Playing With The Big Dogs
Ketti:And now a word from our sponsors. Chiiiirp. Chiiiiirp. Wait, what happened to my peanuts? Did you rat bastard crickets eat them?! Nooo..! My peanut gallery! *sobs* (update 3/5, aren't I amazing?)
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Seras Victoria walked beside - and just a few steps behind - her Master, whose own Master took the lead with Walter keeping pace – and the same half step behind – as the group approached the stately manor nestled into the English countryside. Seras schooled her face into neutral curiosity even as her blue eyes flicked about every which way, fascinated by the topiary – lions, and tigers, and bears, oh my (Master shot her a faintly amused look at her mental blather) – and the sprawling gardens full of night blooming flowers. Out of the corner of her eye she thought she caught a flicker of movement and flexed her fingers in response, subconsciously rolling up on the balls of her feet to walk with a more predatory grace, fangs tingling in her mouth. Her Master's pace didn't change in the least, though he must know they were being followed, he just strode forward with confidence and power flowing off him in waves. Seras felt a little silly in comparison, but kept her battle ready posture as she watched the shadow from the cover of her bangs – they were nearly to the front door now.
Walter was the one to knock politely upon the double doors, quick, sharp, raps of his knuckles before he stepped back deferentially to Sir Integra, whose pale hair shone beautifully in the light of the half moon. Lights flickered on inside the building in a spreading wave until the manor was aglow with the soft yellow ambience of fluorescent bulbs, and the door glided open on silent hinges. "Sir Integra Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing, Master of the Great Vampire Alucard?" Sir nodded. "You have been expected, please do come in, my Master will see you in his study."
They were expecting us? Seras pondered, unsurprised when her Master answered her musings; Of course, Police Girl, negotiations by ambush, while amusing, are far less effective.
Oh, well, that made sense.
As they passed through the hallway, Seras saw a door creep open to reveal a pale pixie like face, and she craned her head curiously to lock blue on blue with the girl inside; silver hair in tight ringlets formed a halo around her shoulders, with a long strand of blue hair caressing the right side of the girl's porcelain white face, only accentuating the violent splash of red color on her lips as she grinned viciously and slammed the door in Seras' face just as she caught sight of a tall man reclining in an arm chair over the shorter female's shoulder. Seras jerked a bit, blinking, but continued walking as she thought for a moment and realized with a shudder that the girl had been wearing a necklace of silver coated tongues. Ew.
Her Master huffed in amusement and clamped a hand on her shoulder, forcing her to walk ahead of him in double time to keep up with his longer strides, even at the back of the miniature group as they were. In what seemed like no time at all they reached the end of the corridor, and their guide knocked politely before opening the door and bowing away, leaving them to enter at their own will.
Sir Integra stepped in first, and Walter slid sideways to stand on the inside of the door as Seras and her Master followed the austere blonde into the middle of the grand room that very much reminded Seras of Integra's office at home.
There was a tall man standing at the window, gazing out at the grounds with a careless grace that implied he was powerful enough to care less about having potential enemies at his back. He had silver streaked chestnut hair, tied in a low ponytail, and a comfortable yet formal suit, when he turned Seras was a little startled to see his eyes were black. He gave them a charming smile that did nothing to detract from his fang filled maw, and motioned for them to sit, "Ah, Sir Integra, a pleasure to see you in the flesh."
Seras turned her head, then frowned when she realized there were only two chairs, and she fidgeted as her two masters took them, standing uncertainly at her Master's side. A gloved hand settled around her waist and she squeaked as he yanked her none too gently to the floor, nearly falling flat on her face, but catching herself at the last moment and grudgingly settling on her knees. She yelped as those same hands grabbed her shoulders and pulled her sideways to kneel at his feet, half rising in protest only to feel his legs lock to her front, holding her in place. "Master…"
"Hush, fledgling." He murmured, squeezing her flush to his chair and settling his booted feet on either side of her bent knees, trapping her quite neatly. Her cheeks flamed with embarrassment as she plucked at the pant legs, before she froze as a warning growl drifted into her head. 'Be still and shut up.'
The other occupants of the room acted as though nothing out of the ordinary were happening right under their noses as the apparent leader of the vampire house they were visiting took his seat and folded his hands neatly atop his desk. "Allow me to introduce myself, Sir Integra, my name is Salem Darkwaters," he laughed quietly, "an odd name, I admit, but more common back in my day." He grinned at them again, showing his teeth as he settled himself more comfortably into his chair, "And you, of course, are the rather infamous Hellsing Organization. Come to talk official treaties to keep the unofficial peace between our two factions."
He had a rather amiable air about him, and Seras found herself smiling back at him good naturedly, "It is an honor to see you again, Lord Alucard." Salem added with a demure nod of recognition towards the magically chained monster that was her Master and Integra's pet assassin.
As if in answer to this, her Master's hand settled atop her head and she barely kept from flinching at the unexpected contact.
"Mm, to get straight to the point, vampire, the contract dictates that your members and allies that break the rules – slaughter needlessly, draw unnecessary human attention, create an excess of ghouls, or even your own twisted moral codes, must be sent to Hellsing for termination. The Knights of the Round will accept nothing less." Integra's words were cold, detached, as if reciting a passage from a law took.
Her Master's hand moved, and she shivered as he began to pet her idly, and her lids slid half closed as she leaned back, nearly slumping against the support of the chair. The world around her began to drift away as she floated in a blissful state of half awareness, drugged by the lulling sensation of her Master's gloved digits gliding through her hair.
"…course stay the night." Salem's words jerked Seras from her daze and she blinked rapidly, trying to clear her head as her Master tugged on a strand of her hair and she stood, nearly stumbling, as her two masters got to their feet as well.
"As if we have any choice?" Integra asked, sounding amused, "yes, vampire, we shall stay the night so that you may borrow the presence of your Lord without being on the other end of his gun."
The low rumble of laughter filled Seras' senses to bursting, and she looked up at her Master curiously, but kept silent as he commanded her earlier.
"Excellent." Salem clapped his hands and the doors opened, "Esque here will show you to your rooms." The silver girl from before stood, grinning cheekily as she spread the ends of her too-large shirt in a mocking curtsey. The scent from the garment was clearly masculine and Seras decided it must belong to the man she saw in the room with the girl earlier. "This way, this way," Esque crooned in a sing song tone, "before the others get impatient and start peeping."
Walter, Sir Integra, Alucard, and lastly Seras followed the vampire lass through the twisting halls until they reached a set of rooms at the end of the hall, and the Draculina was embarrassed to find that the suite she was to share with her Master only had one bed. Well! She just wouldn't sleep then. God, just the thought of sharing the bed with the man gave her an odd feeling in the pit of her stomach. She found herself a little envious of Walter's small cot set up in the sitting room of Sir's across the hall.
"Master," Alucard crooned, "if you have need of me…"
Sir Integra waved him off, "I'll summon you, vampire. Now go play your game of kingship with your subjects before they break down the door and drag you off by the heels."
Seras giggled at the mental image, and was cuffed sharply on the back of the head. She yelped, rubbing her scalp moodily as she stared accusingly up at the red clad monster. He ignored her.
"Come, Police Girl, it's high past time to introduce you to proper vampires."
Oh goody.