Chapter 20: Onward We March

Alucard didn't remember much from his past, sometimes he remembered too much. Vivid images flashing past him, the blurring line between dream and reality, searing pain of death and the cooling and flaring resurrection of each life. He knew who he was, and yet he didn't at the same time. He amassed hundreds of thousands of souls and sometimes he would lose himself in the abyss of individualities which washed upon him. But he knew each time he closed his eyes for slumber he would recall something from the past, be whether unpleasant or fond he would push away each memory with a vicious hate.

Yet the constance of a lone female which plagued his dreams and mind kept his bearings. If only he could capture her, he would break her wings and chain her by his side. Keep her in a golden gilded cage which mirrored her hair and have her sing for his ears only. A foolish gander from the beginning, to conceive of the thought that he could ever keep her by his side.

Though, after chasing and fruitless hunting here she was, bound to him for eternity and for him to gaze upon to his delight. However currently where he stood, he knew that his relations with her were not as intimate as he would've liked. Her expression was of pure disgust and loathing, directed at his being as she stood by Integra's side.

"That is the complete report, Sir Integra", she said, awaiting patiently as Integra briefly skimmed through the pages. The scent of smoke wafted thickly in the air of room, competing with the smell of a freshly brewed pot of Darjeeling tea. Integra took her cigarette out from her mouth to tap the stray ashes on the tray before letting out a breath of greyish smog. Her eyes met Alucard's, startling icy blue met heated red, speckled with orange. He returned her scrutinising gaze with a leering smile, baring his fangs at her.

Clicking her tongue she stumped the butt of her cigarette into the ashtray, "The both of you are dismissed. A small reminder that I am having an important meeting this afternoon", her emphasis was directed at Alucard solely, but at the back of her mind she knew that he would be too preoccupied to bother any of them. As from where she sat, she could clearly see that his eyes had never left Seras's form, in fact his gaze was heated and wanton. It was such a gaze that even made her squirm as well as making her uncomfortable. A gaze she was not a stranger to, but one she had never seen with such intensity.

What was more surprising that Seras returned the longing gaze with an hateful expression filled with disgust and distaste for the man before her. With an almost childish huff she turned away from him, refusing to even look at his form. Alucard had only grinned even further, but remained a silent witness for once. Integra rubbed her brows, taking a sip of the hot tea before finally dismissing them. "Stay in your basement until the meeting is adjourned or otherwise", she said waving them away.

Seras stepped from her side, and did a salute before walking off, Alucard's eyes tracing over her body, salacious in nature. Their eyes met for a moment, the scathing look in her eyes was evident that even Alucard felt a little hurt, he had never seen such an strong emotion displayed in her eyes directed towards himself. It had always been three; endearment, sadness and lust.

He turned to Integra, mocking a bow as he removed his hat, "As you wish, Master", he rumbled before fading away into a pool of shadows, evidently following the lingering scent of Seras. She had already made herself halfway down towards the basement, not even bothering to keep a tangible form as she fazed through the walls, smoky wisps following her as soldiers kept clear way of her path. Their necks prickling in apprehension as they felt another form following close after her, a darker and more evident shadow clearly moved through the walls.

Deeper and deeper the two forms travelled until reaching the basement, stagnant in the scent of blood and marrow. Seras's smoke form pooled around on the floor before wispy arms and legs drew itself away from the wallowing smog, bright blue eyes following the form of Alucard, as he walked among the dark shadows. Even with her superior sight she could not tell where his body began or ended as he was shifting with the shadows. Appearing here and there across the room, but obviously encircling her, a predatory gleam in his eyes. The back of her neck tingled, as she felt another bout of irritation building up in her, she had seen that look before.

Whatever he desired, he would have. Those eyes which shone with ambition when he was still human had drawn her to him in the beginning. She could not help but be drawn to those who had ambition, not only that but those those who were convicted to their beliefs and their goals. She bit her lip before whisking away towards her own bed, glancing at her urn. She had not slept in several days, but she had been too unsettled and unnerved to even sleep, especially with the man who was before her being a nuisance.

But the one thought that lingered in her mind was his words, it was true. Her loved ones were no longer physically here, but it was the reminder and the memories that kept them alive in her mind. Every time when she fell into deep sleep, replenishing her body with renewed energy she would dream. Dream of her son and husband, together as a family. Playing in the wheat fields in the never setting sun. The small hands that held hers and the giggles that escaped her child's mouth as they chased after the birds. Other times her dreams would be more predominantly sexualised, the feathery yet thunderous touches of her husband. The peppered kisses that traced her jaw and the strong calloused hands which grasped onto her waist with an uncontrollable heat that made her go crazy every time.

"What are you thinking of?" Alucard whispered, he was standing right behind her, the evident heat which emanated from him made her hair rise. His hands grasping around her waist, almost mirroring the way her husband would and a horrified reaction was provoked from her.

"Don't poison my memory of him!" She screamed, as she clawed against his grip, her nails digging into his arms as she grappled herself away from him. Alucard's eyes narrowed at her heaving form, a low growl reverberated from his chest, how could she cling onto someone so tightly? Like a rotting corpse they were, defiling her. Like maggots they were, boring their holes in her, ruining the appeal of the Apple.

"I always thought of you as a pragmatic person, but to cling onto dust so tightly disgusts me", Alucard bit out scathingly, "Open your eyes, perhaps they live in your memory. But if you continue to linger in the past you are nothing but a pale comparison of who you once were", Alucard swept past her, seating himself on his crumbling throne. Alone and once more in the shadows darker than the darkness itself.

"You do not understand", Seras murmured her eyes glistening, "You have never loved someone so much to the point of throwing away your own life for them. To kill someone for love, to live for someone because they love you so, to breathe life into another form and love him selflessly. To give your entire being to another, so they can smile", unshed tears pooled in her eyes as she sat across him, on the smaller yet immaculate chair.

Alucard scoffed, Seras flashed her eyes at him, a clear threat veiled beneath her piercing gaze. He rolled his eyes in a lazy manner, the bright golden red eyes glowed in contrast to the wallowing darkness. "I understand", he rumbled. "I understand because it is the same way I feel towards you", he stated, his eyes locked with hers. Seras scowled.

"Your love is twisted and demented towards your own interpretation. It is not love. You do not even comprehend the concept of love", she leaned closer, her eyes shimmering, as if her eyes were pools of great volumes of water. Captured into two small orbs. She hated this part of him, whatever he touched it seemed to rot and fester beneath his hands. Whatever greatness there was he would crumble it within his fingertips, crush it beneath his feet. Whatever purity and essence there was within a human he would deform and corrupt it. If he dared cheapen her love and tried to defile it with his oiled tongue and tainted fingers she would raise all of Hell on him.

He laughed, snarky and rambunctious, yet coming from his oiled tongue it felt twisted. "Love, is meaningless. What a common, simple and overused word to describe feeling and emotion which cannot be described", he scoffed, his eyes rolling towards her. Burning brightly, like the dying embers of coal, "Are you saying what you felt for that man can merely be described as love? How weak, and I thought better of you Seras", he rumbled coolly. Resting further into the his chair, his legs splayed out before him he watched Seras with heated eyes. "I do not deny your love for that man was perhaps stronger than anything I have felt before, your memories have shown quite enough. But it is to my understanding the point of existence is to move forward, not to dawdle and linger in past sentiments".

Seras blinked her eyes slowly, her expression of surprise and genuine curiosity. "How strange of you to say that, you sound almost human?", her anger momentarily forgotten at this new discovery, she had known her presence within Alucard's life was somewhat the antithesis to his hatred and anger, but she had always thought he was an unchangeable being. She knew that within his existence that she was probably the only bright light, and that she was the only one able to draw out any sort fo human emotion from him. But to think he would be affected by such amounts? No, that wasn't possible, there must be some sort of ploy he was playing at.

Alucard shrugged off-handily, "It is your kindness and wisdom which has reformed me into such a saintly being". Seras scowled, he hadn't changed. It was unlikely she would be able to do that anyways, there must be a catalyst. Something else with stronger emotion that would change him, and it certainly wasn't love, it was hate and mourning.

She knew her 'death' had a greater impact on him than she could've ever imagined, and that her very existence in his life had shaped him in ways that no-one else could. But that only bring him so far, for she knew his existence was also shaped by his nemesis, which he longed for, for another life-staking fight. He wanted another fight, just like the one he had with Abraham van Helsing. Including another, from centuries ago, when he was still human. He had fought off an army, blood streaked skies, the soil moist and dampened with the vitality of humans and the great battle cries dissonant across the landscape. And there that man was, standing among the carcasses of his soldiers, sword drawn out and bellowing cries for God to bestow him power. It seemed history tended to repeat itself.

But she knew that Alucard was a being which clung to her, and she knew the very thought of another man in her heart was maddening for him. "Give me time Vlad", she murmured softly. "Are we not damned creatures of forever, you have been waiting for so long, could you not wait just a little more?"

Alucard paused, "Not when the meal is so close, when I can already taste the flesh and feel the heat emanate from the very body. But for you, I shall wait", he relented. Seras rewarded him with a smile, a bright and genuine smile filled with kindness. Alucard's heart once gain sputtered and ached, he would deny it. Seras's presence made him feel for alive and more human, if he could even remember what that sensation was like. He loomed up towards her and gave her a simple embrace, filled with nothing but heat and shared silence of understanding. They both understood each other too well, and perhaps a little more than their shared comfort.

The momentary sweet embrace was interrupted by the tantalising smell of blood hitting their noses, and the unmistakable sound of guns being shot. In the far distance in the beginning, but soon the sounds came closer and closer. Alucard's spine tingled, a fight was nearing. He could taste the scent of the ghouls and two specific individuals, vampires.

Seras pulled away from him, "Sir Integra", she said in aghast, immediately collapsing into a swirling mass of smoke, disappearing into the vents, her gun also turning to smoke, following her form. Alucard opened up his mind to Integra, she was unharmed and her relative reaction to the situation was annoyance. He smiled, Integra had sensed him.

'Intruders Alucard. Stay in your basement until otherwise', she ordered. He did a mock salute and settled back into her chair, it creaked under his weight, looking as every bit as old as him.

'Seras is on her way', Alucard relayed, sending an image of her disappearing through the vents. He could also feel Walter clambering through the vents, complaining about the soreness of his knees and back. He chuckled at this.

Integra merely nodded and withdrew back, breaking of the mental link. Alucard sighed as he lay back, his head tilting back against the wood. The day had progressed quite nicely, and he may even have a fulfilling fight. If those two men wandering around the halls of the mansion could make it past Seras, no. She would allow one of them to enter his basement, she knew he loved a good fight. He could already feel her weaving a spell, already snaring the white-suited male with the directions to his basement. It was his prerogative to kill anyways, but she gave him a helping hand to where to go.

'Towards his death', Seras echoed in his mind.

'We all walk towards death, where else do we go?', Alucard laughed.

Lol, it's almost been a year since my last update. How are you guys. Probably hating me, haha... sorry if my writing style has changed a bit, can't be helped. It shouldn't feel too different.

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Peace out.