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Disclaimer: Check chapter one just in case you missed it. I hate repeating these things.

Hear Me

Chapter 16: Psychotic Tendencies (Part I)

Only two weeks had passed since Seras' induced punishment, and Alucard's heart and mind were beginning to feel the effects of her absence. His head knew that she wasn't dead, only sleeping, but the combination of loneliness and flashbacks, of that dreaded morning, slowly pushed him towards the edge. The edge of insanity awaited, calling him to give in, give up. To break away, let go, and let it wash over him would be so easy. Alucard had never been one to take the easy road. So instead, he embraced the darker, manic side of his vampire persona. Little by little, the craziness wreaked havoc on his mentality and the people surrounding him.

These feelings had begun to endanger his missions as well. The last three had ended in so much violence, gore, and unfortunately the deaths of two mortals. Integra had been pissed! Alucard had fought with the strength and swiftness of a demon unleashed. Quickly and efficiently, he eliminated the unholy freaks that opposed Hellsing and attacked those the organization lives and dies to protect.

Here he found himself, once again, on a mission. But, also, he was on a short leashed probationary period. Before leaving, Integra had glared at him, telling him that if one more mortal death occurred at his hand then he'd be sent packing back to the basement for another fifty years or so. The tall, vampire smirked and rolled his eyes as if to say 'whatever you say'. Then he'd vanished from the room without a second thought.

And that's how he came to be here, tonight, searching for those two bastards, Eres and Aidan and their new crew of vampires and ghouls. Strolling cautiously along the city streets, he gave off a normal appearance, aside from his outlandish, red garb, a throw back from the Victorian era, he seemed normal. But normal seems to be a definition that varies from person to person. At least according to Walter and Integra, which he could readily agree with.

Crimson eyes narrowed as he caught the scent of the undead puppets he sought. Drawing the Casul and Jackal from his coat, he held one out on each side of him prepared to fire the second they were in sight.

Hearing a noise at his back, the No Life King swiftly turned to face the creature behind him. Aiming with the Jackal, he fired ,and it turned to ashes. More sounds rippled all around his imposing figure, and all he could do was obscenely smile while enjoying the killing glee running in his veins.

Spinning in a circular fashion, Alucard fired off round after round from both his pistols until the chambers were simultaneously emptied. Leaping forward, he plunged his hand through decaying flesh, muscle and bone to penetrate the heart that had recently ceased to beat a mortal tune. Kicking out with one long leg, Alucard sent a ghoul flying, it's dead body smacking a brick wall with a solid thud.

"Come at me you bastards!"

The vampire king's red eyes deepened to a fiery hue. The iris' lit with an impassioned flame. A fire of death. Their death. They would all die at his hands. Tonight. He laughed at their lousy attempts to thwart and kill him. If only these creatures could feel fear he thought. But all they feel is the need for blood, the need to feed overwhelms the vampire's puppets.

Their constant moans and growls accentuated with feeble blows and attempts to grab were nothing to Alucard. Reaching out, he latched onto one of their arms, ripping it off and obliterating it with his power and fury. Continuously, he tore them all apart, piece by piece, tearing their bodies until they turned to ashes in his hands.

His long, dark hair swaying in the wind; winding gently around his lithe form, Alucard laughed darkly as the last creature was destroyed to his liking. The more violently they died, the more he loved it and the more he craved it. Destruction. The pull of it was intoxicating, fulfilling. It was a temporary way to fill the emptiness. And if he wasn't careful, it'd be a drug that hooked him as it had years previous, when Integra's ancestor had captured and enslaved him.

Suddenly, his ears and senses perked up in the wind. Growling, he sent out waves of dark intentions towards his target. He wanted them to know he was coming. He wanted the creature to be afraid, to feel fear, to feel his death as it was coming for him.

"Let me go! You piece of trash, get your filthy hands off of me!"

A young, slim blond woman with green eyes had been captured by a fellow vampire. His red eyes gleamed under the streetlights. He wanted the girl to struggle. He'd always heard that virgin blood laced with adrenaline was the best vampire high you could receive from anyone or anything.

The creature's hold on her tightened as he brought her closer to the sharp canines preparing to bury themselves into her delicate, pale skin. Valiantly, she struggled, kicking, clawing and biting. The vampire ignored her attempts to free herself. The more she fought, the more she excited him. That was never a good thing to do around a bloodthirsty vampire. Never a good thing to tempt them.

Thoroughly enjoying himself, the vampire toyed with his prey, loosening his grip on her, which proved to be a mistake for him. In the brief few seconds that he'd stopped paying attention; letting his hold slack, she'd pulled out a silver nail file and stabbed him in the side. Letting out a loud cry, he released her, only to recover quickly and grab her again.

"Where do you think you're going, sweetheart?"

"I wanna go home."

His tongue slid slowly over her pulse point. "But my dear, you are home." Cackling, he tilted her head further over to the side, fully exposing her long, thin neck. He was about to strike when he felt a presence much darker than his own. Lifting his head, he called out to the shadows, "I know you're there. Reveal yourself!"

"Are you certain you wish to meet me, vampire? You'd best be sure."

The cold, harsh voice sprang from the darkness. Fear erupted in his chest. Self preservation urged him to run like hell, but he refused. His stupidity would get the better of him, as would his insatiable curiosity.

Jerking the girl closer to him, he barked, "Show yourself! Are you a coward? Got a hundred bucks here that says you're all wind and no action! What's it gonna be, huh?"

"Foolish idiot! You shall learn who I am, but I will be the last thing you ever hear or see. Prepare to die, trash!"

Alucard slowly emerged from the blackness that had enveloped his body. A psychotic light shone brightly from the burning eyes staring at the young vampire and his hostage. Evil laughter spilled forth from his lips causing looks of fear to cross the faces of vampire and human alike before him.

The freak felt an oppressive feeling hammer his chest as the owner of the voice stepped forward revealing himself. Throwing the girl to the ground, she stayed there, unable to move and watched in morbid curiosity. Personally, she wished the newcomer would beat the hell out of this creep who'd tried to kidnap and then kill her.

Instinctively, the imitation vampire was aware that he was peering into the face of death. His death. Left hand flew to his side and whipped out a pistol. It's size was nowhere near that of Alucard's weapons, but the freak had no knowledge of this.

Before he could react further, the freak blinked and the other vampire standing before him, threatening him, had disappeared. There was nothing. No warning given, the freak was suddenly tossed to the ground, a blade buried to the hilt in his stomach.

Reaching for the metal object hiding in his flesh, he was stopped when a large boot kicked his chest; knocking him flat on the concrete below his body. "What the hell are you?"

Maniacally, he answered, "Not what, but whom." Eyes glared menacingly at the vampire trash beneath his boot. Alucard's pale hand snaked out, grabbing the knife and twisting it sharply; causing the male to cry out in agony.

Pressing on with his task, Alucard moved the blade in several directions, making several, long, deep cuts. Ignoring the painful protests of his target, Alucard swiftly moved the knife around, cutting through flesh and muscle, bringing small rivers of blood to the surface.

"Please, stop! I'll go away. I promise you'll never see me again!"

"Damned right I won't."

Arrogantly, the handsome vampire smirked and plunged his hand into the freak's bloodied chest cavity puncturing his vitality. His heart. "As I said, damned right I won't see you again!"

He chuckled at his handiwork. Alucard wanted more. The darkness in him clamored for more. Needed more to be satiated, to calm his hate and anger. He raised his hands toward the sky releasing a yell.

The girl who up until now had been scared into mimicking a petrified tree, began moving. Still sitting flat on her butt, she backed up as quickly as she could and her heart jumped into her chest when she saw the victor fade away. Uncertain if she was safe or not, she kept backing up and without warning, she ran into something solid.

Tilting her head backwards, a gasp escaped her lips as the dark headed vampire reached down and yanked her up to his height. Licking his lips, he muttered, "Dinnertime. A yummy virgin hand delivered. What fun this will be."

Bringing her up against his body, he felt her trembling and refused to make her stop. The evil in him wanted her to be afraid. He wanted her to die screaming. Just as he was about to strike and take her blood, a voice called out on the wind.

"Alucard. Stop! Release her. Please, for me, allow her to go. She's done nothing to deserve your wrath."

The feminine voice wrapped around him, touching him, and echoing on the gentle breeze on which it was being carried. Her pleas slowly brought the pissed off vampire back to his sane reality.

"Seras?"

Could it be? How could she have fought against the hunger induced sleep she'd been thrown into? Had she grown that much stronger in the last two weeks?

"Yes, it is I. Now, please, Alucard, let her go. Do this for me. Come back to me. I'm waiting for you. I need you."

Latching on to the girl's frantic heartbeat, he intentionally slowed it down, preparing her to be mesmerized. His voice, deep and resonating, "Listen carefully to me. You will forget this happened. You'll go home, sleep and remember nothing except you went out and had a good time. That's all you will recall. Now repeat back to me what I just told you."

Her voice sounding drugged echoed his words perfectly. Alucard threw her to the ground telling her to go home. Jumping to her feet, she ran like hell for home and the darkness swallowed her form and her fading footsteps.

"Alucard?"

"I'm here, Seras."

The very sound of her voice brought him to his knees. He missed her. It was hard to believe a slip of a woman entwined herself completely around his heart. Something that he believed hadn't existed since his mortal days.

In the older days, he'd never have felt this way about a woman, much less told her how he felt. Possessing an attitude so cold, he'd managed to chase away many willing females, pushing them away so they couldn't learn how to tame the vampire and the man buried deep inside.

"Come home, Alucard. I'm waiting."

Looking in the direction of Hellsing, Alucard replied, "I'm coming, Seras. I'm coming home."

Anxiously, he opened a black portal directly in front of him; allowing it to swallow him, he hurried home to Hellsing, to Seras. Where she waited for him, and only for him.

A/N: Sorry for so short a chap, but don't worry, I'll make up for it next time!! Next chapter is where the shit's really gonna hit the fan! Our favorite villanous duo will be back and we'll see where the story will lead from there. Next chap...Psychotic Tendencies (Part II).