Dragon's POV again, i'm quite satisfied of this chapter.
We heard the approaching army as if a stampede crossing into the air. It didn't take much to realize it wasn't only the Iscariots, and that the Templars were a mere branch of the incoming legion.
I was stunned, like I had seen that scene in my darkest nightmares and my eldest memories. Maxwell, in his glassy cage, was in the centre. Two thousands furious angels rode beside him, on their flying steeds, and their sight chased away my sanity.
The army of God.
My old, unforgotten enemies.
Their leader, Maxwell, sure, but in my mind the images of many men covered his own, started his speech. I could hardly understand the words, but the essence, the power behind them, was what hit me.
"So here they come. And we're stuck here." Integra's voice sounded like it was coming from a mile away. We were hiding behind the toppled car, no enemy was around us. But even that peace was just a calm before the storm the crusade would've rained upon us.
"Trickster. Wake up. You're not going to be useful if you don't move." Strangely, she sounded more caring than imposing.
"Sorry, Master... it's just some bad memory."
Since when do I call her master?
"Well, now you must be focused. We don't know how long will it take before they find us."
"And what should we do?"
"Just waiting."
I'm stuck here, I have to guard Integra, I can't where I should and my worse enemies are coming... and worst of all, I don't even KNOW where Rip is.
"I need a hug" I said to myself in a soft voice, sure that no on could hear.
"Me too. Come here."
"Integra?! Are you sure you're all right?"
"I miss Alucard." she said, plainly. She shown no emotion, but for a moment, she looked.... fragile.
We remained in each other's arms just for a few minutes at worse... but I felt a thousand different feeling in that short time. First of all, the unavoidable instinct that told me to bleed her. I could resist, but it confused me. Then there was some attraction towards her... and surely, the feeling I was betraying Rip. And furthermore, I felt Alucard's eye watching me, and and incredible sense of guilt.
It felt like a torture on one side, and a pleasure on the other. She was resting her head on my shoulder, her face still calm, even though a little less stubborn than usual. The contact with her body was something I craved for, a lust that had accompanied me through all the centuries of my existence. But now... now I felt a limit, like a rule, a self imposition to love no one but Rip.
And all it finished suddenly.
I felt the presence of another vampire flying to us. I tried to free freon the embrace, but I had no time.... it was a powerful one, a real foe, probably, and I had to be ready and fight....
The vampire landed.
"Police girl?" I and Integra yelled together.
She looked shocked more than surprised. I tried to hide my embarrassment, probably failing.
"Seras.... if you're here, I take the Manor has fallen already." said Integra.
"Yessir." Seras was sad, yet determined.
"Then we must organize our stand here. Dragon, as promised, you task is now to secure the blimps and their deserter."
"Finally! I'll come back soon! And police girl..."
"Yes?"
"You look good as a real vampire."
I didn't wait for an answer. I transformed, completely this time. The feeling of the scales growing on my skin as my throat filled again with fire was sublime. And one again I flew into the battle.
Unfortunately, the disposition of the Zeppelins had changed a lot since the last time. Actually, there was only one left, the admiral ship. Vatican helicopters were besieging it. Then, all of a sudden, they fell, like they had been torn apart.
Then I spotted the Major. And the Doctor. And Schroedinger. And...
"Walter?!"
I leapt forward to the top of the blimp, but they had seen me soon enough. The Major simply walked away, slowly, without caring. Doc followed him like a dog, while Schro and Walter stood their ground.
Well. Saying Schro "stood his ground" is not very precise. Let's say he prepared his seat in the front row.
I landed on the balloon returning immediately to my human form.
I and the butler stared at each other for a few, endless seconds.
"So you were with them all along, weren't you?" I asked. He stood, emotionless.
"I should've guessed it." I continued. "You called me Dragon. And in Hellsing everyone knew me as Trickster. You could've learnt that only from Millennium."
He shook his head, his impassiveness was disturbing.
"So are you going to fight me, butler? I wonder what will you do, throw teapots at me, perhaps, or.."
I couldn't finish the phrase. Something flew around my neck, holding it. Only when Walter pulled it to himself I realized it was a shiny nylon wire.
"You're trying to strangle me? Come on, be serious!"
I realized he was serious when the wire started to pierce my skin and spill my blood. And I also realized what had it been to sunder the choppers.
"I will admit, I wasn't expecting that."
I jumped on him, only to be pushed back by another wire. It cut the skin on my chest and I landed on my back, still held by the thread around my neck. And it was getting tighter and tighter.
I tried another attack, parrying the incoming wire with the right claw while I performed the strike with the right. When I was sure I had taken him, I felt my wrist being scorched.
The tips of my nails were almost touching his face, I could almost scratch his preternaturally young skin.... but still, I couldn't move.
He pulled the edges of the wires, toppling me. Blood started to run copiously from my wounds, and my sight dyed red. Before me, Schroedinger was rolling of the floor, laughing.
I ran to the butler, dodging the flying wires. His style was preventable enough to avoid most of the strikes. When I was right at him, he pulled away my right arm, but my left was still free. I tried to hit once, twice, then kneed his balls.
No visible effect.
Then he grinned. He turned around, and before I could make up what was happening my feet were without a support.
I fell, hitting the side of the Zeppelin, sustained only by the cable that was digging deeper into my neck.
I pierced the balloon with my hand's nails, regretting I couldn't take off my boots right then. It seemed I was going to reach my personal record of transformations: I summoned the wings and jumped high above the blimp's top. As expected, Walter pulled the wires.
And it was just what I wanted.
I flew backwards, suddenly turning down and nosediving. The tension was sufficient to pull him.
He lost his balance. If I had had a chance, that was it.
I gabbed the balloon with one hand, pulling the wires with the other. When I felt his resistance, I pulled harder, without minding the pain in my palm, until he was on the edge.
Then I let myself fall.
He understood too late what was happening. When he reacted, we were both falling into the void.
He grabbed the blimp's side with a wire, still holding me with the other edge. But he was unfocused.
I flew to him, attacking him directly. For a few seconds, we were fighting in the air, in a a vortex of blows and dodges, without any order or plan. Then I was thrown against the glass, I felt it shattering and it's fragments hitting me. It was nothing compared to the wires though.
I cut the wire which held Walter to the blimp. I felt his whole weight falling on my neck, and for a second I thought I wasn't going to make it.
I thrust my nails in my neck, until I could feel the wire with the tip of my fingers.
And I cut.
After a last, painful moment while the wire slided out of the wound, it was over. I saw the butler hitting the ground far below.
"Au revoire. Try to stay dead, please." I said, almost whispering.
Then I turned to the inside of the Zeppelin. A whole battalion of vampires was lined in a semicircle around me. The Major was in the middle, aiming a luger at me.
"Excellent show, Hellsinger." he said, while he pulled the trigger sending me upside down in the air.
Luckily, my wings were still there. I landed without particular problems, apart from the fact that I was bleeding enough to feed Europe's population of mosquitoes.
As me feet kissed the beloved land, I received a whip in the back. A whip? No, a whip would not be so sharp.
A wire.
He was still alive. Wounded, certain, bleeding, of course, but Walter C. Dollneazz was standing impassive before me.
We heard a loud, shrill whiz.
"Is that you?" I asked.
He nodded no. Then looked above himself.
CRASH!
Something had fallen on him, apparently form high above. Something metallic, apparently a device... I got closer to it. It had the remains of solar panels on its sides, and a parabola on its edge.
A satellite...
On its side there was a hole, more or less on the size of an apple. Or... the size of a big musket ball.
This can't be, i thought to myself, even if she had shot the bullet in the right place, it would take hours just for it to reach the satellite, let alone bringing it down... this must've been shot before.
Then an illumination hit me. There was no doubt.
"That was a real home run." I said.
It was more or less my last conscientious thought. After that, my mind got blurred by the wounds and the blood-thirst.
I felt it rising quicker than I expected, probably because I didn't think I was so hurt. It was a sensation I always tried to avoid, but this time was too late. The predator inside me had taken over.
I crept around, looking for a prey, craving for blood. I can't tell how long did I remain in that state, all I remember is the confused feelings of ghouls all around, their filthy and unsustainable smell, and the presence of paladins, far away. Then all vanished, like a bright trail the blood of a virgin lured me through the streets. I ran on my feet and arms, leaping to my gain. It didn't even try to escape. I bleeded her, and as her vitae rushed in me and rebuilt my body, I regained conciousness. When she was drain, and I full, I realized what had I done.
Even though I was breathless, I whispered one word: "Master..."