Monsters and Angels

Okay, a little bit longer chappie for you :) As usual I own nothing.

Chapter twelve

Montgomery whirled her around the floor, letting just enough power ebb from him to keep her in a lulled state. He looked around but he hadn't seen Alucard. Was it possible that her pet had run off for a bite? Oh he did hope so. Slowly, he whirled them closer to the terrace doors again. He'd just get her outside and take a bite himself.

Alucard was moving to intercept when he became aware of several of Montgomery's lackeys. They positioned themselves between the door and himself. Fools. He grinned his wide sinister grin and walked towards them. He wanted to draw his gun, to finish them quickly, however their actions were not those of full aggression. They were not attacking other guests.

Not only did he have to deal with them and see to his master's safety but now he was made responsible for the holding the mask of the Hellsing Organization. Well, he supposed he could handle that. He edged toward the corridor door watching as the servants followed him.

Good, good, once out of view he'd destroy them and go after Integra. She was strong enough to hold on a few more minutes. He backed into the dark hall and then they were there with him. Circling like beasts of prey and he laughed darkly. "Oh yes, do come for me. I can't wait to end your miserable existence."

~~~~

Integra felt heavy, as if she let go of Montgomery she might topple to the stones beneath her. Something was wrong, very wrong. She felt a stab of panic, where was Alucard? She closed her eyes, took a steadying breath and peered up at the captain.

How had they gotten outside, she couldn't recall. Why was that? Montgomery seemed oblivious to her distress.

"Lovely night don't you think?" he asked. Then he grinned madly down at her and his fangs gleamed at her. Her eyes widened, and the world moved in slow motion.

She focused her energies and shoved away from him, only to fall back in the snow. He stood over her, a room full of people only feet away and she couldn't call for them. Her voice would not come to her. She scooted backwards, a slow, grinding pace.

Alucard dispatched them quickly enough, leaving nothing but traces of dust where the minions had once stood. He could feel Integra's panic rise around him. He could smell the one thing from her that he never thought to again.... fear.

Damn these lesser beings for coming here and damn him for letting them separate them. He melted into the shadows of the castle and sped to her.

He materialized a mere foot away from her. Her eyes locked on the man above her. He grinned at her and cooed softly. "What is the matter Sir Hellsing? No pet to save you now? Perhaps he tired of being beneath you, perhaps he has abandoned you?"

She shook her head, her lips tightening. Alucard would not do such a thing. She knew that, felt it in her very soul...but....where was he? Why was she so weak?

This hadn't happened since Bubanshee had infiltrated her home. She opened her mouth to speak, to force the sounds from her contricted throat. Nothing came, but a shallow whisper.

Alucard stepped from the shadows then. And Montgomery smiled warmly.

"So you ARE here. How nice. I have a message for you."

Alucard stared at him, "Deliver it then and I'll deliver you to hell."

Montgomery chuckled, "You first my friend, you first."

A blinding flash of silver spun from the left and Alucard turned to face the threat only to meet one of the holy blades wielded by the monster of a priest.

The Iscariot Organizaton was in league with this whelp of a vampire? Another and another flew at him. Lodging firmly into his chest and shoulder. Then his throat.

They burned like silver flame through him, and Alucard cursed. Montgomery was not a half wit, he'd obviously planned this well. Alucard ripped the blades free and tossed them aside. "You try my patience priest." he muttered.

The tall irishman laughed, "I'll send you to hell tonight vampire, and your pretty master with you." He drew another blade, this one longer than all the rest and Alucard did not miss the moonlight glinting off the runic inscriptions there. This was a blade to bring even the strong to death.

Montgomery moved towards Integra, but Alucard's dark energies shot from him like great whips of anger. Biting and slashing at the lesser vampire, even as he faced his own foe. He blocked a blow from Alexander, driving the regenerator back with the force of it.

Montgomery dragged Integra upwards, now she hung nose to nose with him. Helpless as she was, frightened as she was, her eyes showed none of it to him. He wanted to see it and all he got was her seething anger at his handling. She was not afraid of him, not truly.

"So," he snarled into her face, saliva gleaming on those long sharp fangs, "You have such faith in your monster? You think he will save you?

She met his gaze and had the audacity to smirk. Montgomery shook her like a rag doll, but she refused to yield. Yield that incandescent soul of hers. Alucard would save her. She had no doubts.

"You will be my servant, nothing more than a broken ghoul. What do you think of that?" he asked softly, almost tenderly. His lips brushed against hers with his words before drawing back to see the effect.

"I.... think" she rasped softly, "That.....Alucard....is going to ....kick...your....a-".

He cut her off, "Ahh ahh ahh. Such language from ladies. You finally find your voice and that is all you can say? I want you to hurt before you change." he taunted, he pulled a thin dagger from his clothing.

Integra stared at it. She had no desire to feel the bite of a blade again. Not again. She tried to thrash in his cruel embrace but it was useless.

~~~

Alexander and Alucard fought savagely. More than his own life at stake, but hers as well. It was not good. Considering the regenerators battle prowess in the past. He let his crimson eyes cut to the side, the ass was still taunting her. No harm had come to her..yet. He had to hurry. So he could feel the whelp's neck between his hands.

He had to take the risk. He had to get closer to the priest. He tucked in towards the man, and the blonde took this as miscalcualtion on the vampire's part. He swung that holiest of blades downwards even as Alucard swept his claws upwards.

Montgomery sensed an end coming to the battle and glared down at Integra. With a motion so swift she'd not registered it, he plunged the blade into her chest. She felt the knife hit bone and punch through, with a resounding crack.

Her head fell back in a near silent scream. This would end her life, if he did not bite her and change her. History seemed to repeat itself. He slowy turned the blade, causing damage to her insides. Too much damage. She couldn't even bring her arms up to clutch at the handle. Her heart beat became audible to her, pounding in her ears, growing faster and then slowing.

The world narrowing to a blinding white hot pain. And all she wanted was HIM.

~~~~

He felt the bite of hallowed silver sheathing itself so very near his heart. One wrong move and he would die. Really die, forever. He carried through with his swing, the blade moved almost imperceptibly toward that organ. The head of Alexander detached with a wet sound and toppled over the stones to rest at Montgomery's feet. Green eyes stared heavenward in horrified shock and confusion.

Montgomery stared at it in shock. Then at Alucard. The vampire didn't look so good. He was wounded, badly. His struggles adding to the damage already inflicted.

Then he smiled, "You fool. He'd missed your heart and yet you brought it to your own. And for what? A dead mortal woman? Oh she WILL die either from this wound or from my fangs. Doesn't really matter much to me."

Alucard let his gaze slide over his charge. She was pale, panting for breath that would not come. Crimson seeped from the edges of her lips, a dark trickle marring the pristine beauty of her flesh. He could not fail her... not again. He hadn't wanted it to be this way, but this was how things went.

Staring back at Montgomery, he laughed, "You think you have won is that it? You are just a worthless punk, barely worthy of my notice. But you have that now, and you will regret it." he said as he yanked the blade from himself in a vicious tug.

He hurled the blade into the darkness, his palms stinging from contact with it.

He would need time to heal from this wound, but that could wait. He advanced on Montgomery, death shining in his eyes, a dark promise for the other.

Montgomery was angry, Alucard should be dead! No one was THAT strong. No one! Then the dark around him exploded and he saw Alucard for what he was. As he was. The all powerful being of infinite darkness that commanded power as to be considered a demi-god.

A scream gathered in his throat but it never came. Integra was dropped carelessly onto the hard stones. She was barely aware of her surroundings anymore. Alucard made short but painful work of his victim, tearing him to tiny bits and scattering him to the wind. The dark boiled and bubbled and growled and then there was nothing but devout silence.

She closed her eyes. This was it, the end of her life. The painful end.

The clip of boots on the stones drew her attention and she forced her eyes open. "Al...u..card." she whispered. He stared down at her, seemingly impassive.

"You are mortally wounded master. No one can save you now." he said softly.

She knew that. Funny how you KNEW when a thing killed you.

He seemed somewhat saddened by her plight now.

She closed her eyes again and he spoke, "Except for me."

Blue eyes opened beneath sooty lashes and focused slowly on his face. His beloved face.

Beloved? Yes, he was beloved to her.

The only thing in the world she really wanted but could not have. His handsome face was thrown half in shadow, his hair covering one eye. She had always loved that hair. Long and lovely, hidden beneath his clothing.

"Wh...what?" she rasped. Unsure of what she heard. He knelt beside her, gathered her into his arms, much like he had done with Seras. "I can end this pain and give you life once more." he said then.

She shook her head slowly and he grew angry.

"So you will give up so easily? Is being like me so terrible then that you would rather die here in the dark and cold alone? If that is your wish master I will obey but I will not remain to see it, I will not hold you."

She met his eyes, knew he meant it. She had a choice.

"The choice must be your own."

She felt the dark creep around her, death was close, cackling in the corner of the garden. No doubt rubbing his bony hands together in glee. She could choose. To become a monster that she hated, that she hunted or to remain a human and pass on to her just rewards. She would become like him or stay here. She would die or she could die and live again.

Alucard sensed her inner struggle and laid her gently back down and stood. Her eyes locked on him, was he leaving her? She didn't want that. Didn't want to be alone, and she was afraid. Afraid of making the wrong choice and suffering for it. The cold seemed infinte to her at that moment, and she wondered if she would ever feel warm again.

Her blood was seeping away and she wondered if fate toyed with her to let her linger so long. Her mouth filled with the coppery taste of her own life. She coughed lightly, the red spilling over the brim of her lips, across her cheek and down through her mussed hair to the stone.

His gaze was steady. "Ask master. Ask it of me." he said.

She was silent.

He growled low in his throat, "Ask me to save you!"

That stubborn gleam he loved so much slowly fading from her eyes.

"Ask it of me now Integra or I will leave you here."

~~~

He waited but no words came. He slowly began to turn from her. He had no intention of losing her so easily but he wanted her to choose this. Everything else had been ripped from her this night. He would at least let her believe she had an option. It was kinder that way.

Then the sound came to his ears, faintly. "Please.......save."

His eyes flared and his lips turned up in a gentle smile. He knelt to her again and gathered her carefully in his arms. "This will hurt only a moment."

Then he grasped the hilt of the blade and pulled it from her. A bubbled sound of protest escaped her as more dark red blood spurted from the gaping wound. He flung the blade away as though it burned him.

He brought his lips to hers. "I shall save you Integra and you shall be mine."

His lips moved over hers, lightly. Licking the ruby droplets collected there. Then, sensing death, he lowered his head to her throat, licked lightly and bit deeply.

Her blood was like the finest wine, a taste he had savored over decades. He drank deeply of what remained in her body, his shadows gathering that which was spilled. All to soon, he heard that feeble beat of her heart cease. Her lungs no longer labored for those painful breaths. Physical death had come to her. He had precious seconds.

And so with his fangs, he stole her from death itself. Integra grew weaker in his arms, her eyes falling closed. Alucard was quick about biting into his own wrist and drawing the blood needed to revive her. The dark liquid pouring between her parted lips and down her throat. Alucard wrapped them in shadows and held her tightly.

The change itself was painful.

She would feel her mortal body change. He recalled Seras weeping and contorting, her cries had filled that sullied chapel. Alucard saw the trails of tears on her cheeks and wiped them away with his thumbs. Then he whispered an apology, and clamped his hand over her mouth.

Pain. It came rushing in at her like a train. It slammed into her, lifting and bending her body. She was aware of someone with her. But she could not see them. Only saw the flames lick behind her eyelids. She tried to scream tried to cry from the agony of her body. The heat rushing in her veins.

Screams met a barrier and fell back into her, muffled and useless. Integra forced her eyes open, seeing flame and stars and tears flowed from her eyes freely. Alucard held her, watching as her human innocence was shattered by the beast that now lived within her.

He spoke softly to her, soothing her. And she knew that voice, instinct made her cling to the voice of the angel she could not see. Slowly, the painful bow of her body relaxed and she lay slumped in his arms.

HIS arms.

Garnet colored eyes peered down at her. Slowly, the blue of the sky faded from her own eyes, replaced with a cinnamon brightness. Her eyes were like pale rubies staring up at him.

"Alucard?" she asked softly.

He pressed a light kiss to her forehead, "It's fine now." he promised her. Then he set her down and went inside to get the car. His excuse was that Sir Integra did not feel well. He wrapped her in his long coat and helped her stand. He would have carried her through the garden to the front of the house but she insisted that she walk.

It took every ounce of strength she had. More than half of what kept her upright was pride. The rest was him.

It took several minutes to get to the car because of that. She was worn out when they did arrive and he scooped her up and settled them both in the seat. He stared out the window and she curled against his chest.

Tonight had been the end for her.

She was no longer living. She'd deal with that later. She had reports to file about Montgomery and the Iscariot Organization.

~~~~

Hmm, Alexander's head was back there somewhere, and his body. No doubt operatives from Rome were coming out of hiding even now to tidy up the mess. And she was a monster. Like Alucard and Seras. She tucked her head beneath his chin and he tightened his arms around her as he sifted through her jumbled thoughts. There would be hell to pay when Walter found out, she was certain.She already had so many enemies and now they had increased tenfold.

"Sleep awhile Integra," he commanded softly, "That is why I am here. No one will harm you."

She nodded against his chest and let her eyes fall closed. How had things gotten so out of hand? She was a failure. She had no energy left for tears and so lulled by the motion of the car and the proximity of her once pet, she let herself drift.

Alucard used his power to send her deeper into slumber. He'd get her home, get her clean, get her settled and explain matters to Seras and Walter. Someone or something powerful was behind Montgomery or the damn italians would have kept out of this. They had to find out who that was.

She seemed so small to him now, smaller in his arms. Her pale hair stained and streaked with blood. Her gown torn and soiled. His shadows incapable of gathering every drop of her essense.

She was his now, though not fully. That would change soon enough. He would take her and teach her and all the lessons of her childhood that she had thought cruel would serve her now. She was no longer his master. That thought slowly seeped into his brain. No, not his master, but his mate.