Do not own! Not my story! (the usual disclaimer) My friend also sends her stammering thanks for you all liking the story, LIKE I TOLD HER YOU WOULD!
Alucard's POV:
I toyed with the stem of my wineglass; refusing to admit to myself I was waiting for Flora. She had taken to visiting my dungeon room every night, talking to me for hours sometimes, and once I had to carry her back to her room because she fell asleep. She had been here a week and a half, and had never once been late. She had turned out to be a fascinating little creature, having read many books, yet spent most of her young life outdoors. She also had a vast knowledge of the occult, although it was mostly creatures and their habits, nothing that would be useful to a vampire hunter, however, they made for rather interesting little debates. She also had displayed an interest in my powers, although I had only skimmed the surface lightly once, she seemed to have a capacity for filling in the blanks.
She was late tonight, however, almost ten minutes late. I thought perhaps Integra had found out and stopped the visits, although I was pretty sure neither of us had breathed a word. I almost called out her name in welcome when Walter brought my evening meal, and sucked it down in a moody silence. When I was done, and no one was likely to bother me for a while, I phased to her room to see light coming from the little office connected to it, and walked in to see her staring at a computer intently, headphones in. I sighed, shaking my head in regret, and tapping her lightly on the shoulder. She twitched and looked over her shoulder, yanking her earphones out when she saw me. "Oh sorry! I was watching Vocaloid and lost track of time…" she said, looking ashamed and rubbing the back of her head.
I raised an eyebrow, seeing a cartoonish girl on the screen. "Vocaloid?" I said, leaning forward and minimizing the screen. She quickly ducked under me, grabbing the mouse away and clicking on the search engine. "Yeah, I have something you might like. It's sorta like a band, but different." She explained, typing something in. "Here." She said, handing me an earbud. "I'm sharing, so be nice." She warned me, before clicking a certain video. "This is Trick and Treat, it's in Japanese, but there are subtitles…" she told me, trailing off as the music started. I shrugged and watched as the cartoon characters started moving, wincing a little at the high-pitched singing, but eventually watching in fascination. I looked down, seeing her enthralled, then frowned. My arm had draped over her shoulders, and she was leaning into it. I jerked it away quickly, refocusing on the video.
It ended, and she twitched the earbud out of my ear. "Do you want to listen to more?" she asked as an afterthought, looking up at me and smiling hopefully. "Well…" I said slowly, looking at her door. This was a bit more open than my dungeon room, and there was a chance someone might stumble in on us. "A few more would be interesting." I said finally, and she beamed at me and quickly moved out of her seat, unplugging the headphones and motioning me to sit down. I sat, and she showed me a different video. "Alice Human Sacrifice" she said in explanation, sitting down on the floor. She hummed along to this one, rocking back and forth from her place on the floor. I watched her out of the corner of my eye, but still listened to the music. It seemed this band specialized in dark, vague themes, with murder or death slipped in among the lyrics, and evil creatures portrayed as innocent things.
She giggled though, pointing to the screen. "Yellow Alices are my favorites." She said in excitement, and I turned back to the screen. I watched them "die" then turned to her. "Last song." I warned her, although these seemed to be quite interesting. She pouted and scooted around me, bending over the keyboard and typing in something. She sat back down, staring at me nervously. "This one is my favorite." She said sheepishly, blushing. "Bad End Night." She gazed at the computer in anticipation as the music started again, and within seconds I was riveted as well. This was by far the most interesting, and I almost regretted it when it was over. I sighed quietly and turned the computer off, standing up and walking away.
Flora followed me, yawning. "Sorry about not showing up tonight." She muttered sleepily, sitting down on her bed and yanking the covers away. "It's alright." I said, seeing her already mostly asleep. She muttered something, relaxing that tiny little bit that meant she was really and truly asleep. I smiled sadly, and then reached over to pull the covers up, tucking her in gently. She looked confused even in her sleep as I did that, and I quickly phased away, back to my lonely basement room and my coffin.
Flora's POV
I stretched, waking up fully when I saw sunlight streaming in through the windows and Walter pouring my milk out as usual. "Iscariot is coming today." He said, placing the tray in my lap neatly. "Iscariot…who are they?" I asked, munching on some toast. "I suppose you could say our rivals. Their Catholics, and fanatics, and don't approve of Sir Integra or Alucard. I daresay they won't approve of you either, young hellion that you are." He said, winking at me as he said the last bit to let me know he was joking. "I'm guessing since you're informing me and telling me about them, I have to go see them?" I asked, slumping in bed. "Yes, and nobody's had the time to get you any other formal clothes, so the ones we lent you will just have to do." He said apologetically, and I sighed.
"Right…can I jump out the window and skip seeing them?" I said reluctantly, and he chuckled. "I believe you would have to see them anyway, your window is right above the front drive." He said, bowing and leaving the room. I snapped my fingers. "Damn." I muttered, slouching out of bed and moving to get dressed with all the happy enthusiasm of a criminal on a hangman's steps. My blouse buttoned tightly over my chest, and my skirt snug against my hips, I walked down to see Sir Integra. She sighed when she saw me, and I maneuvered into my chair carefully. "There's nothing else?" She asked Walter despairingly, and he shook his head. "Everything else is still being ordered and even your things are all in the wash." He said apologetically, and she slumped in her seat. "Wonderful. Flora, can you keep to the back? The very back?" She asked me, and I nodded. "Personally, I can even exit the room and hide in the basement or something, rather than meet these people." I said, and she nodded.
"I see Walter's told you about them. Well, let me be a bit more specific. The current leader is Enrico Maxwell, who is a filthy pig. His hit man and probable bodyguard when he visits us is Father Alexander Anderson. What is your view on Catholics?" I swallowed. "Umm…I was raised Catholic, but I kinda turned out to be…atheist." I said, blushing. She turned white. "Do not mention that to them. They're iffy enough about you as it is, what with being my heir and all. Just say you were raised Catholic and leave it at that." I nodded, and she waved me out of her office. "Stay in the parlor and don't get dirty." She said, and I blushed. "I don't run outside that fast, especially in such a tight outfit." I muttered, following Walter. I sat down, yanking out a book and starting to read.
Maxwell's POV:
"So your heir, what is she like?" I asked, trying to be polite as Sir Hellsing led us into her home. "Quiet, mostly. A bit shy." She said, shrugging and opening the door. A teenager was reclining on the couch, reading a thick and heavy book, but my attention was immediately diverted to her extremely tight fitting top, which looked like it was about to pop a button any second, and her skirt, which was short and snug against her slim hips. I swallowed hard, blinking. "Flora." Sir Hellsing said, breaking me out of my daze, and the girl looked up, glancing at me and Anderson with steely storm blue eyes, then looking back down at her book. "Flora…" She sighed, shaking her head. The girl looked up again, her eyes snapping with annoyance, and muttered "Hello." shortly, cradling her book and holding out a hand. I took it, shaking her hand a couple times and letting go as she sat back down.
"Well, I'll leave you to get to know them." Sir Hellsing said, walking back out of the room quickly. Flora frowned after her, muttering something under her breath. I sat down opposite her, trying very hard not to stare at her curves. Anderson stood behind me, scowling, keeping a hand on his bayonets. Flora looked up at him, frowning. I hurriedly said "This is Alexander Anderson, my best man and bodyguard." Her frown didn't change, and she suddenly got up, walking towards him and leaning over the couch slightly. Her hand wavered a few inches away from his face, and she brightened, giggling a little and sitting back down. We exchanged bemused looks. "He's taller than Alucard." She chuckled, pointing to Anderson's face. He snorted a little, and even I had to hide a smirk. Then we both frowned as something occurred to us. "How do you know o' that abomination?" Anderson said, scowling again.
She stopped giggling and shuddered. "He's always following me or Integra." She said nervously, looking around. "He's creepy." I patted her hand sympathetically, and she twitched. Integra's butler popped his head in. "Oh, there you are Mrs. Flora. Could you get your confounded cat out of the tree?" He said, and she jumped up. "He's in the tree again!? Hang on." She darted out the door, and the butler said "Sir Hellsing will be with you momentarily." before ducking back out again. I sighed, frowning. Integra was scarce substitute for someone with such a tight shirt.