Bullet from Hell, Shield of Heaven

Chapter 7

Seras dreamed old dreams in the torpor of the dead, she wandered through happy memories, as for the first time in weeks she was not plagued by the same nightmare that had repeated itself day after day. This time it flitted through memories of her as a young girl. She dreamt of one Halloween many years ago. Seras had her friends round before they went out to go trick or treating. She twirled in her outfit as she waited for her mother to take them all out. While all her other friends were dressed as princesses and cute bunnies, Seras had chosen something fitting for all hallows. She was not a witch, or Frankenstein’s monster. No, she had chosen to be a vampire. She had a cute little bat sat on her shoulder, a long flowing cape and a black dress, little did she know she would be wearing that dress again for a different reason. Her mother led them out into the night as her father was working late at the police station and so couldn’t take her this year.

They went door to door, shouting the normal limerick ‘Trick or treat?’ for an hour or two before her mum said it was time to go home. They dropped each of her friends home before Seras walked back with her mother. Her bag was full of sweets and as she neared the house she couldn’t wait to tuck in. She looked up as the front door of their house opened before they got to the end of the drive and saw her father waiting at the door with a smile on his face to welcome his family home.

“Daddy!”

“Have fun poppet?”

“Yes daddy, look at all my candy” she held open the bag to show its contents

“You can eat some later Seras, dinner first.” Her mother chimed in as she took the bag to look after it.

“Oh mum!” Seras whined, after all she had done all the hard work to get the candy. She wanted some now
“No Seras, later. Come on inside and change”

“Yes mum” Seras gave a great sigh as she trudged into the house.

“Wait a minute poppet. Go into the living room. I got a little present for you” Seras squeed before running into the house to see what her father had gotten her.

There sat on the chair was a huge gold-dragon-stuffed toy, it was almost bigger than her. She tackled the stuffed toy, almost hugging it to death as she revelled in the safe feeling, cuddled as she was, enveloped in its fluffy form. She snuggled against it…….

8888

Alucard looked down as Seras snuggled against him as if he was a stuffed toy, she had a bright smile upon her face. Obviously she was having a good dream finally and Alucard allowed himself a small smile, she brought this side of him out more and more. He thought back through his life, trying to think when someone had brought such carefree feelings to his heart. They were few and far between; he had smiled in malice, smiled in bloodthirsty euphoria but he had not smiled in the way he was now very often. Strange how a smile could mean so many things, but a pure smile such as the one that was on his face now, barely visible, but he had a feeling it would grow if she stayed by his side.

Seras was so innocent with her nature, not even Elizibeta had brought out this side of him. She had touched it, but the times they lived in would not let the feelings flourish. There was war, betrayal and finally the death of his beloved. That had been the first plunge into madness and the darkness of the night.

No, he would not grow attached again. He would not, could not, bear another Separation like that. He served his master because he had to, perhaps there was a little more to it than that. He would make anyone suffer if they killed Integra. He had helped her grow from childhood to the strong women she was now. There were feelings there to be sure. But also resentment that he had to be imprisoned such. If she were not such a worthy master he would not serve her.

Alucard felt Seras stir against him, he closed his eyes and kept his face neutral, he knew Seras would over react if she knew, he knew, she had snuggled against him. So he waited to see what she would do. He felt her snuggle closer, trying to stay in her comfort dream state and then felt her hand roam his chest as her dream gave way to reality and she tried to figure out just what she was cuddled against. He almost smiled when her head shot up from his chest and for her to shoot from the bed like a frightened rabbit. He waited until she had calmed down a bit and started to get dressed before he peaked open one eye as she chose a red tank top, short black shorts and matching red elbow-length-gloves. He tried not to groan in lust as he saw her curvaceous form, he was finally looking at her, really looking instead of thinking of her as someone he had to train. Once she walked from the room he opened his other claret eye with a wide smile.

He slowly rose from the bed and smoothed out his shirt before heading towards the kitchen. As he walked into the kitchen he saw Seras bluish and again Alucard had to hide his smile. He bowed courteously as she handed him a blood pack.

“Nice sleep, police girl?”

“Fine thank you Alucard” came her quick reply, though the blush still remained.

He was about to wind her up about the fact they had slept in the same bed together, when his master’s voice rang through his mind. Seras saw this and waited patiently for him to finish speaking to her.

“Alucard!”

“You shattered my eardrums, master?”

“You have no eardrums in your mind Alucard. I need you here now! We have a situation!” Integra sounded aggravated, almost flustered like a mother hen about the situation.

“As you command, my master” Alucard closed his mind as he ended the conversation and turned back to Seras whom had been sucking on her blood pack as she waited.

“Something important?” She had seen Alucards face change as his master’s feelings had filtered through the link he had with Sir Integra.

“I’m not sure, but Integra is fluttering like a fox is in the hen house.”

“Must be bad then. Guess I will see you later my Master. Time I went to the club”

“Yes, be careful my Seras” He caressed her cheek tenderly as he looked into her eyes. Her eyes widened in shock, his Seras?

Alucard realised what he had said almost too late, as he wasn’t even sure he had said it himself. His Seras? He had said it in such a way, not as a master claims his slave. But as a lover worries for his beloved. He needed to say something quickly to cover himself.

“Well..you are mine. I am your master, I made you….and you are so cute…just like a pet kitten” Alucard knew she hated that name. He phased through the wall just before she threw a kitchen knife at him, his laughter hiding his internal confusion.

888888

Alucard appeared in Sir Integras office with his frown hidden behind his amber glasses. Integra was watching a TV screen, which displayed a bloodbath as a reporter from the BBC was talking about what had happened. Behind him you could see armed police rushing to a hidden area. The Reporter was cut off by screams and gunfire as an armed officer was thrown back into the view of the camera from behind a building. His bulletproof vest had huge claw marks rent within it. Blood flowed from holes in the vest; whatever had done it had cleaved through it like butter.

“Alucard I need you down there now, I have already sent our units to cordon off the area.” Integra commanded him as he turned his gaze from the Television. He watched as Integra moved back to her desk with purpose as she called Walter to bring the car round

“As you command my master” Alucard wasted no time in phasing to the location.

His eyes glinted as the scent of spilled blood filled his nostrils; he walked toward the sound of the screams comforted by the weight of Jackel and Casull under his Jacket. As he came closer to the carnage he could hear the crunching and tearing of bone and sinew. He could see a dark shape in the dim alleyway; the gutters ran red with the spilled blood.

“Ooooh, what’s this Fenris? A new toy to play with?” There was an intake of breath as the speaker tested the scent. “Yuk, he smells like crap. You can have him Fenris. Kill”

The dark shape moved and locked yellow eyes on Alucard, it snarled as rows of white teeth gleamed. The creature stepped into the little light there was and Alucards eyes widened in shock as he withheld what stood before him.

“It can’t be..”

“What? You never seen a puppy before?” the voice spoke again.

“They were wiped out” Alucard stated, he had destroyed them all years ago at the command of the son of Van Hellsing. It had been one of his first missions after the early experiments upon him. It had been a test to see if Alucard was truly bound and under the command of Hellsing.

There standing before Alucard was a full size Werewolf. It’s teeth bared in pure hatred of the enemy before it. But it couldn’t be possible; it couldn’t be standing there. He had been loath to wipe them out, they had always been loyal to the nosferatu. But Hellsing had deemed them a danger, he had to kill them all, even his own loyal wolves. He had so wanted to rip Van Hellsing and Cromwell to pieces that night as Van Hellsing’s son looked on.

But the creature was very real as it leapt at him, he dodged to one side and pulled Jackel from under his coat, the sleek black gun almost sucked the light from the air with its promise of death…but it never promises a swift one.

He fired at the creature as it turned to make another attack at him, the bullets hit home with a whine of pain and a shower of blood. But it didn’t seem to even phase it, the next thing he new he was on the floor with its jaws about Jackel. He looked on is horror as he favourite gun was marred and scratched deeply by the Werewolf’s teeth. He kicked it off with a wide smile and watched the furry beast roll in the dirt back to its master’s feet, it whined to its Master as he stepped into the light to pet it.

“Aww, my poor Fenris. You nasty man, you shouldn’t be cruel to animals. There, there my Fenris. Mitch will make it all better” Alucard could see the long clawed arms, a feral grin to almost rival his but his inspection of the freak was interrupted as he was forced to move when both Werewolf and Freak leapt at him at the same time. He tried to fire Jackel but there was a loud bang and then pain in his hand as the gun misfired.

The Werewolf’s jaws had warped the rails of the gun so it couldn’t fire properly. The bullet fired of kilter, it hit the side of the gun and the gun blew, the rails couldn’t function, so could not recoil. In consequence the top part of the gun flew off into the night. Alucard snarled in anger as he jumped back to give him some space to release the seals. This wasn’t going to be as easy as he had first thought.

“Target has been confirmed, the Cromwell invocation is now in effect. Releasing control art restriction system to level 2 until the target is eternally silenced.” The sigils on the back of Alucards hands glowed red as the powers that were restricting him were released for a limited time.

Oh what fun, Alucards smile grew as he felt his power rush through him. How better to deal with an attack dog, then with one of his own. His dog familures came at his call, emerging from each arm they snarled at the Werewolf before lunging at it. The werewolf tried to stop them and managed to close its jaws around one, but howled in pain as the other latched onto its throat. It writhed and clawed at the familure as it tried to dislodge it. Mitch came to its rescue as he cleaved through the tendril that the head of the familure and which was also was attached to Alucards shoulder. The familure whined and disappeared into a pool of dark matter and insects before returning to Alucards body.

Mitch continued on to attack Alucard directly, managing to slash him across the face. Alucard then grabbed the arm that had slashed him and pulled it from its socket. Mitch screamed like a child as he fell back holding the bloody stump. Alucard would have continued to rip this upstart limb from limb but he was tackled by the werewolf’s bulk as it tried to protect its master. It tore chunks from Alucard as it tried to kill him, but Alucard had, had enough of this game. He pulled Casull from inside his jacket and fired a silver bullet right through the bottom of the werewolf’s head and laugh as it exited through the top with a spray of blood and brain matter.

As Alucard fired he felt a searing pain in his shoulder as if he had been shot, he looked and true enough he had a bullet hole in his right shoulder. But who had shot? He looked to the young freak but could see no weapon upon him. No he was now kneeling beside the corpse of the werewolf, cradling its head against its chest as it cried tears of blood. Alucard blinked as he saw the Freak had two arms, had he regenerated the lost limb. He turned to see if the limb was still on the ground but there was no arm left upon the ground.

“You killed Fenris….” Mitch raised his head and his eyes glowed death and rage causing Alucard to raise an eyebrow in surprise that someone other than himself could call forth such psychotic hatred and anger. “So I….will kill you…”

Mitch roared and ran at Alucard again, his hatred making him faster, stronger than before. He knocked Casull away so it skittered across the floor in a flash of light. Casull was a lighter gun than Jackel and the metal of sliver hue instead of the black terror of its bigger brother. Mitch and Alucard stopped dead against each other in a hand-to-hand in a test of strength…, which Mitch was of coarse, no match. Both arms were ripped off this time as Alucard laughed, holding the appendages up for Mitch to look at as he wailed in pain

Alucard threw them at Mitch; he waited to see what Mitch would do. The creature kneeled down and picked up his right limb with his mouth and moved it to the stump. Alucard smiled as he saw red tendrils reached out and re-attached the limb. He then reached down with the fixed limb to re-attach the other. Mitch came yet again, this time with fangs as he bit into Alucards arm, he then sunk his claws in before ripping Alucards left arm off below the elbow.

This was of no consequence to him as he could just regenerate the limb. Mitch stopped and looked on with glee like a kid who had found a new toy.

“Oooh, that’s cool man…could you teach me that?” Alucard was quite sure how to reply to that.

Mitch tipped his head to one side and listened. He seemed to hear something for he smiled and suddenly jumped for Casull and began firing it at Alucard before another gun added to the sound. Alucard could not dodge them all so became a bullet-riddled puddle on the floor. By the time he reformed, Mitch was gone….and he had taken Casull with him. Alucard tried to find them him but just like before with Blackthorn…he could find no trace.

Alucard roared in anger to the heavens before he picked up the ruined Jackel, placing it back inside his jacket. He began to walk from the scene and back towards the police command centre. He could see Integra had arrived as the silver Rolls Royce was parked near the police command centre. He sent a mental message and leaned against a nearby wall as he waited for Integra to emerge from within. She walked with a regal air as she came over to him; Walter was trailing behind her like always to make sure she was safe.

“Report Servant” Oh she was in a bad mood if she was addressing him so, and he was about to make her mood worse.

“One target was silenced, the other escaped”

“WHAT!” Integra shouted as she came right up into his face. “HOW?”

“The creature seems to be like Blackthorn, his essence is hidden from me,” He snarled in aggravation

“What use are you Servant if you can not deal with a simple freak. Do not tell me the king of Vampires has become weak!”

“Alucard!” Walter’s clipped butler accent cut through the moment as his wires of death coiled round the king of vampires whom was right now in a rage beyond measure. “Stand down Alucard. And you sir Integra, know not to goad him so. He is as confused as you about this new type of chip. Belittling him into a rage does not help.”

Integra stewed for a moment, she knew Walter was right. But she was so angry right now she would not admit it to her servant. Her British pride was too important to her as well as keeping the line between master and servant. That and she knew if she apologized Alucard would milk it for all it was worth.

“Get out of my sight Alucard”

Alucard growled before disappearing into the night.

“Maybe Seras will have a little more luck.”

88888

Blackthorn walked calmly to where the tracer was leading him. The bullet had worked perfectly taking the blood he needed. All he had to do now was retrieve the blood and take it to the lab. Behind him came a whimpering sob as something grabbed the edge of his jacket like a small child. He looked over his shoulder to see it was Mitch holding on to him as the creature cried.

“Bossman, the bad man killed Fenris,” He sobbed.

“There, there Mitch. Do you want to help me really hurt the bad man?” He spoke to Mitch in a comforting tone.

“Yes Bossman, I really do. Can I?” He gripped the bottom of Blackthorns black suit with both hands now. Eager to make the one that had killed Fenris pay.

The transmitter signalled that they were right on top of the hollow bullet. He looked down and found the bullet glinting in the dim streetlight, nestled in a small patch of grass that was vainly trying to grow in the cracks between the concrete. He picked up the bullet and put it carefully into a sealed glass container before placing it inside his suit. He turned and began to walk to a darkened alley on the other side of the street. Mitch kept hold of Blackthorn all the way to the waiting BMW 730 that had been parked round the corner.

Blackthorn put Mitch in the back before getting in the drivers seat and starting the car. He turned right heading towards the centre of London, knowing his way all to well. Strange to think that in his youth he had lived in this area. How he had changed. Blackthorn kept looking back in the rear view to see that Mitch was gazing out of the car window like a dazed animal at the streetlights that flashed by. They were heading to he club heart of London; the street was covered with them only interspersed every now and then by kebab and pizza shops.

He pulled the car into the back access of the Venom nightclub, as he exited the car he saw a brand new Harley Davidson parked to one side. Serpentis must have hired a new staff member. He indicated Mitch to exit the car; he did so, once again grabbing hold of Blackthorn’s suit. They walked towards the back entrance before Blackthorn entered his pass code and for the door to swing open with a hydraulic hiss. He could hear the beat of the music from the main room as he guided Mitch to the lifts. He could hear the words of the song floating to his ears.

“It doesn’t hurt me,

do you wanna feel how it feels?

Do you wanna know it doesn’t hurt me?

Do you wanna hear about the deal that I’m making?


Its you and me,


And if I only could, make a deal with God,

And let him swap our places.

Be running up that road,

Be running up that hill,

Be running up that building..”

The music became muted as the lift doors closed and Blackthorn chose the sub basement levels, there was the accompanying stomach lurch as the lift began its decent. He waited until the lift reached its destination with a slight ‘ding’ before he walked down the hospital like hallways, heading towards the holding cells that had been Mitch’s home since he could remember. When the chip had been placed in his brain it had erased all that he had ever been, with only the basic instincts remaining and the ability of speech.

As they passed the holding cells that held the Werewolves, Mitch stopped and thus caused Blackthorn to stop as Mitch pulled on the back of Blackthorn’s suit. He looked over the back of his shoulder at Mitch once again as he saw the chipped experiment looking longingly at the Werewolves held in the numerous cages.

“What’s the matter Mitch?”

“Fenris..” Mitch pointed at the cages.

“No, Mitch. That’s not Fenris,” Blackthorn actually bent down to Mitch’s level so he could look the child like creature in the eyes.

“Fenris is dead isn’t he?”

“Yes Mitch,” Blackthorn watching in amazement as Mitch lowered his head and began to cry. Murmuring that the Werewolf was his only friend. Blackthorn thought a moment before speaking once again. “Would you like to have another?”

Mitch looked up sharply at Blackthorn as if he had promised him the world, which he might as well have done as far as the vampire was concerned.

“Really?”

“Yes, come on. I might even let you have two,” He indicated that Mitch should go first, he practically ran in to go to the cages. All the Werewolves stopped whining or howling to look at this new creature in their den. Mitch walked around the cages looking at each creature in turn. Blackthorn was shocked to see the Werewolves sitting and even wagging their tails as he came close.

He came to a pitch black Werewolf and opened the pen. The creature came willingly to his side, leaning against Mitch as he petted him. He then continued on until he found a pure white Werewolf hiding in the corner. He opened its cage and cooed at it. Seems this was the runt of all the experiments.

“Come on...come here precious” it looked up almost shocked that someone was paying it any attention before it slowly crawled towards him. When he reached out to pet it, it shied away a moment. “It’s alright precious…I won’t hurt you”

It let him pet it and then snuggled close to Mitch. Blackthorn could already see the worship in the white creatures red eyes. Mitch turned to Blackthorn with a hopeful face.

“You want them two?” Blackthorn almost laughed as Mitch nodded his head vigorously. “Okay. What are you going to call them?”

Mitch studying the two pets carefully before turning back to Blackthorn. “Yami and Yuki.” He replied.

“Darkness and snow. Fitting…but where did you learn Japanese?” Blackthorn was genuinely curious as to how Mitch would know Japanese.

“Japanese? What’s that?” Mitch asked.

“You just said some Japanese words”

“I did?” Mitch looked confused.

“Yes.. Yami and Yuki”

“No silly. Yami and Yuki is just Yami and Yuki…not Japanese” Mitch spoke to Blackthorn as though he was stupid.

“Never mind” Blackthorn sighed as he indicated for Mitch to follow. So he grabbed hold of Blackthorns suit tails and the two werewolves followed either side of them.

They travelled further down the brightly lit hallways to Mitch’s cell. Blackthorn opened the door and indicated for Mitch to enter, Mitch waved his hand and the two Werewolves entered first before he turned to Blackthorn.

“Bossman?”

“Yes Mitch?”

“Are you my dad?”

“No Mitch” Blackthorn replied in a confused tone. Why had he asked that? “Why do you ask Mitch?”

“Well, are the only one nice to me….dads are nice aren’t they?” Mitch seemed to have regressed over the last couple of hours, but Blackthorn could still see the psychotic intelligence behind his eyes. He had been in his mid teens when he had been chipped.

“Not always Mitch”

“Oh…are you sure you are not my dad?”

“Yes, I’m sure.”

“Can I call you Dad?” Blackthorn studied Mitch a moment before he replied.

“If you want..” Mitch practically tackled him as he hugged his form before with a smile he walked into the cell.

“Morning Daddy”

Before Blackthorn shut the door he looked at Mitch and smiled. “Good morning Son”

Blackthorn left the room and entered the lift to go up one level to the labs. So what did it matter if Mitch called him father….if it made him more loyal he could always use that. He calmly walked towards the main lab to see the scientist that had given him the hollow bullet. Blackthorn passed the glass vial containing the bullet to the scientist with an air of accomplishment.

“See what you can find out”

“Yes sir. Oh Mr Serpentis wants to see you in his office” the scientist informed him as he was walking towards the door.

“I see. I will make my way there directly.”

He walked yet again back to the lift, this time pressing the button to take him directly to Serpentis’s office. He felt his fear rise as the lift rose higher to its destination. When the lift stopped he walked from the lift and knocked on the large ebony door that stood before him.

“Enter” his serpentine voice almost hypnotised you like a serpent its prey so you felt compelled to do as it said.

“Sir, I have gotten the sample of this Alucard’s blood and taken it to the lab.”

“Good, so you can do something right,” Serpentis looked up to see something glint at Blackthorn’s side. “What is that?”

Blackthorn looked down at the gun he had claimed off Mitch in case he became trigger-happy. It was a weapon of magnificent creation and he had hoped to keep it for himself. Grudgingly he withdrew the gun from his belt and passed it to Serpentis He looked at the gun lovingly before taking out the gun he had at his side and replacing it with the new gun.

“You can go Blackthorn. I will summon you when I need you”

Blackthorn left the office all too willingly, if he didn’t know Serpentis would punish him for it. He would have snarled in anger.

TBC…

KITG: okay...huge chap this time. so i hope you enjoy it. the song in there is Running up that hill, played by Within Temptation...though i do prefur the Placebo version of this song, it just wouldn't fit in a nightclub like Within Temptations version.