Disclaimer: While Hellsing and all his characters belong to Kouta Hirano, Cas Corach is a hero out of celtic mitology. His grandson Cadhan Corach is of my invention.

(Re) Building An Empire

Seven Years

-That One Mission-

"W-we have to go and check." Finnegan was trembling so much that for him it was almost impossible to stay standing up. Rohan, who was hugging him by the moment, shot a deadly glare in the hopes it could prevent the Lower Court member to do such foolish action, but the man was already trembling his way to the exit.

"Are you sure you want to go?" Integra was willing to leave both cowards behind; she could feel a bit of sympathy for the thin framed man.

"The President assigned me specifically this job, and it's exactly what I want to do." The four of them, the terrorized and reluctant soldier included, followed Integra through the dark forest. The signs of battered bushes and trees showed the path where the Draculina and that certain monster were battling.

The poor soldier was dragged once again to the battleground. They walked in, or better said staggered in, as the three gentlemen were as resistant as bread sticks, through the forest. At least the night was illuminated enough, and by the corner of her eye Integra could see the framed shadow of a well known Frenchman advancing near them. She was sure that it didn't matter how nostalgic Seras was during the days after Alucard's disappearance, she would never leave her new Master unprotected. But sometimes hesitation told her that the Draculina could depart whenever she wanted and that if she decides to follow the path of a free vampire, they would have to face themselves as enemies.

The image of the mocking face of Cadhan with his wives assaulted her mind, the day she visited them with Arthur, Integra admired the three girls dressed in chaste long dresses, with Celtic embroidery all over them. They were cooking dinner and she thought back then they were servants. There was one especially beautiful that served them dinner and smiled back at the young Integra before returning to kitchen. It always had puzzled her how someone of the caliber of Cadhan Corach had decided to live in a little hut in the forest instead of having a mansion in the country side like her father.

Suddenly everything was clear, but she didn't have time to lose, she paced faster despite the pleas of her companions. Malachi Finnegan was a jumpy mess of nerves and Rohan alleged he had seen the shadow of some guy behind the trees. So the soldier was pointing his rifle at every spot that moved, and yelping whenever a small animal crossed their path. Their whining ended when they heard the crack of a tree falling some yards from them. Integra felt something she had never experienced before, even though she knew what it was about. A little sting was pulling inside her consciousness, like the sudden dark thought one has while wondering how life could be if someone we love dies; she felt the contract with Seras at the point of breaking.

"Listen up, I don't need your company for making my job" Integra walked in the darkness created by the top of the trees "so I'm asking you to wait here in the place of dying."

"W-wait!" Malachi was still composed enough for demanding "bring us some prove that you have killed what is finishing with the cattle."

Sir Hellsing didn't even turn back, having more important problems to deal than making up for this functionary's report; she walked forward where the sounds of the battle were taking place. But after walking some minutes she realized she was going in circles.

"Captain Bernadotte, what are your reasons for misleading my path?"

"Hold on boss, Victoria doesn't want to put you in danger." The shadow echoed from somewhere among the black mass the forest had turned when the moon moved by the sky.

She could feel how Seras was having a hard time; after all, she was apparently facing two werewolves. Integra's cell phone vibrated in her pocket before she could argue back at the mercenary shadow.

"It's me. Jack didn't want me to tell you about this, he thinks that's unfair but I don't care!" Duke voice was less bubbly than normal, something was wrong with the entire scene. "The two girls that died drowned; they were in hide in the cave beforehand because someone had abused of them. At the end, they weren't humans but… maybe in this case they weren't 'the monster' either." Said bitterly the old vampire, forgetting how much he hated werewolves and the fact that Clemens had omitted the information just for not causing moral dilemma in her, Integra hung up with a smirk. Both men were unpredictable.

The ground trembled under her feet; something was approaching at inhuman speed. Integra had never seen a werewolf in their real form, all she had were old books and some stories that Alucard told her before going to bed. If she had known that Coronel Hans was a lycanthrope she would have paid more attention to his antics, that's why she was really surprised when the huge dog like creature landed exactly in front of her. Its fur was a silly copy of real one, as every hair resembled more to a plume of smoke coming out the cigar that fell from her mouth in that exact moment. Its menacing growling was the cue for reaching the grip of her gun. Pale gray eyes reflected rage and frustration trough the moonlight. Integra unholstered and managed to aim at the wolf's face.

The creature backed away only to charge back with a display of fangs that didn't fazed Sir Hellsing, what took her off guard was the Frenchman's shadow pulling her back off against a tree, only half a second before a misty muzzle sprouting from the monster's original one could bite her in halves. Next instant, Seras' dark arm was falling with all its might to dig in the creature's head. Captain Pip left his boss' side to join his owner's side. Integra observed as both 'soldiers' hit the wolf with a strength that could turn anyone else into pulp.

The battle lasted a couple of minutes where the Draculina received some bites that had damaged her already unstable self, she had lost a half of the head in a black mess like the one of his arm, she didn't mind at all. Her subordinate was not using the silver bullets, had she shot them all already? Integra realized that Captain Bernadotte had taken all her bullets too!

"Stop playing around Seras!" Her yell alerted the wolf to charge against her, Seras reached the fangs by wrapping the furry creature in a tangled shadow, only for the werewolf to become smoke and escape through the smallest openings.

"Pip, take Sir with Mister Finnegan and the others!" Up until there, Integra haven't noticed her coward companions had ran away as soon as the werewolf appeared. But as it seemed, Seras had committed a mistake by saying Malaki's name, as the werewolf disappeared in a puff to reappear yards away and start running in the direction of Cadhan's hut. The Draculina extended her arm like veins on the ground; it caught the legs of the animal slightly. It turned smoke again and Seras growled menacing before running after it. Pip pulled Integra deep in the forest. To have contact with a shadow was something she would never get accustomed to.

"There's not need to run, Captain." The Head of Hellsing envisaged the path illuminated by the moon that Rohan and the soldier had taken for escape. The ill silence announced there was no longer reason to hurry. "Instead, I would like to get back my gun."

"Sorry boss, we spent all the bullets in the other." So her suspicions were right, she thought. Seras had ammunition of total forty eight silver bullets; each soldier had a riffle charged with eight, and two cartridges to reload. Perhaps she had underestimated Cas Corach when he had used the wits in the place of the strength when capturing the three werewolves in the original legend. "If you excuse me, I think my girl needs me."

And the Captain disappeared at all before Integra arrived with the others. Upon seeing her, Rohan Roscraea ran clumsily to fall at her feet sobbing. The man was a bunch of nerves and trembled uncontrollably. His face discomposed in fear and tears. She looked at the surroundings, the soldier was on the floor severely injured, and of Malachi Finnegan there was only a remaining severed torso.

"M-mmo-mo-mo-monster!" Rohan managed to say between sobs.

Then a pillar of light coming from the woods made the moon to pale in comparison with its whiteness. A growl. And again that pulling in the woman's soul by the seal, that one of Seras breaking the bond.

Integra felt fear for the first time in seven years. Urging to know what was happening, she ran directly to the hut where once she sat with her father and an old friend to share a meal. She had understood when the monster stared at her, the same deep blue eyes that he had seen in Cadhan. That gaze he had sent to that mute lady who served them the food it wasn't just gratitude, it was something else. When she arrived to the empty hut, now it was clear why the last member of the Clan Corach had built so deep in the forest. The cave where the daughters of Airitech lived was only a quarter of mile away.

She didn't stop running until arriving to the entrance of the wolfen wives's cave. Cadhan Corach, the noble, was lying on the muddy floor where the battle had taken place. Integra aproached, aware that everything had ended for the werewolf.

"You've grown into such a strong lady." He spoke with a muffled manly voice. There were so many questions she wanted to pose the man, but it was too late. She kneeled beside him; he still smiled slightly despite the punctured chest by the silver bullets. It was admirable how much he could withstand. "Arthur must be proud of you."

"He's dead." Integra spit out without remorse, she had come up to terms with her father's death long ago. Cadhan seemed surprised, and then he pulled a sad expression, like pitying her even in his condition.

"Something you want me to tell him?"

"Tell him… that I have a family now."

"I'm so glad to hear that." He closed his eyes peacefully, every trace of fur disappearing from his face to look like a common man.

"Sir…" rising from the Cadhan's side, Integra heard the little yowl from a puppy. Seras was stretching her arm towards her, a wolf puppy gripped by the skin of the withers by her shadow hand. Her expression was unreadable, one eye lost in the blackness of shadows coming from head, the other staring intensely in wait for a response. "Here's the reason behind everything."

"Finnegan's?"

"No, she was the only one who wasn't touched by him." Integra looked at the puppy. Probably the last werewolf in the entire island, even if young, still a menace for the slaughter houses in all the country. They mustn't allow the proliferation of such creatures, a one only could turn one hundred if wanting. Seras perceived hesitation in her boss. "Sir, I'm just a heartless creature at your service. I butchered the parents following your orders; I'd kill every enemy of England with a single gesture of your part. Abd you don't have to carry the shame... I'll do that for you too."

A slight smile after the discourse that resembled a lot at what Alucard used to say before a hard decision, made her understand what the Draculina had been sulking about. She could never take the place of her maker, but she wanted her boss to notice that she was completely different and there was no need to compare both of them.

"We can't let anything to menace our country, you know your orders to destroy our enemies..." Integra stated, knowing that she hated the idea of killing an infant. Specially looking at how much the parents did for letting their kin survive. "and you must do so."

"Yes, Master." Seras nodded and placed the little pup on the floor. Her arm pierced the creature like a pincushion and sent it flying into the air, and then it was devoured by what looked like another wolf, at least in the shape.

They didn't share a word in the way home. Seras said she was tired and entered her coffin to leave Integra to deal with the cleaning. Duke didn't ask a word about what had happened, he seemed reassured now that all werewolves had been terminated. Sir Hellsing had a call from Mrs. McAleese regretting the death of Finnegan, she wasn't aware of what that the man had done to Cadhan's family, even if the payment had came in most part directly from him. Integra thought how ironic was that the man had paid for being killed.

They arrived the mansion richer in money but poorer in moral. Seras pulled herself the coffin to her room and, reluctant, Duke had to follow up her actions. Two days later, the Head of Hellsing paid a surprise visit to the Draculina's quarters, just to discover she had actually hid the puppy in her room.

Author's Note: This chapter was supposed to be updated last week, it took me more time than the expected to fix all grammar mistakes.

I couldn't let Seras kill a puppy, that was make her so loveable ;D