Chapter 16

"Why…It's a pleasure to see you again." Alucard whispered as he watched through the walls of his new…guests.

"Right, I'm going. I can handle this without your kinds help, whatever is causing this will taste my blade." That fool priest Anderson shouted before starting toward the far door.

"No!" His fledgling shouted back. He laughed as he recognized what she wore. More clearly then through a human's eyes. She was a mirror of him all those years ago, she wore a pure black trench coat that matched his own, a black hat to match. And black sunglasses to hide her eyes. Her eyes, he longed to see them again, the only vampire to share his eyes. No other vampire or supernatural could boast such a connection to him. He watched as Seras gripped Anderson by the shoulder, but he flinched and pulled himself away. He whipped out a bayonet, which was brought to a stop just at her face.

"Ha, ha, ha…are you trying to scare me?" Seras mocked. "Because you don't scare me anymore…" Seras gripped the blade in her gloved hand. A sizzle was heard and a few wisps of smoke arose. Those same gloves, he hated them. They made him a prisoner…. But he watched in pride as she lowered the blade from her face. "We should face whatever is causing this together…. but if you want to die today then go ahead…" Seras began to laugh, almost as if she knew Alucard was listening. Anderson looked as if he was about to explode; his face was a bright red. But he put his bayonet away, for a second Alucard thought he was going to listen, but then mentally kicked himself. There was no way paladin Anderson was going to listen to a vampire, even if they were right. To him, they should all be destroyed, no exceptions. He watched as Anderson opened the door in the far corner, Seras turned around so her back was on him, she didn't even watch him go.

'Ha, this is going to be fun…' Alucard disappeared from the wall.

Seras looked up to the corner of the room, she felt…something…but as soon as she felt it, it was gone. She shivered, she wished that feeling would go away…it scared her. But she kept up her built up mental barriers. For a few seconds she didn't move…but then looked back at the door…yet, it was gone! There was no door! Seras flew over the wall, she placed her hands on the wall. There was nothing, as if it had always been a wall. So Seras started to lean into the wall to pass through…yet a bright energy erupted from the wall and pushed her back! She was sent flying through the air! Seras rocketed to the floor, she rolled over until she came to a stop. But Seras merely picked herself of the floor and brushed herself down.

"Right, I won't try that again…" But something caught her eye…she whirled to the side bringing her demon out to greet whatever was appearing. But she didn't shoot…what was appearing on the wall was…a mirror.

"What on earth?" She spoke out loud. Slightly lowering her glasses to get a better view, there was no reflection in the mirror. For a second he remembered the old tales about vampires have no reflections…but that one was proven false. So why was there no reflection? She holstered her gun and neared the mirror. An image began to materialise…Seras jumped in shock! It was her! From 100 years ago…she hair was that same colour before she was put to sleep, that same Hellsing uniform. Seras neared the image, the reflection matched her every move, yet when she came inches away the image changed. The reflection suddenly shot out a hand and grabbed her by the collar pulling her into the mirror!

Alucard watched as Anderson swung around in the dark room. It was pitch black, he couldn't possibly see his hand in front of his face…The paladin spun around in confusion getting himself more lost by the second. It was fun to toy with his old foe, but he wasn't a threat anymore…Alucard pulled himself from his wall. Silent, stalking his prey. He watched as Anderson pulled out his bayonets and swiped in random directions, as if sensing the danger. He was afraid, Alucard could smell it…the man ran to the wall, his face petrified in fear, he trailed the wall, but could find nothing. Alucard drew near him, Anderson swiped in front of him, a single trail of black hair fell…

Seras looked down at herself, she wore that same uniform, the sign of Hellsing on her arm. It was pitch black, but she couldn't see! Seras had to calm herself down, why could she not see? She had gained the ability permanently after drinking her master's blood.

'Master I wish you were with me now…' She thought. She hugged herself, it was cold…and dark.

"Seras…" She looked up, but she couldn't see anything…then through the darkness she saw a figure materializing…

"Master!" She found herself shouting. Alucard smiled, but then turned away and walked into the darkness. "Master?" She yelled again, trying to run after him. But like a dream, she could not get any closer. Until suddenly another mirror appeared, this time it was of her present self…was that what she had seen? Not Alucard at all…but herself. But as she stared at herself she blacked out.

"I'm going to fire my gun now, the bullet will rip through your lungs before it hits the maggot vampires heart." Alucard's eyes bored into Seras'. She was absorbed…as if being thrown into a pool of red.

"Do you want to come with me?"

"Yes…" She spoke. As Seras opened her eyes. She was in a bleak dank room, like a mirror of the original room, yet the windows were intact. The moon rose high into the sky…what time was it? But Seras couldn't tell, she glanced around the new room, it was tall and long as if some grand dining room, yet there was no table, no carpet, only wood was along the floor. The moonlight shone though the windows to create the images of the windows on the floor. She stepped into one and then noticed something on the other side…she examined it with her regained sight. But something was blocking her…she couldn't see. But something moved. Seras pulled out both the jackel and the cassul towards the figure. But the figure showed no signs of being threatened, in fact the figure moved closer. The figure stepped into the moonlight…

Elena entered the library, she glanced around…there had to be something she was missing.

'Maybe a book reveals a secret like in the movies?' She thought. So she began looking through the books to some kind of title that didn't seem right. But she started on the vampire section and blundered into a whole shelf written by the Hellsings themselves! So she began to scan them for ones by Integra…but none came up…until she saw something, on one of the book s she picked up there was a symbol…much like the symbol on the door to Seras' tomb and on her gloves. She didn't care what it was about, some Vlad the impaler…or something like that. Elena flipped to the back of the book, there in the bindings of the back of the book was the same crest…but it stuck up as if not part of the book. Elena ripped at it with her nails, the book was old so it came away easily, the crest came away into her hands.

Seras almost dropped her guns in shock…she recognized who was in the light.

"Master…Alucard…what are you doing here?" Seras asked. Alucard was in that same red leather suit he wore when he was totally unbound, his long hair flowing free and down his face. He reached a hand up and swept his hair away. She looked into his eyes…the first time in a hundred years…but then he grinned, his fangs were bloody, blood trickled down his chin. He had just fed… Even though her guns were shaking she managed to force her voice into action.

"W…where is Anderson?" But he didn't reply, instead he sent her a vivid image. Of him draining the blood from the paladin. Seras looked away, even though she had managed a strong mental barrier from everyone and everything, she could not keep him out. She was an open book to him, always would be. She backed away, her guns still aiming. "Why….?" But a blood drop hit her cheek from above. She glanced up, but it was a sight that caused even her blood to freeze. In the rafters of the ceiling were corpses, some rotting, many totally decomposed, some even still alive. She recognized where the blood had come from, there above her was paladin Anderson. His eyes glazed over in absolute fear. She was shocked, it was as if they were all scared to death...but she couldn't even begin to imagine what could scare Anderson that badly. Yet as soon as she looked back down Alucard was right in front of her! His body pressed onto her guns. He lent right to her face, Seras wanted to pull the trigger. But her fingers refused to move! Alucard made no sudden movements, as if not wanting to scare her. He reached up and took off her glasses, then removed her hat. He let both fall to the floor. He merely stood and stared into her eyes. Seras felt herself become weak at the knees…but that little change woke her up! She pulled the triggers of her weapons! He was sent far off to the corner, but she never heard him fall. Instead he disappeared…

Elena put back the old book with the partly destroyed cover,

'Now what do I do? I have two jigsaw pieces with no picture and no idea where the rest are…' She looked around for another clue, but could not find anything else. So she decided to go down to the dungeon. Perhaps there was something down there. She left the library and trudged along the corridor heading for her office…

Seras was spooked, absolutely…her master was the enemy? It racked at her mind.

'Why…?' She thought. Her only thought. She sensed him reappear, but she could no longer see him. Seras looked back up at the corpses…in disbelief…but then she recognised one…Seras dropped her guns this time. They banged to the floor, there was Arthur Hellsing! But he was still alive…both his arms were ripped off to the elbow. She couldn't tell what was keeping them up there, but his eyes darted to hers. She put her hand over her mouth, dry retching.

"What happened to the cold calm Seras I watched at the mansion?" Alucard's voice appeared behind her. Seras looked back to the ground…but her weapons were gone! She whirled around just in time to receive two bullets of her own guns. Alucard had not lost his touch, his grin was the last thing she saw before being thrown back to hit the far wall.

Elena shivered in the dungeon, the place made her feel uneasy. Yet as she passed Seras' room, she peeked inside. Everything was as it should be. She walked down to the same room she released Seras. The images of the werewolves came flooding back, but she didn't let it bother her. Something urged her to continue….She rounded the last corner to the great room. There were the same doors, with the great bloody seals on the door. But a figure stood in front of the door.

"Who are you? What are you doing here?" She asked. But the figure came more into view…it was a woman, yet it was like looking into a mirror! She was looking at herself! Yet something wasn't quite right, she stood differently and her look was far sharper then her own. Elena knew who it was…

"Integra?" The figure was almost transparent; she looked back at her then walked straight through the closed doors! Elena followed the ghost and pushed open the doors.