sorry for yet another late chapter, ironically I have an art assignment requiring me to complete an oil painting, so I've been working on that (its taking forever, god help me).

not sure when the next update will be (no more than a fortnight hopefully) so heres a long chapter to make up for it

Thank you for everyone who reviewed/messaged me, its helped me decide where I want to go with the story and I appreciate all of your inputs.

Thanks for reading please follow/fav/review

the European language mentioned later in the chapter is Romanian

Victoria had been painting for what she estimated was around two hours, but she had no other way to tell except for the shadows slowly changing position on the walls. She was covered in paint and estimated her face and hair were no exception. The particular paint Integra provided was taking an exceptionally long time to dry, no matter how much turpentine she added. She growled in frustration and couldn't help throwing materials around the desk, 'how the hell did I think this would only take four days! ill be lucky if this is done in a fortnight' the woman thought. Flicking between brushes and colours she desperately tried to recreate the scene infront of her, but couldn't get past the growing irritability at her perceived failure. Looking for any excuse for a break from the burden she had undertaken, her silent prayers were answered when Victoria felt her phone vibrate in her pocket. wiping her paint covered hands on her shorts that were worn on top of her tights, she pulled out the device. Three long texts took up the lock screen, sighing she looked over at Integra sitting patiently in the chair, "I need to get some air, I'll be back in five" she said quickly rushing out the door before the woman could answer.

Victoria strided down the halls her boots silently connecting with the floor, she remembered seeing a door leading to a balcony near the back of the building. Not long after searching she found a series of large glass doors leading to the outside garden, 'this will do then' she thought. Pushing open the large heavy glass doors she walked out into the large open garden, walking down a brick path the artist saw a wooden bench beside a large pool. Dragging her tired feet to the small bench she sat down with a huff, a cloud of mist forming from her mouth. Burying her face into her scarf, she pulled out her phone deciding now was the best time to take care of the messages. Victoria unlocked her phone and choose to start with the longest ones, Scott had acquired her number some time ago but he never really used it as she would always ignore his messages, after briefly flicking over the message, she could almost feel her eyes roll back into her skull. The message could be summarised as half a 'sincere' apology along with the promise for it not to happen again, and the other half an attempted guilt trip to manipulate the woman into feeling bad for him. She reread the message in detail and snorted, 'idiot thinks I'd feel bad for what I did?' She quietly laughed aloud. 'I'd do it millions times over' she snickered evilly remembering how good it felt, however she was often concerned he might press charges. Ignoring his text she went onto reading the second text, this one was less entertaining as it was from her landlord, it was shorter than she expected and to the point. He explained that he'd been lenient, but had rent himself to pay and needed to make a profit, Victoria was upset at first but realised it was only her own fault. The landlord also explained that he would have no choice to evict her if she didn't pay her three months rent in full within the next fortnight. This wasn't good news and ruined her slightly improved mood, hoping for the last chance to lighten her spirits she switched to the last text. The woman perked up once she saw it was from Alex, skimming over the message she concluded it was a not-so-subtle demand for the artist to visit her at her new job, Victoria snickered, Alex could be so impatient. Victoria replied,

Victoria : I can't I'm on a commission, we agreed when I got back I'd go

She sat back on the bench and watched the grey clouds drift through the sky, it was a dark cold day, and the forecast promised snow later. While admiring the sky she felt her phone buzz.

Alex: :( Vicky y? Pls come, theres a cool parti tomoro night

Alex: plus i got a promotion

Alex: they wont care if u leaf at night, aslong as u come back in the morning

Alex: leave

Victoria: it looks unprofessional to just leave in the middle of a job to go to a club :/

Alex: u have Been ther for lik 2 days they cant force u to stay insid a crusty old manstion

Victoria paused typing her response, Alex was right, they can't hold her here against her will, they can't prevent her from going places. She considered that it might be a good way to blow off steam.

Victoria: Hmmm, alright I'll ask. but no promises

Alex: :D gr8, oh and u can bring someone if u want

Victoria: alright, if you say so

Victoria: oh my breaks almost up, I'll talk to you later

Alex: alright, ttyl, pls come

Victoria: haha I'll try

After the message sent Victoria turned of her phone and put it back into her pocket, 'shit how long was I here for?' She thought before walking back to the mansion.

The woman walked through the door and was met with a cold stare, "sorry sir, I had an urgent message" she apologised.

The knight muttered something and extinguished the cigar she was currently smoking, "how much longer" she asked, "I have a meeting in an hour" she reminded sternly.

Victoria picked up a brush and tapped the end of it on her chin thoughtfully, "really soon, quarter of an hour maybe" she reassured. Looking over at the blonde, Victoria hoped she wouldn't be irritated at her answer. Instead Integra looked tired and deflated, Victoria felt bad for Integra, she had been so patient and probably regretted her decision to have the painting made. Victoria decided she would try her hardest to finish the painting as soon as possible and to the highest quality.

Integra did something that caught Victoria by surprise, she made conversation. Maybe it was the overwhelming boredom or the prying nature of the woman, but the knight felt justified in her curiosity. Victoria almost dropped her brush in surprise when she was unexpectedly addressed,

"Victoria, how long have you been doing this for?" Integra asked coolly,

Victoria hesitated, wondering how long it's actually been, "in terms of painting?" She asked.

The knight nodded silently.

The artist hummed thoughtfully, "well I started in highschool and got rather good, but had to drop it when I went into the military" she said sadly, "afterwards I picked it up again to try and make some extra cash" the woman said quietly.

Integra already knew about Victoria's military past from the background check she always did with new employees, however she needed the woman to tell her herself to avoid suspicion in case it was brought up later accidentally by the Hellsing leader or any of her staff.

Integra nodded thoughtfully before asking a follow up question, "you used to be in the British military?" She asked, "what division?",

Victoria paused painting, "just field medical" she mumbled, "wasn't a solder or anything" she said almost disappointingly.

Integra put on her best surprised expression, "ah, I see" she said softly, "were you any good?" The knight asked.

Victoria was taken aback, was she any good? People died under her care but she also saved countless lives, "hm, yeah I suppose, saved more people than I lost" she joked.

Integra smiled softly, "good enough then" she replied.

The artist hummed a reply before returning to work, figuring the woman was in a good mood she decided to inquire about the party invite.

"Sir?" She addressed Integra

The blonde snapped out of her thoughts and focused on Victoria, "yes Victoria?" She replied,

The artist shuffled her feet and tried to form an argument, "well tomorrow night is my friends party, and she invited me to go out with her" she lied easily.

Integra was silent for several seconds, "mhmm?" She signalled to continue,

Victoria tried to pull out all her arguments to convince her, "well, it's just at night so it's after hours anyway, and I'll be back before morning and I'll still be able to work at my usual rate the next day" she rushed trying to get out all her points before Integra could shush her.

Integra considered her request, there was no way she could say no it's not like Victoria permanently worked for her. "Hm, alright but I have some terms" she said firmly, "it must be in your own time and you must take one of my employees with you" she said finally leaving no room for arguments.

Victoria thought the request of taking someone with her strange, but she had no choice but to accept, "yes of course, thankyou" she answered quickly.

XxX

twenty minutes later and Victoria was satisfied with Integra leaving, all that was left to do was to wait for the layers to dry, which in this hot dry room, wouldn't take long. "Alright Integra, your free" she said putting down her brushes and wiping her hands on a cloth.

The Hellsing leader, stood up slowly and groaned quietly. She silently walked over to Victoria and reached inside her skirt pocket, Victoria watched her carefully suspicious of what she had in there. Integra pulled out a folded A4 sheet of paper and held it out to Victoria, the dark haired woman carefully took the paper from the gloved hand and gave her a puzzled look.

"The picture you requested" Integra supplied, "burn it after your done" she ordered sternly.

Victoria nodded silently, accepting her order. The knight turned away and began to walk towards the door, stalling as she stood in the frame, "I'll come check your progress later" she noted before walking out of sight completely.

Integra began striding down the hall towards her office, where she would meet the provider of their less than legal weapons. She looked at her watch and found there to be no time to change out the uncomfortable clothing chosen for her portrait, huffing the knight hitched up her skirt and rushed towards her office. She had just sat down when there was a knock at the door, flattening her clothing she lit a cigar and tried to compose herself, "enter" she called.

XxX

Victoria huffed and put down the brush she had been holding for what she estimated was hours, flexing her stiffened fingers she cracked her knuckles and relived some of the pain. Checking her phone she saw that in fact it was much longer than she thought, fours hours to be exact, and it was now six thirty in the evening. She pulled out her headphones and began to pack up, she found it unusual Integra hadn't checked on her as she said she would, 'probably wiped out from her meeting' she mused.

XxX

The vampire lay flat in his coffin, a sense of safety and comfort was provided by the close quarters, he lay deathly still, no rise of his chest or twitch in his limbs. However inside his mind he felt more alive then ever, for the first time in decades he was dreaming, a clash of joy and pain had awakened the long dormant memory's inside of his mind. Alucard walked down the many halls in his castle, the long destroyed structure could only be seen through his eyes. He has just become the ruler of Walachia known as Vlad Dracul, back before he became Dracula and was captured by van Hellsing. He had strided into a candlelit room, and slowly walked up to a woman in a floor length crimson dress with hip length hair, she was painting on a large piece of cow skin and humming softly. When she heard the man enter the room she put down her brush and turned gracefully to face him before they met in a loving embrace, he wrapped his muscular battle scarred arms around her small frame and felt her slender arms wrap around his torso. "Where were you, vlad?" She murmured, muffled slightly by the man's chest.

"Katja, I'm so sorry, they were stronger than I thought" he replied pressing her closer to his body.

The dark haired woman pulled away from him and smiled, her red eyes reflecting the candlelight, "I've missed you so much" she muttered, before pulling him closer again in an embrace, "oh!" she murmured, suddenly tearing away from him in excitement before dragging him to the cow skin in the centre of the room, "I just finished it in time", she presented the painting and beamed. Vlad chuckled softly at her energy and excitement, infront of him was a large image of his castle, the sky was dark and the surface was incredibly detailed, there were also two figures standing together infront of the entrance, him and the dark haired women. She softly walked up to him admiring the painting, "do you like it?" She asked nervously.

Before she knew it she was again squeezing into and even tighter embrace, 'how long was I away' he thought sadly remembering it as a blank canvas when he left. Breaking apart he looked into her eyes lovingly, "it's perfect I love it, I'll have it hung in the dining hall". She squealed excitedly and Vlad smiled softly at her reaction, "how did you become so talented my dear" he asked curiously.

she smiled widely showing her elongated canines, "I've had centuries to practice, but you already know that" she giggled childishly. Indeed he did know of her nature, but she seemed harmless, once he saw her he had to have her.

Picking her up gracefully he placed her on the bed, "I missed you Katja" he said softly brushing a strand hair behind her ear, before pressing his lips on hers in a gentle kiss.

"Burn the monster" one man yelled. "Kill the bitch" another screeched. Katja backed against the castle wall, blood dripping down her chin, while crimson tears simultaneously fell from her illuminated red eyes. Vlad had ordered her not to feed while he was away in fear of her getting caught, she couldn't resist and now a male slave lay at her feet dead.

"Please it's not what it seems" she pleaded,

"Shut your mouth, devils harlot!" The boldest of the crowd yelled, he was Vlad's right hand man and most trusted advisor, Katja had known and trusted him for years.

"Please, Vlad can clear my name, wait for his return!" She yelled back.

The man considered her request, but found it too dangerous to let the monster free, "burn her, we can't let it free" he announced.

Katja smiled sadistically under her curtain of hair, "so be it" she whispered. A man wrapped a calloused hand around her forearm and she quickly swung around and latched onto his neck with her sharpened teeth, jerking her head she began tearing through the flesh and ripping into his jugular. He immediately released his grip and fell to the floor holding the gash in his neck, spitting out the chunk of flesh Katja brought her bare foot down on his now weeping head slowly increasing the pressure until his skull cracked like an egg, brain matter and skull fragments covered the floor. A screech could be heard from across the room as a man begun to ran full pelt in her direction with a dinner knife. Katja chuckled darkly, "aw did you know this filthy roach" she called condescendingly, the man simply screeched and continued to run forward eventually standing at only a pace away from the woman. She cackled loudly and felt her already long nails extend to claws, "try me bastard" she whispered narrowing her crimson eyes. He charged forward with grit teeth and the knife held infront of him screaming, "as if that'll help you worm" she barked, easily dodging his weak attack. His eyes widened as he realised that the woman was now behind him, claws pressing into his throat,

"bitch" he whispered

she chuckled darkly, "you know it". The vampire then tore her claws across his throat is a single resist-less movement, tearing it to ribbons in mere seconds. Falling to the ground the man tried say something but only let out a bloody gargle, Katja put a bloody foot on his chest and laughed manically, licking her claws clean sadistically. She raised her head and announced to the crowd her willingness to kill every single member of this castle and dared anyone to challenge her, men and woman fell to their knees and begged forgiveness others prayed to god to strike her down. She cackled mercilessly and began striding towards the receding crowd, "WHOS NEXT?" She screemed, cackling like a mad woman.

"KATJA!" a voice called,

She whipped around snarling and bearing her fangs, but stopped when she saw who it was. Vlad stood in the doorway, shocked at seeing his normally calm collected bride, snarling, spitting and threatening servents with painful deaths. He was conflicted at what he was supposed to do, he was not yet a vampire as she hadn't changed him as promised, there was no way he could take her head on. He looked sadly into her eyes, he'd kept her secret so long, but today she had snapped for the first time and it evaded him why. "Katja, I need you to come here" he said sweetly, his fingertips running across the hidden silver dagger on his belt. ' I have no choice, it's for the good of my people' he thought. 'I'll be disgraced if they knew I married a monster'.

"Oh Vlad I'm so sorry" she had returned to normal and went running into his embrace, weeping softly, he held her tight and nuzzled into her vanilla scented hair.

"It's not your fault my love, I forgive you" he said sadly, knowing what he had to do.

"You do?" She sniffled looking up at him with crimson tears running down her cheeks,

"yes, but my people won't, I'm a leader now my love, surely you understand, hopefully god may forgive you so you do not go to hell" he said quietly petting her hair softly while trying to hold back tears.

She smiled before understanding what he said "wait what did you sa-" she didn't finish as a sharp pain ran through her chest. Looking down she saw the tip of a silver dagger poking through the front of her dress surrounded by a growing pool of crimson. Looking up at him frowning sadly, "I thought you loved me?" She said softly tears cascading down her cheeks, she slowly fell to the floor "you bastard...I loved you" she choked before closing her eyes for the last time.

He awoke, a gasp of air filling his useless lungs, a wet substance rolled down his cheek, slowly reaching up to his face he touched the substance with his ungloved hands. Rubbing the liquid between his fingertips in the pitch black his night vision could see it was red, and he could smell the familiar coppery scent 'Crying?' he thought, he had awoken to the feelings of sadness he experienced that day. Climbing out of his coffin ungracefully, he wiped the substance off his pale cheeks. He often thought of Katja, and how no matter how many brides he'd had, none he loved as much as her, although at the time he never appreciated her as much as he should of. Alucard had since always remembered her face as being covered in tears and showing an expression of betrayal, over the years it always stung slightly whenever he remembered her but the regret he felt never vampire now realised why he detested Victoria so much, she reminded him of Katja, and because of her these repressed memories now rose to the surface.

XxX

Victoria had just put the last brush in the turpentine, when she was struck with a blinding headache. Holding onto the table as she felt her legs give way and she slid onto the floor, the face of a snarling woman flashed through her mind, and she pressed her hands to her forehead, she felt pressure building and felt like her head was going to explode. Her vision went black and she saw the same woman laughing and giggling, she was saying something in a European language. A new scene appeared and Victoria almost screamed in pain, gritting her teeth she struggled to stay conscious, the woman's red eyes were staring at her intensely and red tears leaked from them, she spoke again the same language as before and it sounded like she was begging. Victoria reached out to help her when her vision cut completely.

explanation

He remembered Katja, a vampire mistress from the time when he was known as Vlad the impaler and ruler of wallachia, he was human at the time but knew about her being a vampire. He loved her and regretfully sacrificed her to maintain his leadership. He killed her to keep his rep (and life) and in those days associating with demons was the worst thing you could do.