Alucard's screams made Integra's hair stand on end.

Silence enveloped the pitch-dark cell. There were no windows or bars to let in light, just stone walls, briefly glimpsed when their hoods were removed and they were shoved head-long inside. The heavy door had sealed behind them, and Integra and Seras saw no more of their mysterious captors, or Alucard. He had been separated from them immediately, transported in some other armored vehicle. While Integra had not seen her servant for many hours, she had heard him, heard his snarling, taunting and swearing in turn. But now, she heard nothing.

Neither Integra nor Seras dared speak, listening intently for further signs of life from Alucard.

Seras held herself in misery. "What do you supposed they're doing to him?"

Integra couldn't imagine. At the same time, she imagined everything.

Whoever "they" were, they had been skilled. And prepared. In her heart of hearts, Integra had a sinking feeling her mysterious enemies were not vampires or the Iscariots or any of the usual suspects-but her own government. When she had been seized in her own bed and wrestled to the ground by a dozen masked soldiers and had a hood shoved over her head, her first thought was someone was staging a coup. But she had not been afraid. Alucard would let the fools get to the front door, let them believe their plan was on the verge of success, then reveal himself and liquefy the traitors. But that's not what happened at all. Once dragged into the hallway and pulled by her bound legs down the stairs, she could hear Alucard's enraged screaming, not his familiar mischievous cackle. And once on the first floor, she was dragged along the marble floors and felt her clothes soak up something wet on the floor. Blood, no doubt, from her own slain guards.

She knew immediately that if Alucard had been in any position to save her, he would have already. So she did the only thing she could think of, and called to him to let him know she was alive: "Alucard, are you okay?" After all, she was hooded, bound and covered in blood-for all he knew, she was a corpse.

She couldn't image what position he must be in, or what weapons they had used against him. But she didn't have time to wonder as she was yanked to her feet and marched outside and shoved into a vehicle-where Seras Victoria was waiting, bound and helpless as well.

Hours later, they were here, at this unidentifiable dungeon with no explanation. No lording villain to gloat over them and reveal his insidious plan. No envious traitor to murder them outright. No one at all.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

To be continued….