Hellsing Fan Fiction ❯ Fare ❯ Silent Night ( Chapter 6 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
Every now and again, the sadness would overcome him, but for the most part, Malakai was recovering well. He spent much time with Victoria and Alucard; Integral rarely saw him Which was more than likely a good thing, as he'd probably have gotten something thrown at him. Needless to say, the not-so-young director of the Hellsing Organization was under a lot of stress. And Malakai had a love and talent for getting on people's nerves.

Perhaps I am to old for this, Integral thought wryly.

Never that, my master, came Alucard's response.

Oh, come now, Alucard. You know as well as I that humans grow old, and die. I am getting old, Integral said grimly.

You wouldn't have to if you'd only accept my offer . . . time would turn backwards for you, my master. You would be a magnificent vampire. We could all run away together, you and Victoria and I, Alucard replied in a low, soft voice.

Run away? Now, that doesn't sound like you at all. Who are you and what did you do with my vampire? Integral said in surprise.

Maybe I am tired of this place. This tiny, filthy little island. I want to go home, Integra, Alucard answered.

It made sense. Every vampire eventually felt the strong pull of the soil of their homeland, the desperate need to return. Maybe it was Alucard's time to go back. It had been over a century since the beginning of his servitude to the Hellsing family, after all.

Your offer is tempting, my servant. But you forget one detail . . . I am not a virgin. That puts a damper on your plans, does it not?

You know so little of our kind, my master . . .

What the hell was that supposed to mean? Was there some secret method of turning humans into vampires that no one had ever known about?

Of course, Master. Vampires have many secrets that even you Hellsings know nothing about, Alucard replied, slightly amused.

Hmm. She could believe it . . . . . and although a part of her mind was tempted by his offer, her Hellsing blood was still strong, and she denied herself the chance at being immortal . . . . . at being damned.

Yes, my master, we're damned. But . . . it's not what you humans make it out to be, Alucard said, having read her thoughts before she could censor them.

As I recall, you were a human Christian once as well, Integra replied.

Once. A long time ago . . . but I was never so religious as the stories make me seem, and I am certainly not now. Being “damned” works wonders on one's belief system, Integra Hellsing, Alucard said.

I suppose it would.

You suppose correctly. Are there any missions for me tonight?

The mere mention of a mission immediately irritated Integral. That was one of the things that had her so terribly stressed. There were no missions, because no one, not a single FREAK or fanatical organization or rampant vampire, was causing trouble lately. It was too peaceful.

No missions tonight, Alucard. The night is yours, Integra sighed.

See you tomorrow then, Alucard said, only the barest pout in his mental voice betraying his disappointment.

God knew that that poor monster had to be bored out of his mind.

“I'm sure somehow he'll live,” Integral said sarcastically.

And that was the truth of it. Victoria was still amazed that somehow, Alucard was managing to keep these secret feedings from Integral. At first, when they went out into the city at night, Victoria had thought that Integra would have them followed. To her surprise, the leader of Hellsing hardly even seemed to notice, or care, that two vampires under her control were out and about without supervision. The first time Victoria had ever fed from a live human she'd been secretly terrified. She knew what would happen if they were caught. Alucard would be locked away and Victoria would most likely be destroyed, and Malakai hunted down for as long as Integral lived. But they had not been caught.

But tonight was not a good night to go out feeding. Alucard knew that there was virtually no activity in the city. It was the normal vampire-related incidents and Alucard's skill at fabricating evidence that made their victims look like victims of a human crime and kept them from being caught. And besides that . . . Malakai was there. The fact of the matter was, Victoria preferred sitting in their basement domain chatting with him to going out. Especially on a night like this, when it was so cold.

So there they sat, in Alucard's room, Victoria sprawled out across their shared bed, Alucard and Malakai seated at the table, feet propped up on the flat surface. Victoria and Malakai prattled on for a time, before a comfortable silence swept over them and they all sat mulling over their thoughts.

“Malakai?” Victoria was the first to break the silence that had lasted for an hour or so.

“Mmm?”

“Why were you so angry before?”

“When was I angry? I am never angry,” Malakai scoffed.

“I mean when you found out that Jonathan had had Isaac killed. You looked as though you'd never endured such pain before, but surely you've lost loved ones before this? I know I have,” Victoria replied.

Malakai was silent for a moment.

“If it seemed that way, it's because that's how it was. I'd never felt such pain before in my life. I do not know why. Perhaps it is because I had intended to come back for him, because I had marked him as my own. Perhaps it was the loss of a possession and not merely the loss of a . . . . . loved one,” Malakai said, speaking more to himself than anyone else.

“I doubt it. People . . . don't get depressed because they've lost a toy. A . . . possession.”

“Vampires do.”

“People don't. Men don't.”

“Yes, we do.”

“What do you mean?”

“I'm a man, and I say, we do.”

“You can't be a man if you're a monster,” Victoria replied, slightly confused.

“Now, who in the world told you that?”

“Well, ah . . . no one.”

“Well then, what makes you think so?”

“Ah . . . nothing. Nevermind. I suppose I understand what you mean now. It's just that Alucard once said that only a man can kill a monster,” Victoria mumbled, slightly embarrassed.

“Mmm. What he meant was not what you heard. Only a true vampire can kill another true vampire,” Malakai said.

“Please explain,” Victoria replied, curious.

“A vampire will rarely kill another vampire. When we do, it is for three reasons. Either we are insane, or else we kill to take over their domain and acquire their powers. Or, the most important and most common reason, to protect the species. As I said, sometimes a vampire will go insane, from the darkness inside of them raging out of control and sometimes, the powers they receive when vampires are freed consume them. During this time, they are mindless killers. They will destroy everyone, their servants, other vampires, any human they find, everyone. That's when someone, an original vampire, has to step in. They are the “man” going to face the “monster”. They go to slay the beast, so to speak, to keep our presence hidden from humans, to keep more of our own from being killed. And only a true vampire can kill another true vampire. Do you understand?” Malakai finished.

“It seems we are not so different then,” came a voice from the doorway. The three vampires turned to see Integral standing there, “Hellsing needs secrecy to protect our country effectively, and your kind needs it simply to survive.”

“As I told you the night I met you,” Malakai smiled.

“Indeed.”

“There are so many of us, Integra, all over the world. You would not believe it, and even I do not know how many there are. We have stayed silent, and secret, for so long. And we cannot let even one renegade threaten our silent nights, our peace.”

“I understand.”

“Of course you do. You sacrifice much to protect your soldiers. Ou're a strong woman, even if you are getting old.”

“Old?”

“Do you think I was not listening to your conversation with Alucard?”

“The idea that you were listening in never occurred to me,” Integral replied., “In any case, I must return to my work. I was going to see Adam and got sidetracked.”

“Bye then!” Malakai waved.

Integral nodded and left, closing the door behind her. There was silence for several moments.

Finally, Victoria asked, “What is it, exactly, that makes a vampire go mad?”

“Many things,” Alucard replied, “Grief, blood-lust, a great threat to one's life. And sometimes, their sanity just . . . . deteriorates as they grow older.”

“Is that why so many of us are so . . . cold?”

“Yes. Part of it. We have to learn to let things go. To never regret . . . . otherwise, it would eat at us till we died. And we do not die in so short a time as humans do,” Malakai said grimly.

It did make sense . . . she remembered how terrible it had been in the beginning, how it had changed over the years . . . and anyone who saw him knew how cold Alucard could be. For a vampire . . . . she supposed . . . . it had to be so hard . . . humans lived with the fear of dying, but it seemed that a vampire . . . would welcome an end to such bloody nights.

“I want to live,” Malakai murmured in response to thoughts she had not bothered to censor, “I have no intention . . . . of ending my nights on this earth. I don't know about you.”

Victoria picked at the blanket. She was restless. She wanted to go outside. The need to be free, to be able to go where she wished without fear of consequence, was growing stronger by the day. It was a terrible, burning, unyielding need, and it was driving her mad, slowly.

“Me neither,” Victoria murmured, “I just want to go outside.”

Silent Night . . .