Disclaimer: Most characters in this fiction belong to the great master Kouta Hirano. Except Duke, Mary & Ann, which are of my invention. There's no economical profit out of this story, the only thing I win is your faves, followings and comments which I thank deeply and make me continue with further chapters ^_^

(Re) Building an Empire

First Week –Day Four-

"Unacceptable!" Father Lebel, new Seccion XIII's representative, slammed his fist on the table. The Vatican didn't have anything to do in this meeting, but those swines always found a way to stick their noses wherever they wanted to. "This a clear breach to the Treaty of Lisbon!"

At least Enrico Maxwell had the decency to listen the other's opinions, this pig only cared about his organization and himself.

"I agree with the gentleman here." Lady Hamilton, the recently appointed Foreign Secretary, nodded. A fair dame, with such character that Integra couldn't picture why she supported Vatican's opinion. "Germany has been the country we have gotten more aid from. The death of the consul's daughters could be taken as retaliation from our side. I've been in meetings ever since the incident, and they are considering not only to stop the aid, but also to break diplomatic relationship with us."

A concern mumbling raised on the meeting room. Some from the participants of the cabinet. When the Round Table lose most of its members, those Scrooges found the opportunity to get more political power. It had been only one week since the attack to England and yet the politics were already moving engines. Some had taken a different approach to make Germany think the girls had died by the neo nazis, but the idea had been removed by the argument that the press had arrived too early to the scene.

"We stopped some reporters, but the information leaked by the internet." The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport had been on charge of this. He was frantic nervous, cleaning his bald head with a handkerchief. "If you allow me, I can make the media to say those vampires weren't ours."

Everyone took the offer as a good deal, some other added Hellsing would get rid of the monsters for showing how non-British the vampires were. Integra felt she was losing the battle, most of them were actually considering to make her kill her own vampires. She wondered what would Alucard think about it, she would have made him to tear apart all those fools.

"No sense!" She yelled, nor Seras nor Duke deserved to be treated like animals; they weren't pets, they weren't the puppies that parents bring home and dispose of whenever they grow up and start biting. "Hellsing vampires are proudly British! They were following orders given from me, and if there's someone to blame for this tragedy is me."

"Fine, Lady Hellsing" Lebel again. "we all agree that Seras Victoria is registered as property of Hellsing. What about the other vampire named Duke Milford? Shouldn't your organization take him as a treat from overseas?" apparently the guy had done his inquiries.

To begin with, Integra had reluctantly registered Alucard and later Seras as things subjected to private property; so they didn't have labour rights. Even if it wasn't likely for the vampires for claiming in the court, she knew some nosy NGOs would consider that the monsters looked mostly human, thereof claiming for their rights. However, Duke had joined Hellsing only one week ago, it had been reckless sending the vampire along with Seras when the proper paperwork hadn't been done. Integra hadn't an argument against that. She knew beforehand that someone would take advantage of this weak point, but so far she hadn't had the time to counterattack it.

"Integra" her Majesty the Queen might have noticed Sir Hellsing's frustration. Everyone stayed silent waiting for the old lady in the far throne to speak out her mind. "I'm yet to know this gentleman Duke Milford, but I appeal to your good judgement that he may be a loyal guardian for our Kingdom. Besides I have heard he's also Alucard's fledging, that is indubitable proof his blood is pure."

Her Majesty stopped, like arranging her thoughts. Then continued.

"It's no longer possible to meet Mister Van Helsing, even though, the only thing I have certain is he was a strong willed man, who looked for others' welfare before his, facing the devil for turning it in a faithful servant." She said, and Integra knew where this speech was going to "And I know his blood runs in your veins."

Lebel had caught the idea too. He opened his mouth in protest but the Queen's gesture shut him up.

"I believe you can seal both Alucard's childes" she looked Integra in the eye "do you yourself believe you can do it?"

Would she? She had done some biding with Alucard the first time they met. Things were easier back then, he was bonded to all Hellsings, even to Richard, but the vampire had chosen her a his new master. This time she'd have to do everything from scratch. Seras wouldn't mind, the problem was Duke. At the end, this was the only solution, and the elder vampire would have to understand.

"I can." She stated.

Cold. She was so cold. And suddenly she felt trapped. The coffin lid was not coming out. Seras paused then pushed again. She started screaming until her lungs weren't holding any more air. It hurt, and she was trapped. Something burning inside her, some killing heat in her chest and stomach. Master! She hasn't seen her Master in a while, couldn't feel him more than a dim bond. Where was he? Had they done something to him? Rage followed fear. Integra had done all this! She had been shot by her supposed boss. Killing intent burst in her veins. She growled harder and harder. There was another voice in her head. It was not Master, therefore it was not something to care of. But the voice went louder and louder until it was impossible to ignore it. She heard this voice, howling? crying? somebody was sad; but not Master. Who was it? The sound changed to a whimper, soft and dying. It was not important. She was trapped, she had the urge of massacre, she had the need to tear some throats apart. Her Master would approve that. Why was she trapped? As time passed by her rage diminished. Then she remembered, the blood, the carnage. What had happened? She ached in some specific points of her body, close to the heart, her fingers found a bullet hole on the uniform. She traced to her belly, another. She followed the path to her ribcage, a third one.

In shame, she covered her face. She remembered. What had she done? Indeed she deserved the punishment. It was her fault, Integra had had to trap her in the coffin. The bullets had been shot as protection, no one had intended to kill Seras. Her Master no longer was here, she had promised herself to find her own path, an equilibrium between her vampire side and the human she had left behind. And then she had failed.

How many had died by her hand? Ghouls were unimportant, but humans, there were humans between them; and she had lost conscious of herself. Limited to murder, to bloodlust.

"Seras." A female voice was audible outside the coffin. Someone was calling her, the mind pulling itself from the misery, Seras rested quiet listening to the chains falling down. She had been chained, her coffin had been chained.

The lip moved aside, artificial light blossoming around her.

"Officer Seras Victoria, stand up." Integra was cold, self controlled.

The draculina obeyed opening the eyes. There were three people staring back at her, Integra in the middle with one hand resting on her sabre's grip, ready to strike; the other two unknown officers with shiny guns waiting on their holsters. It was not rational, but her instincts made her jump back, she shuffled until her back hit the wall. She realized this place wasn't the building where she had fallen asleep last night. The feeling of being trapped, pulled an involuntary hiss out of her mouth that made the officers recoil.

"Stop it officer!" Integra's loud voice brought the vampire back to reality, then the Head of Hellsing softened the tone "No one's here to blame you for what happened. You acted as you were told."

Seras opened her mouth unsure of what to say, if she had something in mind it had died before moving her lips. She understood that someone had carried her to the crypt she had picked and was about to redecorate. Up until then Seras noticed her boss had a sack. Integra took out of it a bag of medical blood and threw it to her subordinate. Seras almost let it fall before grabbing it on mid air. It was true, she was very hungry. But before opening it the vampire sight checked her boss for permission. A nod, and the sweet vital liquid was running down her throat.

"Let's go. I need you by my side when we check Duke."

Seras trotted to her recently assigned post pushing aside one of the officers. Even if she didn't like Integra assuming all the fault, she was happy that at least someone had forgiven her.

Duke's crypt had changed from the day Seras and him had been there for the first time. Instead of the broken rock door, there was a heavy vault door with a rounded seal on the metallic surface. A rough, cheap copy of the one that Master had on the back of his hands. Seras could smell it, the seal had been recently made, and the blood belonged to Sir Hellsing. Who unceremoniously opened the door that led to a single coffin in the middle of the room. There were heavy silver chains around it. Before trying to remove them, Integra reminded her they were silver made. The place had a heavy atmosphere, like when inside it Seras had lost memory of how to use her vampiric abilities; somehow she felt like someone had pulled out her other arm. She thanked in someway Integra was not making her enter completely in there, then she stood back to look inside from the door frame. So the boss herself with the two guards kneeled to unwrap the coffin.

The moment they opened the lid a rancid odor infuriated the whole room. Everybody stood back, hands or arms covering their noses.

Inside the coffin, Duke was nothing more than a dried husk, maybe even smaller and more wasted than the first time they had met him, his once lustrous hair was a lumpy gray mess. He was in an odd position, facing down, forearms clutched together holding the weight of his head and chest. The base of the coffin was flooded with rotting black blood.

"Duke, stand up." Integra tried the same tactic that with Seras. Seconds passed by with no movement from the person inside the coffin. Integra attempted a more closed approach by arranging the man face up. She flinched, he was completely dried and limp like a rubber puppet "Duke Mildford!" she shook him.

Nothing.

"So it was him crying..." Seras mumbled not particularly wanting someone to hear her, but Integra caught it.

Sir Hellsing pulled another bag of blood from her sack. Within a moment she was pouring the liquid inside the empty hole his mouth had turned into. More minutes and no reaction at all.

"Duke! Duke please wake up! Wake!" Seras tried half talking half telepathy, if she had heard him mentally even behind that room with heavy atmosphere, there always was a possibility.

"It's no use." Integra stated, aware of the mental struggle her subordinate was doing. Then she stood up still holding Duke's body to let it fall hitting the ledge.

A slow, slurred noise came from Duke's mouth.

"Augh..."

He half lid opened the eyes. Recovering slowly he looked at his surroundings not completely recognizing where he was. His expression changed to one of a scared animal, there were no chains or restrictions yet he laid unmoving, it was almost sad. Integra pulled another bag of blood and handed it to him, after some seconds he snatched it to suck furiously to its contents. Seras felt she wanted a second serving too, but she stood still thinking Duke might probably need it more.

Author's Note: Sorry for the looong delay, I'm about to go into an exchange program and there's a lot of stuff to do before riding the plane. I have to admit there was a high influence from Maroongrad fictions while writing this. Later on I'll describe why Duke was in that situation, but since each chapter takes place in one day that'll be for the next one ;)