her own while a frown adorned his features. He slowly lowered the gun and set the weapon within the folds of his cloak, then held his hand out for her to take.
Seras slowly stepped toward her savor, her eyes turning suspiciously toward the other bodies laying around her. Reaching Alucard's side, she eagerly grabbed his offered hand and was quickly pulled through the doorway and out into the blessedly refreshing night. She took a deep breath and turned to the man beside her, giving him a grateful smile. Though she dearly wished to collapse in his arms, she doubted the man would find such an action dignifying.
Alucard stopped them just beyond the threshold, turning to face the confused look in Seras' eyes. He did not speak for a moment, merely moving his eyes slowly between her face and the building behind them. Finally he bowed low, the gesture almost ludicrous in the circumstance, and fixed his gaze firmly on her eyes.
"How did you come to find this building?" Alucard asked. His face was as composed as usual but Seras could see his hands were tightly clenched, showing his battling emotions.
"My uncle had a map" Seras explained, remembering the paper. She pulled the sheet from her pocket and held the object out for his inspection, though he did not deign to accept the offered evidence. "I thought the contents strange and decided to search the grounds for answers for his unusual behavior."
Alucard listened to her words carefully and leaned his head back, his mouth set in a firm line. He took a long step toward her, his actions neither hidden nor sudden. Seras, distrusting his intentions, lengthened the distance, her eyes holding their confusion. Without her noticing, he slowly cornered her against the building's wall, raising his arms and settling them on either side of her head.
"What were you doing here?" she managed to speak, her voice pitch slightly higher than was normal. She squirmed under Alucard's intense gaze and unmoving form, her eyes blinking rapidly in the nervous state encroaching upon her.
"Perhaps I will explain another time" he said, avoiding her question. "Are you expecting guests tomorrow evening?" he suddenly questioned, his face inching toward her own.
Seras could feel his breath upon her skin and shivered, his air cooler than was normal for most people. Turning her face away from his, she closed her eyes and tried to block the thrilling heat settling on her cheeks.
"Yes, Miss Hellsing and her retainer are to be there" she whispered, watching his reaction from the side of her vision. Her brows crashed together as his face lit with an unknown emotion. "Do you wish to meet them?"
"I believe not" he replied, his tone cold at the mention of those names. "But I will visit the following evening, if you are not preoccupied then."
"I have no engagements" Seras said, though her confusion at his manner toward her care givers showed on her face. She would have thought him grateful for their help in bringing about her recovery, a fact which somewhat discomforted her. Perhaps he did not care for her as greatly as she had supposed. "I think I will return to my home, if you will step aside" she spoke, trying to slip under his outstretched arms.
However, Alucard merely maneuvered his limbs to block her path, his eyes flashing with an emotion she had never seen before. He lowered his tall stature until their faces met, causing Seras to push her back further against the wall to gain some semblance of space.
"What are you doing?" she whispered, her quivering tone not escaping his hearing.
Alucard smirked and leaned his face into her neck, softly nuzzling her shivering skin. When she felt him nip at the fading marks, Seras could not hold back a soft moan at the delicious sensations coursing through her body. A gasp poured from her mouth as a long tongue slid over her wounds, tasting her skin as his hands slid down to hold her waist.
Suddenly Alucard pulled away, leaving her breathing erratic and her thoughts muddled. Seras noticed with some alarm the wide grin on his face, his canines longer than she thought possible for a human. Then anger flashed in her eyes as she realized what he had done, boldly making advances toward her without her permission. She reached her hand up and slapped him on the cheek, her mouth set in a thin line.
"How dare you!" she spat, glaring at the amused man. Attempting to tear free from Alucard's grip, she was astonished by the strength by which he held her. Fortunately, he complied with her struggles and allowed the young woman to leave his arms. Retreating several steps from him, and the terrifying structure, she focused her gaze between the two for a moment before turning away.
Seras allowed her feet to swiftly guide her toward the mansion, the safety of the walls a welcomed relief for her shocked mind. Never straying from her path, she quickly reached the outskirts of the woods and crossed the open field behind her home. A sigh of relief was sounded as she stepped upon the first path around the mansion, nearly collapsing with exhaustion as she opened the door. The only wish she would be grateful for fulfillment was to rest upon the downed bed without interruption.
Unfortunately, her call was not answered as voices reached her ears from the study. At the sound of the door closing, Walter emerged from the room and stopped at the sight of Seras standing in the hall, her dress filthy and her eyes drowsy.
"Miss Victoria, where have you been?" he fretted, walking up to her. Miss Hellsing appeared behind him, her eyebrows raised at the young woman's appearance and her mouth set in a firm line.
"Please, I beg your forgiveness" Seras said, interjecting his kind, though annoying, care. "I am merely exhausted from my walk and wish only to sleep" she spoke, politely walking past the two. The young heiress was slightly bristled at the bold intrusion of the two into her home, reminding herself to securely lock the doors before she traveled outside again.
Slowly climbing the stairs, Seras staggered through her bedroom door and collapsed atop her comfortable bed. Realizing her filthy boots would soil the sheets, she sighed and grudgingly sat up. Pulling off her shoes and most of her clothing, after making sure her door was locked, she slipped under the covers and happily closed her weary eyes.