Monsters and Angels

Chapter Three


Integra spent the next few weeks doing what she did best, bossing people around and growling at her vampire. Walter had given up on including her in any of the holiday purchases and seen to it on his own. He'd recruited Seras to help him. God knew that most women loved to shop, alive or not.

It seemed that Alucard and Integra were kept busy with a stream of missions. They'd put down a small den of freaks in York and one near Glastonbury. Integra hadn't gotten a decent night's sleep in nearly a week and she'd not eaten anything in the last two days. She'd simply been too busy. Walter had noticed of course and Alucard as well. She'd paid them no mind.

It was in the early hours of the morning that Integra finished a mission and trudged up the stairs. Hot bath and bed, that was all she wanted. The next few days promised to be quieter and she'd be able to rest a little. This last battle had been quite rough on her. While Alucard was cutting his usual bloody swath in the far end of the churchyard, she'd cornered a few freaks of her own.

"In the name of God souls of the living dead shall be banished to eternal damnation. Amen!" she shouted as two advanced on her. The shot rang out clear and true, the slug impacting with the first monster. The wet thud of ripping flesh followed by the splash of blood on the flagon stones.

The first went down, turning to nothing more than a pile of dust before her eyes. The second however was slightly smarter and used the billowing remains of his fallen comrade to get closer to her. Integra spotted him a moment later, firing rapidly. His fist managed to connect with her face a second before the bullet tore through him.

Integra's head snapped back, her full lower lip splitting with the impact of it. "Damn it." She swore as she dabbed at her lip and brushed the dust from her suit jacket. Touching her ear piece she inquired of the others. Everything was fine, two men wounded, but not seriously. All targets silenced.

"I'm heading back then" she stated and walked from the site of the kills. Her helicopter was waiting and she climbed aboard. The pilot took off for home, and she leaned back in the seat, closing her eyes. Her stomach hurt, her mouth stung. She'd not been at the top of her game tonight and she'd known it. Still, she'd be damned if any inhuman creature got the better of her.

She was almost to her room when the shadows around her shifted. She almost groaned out loud. 'Not this right now' she thought to herself.

"Now Master, is that anyway to greet your loyal servant?" Alucard asked, materializing behind her.

"I didn't say anything" she pointed out.

He clucked at her, "But you did think didn't you?".

She narrowed her eyes, not bothering to look at him, "Stay out of my head".

He grinned, "Now why would I want to do that? It's just more fun this way" he mocked.

She grit her teeth, "I mean it monster". He leaned against the banister.

The proud line of her shoulders drooped slightly with fatigue, "You should not have come tonight" he said then.

She stiffened, "Since when is it for you to say when I may or may not be present?" she snapped at him, her head whipping around to meet his gaze. Fast as lightening his gloved hand was there, fingertip brushing the torn flesh of her lip.

That touch causing a sting to flare from the abused bit of her, and heat to stir from his air light touch.

"I do not presume to command master, I do, however worry for you" he replied, his tone quiet and firm.

Integra looked away from him, "There is no need Alucard, I'm fine".

He bore down on her, "Were you fine when the creature stuck you? How long has it been since that occurred? You are tired, you are weak from lack of rest and food, and you should have remained here and trusted your men to see the mission done". His tone held a note of reprimand.

She glowered at him, "Know your place and do not lecture me" she told him, spinning to head back up the stairs. The vampire remained where he was, listening to the muffled curses and slamming doors that marked her passage. 'Stubborn damn woman'.

Integra had scrubbed her hair and skin viciously and muttered about her servant the entire time. By the time she finished her bath, she was exhausted and nearly fell into bed. Tugging the thick quilt over herself she closed her eyes. It was mere moments later that the velvet darkness swathed her in it's cocoon and lulled her to the land of dreams.

~~~~

In her dreams, Integra was Sixteen again. She was sitting upright in her bed, clutching her blankets to her chest. Something had woken her but she could not recall. Her gaze dropped to the shadowy corner, there the outline of her creature was just visible.

"Alucard?" she called to him and he moved easily into her line of vision. Once he had kept watch over her, in those dark early days. An avenging angel standing over her bed. A tangible barrier between herself and danger.

"I am here master. Your dreams are fretful." he told her, and she nodded.

It had been nearly a month since Captain Cosworth had transfered back to the SAS. She wondered if he'd regretted his nocturnal activities. She had put the man from her thoughts in her waking hours, work eating up her time greedily. Her dreams were another matter.

She'd had so many questions and Walter had tried to answer many of them, but she could tell he wasn't comfortable about having the 'talk' with her.

"May I ask you something?" she asked the tall vampire and he nodded. She took a breath and plunged forward, "Hellsing will keep me alone won't it?".

Alucard slowly nodded, "Most men will not understand your duties or resent your position. Men have not changed over the years Master, they wish to be masters themselves over land, over house, over wife".

A painful truth, a stark future.

She frowned at that, "But I am the master here".

He nodded, "Indeed you are. Should you marry you shall remain master and few men will accept that. You need someone strong enough to aid you, to set your desires before you. Few are worthy of you Sir Hellsing".

She nodded, resting her head against his chest, it was silent, no heart beat in his body. He wrapped his arms around her and stood, "Where are we going?" she asked as he strode toward her balcony doors and they snapped open.

He smiled down at her, "There is something I must show you"

He had stepped from the stones, hurling them into the night sky and Integra held tightly to him. Upwards they shot until the lights of England twinkled far below them.

She peered down, amazed at the lovely sight, "The world" she whispered. Alucard held her close, the night air ruffling pale locks, twining them with the inky black of his own.

He pressed his lips close to her ear, "All of this I would lay at your feet and if you wish it I would burn the world to cinders to warm you" he murmured to her.

His words locked into her mind and she lifted her eyes to his. He was so close to her. She licked her suddenly dry lips and cleared her throat. "Alucard, what is it like to kiss someone?" she asked.

The vampire narrowed his eyes at her, "Surely you know that, you kissed that fop".

Integra blushed brightly. "Are all kisses wet and revolting?" she asked, needing clarification.


So Captain happy pants was not a good kisser.

"I'm not sure what you mean" he told her.

She stared at his chest and continued to redden. "All drool and tongues?"

Alucard laughed out loud, "Some kisses use.. tongues,some don't. You didn't like it?"

Integra shook her head, "If that is what kisses are like then I don't think I'll be doing it much". She sounded so sure of herself, so very young.

Alucard smiled softly, "Master, kisses are not meant to make you ill, they are meant to make you feel good. I dare day the good captain had no skill." he assured her.

She looked up at him again, "How Alucard, how are you supposed to feel?"

The vampire tightened his hold on her, and slowly brought his lips closer until he could feel the heat of her face against his own. "Like the world could crumble away and you wouldn't care. Like the sun is rushing in your veins."

Integra's eyes were wide. A strange tightening was growing in her stomach. Alucard gazed at her lips for a moment before he closed the distance between them. Integra stiffened at first, at the soft brush of lips against hers. A hint of a caress. Alucard seemed content to merely rub his lips against hers a few times. Gradually, he felt her resistance fall away and lifting one hand he pressed gentle fingertips to the corner of her mouth.

Integra gasped even as she felt the silken slide of his tongue across her lower lip. Alucard used that moment to his full advantage and tilting her head at just the right angle, he swept his tongue into the warm, sweet interior of her mouth. He heard the little moan at the back of her throat and deepened his kiss.

She was responsive to his touch and even now her little hands were twining in his hair. Her young body pressed tightly to his, pert breasts crushed against his chest. He devoured her mouth like a starving man, his nips and laps driving her wild. Heat pooled in her lower belly and something that she could only assume was desire flared to life in her.

Her first kiss had not been like this. Nothing had ever been like this. It was wild, it was delicious, it was utterly dangerous and she loved it. Alucard branded her with that kiss, ensuring that no man would be true competition for him in his master's eyes.

Slowly, he pulled himself away from her, feeling his lust for her blood and body rise to painful levels.

Her eyes opened, clouded with passion. It was nearly his undoing. "Alucard...I.." she whispered but broke off, there was nothing she could think of to say about this.

He smirked as he slowly brought them back to her room. She let him settle her in her bed and pulled her quilts to her chin. "That my master was a kiss" he told her and then he faded away. Leaving her to lay in the dark listening to the thundering of her own heart.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Walter would not hear of letting anyone near her door until late the next morning. That Sir Integra had not woken on her own at the crack of dawn spoke volumes to him. He'd see she got her rest, even if he had to tie her down! Instead, he busied himself making her a feast of her breakfast favorites.

He'd begun unpacking the many boxes of seasonal items to strew around the manor and he planned to do that today. He also had to pick up the formalwear from Madame Clemence's shop today. A quite cough drew his attention to the kitchen door and there stood Captain Montgomery.

"Ah good morning sir" Walter greeted politely.

Montgomery nodded, "Where is Sir Integra today?" he asked.

Walter eyed him a moment, "I do believe that she is still asleep, was there something you needed?"

The younger man shook his head, frowning, "No Walter, not really. I suppose I have gotten used to finding her in the office at earlier hours, I do hope that everything is alright. I know that the mission last night was a bit of a challenge and I must admit that I am concerned about that pet of hers".

The man's tone reeked of sincere concern and Walter wasn't fooled for a moment. He sniffed coolly, "I assure you that our commander is fit as ever, as for Alucard he is no matter for you to be concerned with. I shall inform Sir Hellsing that you inquired after her".

Montgomery knew little of the butler's background and clearly underestimated him. "Actually Walter, I think I'll wait in her office. There are several reports I have been meaning to go over".

Walter stiffened, "Oh I don't think so young man. Reports in that office are far above your clearance level and I have no intention of waking her anytime soon. Off with you"

Montgomery scowled at the butler, but trading words with a servant was beneath him. He had no doubts that in this matter Integra would side with the elder. Instead he gave a smart salute and mocking smile to the man and left.

"I hate that young man I think" Walter muttered to himself. Then he busied himself with his daily duties and dismissed the brash commander from his mind. Maybe he'd get lucky and Alucard would 'accidentally' shoot him. With that pleasant thought, he hummed his way through the morning.