Hellsing Fan Fiction / Trinity Blood Fan Fiction ❯ When Doves Cry ❯ What If ( Chapter 5 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Chapter Five
What If

Abel was angry at himself. No, not angry, that was the wrong word, instead he was furious at his own lack of control. That was twice now Alucard had called out his inner beast without Abel's consent. He was better than that, stronger, there was no reason for him to loose it like that. He had made a promise, to never sink as low as he had gone ever again. The ruthless killer that he had been while working with Cain to end the existence of humans was always lurking just beneath the surface. With Caterina to protect and guide through life he had the grounding force needed to keep the monster mostly at bay, but now. He was lost. More so now than he had been after the death of Lilith, at least than he knew what his next move was going to be.

His treasured one was gone. His daughter in all but blood was forever out of his reach, taken long before her time. Francesco and Alessandro were different, yes he had watched them age and grow, but it had been Caterina that latched onto him, taking in all he had to teach and using it to her advantage. That was why it was her command Abel followed and not her brothers'.

He would have to find Alessandro, the last link to Caterina was still alive as far as they knew. Abel knew his brother, Cain would not waste the bargaining chip a young impressionable pope could be. Cain would use Alessandro in whatever capacity suited him best, either in trying to persuade him over to Cain's way of thinking, or by using his as bait to lure an enraged Abel right to him. Cain and Abel had fought once on equal ground, and Abel had been the victor, Cain knew unless he shifted the dynamic of the fight in his favor he would not survive another encounter like that with his brother.

“Quit brooding and join us Abel.” The Empress admonished at her older brother. Not liking the look of pain and rage on Abel's normally calm face.

“I apologize Empress, where were we?” Abel forced himself back into the conversation being held in  front of him between the Albion queen and the Empress. Abel knew Ion had come with his sister, but he didn't see or sense the young Methuselah in the room at the moment, but Alucard seemed to be lurking about even if Abel couldn't see where he had hidden himself this time.             &nb sp;       

“We were discussing who to send to find the pope. Abel you are the best choice, but I don't think you should go alone. If Cain has Alessandro you alone are not enough to fight both him and the bodyguards he most assuredly has already.” Seth Nightlord spoke firmly, knowing anything less and Abel wouldn't listen to her, he was barely able to keep himself in check as it was. She didn't need to add more fuel to the fire.

Ester spoke up then, speaking softly but with far more confidence than she had when she had first encountered the cruznik. “Father Nightroad, who can we send with you that would help you find the pope faster rather than slow you down?” Abel knew which humans, or Methuselah for that matter, he could work best with, it would be better if he chose his own hunting party.

“No humans, there have been too many loses already. Methuselah are harder to kill in battle, but may panic if I have to transform around them. It has to be someone that knows me, not the creature, but me. Empress, I would like Ion and Asta with me if I could borrow them?” Abel seemed to be thinking hard about his next choice, staring into the shadowed corner of the room where he could feel the presence of the ancient Nosferatu. “Alucard, care to test those guns of yours out on the world's enemy?”

Of the others in the room only Seth kept her composure as the grinning visage of Alucard seemed to appear out of thin air. Abel stared down the red clad Nosferatu, “Well are you up for it? I can't promise you the slaughter you probably crave, but mayhem and destruction are distinct possibilities, and if Alessandro is dead you just may slake your bloodlust yet.”

“I need bullets,” Alucard demanded, which Abel correctly assumed meant he was going to come with them to look for Alessandro. “After all, the vermin in my history were always in large numbers I doubt that has changed.”

“Seras as well?” Abel figured the female vampire would have a better chance of reining in Alucard than  he would have without her.

“Where I go, my Draculina is bound to follow.” Alucard answered for her, having no need to ask. Seras would never be far from him, she had proved that by refusing to drink from him yet again when it was offered upon his awakening.

“Wait how do we know he can be trusted? How much do you really know about him Abel?” Ester protested, not ashamed to admit the master vampire terrified her.

“You can't.” Alucard responded to her inquiry with yet another of his toothy grins. “It would be foolish to trust a monster. I am curious about this matter and want to shake the rust off my weapons, beyond that I make no promises.” His voice was both chilling in its intensity, but with a humorous undertone that made Ester feel like she was the butt of a joke she didn't understand.

“Ester, it won't just be him and I. I will keep him  in check just as he will for me. Don't worry for me. Now Empress, about those two I asked for, may I borrow them?” Abel didn't think his sister would mind him using her as an excuse to change the subject away from Alucard. Truth was Abel was more than aware of what Ester was telling him, but he was beyond caring at this point, he needed Alucard's skill. Though a small part of him did realize that wanting to have Alucard near him wasn't just for the vampire's skill, but with every moment spent together there was a greater chance of another fight sparking. Abel wanted another taste of that tempting blood, and the look of hunger on his little sister's face told him he wasn't the only one tempted by the powerful blood flowing in his veins. Hell even Seras' scent was salivating, but Alucard had been old when she was created, his blood was the wine of all wines.

“It is up to the two of them, but they have my permission to go. Ion is here, I think you knew that, but it could take a few days to get Astharoshe here.” Seth realized what Abel was doing, and allowed it. She knew her brother could handle himself, as long as he didn't get drunk off the intoxicating smell of Alucard's blood.

“Alright, send someone to get her right away. In the meantime we need to get Alucard more bullets, they're custom made, and it would be a good idea to start preparing for the aftermath if we don't manage to find Alessandro alive.” Abel decided, realizing they didn't have any choice but to wait, they couldn't meet Asta on the way because there was no way of knowing where Cain had gone. They could very well be running in the wrong direction. They needed to stay and plan first before they charged blindly into the unknown.

“How are you going to find Cain once your ready to go?” Ester asked, confused on that, why weren't they sending scouts out to try and locate the trail already?
“It wont be hard, in this case, Cain wants to be found. He is using Alessandro as bait for me. I know that's what he is doing, but I can't figure out why. I don't know of anything he could gain by luring me to him.” Abel's musing answer was interrupted by the Empress' snort of disbelief.

“Abel are you really that dense?” Seth teased, “There is something you have that he wants very badly.”

“What is it?” He asked incredulously.

“Your blood.” She responded seriously. “Think about it, all cruzniks have roughly the same amount of power, at least originally. You now have not only your own power, but Lilith's as well. He wants that, I would be willing to bet on it.”

“That does make some sense,” Abel admitted, “But why go about it this way? By attacking Caterina and taking Alessandro he has to know he is stirring up more than just me.”

All hands turned abruptly in Alucard's direction as he let out a dark chuckle. “Who said this was all planned? The massacre was planned, but the kidnapping doesn't fit. What if this enemy of yours doesn't have your precious pope? The Vatican hadn't changed from the last time I saw it, there are many passageways and tunnels underneath the streets and buildings.”

“I didn't smell a trace of him anywhere, he couldn't have gone too far could he?” Abel seemed to be arguing more with himself than protesting what Alucard had said.

“If he made it underground the smell would be deadened. Especially if he wasn't bleeding. The bodies were fairly fresh or they would have been discovered sooner, if he did indeed escape he may have been frightened to come out of hiding until he was sure it wasn't the enemy coming back. Why wasn't there a search done?” Seth demanded, getting agitated as the idea offhandedly proposed by Alucard began to make some sense.

“We were still in shock, but that's no excuse. Empress, please have Asta meet us back at the Vatican, Alucard we are going to have to rush those bullets. We have to follow up on this.” Abel decided, hoping this wasn't some kind of wild goose chase.
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