VERMILION HEREAFTER

The pages in Helena's books were worn and frayed from the years that had passed, but each word within the ink still brought her the same joy they had back when she first read them. This time was different though, as she glided her fingers across the page. It was hard to stay focus with the sounds of chaos coming from right outside her doors, but that wasn't why she felt her heart swaying with once-buried emotions.

After a moment of silence, Helena sighed deeply and gently placed the book onto her small lap. "So you have decided to leave this world first. I never thought you were capable of doing such a selfish act…Anna," Helena said in a monotone, but her eyes held a variety of saddened emotions. Greif doesn't disappear; it only adds. And this is precisely what Helena was experiencing right now.

Helena closed her eyes for a moment and just listened to the sound of frenzied monsters running amuck outside. She could see in the reflections of the world, a white demon fluttering throughout the sky, and the shrill laughter of a madman's voice carried through the wind. Yet, none of them warranted her concern. She paid no mind to any of them as she came to terms with what had to be done.

So without a word, Helena hopped off her chair and began heading for the door.

"Ah…what a great night. Probably even the best night I had ever had," Alucard's voice was as deep as rumbling thunder, making the building and its foundation tremble below him. He looked at the moon above him, which appeared like a piece of fresh fruit. As red as an apple and as tempting as blood.

Incognito snapped his head behind him but contained his surprise when he saw Alucard back from the dead and whole again. He tightened his jaw and turned his body around to face the madman who couldn't stay dead for long. He knew now that there was no way to avoid a final fight with him.

Alucard continued to talk to himself. "But now…I have to spend it alone?" He took in a deep breath and slumped his shoulders. "It's been such a long time since I've been by myself. Without her. Without her presence. But now…I don't feel anything." He turned around and glared with this frightening gaze filled with nothing but malice. A kind of rage that could make even God tremble. "And it's all your fault."

Incognito felt his skin shiver with pinpricks of ice for only a moment. He thought it was fear he was feeling, but his ego made him refuse to believe it. There was no way he could be afraid of a simple vampire, not after attaining his ultimate goal. "What happened between Vermillion and I…was a contract that was created years ago. I wouldn't expect you to understand."

Alucard scoffed. "I understand it just fine, but she wasn't yours to take away. Because we had a contract of our own. One that was made during another life. She was mine…and I was hers. We were each other's end and beginning. Our own eternity. I don't give a shit about the contract you made with her during a vulnerable moment in her life. What matters to me right now…is making sure you leave here as a corpse!"

Once again, Incognito felt that sliver of ice down the back of his spine that made him flinch. From his bones all the way to his soul. It was fear that he was feeling, but why? Why was he afraid of a vampire? A vampire that truly had nothing left.

Incognito ground his teeth together. "Demon Sett, who is inside of me. Please extinguish this vampire with the flames of hell!"

Upon his summons, the creature known as Sett darted into the sky like a serpent from hell before turning around and lunging straight for Alucard. It opened its mouth wide and tried to snap at him, but Alucard stopped the creature still by grabbing its upper and lower jaw. Sett wasn't done yet though, and fired a blast of heat from the back of its throat, tearing right through the vampire.

"Is that it?" Alucard shouted with a wild grin. "Even after you awaken that dried up demon from hell…after you had taken Anna away…this is all you can do?"

"If you're still grieving, I'll make sure you'll see your beloved very soon," Incognito screeched.

"Not before I take you to see Satan." Alucard cackled. "Now…throw away that dusty demon, and let's have a real fight!" He shoved the demon out of the way and opened his arms wide. Multiple red eyes appeared over him as Baskerville hounds tore themselves away from his body and dashed toward Incognito.

From the courtyard of the Hellsing headquarters, Walter watched the dance of two demons in the night sky. He was so in awe at the sight that he didn't notice a small presence appearing out of nowhere, standing right at his side.

"Are you the butler?" Helena asked with a deep, mature-like voice.

Walter felt his heart spring up from his chest at the smooth voice beside him. He snapped his head to see who it was but was not expecting to see a young girl. Much less a child. Well…that is what he first thought. At a second glance, he saw that there was more to this stranger. Her eyes were nothing like a child's and had a strange calm matureness that not even an adult could maintain.

"You're a vampire, are you?" Walter soon figured out.

"We do not have time right now. You will take me to the place Anna lives in." Helena insisted without explanation, and before allowing him to ask questions, she turned around and began to head toward the building.

Walter just stood still for a moment and was terribly confused about what to do. He already knew by looking at Helena that she wasn't interested in explaining anything. He didn't like the idea of bringing an unknown vampire into the Hellsing Organization, but the fact that she was asking for Anna's room made him think she wasn't here for malicious purposes.

"If…if you wish," Walter said with a bow and began to follow Helena into the building, reminding himself to remain vigilant just in case.

Because of the current situation, there wasn't anyone inside the mansion besides Integra, who was upstairs, and himself. So there was really no one to question him as he guided Helena to the basement level where the vampires slept. He walked up to the door leading into Anna's room and opened it up for her.

"This is Anna's room," he said and stepped aside as Helena walked in and stood in the middle of the room. "May I ask…what you're looking for? Are you friends with Anna?"

Helena immediately became perplexed. "Friends? Yes…I suppose you could say that." She scanned the bare room with melancholy eyes until she picked up on a light rattling noise from a chest underneath the desk. The same chest that Anna had placed all her red letters in for so long. "Oh…you perpetual child," she hissed. Helena walked over to the chest and pulled it from underneath the desk. "You probably didn't intend for your precious letters to be used this way, but now you have a second chance. Why must you hide? Are you going to stay in the dark until the end? I thought your eternity was with him. Was it not?" She waited for a second before placing her hand on top of the chest. She closed her eyes and reached out mentally until she heard a shrill voice screaming out to her.

"I'm burning! Oh, God in heaven! I've never stopped burning!"

Helena slowly opened her eyes. "I suppose that's where it all started. You're burning…and never stopped. But you've hidden for centuries, Bridget Vermilion. Now it's time…to set those who wrong you alight." She undid the latches on the chest, and before she could open it, the top burst open and boundless streams of blood shot out like a geyser. Walter ducked away as the blood flew past him and up the stairs.

"What in the devil was that?" Walter exclaimed.

Helena calmly stood up and walked out of the room, watching the streams of wild blood disappear around the corner. "That atrocious vampire. He was a fool to make a contract with Anna. Vampires can be killed…but witches hardly stay dead for too long."

There was a split in the heavens and the doors of hell were opened. Alucard and incognito had turned the city into deserted ruins by their destructive battle, burning everything to ash and causing its people to flee in terror. Despite all that though, the two vampires looked like they were enjoying themselves.

Incognito scoffed. "It seems like you're not just bragging. However, you will never be able to destroy me. A being with the power of the ancient gods. Eternal Pain? I'm the one who wishes to receive it!"

"Do you see pain in pleasure? You have a disgusting hobby. I'll send you to a world that only exist in pain…just as you wish! Don't take my amusement away! What are you going to do next?" Alucard rambled on as he stood tall, opening his arms like he was waiting for more. "Come on! Show me your next hand! Hurry! Hurry! Hurry! Hurry!"

Incognito let out a laugh that sounded like nails on a chalkboard. He ripped into his skin and pulled out his weapon. "The vampire named Alucard had never existed in this world originally. I'll nicely conclude your story here!" he said and raised his weapon, but before he could pull the trigger...an alluring voice whispered in his ear.

"Unfortunately...there is no end to that man's life. Just eternity,"a melody-like voice said within the surrounding flames.

Incognito and Alucard shielded their eyes when the fire suddenly grew brighter and more intense. It roared like a wild animal with signs of a woman's voice mixed in. Incognito strained himself to see what was going on...and he finally saw it. A figure dancing in the flames. She wore a white dress that swept across the floor and had hair that was long enough to resemble a golden waterfall.

"Ver…million?" Incognito croaked out in disbelief as he reached out toward the illusion. His long boney fingers were only inches away from the illuminated specter before spears made of flames shot out and pierced his body, pinning the monster to the wall behind him. Incognito gasped sharply as he felt the fire burn up his inside, but it didn't take his attention away from the manifestation appearing before him.

Alucard stood perfectly still as he felt a weight pressing onto his shoulders. Flares of blonde hair filled his vision, and long white arms wrapped around him tightly, welcoming him in for a hug. Anna laid her head down in the crook of his neck and let out a soft breath, humming a melody that had been lost to time ages ago. Alucard hesitated, but his longing for the truth willed him to reach his arm out and gently touch her hand.

Anna snickered and tightened her grip. "I'm not an illusion, my dear."

"It wouldn't have been the first time," Alucard said and bowed his hand. "Seeing you…and knowing that you weren't there."

"Did you think you would've had to spend many beautiful nights by yourself?"

Alucard scoffed. "I don't think I would've been able to get through this one."

Incognito stared on with hazy eyes as the figure in white began to approach him soundlessly, almost like she was a ghost gliding across the floor. She was very much real though, and not a fleeting dream. He could feel the heat of her flames, laced in with a quiet anger that could set the world ablaze. The rage that had been dwelling in her body had finally reached a boiling point.

"How…how are you still alive?" Incognito wheezed out as blood oozed from his mouth.

Anna stopped before him as the surrounding blaze burned hotter and brighter. She took a breath and looked straight up at him. It was clear Anna wasn't her usual self anymore. She was still beautiful and charming, but her scarlet eyes now had a coldness, appearing an awful lot like Alucard's. There was still a difference though. While his eyes always had a wild appeal, Anna's had a unique kind of rage that was slowly simmering to the surface.

"This weeping and wailing of mine has gone on for too long," Anna sighed. "I'm no longer human…so I don't have the excuse anymore."

It was strange to see Incognito in this state. He had been a demon who haunted her for centuries. A boogeyman in the shadows that had been waiting to pounce since the day they first met. Anna had been afraid of his return since the contract was made, but now…she felt absolutely nothing from him.

"I am a vampire, but first and foremost…I will always be a witch." Anna held her hand out in front of her and opened her palm. Within the cages of her fingers, a spark flared up. It brightened the entirety of the room, fading everything to white.

Integra stood outside and watched everything from the safety of the courtyard. Crossing her arms over her chest, she looked up to see Incognito's gangly figure being impaled by a spear made of fire. It came up from the bottom and protruded out of the mouth.

"I suppose…the long night has ended." Walter said as he approached from behind. He looked down to his side, but the mysterious child vampire was gone, vanishing just as fast as she first appeared. He wondered if she even existed in the first place.

Integra looked like she was going to say something at first, but decided words weren't necessary. Instead, she decided to take out a cigarette and waited as Walter lit it for her.