Disclaimer: A short chapter but I'm setting up for bigger things, so bear with me here dear readers, I promise to try make it worth your while. But you will forgive a little tease would you not?

Oh, the legal bumph – Hellsing isn't mine, blah blah blah.

Chapter 5

"And the vampire that you silenced, it had no memory of its maker?"

Integra put the incident report back on her desk and looked over at Alucard who was lounging on the windowsill. His ebony hair spilled across his face as he shook his head in the negative.

"None. That vampire was made and then abandoned by its sire."

"You don't think it was turned loose with purpose?"

"None. Those ghouls that it had made were milling around that village with no purpose or direction. It had fed, copiously, and then had no orders for the walking leftovers, leaving them to wander."

He sat up and grinned at his master.

"That's why I let the little police girl take them. They were no threat."

"Ah, I was wondering why you let her loose."

"Hmph." he snorted. "Not loose enough."

Integra raised an eyebrow at the scorn in his tone and gestured with her ever present cigar.

"Explain."

"She needs to use the powers that she now has, to learn to control them. She was coming along nicely, until Anderson interfered."

In his minds eye he could still see the eagerness in Seras' eyes as she was about to sate her blood-lust and then the shock and pain as Anderson's bayonet transfixed her throat.

With that memory, Alucard clenched his fist and ground his fangs. His fledgling had been injured and that was an inexcusable crime. Never mind that he had drawn blood and broken bones in their training sessions, that was his right and no human – enhanced or otherwise, was going to make that mistake again.

Integra watched silently as her demonic servant mastered his rage. She knew he felt strongly over his offspring, and had a very good idea that the bond between sire and fledgling would run as deep if not deeper than the one that ran between her and Alucard. Idly she wondered what he was going to do when Seras grew up (metaphorically speaking) and decided that she no longer wanted to have a master.

Her mental meanderings came to an abrupt halt as she caught sight of the window and realised that the black of night was leaching into a crematorium grey.

Sharply she stubbed her cigar out in the crystal ashtray and said crisply:

"Quite. But I suspect that there will be other opportunities for Seras to exercise her….talents. Meanwhile, the sun will be up soon and you need eat before you go under."

Alucard's grin was feral to say the least as he inclined his head to her and left the room via the door.

"Good morning Master."

He closed the door behind him and sank through the floor and arrived in the basement corridor. He sauntered towards Seras' door and then stopped outside. He could hear the sounds of retching and shook his head in exasperation.

*You'd better learn to like it police girl.* he thought as he stepped towards his own chamber. *Eternity is a long time to stay hungry.*

Seras had seen the blood pack waiting for her when she got back to her room, but she studiously ignored it and went to shower instead. Wrapped in a large fluffy gown, she had sat at the table and poured the blood into the glass provided. With her master's taunting ringing in her ears, she had stared at it for as long as she could, feeling the clawing pain inside of her until thirst and shame overwhelmed her and she seized it, gulping as fast as she could.

The liquid filled her mouth with a coppery sweetness and she swallowed eagerly. As her hunger abated, she because acutely aware of what she was drinking and dropped the glass on the table in revulsion. She scrambled to the bathroom and made it just in time before her horror won out over hunger and she vomited up her supper.

"I can't keep doing this." she groaned, kneeling on the cold tiles. It was an effort to get to her feet, and it frightened her. Rinsing her mouth with water, she glared at herself in the mirror.

"You chose this, remember." she admonished her reflection. "You'd better start dealing with it."

She looked a moment longer and then took herself off to bed. As the lid came down, she whispered:

"I'll try harder Master. I promise."

Alucard heard her whispers and grinned in the dark. He could wait for her to come to terms with her new life or no-life. After, he had nothing but time.

He snapped his fingers and the candles sconces burst into light. Just as Walter had left dinner for Seras, he had also left dinner for Alucard. Blood blended with wine, and poured so it could breathe.

He reached for the glass when a more subtle scent arose from within his jacket.

Reaching in, he drew out the envelope that he had found in the box earlier in the evening. His curiosity aroused, he used a sharp thumbnail to slit the missive open. Lifting his glass, he savored the glimmering red liquid as his baleful eyes slid over the writing before him.

"Dear Gun Owner,

Since no one has seen fit to grace me with your name, I trust the above salutation will suffice. From the delivery method, I'm sure you can gather that I shouldn't be doing this, but I cannot remain silent any longer….