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 SIXTEEN

The Test

Monday Morning, November 24, 2031, Hellsing Estate...

Snow was just starting to fall, frosting every available surface. In the last ten years, global warming had become less of an issue, and winters were recently arriving earlier. For awhile, there was no longer such thing as a white Christmas. However, even around this time, where winters had returned, it didn't make things any more cheery. Alucard and Van had returned by this point, but Van refused to speak to anyone, returning to his workshop in the basement. Right now, Alucard stood before his master's desk, Integra standing at the window, staring at the rising sun. It was still early—too early. Nobody sane would be up at this time.

"What happened?" she asked.

Promptly, he said, "We had waited for the police to vacate the premises before going inside, where we were met by two of Gabriel's followers, one of whom was the woman I spoke of before; Laura. The other is apparently Van's younger brother."

Integra made a small gasp, turning to face Alucard. "What did you say? His brother?"

"Yes. I'm guessing he was under the impression that his entire family was killed when Laura, his sire, had attacked them, including himself."

The director frowned. "I see." Sighing, she took her seat, lighting a cigar. "Go on," she urged.

"It turns out, Elijah Drake has an ability similar to Walter's, but it is also completely different."

"What do you mean?"

"He has the power to manipulate blood and bend it to his will. From what I gathered from our little battle, his favourite method is very similar to the Angel of Death's weapon of choice. Instead of wires, it's thread made of blood. He is very adept with this ability. There's more." Integra's eye narrowed. "He can also control others by manipulating the blood of others. Van was made an example of with this, and if I hadn't shot the little twerp, Van would probably have staked himself. I've never seen a power like this."

The blue eye widened at this. "Manipulation over others through their blood? What magic is this?"

"Although," Alucard began, catching her attention again, "he's able to stop the Casull, but even he's defenceless against the Jackal." A smirk curled his lips. "He's strong, and formidable, but he does not come close to Walter. The anti-freak pistol that man made for me was supposed to end the lives of vampires. Vampire tricks won't work against it."

An amused smile appeared on her face. "Its main purpose was to defeat Paladin Anderson." She inhaled the cigar, blowing out smoke. "It was a good thing that we were able to repair it thanks to the schematics Walter had left behind." There was a long silence between them as both recalled the butler. With a sigh, Integra prodded for more, "What else can you tell me?"

Alucard spoke of what Laura had said about the Ripper murders, which astonished Integra, but she said nothing. That explained a lot, and Van confided in her awhile back that he had suspected it was a vampire that was the real killer. It seemed rather surreal, having solved that particular mystery. For nearly a century and half, no one had even been able to pin the true identity, and it was no wonder. Most had assumed it was a man...a human man. Quite the opposite in fact. It explained many things about the case. However, did that mean this Elijah was involved as well? How long had he been at her side? Van didn't speak much of his past, and it was rather gruesome for someone as young as him still. Van had lost his parents, a potential second sibling, a lover, and until recently, his own brother.

"What else?" she said.

The Count watched her as she blew out more smoke. "There's something beyond what we know. It's not as simple as repopulating the vampire race. But...I don't know what that is. Gabriel has made it quite clear that he has a different motive in mind. That invitation to the church was just a test."

Integra sighed, taking in more smoke before it came billowing out in swirls. "Alexandra stands at the very centre. Same with those missing children. Gabriel had said that vampires were not the damned creatures we made ourselves out to believe."

"Hogwash," he said, the older woman looking up. "Regardless of whether or not virginity is a prerequisite to living among the night, we are still damned. It is a cursed existence. Only those who fight to live have the right to walk that path. I see that quality in you, I saw it in Seras, and I'm seeing it now in Alexandra."

The director gave him a knowing smile. "It's true then, isn't it? She isn't a victim."

Alucard just grinned with pride. "Those who fight back earn their right to live." Integra just closed her eye, the smile remaining. "How is her progress?"

"Seras and Lieutenant Reese inform me that she is progressing well. Miss Rows is no longer commenting on any physical strain. Her aim and use of various firearms has improved steadily. Still, she is nowhere near ready to be out in the field."

The Count said nothing for a moment. No, Alex wouldn't be yet. Still, if he was there, nothing could touch her anyway. But, how would she really learn otherwise? The best experience was from real battles. It changed one's perspective almost immediately, and the mind would either cause the person to panic, or react accordingly to the situation.

"Perhaps if a rather small mission comes up, she could accompany me. We can see how well she does then," he suggested lightly.

As expected, his master frowned. "I'm surprised with you, Count. I was under the impression, that given your...circumstances, you would be entirely against such an idea."

The vampire just smiled. "I will not deny her the room to grow. If she's truly the woman I know her to be, she will triumph."

The woman stared at him, considering his words. For the king of vampires, he was being awfully mature about this. Surely, if it was entirely up to him, Alucard would hide away the girl, keeping her all to himself. However, that wasn't how he was. If there was one thing he respected, it was the freedom of choice. Still, he always looked down upon those that bent the options into their favour rather than make the mature choice. With resignation, she dismissed her servant, and Alucard routinely bowed before disappearing.

The Count reappeared inside the bedroom of Alexandra. Naturally, she was still asleep, as it was still too early for humans to generally wake up. As per usual, he could see her cuddled up to her body pillow. It was similar to how a child clung to a doll or stuffed toy. Briefly, he wondered how she slept with another body sharing her bed. Then those thoughts veered towards who she had slept with in the past, and his eyes narrowed in the dim lighting, the contrast making his eyes appear brighter than they were at the moment. Such things didn't matter to him. They wouldn't matter, especially when she finally came into his waiting arms. He wouldn't allow such trivial things to bother him.

Brown hair was splayed across the pillow, a few strands draping over her face and nose, her mouth slightly ajar. The moments passed as he simply stood there, watching her sleep away. Slowly, a hand reached out, the index brushing back those stray hairs. The hand recoiled just as she stirred some, burying her face in the cushion as she held it tighter. A small smile graced his lips and he leaned forward, a hand gently placed atop her head, his mouth touching her hair, eyes closed.

Every time he was about to go on a mission, it had become increasingly more difficult to leave, as he did not wish to part with her. Still, these missions were for her benefit. He just stayed like that, leaning over her almost protectively. Alucard had silently promised weeks ago that he would not tell her a thing. If he did, it would influence her thoughts of him. He wanted her decision in the end to be her own, and not of the past. If she chose him, he would tell her then, but until that time, he was content to watch over her.

Katarina...my dear, Alexandra. My princess. My love.

Two years have passed, and Vlad had become a feared strategist. Stefan was now under the protection of Hungary. Eventually, his younger cousin would have to retake the throne of Moldavia from Bogdan's assassin, just like Vlad had to retake the throne from his own father's assassin, the very man Hunyadi had paid to have his rival killed. By extension, as if to secure the throne, as Vlad and Radu were prisoners of the Ottomans at the time, Hunyadi also had Vlad's older brother, Mircea, murdered. From what Vlad had heard, Mircea had been blinded and then buried alive. Occasionally, he felt immense rage towards Hunyadi, and had to tear away from the room. Still, at least he was permitted to do battle against the Ottomans whenever they threatened the border.

Something amazing had happened though. As if struck by lightning, he found joy in one particular method of torture. It came to him during one of the many battles he fought, slicing down one enemy after another. A spear had stabbed into his side, and he choked out his pain, gripping the weapon firmly to prevent it going deeper. Snarling, he forced the Turk back, removing the offending object and grabbing his enemy by the neck. All the Ottomans looked alike to him. Filth. Dirty, rotten, stinking filth. However, this one had a similar face to the man that had violated his dear Katarina, as well as himself.

The memory was mercilessly vivid, and an uncontrollable rage consumed him. Yelling out like an animal, the spear was flipped around and he drove it through the man. He had choked and flailed, even as Vlad used the adrenaline to give him the strength to lift into the air. There was intense but little satisfaction in this man's death, as it did not last nearly long enough to make Vlad feel complete. And so, Vlad had sought out another Turk. With each enemy, he had changed how he entered a spear through them. Still, they did not last long enough to satisfy that sense of revenge. Regardless, when he returned to the barracks, he felt invigorated. He would perfect this death, with God as his witness, and bring his wrath down upon all who have wronged him. Soon.

Monday Morning, November 24, 2031, Hellsing Estate...

Brown orbs shot open, then quickly shut again to shield them from the brightness. With a groan, Alex rolled out of bed, shutting off the object that had woken her. Once off, she lingered in bed for a few minutes, eyes in a daze. How strange. It felt as though moments before she was woken up, someone had been leaning over her. The sensation had made her feel secure, and her logical mind just thought it was a dream, so she didn't feel bothered by it at all.

The definition of waking up involved Alex's ritual of literally crawling out of bed, nearly falling on her face. With step one complete, it was time to stand and then head for the bathroom, shuffling about like a zombie. Business done, step three involved showering, proceeded by getting dressed in comfy, but non-baggy, clothing. Regularly, people would eat breakfast next, but Alex was different that way. Due to poor morning digestion, she usually avoided breakfast altogether. It could only be assumed that a part of her brain, that operates her stomach, hasn't registered the fact that she was, more or less, awake.

Making her way to her lesson with Seras, she yawned, giving a small wave to every soldier that bid her a good morning. Upon reaching the room, she was surprised to find Integra there, along with Alucard, Lt. Reese, and a butler. Of course, Seras was there as well. All eyes turned to Alex as her shoulders and back tensed, going rigid from all the stares. Integra stood from her chair that had been apparently provided for her, as the room was usually empty.

"Good morning, Miss Rows," she said, approaching her.

Awkwardly, Alex returned, "Good...morning, sir. What's going on?"

"You're being measured," the woman explained, then smiled, "in more ways than one." At Alex's confused expression, Integra elaborated, "You're being fitted for a proper uniform. Before we can begin that, though, your worth as a hunter must be measured."

"You mean, like an initiation test?"

Integra confirmed with a nod. "It's a basic test for those who have had no previous formal training. If you pass, you will officially become part of Hellsing, though with the lowest rank, as you are still...fresh." Alex's eye twitched at that, evoking an amused smile from the director. "If you fail, you'll simply just return to your training for a few more weeks before you can take the test again."

It made sense, Alex thought, but why were they testing her when she hadn't even been here for a month? "What does this test entail?"

"A portion is written, the rest are practical exams. Before I can send you out into the field for hands-on experience, we need to be sure that you can moderately handle yourself."

Rather early to be throwing her in the deep end, Alex mused. No, she wanted this. It was time to prove that she wasn't a victim, or useless. "Alright."

"Excellent," she said. "Please, take a seat. We'll get the written test out of the way."

The elder woman indicated to a small desk and a chair that was situated in the centre of the room. Hesitantly, Alex's feet carried her over to the seat, sitting down and feeling small in such a big chair. The butler placed the test papers in front of her, providing a pen before setting up a timer and putting it down in front of her. Brown eyes turned to the timer, and when it had turned on, it began to count down from ten minutes. So, it was that kind of test. As the butler walked away, she got to it, picking up the pen and looking over the questions.

Describe how vampires are created. Describe how ghouls come into being. What are the most effective methods for destroying a vampire? What are the differences between ghouls and zombies? It kept going on like that, and looking at them now, the answers came to her just like that. For but a moment, her thoughts wandered over to Alucard. He had already told her all of this. Maybe in an indirect way, he ended up being the cheat sheet for this test. Writing the answers as quickly as possible, she had just finished writing the last sentence ten seconds before the timer went off.

"All finished?" asked the butler.

Alex watched him look over the answers, feeling nervous. What if she got one wrong? Would she fail right then and there? Did they expect a perfect score? After five minutes, the butler turned towards Integra and nodded. Integra smiled then. Alex felt like deflating in her chair, but settled for a relieved sigh before turning her gaze towards Alucard. There he stood, leaning characteristically against the wall with his arms crossed. Again, he wore the hat and shades. Must have been because it was the daylight hours. As if sensing her staring, he turned his head towards her. Feeling caught, Alex turned her head swiftly away. Alucard just grinned.

Moments later, Alex found herself outside, standing before a table covered in various weapon types. On it was a handgun, a revolver, an assault rifle, a shotgun, and a sniper rifle. In the distance stood the target, and surrounding Alex behind her was a good portion of the armed forces of Hellsing. If there had been cameras filming her and broadcasting live all over the world, she would have been sweating buckets. She hated attention! Reese was soon standing by her side.

"This test is simple. Hit the target. With each successful shot, you move on to the next gun, and the position of the target will change. If you hit anywhere that isn't the heart or the head, points will be deducted from your overall score. You must also be able to judge the best kind of gun to use. When you are done, you'll be given a moving target."

"A moving target?" she repeated.

He didn't answer, instead going back to the small group that Alex had considered dubbing The Judges. "Begin!" he called out.

The girl turned to the target and looked at her options of weapons. Judging by the distance, she imagined the sniper rifle would have been a good choice. Then again, it wasn't even that far. The eyes she felt on her back formed a bead of sweat on her brow, the nervousness returning. Picking up the assault rifle, she aimed it just like how Reese had taught her, peering over the sights. Some of the soldiers showed some mild surprise that she had chosen the assault rifle right off the bat. Alucard grinned under his hat. Most would have instantly thought of the sniper rifle. He knew most people were wondering if the girl was being cocky, but the vampire knew better. Alex was thinking logically.

Just as she squeezed the trigger, she frowned, releasing it, putting the gun down. Some watched, perplexed as the girl went into her bag, and put on her glasses. Integra stared, eye narrowing. So, Alex's sight was a weakness for the girl. The director watched as Alex retook aim, letting fly the bullets. Integra was astonished to find that Alex had just nearly hit her target, holes being made in the centre of the chest. Most amateurs still had a long way to go, but in the two weeks that Alex had trained, it seemed as if she had improved exponentially, even if she was off.

Cursing, Alex readjusted her aim, firing once more, hitting the left breast. With further adjustment, she aimed for the head next. The first few bullets hit the neck, travelling upwards, hitting the head as a result of the recoil. Alex sighed, hoping that was enough for a passing mark, putting the gun down again. Soldiers ran off into the field with a new target, taking it further away. Alex waited til they cleared off the range before grabbing the sniper rifle, perching it upon the table as she leaned over it.

Some of the soldiers tilted their heads and Alucard found himself doing the same, but only slightly. Despite being inconspicuous, Integra had noticed, eye narrowing. She then punched Alucard in the leg. He hardly budged but he snapped to attention. Integra then delivered an icy glare towards all her men, and they laughed nervously, snapping back much like Alucard had. Alex, on the other hand, felt a strange sensation from behind her, and was suddenly aware of her provocative pose. Eye twitching, she tried to ignore the creepiness, lining up the shot.

This time, it went more smoothly, thanks to the scope, and she hit both targets until the clip emptied. The next target was a bit closer than the first, and she had used the handgun, but had more trouble with it than the first test, taking a few tries before she could hit the target. The forth required the use of the shotgun, and she laughed, firing off its head and blasting through the entire chest. With the final mark, Alex grabbed the revolver, aiming it one-handed, holding her wrist and firing with more confidence as the test went on. Oddly enough, with the revolver, she had an easier time hitting the target, despite the increased recoil.

Once the chambers were empty, Alex turned to Integra. "How'd I do?"

Integra said nothing for a moment, smoking a cigar. "You still have one more target to finish off. Lieutenant..."

"Yes, sir," Reese said, stepping forward a few steps as he explained, "The last one will be moving. You can use any gun you wish. You will be given ninety seconds to hit both the heart, and the head."

Alex looked over to the target range, and when she blinked, Alucard stood there, evoking a gasp of shock from her. "I'm supposed to shoot him?!"

"Alucard is considered valid for this task. He is a vampire, and vampires will always be on the move. He is also immune to bullets," Integra explained. "He is forbidden his use of omnipresence, as no other vampire has such an ability."

Even if Alex had witnessed it herself nearly a month ago, the idea of shooting Alucard still made her nervous. Turning to the vampire in question, she gulped. Alucard couldn't help but grin, as if he was taunting her. Alex knew she was going to fail this test! Her lack of conviction to shoot someone who was potentially a friend held her back. Then it began when Reese announced the number ninety, counting down while staring at his watch. For five whole seconds, Alex merely just let the revolver hang at her side.

"What's wrong, human?" Alucard called out mockingly. "Didn't you threaten to kill me last night, wrongfully accusing me of spying?" Her eye twitched again, a hand smacking over it to make it stop. Resolute, Alucard went on, "You won't be able to hit me, anyway. We both know you're going to fail. Useless women should stay behind like good little—!"

There was a scream that was like the cry of an angry animal, and much to everyone's astonishment, the vampire's hat flew off, his shades shattering, a bleeding hole right between Alucard's eyes. Everyone was gaping, including Seras, Integra, and Reese. Steam rose from the barrel, the firearm held steady, an enraged look upon the wielder's face. The Count also looked surprised for few seconds before grinning. This elicited another scream from Alex as she climbed over the table and ran at him. The audience watched the comical display as Alucard dodged the following bullets, cackling maniacally.

Seras murmured, eyes fixed on the scene, "Master really knows how to piss people off."

Integra agreed, eye wide, also unable to look away, "He pisses everyone off."

Reese stared for awhile before realizing that he still had to keep track of the time. "Thirty seconds left!" He paused, looking up every now and then. "Twenty-five seconds!"

Alex was proving to be so much fun as Alucard continued to dodge the bullets, circling around her, blurring from one location to the other. He knew that he was supposed to tone down his speed a bit, but Alex was making it difficult for him to resist the temptation to play, being just out of reach. The determination and anger on her face made him smile warmly. His change of expression threw her off for a second, giving him an opportunity to get in close, towering over her just as Reese called out five seconds. Panic setting in, Alex screamed, aiming the gun at his chest, his body pressing against the barrel as she fired.

Blood splattered onto her face across her nose and under one eye. Alex stared in shock at what she had done, her hands shaking and dropping the gun. Alucard's face was hidden behind the inky black curtain of his hair, and overwhelming guilt settled in Alex's chest. She didn't care that this was a test and Alucard couldn't be hurt by mere bullets! It felt wrong to simply shoot someone she had deemed a friend!

"Alucard, I-I..." she choked, eyes stinging.

White gloved hands reached out to cradle her face, surprising her into silence. A serene expression emerged from beneath his hair, a soft and reassuring smile on his face. Rather than say anything, he made her look at his wounds as they healed right before her eyes. He would remind her again and again that nothing could hurt him, so long as she didn't cry. Seeing her relief when he was whole again, a long tongue slithered out of his mouth. Slowly, he indulged in licking the blood off her face. Alex was too shocked to even be remotely disgusted by this strange and intimate gesture.

"Alucard," she breathed as his tongue went back inside his mouth.

Crimson eyes met with her brown pools as he smiled ever so slightly. "Good job," he whispered.

She blinked at him while the others approached the two. Integra regarded Alucard disdainfully, "Alucard, that's disgusting. Stop that immediately."

Hands dropped from Alex's face as he turned to Integra with a grin. "Yes, master."

Alex just stared at him in a slight daze before she snapped out it as Integra turned to her. "Well done, Miss Rows. You're doing well so far. You're only half done, though. How about we resume after lunch, hm?"

Alex nodded some as Reese patted her hard on the back, making her cough out. Integra was already walking away with one of the house staff, discussing what she'd like for lunch, while some of the soldiers and Seras stuck around to bid her congratulations, even though she was only half finished. She wondered what the other half entailed, getting nervous once more. Eyes turned to Alucard, who had gone to pick up his fallen hat. He too had told her she had done a good job, making her realize that what Alucard said before was just a ploy to get her riled up. Did he sense her doubt? Though he was putting her down at the time, it was just his way of encouraging her. Somehow, Alex had a feeling that Alucard was helping her in some way, bringing a soft smile to her face.

A/N: Okay, so I didn't add as much fluff as I had intended. Still, two small fluffies are better than none at all! I had something completely different planned for this chapter, but deleted all of it. However, I will do a similar chapter in the future, so you'll get to read what I had planned eventually. Hint, it leads to a shift in Alex's feelings. I also couldn't resist the little bit where most of the guys were suddenly distracted by her ass. I think she's relieved that she wasn't wearing a skirt.

Random thoughts...when I rewatched Chobits, this time in English, because I'm on a Crispin Freeman kick, I couldn't help but imagine Hideki being replaced with Alucard and acting like a lovable dork. It was the funniest image in my head. Ever. It doesn't fit at all, but it was funny regardless. Halfway through watching Durarara. I'm kind of confused by it, and I'm not sure if I even like it yet, but I do like Shizuo. Damn Crispin Freeman and his sexy voice. Might rewatch Witch Hunter Robin too while I'm at it.

Thank you all for reading, so please leave a review, your thoughts, and any questions you have about the story.