Disclaimer: All of Hellsing and its characters are copyright to Kouta Hirano. Any original characters belong to the author of this fanfiction.

HELLSING

EREBUS

Here standeth the Bird of Hermes,

Eating my own wings to make me tame...

CHAPTER TWO

The Target

There was a routine they grew used to each time they saw each other. He'd be violated until the high ruler was satisfied, then left alone to his thoughts. The high ruler would return, dragging Katarina by the arm, demanding that she wash Vlad before leaving them alone. Each time, he declined the idea of being washed. With each refusal, his tone grew softer, even kinder. Then it happened...he allowed the contact, tingling with anticipation as she prepared the water and soap. He sat naked on a stool, and oddly, she was never bothered by his nudity, knowing full well what the high ruler did to him.

She stood behind him with a wash cloth, wiping down his shoulders and back. "Did he hurt you?" she asked softly, messy hair in her face.

"Why would you ask something so ridiculous?" he snapped, not pleased with how the conversation started.

Katarina paused, worrying her bottom lip a little before resuming the task at hand. "Do you have any siblings?"

Tension ebbed from his shoulders, face softening. "Yes...two brothers. My younger brother, Radu, is here as well. He's worse off than I am."

"I'm sorry..."

"What are you apologizing for? You are not the cause of this," he responded, slightly bewildered. She said nothing and he continued. "Our father gave us to the Ottomans as a way to maintain the peace. What about you? Family?"

"All dead," she said. "I was brought here to work as a servant, as you can see."

"I'm sorry..."

"Why are you sorry? You are not the cause of my troubles," she mirrored, slightly amused. He looked over his shoulder, blinking some and she giggled, dampening the cloth again, washing his arms. "It's not all bad, I suppose. The high ruler is completely horrid, but I don't mind seeing you."

Heat rose to his cheeks, like they did on occasion where she was concerned. "Why?"

She slowed her movements, sticking her tongue out in thought. "Because you have the same eyes as me." The girl tilted her head as Vlad continued to stare at her. His cheeks darkened, not sure how to answer. "Also, I really like you," she added, a telltale pink on her dirty cheeks. After a moment of shock, he responded with the smallest of smiles.

Thursday Morning, October 30, 2031, Casaloma...

A huge yawn rang out into the castle from the gift-shop. Being a keyholder, Alex went around, setting up for the day. In the corner, her cheese croissant beckoned her growling stomach. Her excitement could barely be contained, knowing that Halloween was tomorrow. Tonight, she would make the finishing touches to one of her costumes, as she had planned two for this year. During her shift tomorrow, she would wear a dress that would give her the appearance of a medieval noblewoman. Her other costume was a little more detailed, and was meant for a party, as well as for the principle of dressing up for her favourite time of year.

As the doors to the tourist attraction opened, the sound echoing through the vast estate, she turned on the register, watching as the first group began to file in. In all honesty, she loved working at a castle, especially when she got to explore on her breaks, even if working as a gift-shop retailer was a boring job. Sell, clean, sell, shine, sell, organize, sell, check the amount in the register, sell, clean, and so on. The problem with maintaining a job was always trying to find something to do. It paid the bills, but barely.

She spotted her co-worker, one of security, come in to chat with her, dressed casually in a white dress shirt and black slacks. He was late-twenties with a narrow jaw, slim build, short light brown hair, and green eyes behind rectangular glasses. His face was clean shaven and he had an amused look in his eyes that was always present whenever he came to talk with Alex.

"Good morning, sunshine!" he greeted teasingly, knowing full well that she was not a morning person. He watched as she reached for a coffee, causing him to arch a brow. "I thought you hated coffee."

"I do," she admitted, taking a sip, a comical grimace appearing on her face. "It's to wake me up. Having an energy drink would be finished quickly making me wired for hours. Because I hate coffee, I can drink sparingly, waking up safely. I don't want to crash when I get home. I've got things to do."

"What things? You don't do things." Alex smiled, taking another disgusted sip. "Oh...right, you get this way every time around Halloween."

"Oh, Tyler, can I help that it's fun? You get to dress up, be someone else for a day. I don't know about you, but being me for three-hundred sixty-four days is so boring, it's exhausting. I deserve a break from myself," she explained bitterly.

Tyler arched his brow once more. "What could you be so tired of yourself for?"

It was a question that Alex had often asked herself. "Maybe I still don't know what I'm looking for, or what I really want. Perhaps I'm hoping for some excitement."

"Or maybe you need a boyfriend," he said bluntly.

She nearly spat out her coffee in shock. "B-boyfriend?" she repeated with a swallow. "Tyler, what the hell? Not once have you ever said such an offending thing to me. I don't think I'll talk to you anymore."

He laughed, despite himself. "Oh, come on, it was just a suggestion."

The thought of a relationship did offend Alex. Many times before, she'd been disappointed by men. The first few weeks would hold her interest, but then they would become emotionally attached to her, and she would cringe away. They would then get angry at her withdrawal, wondering why she didn't feel the same. Was she cold inside? Eventually, the idea of dating stopped being important and she grew up a little, deciding not to partake in things such as love, as it only seemed to be overrated and too much work. By herself, she didn't have to hope for a man to understand her, respect her independence. Their opinions sorely lacked any importance to her anymore.

"No..." she murmured. "I'm fine by myself. I just haven't figured out my motives yet."

Tyler stared at her, almost with a sense of pity. He respected her decisions, but sometimes he wished he could do more. They were best friends, ever since high school. Once upon a time, they once shared such a relationship, but he felt that her heart wasn't really in it, and so they parted, resuming the comfortable status of friendship. Alex would have to figure out what she wanted by herself.

To ease the mood, he clapped his hands together. "Well, what's the costume you have planned this year?"

She blinked out of her reverie. "Oh, well, I got a medieval dress I can wear for work tomorrow. Then there's the Haunting Party, which I will dress differently for." And so, she went on to explain her real costume to him, relieved by the change of subject.

Thursday Evening, October 30, 2031, Hotel...

A dream? It was another dream...of a past he had since forgotten. The nostalgia filled his memories pleasantly as his body roused with the day's end. When was the last time he thought about Katarina? Alucard soon arose from his coffin, closing the lid with a click, leaving him sitting upon it. And just as he expected it, he heard the cellular vibrate on the table once more. An arm unnaturally stretched over the chair towards the object, the appendage shrinking back to normal length before flipping it open.

"My Master, good evening," he greeted with quiet glee.

"Good evening, Count. You will be setting out tonight. You will intercept Miss Rows' movements and follow her. Do not alert her to your presence. You will wait until those vampires come for her, then...well, you're aware of what you must do. I am sending her known work schedule. Normally, she works almost everyday from nine AM to five PM. She takes Mondays and Saturdays off, generally. There is a list of her usual visiting spots, including retail stores and restaurants. Intel suggests that she celebrates Halloween every year, so she will dress up and go out."

"I see. What an interesting picture her life is painting for me."

Integra paused. "Something the matter, Alucard? You sound strange."

Alucard hadn't realized that he sounded somewhat strained. Forcing himself to relax, he said firmly, "I will find her. Anything else I should be made aware of?"

"I should remind you that you are to find out what you can about their purpose."

"It will be done. Good night."

After his sudden goodbye, he stood up, staring at a full length mirror that did not take his reflection. Deciding that his civilian appearance would be enough, he headed out just as the intel was sent to his phone. It was amusing to know that this girl had a particular routine in her life. On her workdays, she went to the closest Tim Horton's near her job, worked nine-to-five in a tourist's castle selling mementos, closed up, stopped at either a convenience store or a restaurant to grab some dinner, went home, ate, showered, piddled about her apartment, went to bed. On her days off, she would stay home and eat sugary cereal, do the laundry, clean the apartment, and if she had time to spare, the girl would then go out to do some shopping, whether it be for groceries or simple indulgences like buying a movie or new clothes.

Today, she had worked, and would no doubt be at home. Looking at the address, he decided to stand outside the hotel, spotting a waiting taxi. The driver looked up as he came over and climbed into the backseat. "Hey there, how's it going?"

"Fine. Take me here," he casually demanded, holding up the address."

"Okay!" And he pulled into the street. "You seem like a foreigner of some sort. You on business or pleasure?"

Alucard grinned, taking note of the fact that the vehicle and traffic movement was switched around, the driver's seat on the left side. "A bit of both."

"Whereabouts are you from?"

This human's insistence on his inane prattle annoyed him somewhat. "Out of the country," he replied simply. However, he might hold some information that could prove useful. "What do you know of Casaloma?"

"Hm? Oh, not much. It's on Austin Terrace. I just know it took about three years to build sometime in the early twentieth century. The guy who commissioned it lived in it for about ten years before he ran into financial problems and was forced to leave."

"Interesting," Alucard murmured. The information was little, but it would be enough. Though Integra had instructed him not to engage the girl, he would at least strike up a conversation with her. "How long til we arrive?"

"Might take about ten to fifteen minutes with this traffic. Toronto's pretty busy."

As the driver went on, Alucard placed a chin on his propped up fist, staring impassively out the window. They passed the Air Canada Centre, the large letters blaring out with red light. The structure itself was to say the least, a little impressive. Humans and their sports games and concerts. The driver mentioned something about Niagara Falls, but he paid no mind. The vampire's thoughts were then interrupted when they pulled up in front of a simple apartment building.

"Here we are! That will be $14.65, please and thank you."

Alucard carelessly fumbled with the Canadian currency, simply handing over a twenty-dollar bill. Feeling the annoyance leaving him as he departed from the vehicle, crimson eyes ran up the building. He walked into the main doorways, seeing a lineup of buttons beside each main resident. Through the glass doors, someone came out of an elevator. The middle-aged man spotted Alucard, and sent him a friendly smile. In his hand was a leash for his pitbull, and when he went to let the vampire in, Alucard had already passed through the glass while his eyes were downcast. The human blinked, wondering what just happened. Alucard ignored him as the man shrugged, leaving with his dog, who had taken an interest in the Count when he had sniffed the air, something amiss with this person.

The elevator doors immediately opened and he rode up to the eighth floor. His shoes stepped over grey carpet in the long hallway and looked at the plain white walls. This place was for those who couldn't afford to live in the luxury of this city. It was convenient, considering the distance between this building and the girl's work. Eyes ran over a small plaque on the wall in front of him. Turning right, he reached apartment 807, one of the last residences at this side of the corridor. Closing his eyes, his third eye peered through the walls, his vision blurred at the edges of his vision as he explored the apartment. In the living room, there she was.

Opening his eyes once more, he phased through the door, changing into nothingness as he crept along the floors and walls. He settled invisibly within a wall to the girl's right, watching as Alex worked on an outfit of some sort. With a sigh, Alex put down the fabric and thread, leaning back on the couch. The vampire watched intently as the girl rubbed at her neck, having gone stiff from leaning over her efforts.

Slowly, she opened her eyes halfway, staring at the ceiling. "Guess I should have a shower now," she murmured, practically dragging herself to the bathroom.

When the door was closed, only slightly ajar, Alucard emerged from the wall, a mischievous grin on his face. His ears picked up the sound of taps being turned and then the shower head turned on. This gave Alucard an opportunity to peruse every corner of her flat. It was small, good enough for someone who lived alone and didn't entertain much. Beside the front door on its left was a walk-in storage room, and beside that storage room was the kitchen. The kitchen was pathetic, in terms of storage space, only giving her a minimum of three squares of counter-space. Beside kitchen was the smallest dining room he had ever seen. It was barely large enough to hold a round table and a pair of chairs. A window in the wall opposite the kitchen in the dining room had a small homemade shelving unit that held iridescent glass fantasy figurines. They would have shone many colours, leaving light beams of rainbows on every surface, particularly during the daylight hours when the sun was brightest.

His attention turned to the living room, where a simple loveseat and a matching chair sat around a plain black coffee table. In the corner was a small flat screen LCD TV, a game console called a Playstation ZERO and external HDD hooked up. Beside the media stand was a shelf filled with an impressive collection of games and movies. On the other side of the TV was the glass doors that led to a reasonably sized balcony, having enough room for a couple of lounging chairs to be out there, padded comfortably. On the opposite side of the storage closet was the bathroom, which he ignored for now, finding that the bedroom was next to that.

Before he went into the bedroom, he looked around, seeing interesting glass paintings of abstract art. All seemed to have a modern look with a sense of femininity, and the colours popped out at him. He noticed most of her furniture also popped out with colour, as if to offset the plain look of her white walled and grey carpeted apartment. Apparently, she was gradually making an attempt to express herself in her interior decorating. The pitiful wage she earned slowed her down from doing just that.

Finally, as he entered the bedroom, he was pleasantly surprised to find that it had more work done to it. The double-sized bed was covered in sheets of red, gold, and black, gold leafy patterns all over the comforter and larger pillows. The curtains were red and nearly transparent. The furniture in general was a beautiful dark polished wood, a hint of red in the stain. She had two nightstands with lamps with red square shades, a bench at the foot of the bed, and a closet that was filled with a great assortment of...surprisingly classy but tomboyish apparel, a drawer unit underneath for smaller attire like undergarments, he guessed. Beside the bed was a small desk with a laptop.

The Count smiled. This girl's tastes pleased him for some reason. When he turned to leave the bedroom, he spotted something hanging off the back of the door. Pushing it closed partway, he actually grinned at the sight of an elaborate dress fitting of noblewomen of the fifteenth century. The satiny fabric had been meticulously pieced together of red and black, patterned with accents of gold. The square neckline would have shown the upper assets of her womanly figure, and the sleeves fanned out dramatically from the elbows. A wide gold ribbon had been held in place under the bodice with the purpose of being tied into a bow at the back and the skirt would flare out widely, a split down the middle of the front with an under layer of gold silk.

Moving back out into the living room, he eyed the bathroom door mischievously. Steam was emitted through the gap and an inward debate began in his mind. Before he could touch the door to push it open, the sound of rushing water was ceased. His hand recoiled and by the time she came out in a towel, he was back in his place within the wall. Alex's hair had been combed back, the terrycloth barely reaching mid thighs. The outfit she had been working on previously was once again in her hands, and after an hour of watching her piece together the patches of various materials, she bit into the thread, cutting it apart and dropping the costume onto the table.

"I'M DONE!" she declared with her hands straight in the air. "Bitchin'!" Alucard resisted a chuckle as she stood up to leave for the bedroom to finally get dressed. "I'm done my costume, I'm done my costume, and it is awesome!" she almost sang with a skip in her step. An interesting human, indeed, thought the vampire.

Friday Morning, October 31, 2031, Alex's Apartment...

Alucard had remained all night. After all, Integra had ordered him to keep a close and unblinking eye on the girl, at least until it was established that she was safe. During the night, he had reemerged from his hiding place, standing beside her bed with the moonlight at his back. The night had given him time to study her sleeping pattern. He later discovered as she got ready for bed, that she kept a body pillow in the storage bench, and seemed most comfortable sleeping on her sides, almost in a fetal position as she hugged the plump object close to her, pinned between her legs. At least once, she lied on her back, holding the pillow on top of her, while one arm draped over her head.

It was interesting to watch her, to say the least. He almost laughed when she muttered in her sleep about terrors that flap in the night. Though he had no idea she was just reiterating something from a kid's show that involved crime-fighting ducks. When her alarm went off, he quickly retreated into the wall just as she was startled awake by the noise. With a groan, she swung her arm and knocked the offending object to the floor, still blaring out a racket. Motivated to shut the damn thing off, she managed to crawl from her comfortable position and lean over the side of the bed, clicking it off and replacing it on the end table.

For many moments, she remained in that position, arms dangling, hands brushing the carpet. A yawn escaped her, and she mustered the strength to look at the time. "Fuck all kinds of duck," she cursed, climbing back onto the bed and removing the covers.

She almost dressed in her standard work outfit, but then remembered the day, seeing the dress. With a sunny little grin, she changed, having most difficulties tying the back. Huffing, she mentally declared that she could get Tyler to tie it for her when she saw him, leaving it for the time being. The girl reached for the top shelf and felt something brush her back. Swiftly, she spun on the spot, eyeing the room with narrowed eyes. Her hand reached behind her and she felt a perfectly tied bow on the back. Brown eyes widened, astonished at such a thing. While she had been reaching for a box, she had completely forgotten about the sash and was sure that she was leaving it for later.

Thinking she was losing her mind, Alex reached for the box again, bringing it down and removing the cover. She put on flat black slippers and a black velvet lace choker with a dangling fake ruby framed in gold leafs. Despite all the preparation for today, she still couldn't decide whether to wear the red velvet hairband or not. On it was a silk black rose and Alex didn't entirely like overly floral designs. However, the accent was minimal and decided to wear it, combing her hair in place. After putting on some dark eyeliner and mascara, she was complete.

"Muwahaha. My coworkers have got nothing on me," she alleged proudly, doing a little spin, flaring out the skirt more.

Quietly, Alucard followed her outside and to the Tim Horton's, where she ordered a black coffee and a cheese croissant. He found it strange that she didn't eat any breakfast like most humans did. The journey eventually brought them both to Casaloma, and Alucard finally came out of hiding as she went inside. Crimson eyes stared up at the impressive edifice behind his indigo shades and simply waited for the attraction to open.

The doors opened, allowing in the first group of tourists and historically interested Canadians before going inside himself. He was then greeted by a woman who stood at a counter where he assumed admissions were purchased, "Good morning, and welcome to Casaloma! How may I help you?"

The Count approached the counter, simply responding, "One, please."

"No problem. It comes to $20.55." He paid the woman, telling her to keep the extra change while she printed out a visitor bracelet, snapping it around his wrist. "Thank you, and please enjoy your stay!"

"Where's the gift shop?" he asked.

The employee pointed to the shop close to a cafe near the foot of the stairs. "Just down there, sir."

"Thank you," he responded, grinning charmingly before he left. He could sense the woman swooning after him, making him chuckle to himself.

The moment he stepped inside the store with glass displays of various mementos, he grinned with amusement when he saw Alex snap to attention at his presence. Momentarily, Alex was stunned. Nobody showed up for at least an hour after opening. When the shock subsided, she took in his appearance. He was...damn tall. His very being seemed to demand the attention of anybody in the same room as him, exuding something that almost screamed power. Alucard softened his grin, tilting his head slightly as he observed the expressions that flittered over her features.

As if snapping out of a trance, she nearly squeaked out, "Welcome!" Hearing the high pitch, she cleared her throat and repeated more softly, "Welcome to Casaloma's gift shop. Is there anything I can do for you?"

The silence was drawn out between them as he slowly strolled forward, examining each piece of merchandise with intensity. Alex gulped a little, wondering if he was partially deaf and didn't quite hear her. Finally, he closed the gap, with only a display counter in between the two of them. The girl couldn't help but notice his tall stature. He must have been seven or so feet easily. Alex herself was stuck at five feet and five inches, so the way he towered over her, even from a slight distance, was disconcerting. Alucard smiled politely, which unnerved her. Sure, he was being polite, but Alex had always found that people who smiled, for no reason, were the suspicious ones.

"Good day to you," he began, the sound of his voice actually causing the girl to involuntarily shiver. Alex could feel his eyes moving over her, not sure how to take that. "Are you a princess, by any chance?"

Initially, she didn't say anything, but after a momentary pause, she laughed nervously. "Who? Me? Nah, nothing that grand. I'm just dressed as a noblewoman of the fifteenth century."

His grin widened. "It seems more fitting to call you a princess, considering you're at a castle. I must say, the dress is quite becoming on you."

Don't you fucking blush, she inwardly demanded herself, making a comical face of restraint, making it difficult for Alucard to restrain his own laughter. "T-thank you. I worked very hard on the dress. I'm just wearing it for work though."

"Oh?" he said, intrigued. "Pray tell, do you have another costume hidden away?"

Brightened by the topic, she replied enthusiastically, "Yes. I actually plan on going as a zombie for a party tonight. It fits the Halloween theme better. I always thought costumes at this time of year should be...you know, frightening."

"Indeed. I would love to see this costume of yours. Did you also make it?" he asked conversationally.

"I did, actually! I took a bunch of fabric scraps, dyed them black, and then bleached them to give it that messy look before making clothes out of it all. I got my makeup all sorted out. I'll be using tissue paper to give the look of ripped and torn flesh. I got the idea from a tutorial I saw once online."

Alucard chuckled. "How fascinating."

Alex blinked and flushed with embarrassment. "Oh man, sorry, but is there anything I can help you with?"

The Count debated between various responses. He could end the conversation and buy some kind of memento, or he could... "Where's this party?"

The surprise was obvious, but it was quickly replaced by a smile. "It's at a nightclub called GLOCKWYRK." He cocked a brow. "It's a steampunk themed kind of place. The party is having this whole Victorian Halloween theme and all the drinks are half-off. I imagine most of the guests are going to dress up as vampires."

Another chuckle rumbled out of his chest. "Yes, I would assume so. How interesting. I would very much like to go. Perhaps I will see you there tonight."

"Yeah, maybe you will," she agreed.

He grinned toothily, making sure that his teeth had a semblance of looking normal. After all, he was posing as a human civilian. He looked around at everything, then pointed to a small resin figurine that was an imitation of the castle itself. "Perhaps I will take that, and that," he added, pointing to a small knife.

She blinked to what he indicated then smiled. "Right away, sir. I'll have them wrapped up for you."

Once it was done and she rang the purchase through, she bade him a good day and he walked away with the little gift bag with that grin he wore the whole time. Alex stared after his back before he disappeared up the stairs, supposedly to explore the castle. What a strange man. Smiling, despite herself, she went on to clean and dust the glass displays, almost looking forward to seeing him at the party.

A/N: Three more chapters to post after this. Yes, I've been to Casaloma, but I don't remember the visit. I just remember going, but I know it was awesome and it was for my eleventh birthday. I had to choose between going shopping, or seeing Casaloma. Thinking back, I'm surprised I chose a historical site over getting new stuff. Well, one day I'd like to see it again. As for those who might be wondering, no, Alex Rows is not a reference to Axel Rose. If you ask about where the name actually came from, I might answer in the following chapter.

But, back on topic. I'm going to warn you now, there is going to be another flashback in the next chapter that will show rape. If it bothers you, I suggest skipping over the flashback entirely. Everybody who's actually paid attention to the manga or OVA will already know what exactly happened to Alucard, but he won't be the target in this flashback. However, these flashbacks do serve a purpose to the story, which will become later explained. Thankfully, I make each memory pretty short, but I try to make them meaningful.

Please leave a review and/or question. Thanks!