Standard Disclaimer: Not mine, making no money, please don't sue, just having fun in my own way, etc…

Again…Master

Chapter 8 – The Challenge

The first thing she was aware of was the burning sensation that radiated from the pit of her stomach all the way up her throat. She rubbed her throat slightly as sleep slowly released her from its grip. The next thing she was aware of was an unsettling chill that seemed to permeate her bones. Shivering slightly, Integra wrapped a blanket more firmly around her body. The burning sensation persisted until she opened her eyes and was met with total darkness. Stunned at the complete blackness that surrounded her, she sat up quickly only to slam into a solid object above her. "Bloody Hell," she swore softly.

The hum of hydraulic gears whispered in the inky blackness as the lid to the bed was raised. Impatiently, Integra tapped her fingers against a bare thigh. Looking down, she sighed briefly before warping her clothing into place. Her ears pricked up at the cool voice that mocked her, "Good Evening, Miss Hellsing. I trust you slept well on your first day?" She frowned slightly as Alucard's grinning face came into view. "What time is it?" she demanded hastily as she shoved impatiently past her maker. "Walter!" she called sharply.

Walter promptly appeared in the doorway, "Yes, Sir Integra?"

Integra stopped short as the smell of living blood caught her nose. She winked out and appeared in front of a stunned Walter before he had a chance to blink. Integra stared at her faithful retainer, his scent beckoning to her; urging her to reach out and drink. She stretched out a hand toward him as Walter hastily cleared his throat to gain her attention. "Sir Integra, I do not think you comprehend the situation fully…" he trailed off meaningfully as his garret wires appeared between his fingers. "I serve the Hellsing family willingly, but I am not on the menu."

Integra backed away several paces and apologized swiftly, "It will not happen again, Walter. I am unused to this new form. I will endeavor to maintain personal control and decorum at all times in the future." She punctuated her words with a slight bow in his direction. Walter stood with his mouth slightly ajar at the sudden about face of his master. This new Integra would definitely take some getting used to he thought to himself.

Alucard threw back his head and laughed heartily, "Poor Walter, Miss Hellsing is much improved in my humble opinion. Just look at her, such humility in the face of a major faux pas…." He turned briefly to Integra, "Miss Hellsing, I understand that you have not had any formal lessons in being a No Life King as of yet, but please refrain from eating your servants." He chuckled at his own joke, "It would not be seemly for a proper British knight such as yourself…"

Walter and Integra glared at the laughing vampire for several moments. "Walter, I gave specific instructions that I was to be awakened at 4pm. Why am I just now climbing out of bed 3 hours later?"

"I beg your pardon, Sir Integra, but Alucard said you should not be disturbed until you awakened on your own. He claimed that it was part of the learning process."

"I see, and since when is Alucard in charge of the manor and its inhabitants, Walter?" Integra glared at him with a raised eyebrow. "Just because I am no longer mortal, does not mean that I am not still firmly in charge. Do I make my self clear?"

"Yes, Sir Integra. Perfectly," Walter punctuated his words with a slight bow. Seeking to improve her demeanor, Walter hurried from the room and returned with the tea service. He set the table with her favorite china and poured blood from the steaming pot into a dainty cup. He put the cup on a saucer and extended it toward his employer.

Integra stepped forward with deliberate slowness and gingerly took the cup and saucer from his outstretched hand. The blood in the cup was enticing her with its smell, the fresh blood flowing in Walter's veins called to her more than did a cup of medical blood. She sipped slowly, savoring the taste of it, reveling in the metallic aroma of this new food source. The hunger demanded she drain the cup in an instant and feed off the living, but Integra held herself firmly in check, tapping down the beast within her.

Alucard watched all this unfold with a sense of sadistic pride. She was going to be his best creation ever if he had anything to do with the outcome. He was going to instruct her in all the ways of her new life from hunting and killing, mind control, warping space, and sex. He grinned at the thought of that last one… Integra had become a regular hell cat when it came to sex last night and he was eager to see how far he could push her. He always knew there was a raging fire buried under her cold exterior. Now he wanted to see how hot she could burn.

Walter brought a second pot of steaming blood and the reports of the evening in and set them in front of Integra. "Sir, here is the information and the additional blood you requested." Walter paused for a moment before continuing, "In the future, if I am in the room, I would appreciate if you could speak aloud to me. Having your voice appear in my mind is disconcerting to say the least."

Integra took another sip of blood from her cup. "Again, Walter I must apologize to you. I fear these new powers will take some adjustments on all our parts but most especially mine." She glanced at the stack of papers lying on the table. "Trouble so early this evening?"

Walter nodded briefly, "I am afraid so. We have received two reports of several vampires near Waltham Abbey, Sir Hellsing."

"Very good, Walter. See that a squad is readied at once along with the police girl. Alucard and I will join you shortly."

Walter exited the room and Alucard grinned as Integra grabbed the china pot and drained it dry in a few seconds. "What atrociously bad manners, Miss Hellsing! I am sure that Miss Waverly at the Waverly Institute for Girls would have fainted at that sight." He laughed heartily at his own joke for a moment as Integra glared at him over the rim of the pot.

"Hush you bloody fool. It was all I could do to restrain myself in his presence." Integra set the pot down none too gently on the table. "Show me how to open a portal, Alucard. What good are these powers I have exchanged my soul for if I do not use them in the best interest of Her Majesty and the British Realm?"

"Integra, you nor I have any need to serve the British Empire any longer." He stalked around the room for a moment as she looked at him is horror. "Look," he gestured as he opened a portal to another dimension. "We can walk through this doorway to anywhere in the world. We are a law unto ourselves. We have no rules. We answer to no one."

Drawing herself up to her full height, Integra ordered in her most autocratic voice, "Alucard, I am a knight of the Great Britian. I must and I will work in the best interests of this country as Her Majesty commands me…"

Sighing briefly, Alucard made a mental note to have a serious talk with Integra later on as to his and her place in the world around them.

The battle raged around them with Hellsing soldiers taking out freak after freak vampire. The police girl was holding her own and to her credit was testing the limits of her powers. Integra felt a flash of jealously when she noticed Seras watching Alucard during the battle. Alucard for his part nodded and offered a few encouraging words to the girl on her efforts.

Integra herself had thrown herself into the fray with no fear or hesitation, pistol in her left hand and the silver sword in her right. She made short work of the freaks as wave after wave broke against her forces. She had faltered briefly when a bullet had ripped through her side only to feel Alucard materialize next to her. He held off the onslaught briefly as he commanded her to think about healing her wound. With the slightest thought, Integra felt the wound closing and healing within seconds.

Now as the battle was winding down, she and Alucard had fallen back to allow the human troops in for the clean up. Integra still paced after the battle, on edge, and tingling as though she were holding an exposed electrical cord. She was tense and needed more. Testing the air with her nose, she growled low and flashed out of sight. Alucard quickly followed after her; catching up with no problem as she neared her troops again. "Stop Integra. They are not for you."

Integra merely shoved him out of her way as she started forward again. "I need the blood, Alucard. It's calling to me, can't you hear it?"

He was tempted to let her go, but thought it better to stop her. "Integra, did you drink at all while we were in the battle?" Did you stop to drink from the throats you were tearing out or from the limbs you were severing?"

"You must know I did not Alucard. The thought of drinking anything from these freaks make me sick. I do not want to be like them at all. I am not drinking tainted blood."

Alucard sighed briefly, "Integra, you may be a No Life King, but you are still new. You must drink to live. You must drink to build your powers, You must drink now to revive them. How silly and childish you are acting over where your next meal comes from."

"I am Hellsing. I must learn to control this new form if I am to continue to be effective in my role as guardian of the empire, but I don't want to lower myself to drinking from diseased freaks."

Alucard grinned widely, allowing his full set of sharp teeth gleam in the moonlight. "So you want to drink from good and innocent people? I heartily applaud that decision, Miss Hellsing. There is nothing sweeter than the blood of innocents to soothe the thrist," he chuckled darkly.

Integra looked at Alucard in horror for a moment. "I do not intend to murder innocent people, you vile wretch," as she slapped his face with all her strength. "I need more blood. I must be stronger. I must protect the monarchy and the Empire."

Alucard was no longer amused with Integra's outburst. He grabbed her arms and held her off the ground, as she tried to wrest herself free. He shook her roughly for a few moments to gain her attention. "Stop fighting me, you little bitch. I have had it with your tantrums. I have had it with your childish fits." He flung her to the ground in disgust. "Stand up wench. You are a No Life King. You do not serve anyone. If you thirst, drink from whomever is closest, but stop this infernal racket about the empire." He laughed wildly for a few moments as Integra looked at him as if he were crazed. "Foolish Hellsing girl… look at what loyalty to an empire will cost you."

"I know exactly what my decision has cost me and you don't have to keep reminding me," Integra snarled up at him. She flung herself off the ground and regarded

Alucard silently for a few moments. Integra's thoughts turned inward for a moment. Her entire life had been mapped out by her sense of duty and honor. She had risen to every task that had been thrown her way. She thought for a few more moments about the path that lay before her. "Come along, Alucard…. Let us find our next meal for the evening, but absolutely NO innocent blood."

She waited patiently as her former servant grinned broadly at her, exposing a mouth full of sharp teeth. "As you wish, Integra. Would you prefer petty thieves, rapists, murderers, child molesters or perhaps a death row convict? The one good thing about this era is the unending supply of people who deserve death."

Integra shook her head again as she joined him at the edge of the dark void. "I don't care, just pick something. I'm quite famished." Clearly, this new life was going to be a larger challenge than she had originally anticipated.

To Be Continued…

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Thank you for the follows, favorites, and reviews that you have left for me over the years. When I started this, I could not imagine what life had in store for me at the time. I dug this out, dusted it off, and am making a sincere effort to complete this work of fiction. Thanks again for all your support.

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Lady Blackhat