A/N: In the previous chapter, the pub's name was called Alkonost. This really is a russian deity. She's a harpy, the Bird of Death. Her name and information came from the well-informed and wonderfully written site, www (.)godchecker(.)com . They have everything from Norse, Greek, Roman, Japanese, Egyptian, Chinese, African to Slavic and Baltic gods and legends. Check 'em out, there are some hilarious gods, like the gods of vomit, lettuce, chocolate and bathrooms! XD Rofl! I'm serious!
Anyway. Alucard accept Seras's feelings and Dmitri tries to bait him out by kidnapping someone from the manor.
Enjoy!
Oh right. I solemly swear I am up to no good! I do not own Hellsing!
Seras woke up when evening fell. Rubbing her eyes, she let out a large yawn, the moonlight glinted off her sharp teeth. Her whole body still felt tired, it was like she had absolutely no energy in her.
"Evening, Seras." Said a deep voice she knew too well. Memories of last night's fight flooded back to her and she gasped, alarmed. "Master! I--! I--!" But she had no excuse for her stupid behaviour, how could she explain everything she said anyway? Alucard's laughing stopped her panic. "Don't worry about that, Seras. You made your point."
"but I--!!"
"Enough. We have work to do." He cut her off, his face half covered in the shadows. He looked rather displeased and a little angry. Damn her and her big stupid mouth!
"Yes, Master." Seras obeyed, hanging her head in shame. Not only did she spout ridiculous things but she also insulted her Master a lot last night. It made her wonder if he'll ever forgive her for that, or even let her live it down.
Back at Hellsing Manor, things weren't as peachy either. Nick was in the courtyard with Walter and Sir Integra. What were the match-making trio doing there? Well, they certainly weren't organizing blind dates.
"Concentrate Master Nicholas!"
"I'm trying damnit!!"
Nick grunted with effort as he tried to shape-shift. He could already use his thrid eye without any problems and the flying was a breeze. Turning into animals was a big pain in the---
"Arrgh! Mother fu--!!"
"Language, Nicholas..." Sir Integra warned calmly, sitting in a comfortable lawn chair, a few meters away from the other two. Nick turned around and glared at his aunt. "You're one to talk! You swear more then Pip and all his soldiers put together!!"
"I'm an adult, I'm allowed too." She replied with the same, calm, bored voice. Integra placed a cigar between her lips and lit it, never taking her eyes off the trees right behind her butler's back.
"That's not a valid reason! I'm 17 years old!"
"Will you stop making a fuss! Concentrate on your fucking training!" She suddenly yelled, slamming her fist on the arm of the chair. When she raised it again, Nick saw a dent in the iron of the chair. He gulped.
"Yes Sir!" He shouted obidiently and tried to shapeshift again. Integra sighed, inhaling the cigar and let out the smoke in one long breath. She watched the smokey grey cloud swirl towards the sky before disappearing. "This is why I never married. No one seems to understand that." She laughed to herself.
"I did it!"
Nick jumped and punched the air in sign of complete triumph. Walter and Integra just sighed, annoyed. "You only managed to produce a tail, Master Nicholas. I would be too excited if I were you..." Walter mumbled, exhausted. Integra just softly slapped her forehead. "Idiot."
Nicholas stopped jumping around, exclaiming his victory when he heard them. He pointed to his backside and smiled widely. "But it still counts! I'm improving!" He said with a laugh, shaking his backside at them whilst still whooping and shouting happily. Residing on his backside was a large and shaggy, black and sliver wolf's tail, wagging too and fro in sync with its Master's excitment.
"That doesn't count! Get serious with your training, you big goof!" Integra yelled at him, shaking an angry fist at the silly, celebrating teenager. Walter chuckled and placed a hand on his boss's shoulder. "Allow him to get it out of his system first. After all, his sixth sense and flying abitlites were rather easy to conquer. He really is trying. He also adapts very quickly, and is a fast learner. "
"Hmm." Integra hummed and Walter contined, adjusting his monocle as he spoke. "Besides, his abilites are different from a vampire's. He can walk in the sun, enjoy the day, cross water and he also inherits the powers of his biological Father. Master Nicholas will be a very valuable tool for Hellsing, since his Father is the most powerful vampire in Russia."
"I see. So Dmitri is the most powerful in Russia. That would mean...."
"Yes. He inherits his entire power and will be able to kill him. Master Nicholas could become the second most powerful being of the undead. Like an S class Dhampir, instead of a vampire like Alucard."
Integra turned this information over in her mind, wondering about the benefiets. "So you're saying that Alucard and Nicholas will become the two most powerful in the world of their race?"
"Correct, Sir. And it seemes being raised by Alucard himself, will only increase that power. Hellsing will not be led astray when he takes over. Master Nicholas is a good man, I can see that in him."
"That's very insightful of you Walter."
"Thank you, sir."
Integra couldn't help but agree. Nicholas was growing into a strong leader, someone who would use all of his power to protect everything and everyone he holds close to his heart. He will, in her opinion, become a very noble man, despite his heritage. Just then, a thought crossed her mind. It was something she had totally forgotten about.
"Any word from Iscariot?"
"None so far, sir." Walter replied with a shake of his head. He didn't quite understand it either. Iscariot's absence was very strange indeed.
"Odd. Having such an all powerful, foreing vampire in the country, I was sure to expect Anderson to jump out and take him on." Integra said thoughtfully, tapping her chin with her finger. "Not to mention the chance to fight Alucard again."
"It appears they haven't made their move yet. But I suggest we should be prepared for any attack." Walter advised with a respectful bow. He wasn't sure what the Iscariot was planning, it's not like they would try and attack them in the middle of the longest truce they've had so far, but that didn't put his mind at ease.
Also, the Russian may prove to be a very difficult matter. Walter glanced at Nicholas, who was trying to inspect his wolf's tail. Since he was five, there had been attempted assisnations on Nick. The old butler concluded that the Russian, Dmitri, was very desperate to get rid of his illeginamate son, because he knew Nicholas, once he gained full power, would be able to destroy him.
Nick stopped celebrating. He waved his arms at the trwo adults, trying to get their attention. He also noticed they were discussing something very seriously and crossed his arms with a spoilt pout. "Sheesh, adults. They're always so serious." He grumbled to himself, shaking his head. Nick tried again, this time, his frantic waving was accompanied with yelling. "Oi! I'd like to continue now! Are you done?!"
"Then continue, you idiot! You don't need us for that!!" Integra suddenly shouted, startling Walter for the moment. Nicholas's pout got bigger and he had that pleading childish look in his eyes he knew Integra wouldn't be able to resist. "You don't have to yell Aunie, I'm just trying to help." He said sadly, bowing his head in apology. His acting sincere got Integra even more angrier. He very well knew she had a soft spot for him and he was using it, that damn kid.
Walter tried to calm down his employer. "Now, now. don't give in to his teasing, it won't help."
"Gaah! He's acting like Alucard more and more every day! I can't escape that lunatic vampire!" But her angry retort was met with a large, tired yawn.
Nicholas yawned again, unable to supress it. His eyes were already half-closed. He was so very tired. Integra scoffed. "It's late." She stated plainly and turned on her heel back into the manor. Walter nodded his head in agreement.
"Come, Master Nicholas. We shall continue tomorrow night." He called to Nick. The 17-year old nodded sleepily and trudged beside him. The whole training session had taken all his energy, now he could barely stand. All Nick could think about was the soft, warm bed waiting for him in his room. What a lovely thought.
It was already past 2:00 am when a lone figure appeared on Hellsing's roof. The figure was a man, an assasian. But he was not here to kill. He evaded the night guards with ease, slipping through the security without being found. At last he intruded the insides of the Hellsing manor. What was his goal? It was such a simple task, the man found it insulting.
"Stealing a child from her room like Baba Yaga." The man grumbled angrily in Russian as he slipped through the hallways leading to a part of the mansion where the servants lived. "What a disgrace." He scoffed. Entering the corridor where the rooms of the servants were, he searched for a door with the name tag of his target.
Priscilla had finished her day's work and decided to retire early into her room. It was so late. Priscilla had stepped out of the bathroom, having showered and dressed into her long nightgown just now. She was holding a bracelette that Master Nicholas had given her that day she invited him over for supper. He had told her it would protect her from vampires since it was made from holy silver. She didn't really understand why he would give such an expensive trinket to someone like her.
"He has such a good heart." She said with a smile. Priscilla was still holding it in her hand and was about to put it away when she heard an odd sound in the hall. Wondering what was making the noise, she stepped out into the hall herself.
"Aaah!" Priscilla screamed but was silenced quickly with a harsh punch in the face by her captor. He swore under his breath. What dumb luck.
The man grabbed her, turned her around so that her back was pressed into his hardened chest and then threw her roughly. He didn't really expect his target to come out of her room and right into his arms. He didn't even notice the bracelette falling from his small hand. It hit the carpeted floor with a muffled thud as the intruder fled the scene with Priscilla thrown over his shoulder. He had knocked her out to cease her struggling. Now she hung over his shoulder like a rag doll while he disappeared from Hellsing as stealthily as he had appeared.
The unknown man fled across the whole city until he came to the run-down hotel Dmitri was using as his base. He climbed the spiral staircase, walked calmly through the boodstained halls until he came up to the last floor of the buidling, the only floor left unscathed by the carnage below. He dumped the body in front of the couch where Valentina and Dmitri were laying upon, like king and queen.
"What's this?" Dmitri asked, his expression bored with the human in front of him. The kidnapper knelt on one knee quickly and bowed his head in respect.
"As you have requested, my Lord. I have brought someone from the Hellsing mansion." He answered, not daring to look at them.
"Oh? She looks like a normal child to me." Valentina sniffed disapprovingly at Priscilla's humble nightgown. "She does not look like someone from upper class."
"Is she an important person?"
"I have been observing Hellsing for two days since the two vampires have left, my Lord." He replied obediently. "She is close friends with the the boy who will succeed the Organization."
"And who is this boy?" Dmitri still sounded bored as he inquired his loyal subject. The Russian vampire toyed with the silky strands of his mate's long mane of hair as her head lay in his lap.
"He is half-vampire, half-human, my Lord."
His caressing hands paused their petting. Valentina looked up at her mate, confused and annoyed that he had stopped his soothing caresses. It was such a rare thing for him to touch her since they had come to England.
"A half-breed you say?"
"Yes, my Lord."
"Well done, Boris." He said with a large, insane grin. "You may go." And dismissed him with a flick of his wrist. The kidnapper, Boris, left the room, unsure what to think.
"Andrey, lock this human below the basement for now. I want you to prepare for battle." Dmitri ordered, resuming to caress Valentina's soft locks. His son appeared out of the shadows and picked up Priscilla's limp body delicately.
Without a word, he then left the room. He was in the basement moments later. The basement was normal, with boliers and pipes running along the plastered walls. But this ordinary basement was not the one Andrey had been ordered to go to. He proceeded down another flight of stairs leading deeper underground into a huge, vast area lit by torches bolted on the stone walls.
The ground was stained with blood in various places and there was a large iron cage against the wall opposite of the dark entrance where Andrey now stood. Other than the cage, the wide room was fairly empty. Andrey sighed and walked over the wide room, the size of a collossal football stadium, and gently placed Priscilla inside the cage. As he placed a large lock on the barred cage door, two figures appeared behind him.
"Is that a snack for us, bro?"
"No it is not Ayanna." Andrey replied, the same otne of boredom evident in his voice as his Father's. He turned on his heel to face his twin sisters. They were both grinning so hungrily at the human girl behind him. Ayanna and Ayasha were in every way identical but still different. Ayanna was as blonde as her sister, with her curly hair in a ponytail on the right side of her head. Ayasha had the same hairstyle, only her ponytail was on the left side.
They both had the same mouths, the same small nose, the same large catlike eyes. Both were as tall as their brother and as beautiful and secudtive as their mother. They both wore the same leather body suits but weilded different weapons from when they were little. They had changed their tastes.
Ayanna was a bloodthristy vampire, more like her other sister Dementia then her twin. She had two hand held weapons called the 'wind and fire wheels'. Each wheel is a flat metal ring approximately 15 inches in diameter. One quarter-arc had a padded grip with a cross-guard; Opposite and adjacent arcs had protruding flame-styled blades. With one wheel in each hand, Ayanna could slash, stab, parry or disarm an opponent.
She trained with them ever since aquiring them at the age of 14. The 'wind and fire wheels' were chinese weapons, something Dmitri deeply frowned upon. He had taught his children to use broad swords and whips, weapons that he considered were linked to Russia in some weird way. But Ayanna developed a sudden interest in martial arts and oriental weaponry and went against her Father's wishes.
Ayanna stroked her blades which were strapped on both sides of her hips and licked her lips like a predatory cat. "Why's it here then? It's somethin' for now?"
"Niet. Do not be so hasty, sister." Andrey warned, watching his sister closely. "She is part of Tatya's plan. She must not be harmed in any way."
"Bah!" Ayanna laughed shrilly. "We've been stuck here ever since Tatya built this room. I'm bored."
She side-stepped Andrey and placed a hand on the iron bars. Her eyes grew wide with wild hunger as she reached out to touch Priscilla's shiny black tresses. "I wanna play." She cackled. Her fingers almost touched the girl's hair but a hand grabbed hers and stopped her. It wasn't Andrey but her twin Ayasha.
Ayasha was a more silent and deadly type. She didn't say much and unlike her sister's use of common slangs, when and if she spoke, she spoke like a aristocratic lady; refined, gentle but extremley lethal. Ayasha was older then Ayanna by three seconds and her sister obeyed her mostly. It was because of Ayasha's silence and stern eyes that made Ayanna back away from the cage, grumbling as she stepped back.
"Fine, fine. I won't touch her."
"We must obey Tatya's orders." Ayasha said, her voice was soft, melodical. A child's voice. She was the only one other then Dmitri and Andrey to use a gun as well as her favoured chinese sword, a Jian. The Jian is a double-edged Chinese straight sword and is considered one of the four major weapons, along with the Gun (staff), Qiang (spear), and the Dao (sabre).
It is also known as 'The Gentleman of Weapons' throughout Chinese folklore and history. She had a very powerful weapon and was not someone to be underestimated. Everyone in Russia knew that. The blade was made from pure jade and the guard was shaped like the wings of a butterfly. The grip was wrapped in pure black silk and the handle was twisted silver. It was a very unique, custom-made sword.
Her gun 'Dragonfly' was a large gun with the motif of a dragonfly artistically drawn on the barrel. Both items were on either side of her hips, her Jian in its wooden scabbard on her left and her Dragonfly in its black leather holster on her right hip.
Priscilla started to stir in her cage, moaning slightly from the pain in her cheek. All three vampires turned to watch her stretch and rub the sore cheek. Ayanna licked her lips and opened her mouth slightly just so her long, sharp fangs were visible. Priscilla looked up and backed away from the front of the cage. "Who are you?!" She gasped, pressing herself against the stiff, iron bars. Ayanna chuckled and inhaled deeply, the scent of the Irish girl's fear was thick in the stuffy air.
"Why should we tell you, poor little human?" Said Ayanna in English with a twisted grin. Priscilla whimpered. She was so scared. Nothing made sense to her. What was happening? Was she kidnapped? So many questions and she was very sure her captors won't answer either. But still she could try.
"Where am I?! Who are you?! Why am I here?!"
"Tsk tsk, so many questions, how are we gonna answer them all, huh?" Ayanna cackled, seeing Priscilla growing more frightened by the second. She sniffed the air again and at once her mouth slightly watered. "A virgin! What wonderful blood you must have!"
"Ayanna do not touch or harm her in any way possible for you to think of. No one is to harm her." Ayasha warned quietly, pulling her sister back. "We must go. Let the girl rest." Pulling her sister back comepletely, the three siblings left the large underground room.
Priscilla watched as the creatures left her alone and crawled back slowly to the front of the cage. She shook the bars, fiddled with the big lock on the doors, but nothing helped. She tried to think of many strategies of how she would escape and where to go, but she didn't know where the exit was, how many more vampires were in the building or in what part of London she was currently being held.
After an hour of listening to the complete silence, Priscilla started to cry. She didn't like being alone in this scary room, she wanted to go back to Hellsing and see Nick gain. The maid hoped with all her heart that he would come and take her away from here. Automatically she reached for her wrist where her bracelette always was, and felt nothing there. This caused her small cries to evolve into painful sobs. She had lost her bracelette, her only protection from these unholy demons. She shivered. Only the Lord knows what they plan to do with her and no one even knows she was gone. Priscilla had never felt this alone in her life and the emptiness alone scared her.
Priscilla sat there and cried for hours until she fell into a troubled sleep with tears still caught in her black lashes.
Back at Hellsing, the morning was crisp and cheerful. Well it would've been if Nicholas could find his favourite maid, Priscilla. He had already spent an hour or two looking for her throughout the whole mansion before coming to her room. They were supposed to visit her family again today. Ever since that rainy day when he had spent supper at the O'Malley house, the family had told him to come back any time he wished. Today was the birthday of Priscilla's little sister, Nessie and he had been invited.
"Hello? Prissy, you decent?" He snickered at his own joke when he knocked on her bedroom door. There was no answer so he cautiously stepped inside the room, poking his head in first once he opened the dark oak door. "Priscilla?" He called out in the small room.
Nicholas came to a halt in the middle of her room. Something was out of place, he could feel it. It was that exact tingly feeling from before on that day he met Priscilla on the street. An unseen, unwelcome presence was there with him, making shivers jump through his whole body. He didn't like the feeling. Nicholas threw a glance around the room. Her maid outfit was on the back of the chair besides the vanity desk, her bed untouched and her bathrobe was still just slightly damp and still hanging from its hook on the bathroom door.
The young teen was about to take another step when he felt something round and hard under his feet. He looked down and his face grew dark and angry. Something was very wrong with this scene. Priscilla was gone, missing. He could still feel the remains of the unknown presence so he decided to follow it as best as he could. Before leaving, he bent down and picked up the silver bracelette he had given her. She never took it off, so why was it on the floor just near the door?
"Maybe I should go tell Auntie Integra and Uncle Walter about this first." He mumbled to himself. It was the right thing to do, he knew that, but something was telling him not to waste time, to follow the presence before it faded away. This strange feeling was egging him on, telling him to find her on his own. It did sound more appealing. Nick stared blankly at the slver bracelette in his hands. Mom and Father were out on a mission for two days now and a kidnapping had occured. One of Hellsing's residents were in question. Priscilla was in question.
What should he do?
He liked her, he started liking her since that day. He wanted to spend time with her, to keep her smiling, to keep her by his side at all times. He really liked her. So, what should he do?
A/N: Hope you liked this chapter. Just a bit more, wait for it. Still considering throwing in Anderson, need more opinions, please? Btw Baba Yaga is another Russian deity. She has teeth of steel and steals children at night to eat them. Again, got this from that sweet site, godchecker.
Oh and bold letters mean the russians are talkin in russian ^_^ and normal letters (like so) mean they're talkin in Engish.