Chapter 6: Insomnia
"Are you sure she's the one we need?" A deep male voice asked.
"Positive," another figure responded, "I saw her myself and I can confirm that she will do perfectly."
The first voice remained silent in the darkness, pondering about his scheming.
"You're absolutely certain?"
A sigh.
"Yes, I am certain. Do you still doubt my abilities?" it demanded with a very small pinch of despair.
"Of course. Last time you almost got me killed."
The second figure laughed for good measures though it sounded empty, "Forgive me. I shall not miss you next time."
A resounding crack and a muffled grunt.
"Quiet. Remember your place, slave, or you'll spend the night with nothing else except me and the bed."
The girl shuffled to her feet after being hit and resumed her kneeling, showing the dark being nothing but respect and deference. She had to ignore the lightly pulsating scratches on her skin.
"I will, Master."
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Seras lightly drummed her fingers on the table with a rhythmic beat. Her head was bobbing up and down at some music only she could imagine. The kitchen was empty except for herself and the quiet humming of the refrigerator.
She wasn't supposed to be up at this time and very much less be in the kitchen. It was against the rule. She should be waiting in her room for Walter to bring her ration but… for some reason she hadn't been able to sleep this morning. Hopefully, Master will let it go or not notice her lack of… creative dreams.
The vampire woman heard him even before he opened the door and looked his way, stopping her fingers.
"Miss Victoria!" Walter exclaimed, "What are you doing here?"
"I couldn't sleep," she answered simply.
"But it's," he rapidly consulted his pocket watch, "half passed nine. Surely you are getting sleepy?"
"As much as I'd like to be asleep, I just toss and turn in my coffin. And with all that activity, I got hungry and it didn't help my predicament. I figured I should wait for you here in order to warn you of my additional ration."
"I see… To be honest, I'm happy to see you aren't holding back on your rations anymore."
"Don't push it Walter…" Seras shook her head, "Just because I'm taking a supplement doesn't mean I'll make a habit of it."
He smiled knowingly anyway, "Anyway, come with me. I'll show you where we stash your food."
Seras pointed to her left, "Um, isn't it in the fridge?"
"No, this is the new refrigerator for the soldiers' use only. I changed the other's location after some ignorant recruit felt the need for a snack and found the wrong one. I don't want to clean the remains of a partly digested meal ever again. I could even tell what was the last thing he ate… spaghetti," he remarked sourly.
She laughed out loud, "You mean he puked his guts on the floor?!"
He nodded, "I swear, those people are so soft-hearted. At least, I was prepared when I was that young, not some wimpy kid."
She slapped her thigh lightly in her mirth, "Oh, how I wish I could've seen it! When did that happen?"
"Two days ago, or more precisely, the day you brought me Halconnen all beat up," he said calmly and seriously.
The laughter died away and red crept up her cheeks.
"Oh, that…um… Hehe, you see…err…" Her redness spread to her neck.
"Don't worry, I was only teasing you. It's not like you always bring it in bad condition…"
She silently agreed.
Walter's hand brushed against a precise spot on the wall and revealed an opening. A draft came out and she could smell the damp and musky air mixed with some kind of floral perfume she couldn't identify due to her lack of knowledge about flowers. Her eyes sharpened to see stone stairs leading deeper into the ground. She could only stare at the hole in the wall that wasn't there just a moment ago.
"A…a secret door?" Seras said puzzled.
Walter nodded, "It is, after all, an old mansion. Hidden pathways were fairly common when it was constructed so it isn't surprising to find some here."
"Is this the reason why you always pop out of nowhere when we least expect it?"
"Erm, a little I guess…" the embarrassed man responded, "And it's also the reason why the ceiling in the basement leaks so much on rainy days. I remember when Alucard used to complain about that and dragged me through the walls so I could fix it immediately."
He smiled at his fond memories and started descending. Seras followed him and at the precise time when she stepped in the cool corridor, the young vampire's injured eye began to itch as though it protested about the change of air. Her fingers curled stiffly as she restrained the natural reflex of rubbing the discomfort away and her own low growl rumbled in her ears. She tried to think about something else, but the harder she tried to forget, the harder her mind reminded her of how great it would feel to just touch the bandage and…
"Miss Victoria, I hope you're not planning on scratching your eye."
"But Walter…" she whined frustratingly, "It's practically driving me insane! It's worse than chickenpox!"
"Daddy, make it stop!"
"Alright sweetie, let me give you a trick. Close your eyes and imagine yourself scratching those red dots... Imagine that the itch ebbs away... Imagine that you feel good... Imagine you never had chickenpox… Now, open your eyes. How do you feel?"
"I feel…nice. The itching is gone? Wow, it worked! You're the greatest daddy in the entire world!"
Her hand touched her uncomfortably creased forehead as a shadow of her smiling father flashed very quickly before her eyes, wondering where that sudden memory had come from.
"Dad…?"
"What did you say, Miss Victoria?"
Seras redirected her gaze on Walter who was looking back with confusion and she realized she had stopped in the middle of the stairs during her small reminiscing. Her father had called in sick at work because little seven-year-old Seras had caught chickenpox and he wanted to take care of his baby girl. He had spent the whole day with her bedridden and read his daughter one story after another with his slow and soothing voice that made her forget her illness. She fondly remembered when he thought she had finally fallen asleep, he had tucked her hair behind her ears until no strands covered her angelic face, a familiar gesture he had used for the only two women he had ever loved; her and her mother.
Her own fingertips slowly reached for blond locks and stroked them tenderly. Moisture gathered on the brink of the lower part of eyelid. She knew she missed her father but she thought she had gotten over it. Obviously, she hadn't.
Then she caught Walter again in her peripheral vision. He seemed uncomfortable and didn't know where to put himself.
She sniffled once and smiled a watery but genuine smile, her previous uneasiness all but gone, "I'm sorry. My memories caught me unprepared and I couldn't help it."
"I understand," he patted her lightly, "And once you've eaten, it's straight back to bed, young lady! It's because of your lack of rest that you are getting emotive. Are we clear on that?"
"Yeah, we are."
A couple more steps brought them into an open area that looked like a cavern and the smell of humid air coming from the outside was clearly stronger. The wide yet constricted room was built out of raw rocks with large wooden beams stuck in the ceiling, along with other small ones, to prevent it from collapsing. The construction was simple and seemed very sturdy as though no earthquake could ever move the foundation of this professional work. On the walls were hanged lamps, old-fashioned ones, which were strangely already lit and the crass on the window panels dimmed them a decent level of comfort.
In front of her stood a huge metallic black box, probably the fridge, that had two handles, one for the packages and the other for ice she rationalized, and a cheap table deprived of any chairs on which rested a familiar bucket. To the port side was a narrowed down pathway where darkness won over the faint lighting of the lamps but with her enhanced vision, she could see the beginning of a rocky turn and when she stepped in front of the human-sized hole Seras felt a fairly windy draft. Curious about where it might lead, she made a move towards the tunnel and before she could even make a step, she was interrupted by Walter's voice once again.
"Here we are… Which type would you prefer, Miss Victoria?" he asked without taking his eyes off the burgundy goods.
A little caught off guard, Seras stuttered, "Uh, whichever is fine."
"Then AB it is. Here, catch."
Her head tipped lightly to the right and she deftly caught her food in one swift motion without the need to fully turn around thanks to her vampiric senses. Quickly, albeit carefully, she ripped the plastic tube open and suckled on it thoughtfully still looking at the drafty pathway.
"Say, Walter," she mumbled between clenched teeth reluctant to let go of the tasty drink, "where does this tunnel lead to? Another secret corridor perhaps?"
He shrugged, "It leads outside. If I remember correctly, that tunnel is about one or two miles long and then you emerge from the ground, away from the manor. I believe it was used as an emergency exit whenever there was an attack or something close to that."
"Have you ever used it yourselves to escape from danger?" she questioned again.
"Not that I know of," he scratched his chin and looked upwards, "Maybe Integra played here when she wasn't aware of her heritage yet. Alucard must also know of this place too, though I don't see what use it may procure to him beside a peaceful place to read."
The young woman muttered an 'oh' and stopped asking questions. After two additional gulps of fresh vitae, Seras released the straw and the second she did, her eyes flashed a vibrant red that gave her an almost healthy complexion, human wise, until they lost the beautiful color to return to the usual tarnished copper. Her belly was now satisfied, not too empty and not too full, and Seras felt she would finally be able to fall asleep, or at least hoped so.
As she bid goodnight to Walter and left to her quarters, she noticed the familiar pang of thirst. Her hunger was gone, but the thirst for more blood persisted after each meal she's had. She ignored the feeling quite easily at first since she didn't exactly know what it was and after experiencing it now and then, she understood. But that understanding worsened the thirst. Since she knew what her taste buds so desperately craved for, the maddening thought of doing something she would regret later just to get what she wanted seemed more and more appealing by the minute.
Seras chewed on her thumbnail and accelerated the pace to reach solace in her room, praying she wouldn't encounter any humans on her way for fear of biting that inviting and pulsing vein underneath all that porcelain white skin on a slender neck adorned by long, golden curtains of…
She paled.
Breaking into a run in the twists and turns of the corridors, Seras tried to block out the sick ideas forming in her head and that nagging voice by savagely pulling at her hair. The perturbed bloodthirsty vampire pumped her legs along stairs and blurry carpets without looking, only thinking about drowning out the disturbing and completely absurd voice murmuring words in complete confidence by telling them to shut up over and over again like a litany.
She jumped down the last five steps leading to the basement, skipped the first doors on the right wall until she recognized one that had cracks and lines she knew by heart. Seras fuddled with the handle with shaking hands before finally opening the door and sank to her knees in a messy heap. By then, some tears were trickling down her cheeks and her hair was disheveled, some locks clinging to the salty wetness.
"Stop!" she screamed angrily while shaking her head wildly from side to side, crisped hands on her ears.
DRINK HER BLOOD!
"NO! I SAID STOP!"
Something brushed her mind lightly and immediately after she could feel the presence of Alucard. When he pronounced her name, the raging confusion in her mind retreated a little too conveniently at sound of her Master's powerful voice and nothing was left except a slight buzzing that reminded her of the aftermath of a heavy metal show.
He approached her without a word and crouched to pick her up, but Seras grabbed a handful of his bloody coat, burying her nose in his perfumed clothes at the same time, and held onto her Master like a lifeline, refusing to let go and preventing him from successfully straightening up. Alucard was in a strange position that seemed awkward and uncomfortable, though he didn't seem to mind holding her shaking form like this. He waited a moment longer for the shock to recede and spoke:
"Someone was able to seep through your mind barrier."
"…"
His piercing eyes peered at the top of her head, "I couldn't get a good feel of him because your emotions were too strong and it distracted me, so he escaped."
When she released her hold on him, he adjusted his posture more comfortably, but didn't get up just yet. The feel of him pressed against her considerably melted the layer of fear, reassuring her the danger had passed and would never come back.
"I-I thought I was going crazy… I thought those were… my thoughts…" her voice cracked at the end and she could feel another wave of tears coming.
"The only reason why he penetrated your barriers so easily is because you are weakened and tired from all the pressure you put on yourself. Stop trying to convince yourself and lean on those humans you seem so fond of if it helps you."
"But," her voice sounded desperate even to her own ears, "I'm sick of being weak and leaning on others. Besides, it'll kill them to support me. It always does."
Alucard remained silent at her uncharacteristic comment.
"They always die when they're with me… I prefer to die than to let it happen. Again."
At this Alucard grinned lightly, "Maybe you do… but you must realize that I'll never allow that. No human life may compare to the unlife of a future No Life Queen."
"Just because you are my Master it doesn't mean I'll achieve such a grandiose goal," Seras muttered, "You seem to forget I am still attached to my human side and I can feel it very strongly."
"So I gathered," he smirked, proud to have thwarted her attention somewhere else.
"Anyway, why are you up?"
"Me? Oh, Integra has summoned me and said something about a mission."
Wondering why the information hadn't been forwarded to her too she asked, "Really? Will I also be dispatched?"
Alucard lazily lifted an eyebrow, "Even if you had, I would've objected."
Seras huffed lightly, "So what am I supposed to do now?"
"Rest."
She snorted, "That'll only worsen my case. I need to do something productive or I'll really go insane."
"Insanity never hurt anyone. Just look at me," he grinned his infamous grin.
"Ugh, fine! I'll stay."
After this, each got lost in their thoughts. Seras thinking about how unfair it was that her Master could blow off some steam on a couple of unlucky freaks and Alucard thinking about… well, just being Alucard. They remained like this for a little while longer until Seras decided she had abused enough of Alucard's time and stood up. She already missed the arms that had held her in a securing embrace, but she kept her thoughts in check.
"Um, thank you, Master. I… I think I'll go find some work to do since I'm awake anyway. Sleep is out of the question and— "
Suddenly, one of his arms lashed out and tightly gripped her shoulder, startling her. The other lifted her chin with a delicate finger and his head dipped towards hers. Seras' heart pumped wildly in excitement also making her breath hasten. When his eyes lowered to hers, she licked her lips in anticipation. Alucard's own exhalations drying them with warm air. When his nose bumped into hers, he began nuzzling her softly. His wonderful caresses rendered Seras helpless and she couldn't resist from making an appreciative noise. Her eyes fell on his mouth, parting hers; she fully expected a real kiss she could enjoy this time.
Decidedly, it wasn't meant to be.
As the No Life King's silken lips brushed hers, he gave her a wide-eyed look and Seras felt an invisible force go through her. Paralyzed by a strong kinetic hold, she could only obey to his commanding word:
"Sleep."
And the world became black.
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It was still day when she woke up, meaning she had only slept an hour or two.
The world seemed a little hazy when Seras first came to, which disappeared shortly after she shook her head, and she had no idea how she had lost consciousness, except maybe something involving two glowing red eyes and a soft pair of lips meeting hers…
She blushed.
Master kissed her again! Giddy with joy, she couldn't help smiling like a fool. Despite her first thoughts of him and Integra being an item, Alucard seemed to prefer her over Integra. But… how come? They have always been so close, surely they must have shared a relationship. Alucard, a powerful vampire who wants nothing more than to have fun, and Integra, the one woman who can almost restrain him (God knows he just can't be restrained) with a word. The greatest strength combined with the greatest mind, imagine the child that could be produced from such a union!
Would it be unfair of her to deprive them, or their country, of what could be the eternal protector of England?
Wait, wait! You're going too far, Seras! He kissed you, not Integra. So that means whatever happened between the two, it's over and he's yours now.
At this realization, Seras was having the most euphoric moment of her life. God could have given her the entire world, people could have made her millions of offerings, or the world could have ended with a snap and she would still be standing on her legs, contemplating the possibility of a happy, never-ending dream with Alucard becoming reality. If this is what it felt like to find out the slightest hope for love, imagine what it would do to finally have what she's been dying for?
Then, when she came back down from cloud nine, a thought struck her and her emotions were replaced by a slight frustration. How annoying that she did not get the chance to enjoy his kiss.
It happened twice already and she had yet to savor it properly. Each time was only a mere peck on her mouth, as though he liked to cruelly tease her, and she never had the chance to show him the depths of her love for him.
Seras trudged into the corridor, bent on finding Alucard to give him a little bit of his own medicine.