Disclaimer: Still not mine. I'm trying to blend my work and the original work together as best I can so please forgive my literary fumbling. Feedback will be appreciated, it's the only way to get better.

Chapter Three

Victoria was lying on her bed, trying to feel the setting of the sun. She had won the argument with Integra regarding the coffin, but the cost had been agreement to drink a blood pack at least once a week. When she considered the size of the box she had been given to sleep in, she felt that she'd gotten the better end of the deal.

Alucard had told her that as she became stronger, the world around her would reveal itself in ways that she would never have been able to perceive as a human.

The rising and setting of the sun and moon, the turning of the seasons. The tingle of a lightening strike still being born in the heavens – all these things he had promised she would feel.

But she didn't, not yet.

*It's because I wont drink.* she thought, *not properly.*

A quick glance at the clock on the floor told her that it was definitely coming up on evening.

Heaving a slightly despondent sigh, she rolled over onto her back and closed eyes. Furrowing her brow in concentration, she visualised the setting sun and the lavender shadows slowly creeping across the land. She could almost feel the warmth of the last golden rays on her skin when she was shaken from her mental exercise by the deep voice of her master.

"Are you quite done Police girl?"

Her eyes flew open to see him lounging in the open doorway. Obviously she had been so lost in thought that she hadn't heard the door open.

"Done with what Master?" she asked as she sat up and ruffled her hair into place.

"I've been seeing the sunset for the past ten minutes." he grumbled. "Which would be good, if the sun was setting."

"It...isn't?" she asked tentatively.

"It set twenty minutes ago." he said flatly. "Although your imagination is quite strong."

He turned and walked out into the passage and then threw over his shoulder:

"Now stop broadcasting and come along. I have a Vatican assassin to demolish and I could use an audience."

She stared at the empty doorway as hot colour suffused her cheeks. She had been imagining it all!

*oh bother.* she thought as she scrambled after him. *he's never going to let me live this down.*

The hallway was empty and she surmised that he had just translocated from one place to another, leaving her to run up several flights of stairs. It wasn't that it made her tired – nothing seemed to make her tired anymore. It was just a drag to have to catch up to him all the time.

*that's the first thing I need to learn.* she vowed.

Alucard was waiting in Integra's office, sitting on her desk. He knew she wasn't in there, but she was on her way and it suited him to confront her on what she perceived to be her home ground. Little did she realise that to him, the whole castle was her home ground. So he took to ambushing her and the staff in hallways and dining rooms, to keep them off guard.

"Get off my desk." she ordered as she strode into the room. "I have enough paperwork to get through without you making arse dents in it."

"As you command, master"

He stood up with a sweeping bow and pulled the chair out her as she rounded the corner of the table. Settling into her chair, she looked up at him with narrowed eyes and snapped:

"I suppose you want permission to leave the grounds tonight?"

"I think that we need to remove the Anderson threat once and for all." he said calmly.

"And I think you're just spoiling for a fight."

"Maybe." he flashed a sharp toothed grin. "A little exercise never hurt anyone."

Integra gave an unladylike snort and then held out a piece of paper.

"Well Anderson will just have to wait. There seems to be a ghoul problem rising up in a small village on the outskirts of Chester. The troop carrier is waiting to take you and a team there to eradicate the problem."

Alucard's grin widened and his hand automatically went to where the joshua was normally holstered. Integra caught the movement and said:

"I believe Walter has your new one, he's waiting in the main hall"

"Then by your leave?" he asked, hand on the door handle.

"Go clean out that nest and come back here." she ordered.

"And may God have mercy on the innocent souls already lost." she added softly to his retreating back.

Victoria was coming up into the main entry hall as he stepped of the stair case.

"Change of plans Police girl. We're taking a little night drive in the countryside."

"Oh?"

"Village with a ghoul problem, should be some nice practice for you."

"Yes master." she sighed. "I'll go get the cannon."

"No need Miss Victoria." came Walter's clipped tones from the antechamber. "I have it right here."

The two undead went in to find Victoria's gun case leaning against the wall and a wooden box on the table. Alucard's inhumanly sharp sense of smell caught an unmistakable scent and he looked over to see if Victoria had caught it. Judging from the way her eyes were darting around the room, he surmised she had definitely smelled something.

*there's a definite improvement* he thought with a small sense of pride.

Walter cleared his throat to draw their attention to him.

"Your cannon has been reloaded with phosphorus incendiary rounds Miss Victoria, once embedded in a target, they ignite and burn at around 5000 degrees Fahrenheit. This will also provide rather thick smoke cover so I suggest firing from a decent distance."

"I suspect that I'm going to be the audience tonight." chuckled Alucard.

Victoria snapped open the case and hefted the cannon's strap up onto her shoulder and turned to Alucard.

"I'll see you in the courtyard then?"

He nodded, and then turned back to see Walter opening the box on the table.

"Your new Joshua .454, as requested."

"Thank you Walter. Excellent as always."

With a short bow, Walter left the antechamber, taking the cannon's case with him.

Alucard lifted the shining steel pistol out of the box and hefted it thoughtfully in his hand before sliding it into its holster. He slipped the two extra clips into his pocket before picking up the box and dropping it on the floor. No real damage was done from that height so he crushed it with his boot, splintering it with a satisfying crackle.

Going down on one knee, he picked the small envelope out of the debris and stood up. He noted the bold writing on the front: Attention to the Gun Owner, and then held it to his nose and inhaled deeply.

It was definitely coming from the letter, a small but fresh scent of blood. He grinned.

Tucking it into his coat pocket, he left the mess on the floor without a glance and strode off towards the staging area to join the team.