Hellsing Fan Fiction ❯ San Graal ❯ Seductress ( Chapter 8 )

Aiden was learning that MI-5 proved utterly useless in providing pertinent information about vampires and their activities. They were not able to track the culprit, but only send the details of attacks after they occurred. If he wanted to personally hear such drabble, he would turn on the evening news programme and watch it as any other mortal would.

Sir Elwood remained in constant contact with all of the Hellsing officers, even though the killings grew fewer as time passed; the last one occurring two weeks prior. He insisted that the vampire that hunted Ballymacarrett was the most pressing concern to internal security, though Aiden disagreed. His instinct felt as if the hostile vampire already had been destroyed, and the vampire that hunted his own kind only wanted to let Hellsing know he still existed, nothing more.

If it truly was Alucard that prowled the city, creating the panic and mayhem of a supposed serial killer, he would either have kept his presence completely unknown or would have announced to the world that he had returned as he had done against Millennium over a century prior, not make a few appearances to mortal officers.

Even with all the concerns vying for prominence in the boy's life, Charles Radclyffe's abstract lessons in the ancient and obscure had become hour-long discussions to explain why he despised the monarchy and all organized religions. The Knight spoke of how the royals betrayed his ancestors by dissolving many of the political parties active in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, by allowing for witch hunts much earlier than that, and of course, the sheer injustice created by not giving the throne to one of Charles Stuart's bastard children after the official royal line had disappeared.

It was tiring to listen to the disgruntled Radclyffe speak as if he had been present at the original Charles' appearances at court. Therefore, he had taken to skipping the lessons, much to Argetni's delight. Still, he could not fully comprehend why his mentor had so drastically changed his position about these matters. As Aiden continually reminded himself, Charles was just distracted by Madelen's illness, and that was the cause of his madness. Were she healthy, his induction into the Rite would have been no more unusual than donating a large sum of money to the archives for research and preservation of materials, and he would be allowed to learn all the secrets of the Kingdom, if that were his choice.

At least that was what Sir Elwood had told him about his own induction in to the Rite.

Though the vampire activity in the United Kingdom was relatively high compared to the previous year, end of term at the Academy was drawing near, which was a good excuse for the boy-leader to shirk his duties in order to act as a normal student. Taking the initiative to study without the restraints of Hellsing, vampires in Northern Ireland, his mother, or his mentor, Aiden had hidden himself in the library, pouring over his schoolbooks for hours at a time.

He was so engrossed in his geometry notes one evening that Argetni was able to slip unnoticed in to the library and remove two books from the restricted section without moving as fog, bats, or through the shadows.

On the same night, it was Stephen that finally caught Aiden's attention by placing a tray of tea and biscuits upon the table where he worked, informing him that Sir Elwood, Cardinal Anderson, and a girl believed to be from the Academy- the name currently escaped him- had all asked that he return their calls.

With a weary nod while listening to the retainer, he decided to end his studies for the evening in order to attend to the calls in his office. Silently, he moved from the first to third floor to his stark office, filled with only his desk, chair, refrigerator, and an old leather couch on the wall nearest the door.

Elwood was the first call. His fellow knight only reported that no vampiric activity had been spotted during the past two days, and that he could only hope the Ballymacarrett monster had been destroyed by either Hellsing or the sunlight. He also reminded the boy that the annual court appearance of all of the Round Table membership was within the week, saying he could not wait to meet Aiden again, and that his youngest daughter Katie would be attending as well.

Cardinal Anderson was next, but Aiden was only able to leave a message for the head of Iscariot via one of the lower ranked priests. The dispute as to who should officially hunt the vampire was still at a stalemate- Anderson now claimed that since the majority of the population of the region was some form of Protestant that Hellsing were allowed to hunt the vampire while it was in Ballymacarrett, but not if it left the territory.

Aiden insisted that his organization be given full access to Dublin and its surrounding areas until the threat was eliminated. Hopefully, he would know within the day if he would be allowed to send his troops.

What he did not mention was that MI-5 had found a cache of blood-stained FREAK chips outside of their temporary headquarters the night after the last murder. Someone had already destroyed the contingent of vampires, and he did not wish to inform the Vatican of such activity. They would automatically blame Argetni, and he could not bear to see her hunted.

The final call was not to a girl from the Academy as Stephen had assumed, but instead was to Seras Victoria. Judging by the contact number she had given, she had not left London recently, as Argetni had stated.

Slowly he dialed, waiting patiently as the phone buzzed. His mind was clear so she would not be able to read his thoughts for whatever sick purpose she might use any of his secrets.

"Oh good. Did Stephen give you my entire message Sir Hellsing?"

"No. Unfortunately, Mr. Pershing believed you to be a fellow student at St. Sebastian's, so I was expecting to explain one of our assignments, not speak to one of the undead. You will forgive my surprise."

"Of course, Sir. What I wanted to know is if you knew anything about the rumors that a band of vampires is running through Northern Ireland and have recreated and modernized the FREAK chip technologies. Can you give the NAPHC and its most trusted hunter any useful information, for your problem is starting to migrate."

"Did the Vatican refuse to give you information?" His words were cold, in sharp contrast to her sweet plea for help. "Hellsing does not help those that associate with pagans and Catholic-lovers. Having worked for my Organization in the past, you should know this."

"Yes. Bishop Czani did contact his superiors, and my guess is that you either will receive a call from Cardinal Anderson, if you have not already. They claim that the place where the killings have all occurred is within the borders of Protestant territory, so it is your place, Sir Hellsing, to inform those sent to help eliminate the threat of the target's actions and whereabouts."

"The situation is under control, vampire." The word was drawn out; contempt rising with each syllable as it passed his lips. "The current situation in Ballymacarrett does not warrant the presence of my human troops, let alone my most effective weapon. I suggest you leave this country before I am forced to send Argetni against you and attend to matters in your own heathen land before bothering me again."

He heard a sigh through the speaker; Seras was obviously disappointed with his unwillingness to assist her.

"At least your sister and her father were not so stubborn as to not allow others to help them." Her tone was slightly more assertive, and he could practically see the vampiress clucking her tongue with her arms folded across her chest as she continued her rant. "Be warned, Sir, that your reluctance to chose the only action that will prevent a catastrophe the likes of which the world has yet to see will be your downfall. If my former Master wishes to return in all his glory, as it seems he will do soon, you will be driven to madness, for death is too good for one like you."

The click of the other phone being turned off faded to the constant beeping of a dead signal, and deliberately, he placed his phone in its resting spot, glaring down at the shining black box that his hand lay upon. What had caused the sudden personality shift from a sweet young woman to an ominous prophet was unknown.

"Argetni."

The name slipped sweetly from his lips as he swiveled the leather chair to face the glass door that led to the balcony. The moon was still waxing, but the soft light was nearly perfect for Aiden's tastes.

She had been out searching for amusement among the soldiers, only returning to her master because of his command, but when she stood across the balcony from the boy wearing her usual form-fitting leather and silk, tonight accented by a long powder blue jacket, her eyes blazed with the inhuman desire of the bloodlust; her face showed the combined rage and pleasure that Aiden's most private thoughts revealed.

She had yet to feed.

"Your orders, my master?"

Chills passed through his core as he stood from the chair and walked to meet her under the night sky, towering over the creature. She was impressed- any other mortal or immortal would find him quite intimidating, but Aiden was her own, a child in the world of men. His authority was only amusing. With every day she was near the boy, she understood all of Alucard's actions toward her during her mortal life, for it was her turn to play the monster, to corrupt the child in the name of sport.

Still it angered her that Aiden was better than she could have ever imagined her mortal self to be. He was the perfection she had strived to attain a century prior, both mentally and physically. Only a flicker of changing emotion on her face passed as she locked her eyes to his, then slowly, she brought her hands together, piercing the vein in her wrist as she offered the blood to the child.

He was brilliant, this child. Better than his dhampiric sister or moronic step-sister that she eliminated in her early life. He knew what these tiny infusions of her blood could do for his senses, and while his tongue was clumsy against the already-healing wound and his canines were barely sharp enough to pierce her skin, stopping this communion would be blasphemous.

The early leaders of Hellsing had been fools not to accept the blood. Then again, Alucard was not to be trusted, whereas she was the matriarch. Even if she wished to use her power to influence her family, who would believe that the elderly Integral Devries was in truth the Vampire Argetni.

Her free hand stroked his silken hair, eliciting a soft moan from the child. Soon, he would beg her to do what she pleased with him, that he would do anything for the blood. A true mortal would have already begun his pleas.

He knew when to stop. Within a few seconds, he stepped back from the vampire, breathing heavily as her blood trailed from the corner of his mouth; his eyes wide with the ecstasy that came with immortal blood.

She was now the master, and he understood. Yet this is how he wished for life to be, for his mother to still run Hellsing despite her obvious faults. Slowly, he uncovered a gloved hand to wipe the stain from his lips; his gaze never breaking from hers.

Once again, Argetni asked for her orders, and once more Aiden could only stare at her, begging silently for her blood. This time he was refused, and her abstinence was maddening. The true blood was much more pure than the womb's blood, and was his resolve less, he would have begged at her feet for another taste of either. But he knew that his nobility would not allow for such an act, and slowly, he drew his composure once again, staring silently at the seductress leaning against the balcony railing nearby as if nothing had just happened.

"Your orders, Argetni," God, he could not look at her now. His eyes remained upon the balcony floor, observing the cracks in the rock under their feet. "I want you to go to Ireland. To Ballymacarrett. Find Alucard and bring him to me, but do not kill him. I. . . . .I wish to meet him after my court appearance."

She stepped closer; he could now see her feet, feel her cool hand upon his cheek. No wonder she was so effective as a hunter; a lesser man would have already been molded to her will with just a look in to her eyes.

"Can I not attend court? I am the matriarch of the family, my son."

The chills came again, but this time, he backed from her in to the office. "No. This will be my first appearance as leader, and I do not need you ruining this for me. You will remain in your cellar during the ceremony."

"But if I am tracking the vampire you seek, shall I return home? That seems quite stupid."

"SHUT UP!" Choking back a sob as he could already feel the effect of the blood leaving his mortal system, Aiden finally turned to look at her once again, tears welling in the corners of his eyes. "I want you to respect me as your master and complete your mission, you foul bitch!"