"We wait no longer than quarter past. I don't care who you are, regardless of the little field work currently available."
"Sir Hellsing, I assure you-"
Integra slaps the glass table top, rattling a vase of tropical flowers.
"Mr. Schrute. It is an offense that your employer is not willing to meet us tonight. We risk Hellsing's very existence venturing into public, I assume your leader would extend us the common courtesy of keeping appointments." She turns, muttering to her companions. Seras' puffy hair nearly invisible against the electric yellow curtains and pillows; Alucard's coat bleeding into the red walls of The Royale Suite.
Schrute makes a thin apologetic gesture. "Mr. Dantes is arriving shortly. He travels some distance when working. We are accustomed to such. Please do not take offense, he does not mean it personally."
Suppressing the acid churning in her stomach, a solitary cigar dangles from her lips, she inhales its small comfort. She turns her attention back to Michard who is skirted by two of his own bodyguards. They are matched, like two generically modern bookends compared to Integra's eclectic relics.
Michard's supplicating smile is all gums. Alucard sneers in return, revealing rows of precious pearly shark teeth. Seras shifts from foot to foot.
The phone rings.
"Ah! He's on his way up right now," Michard says cheerfully. He jumps from the table, limping to escort his employer into the suite. Integra crosses her arms.
This had better be worth it, she telegraphs to Alucard.
Just give me the word Master, I'll make the show worth your while.
Enough- she doesn't finish the thought.
"Greetings Sir Hellsing," booms an open baritone. He glides across the room, discarding a top hat, opera cape, and a walking stick. He wears a pair of white gloves. Shaking droplets of rain from his long dark hair, he looks each member of the Hellsing party in the eye, smiles, and peels off his wet outer garments, placing them in the outstretched hands of one of Schrute's bookends.
In the frame before her, Eric Dantes and Michard Schrute are polar opposites. Eric's face is unguarded, skin as brown as Integra's own, frank blue eyes, disarming smile. His goatee is neatly trimmed, his hair long, wavy, and dark. He is tall and muscular.
Seras stares.
He approaches the knight, bows his head taking one gloved hand into his, and brings it to his lips in a chaste kiss. "Enchanted Sir Hellsing. My name is Eric Dantes. I've been looking forward to meeting you." He draws up, gently releasing Integra's hand. "You are a picture of loveliness."
Integra's lip twitches.
"You're late Mr. Dantes. My organization is too valuable to be treated as such. My employees-" she gestures to her right and left, "are not to be taken so lightly."
His open laugh breaks open the room's silence. "No, of course not Sir Hellsing. I apologize if I have offended you. That was not my intention. I simply have much to do, and would very much like for your organization to be a part of it, if you'll permit me the time."
Integra considers his words then nods. She gestures to the petite package on her left. "This is Seras Victoria, a recent addition to our staff."
Seras steps forward, face pink. She stammers, "Hello sir."
Eric smiles widely, enveloping her hand in his, to lay a kiss upon it. "It's a pleasure to meet you Miss Victoria." She glances down at the floor, hiding her eyes from his in stray fringe upon her round forehead.
"This is Alucard."
"Alucard. I've heard much about you."
Integra's servant mimics his master with a curt nod.
Eric smiles, attention focused back on Integra. "Allow me to tell you why I require Hellsing's personal touch."
She agrees.
He sits next to her at the table, the glass reflecting their faces in a snapshot. "In the simplest terms, many years I ago I acquired something of great value. This object is priceless to me. Unfortunately that item has lately attracted the wrong kind of attention. This focus has proven to be quite a challenge to endure." He talks with his hands, painting an invisible portrait through his long-fingered digits.
He shifts in his seat to better face Integra. "While I am not at liberty to promulgate specifics prior to contract, I would be willing to share intimate details with you as director of this organization. Say, lunch at my estate, Sunday?"
Integra balks, but quickly recovers as she considers her companions and the length of time they've been out of the field. "That should be acceptable-"
"Wonderful! Sunday it is!" He stands and bows to the knight. His retinue attends to Mr. Dantes as they move toward the door in a flurry of footsteps. "Until then, Ms. Hellsing." Eric sweeps out the door, cape billowing behind.
"What on earth?" Seras high voice rings out as she eyes the closing door.
"What couth," Integra shakes her head, glancing toward the tall vampire at her shoulder.
"What a waste of an evening," Alucard drawls.
"Do we really have a choice?" Integra stands and faces her protector.
"He admires you. Can you be certain of his intent for our happy little family?" His lips curve into a smirk, his eyes unblinking. He towers over the tall woman, leaning in to close the gap between them, using the voice once reserved for when she was a child "You humans, always misunderstand what lies right before you, what stares you in the face."
She narrows her eyes. "Alucard, enough. What exactly are our options at this juncture? We could use a new venture, let us seize this opportunity." She rounds her way through the suite toward the door. Despite Dantes' stubborn tongue and her reservations, she is secretly pleased at the man's discretion, and his instance on using Hellsing; its excellence emblazoned in reputation. Integra exhales through a smile at the thought of her saber felling undead Freaks as lustfully as her pen had lately incapacitated paperwork. "Perhaps this evening's cocktail of events will be our cure-all for this malaise," she muses.
Alucard bows, holding the door for Integra as she exits the room. The trio enters the antechamber. While waiting for the elevator, Integra can't suppress the smile that plays on her lips. She recalls the first ghoul killed on her sword, at the tender age of 15. Its slick rot-filled organs popped as she sliced through the abdominal cavity. She remembers the resounding thunck-the melon squash of its head upon the hilt of her saber. Her smile becomes a grin. In her world, there is nothing as exhilarating as squashing a platoon of ghouls.
What about in my world? Her servant's voice seeps into her reverie.
Integra sighs. Be it your kill or mine, it serves the reputation established by my house. Don't think I'm not pleased for your work, servant.
His chuckle is sinister. She opens her eyes and meets those of her servant. He captures her jaw, pinching it between his fingers.
"Unhand me this instant," she hisses.
Seras jumps at the sudden explosion in the small elevator. "Uhh, Master," her voice pleads to Alucard.
He ignores the young vampire, and leans into Integra's face. "Oh, I know you are pleased by my work."
A white beam of overhead light spills a halo of silver on Integra's crown, its shaft dipping down to play on the angular planes of her cheeks, the tip of her nose. She is a white fury, blood surging under her thin skin, a river of dazzling sustenance, exquisite taste.
"Damnit Alucard!" she grabs his arm in an attempt to shove the dead weight off.
"Master!" Seras, encouraged by Integra's volume, tries to fill the whole of the elevator with her small voice.
"You fail to recognize your master Alucard! How dare you question my authority? I am tired of these ridiculous games. You are exhausting, meddlesome, and amazingly immature for your lengthy existence on this planet. Sending you away to work with Mr. Dantes will be a relief from your crushing presence!"
He withdraws his body.
She sighs.
"I'm sorry Alucard. That was uncalled for. You are indispensable, without you Hellsing's legacy would be lost in ages past." She reaches out her slim fingered hand to lay it on one of his own.
He looks down at her soft palm resting on his hand. He pulls his hand from hers, gesturing, as if waving away a thought, irritation stamped on his features. Integra's eyes are drawn to the insignia on his glove. He inclines his head toward her, mouth a narrow line.
"Did you ever consider how strong these bonds really are?" He holds the gloves up to her face for inspection. He laughs as she meets his eyes with curiosity. "I could break these ridiculous seals anytime I desire. It's cheap." He gestures widely to the room around him. "This is a choice, Miss Hellsing." He spits out her name, the elevator chimes its destination, and he is gone.