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Hellsing: Coat of Arms	By : KDKB Category: Hellsing > AU - Alternate Universe Views: 1360 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: We do not own Hellsing or any characters. We also do not make any money from this story.

Chapter List
- 5
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Chapter 5: The Master and the Servant

          The unearthly blaze began to smolder and die, leaving the small company to stare in stunned disbelief at the small figure before them. Everyone shifted uncomfortably, unsure of how to proceed; no one knew what to make of this young girl who seemed to be dreaming peacefully on the marble floor of the mausoleum.

           Except one.

           Seiryu's breath caught in his throat as he stifled an angry growl, eyes wide in the now-waning firelight. "How the hell?" he thundered. Completely forgetting that Anna was at his side, he lunged past her, almost knocking her to the ground as he attempted to reach the slumbering child.

           "What the hell do you think you're doing?"she demanded, barely managing to regain her feet in time to throw herself in front of the angry demon, stopping him in his tracks. "Stand down!"

          "Get out of the way!" he roared. "This child can't be here!" All but shoving Anna to the side, he rushed to the foot of the casket, hurriedly reaching out to scoop the girl into his arms. However, before he could so much as touch her, her eyes suddenly flew open, a muffled cry escaping her lips in a spatter of blood. A crimson stream began to flow from her chest, staining the marble floor with a rich vermillion pool.

           "N...no!" Seiryu shouted. "Fuck. Fuck!" Scrambling to his feet, he frantically scanned the room, then disappeared into the shadows.

          Anna drew a sharp breath, watching the blood soak the floor with horrified eyes. Hastily pushing herself to her feet, she stumbled over to the girl, pressing her hands to the gaping wound in an attempt to stop the bleeding. "Medic!" she gasped, throwing a frantic glance over her shoulder at the group of men who stood behind her, paralyzed with fear. "Somebody get a-"

           Her plea was cut short as the body began to dissolve into shadow, and she felt her knuckles strike the marble floor of the tomb. The force she had applied to the girl's wound jarred her locked elbows, and she instinctively pulled her arms back to her sides. Unable to right herself before she lost her balance, she toppled toward the blood-soaked ground, squeezing her eyes shut as she braced for impact.

          Before she could strike the unforgiving stone, a pair of strong hands hooked themselves gently beneath her arms, arresting her momentum and lifting her easily to her feet. "My master..." A deep, silky voice sounded from just behind her left ear. "Are you hurt...Master Integra?"

          She felt her heart skip a beat at the sound of her mother's name. The dim light of the single candle illuminated the crimson pool at her feet; she was able to make out two gleaming eyes from the rippling surface of the bloody stain. Suddenly overwhelmed with fear, she desperately searched the room for Seiryu. The demon, of course, was nowhere to be found.

          Behind her, one of the men finally managed to collect himself. He drew his gun and trained its sights shakily between the broad shoulders of the newcomer, his finger tightening on the trigger as he prepared to fire a blessed bullet.

          "Stand down, soldier!" Andrew commanded hastily, reaching out to bat the muzzle of the gun toward the floor. "This is why we're here."

          Anna swallowed hard, then slowly turned to face the man who had saved her from her fall. He towered a good foot and a half over her head, making her feel even smaller as she craned her neck to meet his burning red eyes.

          "I...I'm fine," she told him hesitantly. "However, Integra was my mother. My name is Anna. Annabel Integra Hellsing." She forced herself to give him a wan smile, willing the icy hands of dread to release their hold on her heart.

          He raised a thin black eyebrow, eyes narrowing slightly as he studied her face. "I see. I must have been gone longer than I thought." The hems of his Victorian duster rustled about his booted feet as he swept her a small bow. "Then I must request that you direct me to your mother. I'm afraid I have to apologize for taking so long to return to her."

          She heard the men behind her exchange uneasy glances; she bit her bottom lip, unsure of what to say. She had hoped that he would have already known of her mother's death, and that she would be able to avoid this conversation altogether. "That...won't exactly be possible," she murmured. Pivoting slowly on the slippery floor, she cast a mournful look at the casket that stood silently against the wall. "My mother was killed...just a few days ago."

          Alucard froze red eyes wide in the darkness. "...killed? My master...was killed?" Gloved hands clenched and unclenched at the end of trembling arms as his gaze fell, unseeing, to the floor. "H...how...my master...my Integra..."

          Though she knew there was no possible way he could have returned before this moment, the irrational part of her wanted to pound her fists into his chest with as much strength as she could muster. Cry. Scream at him for not being there to protect her mother when she needed it the most. Sequestering these childish thoughts beneath a heavy sigh, she steeled herself and went on. "We aren't exactly sure. The latest theory is that a demon attacked the manor, since there seem to be so many of them running at the moment. Unfortunately, most of our forces were decimated along with her, so we have no way to know for sure. I'm sorry, but I don't have a better answer for you."

          "A demon." Sharp fangs glistened in the flickering light as he spat the words through gritted teeth. "A threat Hellsing has never faced before. How very interesting." Turning back to her, his furious gaze softened, and he reached out to lightly brush his fingertips along the edge of her jaw. "You look just like her," he murmured. Seeming perplexed, he let his arm drop to his side, his eyes fixated on everything and nothing as he lost himself in thought.

          Anna watched the barely detectable emotions flash across his stoic face, uncertain of what to make of him. Mostly, she saw anger in those cold red eyes. However, it was the small flickers of pain that made her rethink the scathing blame she wanted to cast upon him. Clearing her throat, she asked, "Alucard...can you reach Seras? She's been missing since yesterday."

          "Seras Victoria?" His brow furrowed as he cocked his head back to give her a scrutinizing look. "I should think it was your duty to know her location. You are the new leader of the Hellsing organization, are you not?"

          Her animosity toward him returned in force as her cheeks burned red at his poorly disguised jab at her competency. "Yes, but that doesn't mean I have the innate ability to know the position of my subordinates at all times."

          "One such as Seras should never find herself anywhere without your knowledge and express consent," he said icily. "A weapon is of no use to its master if its master is too incompetent to remember where she placed it."

          "Well, I'm sorry, but in case you haven't noticed, I'm kind of new at this job," she snapped back. "And I don't exactly take her with me when I go to take a shower, which is when she disappeared. It's not my fault that she-"

          "You sound like a petulant child," he sneered. "Tell me, little girl, do you honestly expect to command my loyalty and respect with petty excuses for your shortcomings?"

          Her mouth flopped open, then snapped shut as she gave him a withering look.

          "I thought not. Perhaps there is hope for you yet." He went silent for a moment, his gaze turning inward as he searched for the young draculina. "It would seem she's been locked in the dungeon of Hellsing manor," he said at last, returning his eyes to hers in time to see her crumple with relief. "She is under a powerful spell. She always was a careless girl..."

          Forcing herself to swallow her pride, she gave him a stiff nod. "I see. Thank you." Eager to escape his scornful stare, she quickly turned to leave, brushing past him as she gestured to the bloody mess on the floor. "Get someone to clean this up," she ordered hastily, avoiding Andrew's sympathetic eyes as she made her way back toward the entrance.

          The older man nodded after her, signaling a few of his men to follow her back to the car. When he was sure they had caught up to her and were escorting her out, he turned back to the rest of his troop with a crooked smile. "You heard the lady. Let's get this place cleaned up."

          Ignoring the men as they prepared to go about their work, Alucard glided listlessly through the pool of blood to stand in front of Integra's casket. The crimson liquid glimmered dully in the light of the candle, then was drawn from the floor without a trace as his booted feet passed silently through it, eliciting a low, uneasy murmur from the team of agents who had recoiled in fear. Placing a hand on the stone statue's cold face, the vampire king let himself slide to his knees, his chin coming to rest on the edge of the heavy lid. "Forgive me, my master..." he whispered, a slender finger tracing the contours of the marble cheek. "Your servant has failed you." Letting his hand drop from the statue, he folded his arms atop the cool surface of the casket and laid his head upon them. "...Integra...I should never have allowed myself to disobey your final order."

          Anna paused about halfway down the hall, chewing her lip as she cast a furtive glance over her shoulder. Seeing Andrew and the other soldiers standing uneasily at attention outside of the chamber, she frowned and made her way back to the group. She was about to ask what the holdup was when Andrew nodded wordlessly to the casket, where Alucard kept silent vigil over his fallen mistress. "Wait for me by the door," she murmured, feeling her scorned heart soften as her eyes glided across his slumped frame. "We'll be along in a moment."

          When the men had found their way back to the entrance, she took a deep breath and walked over to Alucard, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "We all miss her," she said quietly.

          "But it was I who was sworn to protect her." Heaving a frustrated sigh, he shoved himself to his feet, his pentagrammed glove puckering angrily as his fingers clutched at the smooth stone of the casket. "I was her loyal servant, her protector, her weapon and her shield. Now, because of my selfish lust for battle, she is dead."

          She gave his shoulder a slight squeeze. "She won't have died in vain. We will find the one who did this, and we will make them pay."

          He ground his fangs together in a ferocious snarl. "I assure you, I will tear the bastard limb from limb, impale his body on a spearhead, and let him bleed out on the battlements of the Hellsing manor. However, in the meantime, it would seem I have a new master." Gently shrugging her hand from his shoulder, he removed his hat and knelt at her feet, dark hair glimmering in the candlelight as he bowed his head. "I am yours to command," he told her hollowly.

          She sucked in a shallow breath, her eyes darting uncomfortably around the room as she cleared her throat. "I uh...appreciate the gesture, Alucard, but please, get up. If it's alright with you, I would like to get home and get Seras out of the dungeon. I'm sure she'll be happy to see you. She's been very worried about you."

          He snorted, rising to his feet and placing his wide brimmed fedora back on his head. "That idiot," he growled. "Where the hell was she when my master was killed?"

          Ignoring the twinge of guilt she had been pushing to the back of her mind for days, she averted her gaze and prayed he hadn't noticed. "With me," she muttered. Feeling his red eyes boring into her soul, she ducked her head and turned back toward the exit, moving away from him as fast as she could manage without betraying the shame that threatened to overwhelm her.

          Alucard watched her retreat through disdainful eyes. "She should never have left our master's side," he growled. His gaze fell upon his pentagrammed glove, and he clenched his fist. "Then again, neither should I." Casting one final, mournful glance at the stone silhouette of his master, he followed Anna out of the mausoleum. She had already caught up with the rest of her team, and the group was making its way back toward the car waiting anxiously at the entrance to the cemetery. The vampire king paused at the door, his hand resting softly on its ancient surface as he flicked his eyes across the chambers of the resting titans. "I will protect her in your place, my master," he promised quietly. "I will keep her safe until I am forced to dream once more." The door slipped from his fingertips, the lock sliding silently into place as he faded into the darkness.

          Moments later he reappeared next to Anna, who had just hiked one foot up into the car and was preparing to pull herself inside. His sudden presence made her jump, and she had to scramble to keep herself from tumbling back onto the sidewalk.

          "God, don't...don't do that!" she yelped, pressing her hand over her thundering heart. "You scared the hell out of me!"

          "My apologies," he said acidly, lip curling slightly in the shadows. "It's easy to forget how little experience you've had with creatures of the night."

          "Seras doesn't do that," she snapped, scowling at him as she turned once more toward the interior of the armored car.

          Alucard rolled his eyes, but decided to remain silent. Once his charge had settled onto the bench, he glided easily up the steps and took the seat across from her. The rest of the troop filtered into the vehicle; Andrew brought up the rear, signaling to the driver as he pulled the heavy steel door shut behind him. Soon the car was rolling quietly through the streets of London, silent except for the dull purr of the engine beneath their feet.

          Anna watched the street lights streak by, her head resting tiredly against the headrest of her seat as she vaguely wondered what time it was. All she wanted was to close her eyes and forget the world for just a little while...

          The sound of Andrew quietly clearing his throat shook her from her thoughts. "Madam Hellsing," he said cautiously. "The one who calls himself Seiryu did not return with the rest of the team."

          "I know, Andrew," she grumbled, closing her eyes as she rubbed the bridge of her nose. "I haven't seen him since just before Alucard's return. Some protector."

           The vampire king's eyes narrowed, their crimson irises bathing her face in eerie red light. "What are you talking about?"

          Anna hesitated. Seras' words of caution were ringing loudly in her ears, and she found herself loathe to dig herself deeper into the bowels of his disapproval.

          "Well?"

          "He's a demon," she muttered at last, dropping her hand back into her lap. "Shortly after my mother was killed, he saved me from yet another demon attack that even Seras was not able to detect. He claims to have worked for my father before he died, as part of the United States Anti-Freak Operation, anti-demon division...or something like that." Seeing the disparagingly skeptical look on her new companion's face, she flushed and hastily barreled on. "He was bound to my father like you were bound to my mother. His last order was to protect us from the demon threat they were unable to contain in the States. He didn't get here in time to save my mother, but-"

           "...and this didn't seem the slightest bit suspicious to you?" he asked incredulously.

          "He saved my life!" Her fists clenched together, their knuckles white in the darkness. "Seras didn't even see the threat coming! You weren't there, what the hell was I supposed to do?"

          "Did it ever occur to you that this demon, this 'Seiryu', may himself have carefully orchestrated the attack on your mother and subsequently on you in order to invade the Hellsing estate?" He eyed her with disdain. "Are you a fool?"

          The car lurched to the stop. She heard the driver get out of the front seat, and she busied herself with loosening her harness. Yet again her face burned with embarrassment, and once more she found herself at a loss for words. She avoided his gaze until the rest of the team had exited the vehicle, then followed them out into the terminal.

          "I suppose you have no answer," he sneered, sliding through the side of the car without bothering with the door. "I would have thought my master would have taught you better than that."

          She paused at the entrance to estate, her fingers clenched tightly around the steel handle. "I thought it would be best to keep an eye on him. I'm sorry if you do not approve." Shoving open the door, she started off down the ancient underground passageway toward the dungeons.

          "Yes, because you and a handful of men are more than a match for a demon," he snorted, watching the would-be soldiers gather around Andrew for a tired debriefing before fading through the door to follow after his charge. "I'm beginning to wonder if you've set me up for a babysitting job, my master," he muttered to the stale air of the Hellsing sublevels.

          She ground her teeth in frustration and ignored him. Coming to the cast iron door at the end of the hall, she reached out and gave the rusted handle a tug, scowling when it didn't budge. "I don't suppose you can get this open," she asked him sullenly.

          Alucard snickered quietly, then reached past her to place a pentagrammed hand on the handle. There was an earsplitting crunch; cascades of disintegrated rust poured from the door frame, revealing the dank shadows of the dungeons in a reddish gray cloud of smoke.

          Anna coughed and pressed her sleeve over her mouth, peering through watering eyes into the darkness as her free hand searched blindly for the light switch. Finally her fingertips connected with the handle of the old fashioned switch box, and she yanked it down into the on position. A single bulb suspended from a long wire sputtered to life above her head, its mate flickering on just around the bend in the corridor. "After you," she muttered, stepping off to the side so he could lead the way.

          He slightly inclined his head, then slipped silently past her and started off down the long, dusty corridor. The ancient passageways surrounded him with a familiar decadence; the scent of wet mold, dead rodents, and long-dried blood was almost nostalgic. Shaking off his thoughts, he approached the door to his former cell, a smirk turning his lip as he admired the irony. "Let's see what you've gotten yourself into this time, Police Girl..." he chuckled. Reaching out a gloved hand, he turned the iron knob, freeing it easily from 30 years' worth of rust. Once the door was open, he offered Anna a slight bow, gesturing for her to enter. "After you, my master."

          "Any chance I can get you to stop calling me that?" she grumbled, sliding past him to enter the room. "Your master was my mother; I'm just Anna."

           "It is not my wish to call you by your name," he replied emotionlessly. "Thus far, you have proven yourself to be a child in need of constant supervision, and were you not the daughter of my master; I would find you quite repulsive in your stupidity. However, if you command it, I will comply."

           The young Hellsing rolled her eyes to the ceiling in exasperation. "Fine. Just do whatever." Willing herself to remain calm, she slowly returned her attention to the task at hand, her gaze slowly scanning the dimly lit room until it fell upon the casket on the far side of the room.

          Seras lay sprawled across Alucard's long disused coffin, red eyes wide, dull, and staring lifelessly at the ceiling. Her hands were poised at her sides as if to ward off some unseen assailant, but her body was still as the grave. Anna felt a wave of guilt as she took in the unsettling scene, her hand flying to her lips as she stifled a miserable groan.

          Alucard, however, seemed unconcerned.

          "Hmm." The no life king moved past Anna's trembling figure, crossing the cell in a few elegant steps to stoop at his servant's side. "How very interesting," he said to himself, running a slender finger down her arm.

          "What? What is it?" Anna demanded, forcing herself to take a few hesitant steps forward. "Is she alright?"

           "Does it look like she's alright?" he muttered.

           "Well, no, but...I mean...what I meant was...is there anything I can do to help?" Steeling herself against her feelings of anger and inadequacy, she swallowed hard and made her way to the other side of the coffin.

           "As a matter of fact, there is." Cocking his head to the side, he cast her a leering look. "I don't suppose you've ever fed her, since I'd imagine that was a privilege reserved only for Sir Integra."

           "F...fed her?" The young Hellsing ascendant met his gaze with wide eyes, unable to suppress the disgusted curl of her lip as the prospect roiled in her mind. "I...I don't...I never thought..." Her hands twisted behind her back.

           "Of course you didn't." Alucard settled back onto his haunches, amused by the distaste that was evident on her now-pallid features. "Well I'm assuming you do want to save her, correct?"

           "Of course."

           "You know that vampires drink blood, do you not?"

           "I'm naive, not an idiot," she snapped. "For all her success as a leader, my mother was never a very good teacher. So please forgive me if I'm a little behind. Now, if you would kindly stop being an ass and explain what I have to do, we can help this poor girl before I die of old age."

           He smirked, then briefly closed his eyes with a slight nod of his head. "As you wish." Picking up her hand, he gingerly removed her glove, his breath rushing between his lips with a quiet hiss as her flesh was bared to the stale dungeon air. "You need only cut your finger," he said breathlessly, unaware of the lusty quality of his voice. "She requires only a few drops of pure, virgin blood."

          She drew in a deep breath to steady herself, then reached into one of the pouches on her utility belt to retrieve her army knife. "Are you sure this will help her?" she asked, then bit her tongue when she saw the incredulous look in his crimson eyes. "...right." She blew out a small sigh, then flipped open one of the silver blades and slid it across the pad of her finger. A thin line of blood slowly beaded up along the edge of the wound. Pursing her lips in dismay, she turned her attention back to the vampire king. "Okay...now what?"

           He was silent a moment, his red eyes blazing in the dark room. She could see the powerful muscles of his jaw working in his cheek, his sharp fangs bared in a menacing grimace as he hungrily eyed her injured finger. For a split second, she felt an overwhelming desire to run.

          After what seemed like an eternity, he finally regained control of himself. "My apologies," he murmured, the vermillion light fading from his eyes. Firmly taking her hand, he positioned her injured fingertip over Seras' open mouth, squeezing the base of her finger until a few drops of crimson blood fell onto the young vampiress' tongue.
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Hellsing: Coat of Arms