Hellsing Fan Fiction ❯ Life Beyond Death ❯ One-Shot

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

In an age of fear and monsters, no one questioned those who would fight the creatures that reveled in destruction and wickedness.

Anime/Manga: Hellsing Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Post-apocalyptic / Horror | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 03.18.2006 | Pages: 4 | Words: 4.5K | Visits: 1.2K | Status: Completed

Disclaimer: These characters do not belong to me they belong to Kohta Hirano.

Summary: In an age of fear and monsters, no one questioned those who would fight the creatures that reveled in destruction and wickedness.

a/n: Special thanks to Aaron and Thess, who reviewed the still buggy draft on live journal(and to Thess: A thanks for the suggestion on a bit of dialogue change as well). Yes, two good comments are enough to stroke this fragile ego.

Unlike most of my stories and especially one-shots, I shall say that I am considering continuing this plotline even though it is marked as completed. Lately I've not been in the mood for long-running stories or epics and frankly, should I continue this storyline, it would probably come to that. Mind you, it reads well enough on its own. It's just there are still quite a few themes I'd still like to explore.

”Life Beyond Death”

London on fire.

It always seemed to be on fire, even after six months post Millennium's attack. Much of it was due to the fact that the city had been reduced to small encampments; campfires blazed night and day, a post-apocalyptic commune.

The queen was dead.

The Priminister was missing and presumed dead; most of the country's Parliament members shared the same fate.

UN was scrambling still to provide relief to all the nations that had been laid waste by Millennium and The Last Battalion. Though England was among the top priorities, there just weren't enough resources to go around with so many governments in shambles and renegade vampires still at large.

The few military and political figures in Germany that had known about Millennium's continued existence had been punished accordingly; those who had provided them with funding for research and weapons had been executed.

In The United Kingdom, the population had been reduced to a few hundred thousand. In-fighting had been for the most part eliminated in exchange for rehabilitation. Though London was still little more than rubble and frequently plagued with vampiric activity, it was a haven for many.

Despite the fact that most of the common man still had little clue what had truly been happening during the war, they understood quite clearly that those that had defended them still resided in the dead city. Typically they turned a blind eye to the fact that their protectors were no different from their enemy.

In an age of fear and monsters, no one questioned those who would fight the creatures that reveled in destruction and wickedness.

*~*~*~*

Integra Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing stood in front of the tall windows of her office. Though the organization's headquarters was still in disrepair, she needed very little comfort as one of the undead. The basement and the ground floors were relatively intact. Rubble had been easily enough cleared away; bodies had been just as simply buried.

Desire to live one and fight her enemies, those who would corrupt the country she had sworn to defend, had burned in her even after hope of survival had very nearly been lost. Integra had fought on, drowned in their blood and laid waste to their hateful souls, even after her heart had ceased to beat and lungs had stopped taking in air.

Heirs she would never have, but her family's noble blood flowed stronger than ever through her veins. Hellsing would go on, and in such dark times England needed the organization's expertise, now more than ever. While she no longer answered to a queen, Integra was determined to continue the work of The Royal Order of Protestant Knights.

Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a swirl of crimson and black as Alucard moved through the twilight shadows that lengthened the room. He stepped up beside her, hips brushing lightly against the side of her body.

Integra favoured him with a sidelong glance, “Have you any news, Alucard?”

He tilted his head slightly, looked at her more fully. The mania had faded from his eyes somewhat, dulled by a darker melancholy that seemed to only lift during the quiet moments they shared and when he was in the midst of battle.

“A small encampment just outside the city was attacked last night, ravaged with nearly every mortal either gouled or killed.”

Integra arched an eyebrow, “nearly? So there are survivors?”

“Seras came across the only two on a late night patrol a few hours before dawn,” Alucard replied softly, sounding oddly distressed. “She and Walter left a few hours ago to investigate.”

Integra shook her head and scowled, knew why Alucard was a bit upset. It had taken months to rehabilitate Walter and his mind wasn't always right even still. He was of no danger to them, rather Integra worried that he was a danger to himself. Walter was often plagued with a recurring depression and deep feelings of guilt. “Are we sure he's ready?” she asked him.

Alucard gave a languid shrug, “Seras seems to be a good influence on his state of mind.”

Integra nodded slowly, “and the vampire?”

“Unknown, though I doubt it's one of the remaining Millennium freaks. Usually they're more…forceful in making themselves known. This just sounds like the feeding of a ravenous, inexperienced fledgling.”

She closed her eyes and sighed. That meant it was one of the victims of those fiends. More and more were coming out of hiding, driven out by hunger, attracted by the humans trying to rebuild. “If you wish, I can send Rip out to scout the area, if we don't get word from Seras soon,” Alucard offered.

Integra shuddered softly. Though the creature was useful, the utilization of her was unnerving. No longer a vampire, not a goul, Rip was something like a lost soul. She served Alucard now, as eagerly and without question as she'd served her mad major.

Besides, Integra enjoyed the hunt. It was more satisfying even than when she'd relished in ordering Alucard to kill, vicariously reveling in his bloodlust. Despite her misgivings in knowing nothing about the latest threat, she was growing excited over the prospect of routing the vampire out and exterminating it.

She felt his hands slide along her arms as he moved closer and slightly behind her. “You look positively ravenous right now,” he hissed softly against her ear.

Integra could feel his mouth moving when he spoke and it made her feel hungry and aroused. It still amazed her how subtly he could stir her emotions after all this time and all that they'd seen together. She leaned against his body, letting her head fall back to rest on his shoulder. His hand on her belly, he drew her ever closer.

Integra's eye slipped into a hooded, lazy gaze. “You will hunt with me, of course.”

His chuckle met her ear, warm and seductive. “Oh yes,” he whispered.

Integra nipped at the side of his neck playfully, “do you wish to share?”

Alucard smiled against her temple.

“Oh no. No tonight.”

She laughed, turned in his grip. Her eyes flashed vermillion as she broke away from him. “You plan on watching?” Integra teased him.

Alucard advanced on her, eyes growing heavy and dark with lust. “I love watching you hunt,” he purred, “I love watching you kill.”

Integra anticipated, she longed for his intensity. She wanted him and there was something truly exciting about such knowledge, such freedom. Yet she did not let him back her up, but stood her ground even as her body tightened and grew wanton for him.

Alucard grasped one of her hands, met her hungry gaze with eyes that glittered in the dimness. He pressed his lips against her knuckles in a tender, seductive gesture. Integra gasped softly with the smallest intake of pointless breath. Alucard took her moment of vulnerability to draw her closer to him, lean over her.

Integra smiled wickedly as she slipped her fingers through his hair. “I'm sure you know that I've always loved watching you.”

Alucard chuckled as he nuzzled her cheek affectionately, “I'm not so sure you were as pleased the first time.”

She shivered at the memory, “I was only scared because I thought you might kill me as well.”

Alucard laid soft kisses along her jaw line, “I wouldn't have.”

“Hm,” Integra sighed contently, tilting her head to the side in order to give him better access to her neck. He didn't bite her, he seldom did, preferred to let her dictate when she shed blood for him, but he did lay an open-mouth kiss against her skin. Integra shuddered, was twisted up with desire but knew that they were merely teasing for now, mixing eroticism with bloodlust.

A hand on the back of her head, he kissed her throat, her cheek and the corner of her eye. The other hand stroked a hip, smoothed along her upper thigh until she was panting heavily with her need. She was absurdly susceptible to his touch, easily aroused by the barest intimate caress.

When he finally pressed a hard kiss to her mouth, Integra felt a low growl crawl up her throat. His mouth was always so cold, but he tasted sweet, like blood and honey. Integra pressed closer to him, slipped her arms around his waist, beneath the heavy leather of his duster.

Alucard made a rough sound as he pushed her back against the nearest wall, easily overcoming her as she was quite thoroughly distracted.

“It's getting dark,” she panted against his mouth.

“Yes,” His voice was soft and husky.

Integra tilted her head back to look at him, grinned slyly, “I'm tempted, you know.”

He chuckled, the sound rich and little bit cruel, “That's the point of this little game, isn't it?”

“Indeed,” Integra laughed softly.

“Soon,” he soothed her, brushed his mouth along her temple.

She was silent, enjoying the duality of his sentiment. Soon they would hunt; soon they would play as lovers. Her mind wandered as she thought of Alucard's eyes on her as she defeated and feasted on her enemy. His thoughts teased her with memories of when she was a mortal woman.

Blue eyes watching the trajectory of a bullet, blue eyes full of pride and intensity.

Little had changed, save for now more than ever they shared in victories. It was exciting to fight by his side, if only to see his eyes glitter with madness and triumph. Though the country was in chaos and ruin, Integra was determined to protect it, to pave the way for a brighter future. It would take time but even with such a small force, Hellsing was strong as it ever was.

In her arms, Alucard stiffened slightly. Integra took his measure, saw the distraction shading his gaze, making it seem somewhat glassy.

“Seras?” Integra asked softly.

“Hn,” Alucard nodded, “The gouls have been exterminated. They're just waiting for us.”

“Any problems?”

He tilted his head slightly, listening to something only he could hear. Integra was not a good telepath aside from communicating with Alucard. She could only be empathic with Seras and Walter's mind and emotions were sadly cut off from her these days. “No,” Alucard shook his head, “but the vampire still hasn't shown itself.”

Integra laughed softly, “Well, that's half the fun isn't it?”

Alucard's attention returned to her, eyes hungry. He cupped her chin with a pale, long-boned hand and grinned down at her with shades of his old maniacal glee.

“My bloody countess,” he teased her.

She returned his grin, though far less insane, “my bloody count.”

He laughed and was mad and lovely, drunk on desire and bloodlust. When he dropped to one knee, Integra was nearly overcome with the violence of her lust.

Alucard gazed at her from beneath heavy ebony bangs. “I feel no shame in acknowledging you as the true ruler of this kingdom. Perhaps I am your bloody count but I am still your loyal servant, my master,” His eyes were bright and fevered.

“Oh?” Integra intoned softly. She placed a hand upon the crown of his head, stroked his hair in an almost possessive manner.

“Yes,” Alucard replied, “I am awed by you.”

She smiled ruefully, “why? Because I rose from the dead?”

“No, it's because you've not lost yourself in your bloodlust. You still dream of a changeable future.”

She caressed the side of his face, enjoying the feel of his soft skin and fine bones beneath immortal flesh. “You flatter me,” Integra shook her head.

Alucard nuzzled the palm of her hand, “You act as if it's such a small thing.”

She shrugged slightly. Perhaps it was not such a small thing, but Integra was aware of herself and her duty. Death was simply not an option or luxury she could afford. “Come,” she spoke into the heavy, intimate silence, “Stand up, Alucard. They're waiting for us.”

Finis.