Monsters and Angels

I still own nothing..... happy now you mean bastards?

Chapter Thirteen

The car pulled into the drive a scant half hour later. Walter checked his watch and sighed. He supposed he'd asked enough of her tonight. When Alucard stepped from the confines of the car with a bundle in his arms, the old butler felt his stomach drop.

The look on Alucard's face was enough to warn him…. Something had gone wrong this night, horribly wrong. He rushed from the door, but Alcuard did not pause to explain. He merely continued on, into the house and toward the stairs.

Seras popped into the hallway, "How was the party?" she asked brightly and then she noticed the scene before her. Her pretty face fell, "Oh god what's happened?"

Alucard held Integra closer to his chest, "Seras run the master a bath". She nodded and raced off to see it done.

Integra was still under the spell of his sleep and he carried her slowly to her room. Walter right behind him.

"What happened Alucard?" he demanded. The vampire deposited her on the settee in her room.

"We were attacked," he said simply, coldly, "Montgomery was a vampire".

Walter stood in shock, "That whelp of a boy?" he asked.

Alucard nodded, "And he wasn't alone. That freak priest from Rome was with him."

Walter thought he might topple over, "Iscariot?"

Alucard nodded, "Section thirteen itself. Clever plan…kept me away from her."

This was not good, just not good. Walter looked at Integra's face, so pale.

"How badly is she injured?" he asked, almost afraid to hear.

Alucard met his gaze fully, "Mortally". Tears filled Walter's eyes.

Integra just couldn't die. His face betrayed his concern.

"No worry of that, I took care of it" Alucard said quietly. Walter stared at him, and then at Integra as the vampire slowly slid his coat away to reveal the wound to her body, already closed, then he gently turned her head and the mark of his fangs became visible.

Walter paled considerably, "My god," he asked as he sank to his knees beside her, touching her throat, "What have you done?" his voice little more than a whisper rose to a shout, "What have you done Alucard?"

Alucard gazed down at him coldly, "What would you have had me done?" he snapped, "Let her choke to death on her own blood in the snow? Should I have let death have her then?" His voice was a harsh growl of sound.

Walter dropped his hand abruptly.

No, he would not have wanted death for this woman, he would not have wanted unlife for her either. He had only ever wanted her to be happy and live a long life. At least she'd have one of those things now. He shook his head and faced Alucard's anger. "No," he said softly, "I would not expect you to leave her like that. But what are we going to do now?"

Alucard knew what he meant. Now that she was turned, her enemies would clamor after her. "No one knows this has happened, save you and I, and soon Seras" he said.

Walter looked up at him, "What about Montogmery and the priest?" he asked.

Alucard glared at him, "Angel of death, did you really expect them to survive this?"

No, of course not. Walter shook his head, couldn't seem to clear it. Alucard continued speaking, "We can hide this at least for a while until we can find a resolution". Walter nodded, that was probably the best course of action at the moment.

They could go about the routines, the only changes would be those of her schedule for sleeping and eating. No one who didn't live in the house was aware of those things. It shouldn't be too hard to keep up the charade. His mind busily ticked off details.

Integra would sleep during the day, but that was fine. Most operations took place at night, anything that needed to be addressed during the hours of light, he could see to.

There was enough shadow in the house to keep her safe should she need to rise. He'd need to see about preparing another room, maybe they could just keep her shutters closed in the day. A coffin bed, would she want one or would she want to stay in her room?

Intregra rarely had public meetings, so they could handle that issue here as well. Integra was now a vampire, not a ghoul, so she would retain her presence of self. Walter knew that she would continue to run the organization, her struggles would be inside.

She had after all just become her own favorite enemy. His gaze snapped up the monster before him, then narrowed, "She has no control over you now does she?".

Alucard smirked, "She is no longer my master" he confirmed. That statement did not bode well for the peace of life.

Walter paled, he knew Alucard, trusted him to do what was right. But acting properly for a creature of his kind was far easier to ensure when control restrictions were placed on him. "Don't worry Walter, I am not going to eat half of London".

The butler looked vastly relieved, until the beast spoke again, "Just a quarter of it."

He frowned at Alucard, "That is just not funny Alucard, to joke about such things. Twice now, she has been attacked and nearly died and tonight she did. Now she is like you, so you are her master now isn’t that right?"

Alucard nodded, "Yes that is true". Walter frowned all the more.

"Well that just won't do. You are her greatest weapon in this fight Alucard, she has always depended on you. She won't just bow to you now"

Alucard smiled down at the sleeping woman, "Oh I am aware of that Walter, that's half the fun"

He looked up to see Walter watching him closely, "I shall always be hers Walter, and I shall fight for her as I have always done. We must allow the appearance that all is the same to remain in this house. We cannot risk exposure. While I am more than happy to fight anything that comes along, it could endanger this house. I won't do that."

Walter nodded. "She won't be happy when she wakes." Alucard began to slowly strip off the ruined gown, tossing the bloodied tatters to the floor beside him.

"No, I don't suppose she will be. But this was her choice Walter, she will learn to accept the changes. Things are different between us now Walter, you understand that don't you?"

Walter was gathering up the remains of her gown, he paused and met the red glow of Alucard's eyes. "Do tell."

Alucard wrapped her in his coat once more as Seras entered the room. He lifted her up and handed her over to Seras, "Get her cleaned up and dressed for bed. The sun will rise in a few hours and she will sleep until sunset. Put her in my room."

Seras accepted the limp body and nodded, Integra was like her now. God it must have been terrible tonight for this to happen. Walter looked at him a moment more.

"It's easy Walter, and you won't challenge it. She is mine" he said softly.

Walter picked up the last scrap of cloth and moved to the door. So much to take it tonight, he needed a drink. He paused at the door and looked over his shoulder, "Always was though, wasn't she?" With that he turned and walked down the hall.

Alucard smiled to himself, yes that was true. She had always been his, and now she would be for eternity. He could hear Seras cooing softly to the sleeping Integra, promising that everything would be all right. That master would see to it. Of course he would.

He supposed Integra might want to wake in her own bed, but he'd be damned if he let that happen. She was new, weak, and she would stay near him. Where he knew she would be safeguarded against any threat. The nature of the predator was instinctive in her already. She would excel at being a child of the night.

Her intelligence and matter of fact dealing with tactics would only enhanced but she would have some rough patches, he knew and when that happened he'd get her through and Seras could help too. Would she hate him when she woke? She chose this, granted it hadn't been much of a choice but it counted.

So he was the master who had to pretend she was still his master. Things could certainly get interesting. Moreso when he considered that he would have to explain exactly what he wanted from her. He hadn't wanted it to be this way but this was how it was and he would make the best of it.

There would be no turning back now, she was his. She had always known that he would have her. Now he did. A tightness settled in his chest. He felt the swell of desire and stamped it down. That could come later, WOULD come later. Right now they had more important things to deal with.

He strode to the shower to wash the grime from himself, he detested being dirty. That was just so common. He changed his clothing with a thought and then went to his room. Seras was just settling Integra against the linens of his large bed.

She staightened when he entered. "Oh, master," she said softly, "She is still sleeping. You did it didn't you?"

He nodded, "She was badly injured and it's best if she sleeps a while longer". She nodded, chewed her lower lip.

He stared at her, "What is it Seras?"

She looked at the floor, "It's just that....well she slit her own throat to keep from transforming before..." she worried.

He nodded, "She did not want to be a ghoul. She will not be, she will be like you and I. She will adjust Seras, you needn't worry so much. I'll see to it. Leave me now."

Seras nodded and went to the door, "Pleasant sleep master." She pulled the door closed and wandered towards her own room. She hoped he was right, Integra was a strong woman and she was not one to accept decisions being made for her. Yet, she understood that Integra must have chosen this or Alucard would not have bitten her. Not even to save her life.

She'd get the rest of the story from Walter, no doubt he'd heard it all. Deviating from her path she headed upstairs to find him. He was in the library, tanned fingers curled around a tumbler of bourbon. He looked up at her as she entered the room.

"Miss Victoria." he said in greeting.

She could not recall him looking so old or frail before. She sank into the seat across from him.

"What happened tonight Walter?" she asked.

He smiled into the fire, "Tonight? Alucard saved the world...as always." He couldn't possibly be drunk already. Seras sniffed at him, no, he was still quite sober.

"Saved the world?" she asked.

Walter nodded, his gaze thoughtful. "Integra will be a fine vampire once she accepts it. No one outside of our family must know Seras. Do you understand? They must think that she is still human."

She nodded, understanding dawning on her.

"It must have been hard for her," he went on, "To make that choice. To be like you. She has been spoonfed the darkest tales about vampires since she was small. Then HE came and shed light on the nature of the beast. It becomes harder to hunt the wolf when you see it's softer side. How do you hunt one when you are one?"

Seras knew what he meant. It was clear to her. Integra was raised to hate and fear her kind. But she loved Alucard. In what capacity Seras wasn't sure, but it was there. Now she was what she hated, how would she deal with it?

"You hunt them by reminding yourself that there are good and bad and good don't usually end up on our list" she offered quietly.

Walter lifted his eyes to hers. His smile was gentle. "She will be glad that you are here Seras. You ease my worries too. Thank you. Now forgive an old man and let him brood?"

Seras smiled gently and stood, "Good night Walter". She would take her bath and turn in, maybe read a few chapters of those sweet romance paperbacks be was so fond of bringing her.

Walter remained where he was, sipping his drink. Nothing was strong enough to numb his hurt and shock tonight. He would have to trust that everything would be fine and if it wasn't.... well then... for love of country and family he'd have to bury them all. He prayed it would never come to that, but transformations could be strange that way. Unstable, and you never knew what you'd get until it was all done and over with.

He supposed he'd know soon enough and these early hours were no doubt the darkest he'd be facing. Integra was strong, he was sure she'd be her usual self. Yes, that had to be it. He was just a worried old fool, everything would be fine. Right as rain.

Far below him, Alucard had stripped down to trousers and climbed into bed beside Integra. Her hair was gleaming again, her flesh no longer carrying the scent of blood and death, but sweet flowers.

He gently pulled her back against his chest and linked his arms around her. He pressed his nose into her tresses and sniffed deeply. Her scent was soothing, her nearness a distraction.

Unseen but felt, the sky was lightening. The sun was slowly rising, spilling it's golden light across the countryside, edging everything in gold. Unseen by London, a monster with a warrior's heart succumbed to slumber, his body wrapped protectively around the one thing he truly loved.