Hellsing Fan Fiction / Trinity Blood Fan Fiction ❯ When Doves Cry ❯ Die Another Day ( Chapter 6 )

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

When Doves Cry
Avangeline Fierce
Chapter Six
Die Another Day

Esther didn't know what to think anymore. She was sending Father Abel out on a mission she knew full well he might not come back from. He was so strong she often forgot he could die too, it would just be harder to pull off. Alucard was a big part of her fears. She had no qualms about admitting she was terrified of the Master Nosferatu. One of his signature wide grins was enough to spawn nightmares. She didn't really understand much about Abel's Crusnik side, but nothing about the kindly priest gave her much confidence that he could overpower Alucard.

She knew she was probably selling Abel's abilities short, but she couldn't help it. Abel had only produced that visceral fear when he was fighting Contra Mundi, Alucard provoked that response with a single facial expression.

“Stop thinking so much, you will only drive yourself crazy.” A feminine voice broke through the beginnings of panic accosting Esther. Seras was right beside her, sneaking up on the young queen without expending a lot of effort.

Esther turned to look at the younger of the two Nosferatu, “I don't know how to stop. What do you think? Is sending those two off together a good idea?”

Seras got an odd look on her face. “I'm not sure. Though I will tell you this, I haven't seen Master so interested in someone since we fought Millennium. He will put your priest through his paces I'm sure, but as long as his curiosity holds out Alucard prefers to keep them alive. Mostly to play with them more, but alive non-the-less. Plus I have seen them fight already, I think the Crusnik can hold his own. So like I said stop thinking so much.” Seras responded.

“Why do you follow him? Surely you are strong enough to get away, or you could have abandoned him in his slumber, yet you stayed. Why?” Esther knew she had just asked a very personal question, but she wanted to know what it was about Alucard that secured her loyalty.

The Draculina's eyes narrowed until Seras figured out the reasoning behind the question, if there had been any hint of disgust in the queen's voice she wouldn't have answered, but there was nothing other than curiosity so Seras finally replied, “He saved my life by killing me, he gave me the choice between dying along with the vampire he shot, or turning into this. I chose this life. He taught me well along with his own Master at the time. I have been offered the key to my freedom many times, but I won't take it. Master is the only one to ever show me that kind of stern teaching, he is strong and wise, beyond the obvious cunning and violence. In short I stay because I want to, he is my Master, and I will follow him wherever he goes.”

Esther nodded in understanding, “That is similar to how I feel about Father Nightroad, he saved my soul the first time he met me. Contra Mundi had an operative in my church and I fell into one of his plans, he played me like a harp. Father Nightroad uncovered the plot, and when the fallout was over, he brought me back to Rome. Through him I gained this life, and I could never repay him. So I think I understand. I hope they make it back in one piece.”

XXXXXXXXX

Alucard's bullets were finally done, the small party of rescuers were ready to leave, Asta was already in route from the Empire towards the Vatican. They would all meet up at the former headquarters of the AX. Abel was antsy as they started traveling. He needed to find Alessandro. The last link to his beloved Caterina was somewhere under the ancient city. He was beating himself up for not thinking of it sooner, the blow to his senses her death had caused made him miss such a glaringly obvious possibility.

The fool was gone. There was no trace of the clown he normally was. He was all business as they worked their way towards the young pope. He was so thoroughly focused on the goal, he didn't notice how deeply he was being watched during the journey.

Alucard kept himself amused by watching the members of his group. His Draculina never left his side, allowing her own string of unvoiced commentary to play out in his head. The young Methuselah Ion was highly entertaining for the Nosferatu. The blond was easily riled, and once he was angry Alucard would provoke him mercilessly until Ion lost all self control and made what could have been a suicidal leap towards the grinning vampire. Alucard would have been happy to put the upstart in his place, had that Crusnik not stepped in and ruined his fun.

Abel was becoming a bit of an annoyance to Alucard, not because he was loosing interest, but because he still had so many unanswered questions. Abel was too busy beating himself up over his mistake to take the bait Alucard laid out for him. The only reaction from the Crusnik came when he was defending their tiny traveling companion. Once Alucard's attention had been diverted from Ion, there would be a quick scuffle followed by Abel's refusal to fight. He had already lost control too many times around Alucard, Abel was not above using the vampire's ulterior motives against him to keep them all moving at swift pace towards the pope. Abel knew his life was not in danger until whatever it was driving Alucard had been dealt with, when that time came he may indulge himself in a good fight, but only if Alessandro was safe first.

Not long before they were expected to arrive in Rome, his creation finally decided to start asking the questions that had been swirling through her mind. She never spoke aloud, knowing her Master would be far more forthcoming with his opinions if it was only her that could hear him.

'Master that queen, she worries about this mission. She was quite the mess before we left. I had to talk her out of a panic attack. She doesn't seem to know the power her beloved priest holds. Why do you think he would leave her suffering like that?' Seras wasn't too proud to admit she was concerned about the woman. Alucard had left all traces of humanity behind, she had not, and that was why she was free while he was bound.

Alucard's lip curled up at her emotion, he still thought they were useless things, but he indulged his Draculina her weaknesses. She had taken care of him the best she could while he was bound in that dungeon. 'The Vatican dog doesn't want his Master to know she has a rabid animal on her leash, otherwise that leash will shorten.” His voice was strong, always dripping with a hint of malice even when speaking telepathically.

'You keep baiting him, how long do you think it will take before he breaks and fights you?' Seras was simply curious about that, she knew Alucard was itching for a fight, and all Abel's stalling was doing was allowing his battle lust to grow.

Alucard's voice took on a lighter more teasing tone, smoothing it with the malice, making a combination that still sent shivers down Seras' spine. 'I give him until his precious pope is found. By then he will be so tightly wound he won't resist. Especially once he finds out the truth. This pope better be worth finding, a Hellsing is born to be strong, if he isn't this will be a waste.'

Seras tilted her head in confusion, 'But Master, why couldn't you teach him like you taught me? If any of the Hellsing strength is left you could bring it out and have a Master worth following again.' She knew if it was anyone else but her asking that they would already be casualties to Alucard's deadly temper.

'He must be worth teaching. I will know quickly whether I should waste my effort on him or not. Don't worry my Draculina, I will have my leash once more, and once I do this world will bleed red again. Whose blood will be decorating the ground rests in the hands of this child-pope, he will either control me, or I him. We will see whose will is stronger.' Alucard laughed in her head, the bone chilling, blood curdling sound reverberating through every part of her mind. Had she been human no force on Earth could have stopped her from running at that sound, but all she did now was bow towards her Master, and resumed her wait to see what would happen on this mission of theirs.

XXXXXXX

The fifth and last member of their search party was waiting for them at the entrance to the underground labyrinth spread beneath the city. Astharoshe Asran was a blond haired beauty with a dangerous air about her. A lock of reddish hair spilling across her forehead augmented her tough leather clad look. This was another dangerous woman to add to Alucard's list. Unlike others of his time he knew not to underestimate the fairer sex, the best Master he ever had was a woman, and his Draculina was almost as dangerous as he was if he could only get those petty emotions squashed out of her.

Now wasn't the time to get side tracked though, they were close to their goal now. A short wait, and Alucard would have all the answers he had been looking for, and possibly a good fight to wash it all down. He hadn't had this much fun in a very long time, a few centuries of nothing but sleep with dust in his veins had only enhanced the thrill this excursion promised to deliver.

“How should we go about searching? All stay together, or separate to cover more ground?” Ion asked, breaking the silence that had descended after Asta's introduction.

“We stay together,” Abel decided, not needing time to think. “He won't react well if the group comes up to him is full of people he barely knows.”

“Alright, let's get started.” Asta agreed, moving into the tunnels.

Abel had the advantage here, he knew Alessandro's scent the best. The moment he relaxed his mind and inhaled deeply he smelt the undeniable presence of the Pope. He guessed he shouldn't be surprised, he thought as he followed the scent, the boy had been down here since the attack without spare clothes or a shower. His personal fragrance would be strong after all the stress of the attack. Abel was still kicking himself for not thinking about this possibility before.

Despite the clear trail it still took some time to find him. Alessandro had been wandering around for awhile now, his path crisscrossed itself many times, before it started getting noticeably fresher. Abel picked up his speed as they drew closer, and Alucard could feel the chains in his blood calling to the source of the path. He didn't need to smell the trail to know they were on the right track. If he hadn't wanted to enjoy seeing Abel struggle through all the twists and turns, he could have led the party directly to the boy, but he was having far too much fun with this.

'Enjoying yourself Master?” Seras' voice once again ghosted into Alucard's head.

'Oh yes, and it's only just beginning, look down that tunnel, our quarry awaits.' Alucard replied, tilting his head towards what looked like a pile of white cloth tossed onto the floor of the tunnel ahead of them.

In a few paces they drew up to the cloth and Seras could see there was a human occupying the white robes. The person looked to be asleep, if the steady rising and falling of his chest was anything to go by. Abel was calling to him, but the young boy simply squeezed his eyes shut, and curled up into a tighter ball, sheer exhaustion keeping him from waking.

Before anyone could stop him Alucard strode forward and nudged the boy with his foot, holding himself back from a full attack just to see what the kid would do. He was not expecting the reaction he got, but it caused a maniacal grin to spread across his face. The boy had sprung up from his deep sleep, a revolver clenched in his hand, firing three shots at Alucard before getting a grip on himself.

The boy first looked at the holes in Alucard his bullets had made, holes that were healing at a rapid pace, and then over to where Abel and the others stood with shocked expressions on their face. Dropping the gun like it burned him, the tears sprung from his eyes, and he flung himself ungracefully into Abel's arms; the one presence he had known from childhood and felt safe with. “What have I done? What have I done? What have I...” The boy kept repeating over and over again, bawling his eyes out.

Any respect the young pope had earned from Alucard at his instinctual actions was quickly deteriorating the longer this display went on. The boy had potential, but that mushiness was not going to have him kneeling at the boy's command until he proved himself stronger than this crying jag indicated.

“Alessandro look at me,” Abel ordered, not using a gentle voice, needing to snap him out of his litany. “You did what you needed to do to keep yourself safe. It takes more than that to damage Alucard, but if that had been one of the invaders you may have saved your own life.”

Alessandro lifted his tear stained face, and forced himself to listen to Abel's speech. He needed to hear that. Turning his head to look at the red-clad Nosferatu he pulled himself together to speak without shaking. “I apologize for shooting you, I hadn't slept since the attack, when you woke me I was afraid I would end up like all the others.”

“Boy, you couldn't kill me with that gun,” Alucard replied, using every bit of menace in his voice, and not telling him that the young human did have the power to kill him not wanting anyone to know until he found out where this boy was going to stand with him. “You shoot first and ask questions later, and don't ever bellyache over doing something that saves your own hide.” Alucard finished off everyone except Seras and Abel had goosebumps coming up at his tone, but Seras knew the truth behind his words, and Abel only felt his hunger rise, no fear.

Surprisingly Alessandro just nodded, before turning back to Abel, “Father Nightroad, I would like to see the crime scene please take me to it?”

Abel looked at the young pope like he had just sprouted an extra head. “Why do you want to go back there? I would think you would want to get as far away as fast as you could.”

Alessandro shook his head violently, “Maybe before all this happened. I need to see it, or it won't be real. Please take me to where those invaders murdered my family.” This time it wasn't a question. It was a direct order issued from the pope to one of his Priests. Abel had no choice but to obey.

“Yes your grace.” Abel replied, ducking his head in a bow to the young man he had sworn allegiance to. His submission giving Alessandro another positive check in Alucard's mind. Abel would not swear himself to a weakling, religion aside, Abel would only stand with those he knew had the drive to make things right; and Alucard knew it.

It took less time to exit the tunnels than it did to get to Alessandro so it wasn't long before they were standing in front of the AX headquarters. Having the pope with the got them through the security at the entrance, leaving them to be escorted first to where Francesco had fallen, but not before he had handed off the revolver to Alessandro telling the pope to run. Alessandro told them this while gazing at the bloodstain on the floor. In the end his brother had died protecting him, he would never forget that.

Soon they had followed the trail of blood to Caterina's office. The bright red stain spreading across her expansive desk made everything that happened click in Alessandro's mind. Instead of tears, he had already cried himself out, he found himself getting angry. Gripping the back of his sister's chair so tightly his knuckles turned white he lifted his angry eyes to the group that followed him into the room.

Saving his darkest looks for Abel and Alucard he ground out in a voice Abel had never heard from him before, gone was the shy little boy, here was the man tasked with the mantel of Pope. His anger radiated off him, finally pushed to his limit of kindness, sometimes even the church needed to get revenge. “I don't care how it is done, or how long it takes, I want whoever has done this brought to justice. Dead or alive, my family will be avenged. Will you fight for me?”

Abel sunk onto one knee, bowing his head as he spoke, “I pledged myself to you before, that will not stop now.”

Alucard made another surprising move, everyone but Seras shocked when he removed the trademark glasses, handing them and his hat over to the care of his Draculina. Stepping forward, he stood at his full height, towering over the Pope, staring at him; measuring his worth with every moment they spent with their eyes locked together. Finally with a smooth graceful motion he bent at the waist until his long black hair brushed the floor, tilting his gaze upwards he spoke. “I go wherever my Master commands.” Dark promises flashed in his crimson eyes.

Alessandro saw those promises, and matched them, generations of power flowing through his veins, awakening instincts that would have remained dormant had his elder siblings survived. “Rise servant, come to me.” He commanded.

Alucard followed the command, sinking into a parody of Abel's kneeling bow at Alessandro's feet. Deciding to play with his new Master, Alucard forced his thoughts into the Hellsing heir's head. 'How strong a leash does my Master require?” A tempting lilt to his voice, just a hint of laughter filtering into the menacing undertone.

Alessandro kept himself from shaking as he stared down at the creature speaking in his mind. Leash? What kind of leash? Then it hit him. 'The leash is in my blood isn't it? I can think of nothing less as that is what you survive on.' Alessandro had paid attention to his lessons he knew a vampire when he saw one, even if he didn't know the specifics.

'You are almost right,' Alucard corrected, his trademark grin spreading when he realized how antsy the others were acting while they communed silently. 'It is in our blood, not just yours. If you wish to command me I must have a taste of your pure blood.' Alucard thought this boy was no Integra, but with some coaching he could come close. He would give the boy the key to power, it was up to him whether he used it or let Alucard take over.

'I won't turn?' He asked with some concern.

'If you make the wound, you will not become my ghoul, for that to happen my fangs must pierce your skin.' Alucard left it just open-ended enough that if Alessandro made a mistake his life was forfeit. That was the price of the information. He hadn't expected the move Alessandro made, throwing a bit of a wrench in his plans.

“Abel come over here, I need you.” Alessandro commanded, the Crusnik at his side near instantly.

“What is it?” It hadn't taken Abel long to figure out Alucard must have been talking to the boy telepathically. Seras had said only his creations and the Hellsing bloodline could do so, it wasn't hard to figure out after Alucard's dramatic performance.

“He is asking that I give him a taste of blood to cement my control, he insists that as long as his fangs do not pierce my skin I will not become a ghoul. Can you confirm this?” Alessandro was starting to get scared, he knew what he needed to ask Abel to do, but it would put the kindly priest in danger. Yet it was the best solution he could come up with.

“What he says is true, you will not become a ghoul without direct contact with his fangs. You would still be in some danger though. Even if you make the wound he could drain you dry without much effort.” Abel knew the vampire was given medical blood in Albion, but the temptation of warm living blood could be too much for the ancient midian.

Alessandro lowered his gaze for a moment, realizing he would need to ask this of Abel after all, he was the only one strong enough to deter Alucard if something went wrong. Turning to the waiting Nosferatu, he asked. “As long as the blood is mine, and the wound made by my own hand, would my blood still work if it was transferred by another person?”

Alucard had never been asked such a question. He figured with that situation it would work, and he was curious to see what the boy had come up with. “It should work.” He replied with a smirk to hide his curiosity. Couldn't have the others think he was getting soft, he would lose his playthings in having to prove them wrong.

The pope turned back to the Crusnik. “Father Nightroad, I want you to bring out your other form. You will be the person to transfer my blood to the vampire. Should any problem arise, you have my permission to destroy the threat.” Alessandro knew Abel wouldn't have the same problem as Alucard, Abel had no taste for human blood. Having him pass the blood in his Crusnik form was the only compromise he could come up with that didn't involve exposing a vein to a dangerous vampire.

Abel nodded, not showing Alessandro how much this idea was effecting him, because he knew there was only one way to pull off the transfer without equipment they just didn't have. Caterina wouldn't have kept needles or syringes in her office. As he let out his darker side to forty percent power, he knew what he had to do.

Alessandro was being handed a dagger by Asta, the female Methuselah always having a range of weapons of her at times when she didn't know what kind of danger they would be facing. Knowing he just wanted to get it over with, he made a quick cut on his palm, flinching slightly as the metal bit in, but not stopping until blood was flowing freely from the wound. He felt Abel approach him, extending his bleeding palm out, not sure what was going to happen.

Abel's fangs were small, but sharp, Alessandro could feel them scraping against his skin as the Crusnik suckled a mouthful of blood from the wound he had made. Despite knowing Abel had no thirst for human blood, or any desire to cause harm, the instinctual response of fang on skin caused fear to sing in his heart. He was privately glad he asked Abel to do this, if that was Alucard feasting on his blood, the terror would have been unstoppable.

Approaching Alucard, Abel waited for the Nosferatu to figure out what needed to happen. He knew he was on the edge of his control just being in the same room where Caterina had been killed, but adding this to the mix was going to put him to the test. He was afraid of what he might do.

With another smirk Alucard closed the distance between them. He found this whole situation amusing, glad he had let the boy carry out his plan. Seeing the fear in Abel's eyes and misreading it as fear of Alucard himself, he lunged at the Crusnik, clamping his mouth aggressively against the winged creature's lips to pull the mouthful of blood into his own body.

That was when the dangers of misreading Abel's fear came in. The shock of the lunge, followed by the violent assault on his mouth, had thrown what little control Abel still had out the window. Now in his true form, Abel could clearly scent the powerful blood rushing through Alucard, a blood he had a single taste of and wanted more. Keyed up from the situation, Abel didn't fight his blood lust. Sinking his fangs into Alucard's tongue as it attempted to retrieve the last drops of Alessandro's blood from his mouth. He clamped his arms tightly around Alucard, attempting to keep him in place so he could feed.

Abel managed to swallow a few mouthfuls before he was forced back, dazed from the adrenaline rush of the blood. Releasing his Crusnik form so he had a chance of regaining his sanity, he looked over to the others in the room. Every face holding the same expression of shock. He had really done it this time. It was going to take a long time to live this little control lapse down.
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