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 THIRTY-EIGHT

Flug der Fledermäuse

Tuesday Night, January 6, 2032, Ship—Day 5...

The silky tone of the seductive vampire washed over a hunter-in-training like a river of grime. Unpleasant chills spread through her bones, a bead of sweat enlarging on her brow as chocolate pools never let the Draculina out of their sight, mostly out of fear of what could and would happen if she did. Alex didn't know much about Laura beyond the facts that she was old, powerful, and the root of Van's rebirth and pain. Right now, Alex and the remaining workers of this freighter ship were trapped on the bridge, with thousands of ghouls surrounding them on all sides outside, and inside with them was a vampire, a minion working directly under an even more powerful vampire, who was also on the ship. To top things off, Alucard was fighting the latter vampire, and Van was outside with a third powerful vampire.

Crimson lips curled upwards, green venomous orbs watching the humans with quiet delight. The subtle change on her visage put the ship workers further on edge. It amused her to no end that these humans proved to her that their outer shells were nothing but a facade to hide what feeble and cowardly creatures they are. However... She glanced extensively at the only other female in the room. Compared to the men that accompanied her, this Alexandra, regardless of the situation, was staring her down, gun drawn and pointed right at her heart. The girl was shaking, that much Laura could see, but it didn't distract from the fact that she was perhaps the first human in a long time to truly stand up to her, just as her dear Van had. But like so many others before her, Laura would break her.

"Put the gun away, darling. I did not come here to fight with you. I only wish to have a heart to heart...girl to girl," she went on after her greeting. Alex wasn't convinced, brows drawn together, lips pressed together in a thin line while her grip on her gun tightened, anxiously awaiting for Laura to make the first move. The older woman chuckled. "Oh, come now. Can't we be friends?"

"Don't make me laugh. I know what you did. To the men on this ship, the people in that church, those kids, and Van!" Alex exclaimed.

Laura put on mock surprise at her knowledge. "Oh dear, did that celibate, Integra, tell you of my misdeeds? Or was it poor, lost, little Van?" Another chuckle, her expression replacing her smile. "That child has a poor habit of taking things out of context. You misunderstand, my sweet. Allow me to explain..."

"You can take whatever excuse you're about to pull out of your ass and shove it down your throat, because I'm not interested." As Alex finished, her hands ceased to tremble.

Laura noticed this, finally putting on a small frown. Finally, she spoke with warning, "My dear, I am not one to be trifled with, nor angered. I'm a forgiving woman, but there is a line, and you are dangerously close to crossing it." Van's defiance from earlier was still irritating her, but that was to be expected of her fledgling. However, to be insulted by this frail human was turning into a final straw for her. It didn't matter who the girl was. A human was still a human, and such creatures were nothing more than food and trash to her.

Alex had to be careful, for goading a monster wasn't a wise thing to do. Still, she had to buy some time. I could use your help right about now, Alucard... "Sorry, but I hate people who like to hear themselves talk, especially when they're full of it."

The redhead had to give the brunette some credit. She had some guts. Her smile returning, she said, "You're right, it's not good to lie. I've also gone off track." She raised her hand to the girl in an offer. "My master, Gabriel, would be pleased if you quietly came with us. Should you willingly accept, those humans surrounding you, and your pet vampires will be spared."

Alex briefly glanced at the proffered extremity, then upwards at the woman's face again. "And if I should refuse?" Unfortunately, she could already guess the answer.

Her smile widened. "Then they die. It's as simple as that. And we'll end up taking you anyway."

Shamus and the others looked worried and Bradley gripped Alex's shoulders, about ready to push her forward. "G-go on! I don't want to die! None of us do!"

The mechanic and a couple others pried off his hands. "You damn coward! You'd hand her over just to save your skin?! You fucking slime!"

"Fuck you, Shamus! I ain't gonna die for this bitch! I bet everyone that went missing is dead anyway! Why do we gotta end up the same way?!"

"Shut up!" Alex barked, her eyes having never left Laura. The others quieted down at her order surprisingly.

Laura laughed. Typical humans, she thought. "See what that man is willing to sacrifice? Don't tell me you would die for them, because they certainly won't for you." She looked out the window to where the Drake brothers were. "But, if you're so intent on it, what's the harm in coming with us? Think about it, my dear. Should you refuse, Van will be killed by his own gun, and these men will be eaten by our ghouls. As for Alucard...he's a relic that cannot defeat my master." She turned back to Alex. "So...what will you do?" Their eyes locked as she repeated, "What will you do, Alexandra?"

What could she do? Alex was quiet for a full minute, dragging out the uncomfortable silence as the vampire patiently waited on her answer. It was as thought every life and unlife was held in her hands. She looked at the gun in her grip and used a thumb to pull back the hammer, the decision made. Laura frowned, quite displeased by the girl's resolve.

"A poor choice, to be sure," she said.

"You'll kill them regardless of what I choose," Alex declared calmly. "Besides...I know something you don't."

Displeasure turned to simmering puzzlement. "And that is?"

Alex smiled proudly, as if to mock the vampire. She reiterated a profound but simple lesson that a certain someone had gently drilled into her head, "Alucard is a monster that cannot be killed by monsters. It takes a human to get the job done. And seeing as you're not human, and neither is your master, I have faith that Alucard will beat you all. The same goes for Van. After all, he drank Alucard's blood." Laura glowered at the human girl as her smile widened into a grin. "Ain't that a bitch...right? Dracula's blood is pretty pure, unlike your garbage."

Green turned red, flashing dangerously, and within an instant, the windows cracked before they and the walls surrounding them burst outwards, blowing into the wind that carried the debris off. The men expressed fearful shock as they were hit with the outside elements. Rain, seawater, strong winds, and the deathly cold of winter. The roof and antennas were also blown away, making things worse while Alex tried to keep her feet and weapon steady. The ghouls moved closer, causing them to panic somewhat. Anyone with guns started firing on them. While Shamus' weapon was capable of permanently wounding them, the regular guns did little to stop them.

"Shit!" he cursed. "Alex! Please tell me you've got a plan!"

"Just one!" she cried out, aiming at Laura's heart and firing. The wind picked up slightly, causing the bullet to stray somewhat, hitting the vampire in the shoulder. "Aim for her heart and head! Kill a host vampire and the ghouls go down with them!"

Laura grinned toothily as all the firearms were aimed at her. As they fired, she disappeared, and was suddenly in between the circle of survivors, raising a hand and rotating on the spot, hitting them all in the backs, pushing them all forward, basically separating them as well as putting them closer to the ghoulish threats closing in on them. Shamus got up and backed up quickly from a group of them, aiming the gun and firing two shots, surprised to see about five go down. He looked at the revolver wondering how just a handgun had that kind of power. He didn't have much time to question it though, because he heard the screaming of his companions as the monsters closed in on two of them.

"NO!" he cried out, reaching out for them to no avail as they were eaten alive, their screams echoing and fading on the wind.

Alex had fallen forward and looked up just in time to see the gory display, tears pooling at the corners of her eyes as she watched in horror. Another cry caught her and the others' attention as they all turned to look at Laura, who had a very tight grasp on Bradley's throat. They watched as Bradley screamed before Laura shushed him gently, his desperate pleas trailing off as she mesmerized him, his own eyes turning red. Realizing what was happening, Alex went to fire on Laura, but her gun clicked and she cursed, rushing to replenish her ammo. But it was too late as the vampire opened her frightening maw and latched onto his neck like a vise, blood messily flowing down his clothes, staining them, and over her chin. They all watched in horrified fascination as Laura's shoulder wound healed within seconds, and after a full minute, the body fell with a thump and Laura laughed, licking her lips clean, wiping her chin, suckling on her now stained finger.

"Blood tastes better when tainted with the spice of fear," she commented, eliciting said fear into the humans.

"You bitch!" Alex cried, snapping the chamber back into place and firing on her again.

Once again, Laura dodged, flashing before the girl and snatching her up by the front of her clothes, Alex dangling in the air with a short scream. Laura grinned maniacally, her expression promising pain on all levels. Gritting her teeth, a revolver was pointed right at Laura's forehead, but before she could pull the trigger, Laura caught her wrist and violently twisted it just enough to force her to drop the gun, a pained scream tearing out of the girl's throat. Releasing the useless hand, Laura smirked smugly. Alex could only feel immense pain in her wrist, her arm going numb. She was pretty sure that Laura had effectively broken it.

Meanwhile, Van was immensely distracted by his struggle against Elijah's control. Elijah was being patient, awaiting the order from his master to execute his brother. After a few moments of this, the bridge was eventually torn apart by Laura's rage, and Van could barely look over his shoulder to see that things had gotten infinitely worse. He inwardly cursed as he watched the ghouls move in on the humans and he could smell the bloodshed of at least three men being killed. Then he heard it. Alex's scream. The shock of it nearly made Van lose his grip entirely, having almost pulled the trigger on the Gravedigger.

"What the hell have you done to her!?" he demanded with strain in his voice.

Elijah calmly replied, "The girl is merely being put in her place by our master. She's paying for insulting her. Her just desserts, as it were. But I wouldn't worry about her if I were you."

Anger filled him to the brim, overflowing and spilling over the brim like a tidal wave. No longer caring, Van fought harder than ever. With a roar that would have rivalled the thunderclaps of a storm, Elijah watched in astonishment as Van's face contorted monstrously. Kill 'em! Kill 'em both! Van's eyes turned catlike and red, the luminance like blood moons. Shadowy matter shot out like spears as the hunter felt the influence of the No-Life King's power flow through him. As they swayed about him, Van could feel that Elijah's hold was weakening, much to the younger vampire's surprise.

The Dracul finally showed emotion in his otherwise stoic expression, looking at his brother in a fearfully new light. Van had become so much stronger since their last encounter, but only now was he learning to truly harness it. No, that wasn't it. Van knew how already. It was his human sentimentality that held him back. Over his entire unlife, Van had vehemently rejected the life and powers of a vampire because he didn't want to be exactly what humans always thought of them...a monster. Elijah replaced his calm demeanour, preparing for the moment that Van struck out. He finally let go, he realized, eyes narrowing. He's embracing what it meant to be a vampire.

The dark matter swayed about Van like a ragged cloak as he growled at the younger vampire. Not wasting anymore time, Van charged forward like a great panther, his shadows swirling around him like a tornado before launching forward, acting as indestructible swords, swinging about as Elijah dodged side to side and backwards, seeing the damage Van's power had done, slicing apart the containers they jump. After a moment of this dance, Elijah jumped to a higher perch, but a second later, one of the shadows cleanly sliced through it, causing it to slide and collapse, putting the young vampire off balance. Jumping away from the debris, red threads flew towards the hunter.

As Elijah had hoped, they wrapped around Van's limbs, and with a short tug of his fingers, Van's mouth gaped wide in a silent scream as his appendages exploded with blood. Despite being legless and armless, Van landed on shadowy feet, matching arms still holding both guns. They swirled around the missing limbs, solidifying in seconds and Van charged again, gripping his weapons, aiming them straight at Elijah, firing a barrage of bullets. The enemy Dracul, try as he might, could not defend against them, even with multiple layers of webs, the bullets were too strong a calibre. One, two, three! Wounds exploded all over his body, just barely missing his heart and head. Elijah slumped over, panting, eyes flickering between silvery-blue and scarlet.

"What's with those bullets?" her murmured. Seeing a pair of boots in front of him, he looked up, Van towering before him, his face obscured in blackness, all except for his demonic eyes.

Lightning flashed, revealing his face once more. He raised both firearms, regarding his brother with disdain. "They carry similar rounds to Alucard's Jackal. After much study of the schematics, I had decided to work on a prototype similar to it. Seeing as how you show a weakness towards such power, I thought it prudent that Alucard shouldn't be the only one with a gun with that kind of power." He extended out his right firearm, aiming it directly at Elijah. "I'm giving you one last chance to give up this venture and leave Laura."

Elijah's head dropped, chuckling to himself. "Give up? I think not, brother..."

Eyes narrowed, something new entered his senses and he looked up before an explosion engulfed them both. Van emerged from the flames as he bounded away, gritting his teeth. Elijah had also emerged, accompanied by someone. A ghoul? No. A sniff of the air and he learned it was another vampire. It was not one he recognized though. He snarled as a second mysterious figure aimed a large weapon at him. Eyes widening as he realized what it was, he cursed loudly and jumped out of the way before a missile could have taken him out, causing another explosion, a few ghouls being killed in the process.

Van looked to the fires then back towards the enemies. "Who in the...?" Another scream drew his attention to where the humans were. "Alex!"

As much as he didn't want to turn his back on the enemy, he had bigger priorities. Quickly, he dashed off, leaping into the air, spotting the hundreds of ghouls surrounding Shamus and the rest of the crew, and not far from them, Laura was dangling Alex in midair, one of the girl's wrists grasped firmly in the vampire's hold. He calculated the situation, deciding it best that he not fire directly at Laura, lest he accidentally hit Alex, he glided downward, coat flapping behind him. Boots making a soft thud beside the pair, he charged forward. The redhead's gleaming green pools caught sight of her fledgling before she grinned, even as one of his guns was pointed directly at her face. Pulling the trigger, the barrels revolved and dozens of rounds emptied into the Draculina's face, obliterating it.

Alex dropped to her knees, grasping her injury while Laura's body fell sideways, thudding heavily onto the ground. Van crouched next to Alex briefly then directed his attention to the approaching ghouls. Using both guns, he roared for the humans to get down, surprising them with his sudden appearance next to them. Belatedly, they obeyed when they realized what he was about to do, ducking low as he released a heavy spray, the creatures being held back, resulting in a mixed splash of ash and blood, the Dracul's eyes glowing red, jagged teeth bared. Just as the belt was emptied and released, dropping to the floor, just as he was about to load his third belt, he was abruptly blasted apart.

"Van!" Alex cried, shielding her shocked face. "VAN!"

The smoke cleared and half of what was left of the hunter was on the ground, his right leg, part of his lower torso, and his right arm now just made of the shadow matter influenced by the power of Alucard he inherited. He coughed out a generous amount of blood, grinding his teeth together as he tried with great difficulty to regenerate. He began to realize that even Alucard's blood had its limits for someone who wasn't even his fledgling. To constantly grow back one's limbs was an exhausting process. He looked over to find that half his gun was slightly damaged from the blast.

Alex ran over to him, placing her uninjured hand on his back. "Van!"

"I'll be fine," he barely managed. "You need to get away before Laura—look out!"

A shadow stood behind Alex, and the girl couldn't react in time before she was suddenly grabbed by strong but slender arms. Van looked up in horror just as Laura yanked Alex's head sideways, her Cheshire grin dangerously close to the young woman's throat. The vampire let out a soft moan as she licked the tender spot, the girl whimpering in disgust. Alex struggled, but against a vampire, with her one arm injured, it proved quite difficult, and deep down, a great fear settled in her chest and stomach.

"Van is such a naughty boy," Laura said smoothly, a spice of lust in her tone. "Then again, you've been quite the troublemaker yourself, little girl." Her grin widened and as Alex watched her, she caught the evil glint in the woman's reddening eyes, panic settling in. "Just a taste," Laura moaned out, her jaw opening wide, ready to chomp down on the poor girl.

Just as Van yelled out for her to stop and Alex was about to let out a desperate cry of her own, Laura screamed and Alex was once again dropped. Everyone around looked shocked. Not just the humans, and Van, but also the Draculina, who was currently being forced to lie on her stomach with a pained choke as a foot was pressed hard on her back. The redhead looked over her shoulder, confusion evident on her face as she stared into the cold disappointment of her master's eyes.

Van's own eyes were wide with shock, muttering, "Gabriel..."

The great vampire looked upon his fledgling with disdain. "Laura...did I not make myself clear that not one of you were to harm Alexandra?" he asked slowly, as though he were speaking to a naughty child.

"M-master...I didn't mean...I just wanted a small taste. That's all..."

Van was mildly surprised to hear the fear in Laura's voice. Part of him believed that with all her toying and torturing of others, her regal but dark nature, had no fear. But suddenly his own creator, a selfish woman by nature, was utterly at the mercy of another, forcefully humbling herself to such a creature. He himself began to fear what power lied inside Gabriel. Just how powerful was this monster? Was he as strong as Alucard? Or worse?

Gabriel kept minimal focus on the Draculina. "Disobedience is not tolerated, Laura. Consider this a warning." After a moment, he finally removed his shoe, and she let out a breath in small relief, the woman looking thoroughly ashamed of herself. He then turned to Alex and smiled. "Hello, again, my dear."

The girl shook, frozen to the spot on the floor, holding her injured arm. She watched him approach, then her terror sunk in. With a whimper, she pushed back with her feet, then turned, trying desperately to get away from Gabriel. Van, despite his injuries, tried to get up, unable to concentrate on regenerating his missing limbs. Without sparing a glance towards the hunter, a white substance emerged from him, shooting towards the young vampire, impaling him through the back like an extended spider leg. More blood was coughed out even as Van was lifted and thrown to the deck below, crashing into a container, the impact causing a large dent. He struggled to look up, seeing the ghouls come towards him, weapons aimed.

As he tried to move, his body went completely numb, surprising him, putting him in a state of panic. Why can't I move?! He raised his eyes to where the bridge once was, messily sputtering out in a weak voice, "A-Alex...r-run away..."

The young woman in question was practically crawling towards where her gun had fallen. Her very life was depending on retrieving the firearm! At the last few feet, she managed to move to her feet and jump the rest of the way, diving towards it, snatching it with her good arm. She rolled onto her back, aiming towards the vampire taking their sweet time approaching her. His slow but deliberate movements only served to fuel the fear, a trembling hand grasping the weapon more firmly, pulling the trigger.

"GET AWAY FROM ME!" she shrilled, terror consuming her.

One, two, til finally the fifth shot, he still kept coming, his wounds healing within seconds. His smile widened, tsking at her foolish attempts. Alex's eyes widened, her mouth going ajar as her bottom lip trembled. He finally stopped, standing directly over her, his jacket and hair billowing from the harsh sea winds. Predatory blue locked with her own dark pools, his sharp teeth glinting like polished silver against the dark. His face sobered somewhat and he reached down, even as Alex was frozen with fear, she cringed and whimpered. His arm seemed to stretch behind her back, effortlessly lifting the girl to her feet, holding her to him as though she were a precious lover to him. He smiled more softly, holding her firmly to him as he used his free hand to lift her hand that was holding the gun, turning it to kiss her knuckles.

A dark chill went through her as she watched, her body stilling. What was this feeling? She recalled how Alucard had acted with the same gentle gesture. Oddly, there was a similarity she couldn't place, but the difference could also be felt. When Gabriel did it, she felt...incredibly afraid. Yanking her hand away, she aimed the gun directly between his eyes, desperate to make a final attempt to kill the son of a bitch! She squeezed, and...click. She gasped, horror setting in again.

Gabriel momentary surprise at her will was replaced with amusement. "My dear, even if the chamber had been loaded, it would do you no good against me. You already tried that once earlier this evening," he gently reminded her. He took delight in the return of her trembling, even as he pulled the gun out of her hand, tossing it carelessly away. "Now...where were we before your guardian had so rudely interrupted us?"

Suddenly remembering, Alex hesitantly asked, "What did you do to Alucard?"

"Oh, him?" He grinned. "I had to be sure that Alucard wouldn't simply cut into our conversation again. You see, I have abilities that even the great Alucard cannot comprehend nor overcome. So for the moment, he's indisposed." Alex's eyes widened at this. "Now enough talk of that failed creature. It's time, Alexandra..."

His voice seemed to echo over the wind all around her and inside her head. She made the mistake of looking into his eyes and she begun to feel sleepy. No! She couldn't fall asleep! Not now! But the longer she stared at him, an image of fire and blood flashed across her thoughts, the vision replacing Gabriel's face with that of...the man from her visions! The dark warrior with an incomprehensible face, completely obscured from her sight. Long dark hair flailed around him like a living shadow. The appearance of this knight both calmed and frightened her, for reasons she couldn't understand. The image faded, once again replaced by Gabriel.

"Your...face..." she murmured. "Why do I feel like...I know you?"

Gabriel said nothing, though there was a slight change to his expression as he watched the girl in his arms struggle against his powers. He admired the fact that she had fought for as long as she did. This woman was completely different from the one Alucard had coveted so long ago. Try as she might, however, Alex gradually weakened under his hypnotic gaze, and he picked her up as one would their bride, carrying her off as Laura watched him.

"What of the rest?" she asked somewhat meekly, afraid to put another toe out of line.

Gabriel waited a few seconds before looking over his shoulder. "Kill them all."

Pleased with the order, Laura turned to the humans, who had been watching in anticipation and fear. She raised a hand, ready to snap her fingers. "Thank you for all your hard work, boys. We couldn't have done all this without your efforts."

Shamus stared, teeth grinding together, waiting for the inevitable moment that they would all be killed. The gun Alex had lent him only had a couple rounds left, but the chances of him hitting the intended targets were slim. Movement caught his attention as he looked over to where the deceased Bradley was, eyes widening when his body began to move. The others also looked in shock just as Bradley slowly moved to his feet, his eyes sunken in, his skinned greyed and dry, flaking off somewhat. Looking past him, they spotted other familiar faces. The faces of those that had gone missing over the last few days.

"O-oh sweet Jesus," he sputtered out. "C-Captain? Gregory? Hanson?"

"They're...one of them now?!" one of his fellow shipmates asked. "Are we gonna be like them?!"

Laura smiled. "Yes. Only virgins of the opposite sex can become vampires. Otherwise, you become nothing more than a cannibalistic shell of your former self. But don't worry...eventually this whole virgin business will cease to be an issue. Unfortunately, none of you will survive to witness it. You've served your purpose and now it's time for you all to meet your maker. Goodbye."

And like that, she snapped her fingers, and the ghouls moved forward more quickly, closing in on them. Shamus lifted the gun, and after a moment of hesitation, just before Bradley and the Lamarr could fall on them, he fired, taking them out, then his other dead friends, the gun clicking when he tried to fire a third time. He swallowed, arm dropping. They were completely done for. Nothing short of a miracle was going to spare them the fate of becoming one of these things. Alex weakly struggled in Gabriel's grip, barely able to register that she desired to help them.

"Let go..." she strained, pushing against him in hopes he would drop her. "Leave them alone." But he didn't relent, only tightening his grip on her. He ran and leaped far through the air, the cold, wind, and rain biting at her skin, waking her up a little. Slowly gaining sense of the world again, she did the only thing she could, yelling out, "Alucard!"

"He will not come," Gabriel calmly stated. "By the time he comes around, it will already be too late."

Grinding her teeth, she yelled louder, "ALUCAAARD!"

Gabriel was about to reprimand her again, but something disturbed his senses. Deep below deck, white flames and black shadows danced together, each side trying to overpower the other. Suddenly the blaze began to die down, forcibly swallowed up by the darkness as thousands of eyes opened in the blackness, each iris a fiery red, the veins in the sclera extending towards the irises.

"Releasing Control Art Restrictions Systems to level one." The shadows rose, crawling along the walls and pipes, stretching across the floors. "Approval of situation A recognized. Commencing the Cromwell Invocation."

The shadows then sped off down the halls, a large crowd of ghouls shambling through the corridors. The darkness didn't stop, turning into a tidal wave of black matter and hellfire. Emerging from the blackness, a black iron gun emerged, firing mercilessly upon the blockage, ghouls groaning as they became nothing but dust and pools of blood. The gunfire didn't cease until there were merely a handful left. In that moment, the darkness passed over them like a tsunami, then dispersed into thousands upon thousands of flying creatures, effectively tearing apart the remaining ghouls.

Gabriel listened closely, sensing the destruction that approached. He took notice of the winds calming, the rain slowing, and the air growing colder, fog thickening in the air. Even the seas had begun to grow silent. Alex remained still as she waited, ready to call again before the sound of squeaking reached her ears. What was that, she wondered. As though to answer her, the hatch to the lower levels burst open, a flock of countless bats entering the night sky, then spreading like a plague all over the deck of the ship. Dozens of ghouls were felled, and the number of bats only seemed to increase.

Van was about to be shot to oblivion by the ghouls in front of him before being surprised by the appearance of a wave of bats washed over the ghouls. He sighed then smiled. "About bloody time. Showing off, as always."

Shamus and the others were about to be eaten, all cringing in anticipation, only to end up being rescued by the same wave, blood splattering over them. They cringed for a different reason, but their disgust was short lived as they watched the ghouls be annihilated by this incredible force. Laura watched in mild surprise. Such power, she mused with small awe. The onslaught continued, blanketing nearly the entire ship before going into the air again, then speeding towards Gabriel. Hissing through his teeth, he grinned and more of his essence burst from him in a giant blaze of blinding white, shielding against the bats for the moment.

"ALUCARD!" Alex called once more.

Gabriel barely glanced at the girl, noting the returned hope in her features. It grated on him. "Tch..." He looked up, looking more displeased than he had been with Laura, increasing the size of the flames. "You won't hold for long, Alucard. As you've always boasted, there is no such thing as immortality. And against me," he said, eyes flashing a bright blue as they narrowed, "you are no more than a dog needing to be put down."

There was a resounding laughter echoing over the gushing flames and throughout the air, giving Gabriel some pause. "Ability restrictions lifted for limited use until the enemy has been rendered silent..."

As though retrieving a boost in power, the bats burst through the flames, surrounding the vampire and Alex, the flames dissipating just as Gabriel was ripped asunder, forcibly tearing the Dracul away from the girl. Alex felt herself being lifted into the air as she watched the enemy become nothing more than mangled remains. The bats swept around her, keeping her afloat before she felt them press more firmly around her waist, the bats merging together into an arm, followed by the rest of the body draped in a red trench coat. Holding her close, Alucard raised his left arm holding the Jackal, his crimson sights on the intended target. He fired once, twice, then thrice upon the corpse, explosions ringing out with each impact.

The No-Life King landed softly, releasing Alex as they both watched the smoke gradually clear, a single gust of wind gently blowing it away. Alex's eyes widened, Gabriel's remains still standing. How could that be?! From what she knew, Jackal was more powerful than the Casull, so how was it that Gabriel was standing? Alucard had already suspected as much, his face impassive, eyes unblinking. They watched as Gabriel's body was quickly engulfed in a white mist, solidifying into a newly regenerated body. Scarlet pools narrowed in study. Beyond himself, he had only ever come across one other with such amazing regenerative ability. Now faced with a similar opponent, Alucard was admittedly at a loss on dealing with this foe. The Jackal did little to affect Gabriel, despite its power.

"I understand now," he said. "You're like me." Alex looked up at him, anxious and puzzled.

Gabriel merely laughed as his face healed. "Like you? Heavens, no. Though both of us contain great power, there is still very much a difference between us." He stepped forward a couple of steps, pocketing his hands. "You constantly mock your enemies, claiming them not to be true vampires. Always stating that they don't even know what they are."

"And what's your point?" Alucard asked, his patience growing thin.

Gabriel, however, had the patience of a saint. He smiled mockingly. "The question is, Alucard...do you know what you are? How it is you came to be? You've spent centuries without bothering to questioning what it truly is to be a vampire. Instead you simply came to your own conclusions. What is a vampire? And as of late, I'm sure you've been asking yourself, are you really the first?"

At this, Alucard's mouth barely twitched. "It doesn't matter what I am. I am what others perceive me as and more. But enough of this prattle. You're beginning to bore me. I was expecting a fight, not an examination. But I will give you credit for this little farce of yours. You used that piece of shit back in Halifax as a distraction so I wouldn't discover ahead of time what you were up to." He grinned maliciously. "Very clever indeed. Stocking the ship with nothing but ghouls. But..." he said, raising the Jackal once more, "your efforts are wasted. Your ghouls are dead, and your servants are nothing more than scrap meat against me. Even your attempts to keep me incapacitated did little." The smile widened, baring his pearly whites. "So long as she breathes, I cannot and will not be defeated!"

Unimpressed, Gabriel merely replied, "So it would seem, but I'm not so sure of that, Alucard. You can and will be defeated by another monster. After all, you've killed so many yourself. I'd say your logic is a bit flawed." Smiling he stepped back. "For now, I bid you farewell." He took a meaningful glance at Alex once more before his figure was obscured by a fog, and as the mist cleared away, he was gone. Alex stared at the place he once stood for a moment longer, then looked over to the bridge area, seeing that Laura had also disappeared.

"I no longer sense them," Alucard stated, answering her silent question, looking her over. She looked, understandably, ragged.

"It's...over then?" she asked, her voice shaking, holding her broken wrist.

"For now."

He stepped forward, putting away his gun before gently taking her arm to observe the damage. Though he was no doctor, he could tell that her wrist had been slightly crushed. With today's technology, bone damage could be repaired with surgery. But such operations could do nothing for the trauma one experienced. Alucard lifted her chin, sensing the lingering fear, the adrenaline leaving her, causing her whole body to shake. Inhaling deeply, she shuddered out a breath and stepped forward into Alucard's arms, hiding her face in his clothes. It finally began to sink in that she was safe, but now people were dead because of her, and her resolve broke into sobs, her back and shoulders shaking. Alucard held her for what seemed like an eternity until she eventually calmed down. He crouched to let her sit down and take a breather.

She finally looked up at him, wiping her face. "Van's hurt," she managed. "Someone blew him up and it looked like he couldn't heal like before."

"I will see to the boy," Alucard assured her, standing up, hesitant to leave her, knowing full well the enemy could return. He was approached by a couple of the shipmates, one of them the Shamus fellow.

"I saw Van! He looks really hurt. And it doesn't look like he's moving anymore."

Alex looked up, alarmed. "Not moving?!"

Alucard sighed then regarded the workers. Seeing Alucard without his shades unnerved them, making him smirk. "Take Alexandra inside."

"U-uh...right," Shamus managed, unable to look away from Alucard, even as the vampire walked away. He swallowed and came over to Alex. "Your not-boyfriend is really scary."

Alex, despite herself, smiled. "He can be a lot scarier." That only served to worry him more.

Meanwhile, Van just sat in his dent in the container, head hanging forward. Shadows slithered from his wounds very slowly, taking his time now in an attempt to regrow his limbs until he was complete again. Fully healed, he looked up with a defeated expression as he heard Alucard approach. He was almost afraid to look the man in the eye, knowing full well how he felt about Alexandra. Van was ashamed of his failure as her protector. It was the same as when he failed to protect his beloved Katherine.

"Are you going to continue feeling sorry for yourself, or are you going to stop dawdling and heal your wounds?" Alucard walked forward as Van said nothing. "I don't expect you of all people to defeat someone like Gabriel, not at your level."

After a moment of consideration, the hunter finally regarded the older vampire. "Is Alex safe?"

"Alexandra is always my top concern." Another way of saying yes, Van supposed. "Her wrist is broken, and her spirit shaken, but she'll persevere like she always has."

The Dracul sighed with relief. "So, they're gone then. This trip has been a nightmare after another."

"And people wonder why I don't care for the holidays," Alucard jested lightly, grinning, making the younger vampire scoff, half-smiling.

Before more could be said, the ship shook, alarming both vampires, hearing an explosion. Alucard ran off towards where he had left Alex, leaping onto the containers, still seeing her and the ship workers, looking just as alarmed by the sudden disturbance. What the hell was she doing still out here? He moved forward quickly, only to be blown up by another explosion. He heard Alex's scream, and he realized that some containers were rigged with explosives. He healed quickly with a growl and another blast took place, a different scream from Alex taking place, his mind going frozen for a split second. He rushed soon after towards where she had been, one of the survivors now dead, Shamus and the others unconscious, having flown a few feet. Some were badly injured, and Alex was lying near the edge of the shipment, her clothes charred and legs singed. He gathered that the dead shipmate had gotten the brunt of the blast, and Alucard moved towards her quickly.

Slowly, Alex rose, sore for a different reason. "What...happened?" she asked, her head fuzzy.

Time did not permit an answer, for another blast rang out, causing the ship to shake violently, making the girl's body jump and fly over the edge with a scream. Alucard's roar carried on the wind and smoke merely feet from her, the girl barely slipping away from his grasp. She fell dozens of feet, wind rushing past her ears, only to have them filled with a numbing cold, her lungs turning to ice, the shock of hitting the water knocking the breath out of her, even as her body lost all feeling. Within seconds, nothing made sense to her anymore. Her thoughts became a jumbled mess, sound, feeling, taste, becoming incoherent. She felt nothing. She couldn't even move, even as her body greeted air again, oxygen escaped her grasp.

Alucard stood, soaked, holding a drenched and frozen young woman in his arms as he rushed to an area least likely to explode, deciding on where the bridge had once stood, laying her on the ground. The moment Alex had touched the water, Alucard had little time to think, and at the time, little choice. As a vampire, he could not cross running water, but as a vampire with omnipresence, he took the chance to save her. Being fully submerged in the cold depths for even a second had proved to be challenging, as it quickly drained his strength, escaping it with Alex in tow. He didn't even know if the teleportation had any negative effects on her, as she already had a severe case of hypothermia.

"VAN!" he bellowed.

The hunter had been busy moving the remaining humans from possible blast areas when he heard Alucard's call. Putting down the unconscious Shamus, he ran off, leaping onto the platform to find the Count bent over Alex. Eyes widening, Van rushed over, falling to his knees next to the girl. Seeing her wet, he feared the worst and began to work quickly.

"Remove her clothes! She needs dry ones, now!"

Alucard growled, making short work as all her clothes were torn apart with a simple flash of his eyes, leaving her in just her knickers. Outstretching a hand, his dark essence spread over her, covering her body, wrapping the girl in a blanket. Van listened for her heart, but heard nothing. Tilting her head back, he leaned over her, keeping his strength in check as he began to perform CPR, pumping firmly over her heart. Despite not needing to breathe, Van inhaled and exhaled a large breath into Alex's mouth. More pumping and a few breaths later, Van began to worry that he wouldn't be able to restart her heart. Growling, Alucard pushed the boy away and focused all his attention on his control, phasing his hand through her chest, grasping her heart, gently pumping the organ, willing it to start again, his eyes never leaving her face. His essence began to spread throughout her body, his own personal hellfire warming her from the inside out.

Van watched with anticipation, unable to believe his eyes. Alucard's omnipresent powers were amazing if it allowed him to phase through an individual in such a way. After long arduous moments of Alucard's continued efforts, the vampire felt the blood begin to flow again and there was a heartbeat. He released the organ, carefully removing his arm, watching her intently as she took in a breath, her eyes opening slowly. Relief washed over Alucard, his features visibly softening.

Alex's blurred vision gradually cleared, able to see Alucard above her, making her croak out weakly, "Hi..."

He smiled. "Hello."

Van sighed, relieved, turning his attention to the ongoing destruction. What the hell was Gabriel thinking, blowing up the ship with Alex still on it. Van wasn't sure if Gabriel wanted Alex alive or not. It completely threw off any clear intentions. Did Gabriel even need Alex alive? Deciding to question that later, he went to grab his cellular, only to realize the device had been destroyed sometime in the battle. He turned to Alucard then.

"Alucard, if we stay on this ship any longer, we're going to end up sinking with the ship."

Alucard said nothing for a long time, his eyes never leaving Alex, who was currently in a daze. Sighing, he replied, "Bring the humans."

Tuesday Night, January 6, 2032, Hellsing Estate...

It was incredibly silent this night. Integra stood before her vast windows in her office, a cigar between her teeth that had yet to be clipped. It was too quiet. It had been days since she had heard from those three. She had wondered constantly if something had happened to them. They had already been attacked twice, making Integra think twice about any future visits for Alexandra.

An erratic rapping knocked on her door, and she remained still, allowing entrance with a firm, "Enter."

One of the servants of her estate burst through the door in a panic. "S-sir Integra! Alucard has returned!"

Surprised, Integra spun on the spot. "What? Where is he?!"

"He's downstairs, sir, with Mr. Drake, and Miss Rows, among a few others!"

Alarmed by this information, Integra quickly marched out of her office, following the man towards the main foyer. As she reached the stairs, she spotted a handful of strangers, Van barking orders at the posted guards to send for doctors, and Alucard, cradling Alex in his arms, sitting on his coffin. In all her life, Integra had never seen the vampire look so weary. He even appeared more pale than what was considered normal for the Count. Steeling her features, she marched down the steps towards her servant, then saw how pale the girl looked.

Softly, she asked him, "Is she...?" Part of her feared uttering the word, 'dead.' When he half-smiled, she let out a sigh, understanding. Turning from him, she herself began to bark out orders of her own.

A/N: And the cargo ship arc is finally over. Don't know when I'll post the next chapter, but hopefully within the next couple of weeks. I have the next couple of chapters planned. Next one is going to be a mixture of sadness and hopefully some fluffiness, but all seriousness. And the one after that, I may or may not introduce a new character. Haven't decided whether I'll use 'em or not. There will be new characters, just don't know when. You've gotten a glimpse of them in this chapter, but that's all. Anyway, I'm tired, and waiting anxiously for Hellsing Ultimate Abridged episode 6, which is supposed to come out sometime this month. Hopefully very soon...like...today. XD Anyway, hope you enjoyed, so please leave a review. I love reading reviews (well...the positive ones anyway). Also, the chapter title is google-translated German for 'Flight of the Bats'. If it's wrong, please tell me with the correction.