Hellsing Fan Fiction ❯ Angel of Mercy ❯ Trouble ( Chapter 13 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Soon after moonrise the following night Julia slipped through the shadowed halls of Hellsing Manor, keeping her human form but treading on silent feet. She exited trough a long forgotten servants entrance and walked out into the starry night. She spread her arms wide as if they where wings, and in the next instant she was a raven gliding effortlessly on the thermals of an easterly wind.

All of Julia’s blood kin in the manor sensed in some way that she had gone, even Seres, although for her it was only a vague sense that a familiar feeling power that she had become accustomed to had suddenly vanished.

Tobias felt a brief moment of vulnerability when he sensed Julia’s absence, much like a tiger cub, when it’s mother leaves to hunt, and it knows it is helpless until the tigress returns. However, the feeling passed and he calmed. Now with his memories back, Tobias was able to realize that he was a vampire over half a century old, and should be strong enough not to cling to his sire like a frightened child. Besides, Julia had told him where she was going before she left, and had promised she would not be gone long.

It was Alucard who’s interest was peeked by Julia’s departure, and since he could no longer invade her thoughts he chose to follow her. Her cloaked his energy and took the form of a great black hound spun of shadows and nightmares. He ran swiftly, with his feet never truly touching the London cobblestones as he trailed the distant avian.

Julia landed outside of a small old house made of crumbling, but strong stone. It had been build before the Virginia Company set sail. It’s walls bore the steady marks of time and a few violent gashes from the dark days of the blitz. The dark scars upon the stone where almost hidden by Ivy that overgrew it’s walls and covered much of the yard and the nearly collapsed stone wall with it‘s wrought iron gate. An odd assortment of lilies, sage, strawberries, and squash graced the well tended yard.

When Julia touched the ground, she was once again an almost innocent looking young girl, nearly hidden within the dark garments she wore. She walked to the dark wooden door and lifted and drooped the heavy brass knocker. She waited a moment, and when no one answered she frowned and tried the handle. Finding it unlocked she carefully pushed open the door and looked around. Within was a house in chaos, the furniture smashed and the walls torn and splashed with blood. Instantly she was on the defensive spreading out her own senses to check the premises, and cursing herself for not doing so before.

A soft whimper from the floor brought her to her senses and she pushes aside rubble to find an injured woman. She was well into her late forties, but still very beautiful, with dark black hair and sapphire eyes, but her beauty was marred by the expression of pain on her face and the knife in her stomach. Julia could tell she was dying, and far beyond the help of any doctor.

Julia tried to search her memory, but the woman’s mind was too clouded by pain and grief. Carefully Julia knelt down next to the woman and raised up her head. “What happened Susan?” she asked as kindly as she could. “Where is Jacob?” For a moment the woman’s eyes focused on her, and she seemed to try and speak but the effort was too much. She grimaced and closed her eyes, coughing blood.

“Take her life blood, so you can access her memories,” ordered Alucard. Julia turned her head and saw Alucard leaning against the doorway, for once without his Cheshire smile. Julia shook her head.

“I won’t trap her soul in this world. If she is like this, then my fledgling that loved her is surely dead, and I must let them cross into the next world together.”

“If you can’t, then let me. We need to know what’s going on,” said Alucard. Julia growled at him,

“Stay away!” Alucard was about to move to challenge her when the woman spoke, he voice raspy and weak.

“Jacob tried to protect them, but he wasn’t strong enough. The madman killed him and the children ran and…” Her voice died out slowly and faded as he eyes dimmed. Julia laid her down gently, and closed her eyes, then looked up at Alucard.

“What do you suppose she meant by ‘the madman’?”

“Oh I can venture a guess,” said Alucard walking over to the body and pulling out what Julia had mistaken for a knife, but now recognized as a very familiar bayonet.
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Back at Hellsing Julia made a full report to Integra, supposedly Alucard should have as well, but he disappeared to the dungeon as soon as they got back. Julia would have preferred not making the Hellsing aware of her business, but she knew Hellsing needed to know if the where members of section thirteen in London. After Julia had recounted everything that had happened, Integra had a few more specific questions.

“So why where you going to see this fledgling in the first place?” asked Integra tiredly, trying not to think about how much trouble Anderson could cause if he got onto Hellsing grounds.

“I wanted to ask him if Tobias and I could stay with him for a time.”

“You where planning on leaving?” asked Integra feeling slightly disappointed.

“Do not get me wrong, Sir Hellsing, I fully appreciate your hospitality. I simply wanted to make sure I had the option of another safe place open if need be. When I have a vulnerable fledgling in my care I always make sure I have the option to flee.”

Integra wanted to say more about the matter, but realized it was not the proper time and moved on. “How old was your fledgling and how long had he been in London?”

“He was around a hundred and thirty, although he had only been a vampire for a hundred years. I do not believe he had ever left England, and he had always maintained that residence in London. Julia’s voice could not hide her sadness, she was taking the loss of her fledgling hard.

“What was your fledgling’s relationship to the human woman killed?” asked Integra more kindly.

“They where lovers.”

“Does the human girl have family we should contact?”

“No, your free to cover up the death, just make sure she gets a decent burial.”

“I’ll make sure she does, now do you have any idea who Jacob was protecting?”

“If Anderson was after them then, they where probably vampires, and since Susan referred to them as children they where most likely some of my fledglings.” Said Julia shifting uncomfortably in her chair, the thought of any more of her fledglings in danger made her restless.

“Do you know which fledglings?”

“No, but I’ll try to get in contact with as many as I can and find out who’s missing.”

“If you’ll give me a list of names and descriptions, I can have my London agents keep an eye out for any vampires that match and contact them for you.”

“Do not take offense, but you do realize you run a vampire hunting agency. If I have fledglings in London they are certain to avoid anyone with the Hellsing crest. Leave it to me, I will find out what is going on.”

“Very well, I will focus on finding the Iscarot agents. Now the sun will rise soon, you should probably get to your coffin.” Julia glanced at the blinds which did appear to be lightening. She pushed back her chair and stood.

“Goodnight Sir Hellsing.” She bowed and turned to leave.

“Julia,” called Integra after her.

“Yes?”

“Thank you for the book, if you don’t mind I’d like to keep it for a wile longer.”

“It’s yours to keep Sir Hellsing,” said Julia reaching for the door.

“Oh and Julia,”

“Yes?”

“I’d prefer if you didn’t use my formal title. You may call me Integra.”

“Thank you Integra,” said Julia with more warmth than Integra had ever heard her speak with before, and then she was gone the heavy oak door clicking shut behind her. Integra glanced after the door for a moment then returned her thoughts to the day ahead. There was much that needed to be done.

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The next night, Julia left soon after sunset, and returned shortly before dawn, knowing little more than she had the night before. Anderson mercifully did not yet make himself known. The next nights she went to search again but returned earlier so she could speak with Integra.
She pushed open the doors to Integra’s office wearily, the only mark of any hope upon her, the white rose from the garden, she had come into the habit of wearing in her hair. “I think I’ve figured out who’s missing but I can‘t figure our why they‘d be in England,” she told Integra falling into a chair and saying nothing more.
Integra raised an aristocratic eyebrow. “Do go on.” Julia shook her head.

“There’s no point in telling you until I know more. I could be wrong and I don’t want to waist your time.” Integra didn’t press her and merely poured her a teacup full of blood, which Julia too gracefully. Afterwards Integra leaned back in her own chair sipping at her cup of tea.
“Something else is getting to you, what is it?” she asked. Julia cradled the cup in her hand staring into the dark liquid.
“ I’d completely unrelated to what’s going on now, but today I learned on of my fledglings in Ireland, went to meet a sunrise a few months ago. I had no idea he was getting tired of life, he‘s only been a vampire for ten years”
“He killed himself?”
“Most of my fledglings do that eventually, but it doesn’t make it any easier on me. Sometimes I wonder if I’m really doing the right things giving them this false life. Maybe were sometimes meant to leave things in this world undone. Surely death is kinder than this coldness” Julia was silent for a moment then in a whisper she mumbled. “If I’d died when I was mortally wounded I’d be with Mary now.”
Integra did no know what to say, it seemed so strange to hear the vampire voice doubts to her. Julia looked terribly like a sad young woman, and Integra also most wanted to put a hand on her shoulder, but she did not. She had never been in the habit of touching people, and she could certainly not start now. At last Julia glanced up from her teacup and saw Integra watching her.

“You look tired what’s bothering you?” she asked. Integra remembered what had been on her mind before Julia entered her office and sighed taking off her glasses, for a moment to message her temples.

“There’s been trouble with a recent mission and I’m not sure what is going on. I sent Alucard to destroy a vampire that was seen killing a human and he failed. He said he sighted the target but could not destroy her, and I couldn’t make him say why.”

“Who was the vampire?’ asked Julia curiously setting down her cup, an idea forming in her head.

“I don’t have a name, but Alucard said she was still a very young fledgling and her sire was nowhere in sight. She had the form of a human girl of around twelve and was of European descent, possibly Swedish, with blond hair.”

“Any distinguishing features?” asked Julia a frown forming on her face.

“She had a jagged scar across the left side of her neck, and Alucard said she spoke with a French accent, although that really doesn’t make sense if she looked Swedish. So do you know her?”

Julia nodded slowly. “Her name is Rachiel, her parents where polish, but she was raised in France. She must be the fledgling Jacob died protecting. She’s the fledgling of one of my fledglings. Her sire’s name is, or was Michael. If a fledgling as young as Rachiel is wandering around on her own it must mean Michael is dead. He would never have abandoned her. I need to find her quickly and figure out what happened to Michel and how she survived, before whoever killed Michael gets to her.”

“You do realize your fledgling killed a human.” said Integra her voice suddenly cold.

“She would never kill anyone,” replied Julia sharply.

“She was seen by the body of an unidentified man who was stabbed through the heart and his blood drained.

“Why would a vampire stab some one?” asked Julia critically.

“Why does it matter? The drained blood is proof enough.”

“No it’s not! I know her she would never kill a human. She probably came upon another vampire’s kill. You can’t order her destruction because of flimsy evidence like that.”

“Your being irrational because she’s your kin. Believe me, there is no doubt she killed the man. Hellsing cannot suffer a vampire that has killed a human to live.” Integra’s face was blanks as she spoke, completely hiding her emotions from Julia.

“You suffer me to live,” said Julia quietly.

“You only killed Vatican dogs.”

“That doesn’t mean they weren’t human. You’re a killer yourself, who are you to say what is murder and what is not. What right do you have to judge. Are you just going to hunt Rachiel down like a feral dog? Will you destroy her even if she is innocent? Do you think you are right in doing so because she is a vampire?” Julia’s voice was growing louder and she had jumped to her feet. The motion upset the dark tea pot and sent it to the floor with a loud clash of ceramic. Blood and broken black shards spread across the checkered floor of Integra’s office.

“My duty is to god, and country to destroy impure souls,” snarled Integra leaping to her feet as well her Hellsing blood making her proud. “I will not show mercy to a vampire simply because she’s a relative of yours.”

Integra’s words seemed almost to calm Julia, but it was only the false calm of deep set anger. She reached up to her hair and pulled the white rose, free causing her light brown tresses cascaded around her shoulders. She flung the flower onto Integra’s desk in an angry motion. It’s petals broke apart and scattered.

“Then Sir Integra I can no longer accept your hospitality,” there was almost a feral grown in Julia’s voice, and for a moment Integra felt the gravity of her situation. She was a foot away from an angry vampire, who she had just threaded to kill a descendent of.

She was a good fighter, but her sword was not with her, and even Alucard could not be at her side quick enough if Julia chose to strike. There was a long terrible pause, as they both glared at each other and then there was a knock at the door. When neither of them replied, Walter swung it open, wires in hand. He stared at the two females almost uncertain of what to do. If he tried to restrain Julia he might provoke her into attack Integra, and if her did nothing she might do the same.

Strangely it was Julia who defused the situation. She took a step back and lowered her raised arms to her side. “Tobias and I will be gone from Hellsing within the hour and, and all of my descendents from London by the sunrise after next. Please do not stop us, or pursue us. I do not want to, but if you threaten my blood kin, I have no choice but to protect them. If cornered I will fight.”

She turned on her heal and strode from the room breezing past Walter, who did not block her way.

“Alucard!” Integra yelled angrily. Within an instant he was by her side looking horribly amused.

“Why didn’t you tell me the vampire you failed to terminate was a descendent of yours?”

“Why master, you didn’t ask,” replied Alucard in mock injury. Integra gave him a look to freeze hell fire.

“I’ll deal with you later you git. Right now I want you to follow her and see what she does.” Alucard bowed in false submission, “Of course my master, but you do realize that you can’t order me to kill her.”
Integra sent him another glare, she did not want to even consider killing Julia.

“No Alucard, I only want you to follow her and stay hidden. Just don’t interfere understood?”

“Yes,” said Alucard and vanished. Integra motioned for Walter to leave and collapsed at her desk once the heavy wooden door was shut. The flame of her anger had extinguished and only confusion and sadness remained. How had things changed so quickly? She and Julia had been having a civil discussion only moments before. She hadn’t meant for this to happen.

She took off her glasses and rubbed her tired eyes. The young woman inside her wanted desperately to cry, but she could not. The leader that she was would not allow such weakness. She wanted to call Julia back and promise to leave her fledgling alone, but duty bound her to destroy the same said fledgling. She silently cursed duty, queen and god, and then slowly reached out and gathered the scatted rose petals.

She held them in her hand for a moment, then walked to the window to throw them out. As she glanced across the grounds she saw two birds, a raven and a sparrow fly up from the earth and into the open sky, a strange shadow followed underneath them. Integra watched the figures vanish and then threw down the petals to the ground bellow, like the tears she could not shed. Despairingly she latched the window and she returned to her desk.